The Great British Porridge Company

We all have the same problem, we’re running late, the meeting is in half an hour, and there is absolutely no time for breakfast. Tut tut, naughty us, the start to our day at The Amazing Blog should be fuelled with nutritious food to give us the energy to kick start our day. However, we are not alone, a recent survey revealed that a great deal of the British population decide to skip breakfast, as they regard it as time-consuming and unnecessary. This can now all change…with the rise of 100% instant, and naturally sweet porridge, made by The Great British Porridge Company.

Full of delicious ingredients like fruits, nuts and seeds, a bowl will provide you with all the energy you need. Packed with the best of British, and containing completely natural, gluten free and wholegrain oats, the porridge is free from added sugars, high in fibre and contains 10+% protein. If that isn't enough, then these porridges are also vegan. The brand says goodbye to boring breakfasts, and welcomes a new era, with the addition of protein and fibres, all of which are dairy free (just add hot water). And there you have it - porridge in just 60 seconds!

The Great British Porridge Company offer three different flavours, each in a 385g pack. The Goji Berry and Pumpkin Seed porridge is made from gluten free wholegrain oats, dates, coconut milk, pumpkin seeds, goji berries and chia seeds; and tastes delicious with a sprinkling of extra goji berries (and pumpkin seeds for a bit of crunch). For the banana lovers amongst us, the Blueberry and Banana porridge proved to be a winner. It contains the same base ingredients as above, but with the additional zing of blueberry and banana. This was a popular choice in the office, and made a delicious overnight oats base for those of us who like to spend a little less time making breakfast in the morning. Finally, and the firm favourite in the office, the Strawberry and Peanut Butter porridge is a scrumptious way to add a bit of sweetness to a cold morning. Simply top with fresh strawberries - or frozen if you’re feeling exotic - and enjoy a filling and wholesome breakfast.

The 100% naturally sourced ingredients, including the wonderfully delicious oats, make up these tasty bowls of porridge, all of which are handmade in small batches in Sussex. They are available online, on their website for either £4.99 a pack or as part of a monthly subscription. Yummy!

Dr Gaye - Super Porridge

Still feel the lingering effects of New Year’s Eve? We here at The Amazing Blog understand what that night can do to you, which is why we suggest you try Dr Gaye Super Porridge and start 2015 off right.

Dr Gaye Super-Shake products offer high-performance foods that the body can easily absorb and use while delivering all the vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins you need to complement your current diet. All of the company’s products are organic, grain-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, unprocessed and 100% raw.

Dr Gaye Super Porridge is the perfect breakfast or snack alternative that will help cure those pesky hangovers or help you succeed in your resolution to become healthier and more fit. The Super Porridge is packed full of mulberries, buckwheat, almonds, coconut flour, chia seeds, lucuma, banana powder and maca. These products help block sugar absorption, lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, are rich in protein and fibre, normalise bowel function, increase energy and balance hormones.

Research has shown that when people start re-mineralising, their sugar cravings subside, their food choices improve and they begin to see a positive change in their health. This is what Dr Gaye’s delicious Super Porridge can do for you.

It only takes about a minute to make and you can eat it for breakfast or for a mid-afternoon snack. All you have to do is follow the instructions on the bag and then add your own fruits or toppings to make it the perfect meal. You can purchase the Super Porridge here for £14.50.

Try this hearty bowlful of goodness and make 2015 your year. 

Nature's Path - 'Hot and Steamy' Porridge Oats

It’s time to get hot and steamy up in here!

Now, guys, let’s not get carried away. We at The Amazing Blog are simply referring to delicious       newporridge called Nature's Path ‘Hot and Steamy.’

The Canadian firm prides itself on creating amazing flavour when it comes to gluten-free  breakfast options, because let’s face it, there are many companies out there that think they can pull off the gluten-free name and they just can’t.

Why porridge you ask? Well, porridge has a reputation as a ‘super food’ with a low glycaemic index, which helps suppress one’s appetite and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Plus, nearly one in two Britons eat porridge, which makes the UK a perfect target.

The new ‘Hot and Steamy’ porridge offers three flavours in every pack – Original, Spiced Apple and Canadian Maple – each in a handy single-serving packet. They are gluten-free, wholegrain, high fibre, organic and low in saturated fat.

