Healthy Ilumi Meals

The typical ready meal is a guilty pleasure for most, we all know they are terribly unhealthy, and often not the tastiest of meals, but after a long day at work the idea of cooking from scratch is not at all a pleasant one! When The Amazing Blog was sent some goodies from Ilumi, we were in ready meal heaven!

Unlike most ready meals, Ilumi offer healthy and allergen free meals that are suitable for those with milk and nut allergies and those who are on gluten-free diets. These meals will not irritate or upset your body – they are simply tasty dishes you can trust!

The Ilumi pouches are all 100% natural so there are no nasty additions like many other ready meals. The meals are sealed in pouches and pressure cooked until they reach optimum deliciousness and amazingly you don’t need to keep them in the fridge, so perfect to stock away in your cupboards; ready for when you have one of those busy days when you need something quick yet tasty.

We tried out Chicken Cacciatora and Yellow Basmati Rice, the first thing we noticed was how colourful the meal looked on the plate which was very appealing. This is an Italian style dish with a tomato and red wine sauce, the flavour was amazing, we were so impressed!

The Ilumi range offers up a lot of variation in meal choices, they have created numerous soups, curries, casseroles and sauces so there is something to suit every taste and enough variety to keep you coming back to this delicious range again and again.

If you want to try out Ilumi’s fantastic pouches prices range from just £1.50 per pouch and can be purchased from the Ilumi website.

Christmas Food Nibbles

As Christmas is a time of festivities this means that food is often one of the most important parts. However after the rigmarole of cooking a Christmas dinner for the entire family, in the days that surround Christmas, sometimes nibbles and quick meals are a good solution to keeping everybody happy, but without the huge exertion of repeating the Christmas dinner.  We love food here at The Amazing Blog, so we have been sampling lots of tasty treats that we think should be in your cupboards this Christmas. Today we want to share with you some wonderful nibbles that are sure to keep the entire family happy.  

We heard about food company, Eat 17, after the huge success of their first product Bacon Jam (yes we know, sounds amazing!) So when we heard they were launching new flavours we just had to try one out. We have been tasting the wonderful Eat 17 Onion Jam, and I have to say from the moment we opened the jar the smell was simply intoxicating. The jam tastes sweet but has a fantastic tangy (think pickle-like but not too acidic) taste as you swallow it. I think this is perfect with cheese, especially as an accompaniment to Camembert with some crusty bread. The jams can also be used as burger condiments, and in cooking, such as adding them to stews or on bangers and mash, so this is a truly versatile product that will make catering for the family a doddle this Christmas. If you want to see what all the fuss is about, visit the Eat 17 website where you can purchase the Jams or from Waitrose stores where they are retailing for £3.59 per 110g jar.

It just wouldn’t be Christmas without a tin of biscuits to pass around the living room, so we have been tasting plenty to find the perfect tin for you and your family to enjoy. We have found a delicious collection from Fortnum & Mason that features a range of scrumptious biscuits that are presented in the most beautiful merry-go-round musical tin. There are a whole range of wonderful biscuits inside, including Clotted Cream Digestive Biscuit, Luscious Lemon Thins and Chocolate & Macadamia Nut Biscuits.

We think this flavoursome selection is the perfect accompaniment to a nice cup of tea on a wintery afternoon and will be sure to settle the appetites of your relatives. The Fortnum & Mason Merry Go Round Musical Tin is available from their website costing £25.

Christmas is the perfect occasion for cheese and wine parties, or even just a cheese board after dinner with family or friends, so we think it is very important to always have an interesting range of cheeses at hand during the Christmas period. We love the cheeses on offer from Snowdonia Cheese Company, because they have such a wonderful range of flavours that are much more exciting than a supermarket cheddar. There are eight different flavours on offer, all of which are unique and delicious. Snowdonia Cheese Company are offering the chance to try their three bestselling and award winning cheeses in their Trio Gift Pack, containing 200g truckles of Little Black Bomber, Red Devil, and Green Thunder. Little Black Bomber is a classic extra mature cheddar, Red Devil is a spicy option, it is red Leicester with chillies and pepper and lastly, Green Thunder is a mature cheddar with garlic and herbs. These delightful cheeses will be sure to steal the show on any cheeseboard this Christmas. The Trio Gift Pack is available from the Snowdonia Cheese Company’s website for £12.

