Friday Favourites - Cookbooks

It’s that time of year, where we’re all thinking about what we want to improve on for the months ahead. Here at The Amazing Blog, we always start off with good intentions, but struggle to see it through. As we’ve decided to dedicate more time to the kitchen in 2015, we’ve decided to make the task a little less daunting with a collection of great cook books. So if you’re looking to transform yourself from a cooking novice to a bona fide chef, have a look at our list of our fabulous recipe books. You’re sure to find some inspiration to help you stick to your New Year’s Resolutions.

Tired of ramen noodles and frozen food? Cook Now Eat Later by Mary Berry has recipes that are delicious, straightforward and make your life a hell of a lot easier. Whether you are preparing a three-course meal or supper for one, you have over 100 foolproof and easy-to-follow recipes that allow you to prepare in advance, such as the Pork, Leek and Sage Burgers or the Quinoa and Rocket Salad with Garlic Dressing. The recipes include clear instructions on how to get one (or two or three) steps ahead. With some dishes you can prepare everything ahead of time and with others you can prepare both ahead of time and assemble the day you plan on eating it.

Mary Berry is the much-loved judge on The Great British Bake Off and an author of more than 70 cookbooks. Take the stress out of cooking by purchasing her cookbook for £9.99 here.

Ever wonder what Australian food tastes like? Us too, which is why we were so intrigued by Shelagh Ryan’s cookbook, Café Kitchen. The Australian-born foodie and owner of London’s three Lantana cafes has given us a repertoire of recipes for any time of the day in her new cookbook. You can make Toasted Muesli with Baked Rhubarb and Bubble for brunch or nibble on some Thai Fish Cakes with Nahm Jim Dipping Sauce for a mid-afternoon snack. Ryan makes it easy for us to experience Australia’s thriving cafe culture at home for a mere £14.88 here instead of paying for those pricey airline tickets.

Meat eaters, rejoice! Charcuterie by Miranda Ballard teaches you about the history and types of charcuterie and salami, as well as providing tips about how to match different meats and what food to accompany them with. Some of the recipes, such as Grilled Chorizo and Scallops On Sticks are perfect to serve with drinks. You can find other recipes to put the delicious cured meat in like the Smoked Sausage Casserole. There are even recipes that show you how to cure your own pork belly or duck breast.

Ballard and her husband have their own food company called Muddy Boots and have also opened a butchery and charcuterie shop and café called The Modern Meat Shop in London. All you meat lovers out there can purchase Charcuterie here for £16.99.

No matter what kind of dinner party you are invited to, it’s always a safe idea to bring a dessert. Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can by Miranda Gore Browne provides over 100 delicious and quick cakes, tray bakes and cupcakes for all occasions. Whether you are preparing for afternoon tea or a family members birthday party, these desserts are perfect for anyone who needs something homemade but doesn’t have time to waste in the kitchen. The book is suitable for both beginner bakers and those who are more experienced. The Coffee and Walnut Cake and the Daisy Chain Angel Cakes sound absolutely delicious, plus, the recipes are simple to follow and don’t require any special equipment!

Miranda Gore Browne achieved widespread claim as a finalist on the first series of BBC2’s The Great British Bake Off. She now runs a successful blog full of recipes and baking ideas. Go here to purchase Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can for £11.99 so you no longer have to show up somewhere pretending you actually made that dessert.

If you’re looking to brush up on your Eastern cooking skills, then have a look at The Yunnan Cookbook by Annabel Jackson & Linda Chia. The Chinese cook book is inspired by the relationship between food and culture, and so it offers some fascinating insight into the Chinese way of life, as well as helping you to knock up some of their delicious recipes without having to put a call in to the local takeaway! From Egg Rolls to Fried Yunnan Goats Cheese With Tomato Salsa, the book is chock full of amazing and tasty treats to experiment with in the New Year. Buy the book here for £17.25 and transform yourself into an Eastern chef.

Food channels ain’t got nothing on us thanks to these cookbooks. We hope you enjoy them too!

Frederique's Christmas Wish List

I’m the type of girl who loves to experiment with different kinds products and gadgets and companies. This is why I find working with the girls at The Amazing Blog so fun… who doesn’t love trying something new? My Christmas wish list consists of a unique bundle of a different kinds of products, ranging from as far as chargers to liquor. So without further ado, let the shopping begin!

The first thing on my Christmas list is The Kissable Charger. Nowadays, hardly anybody is able to live without their phone, myself included. I always thought to myself, why can't I have cute charger that is a little girly or that will add some sparkle? Then I came across FBG: an innovative technology company with the newest chargers, including my new love; The Kissable Charger. This charger is both cute and creative for it looks like a real Coco Chanel Lipstick. Both chic and functional, the charger is able to charge your phone for 2 to 3 hours. Buy your charger here for only £29.99, and be charged all day long.

