Boost Protein Balls and Butters

During a busy day here, some of us have so much on our to-do lists that we don’t always have time to take a lunch break. Realistically speaking, most of the time we at The Amazing Blog are surviving off of quick snacks that we keep at our desks. However, during these hectic days we try not to compromise on our healthy eating. Step forward our new delicious pick-me-up, Boost Protein Balls let us introduce you to our new nutritious discovery…

Essex-based Boost Ball launched its range of protein balls with the idea of ‘less ingredients, more protein.’ Available in four different flavours, their Boostballs are made with seven natural ingredients and are entirely gluten, soya and refined sugar-free. They are instead high in protein and contain natural sugars for a healthy snack perfect for boosting your energy for either a day at the office or a gym workout. A new twist to a protein bar, each Boostball is enriched with Vitamin A, B, E, B12, Calcium, Iron and Zinc. The raw ingredients are not baked or refined; they are cold-pressed making these protein balls an indulgent snack - without the guilt. The first flavour we tried, Lemon Drizzle Cake, contains Dates, Rice Protein, Cashews, Cashew Butter, Coconut, Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract and Lemon Oil  making it a great zesty snack. The Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Boostball contains a whopping 23.3 g of protein and a mixture of gooey and moreish. Next, we tried the tropical and creamy Coconut Fudge Cake flavour which was by far one of our favourites out of the four.  The last of the Boost Ball flavours, Maple & Cinnamon Roll, was a great spice-filled yet sweet snack for those extra-long days at the office.  The Boostballs are available to purchase on here for £17.99 for  x 12 packs of 36 Boostballs.

We mustn’t forget to mention that Boostball has JUST released a new line of Palm-oil free protein butters, Boostbutter. These are to put on any snacks or foods you desire (or to eat straight from the pouch!) The Protein Nut Butters currently are available in Caramel, Chocolate Brownie and Sweet Maple and are each packed with 11 grams of protein and offer a healthier, smoother and more flavourful alternative to something like peanut butter. Conveniently in a squeezable pouch, we’ve been spreading the protein butters on toast, porridge or adding them to our smoothies. Yum! As of now they are not available but will be coming soon on www.boostball.com.

Lallapolosa Baking Company

If the gang at The Amazing Blog had to choose one day of pure joy and delight at the office, that would be the day when Lallapolosa Baking Company's goodies came through the door. Two weeks have passed since the last brownie was gone, and we sweet-toothed girls still talk about "the best brownies  that we've ever eaten." The Lallapolosa Salted Caramel Pecan Dreams Brownie has made us dismiss the rest of the brownies we've had - you definitely have to try Lallapolosa's treats they are nothing short of spectacular! The Salted Caramel Pecan Dreams Brownie is the signature brownie by Lallapolosa - the balanced mixture of pecans, chocolate, caramel and fleur de sel left us literally speechless. These brownies are chunky, moist, very tasty, sweet and salty at the same time - they're spectacular; just as the company's name suggests, Lallapolosa means "something exceptional of its kind". Lallapolosa's packaging is impeccable too - a nice, light pink and heavy box with dark brown details.

Lallapolosa's award winning portfolio is the personal creation of the lovely Elyse, co-founder of Lallapolosa, a life-long baker and professional cake decorating instructor who has taught at some of Britain's most prestigious schools. The company entered the Great Taste Awards for the first time in 2012 and achieved some fantastic results: their Cake Suzette (which we had the chance to try - a delicious and unusual mixture of orange and rum) and the Vanilla Buttercup Cake were awarded 2 Gold Stars and their Florentines were awarded 3 Gold Stars - a big achievement for such a small company!

So if you want to treat yourself to the most perfect brownies, order your box of 12 or 18 brownies from their website - we're sure you'll be as thrilled as we still are two weeks after our first bite. In fact we just can't wait  to order some more...he he.

Cavalier Chocolates

As bikini season fast approaches, here at The Amazing Blog we’ve been drinking litres of water, eating copious amounts of fruit, and taking any opportunity to get to the gym (some more than others… shhh!). But as anyone dieting will know, healthy eating is sometimes the last thing on your mind, and sometimes you just want a bit of chocolate! But hold on, don’t run to the shop! We’ve found a brilliant alternative to the regular chocolate you find at the supermarket and it’s sugar-free Cavalier chocolates.

