#are the red pop tops raspberry or apple blackcurrant??

[rose--hathaways]

if wanting to fuck strigoi!dimitri makes me a monsterfucker then fine, i’m a monsterfucker

[vaporbossflavors]

Embrace Your Day with Air Bar Max Disposable Vape

Without the hassle of refilling the tank, the Air Bar Max Disposable vape features impressive 2000+ puffs along with 5% salt nicotine and 6.5ml vape juice capacity. Unlike most other disposables, this device features a clear tank and a pre-charged 1250mAh battery. 

 The device gives you the option to choose from 23 exotic flavors that are all sure to tantalize your taste buds. Time to end the search for all the satisfaction of a portable vape device without any of the juicy mess, Air Bar Max has got you sorted. Simply dispose of the whole kit when it runs out of e-juice and replace it with a new product. 

 +21 Adults Only- Contains Nicotine which is highly addictive!

 9 Must-Try Air Bar Max Disposable Flavors

 Those in search of full-bodied tranquility will enjoy the alleviating sensations this pod inspires. With each flavor, you will feel physical contentment wash through you, top to bottom, inside and out. As the name suggests, the unique 23 flavors are satisfying to the MAX along with intriguing taste and full aroma. 

1. Cherry     Blossom Grape aka Sakura Grape

 A rich flavor cocktail of yummy cherries and smooth grapes, with a menthol finish. This duo is surely going to delight your palate with a sweet and delicious flavor followed by a silky smooth finish. 

2. Holly 

A stimulating mix of fresh mint leaves that finishes off with a cooling note. Holly by Air Bar Max Disposable vape is a real tasty surprise in a slim pod. 

3. Red Mojito aka Cranberry Mint Lime 

 For some intense tropical fruits goodness that’s sure to make your palate go wild with joy, the Red Mojito flavor is like taking a few pulls of Island juicy fruits. 

4. Shake Shake

 Sugary and sweet, Shake Shake is a flavor that pairs perfectly with morning pancake. Whether you're the sort of person who loves yummy creams or someone who likes a little fresh pop of fruity flavors, this is surely going to make your day. 

5. Aloe Blackcurrant

 Just enough sweetness of blackcurrants with a subtle hint of aloe. It's a well-balanced flavor with just the right amount of candied sugar for a smooth hitting experience. 

6. Berry Shake

 If you are having a rough day, this blend of fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries come together refreshing and smooth, giving strong tropical vibes. 

7. Pudding 

A harmonious blend of pudding and cream that is so delectable that you’ll wish you tried it sooner. Sweet and cloudy with divine cherry flavor on the exhale. 

8. Strawberry Mango

 If you love smooth flavors with velvety texture then you are in the right for this one. Strawberry mango is jam packed with double layers of ripe strawberries on the inhale and sweet mangoes on the exhale. 

Why Buy Air Bar Max?

 Air Bar Max Disposable Vape smart and stylish design which is made with smokers in mind gives more convenience when vaping. This pod has one of the most unique flavors which are perfect for all day vape and cannot be found anywhere else. It's a long-lasting device that has 5-7 times more puffs than disposable devices on the market. 

Other yummy flavors of Air Bar Max are Watermelon Ice, ALPPS aka icy mint, Blueberry lemon ice, Guava shake, Apple ice, Banana shake, Lemon Shake, Red Bull Ice, Peach Mango and the list goes on. So, choose any of these and kick start your work week on a cloudy note. 

 To know about vaping and its flavor, stay updated and share your opinions with us in the comment section below. We’d love to know!

[kakivino]

Great Wines of Italy 2018 Bangkok

Another December, another round of wine scrum. There I was, again, negotiating a capacity crowd of stemware-wielding, purplish teeth-baring oenophiles for my vinous spoils.

To be exact, a staggering 191 premium wines from 98 producers. James Suckling’s Great Wines of Italy 2018 Asia tour was back and bigger than ever.

The bustle of Bangkok was nothing compared with frantic scenes in Hong Kong or Beijing, observed visiting winemakers. That said, no sooner had the door opened things got into full swing.

More wines, less time

Something tells us perhaps the shortened programme — there goes our one-hour head start before people clock out from work — has something to do with cost management. Omission of some big-name labels suggests as much. Then again, it remained a small price to pay for the admission price we paid, in a country where wine spells luxury.

