Belvoir Fruit Farms ‘Light’ the Way to healthy drinking

Since I was diagnosed as having Type 2 Diabetes, I have had to be careful about the amount of sugar that I consume.

So you can imagine how pleased I was when I heard about two new ‘Light’ varieties from Belvoir Fruit Farms; zingy Raspberry Lemonade Light and fragrant and very tasteful Elderflower & Rose Pressé Light, welcome companions to the popular Elderflower Pressé Light and already available on supermarket shelves.

The ‘Light’ range contains 30% less sugar than the original versions of the drinks.

 People still love Belvoir’s classic Cordials and Pressés made using only natural ingredients with no artificial preservatives or sweeteners, but there is a new consumer who wants less sugar.  The ‘Light’ range enables this different audience to enjoy the delights of Belvoir’s gently sparkling Pressés too.

Like all Belvoir’s drinks, the Light Range is hand made at Belvoir using real pressed fruit juices and freshly picked flowers so that despite the reduction in sugar there is no reduction in flavour.

Ther'es the new Raspberry Lemonade Light (75cl):  this mouth-watering tipple still has the zingy taste of real raspberries and lemons but is just a little lighter on calories than the original recipe – a 250ml serving has 55 calories compared to 107 calories.   Serve chilled for a naturally lovely taste of summer all year round – listen carefully and you might hear the distant thwack of leather on willow, or is it just the bubbles bursting in the glass?

And the new Elderflower & Rose Pressé Light (75cl): conjuring up images of thatched cottages and white picket fences, this classic British drink has the same delicately floral taste as the original recipe by virtue of the freshly picked flowers, fresh lemon juice and hint of rose petal extract, but 30 percent less sugar and 28 fewer calories (when compared like for like in a 250ml glass serving).  A lightly refreshing, fragrant drink which is delicious served over ice – close your eyes and you could hear the buzz of summer bumble bees too!

They join Elderflower Pressé Light (75cl):  launched in January 2014 this lighter version of Belvoir’s regular Elderflower Pressé has proved hugely popular in its own right.  It is more delicate in taste than the original Pressé but has the same heady, floral aromas of freshly picked Elderflowers from the Belvoir plantations, tangy citrus from pressed lemon juice and gentle bubbles – just a little lighter on calories.

(EDITOR: In my case my main concern is not os much calories, but the amount of sugar. Which, at 30% less, is certainly a step in the right direction for me to keep my over all sugar intake down.)

Belvoir’s Light Range shows that lower calorie doesn’t have to mean less taste, or style!

All three varieties in the Belvoir Light range are available from Tesco and Ocado for around £2.39 per 75cl bottle.

James White introduces his unique Organic Ginger Zinger

James White's Organic Ginger Zinger is a really unique ginger drink.

Each 7cl bottle is stuffed full of ginger goodness. 26% crushed ginger juice, 57% apple juice and 17% water and that's it!

It's great for ginger lovers -there's a real ginger kick right there, in each bottle.

It gives you a tasty, gingery, fruity boost, but without the annoying caffeine you find in the vast majority of so-called energy drinks.

It has no artificial preservatives, no artificial colours and no mystery flavourings, so it is guaranteed to be 100% natural.

And better still, it receives the Soil Association certification proving that it is, indeed, fully organic.

It is safe, there's nothing harmful or nasty in it and it's organic.

But what does it taste like?

It has a refreshing taste of apple juice, but there's a pungent and earthy aroma that you only get with real ginger.

But the real bonus is the hot and punchy ginger flavour that wows your senses and really ensures that you are awake and ready for whatever life intends to throw your way!

Or you can take it with you for a boost later on in the day.

You can expect to pay £1.49 for a bottle at Planet Organic or it can be purchased at  this online retailer http://goo.gl/ZxiswR.

For more details please visit http://www.jameswhite.co.uk/ginger_zinger.

And for an article on the general benefits of ginger in one's diet, please visit http://healthnfitnesshops.com/health-benefits-of-ginger.html.

Charlie Bigham's meals. Once tried, never forgotten

My wife and I had a plan for Valentine's Day, just gone.

We would have a meal at home with a bottle of wine and something tasty served with vegetables and mashed potatoes.

We chose two Charlie Bigham's Steak and Ale Pies. And we both promptly fell ill with a rather nasty flu bug that really knocked us for six. Even though we had both had the flu shot!

So the two Charlie Bigham's Steak and Ale Pies languished in the freezer until such time as we actually felt like eating a substantial meal.

The first thing that we noticed was that the pies come in nice individual ceramic ramekins. (Which Charlie wants you to donate to a charity shop as they can easily get a couple of Pounds for them.)

