In The Kitchen: Where and How to Shop

I love how much time have been able to spend in the kitchen lately! I have mentioned this before, but being able to take extra time planning meals and cooking has become a new routine in this season that I have come to love so much. Eating healthy and knowing what I an consuming has always been a big part of my life, but now more than ever I feel like it’s a passion of mine that has really developed with more time to practice it! On the blog, I have started a new series called In The Kitchen, and over the last few weeks I have talked about adding new purpose to your cooking routine and have given some practical tips on ways to maximize the life of your fresh groceries. This week I thought it would be helpful to talk about where I shop for my groceries and a few tips on how to shop – Things that I think can so often be overlooked in the day to day of a week spent at home or the craziness and potential fear of grocery environments lately. WHERE TO SHOPOne of my very favorite things about this time has been the discovery of our local farm. While Jase and I are so lucky to have one close enough for us to go to, the idea of shopping local and supporting small businesses has been a value instilled in me during this time that I will not leave behind! While many of us may have the first thought that shopping small comes at a greater expense, many things like produce, especially fruit and veggies, can actually be cheaper or often on sale and at a better quality, ultimately lasting you longer than your nearby chain grocer. Shopping small or local is also a great way to cut out on the stress of the grocery store during this time! When you relieve yourself of the many negative emotions that can so often be identified with a stop at the store, this activity can actually become a cherished part of your routine. I know for me, I love showing up to my local spot and taking time to see what fresh picks are available – wandering up and down the rows (while practicing safe distancing, of course) and taking it all in! This care that I have developed in my routine for where I shop and what I buy has caused me to have even greater care and excitement in what I prepare. I cook based on my inspiration from the ingredients purchased. It has been a game-changer for me!Another great place to shop, that isn't so small, can be Whole Foods. While this was often considered not within budget for many families, the new deals and offers that have been extended to Amazon Prime Members (which so many of us are!) makes it practical once again. It’s also a great option for those pantry items that can be more expensive at your local spot. Things like nut butters, canned goods, healthy snacks and treats, or alternative milks are actually similarly priced (or on sale / specially priced) to your opposing chain grocer and oftentimes made with more quality or organic ingredients! Such a win.HOW TO SHOPNow that the stress has been relieved from dreaded trips to the grocery store, the need for a detailed list of things to get in and get out as fast as possible has also gone out the window. While I have my routine items I always get – protein options, potatoes, pastured eggs, leafy greens, and nuts – I also make room in my trip to look at what’s freshly available and think of meals I can create using what’s right in front of me! A great way to start doing this is to shop for more universal items that can be created or added to anything. Items like sweet or regular potatoes can be chopped into quarters for a tray of roasted veggies with broccoli, zucchini, onion, and asparagus – or cut vertically and baked into fries! Proteins like pastured chicken or ground grass-fed beef can be added on top of fresh greens and healthy grains with roasted veggies to make into a warm bowl or served on top of a crisp salad. Your pantry items like noodles, canned foods, or nuts can be cooked or chopped and mixed into any meal to add a different texture or a more filling variety. And fresh herbs and spices can take any meal to the next level!There are just so many options, but the goal when first starting is to shop for a variety of versatile fresh foods that can work together and then let your creativity work as you go throughout your week! A FEW OF MY GROCERY STAPLES 

• Pastured eggs
• Organic almond butter
• Organic raw nuts for making home-made nut milk
• Organic spring onions
• Organic coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Raw butter
• Siete tortillas and chips
• Siete hot sauce
• Organic dinosaur kale
• Organic lettuces
• Organic red peppers
• Organic green beans
• Organic garlic
• Organic white rice
• Organic potatoes - purple, red, sweet
• Organic tomatoes
• Sauerkraut
• Organic fresh spices - cilantro, basil, dill, mint, oregano, sage (we grow these in our garden but are a must!)
• Organic beets

Where are you shopping in this season, and what healthy recipes are you making in your kitchen? I'd love to hear from you! Follow along with my kitchen routine here on the blog or at my Instagram where I often post meals I'm making or grocery items I'm grabbing. xo

In The Kitchen: Adding Life to Your Groceries

Last week on the blog I started a new collection of talks around being In The Kitchen. I don't know about you, but here at LSK we've been talking so much about how this time has changed everything for us. Things that we used to think were such a chore have now become a cherished part of our routine, and we're finding ourselves digging into new passions like never before. One of those passions for me has been spending time in the kitchen – taking extra care in what I prepare, and all the steps along the way.With things being the way they are recently, I've been thinking so much more about what I use and how I use it. This week I want to share a few tips on how to preserve those precious groceries we're buying and make them last as long as possible in order to reduce waste and save on fewer trips to pick up groceries.More than ever, I think I am realizing why my mom is almost mentally trained not to waste any food considering the culture during her childhood. I always had no problem tossing certain things, but now I have a greater appreciation for what I put in my straw bag at the farm shop. These times have brought more scarcity than we have experienced in our lives, and I am all about making my produce last as long as possible + for the first time have researched what veggies remain fresh for longer.I wanted to share some tips that have really helped me. It has been such a new topic to educate myself on!