But I digressed. Naturally, the early birds flocked to wherever 100-pointer juice flowed, drained and vanished in record time, leaving a trail of empty Ornellaias or Tignanellos exhibited posthumously to disgruntled latecomers.

However, the sheer number of exciting picks meant there was no time for regret. Something else would come along.

Suffice to say, I was extremely content to have followed the heart rather than the points. Though I barely scratched the surface, my experience was all the more rewarding for when winemakers reciprocated aficionados’ enthusiasm with full attention and spirited exchanges in between pours.

Here’s my far-from-exhaustive fabulous dozen from the walk-around tasting:

Riecine ’14 Toscana Rosso Riecine Visibly limpid, hauntingly weightless. Beautiful mesh of red fruit, violet, white pepper and blood orange, laced with racy acidity and minerality. Smart, trim, nothing in excess. Picture a whispery tête-à-tête with Rooney Mara. Incredibly cerebral, soulful sangiovese in purezza. Some whole bunch, extended skin maceration, élevage in concrete.

Riecine ’15 Toscana Rosso La Gioia More quintessential Chianti Classico: richer, fuller by comparison. Expressive sour cherry and red fruit emerges front and centre, as sweet spice, sandalwood and leather chime in harmoniously. Judicious oak and supple tannins add substance to style with plenty of verve. A classy 100% sangiovese which lives up to its name: true joy in a glass.

The reason these translucent beauties shun the Gran Selezione pedestal, according to the engaging winemaker Alessandro Campatelli, is colour-obsessed red tape no less. To think that the Consorzio would’ve learned a thing or two from past blunders...

Pieropan ’15 Soave Classico Calvarino Heady aromas of pear, apple, grapefruit and spring flowers wow the senses with real piquancy and thrust. Dripping with pristine orchard fruit, chalky minerals and brisk acidity on the sapid palate. Leesy and complex, it closes long with a peculiarly saline, nutty twang. Decidedly scintillating. 70% garganega and 30% trebbiano di soave on volcanic soil, aged sur lie in concrete vats.

Pieropan ’15 Soave Classico La Rocca Harvested late and oaked, this radiant white bears richer concentration and definition, with a tropical (papaya!) twist. Honeyed and minerally, bright acidity lifts the tactile palate as it powers to a flavoursome finish. A peach of a wine, this offers fascinating contrast side by side with Calvarino yet there’s very little to separate them. 100% garganega on chalky clay, aged sur lie in large old casks.

Pietradolce ’14 Etna Rosso Vigna Barbagalli Lady Etna is enigmatic: floral, briary, smoky, with tar and menthol in the bouquet. Concentrated wild berry and slick oak inform the smoldering, youthfully austere palate. Distinctively earthy with pu’er-like finish. Mind the silken yet potent tannins. Has the stuffing, both gravitas and grace not unlike nebbiolo. From century-old, pre-phylloxera vines at contrada Rampante.

Alta Mora ’14 Etna Rosso Guardiola Likewise earthy disposition to this fragrant single contrada. Mineral vein underscores dark fruit, wet clay, tar, florals, pomegranate and Mediterranean herb, all framed by dense noble tannins. Tightly-knit and sleek rather than sinewy, with excellent complexity, line and length. More animated and savoury than Barbagalli. Nebbiolo again pops into mind yet with a personality all its own. A winner from 150-year old vines.

Nittardi ’15 Chianti Classico Casanuova di Nittardi Pure sangiovese from acidity-retaining altitudes at Castellina. Just old tonneaux and some time in concrete. Bright cherry is joined by violet, dark berries and a whiff of good ol’ barnyard. Sappy palate grips and extends with a dusty, spicy kick. Riveting. One-time owner, Renaissance rockstar Michelangelo Buonarroti — hence the artsy label tribute — makes for an excellent conversation piece.

Proprietor Léon Femfert revealed that Rhys, one half of the mischievous Matthews on The Wine Show — and an Emmy-winning actor — downed a glass filled to the brim, presumably in desperate need of inspiration for his label doodling showdown with co-host Goode. Guess what, it did the trick.

