We can’t tell you how often our clients (and let’s be honest, family and friends too!) ask us for product or brand recommendations/suggestions, or simply a “round-up” of our favorite new discoveries in the sphere of clean eating and living. So, rather than constantly posting one-off’s on our social media stories, we decided to put together a monthly “Fave Five” list of the food items, supplements, beverages, wellness services and/or clean beauty products that we currently can’t live without. As an added bonus – the first five new clients that register for our program each month will win his/her choice of one of the items from our list!
Here's what we are loving this October-
- Pineapple Collaborative ACV: One daily ritual that we just can’t live without is our morning “shot” of apple cider vinegar. Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar has been shown to aid in weight loss and digestion, reduce belly fat, stave off cravings, regulate blood sugar and insulin levels and perhaps even reduce cell damage that leads to cancer. It isn’t the most delicious on its own, but we mix about 1-2 tablespoons with warm water, lemon and a dash of cinnamon to make it more palatable and easier to swallow. Our favorite one, hands-down, is The Apple Cider Vinegar (a.k.a. The ACV) by Pineapple Collaborative. It is crafted in small batches by farmer Joanne Krueger using organic Gravenstein, Red Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, and Pink Pearl apples from her own orchard. It contains 50% more vinegar than other specialty brands, but with a delightfully mild, slightly-sweet finish. Pineapple Collaborative ACV can be found online at www.pineapplecollaborative.com or at Crate + Barrel stores nationwide.
- Aura Bora Sparkling Water: “Health-ades” and healthy water-alternatives are certainly having their moment, but unfortunately so many of them are just sugary soft-drinks in disguise. We definitely understand the desire for a flavored-fizzy beverage, so we’ve tried and tested countless brands to bring you our favorite compliant options. At the top of the list: Aura Bora Sparkling Water. Instead of played-out, artificial “fruit flavors”, Aura Bora uses plant-based ingredients to level up your fizzy water experience. The combination of real herbal extracts with plenty of bubbles creates bold, refreshing flavors and a soft floral finish. It comes in 5 amazing and unique flavors such as Cactus Rose, Basil Berry, Lavendar Cucumber, Peppermint Watermelon and our personal fave, Lemongrass Coconut. Aura Bora is gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, and contains no sugar, sodium or calories. Aura Bora can be found online at aurabora.com or Amazon.
- Palmini Rice + Pasta: We love pasta just as much as the next girl, but the sad reality is that unless consumed in moderation, it rarely does anyone any favors when it comes to overall health and weight loss/maintenance. Enter Palmini – the low carb pasta alternative made with just one ingredient: hearts of palm! TBH, when properly rinsed and prepared, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference from the “real thing”! With just 20 calories + 4g of carbohydrates per serving, it’s a win – win! Plus, Palmini is gluten and sugar-free, vegan and non-GMO, and all cans/pouches are BPA-free. It comes in 4 different varietals: rice, linguini, lasagna and angel-hair. We are partial to the angel hair but recommend getting the variety pack and tasting for yourself! Palmini products can be found online at eatpalmini.com, on Amazon, or at grocery stores nationwide.
- D2BD Pizza Crusts: If there’s one thing we crave and love even more than pasta, it’s pizza. And while we do indulge in the real thing on occasion, we have found that it’s actually possible to create and enjoy clean, compliant versions that are even more satisfying and delicious! Our biggest “secret”? Dare To Be Different (D2BD) pizza crusts! These crusts are 100% grainless, gluten + dairy free, certified kosher and made primarily with one key ingredient: cauliflower. It’s a healthier, lighter, and more nutritious alternative, with a surprisingly rich and delicious flavor. We love the way it crisps up perfectly- no special technique or pizza stone required. Just add a bit of red sauce, your favorite roasted veggies and a sprinkling of Violife vegan feta cheese and voila- Friday pizza night glow-up! D2BD can be found online at d2bdfoods.com
- Dr Danielle’s Bee Wise Bee Pollen Supplement: As you can probably tell by our Instagram stories, we’ve been “down a beehive” recently with our bee-product obsession. The health benefits of bee propolis, royal jelly and honey are undisputed and absolutely incredible – anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and anti-bacterial just to name a few. These ingredients have been shown to aid in the healing and prevention of GI disorders, oral, liver and pancreatic disease, ulcers, skin and wound infections, sore throats and coughs, reflux disease, and several forms of cancer. We have countless bee-products in the repertoire at this point, but our favorite by far is the all-encompassing Bee-Wise Bee Pollen by Dr Danielle Saunders. This is a physician-quality supplement developed by a biochemist/naturopathic doctor, made in the USA, is gluten-free, non-GMO and contains no fillers, binders or additives. It is rich in the highest quality bee pollen, propolis and royal jelly – the “holy trifecta”- along with other nutritious vitamins and amino acids. It’s thebee’s knees! The entire line can be found online at www.drdanielle.com or on Amazon.
You're welcome, friends! And as always, if you have any questions or a personal experience to share, feel free to drop into our chat or send us a DM - we love to hear from you!
In good health,
Megan + Robyn