SHELF LIFE

This article and graphic have both taught me so much!

  WASHING

• Rinse with water. You can use a vegetable brush on tougher roots.
• Veggies will hold the longest if you wait to wash them right before use.

TOOLS

• Swag Bags: It keeps our veggies fresh for up to two weeks + they are made with the healthiest materials.
• Almond Cow: Jase and I were having a hard time keeping almond milk in stock. It was always out at the grocery store after quarantine started, so this has been an absolute game-changer. And it only takes 5 minutes!

HERBS

• Your herbs will be happiest standing in a glass of water, where just the stems are wet.
• Store in the fridge or on the counter.

ROOTS

• Store in the refrigerator in a container with some airflow.
• Keep potatoes in a paper bag to minimize light exposure (that is what causes them to sprout!).

GREENS

• Refrigerate in an airtight container.
• They like a little moisture but not too much. Sometimes it helps to add a damp paper towel into the container.

TIPS

• If you feel like you won't use your veggies or fruit before they will get bad, freeze them! Did you know even raw butter and cheese freezes well? Cut, peel, and remove excess from your produce, and store in these biodegradable storage bags.
• With bread that is going bad, make croutons!

Info source: @wearebrightland

Sweet Recipes To Savor

You guys have heard me talk about the Sweet Laurel cookbook before on Instagram, so I felt the holidays were the perfect time to dedicate a blog post to this incredible cookbook. Created by Laurel Gallucci & Claire Thomas, Sweet Laurel is a curated collection of the yummiest desserts and savory breads that are made with whole foods and are also grain-free. Praise hands up for that!From turmeric bread to cinnamon rolls and southern biscuits to lavender cookies, there are so many sweet recipes to savor. The best part is the whole food part...there is such freedom and joy found in baking and enjoying desserts and savory treats that are made with real ingredients and free of grains that would more than likely bother your gut. These recipes are ones that your body, mind, and soul will all enjoy, and for that, we are so grateful.Whether you want to gift the cookbook this Christmas or prepare one of the recipes for a holiday brunch or party, this is the perfect time of year to grab a copy for you and for loved ones! As you probably already saw, this was on my gift guide and you can bet that I'll be gifting it this year! xo

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Whole Foods Market Beauty Week

I am so excited to share the news about Whole Foods Market's beauty week...starting today and going through 3/27, all beauty products are 25% off at Whole Foods locations + this limited-edition beauty bag is available (on Friday, 3/23) for just $20...a $100 value! As a big supporter of and believer in the clean beauty movement, I am so inspired by the fact that Whole Foods carefully evaluates each and every beauty product it sells and has banned 100+ ingredients like parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde donors, and more.This gives me such peace of mind and makes me love and trust Whole Foods on a whole new level! Since I already shop at WF for food, it is so convenient that they have a huge selection of clean beauty essentials including hair products, skincare products, deodorant, makeup, and more. Thank you, Whole Foods, for being my one-stop shop for everything that is good for my body...inside and out! AD: Sponsored by Whole Foods Market

my dry skin secret.

When the weather shifts to ultra-chilly, my skin gets crazy dry. It even still appears dull even when I use my most intense moisturizer. The worst! Last week, my boxing trainer, who I go to for all health tactics because of his insane knowledge, suggested that I start using grapeseed oil on my face before I go to bed. I went immediately to Whole Foods to make the purchase, and only after two nights of using this miraculous substance, I noticed a massive difference in my complexion. I woke up with bright and plumped skin. The weather shift caused a few break outs too, and those were completely cleared up after two nights.I went to see my esthetician a few days later, and she told me that grapeseed oil truly is one of the best things for your skin. She said it evens out oil production, which will in turn clear up acne. It is a brilliant serum that increases antioxidant capabilities.This natural, pure product will never leave my beauty routine. It's seemingly miraculous, and the cost is super low. Obsessed.Two of my favorites:1. Aura Cacia Harmonizing Grapeseed Skincare Oil available at Whole Foods2. Rhonda Allison Grape Seed Hydrating Serum 

Beat Dry Skin: My Personal Cocktail under $20

It never seems to fail that with the change of seasons comes an extreme drought for my skin. It's like the awesome cool breeze sucks the moisture right out, and when the winter comes in full force, the problem only gets worse. This season, I was bound to put a stop to this madness. I don't know about you, but I want moist, plump and clear skin that has that dewy glow! Good news: after some trial and errors, I have come to a concoction conclusion that has brought my skin back to life.