The second thing that we noticed is that they actually looked like real, proper pies. (Those of you who have seen some pies on sale in the local supermarket will understand that some pies on sale do not look like proper pies. At all.)

We cooked the pies in our convection oven and soon were overcome by the absolutely delicious aroma that began to waft from the oven.

When it came time to serve the pies we found the to be utterly delicious. The vegetables were just right and the meat was absolutely perfect. Melt in the mouth is the nearest description to the perfection of each piece of carefully selected beef.

And the ale gravy? This was the best ale gravy that I had tasted in, well, ever, really.

The vast majority of steak and ale pies it is not possible to notice any ale in the gravy at all.

But with Charlie Bigham's Steak and Ale Pies you can enjoy a delicious flavouring of the good, high quality ale that is used in the recipe.

And as for the pastry? My wife is an expert pastry cook and she described it as faultless and utterly delicious.

You should be able to find them in Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Ocado, Booths and Budgens.

They should cost £7.00 for two pies.

Introducing Cauli Rice

Cauli Rice is not rice, but, made from cauliflowers, it is a pretty good replacement for rice.

Why would you need to replace rice in your diet? Rice is a carb rich food and Cauli Rice contains an amazing 75% less calories than ordinary rice, so using Cauli Rice in place ordinary rice can certainly help reduce the overall calorie count in our diets.

And a high carb diet is certainly something that diabetics need to guard against. So low carb Cauli Rice is something that every diabetic should look at introducing into their diet to replace normal rice.

There are no potentially harmful additives in Caulie rice and the clever folks who developed Cauli Rice and who prepare and cook it for you have, quite rightly, eschewed the use of preservatives, so Cauli Rice is a wholesome and entirely natural product.

There are four delicious flavours for you to choose from: Original, Lemongrass and Chilli, Indian Pilau (EDITOR: My favourite!) and Mediterranean, so whether you are, for example, preparing an Indian meal from scratch, grilling some sausages or putting together a tasty salad, Cauli Rice will serve as the ideal accompaniment for your meal.

And preparing the Cauli Rice is simplicity itself. All you do is place it in the microwave for two and a half minutes and it is ready to serve.

And it doesn't need to be stored in a refrigerator, so can simply wait in your pantry until you need to cook it.

For those of you who need to know these things (EDITOR: Like fellow diabetics, for example!) 100g of Original flavour Cauli Rice contains 34 Kcals and 3g of carbohydrates again -for example- 10g of white rice which contains 138Kcal and 31g of carbohydrates.

Obviously, whilst it is not a 100% replacement for rice, it is still well worth buying Cauli Rice as it is a tasty and healthy alternative to rice and at a recommended retail price of £1.99 (it serves two)  it's certainly well worth purchasing for the pantry.

To learn more or to buy online visit www.caulirice.com.

A touch of Italian luxury for Mothering Sunday with Capricci

All of the best elements of the Italian dining experience can be found under one roof with healthy, hearty homemade meals at Capricci.

After indulging in the classic kitchen menu which changes daily you can pick up the finest ingredients and try turning your hand to Italian cooking in the comfort of your own home.

Capricci has also teamed up with Michelin-starred chef Davide Palluda to present an outstanding line of ready to serve recipes that will wow your senses whilst saving you time.

There will also be opportunities to meet all of Capricci’s Italian suppliers and sample their food the way it should be!

It’s the easiest and most rewarding way to get a true taste of Italy without actually being there!

And now Capricci have launched a very exclusive range of hampers that your mother is just certain to love!

Described as "Some of the most amazing hampers and products carefully selected from across Italy" They include:-

“Inclusioni” Chocolate Bars (£42) which includes some really unique and exclusive flavours! Dark Chocolate with Goji Berries and Macha Tea, Milk Chocolate with exotic fruits and Grue, Milk chocolate with raspberry and cardamom and Gianduja Chocolate with salted caramel

Chocolate Temptation (£67) -  a selection of beautifully crunchy chocolate and biscuit, a really indulgent treat

The Milk Chocolate Crus (£43) – some delicious variations of milk chocolate with a carefully selected Grappa to compliment.

To learn more please visit http://www.capricciforlondon.co.uk.

The Prakti Stove. The practical way to cook outdoors!

It's a strange thing to think about, but the summer months of cooking outside will soon be upon us, again!

And The Charcoal Burner Company is on a mission to introduce us to the Indian Prakti Stove in time for the barbecue season.

Many Indian readers will already be familiar with this wonderful Indian design classic and outside cooking staple.

Founder of The Charcoal Burner Company, Alastair, was trying to work out the best way to roast chestnuts outside during the winter months, and after having decided that charcoal stoves beat their gas equivalents hands down in terms of being authentic, easy to use and keeping in the flavour, he then moved on to the wonderful Prakti Stove.

