Encona can help you transform your turkey and help stop food waste

The British waste an astounding and, to be frank, horrific, 7 million tonnes of food each year, with much of this happening over the festive season.

Did you know that very Christmas, we throw away an estimated 2 million turkeys. Yet being inventive with leftovers is easy and delicious - particularly with Encona!

If your family enjoyed fish or seafood as part of your festive fare, this needs to be the first food you use up. Toss leftover prawns with carrots, radishes, cabbage and spring onions, and serve with a dressing of Encona Thai Mild Sweet Chilli Sauce with oil, lime and fish sauce. This fresh salad will bring exotic flavour to your Boxing Day meal!

Leftover roast potatoes are delicious hot or cold with any Encona chilli Sauce, but why not try mixing three parts mayonnaise with one part Encona African Peri-Peri sauce for a yummy Peri Mayo dip? Or make a twist on a traditional British dish by crafting Bubble & Squeak from leftover roasties and sprouts, served with a drizzle of Encona West Indian Original Hot Pepper sauce for a flavoursome treat.

Cold turkey can be tossed with cooked noodles, shredded carrot, thinly sliced spring onion and a generous splash of Encona Thai Chilli and Garlic Sauce for a delicious noodle salad. Still have plenty of poultry? Stir turkey, leftover root veg and chickpeas into chopped tomatoes and stock, add a generous dollop of Encona Moroccan Harissa Marinade, simmer and serve with couscous for a delicious tagine.

Sausage meat can also be given a spicy lift by mixing with Encona West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce, thyme and Worcestershire Sauce before crafting into sausage rolls. Feeling brave? Upgrade to Encona West Indian Extra Hot Pepper Sauce; made to a traditional Caribbean recipe using a super fiery blend of Scotch Bonnets and Jolokia Peppers.

For those adventurous chefs out there, each sauce can also be enjoyed in a variety of ways: with grilled meat, prawns and fish, drizzled over salads, used as a marinade or even as a dipping sauce.

This festive season liven up your leftovers with the spicy flavours of Encona!

Encona is available at all major multiples, cash & carries and independent stores.

RRP:  
Encona African Peri-Peri Sauce (142ml) - £1.49 RRP
Encona West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce (142ml) - £1.49 RRP
 Encona Thai Chilli and Garlic Sauce (142ml) - £1.49 RRP
Encona West Indian Extra Hot Pepper Sauce (142ml) - £1.49 RRP
Encona Thai Mild Sweet Chilli Sauce (285ml) - £1.99 RRP

For the full recipes, please go to the Encona website:
Encona Thai Style Prawn and Rice Salad: http://www.enconasauces.co.uk/recipes/far-east/encona-thai-style-prawn-and-rice-salad/
Encona Thai Chilli Garlic Chicken and Noodles: http://www.enconasauces.co.uk/recipes/far-east/encona-thai-chilli-garlic-chicken-and-noodles/
Encona Sausage Rolls: 
http://www.enconasauces.co.uk/recipes/caribbean/encona-sausage-rolls/

Property Moose launches property gift giving platform in time for Christmas

Property crowdfunding specialists, Property Moose, has launched a product to provide people the chance to gift their loved ones a slice of property this Christmas.

With 37 per cent of people in the UK previously receiving Christmas gifts that they did not want or use[1], property offers the ideal alternative for those looking for a gift for the future.

This year, families are expected to spend an average of £796 celebrating Christmas, with £596 of this spent on presents alone.

However, a survey revealed that a substantial amount of money spent at Christmas was wasted; in fact, UK adults have previously squandered £2.4 billion on uneaten, discarded food and unwanted gifts.

A gift usually considered out of reach, property can offer the ideal alternative for a loved one who already has everything or as an ideal investment opportunity for friends or that budding property mogul. In addition, property investment through Property Moose enables the receiver to take full control of the investment, with a tangible gift that returns a monthly income and potential the benefit of capital growth.

Andrew Gardiner, founder of Property Moose comments, “We believe investing in property can be a great gift alternative for loved ones this Christmas – instead of giving someone an unwanted gift, why not give them the chance to invest in their future with a share of a property investment?”

Property Moose’s simple online platform can also take the stress out of shopping. With a selection of properties available to invest in, all properties are specifically chosen by the expert Property Moose team, to ensure each one has prime letting opportunities as well as potential forecasted growth.

With gifts available from £25, investors can spread their capital across individual properties, allowing them to create a diverse portfolio more easily. By doing so, parents can help invest in their child’s future which could later help them with expenses such as university fees.