Now don’t be turned off by the sugar free aspect, because these delicious treats are made with Stevia, that all-natural sugar substitute that everyone’s raving about these days! For those of you that haven’t heard of it, Stevia is a 100% natural sweetener that has been used for centuries, and is naturally about 300 times sweeter than ordinary sugar – yes, you read that right, 300 times! Unlike the artificial sweeteners you can buy in the shops, Stevia is healthier for you as it’s natural and has no calories. Cavalier chocolates have over 20 flavours and there’s absolutely no added artificial sugar in them. Whilst most sugar-free snacks lack flavour, Cavalier chocolates taste just as, if not more, luxurious than most chocolates you can buy today. Cavalier is a family run business that has been creating their scrumptious chocolates since 1996, and has been dedicated to using the healthiest natural ingredients – so you don’t have to worry about putting any nasty artificial ingredients in your body. Their products contain natural antioxidants, fibres, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc and iron – and you certainly can't say the same for that Twix you were about to eat?! With flavours ranging from mango raspberry, orange, flax seed, caramel, praline and more, there’s an indulgent treat for everyone, and starting at just £0.99 they’re not going to hurt your purse either!

Whether you’re looking for a guilt-free treat to squeeze into your bikini or just a healthier option to snack on during the day, check out Cavalier chocolates.

An Easter-Egg Bonanza!

As Easter fast approaches, the mouths of the crew at The Amazing Blog are beginning to water. Ever since Ash Wednesday, a long and laborious six weeks ago, not a sniff of chocolate has passed our lips. And so, with less than a week to go and wanting to keep our readers up-to-date in terms of the crème de la crème of chocolate indulgences this Easter, we decided to break our fast early so we could try the chocolate we've been eyeing greedily for weeks. And if, like us, you’re planning a chocolate blow out on Easter Sunday, check out the most decadent of chocolate treats below… First up is the Indian-inspired Easter Egg from the wonderful peeps at Devnaa. With sumptuous purple wrapping and a decadent gold bow, it looks every bit as good as it tastes. The chocolate shell is infused with their signature chai blend - cinnamon, cardamom, clove and ginger; an unusual combination, but one that works oh-so-well. And as well as the aromatic egg is a selection of mouth-watering white-chocolate saffron caramels, coconut and cardamom dark chocolates and chai milk chocolates, thus it’s the perfect Easter Egg for anyone wanting an exotic fusion of flavours! The egg is handmade in London and you can buy it here.

And for those who follow The Amazing Blog, you'll already know that one of our favourite chocolatiers in London is the deliciously decadent Demarquette. This Easter they've created a Marine-inspired Easter collection that includes brightly coloured seashell-encrusted giant Easter eggs and chocolate egg-filled iridescent clams. With such a fab range on offer it was no mean feat choosing our fave, but the Oceanic Reef Egg certainly deserves a mention. The Super Chocolate Easter Egg is 20cm high and entirely edible. Made using the unique Demarquette Pure Blend of single origin smooth chocolate, a colonnade of six hand painted seahorses filled with sweet caramel supports the top half of the egg. A delicate coating of coral orange coloured white chocolate velvet adds a unique, luxurious texture making this the finest of all chocolate eggs. All of Demarquette's offerings are lovingly hand-made by founder Marc and his team in London with great tasting and ethically sourced pure chocolate. Available from their fabulous Fulham Road shop or online

For anyone after an Easter treat infused with some serious fun, Artisan du Chocolat have got the perfect egg. Inspired by the 70s song 'Daddy Cool' by Boney M and the childhood classic Mr Potatohead, their Bunny Cool Eggs add a bit of humour into the Easter spirit. Filled with Artisan du Chocolat's signature salted caramel honeycomb and with edible eyes nose and trainers, it's the ideal egg for anyone wanting to add some quirkiness to their Easter Day spread. The Bunny Cool egg, along with other yummy Easter treats are available both in-store and online.

Fortnum & Mason, Picadilly's brilliantly British department store have once again come up trumps with their Easter offering. Their Decorated Milk Chocolate Egg is a classic egg made by their in-house chocolatiers, who use expertly tempered milk chocolate to ensure a flawless shine. The decorations are made and applied by hand and the egg is filled with a selection of handmade chocolate shapes. Presented in a beautiful blue box with a contrasting grey ribbon, the Fortnum & Mason egg is as elegant as the shop, available both online and in-store.

Last, but by no means least, is Sussex-based Montezuma's fabulous Organic Free-Range Eco Egg. Founded in 2000 by ex-lawyers Helen and Simon Pattison, Montezuma is a family-run business who have rapidly built a reputation for producing some of the finest and most innovative chocolate in the UK. And as well as producing the most delicous of chocolates, Montezuma have also been singled out as a shining example of environmentally friendly eggs. It came top of the list of 11 eggs for the least amount of packaging and recyclability; so if you treat yourself to one of their eggs, you can be sure you're also doing your bit for the environment! Available in dark chocolate, milk chocolate and milk chocolate and butterscotch, they're available online and from selected independent stockists.

And so, with just six days left until Easter itself, whether you're after something special for a loved one, or simply spoiling yourself - enjoy some of the finest chocolate the UK has on offer and have a very happy Easter!