Fruits Of The Forage

At The Amazing Blog, we love writing about brands that have adopted sustainable practices, especially food brands that have joined the fight against our current consumer-driven society. Fruits of the Forage, is one that has made it their mission to capture the ‘sustainable taste of the British landscape’ with their range of chutneys, jams, cordials, wines and beers which are made using less than conventional ingredients. Recently, they kindly sent us five of their amazing chutneys and chilli jams to try – and trust us, we were not disappointed!

Based in founder Freddie Throrneycroft’s hometown of Cheshire, Fruits of the Forage uses neglected fruits from abandoned British orchards and other wild British native plants in all their products. Chutneys, are widely used in South Asian cuisine, are made up mainly with a mix of vegetables, fruits and spices. Their tastes, spice-levels and textures can range as well depending on the concoctions of ingredients used. What we like about Fruit of the Forage’s products is that they have elevated jams and chutneys contain less-known ingredients such as Cheshire Damsons, heritage plums and even Hogweed seeds.

After trying their Hogweed Curry Chutney, Hot Crabby Chilli Jam, Perfect Pair Chutney, Damsloe Chutney and Hot Rhuby Chilli Jam, we can see why Fruits of the Forage has won not one BUT 10 Great Taste Awards in the last three years! Each of the jams and chutneys have a delicious and very individual taste which will suit all sorts of different taste palates. The Hot Rhuby, is made out of rhubarb, garlic and ghost peppers, is a good mixture of warm and spicy and, like Fruits of the Forage and is indeed very moreish. If you’re craving a more fresh and fruity spread, the Hot Crabby Chilli Jam, made with crab apples, adds a sweetness to cured meats, lamb or game. Or perhaps you want to add a savoury kick to your cheeses and meat? Fruits of the Forage’s trio of chutneys (Hogweed Curry, Perfect Pair and Damsloe) are a great mix of fruits, vegetables and pickling spices and add a great piquante to any food. For our vegan readers, don’t worry, all of their products are entirely animal-product free. We particularly liked spreading some of the Hogweed Curry Chutney on our veggies to give them that perfect little kick – Yum!

If you want to try Fruits of the Forage’s chutneys and jams for yourself, purchase a jar on their website here for £4.

Balipura's Pure Love Crystal-Infused Healing Mist

For some of us at The Amazing Blog crystals and crystal therapy have become a significant part of our lives. Therefore the discovery of Balipura's Crystal-Infused Healing Mist was a very welcome one. Promising to enhance love, compassion, understanding and harmony; it Inspires us to be more positive on days when we feel a little jaded or down. This aura style spray is certainly different from our regular ‘uplifting’ aromatherapy oils that we use (peppermint, lavender and lemon). It was a joy to discover a new natural product that adds to our wellbeing without being just another aromatherapy oil.

Balipura is an authentic Indonesian brand, bringing their healing expertise to us in the form of all-in-one healing auric spray products. This brand is an interesting one, their premise forms from knowledge of energetic, crystal and sound healing, with the belief in the transfer method. This refers to the understanding that within our cells, we are sound and vibration. When using Balipura's crystal products, we can pass crystal vibrations into our Aura, thus healing ourselves. More simply, the brand believes that we must exercise our defence systems as much as we do our bodies, using regular spray products to encourage a new state of body and mind.

With this newfound knowledge, we were keen to try their Pure Love Crystal Infused Healing Mist. Promising to open and harmonise the heart chakra, this mist is made with volcanic spring water, cleansed with energetic healing and infused with crystal energy from rose quartz, chrisoprase, jade, aventurine and amazonite. As with all products from Balipura, with direct infusion of Bali Temple flowers into the water, so it’s not just the oils but direct energy from ylang ylang and cempaka, all of which enhance love. All these ingredients are pure, and only certified organic essential oils are used. The sprays are also 100% handmade and straightforward to use; simply spray the mist above the head from 2-4 times per day and you'll feel euphoric in no time!

We think that this an uplifting handbag essential - especially for when you have those low mood days. Get spritzing to open your heart chakra, enhancing and harmonising your day with Pure Love from the Balipura website here for $25.

Dadima's Panjiri

We might be enticed by a good beauty product (or two) at The Amazing Blog , but we’re also equally interesting in discovering new (and delicious) foods. One thing we’ve concluded through our foodie research is that there is often a focus on new crazes and fads – and while there is no problem with this, the focus on tried, tested and traditional recipes can often be forgotten. We were therefore thrilled to discover Dadima’s, a brand sharing our desire to celebrate the wisdom of generations, providing us with their traditional and high energy Panjiri – a recipe that has well and truly stood the test of time.

Panjiri or Panjeri is a recipe and staple that originates from the Punjab and Hyderbad regions in India. It is treated as a nutritional supplement and has been used for thousands of years, by the ancient Hindus and Sikhs. It is usually eaten in the winter to ward off cold and also given to nursing mothers as it’s considered very nutritional. The story behind this brand is a lovely one. Founder, Anneeka, has taken inspiration from the wisdom and knowledge of her grandmother, creating a version of the Panjiri recipe which is full of tradition and flavour. This inspiration even draws as far as the brand name itself, taken directly from the name she uses to address her grandmother. We don’t mind admitting that we were novices in relation to Panjiri, however we are now huge lovers of this high energy snacking food. With a recipe deep rooted in Ayurvedic medicine. It boasts a plethora of health benefits, boosting energy and fibre levels simultaneously, and thanks to the handmade recipe, both artificial preservatives and added sugars are avoided.