With two members of The Amazing Blog Team being Spanish, Chorizo is always a firm favourite product for lunch in the office. However, used in the right way, we think that it is a perfect product to keep in your fridge over Christmas as it is just so versatile. Three Little Pigs, a Yorkshire based pig farm believe that their pork tastes so good because of the high quality of the meat on animals and their quality of life. All of their pigs are reared outside in free range conditions where they are given high quality food and kept in family units to ensure the animals have long and happy lives. We think that the Three Little Pigs Chorizo would be a fantastic ingredient over Christmas time as it can be used in a variety of way such as with a cheeseboard, in your Christmas stuffing, of in pasta dishes. If you’d like some chorizo inspiration, Three Little Pigs have some recipe ideas for you that are sure to wow your guests. You can order this award winning chorizo from the Three Little Pigs website starting from £8.99 including delivery.

Sometimes with all the busy preparations we undertake ready for the big day, cooking can be the last thing on our mind, especially after a busy day of Christmas shopping or peeling potatoes for the Christmas dinner. Times like these call for something very fast that takes minimal effort to prepare but still tastes great. We have been lucky enough to try out the Itsu Instant noodle pots, we tested the Thai Spicy Noodle Pot, and instant version of the delicious noodles served up at the Itsu shops and restaurants in London. Please cast aside all your thoughts about the dreaded Pot Noodle, because this is a superior product with great ingredients and taste. The Pot contains three packets, one of the chunky udon noodles, a packet of spicy broth and lastly dried Italian vegetables. All you have to do is pour the packets into the pot and just add boiling water so you will have a filling and healthy meal in an instant. Plus eating straight from the pot with the cleverly designed spork means there is no washing up and you can get on with your preparations. The Itsu Instant Noodle Pots can be purchased from the Itsu website where they cost £12 for a pack of 6 pots.

Affordable Festive Finds

We are almost done with the first week of December, so if you haven’t already started helping Santa out with filling stockings then you best get cracking. Our day five of Festive Finds is inspired by the most exciting part of Christmas for a lot of children…opening stockings at 4am and leaving all the wrapping paper for Mum and Dad to clear up. The Amazing Blog knows how tricky it can be to get that stocking (or pillowcase) filled to the brim with lots of little goodies, so here are some suggestions that will go down a treat with the kids.

Fickle Tattoos are perfect for adding even more entertainment into Christmas morning and will keep the young ones quiet for a while. There are hundreds of designs of temporary tattoos, ranging in colours, size and theme so that you can choose something tailored to the personality and interests of your child. Something I find more special about these temporary tattoos than others is how they are designed by a handful of unique and creative illustrators who regularly create new drawings. You can read about each of them on the webpage, it makes the tattoo gift a little more personal and sweet. It’s a great little stocking filler to keep the kids happy whilst breakfast is being prepared, so have a browse here and discover their variety of quirky designs.

Another low-priced, petite stocking filler which also has the benefit of engaging kids for hours is the In a Matchbox White Christmas. Every year there is anticipation over whether there will be snow or not. There are kids lining up at the door or peering out the window with hats and gloves on ready to enjoy the snow. However, recently nature hasn’t been so reliable and snow either melts right away or doesn’t fall at all. White Christmas in a match box will help avoid disappointment in case we are left snowless this year because…it’s fake snow! All you need to do is freeze the snow for a few hours and then you’re ready to decorate your house and garden with snow that is guaranteed to stay put. I’ll be covering plants indoors and window stills to add a little festivity into my home this month. Maybe you have teenagers and need to fill their stockings with more grown-up gifts which can sometimes be a bit trickier as a sparkly pencil or toy car just won’t cut it this year. We suggest the Save the Blow Dry Cap for young ladies to enjoy. Did you know we spend over two hours a week blow-drying our hair? Save the Blow Dry has come up with a solution to do just that, save your blow dry! The cap is waterproof and made with absorbent micro-weave towelling so that it leaves your hair fabulously soft and bouncy. It’s a smart gift for girls as I’m sure lots of Christmas and New Year parties have been planned. We all want to say goodbye to 2013 looking our best. This gift is guaranteed to please your teen and leave them without reason to moan or complain on the special festive day. It’s only £14.95 and can be found here.

This gift is the epitome of ‘best of both worlds’ in terms of presents. Which two gifts are always a safe choice for everyone and will never be a let down? Chocolate and Flowers... However, flowers don’t make the best stocking filler as they are fragile and demand a lot of attention, and well, we guess you’ve probably bought a fair bit of chocolate already. So, these Chocolate Scented Grow Your Own Flowers found on Prezzybox and in Tesco, combine both the two to make charming stocking fillers. The flowers are for you to grow, so no squashing goes on in the stocking. Everybody loves growing flowers, and there is always a huge excitement when they completely develop, especially as these are daisies which are always lovely. You are given chocolate daisy seeds and lovely looking coconut husk starter pots to begin with, so move aside Alan Titchmarsh, because we have chocolate scented flowers.