The non-magical, yet seemingly magical method:

At night, mask your face with Skin Organic's Peppermint Milk cleanser. Let it soak into your skin for at least 10 minutes. The kicker: the longer you let it soak into your skin, the better. I like to leave it on for an hour or two. Wash it off gently with warm water and a wash cloth.  Next, spray the Skin Organic's Cucumber Mist Hydrating Mist on your face after you wash off the cleanser. Let it soak into your skin, and then top that with moisturizer. (I use the Goji Azelaic serum). Spray the hydrating mist on your face anytime it feels dry!You should see a major difference in your skin in a few days!Skin Organics Peppermint Milk, $11. Buy it here. Skin Organics Cucumber Mist, $8. Buy it here. These products are all available at your local Whole Foods. Photo 

Piggy Bank Friendly: Saving Money at Whole Foods

An important re-blog: I came across a game changing article recently. The biggest excuse and real life concern I hear in regards to buying organic food is the high costs. So, realistically, how can we eat toxin-free diet when we have to abide by a grocery budget?This is where Danny Seo comes into play. He is an environmental lifestyle expert, who appears frequently on The Today Show. His cool resume: he has created an organic mattress line with Simmons Natural Care, a beauty and skincare line called Wholearth by Danny Seo, and has written a lineup of Simply Green books about gift-giving and party-planning. Oh, and his latest must-read, Upcycling, "features hundreds of innovative, easy and eco-friendly craft projects that turn useless stuff into beautiful new things."See his tips below on saving money at Whole Foods. This equation should no longer be an issue: organic food + grocery budget = an impossibility.Tip #1: Yes, Whole Foods takes coupons. One of the biggest misconceptions about Whole Foods is that because they operate differently than big box supermarkets, they must not take coupons. Wrong. Granted, finding coupons in your Sunday circular for probiotic raw coconut juice or ylang ylang oil is not going to happen, but mainstream organic brands like Kashi and Silk soy milk do advertise. And here's the kicker: Whole Foods itself has downloadable coupons right on their own website. That's about $40 off right there.Tip #2: Can't find a coupon? Ask for it. When you can't find coupons for your favorite products, the simplest thing is to play into the whole social media "trend" all of these consumer brands seem to be obsessed about. Make a list of your Top 10 Always Buy items at Whole Foods. Now spend a minute hitting the LIKE button for all of them on Facebook. Periodically, brands like Morningstar Farms and Honest Tea release money saving coupons to their Facebook fans.Or, tweet that you love a specific product and can't live without it. I found this delicious Siggi Icelandic yogurt and tweeted about it. They wrote right back saying they wanted to send coupons for some free yogurt. And even emailing a company directly and just outright asking for coupons surprisingly works pretty well, too. The folks at Method cleaning products like their fans so much they reward them with coupons for nice emails.Tip #3: Join Recyclebank.com; it's free. Recyclebank.com is an online community that rewards eco-behavior with huge money saving coupons. Sign up for free and learn really helpful tips on going a little bit more green at home, at work and with your family. Each time you pledge to do something, your account is rewarded with points. Then you can shop with those points under "Rewards" for really good deals on things like $2 off any Kashi product, $2 off any two packages of Earthbound Farm organic salad mixes, $1 off Dagoba chocolates, $1 off any (2) Stonyfield Oikos organic greek yogurt and $2 off any Kiss my Face product $5 or more. These aren't rinky dink fifty cent off deals, but actual full dollar increments. The average Recyclebank members saves about $133 off their supermarket bill each year. And, again, it's free. The more you learn, the more points you earn, and the more you save. More than 2 million people so far are on the Recyclebank bandwagon.Tip #4: Pay it Forward. My policy is even if I have a coupon for something, I don't buy it if I don't really use it. Lots of time I'll just leave the coupons on top of the products in Whole Foods so someone who does use it can save. So, if some strange woman leaves behind, say, twenty $2 off Boca Burger coupons at your market and you hoard them all for yourself, pay it forward next time by leaving a stack of Cascadian Farm organic cereal coupons in the breakfast food aisle the following week. Together, we can help each other save.Danny Seo
: Official Site;  Daily Danny: Official BlogSource and Photo

Candles Sustained by Nature: Tru Melange

It was about a year ago that I came across my favorite candle in the world. I found it on the shelf at Whole Foods, and the rest was history. Meet Tru Melange candles: they are sustained by nature and are so authentically wonderful. What makes the quality so supreme? They aim to produce the most effective natural candle on the market, which involves balancing the wax content for improved aroma diffusion and a longer burn time (yes, please!). Talk about a gift idea!

