RED5 Gadget Shop - Selfie Stick

Imagine this: you are out with a group of friends and the perfect photo opportunity is bestowed upon you. You look around, but no one is free to document the moment and take a photograph. Here at The Amazing Blog, we feel as though there is nothing worse, and we have been dying to find the solution. Now, with the Selfie Stick from RED5 Gadget Shop, our search for a solution has finally ended.

This product allows you to attach your phone or camera to a stick and take a picture or video from a entirely different perspective. It can also be used to take self-portraits and group shots where everybody fits in the frame, so no one is left out! It is perfect for travelling, sight seeing, or just taking a 'selfie' on a normal day. As if the overall concept isn't enough, the best thing about the product is that it is so easy to use. All you have to do is attach your phone or camera in landscape mode with the screen facing the photographer. Taking a 'selfie' has never been easier! Make sure you don't forget to download a self-timer app on your smartphone so you can truly capture the moment. This camera/smartphone grip is super versatile as it fits most models of cameras and phones, and extends to 100cm.

Get your own RED5 Gadget Shop Selfie Stick today for £6.95 here and begin tracking your travels one selfie at a time.

Libby Chan Concentrate

Here at The Amazing Blog we are in love with the green revolution. Whether it’s the products we use to meet our beauty needs or the goods we use to keep our homes clean, we try and make sure all ingredients are completely natural and safe. Now that we’ve got our hands on the Libby Chan concentrate, we are confident that this product will help our lives stay green and clean.

Libby Chan concentrate is made from all-natural ingredients and fermented from food. Yes, we did say fermented! The ingredients are non-GMO, fair trade, and include live yogurt cultures and yeast in the list. Unlike antibacterial products that completely strip a surface making it prone to germs and filth, this product is filled with “good bacteria” keeping all unwanted forms of bacteria at bay.  Instead of a harsh, insufficient clean, Libby Chan concentrate gently cleans with “good bacteria,” leaving your home spick and span.

Libby Chan concentrate left the office with a pleasant earthy scent, reminding us of freshly baked bread. No matter what the circumstances may be, this cleaning product is sure to take the "think green" movement to a whole new level.

On the Libby Chan website there is a wonderful list of local retailers that supply the brand- check here  to see if your area is on the list or buy online here  for prices ranging from £8.99 to £12.79.

Back Nodger

When the Back Nodger arrived in the office, I’ll be the first to admit that we here at The Amazing Blog were a little wary. Looking more like golf club than a massage tool, we were unsure as to how it could provide any relief from our aches and pains. However, after a little research, and a few minor mishaps, we were soon ‘nodging’ our knots away.

We all know that when working a desk job, it can be difficult to maintain a great posture. As well as not looking your best, hunching over a keyboard all day also contributes to those dreaded back pains. Although we’re firm believers in prevention before cure, and try to work on a great sitting stance, once the damage is done, we’re always comforted when we come across something that can provide a little relief. The Back Nodger is a great way to work on stiffness and tension. Born out of creator, Asher Nathan’s inability to massage the hard to reach parts of his lower back, he decided to take a leaf out of the Japanese’s book, altering their shiatsu methods until he came up with the perfect deep tissue massager. Recommended by physiotherapists, this curved steel tool isn’t your typical massager, and can take a bit of getting used to. Luckily, Back Nodger provide a handy ‘how-to’ video,  so you will be giving yourselves a good ‘nodging’ in no time. When used right, the nodger should feel like a thumb pushing into those parts of your back that you can't quite reach. After a few uses, we felt the tension melt away, leaving us a lot more comfortable at our desks. Although an attractive masseuse is always preferable, we’re more than happy to settle for the Back Nodger.

The Back Nodger is available to buy here for £29.99. We’re certainly grateful for the excuse to give ourselves a quick massage at our desks.

Rani's Mixture

We are always in the market for a tasty new snack here at The Amazing Blog and we were delighted to come across Rani’s Mixture. A mixture of spicy fried noodles and various other ingredients put together to form a delicious and nutritious snack, the Bombay Mix contains some of the finest exotic ingredients, including peanuts, cashews, cassavas and fried curry leaves to delight your taste buds. Rani’s Mixture is often referred to as one of the ‘seven wonders’ because all the ingredients taste so good together! The mixture is hand cooked using pure sunflower oil, and they only cook small batches to ensure quality is maintained. The good people at Rani’s do not believe in doing things by half, which is why they won The Good Taste Award in 2013. If something doesn’t look, taste, or feel great in your mouth, then it is not good enough for them. Rani’s Mixture distinguishes itself from other Bombay Mixes in the supermarket because their mixture is fresh, simple, and does not contain any added preservatives or colouring. Suitable for vegetarians, Rani’s Mixture comes in a resealable bag so you can carry it around with you all day, and have a bite whenever you feel the urge. Although we wouldn’t count on it lasting long enough to be resealed!