Castello di Volpaia ’15 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Coltassala Red fruit, incense, florals and vanilla leap out of the glass. The extravagant perfume a result of sandy soil at Radda altitudes and 24-month worth of new French oak. Deep sweet cherry luxuriates in milk chocolate in the mouth, rendered a voluptuous spin by said wood. Fresh acidity and firm ripe tannins provide impeccable balance. Freshly-minted Gran Selezione, kind of self-explanatory if you find it a touch modern.

San Polino ’13 Brunello di Montalcino Helichrysum Spellbinding aromatics. Ample acidity and a wall of mouth-coating tannins shape the chiseled architecture which frames black cherry, raspberry, blue flowers, new leather, tobacco and baking spice. Brooding and tight, there is no doubting the latent potential i.e. depth, intensity and vigour. Long ferment, large Slavonian cask aging equal classic brunello par excellence.

It was the Fanti rep Luca Vitiello who pointed me in San Polino direction when I requested his recommendation. Nice lad. Speaking of which, his lithe, fresh-fruited Fanti ’13 Brunello di Montalcino is disarmingly charming, delivering succulent berries and watermelon with lip-smacking immediacy, not that it won’t benefit from some bottle age.

Argentiera ’15 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia next-table might have stolen the limelight, but this snazzy overachiever stole the show. Blueberry, blackcurrant, cedar, wood spice and graphite meld seamlesssly with super polished tannins and opulent oak to compose a symphony of decadence. Apparently well-endowed yet supple in its caress. The proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove.

Jermann ’16 Vintage Tunina Venezia Giulia An intriguing blend of chardonnay, sauvignon with autochthonous ribolla gialla, malvasia istriana and picolit. Intense nose and full-bodied palate are handsomely laden with gooseberry, apricot, white blossom and lemon drop in citrusy overtone. Steely acidity balances juicy weight with aplomb, as pithy aftertaste lingers on. Not for nothing does it consistently rank as one of Italy’s top whites.

A winemakers’ vintage

To say barolo is conspicuous by its absence would be an understatement. With 2014s’ bad rap weighing on my mind, this wettest of vintages in recent memory seemed to have put a damper on barolo’s hot streak at first taste. A weaker field and palate fatigue arguably didn’t help.

But hindsight is a beautiful thing, in all probability, so could be some of these ugly ducklings. What this winemakers’ vintage might lack in flesh and bones, it more than makes up for in finesse and sultry appeal, eager to please with minimal cellaring. 2014 might turn out to be nothing more than just a speed bump.

Between the inebriation and camaraderie, the wine-drenched evening was a lot to take in. Evidently, Bangkok embraced vino italiano with gusto — some had one too many, those jovial strangers who egged me on to give the irrepressible Frescobaldi ambassador, Erika Ribaldi a peck on the cheek, to which I respectfully obliged.

Good-natured fun apart, the tasting is always about finding that something which tickles your fancy. I’m constantly told, and often repeat, that to get to the bottom of Italian wines, non basta una vita. — KY

*** This is a sponsored post *** The sixth Asia’s largest Italian wine showcase will return to Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Nov 27. Visit jamessuckling.com/event for tickets or more info. James Suckling is one of the world’s foremost wine critics, having tasted more than 200,000 wines over three decades. A resident of Hong Kong, he lives most of the time on Cathay Pacific flying to the most popular wine regions in the world and tasting the best wines. James organises regularly large premium wine events in Hong Kong, Thailand, the US and Europe. Visit them at jamessuckling.com.

[tes-eats]

A multitude of cocktail recipes by @starsjustshine. Inspired by the Daedric Princes, Skyrim factions, and Tamrielic races

For measurements, strong alcohols (Vodka, rum, other spirits) is one ounce. Weaker (wines, Viniq, beer, ciders) is 2-3 ounces, and non-alcoholic stuff are used to top it up.