“Christmas is just around the corner and British shoppers have already begun the spending frenzy; especially with the recent shopping days including Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Now is the time to consider where you’re spending your money to ensure you buy a present that not only excites on Christmas Day, but offers someone a gift that could keep on giving,” adds Andrew Gardiner.

Property Moose have asked that we include this Risk warning: Investing in property involves risks, including illiquidity (the inability to sell assets quickly or without substantial loss in value), lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution, and it should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio. There is no secondary market available meaning that these securities are illiquid. Your capital is at risk. Past performance and forecasts are not indicative of future performance.

For more information, please visit www.propertymoose.co.uk

Something for every woman with Marie Meili's latest collection

Marie Meili’s Autumn Winter 15 collection takes on a mix of flattering and fitting lingerie that brings femininity to the forefront for the season ahead.

The new collection boasts soft silks in sophisticated balcony styles and impressive deep plunges for that ‘wow’ factor.

Styles include charming lace; vibrant purples, pinks and dramatic reds bring confidence, comfort and glamour this season.
Turn your back in style with racer back straps finished with girly bows to get you ready for the party season

For practical purposes you can always rely on the core t-shirt bras. Choose from styles lined with lace, patterned in polka or floral prints to give a flirty feel.

Curves

For busts bigger than most, Marie Meili continues to provide a range of styles with a ‘feel good, look good’ factor in the form of ranges like Aurora, lace t-shirt and wire bras, light control briefs, hipster and brief pants.

Sizes range from 36C to 40F

Active Wear

Look stylish while working out with Marie Meilli’s Active Wear. Medium impact, quick dry fabric and seamless knits allow for comfort, while the neon colours and leopard print that encourage a fun work out.

Sports bras available in XS-XXL
Sports underwear available in S-L

Marie Meili pride themselves on providing a wide range of products for the following lifestyle needs including lingerie, swimwear, shapewear, activewear, nursing bras and the curves range of lingerie, swimwear and shapewear for fuller figures. Marie Meili is a brand with something for everyone.

Whether looking for seduction or fun, practical solutions or sheer indulgence, Marie Meili is the brand that will deliver all you need an more. Main stockists included ASOS, House Of Fraser and Amazon.

(EDITOR: They are available via our Christmas shop to the right of this page.)

Rocket Dog’s AW15 ‘All Roads’ Collection

Californian footwear brand, Rocket Dog, launch their AW15 Collection with brand new silhouettes and a fresh style injection.

The ‘All Roads’ collection has taken inspiration from the popular World Traveller style. Incorporating a range of earthy colours, textures and designs, Rocket Dog brings together global vision with different terrains and tones. Rich colours from chocolate to greys are accented with bold shades to cement an autumnal feel.

Bringing catwalk looks to the forefront, animal prints and tartan are a key mix within the new collection. Using high-quality fabrics, leathers, suede’s and Rocket Dog signature textures, the AW15 collection sees new, updated designs.

Key styles include Cray, Temecula and Weekender.

• Cray - an outdoor inspired boot design with a thick, trek-like sole.
• Temecula - a simple silhouette completed with ankle sock detail for a fashion forward edge.
• Weekender – this takes inspiration from the walking boot, complete with a faux fur cuff.

Website: www.rocketdog.co.uk

Prices are from a remarkably reasonable  £17.99.

New Covent Garden Soup Company® predicts a White Christmas!

‘Tis the season for your taste buds to jingle!

New Covent Garden Soup Company is cooking up a Winter Wonderland with their new White Christmas Soup. ‘O come and indulge yourself in the festive spirit with a delicious blend of potato, cauliflower, cream, aromatic truffle infused oil and white wine.

Keep your taste buds toasty with this comforting Christmas soup and unwind at this
busy time of year. It’s the perfect festive bowlful!

Treat yourself to a little seasonal indulgence and enjoy as a tasty lunch or dinner.

This December, toast your toes by the fire, sip on this blissful soup and have yourself
a merry Christmas!

White Christmas Soup will be available from all major retailers for a RRP £2.20.

White Christmas Soup is suitable for vegetarians so will make an ideal first course for everyone round the Christmas dining table, even those going for the nut roast option.

Hari Ghotra’s ‘Curry Kits’ putting a kick into Christmas. The best Christmas food present on a budget

Spice up your life this Christmas with one of Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kits on sale at www.harighotra.co.uk for a bargainous £3.50, a perfect present for a fellow foodie, a ‘Secret Santa’ or budget gift this holiday season.

These tastetastic tantalising kits are about making it easier to cook proper Indian food by providing proper quantities of ingredients, with handpicked spices from the expert herself.