As I’ve said before, I’m definitely a girly girl. In order to make my girly look complete, I love to wear some cute bracelets along with a watch. So you can guess how excited I was when I came across these Birambi bracelets made by two enthusiastic Dutch Girls. Being from Holland, I obviously have a soft spot for this company. Not only are they Dutch, but they’ve made a great ‘Make-your-own-bracelet’ concept that is fit for any girl like me who loves to accessorise on a regular basis. Here’s how it works: You choose a card. You select a bracelet, colour and write a personal message. And that's it. That's really all there is to it. What better gift is there than one that is personally made from the heart? Starting at €4 they are affordable as well. Visit the website to take these bracelets for a spin! 

Besides my hand jewellery, I wanted to add a little bit of sparkle to my eyebrows. So I came across the Bling Brow Kit created by Benefit Cosmetics. With the Bling Brow Kit, you can decorate your brows and light up the room with a sparkling set of Swarovski crystals. Each set comes with 52 crystals and a pair of mini tweezers. They also come in different colours including my favourites, Rose Gold and Greige. Just pull the black backing sheet off and pick up the crystals with tweezers to place them either on the skin near the brow or directly on the brow. Although I’m not one to decorate my body with jewellery, the brow crystals really enhance the appearance of your eyebrows and show off your edgy side.

You can purchase the artsy Bling Brow Kit for £19.50 at selected Benefit Brow Bars and wear them on a fun night out with the girls. All eyes will definitely be on yours. 

Not only do I love to dress up, but I also enjoy going out and grabbing a drink with my girlfriends. Recently I came across Snow Leopard Vodka, which I’ve slowly but surely fallen in love with. For starters, the bottle looks absolutely great. Additionally, 15% of the profits made go to the ‘save the leopard' charity. When I saw this stunning looking bottle of vodka, I could not resist putting it on my Christmas wish list. Cheers, take a shot and donate to a cause! You can by purchase a 70cl bottle of vodka for £36.00 RRP  at Waitrose, Harvey Nichols and Ocado.com, as well as all good independent drinks retailers OR on their website.

I've also discovered a delicious selection of chocolates from Sweet Dreams Ltd. called Choc Nibbles. We received two different flavours: Original Choc Nibbles and Toffee Crumble. The one I really loved was the Original Choc Nibbles. The taste of these tiny chocolates was just divine, and you could taste that they were made with quality chocolate. It's almost like eating real chocolate milk! Purchase chocolate at your local confectionery, convenience or discount stores, and share these delicious chocolates as a treat after your Christmas Dinner. 

Friday Favourites - New and Unusual Workouts

Are you tired of the same workout day after day? Here at The Amazing Blog some of us struggle to fit in a daily workout with our busy schedules. Plus, we get tired of following the same routine. In order to spice up our exercise routine and convince ourselves that working out CAN be fun, we have discovered some new and unusual workouts for everyone to try.

Yoga has become so popular nowadays that even dogs want to join in. Originating from the USA, yoga activates your pooch’s parasympathetic nervous system and can help relieve your loyal friend of his or her stress. Of course, the owner will be right there practising alongside their pups, performing a set of Hatha yoga poses while the dogs roam around and participate when they choose to. This series of yoga postures are inclined to incorporate canine massage, yogic stretches, chanting, breathing and lots of cuddles. Plus, who doesn’t want to work out with their best friend?

Mahny Djahanguiri started Dogamahny, running weekly classes in Fulham and teaching private Paw to Paw classes for all sizes, breeds and ages of dogs. If you’ve always wanted to work out with your pup, then check out Dogamahny’s website to sign up for some doga classes.

If you’re obsessed with Strictly Come Dancing like we are, then you might want to check out Swing Patrol. It’s a community of over 1,000 dancers, teachers, staff and volunteers that hold over 40 weekly classes at 34 venues across London. They put on weekly Lindy Hop and Blues social dances and they have swing balls in London and around the United Kingdom. They even host an annual London Swing Festival and a Blues Baby Blues Festival. Go online and search for classes in your area. It’s time to turn back those time machines and dance like it’s 1920!

For those of you who consider dancing at clubs your only exercise, we have the perfect workout for you. Ravercise is a HIIT cardio dance with a live DJ playing energising bass music. It’s a fun and healthy way to enjoy underground music during the week. Classes are choreographed by professional dancers and include an interval training cardio workout. Plus, you get to socialise with friends and meet people that enjoy the same music as you! Head on over to the website of this low-lit club dance floor in Shoreditch and sign up.