Daedric Princes

Mother of the Rose (Azura) Viniq, rose water liqueur, garnish with white chocolate magic stars Mother of the Rose can be served with cherryade or raspberry lemonade poured in before the Viniq as it goes pink to purple like sunset. Backstabber (Boethiah) Goldschlager, dark rum, ginger beer. Three Wishes (Clavicus Vile) Salted caramel vodka, butterscotch schnapps, Quality Street's toffee penny, garnish with chocolate coins. Optional: Serve in a genie's lamp like in Aladdin. Open Book (Hermaeus Mora) Green tea, apple schnapps, Quality Street toffee penny, gummy worms. Bloodmoon (Hircine) Moonshine, Jack Daniels, ginger beer. Greymarch (Jyggalag) Grey Goose vodka, popping candy, white rum, serve in a crystal glass and garnish with a SAFE chunk of clear quartz. Sworn Oath (Malacath) Apple sours, lemonade, beer, shot of lemon juice. For a non-alcoholic version, you can get non alcoholic beer or ginger beer. Just replace the apple sours with apple juice. Or pieces of apple flavoured sour candy. Deadlands (Mehrunes Dagon) Absolut Peppar, sugar cube skulls, Worcestershire sauce, garnish with a Scotch Bonnet. Black Widow (Mephala) Dr Pepper, cherry vodka, cocktail cherries, garnish with a fake or gummy spider. Lady Light (Meridia) Lemonade, champagne, garnish with sugared flowers. Corruption (Molag Bal) Dark rum, blood orange vodka, cherryade, Halloween gummy fangs, and drizzle cherry syrup so it drips down the rim like blood. Little hint: Drizzle the cherry syrup inside the glass or it WILL get everywhere. Corruption can also have candy blood like those Halloween blood bags. Greatest Taboo (Namira) Red wine, cherries, gummy teeth, cherry lips, garnish with candy fingers. Nightingale (Nocturnal) Black vodka, dark rum, black cherries, black grapes, garnish with black sugar feathers. Plague Bringer (Peryite) Green tea, cucumber, apple schnapps, dash of lemon juice, garnish with sour skittles. A Night To Remember (Sanguine) Shot each of apple vodka, cherry vodka, butterscotch vodka, red wine, white wine, rose, bourbon whiskey, scotch, Irish whiskey, white rum, cherry sours, and rose water liqueur, garnished with a sugar rose or apple rose, serve in a martini glass. Optional: add a doll (a Barbie works best as it won't absorb or dissolve anything) posed like a burlesque dancer in the glass. Splits (Sheogorath) One glass orange vodka, orangeade, strawberries. One glass green tea, lime juice, apple sours. Bad Omens (Vaermina) Blackcurrant juice, Viniq, half-shot of absinthe, garnish with a skull sugar cube.

*  'The Kraken' dark rum, which is pitch black from octopus ink and therefore perfect for both Hermaeus Mora and Nocturnal.

Factions The Only Truth (Thalmor) Dark rum, butterscotch schnapps, Quality Street's toffee fingers, garnished with sliced banana. Stabby Stab/Fool of Hearts  (Dark Brotherhood) Dr Pepper, apple vodka, blood orange vodka, garnished with three cherries on a knife. Add a pinch of chipotle pepper to make it a Black Sacrament. Light Fingers (Thieves’ Guild) Mead, root beer, toffee penny, garnish with chocolate coins. Unblinking Eye (College of Winterhold) Blueberry vodka, white chocolate liqueur, sprite, vanilla ice cream. Full Moon Rising (Companions) Jack Daniels, Goldschlager, moonshine. Virtuoso (Bard’s College) Honey vodka, champagne, rose water liqueur, garnished with sugar flower cake decorations. Purifying Sun (Dawnguard) Creme de banane, vodka, silver M&Ms

Races Highborn (Altmer) Tall glass, creme de banane, butterscotch schnapps, lemonade. Bayou Beauty (Argonian) White rum, ginger liqueur, gin, cucumber Tree Hugger (Bosmer) Green tea, dark rum, apple schnapps, cinnamon stick to garnish. Hail to the Kings (Breton) Cherry sake, white rum, blackberry syrup. Red Mountain (Dunmer) Absolut Peppar, sriracha sauce, black pepper pinch, adorned with a sliver of Scotch Bonnet. Silver Tongue (Imperial) Port wine, rose liqueur, raspberries. Sugar and Sands (Khajiit) Sugared rim, butterscotch schnapps, honey vodka, chocolate liqueur, garnish with a whole sugar cube. Inner Voice (Nord) White chocolate liqueur, vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, mead. Pariah (Orc) Jack Daniels, beer, ginger beer, lemon slices. Curved Swords (Redguard) Orange tea, rum, salted caramel vodka, Goldschlager, orange slices.