Each kit includes individually numbered bags for every stage of cooking and easy to follow instructions. In addition, the kits include a video link so it’s super easy to cook along with Hari.

Experience exciting spices, unique ingredients and different cooking styles by selecting from curry classics such as Korma, Tikka Masala and Biryani. Or lesser known dishes from the South Indian Xacuti, that incorporates coconut and Kashmiri chillies and the creamy yet spicy Makhani.

Stockist information:
Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kits £3.50
Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kit Set of six £18.00
Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kit Set of twelve £36.00
Hari Ghotra’s Spice Tin – Six Spices £25.00
http://shopify.harighotra.co.uk .

New luxury Magnum Chocolate for pleasure seekers this Christmas

Magnum, the leading authority on chocolate pleasure, is introducing a new and contemporary range of Magnum chocolates, into the premium chocolate category.

The new collection offers decadent treats as well as beautifully packaged gifts for someone special.

Their exceptional quality Magnum chocolate is made using the highest quality Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa and features the iconic crack of the rich signature Magnum chocolate. Perfect for Pleasure Seekers!

The Magnum chocolate collection is the perfect gift for a special host.
An elegant collection of delicious, luxury Magnum chocolates in a variety of sumptuous flavours to celebrate pleasure.

Milk, dark and white chocolates, carefully crafted with premium ingredients to create delicious flavour combinations including;- salted caramel, intense raspberry, double chocolate, almond classic, praline crunch and finished with a classic milk chocolate Magnum disc.

Magnum Chocolate Thins
Deliciously smooth thins, delivering the distinctive Magnum crack, as well as the signature Magnum ‘M’ stamp.  Perfect for contemporary gifting

Available in three different flavours;
Classic Magnum signature milk chocolate,
Espresso, single origin dark Magnum chocolate with intense coffee and cocoa nibs
Mint, dark Magnum chocolate combined with a natural premium mint

All the pleasure of Magnum in a chocolate.

Magnum Chocolate Almond Bar
 
An irresistible new Magnum chocolate bar, featuring a rich almond truffle, roasted almond pieces covered in a double layer of thick Magnum white chocolate and Magnum classic milk chocolate. Perfect for your moment of pleasure.


Magnum Signature Chocolate Bars

Moreish Magnum signature block chocolate is perfect for sharing with friends (or just for you!). The premium chocolate bar features the signature Magnum ‘M’ in the centre. All you have to do is to decide how to eat it…nibble around the edge until all that remains is the
iconic Magnum ‘M’, or devour with abandon pleasure!

Available in three delicious flavours;-
• Smooth Magnum Classic milk chocolate
• Single origin dark Magnum chocolate with cocoa nibs
• Creamy white chocolate with Madagascan vanilla pods

The new chocolate range is currently available in most major grocery stores and retailers.

• Magnum Chocolate Collection: £6.00 RRP per box (180g) or £12.00 RRP per box (280g)
• Magnum Thins: £5.00 RRP per box (180g)
• Magnum Chocolate Almond Bar: £0.80 RRP per bar (25g)
• Magnum Signature Chocolate: £1.69 RRP per bar (90g)

All the pleasure of Magnum in a chocolate.

Incidentally, Kinnerton Confectionery is Britain’s largest independent manufacturer of chocolate and novelty confectionery.

Lir, award-winning chocolatier, introduces three NEW remarkable flavours into the Baileys® chocolate range

The fusion of Baileys®, the Original Irish Cream Liqueur, enveloped in a smooth milk chocolate casing, is already a proven success.

Award winning chocolatier Lir has developed some NEW delicious flavours to feature alongside the original milk, white and dark chocolate Baileys® truffles.


Launching for Christmas 2015, these new Baileys® truffle and flavour infusions are set to be a festive hit. Feel your taste buds come alive when you experience a sweet pop of flavour dancing on your tongue with Popping Candy. Take yourself on an adventure through the sweet and salty avenues of Liquorice or awaken your senses with the indulgent crunch of crispy Hazelnut.


Infused with the smooth and creamy taste of Baileys® and made using only the finest ingredients, these delicious NEW flavours offer an indulgent journey for your taste buds with a burst of deliciousness in every bite.

The exciting NEW flavours and original Baileys® truffles come in two NEW festive collections:
Baileys® Glittering Collection Box
 
Baileys® Glittering Collection Box is the perfect item for any host this Christmas. An ideal gift and conversation point, each mouth-watering truffle consists of its own unique artwork to match the five unique flavours including, Baileys® Original, Coffee, Liquorice, Popping Candy and Hazelnut. The beautiful packaging is the icing on the cake.

