More reasons to love your morning coffee

Oh coffee, one’s true love! Enter a coffee shop 8:30am any day of the week and you’ll be met by a very long and tired que of morning commuters, eagerly awaiting their first caffeine fix of the day. There’s no doubt about it, we are hooked. Not only is coffee loved for its distinct flavour and the instant buzz it provides, it has also become somewhat of a trend influenced by celebrities, social media platforms and café culture. But we want to show you why it’s great for your health as well as for your taste buds and aesthetically cool Instagram feed:

05/04/2017 / 3

Delicious ice cream shakes to enjoy this spring

Nothing says pure indulgence like a velvety smooth, extra creamy, frothy milkshake. But let’s be honest they’re not something we should be guzzling down on a daily basis if we’re trying to keep an eye on our health. But, what if we said we could give you some recipe inspiration for healthier alternatives that are just as satisfying (if not more)! Well we can, and here they are made especially for you using our pretty special ice cream ‘Coppa della Maga’.

Here we have three of our favourites which can be adjusted and altered to your taste buds. If you make your own Coppa della Maga milkshake recipe we would love for you to share it with us! So here it goes:

19/03/2017 / 3

Summers sweet staple

As the weather warms and the days get brighter our minds (and taste buds) wander to the delicious, sweet strawberry, synonymous with British summer. Perfect with a glass of prosecco, dipped into chocolate or added to a light and vibrant salad, the strawberry is a truly versatile summer staple. Plus, there’s a whole lot more to strawberries than meets the eye:

04/03/2017 / 3

Magic minerals

For most of us good healthcare means getting in our five a day, regular exercise and a sufficient vitamin intake. However, we often forget the importance of minerals and how vital they are in sustaining a functioning body. Minerals are natural and inorganic chemical elements found in soils and rocks. They compose about 4% of the human body and are obtained from external sources (e.g food). Essentially, minerals are the catalysts that keep our bodies going – needed for strong bones, teeth and muscles, maintaining PH balance, nerve conduction and metabolic processes. So we think it’s fair to say that minerals are pretty fantastic.

15/02/2017 / 3

Do you get enough sleep?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just wave a magic wand at 10pm on the dot and doze off with the guarantee of a sufficient, good night’s sleep? Sounds bliss. But the truth is a lot of us don’t help ourselves when it comes to sleep, often forgetting how essential it is to our overall health and wellbeing. Sleep is vital for our bodies to function optimally and a lack of it can lead to a whole host of chronic health problems from high pressure, heart disease to obesity and diabetes. A good night’s sleep is also great for keeping your memory and concentration sharp, managing your weight and making you appear brighter and more attractive.

Having said this, research shows that about half the population in western cultures is sleep deprived. We live in a digitally connected culture where people are on alert 24/7 and rarely get that recommend eight hours of sleep. Being on our phones and other electronic devices is now a big part of our everyday busy lives but is also one of the main contributors to poor sleep. Light exposure from electronics at night supresses the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and therefore disrupts our sleep/wake cycle. So, we must find a balance and learn to switch off an hour prior to going to bed.

There are a number of things you can tweak in your routine to improve sleep:

23/01/2017 / 3

The big milk debate

If you like a good old health debate, look no further than that of the topic of milk. It is hot right now. Over the past few years we have been inundated with claims that milk is bad for us and as a result have seen a sudden rise in non-dairy alternatives hitting supermarket shelves worldwide, such as rice milks, almond, oat milks and soy. And it’s quite a surprise really, considering the majority of us were raised on the white stuff from day one. Gulping it down morning and night as babies, drinking it as a mid-morning snack in primary school and adding it to pretty much everything! It’s been a household staple all over the world for thousands of years so why now has it been hit with such controversy?

15/01/2017 / 3

Why your new year resolution should be a micro one?

The lead up to the New Year is here, a period where many of us take some time to reflect upon the past 12 months. These reflections are then usually followed by a string of resolutions we promise to keep for the year ahead. But who really sticks to theirs for more than a month before falling back into old habits, or succumbing to temptation? Psychologists have found the main reason behind failed new years resolutions is the scale of the resolution itself. Experts suggest we should instead break down our goals into smaller, more achievable ‘micro-actions’. These small actions may at first seem pointless but with persistence and dedication the outcome can be astonishing.

Remember what Mahatma Gandi said:

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny”…

28/12/2016 / 4

The Royal nut

The pistachio nut, belonging to the cashew family, is a native of Iran, Greece and Syria and has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. Legend has it that the Queen of Sheba loved pistachios so much she declared they were only to be eaten by Royals and prohibited anyone else from growing the nut for personal use. Additionally, Nebuchadnezzar, the ancient king of Babylon, was said to have had pistachio trees planted in his fabled hanging gardens.

Aside from their interesting history, pistachio nuts also pack a pretty nutritional punch:

15/12/2016 / 3

Hot ice cream

We’re gearing towards the most wonderful time of the year, so we’d like to share with you our favourite winter warmer – perfect to sip on chilly evenings beside a log fire. Our double chocolate ice cream needn’t just be served cold, when heated it creates the most luxuriously rich hot chocolate. Follow this simple recipe and experience pure indulgence.

Ingredients (serves 4)

500ml Coppa della Maga double chocolate ice cream
2 cups of milk
1 ½ tsp Cinnamon
A pinch of clove

Method:

01/12/2016 / 3

Novelty Christmas Present

Christmas is fast approaching. Shopping malls and supermarket aisles now glisten and sparkle with tinsel and baubles, shiny reds and greens, golds and silvers. So, the time has come to start thinking about what gifts to get for our loved ones. Perhaps you may want to choose something a little different this year, maybe a gift combining a delicious treat with a precious keepsake. Well, we have just the perfect thing for you. Who doesn’t love ice cream (sugar free for that matter) and quality handcrafted jewelry?

20/11/2016 / 1

News