primrose's kitchen

Friday Favourites - Nut Butters Feature

We here at The Amazing Blog love when we come across a healthy snack we don’t feel guilty indulging in. This is why we decided to look for some delicious and health nut butters to make your meals and snacks fabulous and guilt free.

Soil Association approved, the Primrose's Kitchen Almond and Chia Spread is a delicious butter alternative to the tasty peanut butter we all know and love. It’s still just as nutty but it’s actually better for you! You can spread it on bread, add it to dress or use it in baking. The key ingredient, almonds, is our nut of choice because they alkalise the body and make the perfect high protein snack when combined with Chia Seeds. Not only is this spread organic, but it is also gluten, wheat and sugar free.

Mix it up a little bit and purchase Primrose's Kitchen Almond and Chia Spread here. 

 

Instead of a spread, we decided to try Meridian nut butter bars. They come in two flavours, Almond and Peanut, and let me tell you, they are literally crammed full of nuts.   
Each delicious nut bar is 55% nuts, providing an excellent source of nutrients and energy.
These bars prove to be a satisfyingly tasty choice for people on-the-go because they are high energy snacks and super healthy. Each bar contains 8 and 7f of protein respectively – significantly more than mainstream cereal and nut bars. All Meridian nut butter bars are suitable for vegans and are gluten, dairy, soy and wheat free. They would make a healthy addition to any lunchbox so purchase these Meridian bars and other butters here.

 

 

Get your taste of Moroccan sunshine in a jar. The Berber tribes’ answer to nut butter, Alassala’s Amlou Paste is a traditional Moroccan food that can be used as a spread or a dip for bread or crackers. Winner of a Gold Star at the Great Taste Awards 2013, Alassala Amlou Paste sets itself apart by being pure and natural with no added honey or sugars. Made with only 72% ground, semi roasted almonds and 28% Organic Argan Oil, the paste is perfect for both sweet and savoury dishes. It is a great source of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids, as well as having anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to lower cholesterol. Its distinct almond flavour makes a delicious, healthy addition to any recipe. Moroccan’s thought it to be the ideal enhancement to any romance, and it has certainly made its way into our hearts and our kitchens.

If you’re looking to add an exotic twist to your nutty snacks, Alassala Amlou Paste is available in two sizes: 226 grams RRP £14.99 and 113 grams RRP £7.99. Alassala also has a selection of recipes available here. The Amlou Paste is currently stocked at The Hale Clinic’s Nutri Centre online, and at other independent Health Stores and Speciality Food Stores. You can also buy Alassala’s products online.

This all-new brand of natural nut butters is changing the game when it comes to providing customers delicious and nutritious products. Pip & Nut have recently launched their line with three yummy, irresistible flavours: Peanut Butter, Almond Butter and Coconut Almond Butter. Each one is free of palm oil, refined sugar, preservatives, additives and emulsifiers. Their motto is, “if it’s not natural and a squirrel wouldn’t eat it, then we don’t use it.” The brand has already been mentioned in an article from The Grocer about healthy January comfort foods available at Selfridges. The founder was mentioned in an article by The Guardian about sacrifices start-ups need to make when they launch. Talk about go-getters!

You can find these tasty nut butters on display at your nearest Selfridges, until the Pip & Nut website is fully up and running. The containers are £5 each, and since each jar is loaded with health benefits and great taste, they are worth every pound.

Friday Favourites - Breakfast Cereals

What is the best thing about waking up in the morning? Breakfast, of course! Some like it sweet and some like it savoury. Some people like to eat on the go, while others like to take their time to sit and enjoy it. The one thing that we can all agree on here at The Amazing Blog is that we like our breakfasts to be healthy and delicious.

When Alara Gluten Free Organic Muesli was delivered to the office, all we wanted was to have breakfast again. So we did! We loved the unique texture created by the combination of different ingredients that include soya flakes, dried sliced cranberries, puffed quinoa, goji berries and golden linseeds. This delicious organic muesli is a good source of protein, high in fibre, gluten and wheat free and has no added sugar.  Alara’s Muesli can be enjoyed with your favourite milk or yogurt product to boost energy while pleasing your taste buds. For those of us who have trouble finding the perfect muesli, Alara lets you design your own mix with a choice of up to 16 ingredients.  

Not only are Alara committed to creating the healthiest and tastiest muesli they are also very serious about the environment. The boxes are made from sustainably sourced wood and are the first cereal company in the world to be certified Organic, licensed by the Coeliac Society, working with the Fairtrade Foundation, and Zero Waste. Being healthy and kind to the planet has never been so tasty! You can buy Alara Gluten Free Organic Muesli here for £ 5.39.

If you are looking for a warm and healthy meal for your breakfasts look no further than Iswari’s Raw Superfood Breakfast Mix. Iswari Superfoods recently launched a new range of innovative raw breakfasts that will revolutionise your mornings. The 3 mixes available are tasty and delicious, gluten free and organic. Buddha’s Awakening is a nutrient dense mega mix of milled chia, flax, almond & buckwheat, making it a highly nutritious start to your day. Made by simply adding hot water or milk, it offers convenience for those on the go, and is easily digestible for those with food intolerances. The breakfast mixes are rich in omegas 3, 6, iron, magnesium, calcium, and protein. The delicious warm mixes are available in 3 tasty flavours: Chocolate Hit, Maca & Vanilla, and Hempiness. Our favourite at The Amazing Blog is the Chocolate Hit, mixed together with fresh berries for a warm and sweet start to the day!

Iswari offers an extensive range of over 30 super-foods products widely available across Europe. Plus their products are only purchased from sustainable sources that respect nature, humans and the ecosystems of the world. All of their products are low GI, raw where possible, vegan- with the exception of bee products, and organic.

When we are looking to be adventurous with our muesli in the mornings we turn to Primrose’s Kitchen Raw Beetroot and Ginger Muesli. Primrose’s Kitchen follows ‘a naturopathic diet’ which is the idea of a special energy called "vital energy" or "vital force" which guides bodily processes such as metabolism and reproduction to keep our bodies balanced. The Raw Beetroot and Ginger Muesli is a combination of delicious gluten free oats with fresh beetroot that is contrasted with zingy ginger, that together with a balanced combination of nuts and seeds, are sure to brighten any morning. The flavours and ingredients in this muesli are equally as adventurous as they are healthy, making for a great start to the day. Made right here in the UK, by a team of nutrition geniuses, we can’t fault the mouth-watering goodness of this cereal.

 The Raw Beetroot and Ginger Muesli won Gold winner at Taste of the West Awards 2012 and Gold Star winner at Great Taste 2013 so if you, like us, need no more convincing, Primrose’s Kitchen Raw Beetroot and Ginger Muesli is available here for £5.95.

The best thing about granola is that it is perfect for breakfast and as a healthy and filling snack during the day. You can get your breakfast while you are running out the door to catch the tube or you can snack on while you are in front of your pc doing important work.

Born back in 1985, Nature’s Path is an independently-owned family business which is committed to organic-only recipes made from the finest available grains, fruit and nuts. We were glad to have been able to try the gluten free Trail Mix and Choc Chip Granola Bars because they spiced up our breakfast research. If you are not one for cereals or porridge, these bars are perfect for breakfast on the go, with fruit or yoghurt if you want a sit down, or as a snack with lunch.  These crunchy, tasty bars go down a treat especially considering that they are so healthy. Despite both bars being super delicious our favourite was the Choc Chip because of the chocolate, of course!

Natures Path Granola Bars are available in Waitrose and Sainsbury’s or from the online shop here for £2.99 for 5 bars