I’ve rounded up 32 different candle brands for you to support this season as you purchase gifts for yourself or someone special. These candles are all tried by yours truly because I’m that scent-obsessed. Plus, now more than ever small businesses are looking for our support so if you think a candle would be the perfect little gift, consider ordering from one of these small businesses. They’re such a special way to make even the smallest moments a little more special.
Do you ever associate a scent to a memory? I definitely do and each scent reminds me of a different season in my life – just like how people associate songs or homemade meals with memories. I always light a candle when I end the workday to make that transition from work mode to relax mode a little more official.
- The scents have to layer well and not be super intrusive – I’m a big fan of the woodsy scents but like them to not be super overpowering.
- Preferably no paraffin wax – all of these should be soy or coconut wax-based.
- Doubles as decor! Must be aesthetically pleasing (yes, I said it.).
- As many local + female + BIPOC-owned businesses as possible.
This blog post is in partnership with Farmer’s Fridge. Thanks for supporting projects that make Nutrition Happen!
It’s here: the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Temperatures have dropped (well, at least here in Chicago!) which means it’s the start of hibernation season.
I’m kidding, we’re not always in hibernation when it gets cold (although, you know there’s some truth to this!) but let’s be real here: it’s easy to have a “forget it!” mentality during the holiday season when it comes to mindful habits. I’m a fan of making goals, but part of having a healthy mindset is being able to accept when plans don’t go accordingly. The key is setting REALISTIC goals that you can meet, even after the busy holiday season.
Remember, small habits = big changes over time.
Here are five realistic ways to stay on track and make nutrition happen during any busy season:
Yesterday I gave a peak into a few of my farmer’s market purchases, but I still needed to stock up on a few other essentials for the week. Truth be told, I love grocery shopping too much to skip my weekly trips to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Seriously…my second homes!
Via the Charleston Farmer’s Market: White / green asparagus, bell peppers, golden beet, and strawberries
From Trader Joe’s: Sliced mango, frozen shelled edamame, organic coconut sugar, organic whole carrots, crumbled goat cheese, 0% Greek yogurt, organic baby kale + arugula + Tuscan kale, avocados, limes, lemons, Mediterranean hummus, bananas, organic 3-grain tempeh, canned albacore tuna, chickpeas, and broccoli.
As you know, I love baking with coconut sugar – and Trader Joe’s definitely has the best price around ($3.99). My local TJ has been out for weeks, so I when I saw it back in stock this weekend, I picked up a bag.
Do you love buying the sliced mango/pineapple from TJ as much as I do? Call me lazy but having it sliced and ready to go in the mornings makes things much smoother.
From Whole Foods: Frozen spinach, sliced peaches, sundried tomato red pepper and feta dressing, and in house bread (Organic Nutridozen).
As far as smoothies go, I’m big on texture – which is why I love to use frozen spinach in my green smoothies. Ice waters smoothies down so in addition to frozen bananas, I add in a block of frozen spinach for good consistency.
So in love with the in-house baked sprouted bread loaves from Whole Foods lately. This week’s pick was the Organic Nutridozen.
Ingredients: Whole wheat flour, seven grain, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, rice flour, sunflower seeds, corn meal, salt.
Simple ingredients and toasts up like perfection. Oh, and that texture – can’t beat it!
I never use to like salad dressings, but the foodie in me seriously has a case of the FOMOs when it comes to health conscious products at the grocery stores. I’m a big fan of the “Health Starts Here No Added Oils” refrigerated dressings (the sesame ginger!), but I was curious about their “365 Organic” shelf stable line as well. Verdict? Not my favorite – they both lacked flavor and tasted pretty watered down. If you’re looking for some options, I would recommend the Health Starts Here line over by the produce/refrigerated section – all made without added oils. The fig balsamic is a good one, as well as the carrot ginger and vegan caesar.
Smari Icelandic yogurts were on sale this week at WF…..it’s been a while since I’ve picked up these. I’ve reviewed them before during my early blogging days.
These yogurts are extra creamy – the straining process is what makes it different from your usual Greek yogurts. Because it’s so thick, the protein is also higher per 6 oz serving (compared to other Icelandic yogurt brands), as you can see (20 grams protein, 6 grams sugar). I usually pick up Siggi’s when I buy individual containers because it’s more cost efficient. But if you ever catch Smari’s on sale, I recommend stocking up on a few!
I also made a Target run this weekend and picked up some frozen salmon fillets and cashew milk.
What’s in your grocery cart this week? I hope you guys find these hauls useful – let me know if I ever inspire you to pick up anything new!