If you’re looking to loosen up a little bit, try Barrecore. It is a series of movements designed to stretch every muscle group in your body. Each workout targets a major muscle group, integrating the fat-burning format of interval training with static stretches for muscle relief. Using a ballet barre, your own body weight and strength training exercises, your muscles become longer, stronger, leaner and more flexible. Think of it as an intense cardio ballet class. For more information on Barrecore classes, you can look at the website and decide if you want to sign up.

With the holidays right around the corner, I think it’s time we get healthy, try something new and have fun while doing it!

Edwina's Christmas Wish List

With a week to go until Christmas Day, it’s time to put some pep in your step and get that Christmas shopping done! If you're still looking for good ideas, here are a few products that have made my wish list this Christmas.

As anyone here in The Amazing Blog office will tell you, I’m always on the lookout for tan enhancing products. So it’s no surprise that first on my wish list this year is Prtty Peaushun’s Skin Tight Body Lotion. Not your conventional tanning product, the potion gives a beautiful golden sheen, and is far better than a lot of other products I’ve tried. The brand offers a few shades, dark being great for those who already indulge in a little fake tanning, and medium being a wonderful way to give a fabulous sheen to a paler complexion. It would be the perfect addition to any tan lover’s Christmas list. Prtty Peaushun is available to buy here for £30.

I love Christmas food, but there are some dishes that are a little too much. A serving of Christmas Pudding at the end of the meal, although delicious, is a little too rich for my liking. If you want something a little lighter, and slightly unconventional, then I’d definitely recommend looking at Patisserie Maison by Richard Bertinet. The recipe book is filled with the most delicate cakes and snacks, great for entertaining all year round. With a particularly delicious looking Lemon Trifle recipe that’s sure to impress this Christmas, it’s the ideal gift for any culinary fans, and has made its way on to my wish list. You can buy the book here for £13.60.

Whilst on the topic of food, one of the things I associate with Christmas is the beautiful citrusy scent of oranges. So when I got a sniff of the Nourish Protect Duo, I knew it would make a fabulous gift for Christmas time. Organic and cruelty free, the gift set contains an Uplifting Shower Gel, as well as a Nutri-Rich Body Butter. As dry skin is a common problem during the festive season, the inclusion of omega rich Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid and collagen enriched Vitamin C make this lovely gift set a godsend to see nestled under the tree. The set is available to buy here for £25.

After all of the excitement of a hectic day, I always struggle to doze off come Christmas Eve, so Kiss The Moon's Love After Dark Gift Set is a welcome addition to my wish list. A combination of Rose, Frankincense and Ylang Ylang, the soothing ingredients help you to drift off into a peaceful night’s sleep. The beautifully packaged products also promote cell renewal, so I can wake up on Christmas Day looking young, fresh and ready to greet the festivities. ‘Sleep Beautifully’ and buy the gift set here for £82.

Of course, despite a restful night’s sleep, Christmas Day is no excuse to not look bronzed and glowing, so Crazy Angel is also making an appearance on my Christmas list this year. The brand’s Bronze Desire Instant Airbrush Self-Tan is perfect for giving a quick and easy glow, which develops as the day goes on, so by the time Christmas Dinner is served, you’ll be looking as angelic as Christmas expects. The 360 spray can prove a little messy, so I tend to spray it onto a mitt to apply, giving me moisturising and even coverage for the holiday season. Get the Self-Tan here for £14.99.

We hope this has inspired a few gift ideas that might have been lacking. Merry Christmas and good luck with all of your last minute shopping.

The Great Gift Company - Smartphone Projector

Ever wish your life was like a movie? Well, we here at The Amazing Blog discovered a way to make this dream come true! Say hello to the Smartphone Projector from The Great Gift Company.

Nowadays, everyone takes pictures on their phones and they cannot wait to share them with family and friends through social media. But what if we told you there was a cooler way to share your memories? The Smartphone Projector is a light and easily portable box that allows you to project images onto a blank wall or background. With a magnification of 8x, you can now share your memories on-the-go or in the comfort of your own home. There are no wires or batteries to worry about. You simply invite your friends and family to gather around, indulge in some popcorn, and watch your life on the big screen.

The Smartphone Projector can be used with iOS and Android compatible smartphones. For the best results, the phone brightness needs to be turned up to 100% and you need to be in a dark room with a blank, white surface.

You can purchase this incredible gift here for £15.50. You will need to assemble the projector yourself, but don’t worry, full instructions will be included; however, you will need to purchase your own superglue. Get ready for your 15 minutes of fame on the big screen!