However, soon he was thinking about much more than using them to roast nuts with!

Having ordered a Prakti Stove from India, Alastair was immediately impressed by the cleverness of its design, the speed at which it lit and how clean and efficient it was.

He was also very impressed by the high levels of heat it generated.

Soon he was addicted to cooking all kinds of things on his Prakti Stove.

The Charcoal Burner Company is now the official UK distributor for the Prakti Stove, so you can now easily own one of these classical Indian cooking marvels.

There are a wide range of different stoves available, including:
- Charcoal Stove (Rocket Stove) - which comes in red, blue or yellow
- Single Wood Burning Stove
- Double Wood Burning Stove
- Double Wood Burning Stove With Chimney Bracket
- The Orca Extra-Large Wood Burning Stove

There is also a range of essential accessories available from The Charcoal Burner Company, from the highest quality charcoal to grills, aprons and tote bags to transport all that tasty food you’re about to cook with your Prakti Stove.

For details please visit: www.thecharcoalburnercompany.co.uk.

 

Prestat chocolates. For Mothering Sunday. Always

We believe that Prestat Rose and Violet Crèmes are the perfect present for Mothering Sunday, Sunday 6th March, 2016.

Prestat, chocolatier to Her Majesty The Queen, has launched n utterly new and divine large box of Rose & Violet Crèmes – the ultimate in traditional treats and the perfect way to say thank you on Mothering Sunday.

Rose & Violet Crèmes (245g) £16.50

Prestat, chocolatier to Her Majesty The Queen, has launched a NEW large box of Rose & Violet Crèmes – the ultimate in traditional treats and the perfect way to say thank you on Mother’s Day.

Prestat’s legendary Rose and Violet Crèmes have been one of the company’s bestsellers ever since the 1930s…when it was rumoured that Her Majesty The Queen Mother first started buying the handmade chocolates as a treat for herself as well as for her two young daughters – Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

Created using the very finest rose and violet water, Prestat’s Rose and Violet Crèmes are dipped into luxurious dark chocolate before being adorned with a real, crystallised rose or violet petal and carefully packed inside a fabulous Prestat box.

Did you know?
In 1902, 114 years ago, a chocolate shop called Prestat was opened in London by descendants of Louis Dufour, the man who created the world’s first recorded chocolate truffle in Chambery, France in 1896.

Prestat’s reputation for making exquisite handmade chocolates quickly spread and before too long, maharajas, sultans, presidents and stars of the stage and screen had all experienced the delight that only the finest chocolate can bring.

Prestat’s quintessential Mints and their Rose and Violet Crèmes were Her Majesty The Queen Mother’s favourite chocolates.

Both The Queen Mother and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted Prestat a Royal Warrant and Prestat chocolates continue to be served at every major state banquet.

Ever since Bill Keeling and his half-brother, Nick Crean, bought the business in 1998, Prestat has enjoyed one of the most exciting chapters in its history.  In 2011, Prestat began selling chocolates in the USA, launching in all Bloomingdales Flagship Stores and throughout Dean & Deluca USA.

Prestat is one of the few British artisan chocolatiers to make all its own chocolates – giving it complete control of recipes and the sourcing of ingredients as well as the opportunity to nurture the traditional skills needed to create its handcrafted chocolates.

Loyal customers have included Roald Dahl, author of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. The writer even referred to Prestat in his autobiographical recipe book, ‘Memories of Gypsy Corner’, “I also adore so-called truffles…as Prestat makes them.”

Prestat was the official chocolate sponsor to Walking With The Wounded’s expedition race to the South Pole, whose Patron is Prince Harry.

Prestat's kitchens have won 16 Gold Great Taste Awards in the last three years - Prestat have now collected golds for every truffle entered: the Sea Salt Caramel, the Black Forest Gateau, The Red Velvet and now the Yuzu Sake.

The Rose & Violet Cremes are designed by artist Kitty Arden. She has designed packaging for Prestat for the past 15 years.

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Beanies Flavour Coffee. Make Mothering Sunday really special

Beanies Flavour Coffee will help you make Mothering Sunday really special for your mother.

Beanies Flavour Coffee comes to you for a very modest price of £22.50.

It's perfect and an ideal present for the mother who is a coffee lovers of the 21st Century.

Beanies have revolutionised our nation's love for coffee and innovatively combined it with equally loved flavours to bring an exiting twist to the coffee table.

When you are sleep deprived sometimes the most romantic present really is caffeine!

So, when you present mum with breakfast in bed on Mothering Sunday, don't forget to provide her with Beanies Flavour Coffee along with the Full English or the Continental breakfast that you just know she will love.

Just so long as you do the washing up afterwards, too!