All stockings need something edible amongst the wrapping paper, be it chocolate coins or tangerines, it’s a crucial part because there is no better guilty pleasure than stuffing your face in the early hours of the day when you should really be sleeping. If your children are messy with chocolate and leave wrapper trails as if they are re-enacting Hansel and Gretel, then worry no more... Pots & Co has a tasty selection of desserts in wonderfully designed pots to make things a little less untidy. Some of our favourite flavours are the Chocolate & Orange Pot, Caramelised Apple Crumble and the Sticky Toffee Pudding but there are also lots more to choose from. We do realise that this may not be the classic stocking filler food, but we also know lots of families like to do something a little different to surprise their children. These gorgeously creamy puddings will do just that. Even the photographs of them look edible, so that must be a good thing!  Have a look here at the delicious collection of puds for your nearest stockist.

A more familiar brand at Christmas is Lush as they always have beautiful bath and shower gifts to give away. Some items come out every year and we get to look forward to seeing them on the shelves. However, other products are new and exciting and never disappoint those loyal Lush users because they always put the same passion into all the products. The Lush Christmas Fun is made up of Red Fun, Green Fun and Gold Fun, too much ‘fun’ in one sentence? These are a lovely blend of four products in one which you can use as a soap, bubble bath, shampoo and play. There is a refreshing citrus included in the ingredients for the Red Fun and Green Fun and a comforting honey in the Gold Fun. I know I would definitely be happy to receive this for Christmas! Lush are a great brand that have a huge amount of reliable and wonderful products for everyone to enjoy.This little multipurpose trio is £6.50 and found here.

Tweezers are always a good shout if you’re stuck on present ideas. It’s the kind of thing everyone needs, male or female, so is a safe idea to fill that stocking a bit more. The Vintage Cosmetic Company have a sweet selection of tweezers which includes their festive pair, the Limited Edition Christmas Tweezers. These £8 tweezers are very cute and inspired by the 1950’s. The colour makes them look a bit more attractive than your every day tweezers, so definitely something you will find yourself keeping for a long time. Usually we want to keep our tweezers tucked away in our wash bag but with these they will be out on display for all to see. The colour is lovely and you can have a look here.

Last but not least, the most colourful and practical present for The Amazing Blog stocking suggestions, the Happy Jackson Lovely Things Wash Bag. It’s so simple and endearing, and the sort of present you can’t wait to start filling with all the cosmetics you accumulate over Christmas. It’s the perfect material to prevent stains and water damage and is also sized just right for travel. Depending on the age of your children though it could be anything, maybe even a pencil case? There is no use specification so would suit any age and gender as a stocking filler. I would have loved to get one of these in my stocking when I was younger, especially because you gather a lot of extra wash stuff across the season so end up buying a new one anyway. It’s bought for £11.66 here, there are lots of other stunning gifts from Happy Jackson worth taking a look at too.

 

Foodie Festive Finds Week

We thought we would start December off with 5 days of festive finds to get you in the Christmas spirit. Today is day one and what better way to start than with food. It’s December, which means it’s nearly Christmas, which also means it’s time… It’s time to stuff our faces with everything and anything edible and bad for us in sight. Here at The Amazing Blog, we are very considerate of our readers so forced ourselves to test out flavoured marshmallows, creative chocolates, and biscuits, just for you. Ok, I’m lying, we very much enjoyed trying out all these wonderful treats and have found a bunch of great foods that you should definitely have around this Christmas. It’s fine because calories don’t count during the Christmas holidays, do they?

The Marshmallowists are challenging our traditional views of marshmallows as in the past they haven’t had a reputation for being full of flavour. However, that is soon to change as The Marshmallowists have flavours like Turkey and Cranberry, Christmas Pudding and Mulled Wine. These Christmas inspired ingredients are probably more appealing to the adult population, I know when I was little I wouldn’t have been brave enough to try them.  At first glance they may look a little strange but they really aren’t. They are interesting which is something a lot of people tend to look for with food because we are always able to eat the same old flavours, so why not mix it up a little? You can enjoy them by the fire on a cold, wintery evening and team them with a hot drink. They have plenty of flavours if these Christmassy ones don’t look too appetising to you, and you can browse them here. They are £6 for a box and certainly worth a try. They would be a great, quirky little gift to intrigue your friends and family this year as they are interesting and great for sharing.

