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.

Alassala - Moroccan Rhassoul Clay

Being the curious beauty enthusiasts that we are, we at The Amazing Blog love experimenting with unique beauty products and techniques. Having already fallen for organic UK brand, Alassala in the past, we were eager to try their intriguing new product: Moroccan Rhassoul Clay. Upholding Alassala’s 100% natural ethos, this ethically produced powder may just be the answer to all of our beauty needs.

Rhassoul Clay has been a multi-tasking beauty tool for centuries. Used to treat a multitude of skin and hair dilemmas, we were impressed to discover that the clay mix can be applied as a natural all-in-one detoxifier, cleanser and softener. With this vast collection of uses, it’s a sure-fire way to declutter your bathroom cabinet. All we needed to do was add few drops of Alassala Moroccan Organic Argan Oil and mix with water, and we were left with a silky smooth clay paste, reminiscent of a luxury spa treatment.  The natural oils allow the soft scrub to treat your skin and hair without any irritation, a quality that we can’t get enough of. Providing care for a variety of skin types, the clay gently absorbs impurities and excess oils from skin and hair, leaving us with baby soft skin, and lusciously smooth locks. Enriched with calcium and potassium, among other beauty boosting minerals exclusively sourced from the Atlas mountains, the product improves skin clarity, elasticity and texture as well as reducing dryness, flakiness and blemishes. The benefits of the clay treatment seem to be endless.

Used by the Royal Family of Morocco, we can certainly see how this natural Moroccan treatment is fit for a queen. You can purchase the Moroccan Rhassoul Clay here for £12.99, and you can shop the rest of the Alassala beauty collection here.

Alassala Argan Oil and Amlou Paste

  If you read our blog often, you will probably know that there are a few foods that The Amazing Blog girls are always happy to try because we love them so much. Well today, we have an oil and paste which has the same main ingredient as some of our favourite hair care products; Argan. The Alassala Argan Oil and Amlou Paste comes from the same brand which brought us the wonderful Face and Body Oil and you can read our post on that here.

The Amlou Paste is a spread, which tastes great on bread or melba toast. We decided to pair it with some oatcakes we had in the office, perfect combination. With no exaggeration, this big jar of paste was gone in two days, and that was only being shared between myself and one other member of the team… So you would be right to assume that it tastes delicious; it definitely shut us up for a couple of hours! It is made from roasted almonds and Organic Argan Oil, so is very good for you whilst being extremely tasty too. The paste is rich in Vitamin E so is a great mid afternoon healthy snack to fill you up, so put away that chocolate and those biscuits as this will give you a much better healthier boost. Its density resembles that of peanut butter, as does the taste, however a much less processed version where you can really taste the almond. I recommend replacing your morning breakfast spread for your toast or crumpets with this paste because of all the benefits it has.

Alassala also have an Argan Oil for culinary use, as well as their one for skincare. Its delicate flavour has high levels of Vitamin E, Omega 3 and 9, and also plant sterols to make it the perfect oil for reducing cholesterol levels. Even more impressive, it's ethically produced using traditional methods, which means everything about the product is good; the taste, the production, the packaging, everything! There is so much you can do with this healthy oil as well, from dipping into it with beverage snacks, salad dressing, seasoning, dressing on pasta, fish, meat and so on. Many possibilities! It’s a guilt free way to enjoy a meal which needs a little oil to spruce up the flavour.

The delicious Amlou Paste £7.90 for 113 grams, or £14.90 for 226 grams and  is available from The Nutri Centre, Selfridges Oxford Street, and at any independent health store, as well as online here, and on their website here. The oil is £11.99 for 100ml or £18.99 for 250ml, and can be bought from all these places too so why not pick them both up whilst you’re there. They will make a great addition to your party beverages this festive season.

Alassala Organic Moroccan Argan Oil for Face and Body

I’m sure, like us girls at The Amazing Blog, that many of you have used Argan Oil as a treatment on your hair, but have you ever considered using it on your face and body? Alassala,  Arabic for ‘authenticity and originality’, have produced an Organic Moroccan Argan Oil for Face and Body, a natural oil especially made for your skin.

Alassala believe that beauty products should be natural, and as such, the Argan Oil is 100% natural and so it is  free of chemical nasties that you can find in some similar products. It is rich in vitamin E, Omega acids and anti-oxidants and is unperfumed making it suitable for sensitive skin too.

Argan Oil can be used to ease numerous conditions, such as reducing the appearance of pores and wrinkles, smoothing and calming irritated skin, removing scars, stretch marks, blotches and age spots and can relieve skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. The product comes with a pump applicator so there is no spillage or waste. It can be used twice daily in your skin care routine and it is good as a base before you apply your make up. The Moroccan Argan Oil comes in a 50ml bottle costing £16.99, which can be purchased from the Alassala website.