[worldstop10]

New Post has been published on Top 10 of Anything and Everything!!!

New Post has been published on http://theverybesttop10.com/last-minute-hampers/

Ten of the Best Last-Minute Hampers You Can Buy in a Hurry

Ten of the Best Last-Minute Hampers You Can Buy in a Hurry

Looking for a last minute treat for someone, or a close family? Why not give them the gift of a hamper, that can be filled with all sorts of things from meats to treats, clothes to toys. These ten hampers I have picked should cover most people tastes and cover just about any occasion…

Ten of the Best Last-Minute Hampers You Can Buy in a Hurry

  Ultimate Family Christmas Hamper

10 – Buy Now on Amazon >> Click Here <<

The Ultimate Family Christmas Hamper Make it a special Christmas with this indulgent selection of goodies. Everything you need to enjoy the festive season presented in a 28″ rope handled hamper Contents: Champagne Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine Raspberry Fizz Red & White Wine Uppercrust Gamekeepers Pie 2kg The Uppercrust Family Size Three Kings Pie The Uppercrust Family Size Duck And Mandarin Pie The Uppercrust 7lb Turkey Ham And Cranberry Pie Half Leg Of Natural Roast Gammon Side Of Smoked Salmon 3 x Gigha Fruit Cheese Christmas Pudding Mature Cheddar Cheese 4 x Gourmet Cheese 2 x Assorted Pate Thin Triangular Oatcakes Stilton Cheese Thins Savoury Cheeseboard Selection Rick Steins Savoury Oat Biscuits With Thyme Stag Cheese Straws With Strathdon Blue Lobster Bisque Soup Plum & Ginger Wholemeal Stuffing Bread Sauce Mix Nutmeg & Grater Pickled Onions Christmas Pasta Cranberry Sauce 3x Chutney 3 x Assorted Marmalades 4 x Assorted Jams Winter Tea Christmas Coffee Robin Mugs And Coasters X2 Fruit And Nut Selection Tray Caramelised Mixed Nuts Latte Mugs X2 Brandy, Port & Walnut Christmas Pudding 450g Rum & Double Cream Pudding Irish Whisky Cream Sauce Brandy Sauce Peaches With Brandy Atkins & Potts Dark Chocolate Dipper Bronte Iced Christmas Cake Walkers Ecclefechan Tarts 2 x Liqueur Cake Blackforest Pudding Walkers Chocolate Shortbread Toy Shop Borders Shortbread Selection 3x Organic Biscuits Walkers Shortbread Festive Shapes Jar Of Assorted Toffees Marzipan Stollen Pieces 2 Tubs Of Yorkshire Crisps Whitakers Mint Selection Large Box Of Chocolate Pralines 2x Whitakers Creams Mint Crisps Box Of Belgium Chocolates Lindt Bear Tree Decorations Lindor Mini Assorted Truffles Bag Lidnt Hello Christmas Party Mix Mince Pie Fudge Gift Pack Candy Canes Christmas Teddy 2 Christmas Penguins

Mega Chocolate Lovers Hamper Gift Box

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In this little treat hamper you get 1 Yorkie, 1 Toffee Crisp, 1 Munchies, 1 KitKat Chunky, 1 pack of Rolo’s, a Picnic, Snickers, Aero Mint, Timeout Wafer bar, Flake, Bueno Milk, Diam, Frys Turkish Delight, 1 Frys Chocolate Cream, 1 Crunchie, 1 Terrys Chocolate Orange Bar, 1 tasty Lion Bar and sadly just one Dair Milk bar.