The wax: They purchase 100% pure beeswax from North American Apiaries and Co-ops, and the Non GM Soy content comes from US farmers, which aids in using renewable resources. Talk about being green!

The aromas: Tru Melange does not believe in authentic fragrances, period. "We feel that 100% pure essential oils hold enough complexity and depth for us to keep creating blends that will intrigue, enthrall and wow you."

Yes, they even care about the wicks! They are lead-free and cotton-braided, which allows for the best aroma diffusion possible. As for the colors, eco-friendly powder dyes provide these wonderful ambiance-creating hues. They are absent of all toxins, and they are never tested on animals. Hooray!

You can only imagine my excitement when a box of these heavenly aromas came delivered in a package to my front door!

My personal favorites:

Harmony: The mix of vanilla and peppermint is sweet and soothing. I love burning it when I am reading and relaxing.

The SOL Relax Candle: It is the cutest gift! The decor is adorable, and the wooden top gives this home decor item a vintage touch. Plus, the lavender and blood orange combination is exhilarating.

The Noel Holiday Candle: It is the perfect way to usher in the holiday season with a woodsy mixture of fir, spruce, and pine scents.

Visit their website to peruse their fabulous selection! Your new favorite candle awaits you...

A Powerful Allergy Solution: North Dallas Honey

The honey-making process is quite intriguing and extensive, especially when it lives up to the North Dallas Honey way of doing things: pure, raw, and unfiltered. I had the opportunity to sit down with Nathan Sheets, the man behind NDH, to get the inside scoop behind this delicious natural sweetener and powerful allergy-preventer!"Pure" defined: The honey is actually "real" and contains the original pollen. With North Dallas Honey, you know where the honey is coming from. It is not being mass produced in a place unknown or unchaperoned."Raw" defined: This Texas honey is gently warmed to about 120 degrees fahrenheit, which allows the honey to be strained through a cheesecloth, eliminating the "bee knees" and the wax. The low temperature keeps the antioxidants and enzymes in place, allowing for great health benefits. The taste is remarkable!"Unfiltered" defined:  A long story short, North Dallas Honey removes the the bees legs, wings, and wax while leaving in all of the pollen, vitamins, enzymes, antibodies and antioxidants.

The Unfiltered Scoop on Filtered Honey

Filtered, or processed honey is heated up to 190 degrees (killing enzymes and antioxidants) and blended with diatomaceous earth in order to bond to the pollen and particulates. The honey is then pumped through a high pressure filtration system to remove the diatomaceous earth as well as the pollen, and finally it is quickly cooled. The result: an oxymoron--honey without pollen and health benefits!

Real People Talk: A Tablespoon a Day Keeps the Allergies Away

So can honey really prevent allergies? YES! Honey is a natural anti-histamine that blocks inflammation caused from pollens in the air. I think the most powerful testimonies come from the avid North Dallas Honey users:Mike Gavett: "I had to tell you that after our meeting I began taking your honey daily.  No allergies this year, at all.  I started feeling an onset once and doubled my daily dosage for about four days, and it never hit.  I have told at least 2 dozen people about the positive experience and many are now using your honey."Michele Baker:  "After being unsuccessfully treated for allergies with prescription medications, I picked up North Dallas Honey at Sprouts, have a couple of Tbsps every day, and allergy pain is gone.  I haven't used prescription medications ever since.  THANK YOU!!"Cary Mitchell: "I started taking NDH daily for allergies..and after 3 days, I stopped taking $100 a month worth of medications. Since then I have told EVERYONE about your honey and have people running to Walmart and Central Market to pick it up...this stuff is as golden as its color!"Suzan Freytag: "We eat organically and had always bought 'organic honey'. A client of mine that is a doctor told me to try yours for allergy relief. It has COMPLETELY eliminated allergies for the entire household...it is our daily dose (well, and it's delicious)."Not only does honey war off seasonal allergies, it can give you an energy boost or even prevent a pimple! See other medicinal uses here.North Dallas Honey can be found on a number of shelves at local retailers, including Costco, Albertson's, Central Market, Kroger, Market Street, Sprouts, Tom Thumb, Wal-Mart and Whole Foods. For all the details, visit www.northdallashoney.com.

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