Chocolate is the one thing most of us can’t say no to this month. There are temptations everywhere. Advent calendars in the kitchen to make us think of chocolate as soon as we wake up and gifts at work, there's no escape. We might as well give in and enjoy some of the tastiest chocolate around and Kingdom has a flavoursome collection of melt in the mouth chocolate for you to get your teeth into. Try and have a read of these delectable flavours without getting chocolate cravings, there is Double Choc Dark Mousse, Dark Chocolate & Orange with a Marmalade Centre, Milk Choc & Cappuccino, Milk Choc & Peanut Butter Centre, Dark Choc with Lemon & Lime and then the Milk Choc Rhubarb & Vanilla Centre. We genuinely took no longer than a day to demolish the lot in the office. The inviting and unique flavours made it so difficult to decide which to open first, so obviously we concluded that the fairest thing to do was open them all at once. We just won’t step on the weighing scales for a while…  They are all delicious, definitely a stocking filler that won’t disappoint. They are available in store or online at www.waitrose.com, you can even find them on Amazon.

If white chocolate is more your thing then don’t worry, we have found something for you as well.  The Montezuma White Chocolate Snowmen are packaged in a sweet little box which would look great as a stocking gift or under the tree to add a little extra excitement for Christmas morning. These Snowmen are delicious and the perfect size to nibble at throughout the holidays without making yourself sick. With these there are the Montezuma White Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls, yes, they do exist and yes they are as incredible as they sound. You may have noticed I am very fond of peanut butter chocolate, but it’s not just me, we all are, so they are bound to be popular with your family. They are described as ‘milk chocolate salted peanut butter truffle wrapped in a white chocolate shell’, that’s all I need to say… If you want to trick your subconscious into thinking that you’re having a healthy Christmas then try the Montezuma Christmas Mixed Fruitswhich are filled with flavour. We found them so tasty that they soon became the ultimate procrastination food in the office, with lots of ‘oh what flavour have you got there?’ and ‘That sounds nice, maybe I’ll try one’. You can find their prices and lots of other tasty things here.

Our last chocolate favourites are from Demarquette and we are very excited to introduce you to their festive collection this year as they never disappoint. The festive chocolates are plentiful and there’s no shortage of mouth-watering selection boxes to share around the house or buy as gifts for friends and family. They are packaged beautifully and with care so again they would be great presents. One of my personal favourites is the Chocolate Christmas Tree Gift Set, for £25 you can purchase this chocolaty and colourful treat. It comes with a chocolate tree and flavoured caramel baubles. To make this even more of a pleasant experience, some of the baubles are Cornish Sea Salt Caramel which is a scrumptious addition to the flavour.

The East India Company is the perfect 'go to' this Christmas if your looking for entertainment snacks. If we aren’t spoiling our taste buds rotten with chocolate then you will find us munching on biscuits elsewhere. Biscuits are great to have around in December as you never know who will be popping round to wish you a merry one. These can be to nibble on in the evening after a gigantic roast, or to have as party treats for all to enjoy.  Interesting biscuits are bound to be a crowd pleaser and the East India Company has some really brilliant flavours. The Cherry, Choc Chip & Chilli flavour is delicious, an infusion of exciting seasonings will no doubt impress your guests. Similarly with the Sea Salt & Caramel, which we absolutely devoured. Last but not least, something to satisfy our British food cravings is the English Stilton Cheese filled biscuits. Cheese and biscuits come out every Christmas, and these have to be in the mix, they are delightfully creamy and bursting with flavour. There are dozens of different biscuits, each as stimulating for our taste buds as the next. Take a look on their website where you can purchase them also, prices starting from £4.95. They all have a huge range of other delicious products so take a look.

Finally we have something a little different, still on the topic of food but not edible itself. For £10 you can get hold of this Meri Meri Jingle All The Way Cupcake Kit from Cotswold Trading. This is a very sweet little kit, ideal for the little ones (and adults as I’m definitely getting one of these) this Christmas. It comes with cupcake holders, and Christmassy decorations filled with glitter and fun. Just seeing the box has made my excitement for this festive month step up a notch. I love cupcakes and decorations, it’s the perfect combination. It is just the kit, so no ingredients involved, but that means you can pick whichever cupcakes are a success in your household and decorate those. They look great on a cupcake tower in the kitchen, even if they are only there for 5 minutes before being devoured. It’s time to put on some Christmas music, get the kids in the kitchen and get creative.

 Tomorrow we will have some presents to treat your four-legged friends this Christmas.