We love to indulge in snacks during the day so it helps that Rani’s Mixture is healthy and packed with many different flavours to satisfy the snack urges of everyone in our office. Purchase a bag of Rani’s Mixture from their UK distributor here for just £1.50.

Friday Favourites - Yummy Cookbooks

With SO many cookbooks out there, it sometimes becomes hard to choose which one to use when craving something delicious to eat. We happen to be quite indecisive here at The Amazing Blog when we’re looking for a recipe to whip up, however, a few cookbooks tend to always stand out from the crowd. These books include everything from Mediterranean to whole foods recipes, and have been supplying us with much needed inspiration in our kitchens!

‘One’ by Florence Knight is an exciting and unique book. Florence made her name as the head chef at London’s Polpetto, and has now brought out her first book. She turns her attention to the kitchen cupboard to create imaginative, honest food from her favourite ingredients. Each of the 10 chapters in ‘One’ focuses on recipes built around one particular ingredient, such as olive oil, flour, mustard, vinegar, salt, ketchup, nuts, eggs, honey, and chocolate. The result is a host of modern European dishes that have appeal, longevity and a touch of elegance. Florence proves just how much can be achieved with just a bottle of ketchup and some imagination. These simple yet delicious recipes are easily achievable and embody her motto of ‘less is more’. So if at the end of the month you are left with only a few choice staples, pick this book up and see what you can create! ‘One’ can be purchased here for £22.88.

Eleanor Ozich’s ‘My Petite Kitchen Cookbook’ is a complete menu of more than 100 simple, nourishing, wholefood recipes that Eleanor designed herself. Each recipe is written and photographed by Eleanor, and she has annotated each one indicating whether it is gluten free, dairy free, suitable for vegetarians and vegans or a combination of these. When a recipe is not gluten or dairy free, Eleanor has suggested an alternative ingredient to make it that way. Each recipe has thoughtful tips, and the ingredients have conveniently been listed in cups, grams, and ounces. Almost all of the recipes in the book are new, however, she has included a handful of her old favourites. The book includes everything from breakfasts and light meals to warming drinks and a fantastic basics section with a handful of simple recipes. ‘My Petite Kitchen Cookbook’ comes in handy when we need to cook for our friends with different eating habits and likes, or dare we say it - picky eaters. ‘My Petite Kitchen Cookbook’ can be purchased here for £45.00.

Nina Parker has a passion for food. Her cookbook, ‘Nina St. Tropez,’ includes recipes from the south of France, as Nina is dedicated to bringing a taste of her childhood to the heart of London and beyond. She explores the real St. Tropez, and the surrounding area through its secret, scenic walks, markets, vineyards and communities of artists and fishermen. The book is filled with classic French recipes for gourmet breakfasts, picnics, lunchtime snacks and dinner parties to impress. This book represents family cooking from across the south of France and is perfect for unique meals, like our favourite ‘Le Mistral Stuffed Vegetables.’ Le Mistral can be served as a starter or side, and the recipe is so versatile that you can use all types of vegetables. Purchase ‘Nina St. Tropez’ here for £13.44.

After our trip to France with Nina we are whisked away to Greece with Maria Elia. Greek cuisine has a long long history of delicious recpies, and now you too can enjoy these thanks to Maria Elia bringing the traditional flavours and ingredients of Greece into the 21st century with her thoroughly modern take on classic dishes. Smashing Plates, as the name suggests is an adventurous book, in which Elia explores exciting new flavour combinations and showcases what Greek cuisine has to offer. The 120 recipes are a product of a summer spent cooking and experimenting at her father's tavern in the picturesque Troodos mountains of Cyprus. We loved the Marinated Lamb here at the office, but the collection also contains delicious vegetarian dishes such as Carrot Keftedes and Tomato and Runner Bean Baklava for our meat-free friends! With something for everyone, Maria's inventive recipes will open your eyes to a whole new world of Greek cooking! Transport yourself to Greece with Smashing Plates by Maria Elia available here for £13.59 

Last but not least we come to our yummy dessert book. ‘Ice Cream Sandwiches’ excited us very much because just like us, everyone loves ice cream; anyone who says differently is lying to you. Donna Egan shows us how to make gorgeous ice cream delights in the form of Ice cream sandwiches, which are the scrumptious new hit with foodie lovers everywhere. Inside this prettily packaged book are 50 easy-to-make recipes for ice cream fillings and simple cookies in a variety of tempting flavours with instructions for preparing and assembling them into delicious, unique sandwiches. When we gave it a go, we loved the Peanut Butter Dreams and fresh 'n' fruity Rose Meringues. They were so easy to whip up and were a hit with everyone here in the office. Fully illustrated with colour photography throughout, this cutesy book keeps you on task so your treats come out correctly and looking amazing. Not only for summer, this is the perfect gift to scoop up and use even in the winter months. For desserts or special creations, it’s the ultimate icy indulgence, for all year round.

Ice Cream Sandwiches by Donna Egan can be bought here for £ 16.99