Baileys® Shimmering Star
Treat your loved ones to a Baileys® Shimmering Star this Christmas. The intricately designed festive packaging filled with Baileys® -infused milk chocolate truffles, makes this the perfect stocking filler or party gift for friends and family.

Baileys® Golden Christmas Tree
A beautiful tree, adorned with golden sequins to create festive theatre in homes this Christmas. The tree stands 32cm high and contains 450g of deliciously smooth milk chocolate truffles with a creamy Baileys® Original Irish Cream liqueur flavoured filling.

The Baileys Glittering Collection will be available at major retailers from November 2015 for £9 RRP.

Baileys Shimmering Star will be available from Tesco for £5 RRP.

Baileys Golden Christmas Tree will be available at major retailers, including Debenhams, for £22 RRP.

 Research carried out by 3M shows that 48% leave Christmas wrapping until 20-24 December - so if you’re looking for any last minute wrapping tips, read on!

If you get flustered or confused trying to find the end of the tape, or break out in a sweat when faced with awkwardly shaped gifts, why not take the hassle-free approach to wrapping, and enjoy the more magical side of Christmas with effortlessly wrapped gifts created using the Scotch Pop-Up Tape Handband Dispenser?

This dispenser is an easy way to create a perfectly wrapped present every time. Filled with neat, pre-cut DSC_6751strips of tape it sits comfortably on the back of your hand, putting an end to the inevitable sticky tape tangle, and avoiding the need to stick tape to every available surface.

(EDITOR: And gets rid of the possibility of trying to bite through the tape with your teeth and inadvertently pulling the skin off your lips! Ouch!)

And when it comes to the presentation we know it’s the simplest way to make someone feel special at Christmas – whatever your skill level!

The Scotch Pop-Up Tape Handband Dispenser comes in five colours - pink, orange, turquoise, silver and blue.  RRP £2.95.  Scotch Pop-Up Tape Strips Refills Pack, containing three tape pads. RRP £3.18.

Discover a world of extraordinary coffee with Union Hand-Roasted

You can discover a world of extraordinary coffee this Christmas with Union Hand-Roasted.

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, the artisan craft coffee experts, launch 14 new coffees following a total rebrand. The new range features speciality coffees from all over the world, expertly hand-roasted by Union and sourced via the Union Direct Trade sourcing principle.

Despite the popularity of coffeehouses nationwide, a whopping 80% of us still buy instant coffee to drink at home, missing out on the incredible flavours and varieties fresh coffee has to offer. Union’s new range is designed to help consumers discover the joy of speciality coffee at home, with an exciting variety of single origin coffees and signature blends to suit any taste or moment.

Much like wine, the world of speciality coffee can seem baffling to the uninitiated. Union want to make great coffee the norm, so to help consumers navigate the range and enjoy home brewing, each of the new packs includes a simple guide highlighting the distinctive taste profile of each coffee, information on its origins and advice on how best to brew it.

All of the coffees in the range are sourced via Union’s flagship sourcing principle Union Direct Trade, which creates direct, long term partnerships with farmers to improve the quality of both coffee and livelihoods. As a result, all of the coffees in the range are made from the highest quality 100% Arabica beans, and score 84 and above on the ‘Q-grade’ scale which measures the standard of coffee. A score of at least 80 is required to be considered ‘speciality’ coffee.

The new range includes:

Blends:
House Blend (cafetiere ground) – Union’s original house blend, a bold intensity infused with a deep natural sweetness with notes of dried fruit and milk chocolate.

Natural Spirit (cafetiere ground or wholebean) – a beautiful blend of organically grown coffees, combined to produce a vibrant and zesty taste with notes of toffee fudge and lemon.

Revelation (espresso ground or wholebean) –  Union’s signature coffee, perfectly designed for espresso and enjoyed throughout coffee shops nationwide. It’s a luxurious dark roast, with notes of treacle, dark chocolate and cinnamon.

Bright Note (wholebean) – this light roast blend is smooth and nutty with hints of milk chocolate, the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

Decaf – Blend (cafetiere ground) – Decaf, with no compromises. This is one flavourful, characterful cup – a blend of coffees from smallholder farmers in Rwanda and Sumatra, with caffeine removed by natural process without chemicals. It’s indulgent, rich and full-bodied, with hints of dark caramel.

Single Origins:
Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia (cafetiere ground) – the winner of a 3-star Great Taste Award, this intriguing organic coffee has a unique floral aroma with notes of kumquat and peach.

Maraba, Rwanda (cafetiere ground or wholebean) – this is a fruity and full balanced coffee, with notes of citrus, redcurrant and toffee.