Retro Sweets Mega Hamper

8 – Buy Now on Amazon >> Click Here <<

In your box you get these 54 different retro sweets classics plus a 250g mix-up bag of the best chewy penny sweets around. There’ll be stacks more than 6 different types of sweet in there, so that’s the 60+ sweets comfortably. The box contains anglo bubbly bubble gum, black jacks chews, candy sticks box, candy lipstick, candy necklace, candy watch, candy whistle, foam mushrooms, curly wurly, double lollies original, double sherbet dip, fizz wiz popping candy, fizzers, fizzy wine gum rolls, foam mushrooms, at least 20 flying saucers, foam bananas, fruit salads, drumstick lollies, giant refresher chew bar, happy tattoo bubble gum, giant strawberry refresher bar, jumbo marshmallow, love heart mini rolls, milk chocolate coins, mini me chews bars, nougat bar, rainbow drops, rainbow straws, refreshers chews, sherbet fountain (retro classic), shrimps, tongue painter lolly, traffic light lolly, tube of refreshers, vimto lolly, wham bar (80s icon), 2 acid drops, 2 barley sugar, 2 black bullets, 2 blackcurrant and liquorice, 2 butterscotch, 2 chocolate limes, 2 everton mints, 2 fruit chews, 2 gobstoppers, 2 golf ball bubble gum, 2 liquorice toffee, 2 mint fondants, 2 mintoes, 2 rainblo bubble gum, 2 sherbet fruits and 2 treacle toffee. It’s retro sweets heaven!

I

Luxury Cheese and Crackers Hamper

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What better gift to give someone who loves cheese than a cheese and cracker gift hamper that is crammed full of delicious fresh cheeses and only the tastest and crunchiest of crackers! Its the cheese spread of cheese lovers dreams!

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The Butchers Wrap Meat Hamper

6 – Buy Now on Amazon >> Click Here <<

This amazing meat hamper comes from an 85-year-old Butchers shop and contains chicken, pork steaks, sausages, bacon, minced beef, spicy kebabs, beefburgers and meat potato pies! Not only a great gift but also perfect just to buy for yourself to make sure you have everything you need for the festive period.

Love it or hate it MARMITE gift wrapped Hamper

5 – Buy Now on Amazon >> Click Here <<

It’s probably best you make sure the person receiving this really does like Marmite or this could be the worse hamper they will ever receive! This hamper includes Marmite glass jar yeast extract 250g, Marmite oven baked cashews 90g, Walkers Marmite crisps 25g and two packs of Marmite savoury oaty biscuits.

Luxury Fruit & Nut Hamper

4 – Buy Now on Amazon >> Click Here <<

This very healthy hamper contains 1 Bunch Of Grapes, 2 x Banana, 2 x Fresh Orange, 2 x Fresh Apple, 1 x Pure Cheshire Honey 340g, 1 x Luscombe Devon Apple Juice 24cl, 1 x Lindt Milk Chocolate Truffles 50g, 1 x 300g Asian Mix Sweet(Methai) 300g, 1 x The Walnut Tree Nut Tray 150g and 1 x The Walnut Tree selection of dried fruits 200g! Any nut muncher will go more than nuts for this gift hamper.

6 bottle Wine Hamper

3 – Buy Now on Amazon >> Click Here <<

They say it tis the season to be merry and jolly and anyone would be feeling that way if they had just received this wine-o-clock filled hamper gift set! It contains 2x Garnacha Tinta Rose, Vega Roble, 2x Lupo Nero Rosso, Rocca Estate and 2x Reserve Colombard-Ugni Blanc (Medium), Le Grand Duc

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Pringle Poppers Hamper

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They say once you ‘pop’ you can’t stop and with this many tubes of Pringle poppers, you really don’t have to! It contains 4 x Texas BBQ, 4 x Salt and Vinegar, 4 x Sour Cream, 4 x Original and 4 x Paprika. Yes, that is 20 mini tubes of Pringles which is almost enough to last until next Christmas!

Dorset Cream Tea Hamper

1 – Buy Now on Amazon >> Click Here <<

Sure, its not the right time for a cream tea, but anyone would be hard-pressed not to enjoy even the mere sight of this high-tea hamper that contains 4 Bay Tree Farm Scones, 113g Bay Tree Farm Strawberry Extra Jam, 4 Roddas Cornish Clotted Cream Portions and 40 Dorset Tea Bags which is more than enough to last until Summer when you can get another one!

[healthy-lifestyle-hub-blog]

Subscribe to our blog, and click here to get your gift,  Ebook “live healthy, love life,its within your power” Chris augustine

Want to fast-track your summer silhouette? Supercharge your daily diet with some clever nutritional upgrades

Bikini diets? They’re so last year. If you want to look and feel your glowing best this summer, perhaps it’s time to stop cutting calories and start loading up on body-loving superfoods.

