Vbites Vegan Food and Cookbook

Vegan food has had a bit of a bad reputation in the past. When people think of vegan food, they only think of salads and tasteless fake meats, but bland vegan food is a thing of the past. Due to the bountiful health and environmental benefits of veganism, we here at The Amazing Blog have put a lot of thought into the idea of starting a vegan diet. When we learned the story behind Vbites founder, Heather Mills, we were inspired to try out veganism for ourselves. After enduring a devastating motorcycle accident, Heather discovered that the best way to heal her body was from the inside out. Which meant using a holistic approach rooted in a vegan diet. This story helps to explain why she was determined to create delicious foods that satisfy every craving, while nourishing the body. After learning her story, we were even more thrilled to receive a sampling of the Meat-Free products from this pioneering and award-winning plant-based brand at Vbites.  

Eating less meat or cutting it out completely can be daunting for many individuals, which is why Vbites products are perfect for anyone who needs a little help getting their foot in the door when it comes to becoming a vegan. Vbites offers a wide array of vegan products including meat-free, dairy-free, and fish-free products. To help with meal preparations, we would suggest using The LoveBites recipe book. This cookbook from Vbites comes with each of their Plant-Based Kits, which offers 60 new easy-to-follow recipes to try out and fall in love with. You can whip up delicious alternatives to some of your favourite meals like shepherd’s pie or asparagus quiche that are all completely vegan. From starters to soups, salads and main dishes, these recipes have definitely inspired us to cook more hearty meals that make us feel good from the inside out.

Our personal favourite of the Vbites selection that we tried was the Meat-Free Duck Hoisin (£2.99 for 150g). We added it to a veggie stir-fry and were licking our plates clean. We had some friends over to it try out and they were amazed to learn what they thought was a duck hoisin stir fry was in fact 100% vegan! Coming in a close second was the Meat-Free Lincolnshire Style Sausages (£2.69 for 295g) which we plated up as Bangers 'n Mash for a quick Sunday night supper (with a dollop of baked beans). They truly did taste like savoury sausages and certainly satisfied one very hungry male guest! 

So whether you are already practising a vegan lifestyle or you are considering starting, these Vbites will help you to incorporate some seriously tasty and healthy meals into your diet. You can check out the wide array of Vbites vegan products on their website here. 

Butterflies in the Glasshouse

Say goodbye to grey skies and step into a world full of colour— or more than 50 species of free-flying butterflies. Spring is just around the corner, but if you’re anything like us here at The Amazing Blog, you’re always keeping an eye out for anything that makes you feel like you’re on holiday right now, preferably somewhere tropical. Butterflies in the Glasshouse is the perfect place to find refuge from the cold. They’re open from the 13th of January until the 4th of March in Wisley, so you can head on down to get an early taste of spring.

Fun fact: some butterfly species have adult lifespans that are as short as one week, while others, like the Monarch, live an average of nine months. We like this event because it is both family-friendly and educational. But, the beauty of the butterflies and cathedral-like glasshouse are sure to amaze people of all ages, while also providing the perfect photo-op. The Education Zone will turn you into a butterfly expert, as you learn about their lifecycles and even use a microscope to take a closer look at the intricate colour of their wings. Did you know that butterflies have taste receptors on their feet? Once you’ve finished admiring the real butterflies, you can pick up a delicious treat from the Taste of Wisley outlets and take a walk down to the lovely garden of butterfly sculptures.

Entry prices are £15.95 for adults and £8 for children 5-16 years, but if you buy online here you can get 10% off and you can also book a time slot to skip the queues here.

SportFX Moisturising Lip Balm

Keeping our lips moisturised becomes a 24/7 job in the long winter months, especially when it's bitter and snowy day like today. So we here at The Amazing Blog have found the perfect solution to all your lip care needs. SportFX Moisturising Lip Balm in Candy Floss will leave your lips soft and nourished with a touch of sweetness. This is a new brand of skincare, make-up and activewear created with all types of active women in mind. What makes this range different are their long-lasting formulas that are sweat-proof, won’t clog the pores allowing the skin to breathe. Best of all, every product is paraben free, packed with vitamins and enriched with SPF to protect the skin from environmental damage.