For those wondering what this snack tastes like – we concluded that it is a cardamom and sultana infusion with a kick of almond, fennel, ginger and carom seeds. The texture is soft, making it easy to sprinkle over porridge, fruit or yoghurt. The texture comes from the use of semolina and ghee, while melon seeds, dessicated coconut and Arabic gum are all used to add flavour. We tried the no added sugar version, but for those with a sweeter tooth, the traditional version contains a little extra sweetness. Alternatively, we have added a sprinkling of Panjiri to a traditional British crumble, for a flavour kick, but also to add a little bit of goodness to a perhaps not to good pudding!

To try this family classic for yourself, then both the original and no added sugar Panjiri products can be purchased from the Dadima’s website here for £6.99. Enjoy!

Live Well London

February is here, and we are proud to say that we are keeping to our New Year’s Resolutions at The Amazing Blog (well, for the most part anyway). Many resolutions revolve around health and fitness, aiming to make 2019 our year of maintaining a healthy body and mind. We were therefore excited to discover the new event, Live Well London, taking place from the 1st-3rd March in Old Billingsgate.

This event will encompass a full line-up of classes, workshops, inspirational talks, live kitchen demos and much more. From fitness to nutrition, beauty and well-being, Live Well London offers a number of contributors and influencers who will be giving well-founded advice, from both personal and professional experiences. This ensures that you will leave having gained wisdom from a range of experienced professionals. Understanding the need for a varied range of advice, organisers have secured speakers from all walks of the fitness and health industries. Matt Roberts, one of the UK’s leading personal trainers, and best-selling fitness authors, will be on hand to provide science-based advice, to help you live a more energised life. The founder of Mind and Meditation, Niraj Shah will imparting her knowledge for those looking for well being and inspiration. If that’s not enough, then skincare expert Liz Earle will be offering advice on how to really take care of your skin. These names are just the tip of the iceberg, with a vast amount of other speakers with equal amounts of wisdom to share. Click here to see what's on over the course of the three days.

The event will also include sessions from More YOGA and Barre Studio, unique and popular classes that prove exercise isn’t limited to running on a treadmill (although this is of course allowed if it’s your thing). The event focuses on four key areas: Well Moved, Well Balanced, Well Nourished and Well Restored. Well Balanced will help you to find new ways of moving, from addressing fitness crazes, to explaining the benefits of HIIT or Pilates. Well Balanced is centred around mental health, an ever prevalent and important topic. You can expect advice on mindfulness and meditation, as well as life-coaching and therapy. Well Nourished will focus on getting the glow from within, with tips and tricks on upping your intake of vitamins, and nutritional food and drinks. Finally, Well Restored will allow you to discover retreats, spas, wellness holidays, courses and more - because we’re all in need of a little escape sometimes.

We predict tickets will sell fast for this event, and as they are limited, we urge you to order sooner, rather than later. If you’ve fallen off the New Year bandwagon, or are simply looking for ways to ramp up your healthy routines, then we’re sure there will be something for you. Click here to purchase a ticket from £35.

Totally Derma ® by Boley Nutraceuticals

We’ve all heard about how important is to incorporate sunscreens, serums and moisturisers to our daily routine as we get older, but Boley Nutraceuticals has totally changed the way we at The Amazing Blog are thinking about anti-ageing skincare. While a good SPF and retinol serum are great to have in your bathroom cabinet, Boley’s ground-breaking product Totally Derma® Nutraceuticals Collagen Drink Supplement focuses on working from the inside out.

Many brands today push for topical-only application of anti-ageing ingredients but Totally Derma® focuses on counteracting both the more aesthetic signs of ageing as well as the underlying physiological processes that are harder to see with the naked eye. Launched in 2017, Totally Derma® has been clinically-proven to increase Hyaluronic Acid (HA) in the body, and it contains Arthred®, a pre-digested and highly-absorbable bovine collagen, which contributes to skin firmness and elasticity. Even better is that the bovine collagen is so pure that it is hypoallergenic, therefore perfect for those who have digestive problems.

In addition, the increased levels of HA and Collagen have also shown improvements in not only skin, joints, hair, nails, bones; but also even in gut inflammation, bladder, urethra and vagina health too. Totally Derma® also contains other antioxidants like zinc, green tea extract and grape-seed extract to help collagen synthesis and ageing tissue. These health-boosting ingredients are taken once a day, from one level scoop daily into 250 ml of water or juice. After digestion, Totally Derma® is 95 % absorbed in the small intestine and then distributed to the skin to stimulate cells to produce more collagen and HA in the body. Even better about this collagen drink is easy to take and palatable, adding a little boost to your day and body. To purchase a tub of Totally Derma and start hydrating your body, see here for your 360 mg 30 day supply at £105.