I’m excited to share some health and wellness takeaways from the Natural Products Expo East. Be on the lookout for new products including clean sriracha.
5 Healthy Packed Lunches in 5 Minutes
Here are 5 solutions for when you need a quick (yet solid) healthy packed lunch and are out of ideas. You won’t find any boring ol’ pb&j’s here!
Mexican Watermelon Salad (+ fun facts about watermelon)
Are there any watermelon fans out there? Anyone, anyone? Yeah, I thought so. My family is 6/6 for giving two thumbs up on this summer fruit, so we had no reservations about partnering with the National Watermelon Promotion Board on today’s sponsored post.
8 Causes of Cravings by Kiran
This post is by blog team member, Kiran.To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page or her blog! So guess what? I’m officially a Certified Holistic Health Coach as of mid-March. Last year I signed up for the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN), which has been around since 1992. You may remember us mentioning them before (Amy on our team also went through the program), but I took the year-long online class for a few reasons: the first is that I’m working on a book (or maybe an e-book – stay tuned) and I wanted to have some type of credentials for writing it. The other is, like many others (possibly you!), the subject is interesting to me and I wanted to further my knowledge. What I liked about the program was that not only could I do it at my own pace, but along with going through a number of dietary theories, it also showed how all sorts of aspects of people’s lives are contributing to food choices. I particularly liked the following information I learned that dissected cravings – and hello, is there anyone out there who doesn’t have them, or who hasn’t had them in the past? If you struggle with cravings, I’d love to know if it can be attributed to one of the following 8 causes… 8 Causes of Cravings Lack of primary food. Primary “food” – which is not really food and instead things in life that “feed” and nourish you in other ways – consists of relationships, career, and spiritual satisfaction. This was by far the most interesting theory that we talked about, primarily because these can influence our food (which is considered secondary, btw) choices. So when these aspects are off, we find ourselves seeking satisfaction from food. In all honesty, I’ve […]
Why You Should Make Your Own Snack Packs
By blog team member, Kiran. To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page! I’ve been seeing commercials recently for Sargento Balanced Breaks, and it got me thinking. First off, I think this is a fairly good alternative for on-the-go snacking. Cheese, nuts, and dried fruit mean you’re getting a decent dose of dairy and protein (8 grams total) which is great for fueling on the go. And yes, I realize that sometimes life gets in the way – hello kids activities, travel, or the never-ending to-do list, I gotcha. Sometimes purchasing a packaged product is the only option, and it’s great to have some decent alternatives. But with a little planning ahead, it’s simple to make your own snack packs. It’s quick and easy, but how do the prices compare? I break that down for you too. What’s in the Product Let’s start out by taking a look at what’s included in this product (as taken from their site): Ingredients Gouda Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto (Vegetable Color), Natamycin (A Natural Mold Inhibitor)], Dried Fruit and Nut Blend [Peanuts, Cranberries, Sugar, Contains less than 2% of Honey, Maltodextrin, Modified Potato Starch, Salt, Vegetable Oil (Peanut, Cottonseed, Soybean and/or Sunflower Seed), Xanthan Gum]. A few of these items are ones that I’d note and not be too excited about eating: Maltodextrin, which can sometimes be a hidden source of MSG and definitely not something I’d cook with at home Modified Potato Starch, usually used as a binder or thickening agent – again not something I’d cook with at home Vegetable Oil – here is why we avoid these And of course, if you make it yourself, you can make it organic – something that we always suggest when feasible. Here’s a quick reminder why. How to Make Your Own […]
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-free certainly is a buzzword these days, but there are sooo many gluten-free products out there that are made of processed junk. Not these cookies!
6 New Real Food Snacks (hitting shelves soon!)
Today I want to share with you some cool new products I found at Natural Products Expo West, including real food snacks that I’m personally excited to see in stores soon.
How 4 Common Tea Herbs May Help
If you’re new to tea herbs, or wanting to know some of the basics, today I’m sharing info from the “herb nerds” with Traditional Medicinals.
Yellow Split Pea Fritters
We have another Indian-themed recipe for you to try. Similar to falafel, these split pea fritters are a plant-based protein source, bite-sized, and also fairly inexpensive (and easy!) to make.
Gift Ideas for Real Foodies
It’s that time to get gifts for our cherished and loved ones, show them how much they mean to us, and let them know we’re thinking of them. Here’s a list of our 2016 gift ideas from our favorite sponsors with some discounts included! And you may just find something for yourself, too! :)
Banana Oatmeal Cookies (with black walnuts)
These cookies would be great as an after-school snack, a throw-in for the lunchbox, or even doubled up for a different on-the-go breakfast. And by doubling up, I mean that you may want two. Why not?!