Bobolink, Brazil (cafetiere ground) – lightly roasted, this is a rich coffee with luxurious notes of macadamia and milk chocolate.

Liberacion, Guatemala (cafetiere ground) – this medium roast coffee is rich and full bodied, with notes of dark chocolate and red grape.

Timana, Colombia (cafetiere ground) – this medium roast is a fruity treat with notes of plum, orange blossom and maple syrup.

Gajah Mountain, Sumatra (wholebean) – this dark roast has notes of dark chocolate and treacle for an intensely rich experience.

The new range is available from Waitrose, Ocado and leading fine food stores, with a  RRP of £4.90 to £5.50 for a 200g pack.

From their kitchen to yours – Castle MacLellan spreads Christmas joy with two brand new festive pâtés

This Christmas, the UK’s number one branded maker Castle MacLellan is adding two brand new seasonal products to its collection of exquisite, artisinal pâtés.

Founded in the beautiful artist’s town of Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, Castle MacLellan is dedicated to using the highest quality ingredients from local suppliers, rooted in Scottish provenance, in every single one of its pâtés.

 

Celebrate the festive season in style as Castle MacLellan gives the gift of two limited edition products: Smoked Ham and Cider Paté with Bramley Apple Chutney and Luxury Orkney Crab and Scottish Salmon Terrine.

 

Castle MacLellan has developed the new products with the festive season in mind. Both pâtés are beautifully presented with glazed finishes in high quality packaging, meaning that they can be served straight to the table as a show-stopping starter or as the centrepiece of a party food buffet.

 

Castle MacLellan’s new Luxury Orkney Crab and Scottish Salmon Terrine is dually layered with a lemon glaze and topped with a slice of lemon for an elegant touch. Delicately flavoured with soft cheese, crème fraiche and lemon juice, the terrine is perfect for creating delicious canapés spread on a blini or ‘tattie scone’.

 

The Smoked Ham and Cider Paté comes layered with a moreish, fruity Bramley Apple Chutney. The coarse paté comes with thickly cut ham, apples and raisins for a rustic feel – ideal for spreading over crusty, artisanal bread.

 

Castle MacLellan is owned by the Kavli Trust, which donates all profits to good causes in the UK and abroad. This means that whenever you purchase any Castle MacLellan product, money will go to a worthwhile charity or community organisation.

 

Castle MacLellan is also proud to work with Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink 2015, celebrating the best of Scottish produce and provenance.

 

Castle MacLellan’s Christmas pâté range is available throughout the UK, priced at a remarkably reasonable £3.00.

 

The real reason Santa and the rest of us will pile on the pounds this Christmas

It’s the time of year when we all like to overindulge – and Santa Claus is no exception. With all the mince pies and brandy on offer from the world’s children as he makes his present deliveries, Santa will consume well above his daily allowance of calories this Christmas season.

Santa won’t be the only one piling on the pounds. A recent survey for personal genetic testing company 23andMe found that 1 in 10 of us expect to put on a whopping half a stone over the Christmas period.

The average person expects to consume around 1,000 calories in their Christmas dinner alone, while 17% will consume up to 10 alcoholic drinks on Christmas Day.

Exercise is not a part of the Christmas routine for many either, with 39% of those surveyed revealing they will do little or no exercise until January.

Though the New Year tends to signal new starts, when it comes to making New Year’s resolutions, 29% of us break their resolutions before the end of January. Eating healthily and getting fit are the first things to go, for various reasons including losing incentive (40%), January being depressing enough (35%) and lack of willpower (32%).

The choices we make every day can have differing impacts on their risk for disease, depending on personal genetics. While most know the importance of proper diet and exercise, being armed with information about personal genetics allows you to make informed health and lifestyle decisions specific to you that can have a major impact on your wellbeing. Data shows that 72% of people studied reported making positive changes in their health behaviour relating to their dietary pattern, whilst 61% made positive changes to their exercise habits.

Taking a 23andMe test can tell you how you might respond to diet and exercise. In addition, 23andMe provides information about 11 genetic risk factors, 43 inherited conditions, and 41 traits, along with 11 reports on drug response. If you tend to reach for second helpings, 23andMe’s reports on eating behaviour may also shed some light.

As the festive infographic depicts, Santa Claus could be at risk for a higher than average BMI among other things, and has managed to swap the mince pies for a bite of Rudolph’s carrot and slimmed down enough to glide down chimneys with ease. He has also skipped the sleigh rides during the summer, replacing them with healthy jogs around his toy factory instead.

A 23andMe test can be bought online at www.23andme.co.uk or in store at Superdrug.