Scientifically proven to do everything from enhancing your beauty and boosting your energy to protecting your skin in the sun, a plant-based diet is the perfect summer prep. Can’t afford to splash out on the latest ingredients? Well, here’s a secret: with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can transform humble store cupboard ingredients into power-packed superfoods. Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? But, following two years of research, botanist and food writer James Wong has unlocked the secrets of how to send the nutrient value of plant-based ingredients sky high.

‘With a little kitchen science you can dramatically boost the nutrition in the healthy, everyday ingredients you love, simply by how you choose to select, store and cook them,’ says Wong, author of new book How to Eat Better (Mitchell Beazley, £20). ‘We’re talking measurably more vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and a whole host of other benefits. For example, pop your punnet of mushrooms on a sunny windowsill for an hour or two and you get 100 times more vitamin D2.’

So there you have it, a summer body diet that tastes delicious and saves you money. You can thank us later.

BOOST BERRIES

One of the best beauty foods around, berries are famous for their high levels of vitamins and antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins which give the fruit their red and purple colour. Berries are proven to help weight management, calm inflammation, boost your brain and protect your skin from ageing. Top of the charts are blackcurrants with more than twice the anthocyanins and 37 times the vitamin C of blueberries, which come in second. Blackberries are in third place, followed by raspberries and strawberries, which, while lower in anthocyanins, are still high in total antioxidant activity and vitamin C.

Be a cheapskate: Those smaller ‘value’ brand blueberries you pass over in the supermarket? They’re actually higher in phytonutrients as well as half the price. ‘Smaller blueberries are richer in anthocyanins as the purple pigments are found almost exclusively in the skin and smaller berries have more skin, gram for gram,’ says Wong.

Create a compote: Not only are the phytonutrients in berries heat stable, cooking them briefly may even help increase their antioxidant powers. ‘Simmer up blueberries into a tasty three-minute compote and you get 100 per cent more antioxidants than scoffing them raw,’ says Wong. The short cooking time is key here, but it’s only after 30 minutes that antioxidant levels start to fall.

Don't add milk: Do you add berries to your cereal or yoghurt? It may be worth alternating dairy milk and yoghurt with non-dairy alternatives. New research suggests milk protein reduces the absorption of vitamin C. ‘In one study, combining strawberries with yoghurt led to a 23 per cent decrease in total antioxidant activity,’ says Wong. Try making smoothies or porridge with almond milk or soy. ‘Fruit smoothies made with soya milk exhibited significantly more antioxidant capacity than those made with water,’ says Wong.

CHAMPION CITRUS

Often passed over for more exotic superfoods, citrus fruits are still one of the most nutrient-dense options in the fruit bowl, says Wong. More than just a great source of vitamin C, the juicy fruits offer a bounty of flavonol antioxidants shown to help protect you from cancer, heart disease and brain ageing, as well as boosting your skin. Here’s how to reap even more benefits.

See red: Picking the deepest colour citrus fruits can significantly boost your nutrition benefits. Blood oranges, pink grapefruits, mandarins and clementines are all richer in healthy antioxidant pigments than regular oranges, grapefruits, lemons and limes. ‘While regular oranges are higher in vitamin C and heart-healthy flavones, when it comes to carotenes, mandarins and clementines are higher and have three times the vitamin A of other citrus,’ says Wong. Blood oranges – which produce their distinctive red anthocyanins when exposed to low temperatures – contain up to 80 per cent more polyphenols and five times the antioxidant activity of a regular navel orange.’ Amazing!

Eat them whole: Do you always peel the pith? You’re binning all the benefits! Citrus fruits store most of their nutrients at the surface. ‘The bright-coloured zest and the pith contain significantly higher levels of key antioxidants than the juice within,’ says Wong. Bin the membranes between each segment and you could lose 50 per cent of the good stuff. ‘Eating the whole fruit gives you far more benefits,’ says Wong. Don’t like the bitterness? Throw a whole orange into a sweet smoothie or soup. And if you’re buying juice, always choose varieties that include the pulp.

Make crisps: It’s not just root veg that makes great crisps. Research shows oven-drying your citrus fruits can enhance their antioxidant powers. Wong recommends making orange crisps by placing thin slices onto a baking tray and cooking for three hours at 100oC, turning halfway through. ‘Not only do they look great, they have between 60 and 70 per cent more polyphenols than fresh slices,’ he says. Hooray!

