Metropolitan Musings

Hi everyone! I am so sorry for the lack of posts. Things have been picking up at work and with Riley here the last month, I've been busy busy busy. We're headed to Vancouver this weekend and I'm super excited to check out the city, have some oysters and bop around.

Over the last few months I've accumulated quite a few healthy finds that I absolutely LOVE. I generally try to eat a diet that is high in veggies and grass feed meats and sustainable seafood but sometimes you just want to have the feel of bread or a wrap, etc. Luckily, I live in one of the healthiest cities in the world so the grocery stores stock a bunch of the things below (if you live in LA and haven't been to Erewhon grocery store, put it on your list immediately but be ready to drop a pretty penny). If your grocery store doesn't have any of the things below and you want to try anything, I recommend going to your local grocer's website and requesting that they order some. Below are the best of the best.

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Siete Almond Flour tortillas - These tortillas taste like the real deal. Yes, I've tried paleo coconut wraps. No, they haven't done it for me. These taste authentic and savory and are perfect for a lunchtime concoction. Apparently siete is also making grain free chips now too! Can't wait to try!! Siete sells on Amazon and on their site and they are starting to spread to a bunch of Whole Foods.

Barely Bread Grain Free Loaf - The is bread is what I've been looking for. Barely bread makes grain free sliced bread, bagels and dinner rolls and they are actually good. I love making my own grain free bread but it really takes forever. I buy a couple loaves of this and stock it in my freezer. It's super light and great for avocado toast, egg sandwiches, etc.

Cauliflour Foods Cauliflower Pizza Crust - Finally, pre-made non-processed cauliflower pizza crust. I like the plant-based one best since it has no dairy but it's still delicious and creamy because of the nutritional yeast. Store these in your freezer for pizza night.

Capello's Grain Free pizza, pasta and cookies: Okay, everything I've listed is a healthier version of something not healthy but it's still better than the alternative. I obviously try to stay away from all of these things in favor of more "whole foods" (veggies, meat, fruit - sparingly, etc.) but it's hard to live fully that way and I am a foodie and need options! Capello's makes grain free pasta, pizza and cookie dough and I have to say, the slice and bake cookies are some of the best I've had, grain free or not.

Ghee - I don't have a brand that I lstick to but ghee, in general, is pretty awesome. Don't pay attention to the weird name, it's just clarified butter. I use this to cook my eggs to get that buttery taste. It's lactose free and is commonly used in Ayurveda medicine. I've totally swapped my butter.

Avocado Oil - speaking of cooking oils and condiments, I've become a convert to avocado oil. Did you know that you're not supposed to cook with olive oil at high heats? Well I didn't. I've totally swapped to Avocado oil, coconut oil or ghee for cooking and I definitely don't feel like I've sacrificed on taste. Avocado oil is also great in salads. I use La Tourangelle brand but there are a bunch of great ones out there.

Primal Kitchen Mayos - The Chipotle lime primal mayo with avocado oil is absolutely bomb and the regular primal mayo does not sacrifice taste. I actually hate the idea of traditional mayo. It's always grossed me out. I prefer to call it aoli, even though it's the same damn thing. Don't ask me why...

Non-processed, no sugar added Almond Milk - Non-processed and no sugar added almond milk is actually a lot harder to find (and more expensive) than you think. I usually will pick up a bottle from our local Farmer's market on Sunday but if I miss it, I like Pop & Bottle vanilla bean almond milk and Malk unsweetened almond milk. They both promise no artificial anything.

The Honest Stand "Cheese" - While I haven't tried this vegan cheese/dip yet, I've heard amazing things and it looks SO good. They use all organic ingredients and pack them in BPA free, eco-friendly containers.

Simple Mills Grain Free Crackers - Because any respected dip needs a decent cracker.

Simple Mills Almond Flour Pancake and Waffle Mix - Another from Simple Mills - to be honest, their whole line is great. I use this for extra special Sundays.

Pea Protein for Smoothies and Shakes - I've switched my protein powder routine to an all-plant based one that uses pea protein instead of whey. I'm still trying to determine which tastes the best so I got a bunch of single serving ones at the grocery store. I'll update you when the winner is declared :)

Bulletproof coffee pods - The pods are 100% recyclable and delicious. They feature as few toxins as you can get in coffee (they do rigorous testing) and they taste great.

Anything from Tessamae's - Tessamae's started as a natural salad dressing company and have grown to include condiments, marinades, salad toppers, dips, etc. It is one of the few brands that is Whole30 approved and everything I've tasted is delicious. I love their Basamic, Lemon Garlic and creamy ranch dressings and I'm dying to try some of their new ones like green goddess, honey poppyseed and habanero ranch.

Do you have any healthy favorites? Please share! It's getting so much easier to eat healthy. I can't wait to see what pops up next!