We have two must-haves on our lip balm checklist: it must leave our lips soft and seriously hydrated and it needs to have a delectable flavour that keeps us going back for another application. So when our lip balm smells as sweet as Candy Floss, we never forget to apply it. This balm is formulated with a rich blend of natural oils, shea butter, and vitamin complex C, E & F, which melts right into your lips.

Even if the sun doesn’t make much of an appearance this time of year, it’s still important to keep your lips protected from harsh UV rays that can cause damage, which is why we like that this balm contains SPF15. Like the rest of the skincare and make up range it is also paraben free and dermatologically tested, so we know your lips will thank you for that little bit of daily TLC. We like the Candy Floss flavour.  This range of SportFX Moisturising Lip Balms also come in five other favours: Raspberry Rhubarb, Birthday Cake, Candy Cane and Strawberries and Cream. Great to carry in your handbag to switch up from day-to-day according to your mood.

This lip balm will give you the feeling that you’ve just indulged in Candy Floss from the fair; however, without the sugar rush or the calories! You can purchase the SportFX Moisturising Lip Balm here for £4.99.

The London International Mime Festival

The London International Mime Festival is back, so catch this while you can. The Festival is only here for a limited run from the 10th of January to the 3rd of February.  Be sure not to miss these extraordinary, mesmerising and disciplined performers who are a treat to behold. We are so lucky to have the best of the best in the world of mime showcasing here on our doorstep. The London International Mime Festival as you’ve probably guessed is something of a favourite with us at The Amazing Blog and we're itching to get their hands on some of these very special tickets. 

Bêtes de foire by Petit Théâtre de Gestes/Association Z’Alegria at The Barbican Pit

With 16 performances spanning across London from Soho, the Barbican and even to the peripheries of Shoreditch; there's something for everyone.  Be it exquisite object and mechanical theatre from France, 19th century stage magic from Finland, a heart-warming Mexican wedding, or the breath taking new circus-theatre, which was at the start of the festival.

Peeping Tom's 32 rue Vandenbranden at The Barbican Theatre

First off we want to see the performance of UK premiere of the Belgium production ‘ Peeping Tom ‘ directed by Gabriela Carrizo (which won the 2015 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production) described as ‘….disturbing and oddly humorous. They explore an archetypal figure familiar to us all, in a production of astonishing physicality that defies characterisation.’ On at the Barbican Theatre, book your tickets here

Lebensraum by Jakop Ahlbom & Alamo Race Track at The Peacock Theatre

At the Peacock Theatre is Lebensraum, which is by the Dutch visual theatre masters, the brilliant Swedish director Jakop Ahlbom and Alamo Race Track. Their performance is in the genre of a silent movie, based on the magic of Buster Keaton’s The Scarecrow. Quoted in the Telegraph as ‘Like a Charlie Chaplin skit penned by Harold Pinter’ book your tickets here.

Silent Movie Classics screened at the Barbican

Finally to mention, that earlier in the Festival this year rarely-seen silent movie classics with live piano accompaniment was shown. This included discussions, workshops in puppetry and physical/visual theatre led by internationally-renowned professionals. So you see there's something for everyone – enjoy!

Mineral Face Shield – Repêchage

Our skin faces a lot each day – pollution, the weather, air-conditioning… In the short term it can result in redness, spots and dullness. However, there are ways in which we can protect our skin from these aggressors. It’s the reason why we, at The Amazing Blog, were really excited when we discovered the Mineral Face Shield from Repêchage.

This mineral face cream offers an environmental protection to your skin thanks to two antioxidant-rich seaweeds and zinc oxide, while calming the skin at the same time. With the summer finally here, the Mineral Face Shield is perfect as the zinc oxide helps to prevent sweating and absorbs facial oils. In addition, it will smooth your skin and reduce the appearance of lines and imperfections leaving a matte finish. Besides, this mineral face shield will also protect your skin from the sun as it has SPF 30.

What’s not to like? We are already addicted to this Mineral Face Shield that you can use either alone, over any of your daily skincare products or even as a primer under your make-up making it last all day. 

Protect your skin from environmental aggressors for £46 here.