SUPER-SALAD SOLUTIONS

When it comes to salad leaves, more colourful varieties contain higher vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients than their paler relatives. And there are other surprising ways to boost your bowl, too.

Go dark: Make sure your salad packs a nutritional punch by opting for dark green leaves. ‘Pick darker green Romaine over pallid Iceberg and you get up to 20 times the vitamin A and betacarotene,’ says Wong. ‘You’d have to eat five servings of Iceberg to get the same amount of folic acid and vitamin K as a single serving of Romaine.’ Other great choices include spinach, baby kale and rocket.

Loosen up: Do you always pick tightly closed heads of lettuce? You’re missing out – exposure to sunlight triggers leafy greens to produce their health-giving (often bitter) phytochemical pigments as a form of UV protection. ‘Loose-leafed varieties whose leaves are exposed to the sun will contain far more phytonutrients than tightly closed ones,’ says Wong. One study found external leaves can contain three times as many polyphenols as those in the centre.

Make the cut: Do you avoid bags of prepared salad, thinking they’ll have less nutrients? Not so. First up, research shows commercial storage has little effect on the nutrient levels of leaves. Second, slicing or tearing a leaf – effectively wounding it – can send its levels of phytochemicals soaring, as the leaf rushes to defend itself. ‘Pop cut lettuce in a sealed container in the fridge overnight and the polyphenols can increase by 50 per cent,’ says Wong.

AWESOME APPLES

Affordable and packed with health benefits – from controlling your appetite and cleansing your body to lowering cholesterol and reducing diabetes risk – an apple a day can do far more than keep the doctor away if you employ the following tricks.

Shop smart: Always stick to Golden Delicious? It’s time to get more adventurous in your apple selection. ‘Trials show that some varieties can contain up to five times the antioxidants as others,’ says Wong. Braeburn apples come top in antioxidant league table, followed by Red Delicious and Pink Lady, according to research by The University of Leeds. Generally, the redder the better – the rosy colour, produced in response to sunlight, is the pigment that gives the fruit many of its health benefits.

No chilling: Even once they’re harvested, apples continue to react to sunlight producing more of their health- giving pigment. ‘Store them on the sill,’ says Wong.

Cook them: There’s nothing like a fresh, crunchy apple. But raw isn’t always best when it comes to nutrition benefits. Cooking this fruit breaks down the cell walls to release nutrients and destroys the enzyme that turns apples brown and degrades antioxidant levels. ‘Research at the University of Warsaw found that lightly cooking apples in the microwave or pan could double or triple the levels of polyphenols,’ says Wong.

TURBO-CHARGE YOUR TOMATOES

The perfect summer ingredient, tomatoes aren’t just bursting with vitality vitamins, they’re also one of the richest sources of phytonutrient, lycopene. That’s the carotene that gives tomatoes their red colour and is proven to protect your skin from UV damage and premature ageing, as well as lowering your risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Here’s how to get even more benefits.

Eat the skin: The anti-ageing phytonutrients in tomatoes are not distributed uniformly across the fruit, but concentrated largely in their skin. ‘There’s as much as five times more lycopene in the skin than in the juicy pulp,’ says Wong. ‘And a study at the University of Glasgow discovered that 98 per cent of the flavonols (anti-inflammatory compounds) are found in this thin coating.’

Tiny treats: Love a cherry tomato? You’re in luck. Their smaller size means they have more skin gram for gram than their bigger cousins, making them denser in phytonutrients. ‘The Glasgow study found simply picking cherry tomatoes over regular round types could give you twice as many flavonols,’ says Wong. Tests show cherry tomatoes also have, about twice the amount of lycopene too. Reap even more nutrients by choosing baby plum tomatoes, which can boast a 30 per cent more lycopene than spherical cherry tomatoes.

Forget the fridge: Tomatoes continue to ripen after they’ve been harvested, becoming sweeter, redder and higher in lycopene. But this process can’t occur below 10 degrees C so keep them away from the fridge. ‘Tomatoes can almost double their lycopene levels if kept at room temperature for a week or two,’ says Wong. ‘So store them on the worktop.’