We give Nature's Path an A for creating a great-tasting, gluten-free breakfast that targets the mouths of half of the UK. I was a little taken aback by how small the packet seemed, but I just added some apple to it and I could go the whole morning without wanting more food. Plus, it was delicious, and of course, it also receives an A+ for its eye-catching name.

‘Hot and Steamy’ is available at local grocery stores and good independent health food stores at £2.99 for eight sachets (two original flavours and three each of spiced apple and Canadian maple).

Sweet Freedom with Pancakes

Yippee it’s Pancake Day! We all had pancakes today at lunch time  they were  (almost) guilt-free with our new find Sweet Freedom .  What a great name for a sweetener.

For those of you who don’t know Shrove Tuesday, is also known as Pancake Day in Britain, it is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent  'Shrove' stems from old English word 'shrive', meaning 'confess all sins'. It is called Pancake Day because it is the day traditionally for eating pancakes as pancake recipes were a way to use up any stocks of milk, butter and eggs which were forbidden during the abstinence of Lent.  End of history lesson! Here at The Amazing Blog we’re always trying to cut down on our sugar content (yes it’s all those delicious elevenses treats…)  So we’re very happy to make the acquaintance with this great new and natural sweetener.  I’ve been using Sweet Freedom Dark (rich and caramel tasting) on my porridge and I’m loving it. There is also the Sweet Freedom Original (which is neutral and more like sugar) which ideal for those wanting to just sweetening in tea, coffee etc

Sweet Freedom was launched by  Tina Michelucci and Deborah Pyner two foodie friends and creative cooks, who spent years developing new healthy recipes together but were never happy with any sugar replacements. So they set out on a journey to develop their own natural fruit based sweetener. It has already won the much coveted Gold Stars at the Great Taste Awards in 2012. It is 100% natural and made from purely from 100% fruit sugars. It is 25% fewer calories than sugar, low GI, suitable for diabetic and has no artificial colouring, flavouring or preservative. Plus Sweet Freedom has only 23g of fructose per 100g. Whereas Sugar has 50g, honey 40g, agave syrup 90g. 'Fruit’ sugars are actually made from sugar beet and are 100% fructose.

Here’s how we made our pancakes today (courtesy of BBC.co.uk). However, our pancakes were eaten sprinkled with Sweet Freedom (rather than calorific sugar) with a squeeze of lemon juice. There are also so many  other variation that you can try with your pancakes and Sweet Freedom: fresh fruit, berries with Greek yoghurt, apple puree, baked rhubarb with crème fraiche, or just add a little coconut milk to the pancake mix and fill with pineapple pieces. OR frankly…whatever takes your fancy!  Sweet Freedom is available to purchase in 350g squeezy bottles with a drip free cap (absolutely no mess or stickiness) RRP £2.99 Available here online or in Waitrose,  Asda or Morrisons.

Great British Grub!

We all hear about the history and events in the England but we never look at an in depth look on the important part of every life present and past, food. Finally there is a well written book that takes history and food and puts them together for a wonderful description of our counties past and present favourite meals and how they came to be.

A History of English Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright is a detailed historic description of how and why our country decided to eat certain meals beginning in the 12^th century. Have you ever wondered what caused our ancestor’s to eat Preserved Quince or Pease-Porridge? Or wonder how Indian curry came to our country? Or maybe simply how they fixed such extravagant meals without microwaves and electricity? Well then you need to grab a copy and learn the history behind one of the most overlooked parts of our culture.

Wright has a wonderfully amusing way of telling these stories about English history while also drawing from her unique personal experiences so you never feel like your reading a factual book. She keeps every story in her own voice so it stays upbeat and interesting. Wright never misses a beat as she describes the delicious food that goes hand and hand with English history. Her passion for food is a vital part of this informative yet enthralling tale of English food. It will forever be a classic must read for every English food enthusiast.

My favourite part of the book is that after you learn about the food and the history and why everything is so delectable, you get to try making them yourself. She has listed numerous recipes that are mentioned in the book that you can try for your own. It brings a whole new method to reading! Read a chapter then cook a recipe to try it! What could be better than that?!