Friday Favourites - Christmas Alcohol

The end of November has arrived and the festive season is upon us. Glittery decorations are taking over the streets and various Santa Claus impersonators can be spotted walking around your local town. We have put together some of our favourite Christmassy alcohol treats so that everyone can enjoy them this month. We girls at The Amazing Blog won't deny that we do like to indulge in various flavoursome alcoholic beverages at Christmas so have some exciting drinks to tell you about. We have treats from BrewDog, Ophir, Baileys, Stoli,  Dows, and Demijohn.

First up on our alcohol likes this month is BrewDog, and their Watt Dickie. This is available in BrewDog Bars and Ales By Mail. Described as a ‘liquid science fiction’, this is definitely an interesting new beverage worth paying attention to. It’s also a great gift for any friends with an interest in weird and wonderful inventions. This is a faux spirit, originating as an India Pale Ale. Watt Dickie has undergone a secret transformation, turning into an abundance of extravagant and unusual flavours. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the Watt Dickie, be it as a spirit or blended into a mysterious cocktail. Christmas is filled with resolution and promise, we often tell ourselves to try new things and become a ‘yes man’ for a bit. Don’t be afraid of this curious drink this Christmas, you may be surprised by how much you enjoy it.

The Ophir Oriental Spiced Gin is one of the most Christmassy sounding drinks we have in our collection. The spice in the gin induces an immediate excitement for Christmas as all the smells remind you of those that come out this time of year. I find it inspires a sense of nostalgia, thinking about parties and previous Christmas festivities. The bottle is great for display with its oriental design, there are no holiday season restrictions with this drink as the smell, taste and design are perfect for holidays throughout the year. This is one of our favourite bottles as you want it on your shelf so that its displayed for the world to see. The gin encorporates flavours from around the globe to add something a bit different to this December. Why not welcome in the New Year by treating your tastebuds to a flavour inspired by global spices. This drink is great for cocktails and showing off at those Christmas parties you've fallen into hosting. You can buy the gin in Harvey Nichols for £30.

Now, Baileys is a household treat at Christmas for a lot of you I’m sure, but what about Chocolate Baileys? This beauty is the new addition to the family. Luckily, it doesn’t wander away from Baileys established ingredients, because that is after all, what we love about the brand. It merely blends an additional complimentary ingredient that we Brits just can’t seem to get enough of this time of the year, Chocolate. Irish Whiskey, Cream and Chocolate, is there really anything not to enjoy about that perfect union of flavours?  Lead scientist Anthony Wilson has travelled the world to discover the finest chocolates, as Baileys deserves only the finest of ingredients of course. You can buy this drink at all your local big supermarkets and prices start from as little as £15.

Something a little different but just as sweet is the Stoli Salted Karamel Vodka. This is a great drink for making creative and flavoursome blends and ideal for impressing your friends and family at parties. The sweet and savoury mix makes it a very enjoyable treat. A gorgeous combination of sweet caramelised sugar and English toffee, levelled out with a light saltines. Delicious! It's always nice to have a more interesting drink at Christmas because the bog standard choices are available to you all year which makes them a bit dull. This Salted Karamel Vodka would make a great little extra to your chocolate selection whilst you're playing charades after that big roast dinner. You can find this vodka for around £20 and from many online stockists so have a read on Stoli to find out more.

Now for something which may appeal more to mature taste buds, Dows Port. The name Dow has been associated with the finest ports for over 200 years. They have a stunning collection of Port including a selection of luxury vintage ports. Along with this they have also won two of the most prestigious wine competitions around and this is due to the company’s genuine passion for creating excellent tastes. You can visit Dows website to read about the wine and the family history which just adds heritage and more interest to the brand. The inspirational journey surrounding the development of these ports is told here where you can also browse their variety of products.

Last but not least is a drink that comes in an attractive and unique bottle which is further complimented by the exciting and modern liquor flavouring. It’s the DemiJohn Brandy Tower, in which you can choose from a delightful selection of liquors. We have been spoilt with Butterscotch Cream, Apricot Brandy, and Somerset Pomona. The blend of different colours stacked upon one another is very stylish and creates a beautiful display piece for your home this Christmas. This alcohol would definitely be a conversation starter for dinners and parties this month.  The choice of liquors means that you can fill the tower with flavours to suit the whole family. There’s nothing to fault as this alcohol both looks and tastes great so is a welcomed addition to the drinks cabinet. We might as well treat ourselves this year to an alcohol tower tailored specifically to our likes, right? If you visit the DemiJohn website, you can explore the different mixtures and create your own invention for the brandy tower.