Friday Five is a way for me to share with you some of the most asked about topics I get as a health coach or those I feel can help you all bring a little extra wellness to your everyday. Each Friday I will be sharing tips, thoughts and overall information on a specific topic related to wellness, cooking and well, life! Have a topic you would like to see covered? Head on over here and shoot me a message!
Is it getting colder where you live?
It sure is here, and truth be told, I love it! One thing I don't love, however, is having to lug around my groceries when the temperature are near freezing (or really, ever - it doesn't matter the weather)! While I love going to the store or market to find new things, I rely heavily on monthly staples that I use over and over again. That's where my Thrive Market membership comes in handy.
Thrive Market is an online marketplace where you can purchase popular, wholesome products at discounted prices. You simply pay a yearly $60 subscription fee (that's only $5 a month) and receive access to tons of name brand items for your kitchen and home. Even better, for every membership Thrive sells, they provide a membership to a family in need so that even more people can have access to wholesome products.
While I've shared some of my favorite pantry staples below, Thrive Market also carries TONS of other wellness and home products like yoga mats, essential oils and even small appliances all available at wholesale prices. Their website is also organized in such a way that you can easily shop by your personal food values such as non-gmo, vegan, raw, paleo and so many others.
And now, when you shop at Thrive Market you can receive 20% off your first three orders. I don't know about you but shopping from your comfy couch and saving money sounds like a pretty good deal to me!
Read below to find out what I'll be putting in my cart...
You may have seen coconut aminos as an ingredient in many of my recipes (like my Bánh Mì Meatballs or Coconut Quinoa with Roasted Broccoli). Coconut aminos are made from coconut sap which gives it a rich, slightly sweet and slightly salty flavor that can mimi soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) in many dishes. While I am not entirely soy-free and do include tamari in some of my recipes, I usually love cutting some of that ingredients with some coconut aminos to lower the sodium a bit and also provide less processed sweetness.
While there are now more brands of coconut aminos out there, I personally love the Thrive Market brand. The texture is just right (not too watery or too thick) and the flavors of salty and sweet are well balanced.
2. Himalania Himalayan Fine Pink Salt
Salt! While salt is often demonized for detracting from our health (hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer), a moderate amount of salt in our diet is actually beneficial to our health, especially if it is unrefined sea salt. Not only does the right amount of salt make our food taste good and enhance it's natural flavors, unrefined sea salt contains several important minerals responsible for helping to balance the body's natural functions.
3. Thrive Market Organic Cacao Powder
Cacao powder is something I go through a bit of in my house. From Chocolate Oatmeal Bites to chocolate popsicles, it is such a staple and with good reason. Raw cacao, not to be confused with cocoa powder, is known for being an antioxidant and has high concentrations of important elements such as protein, magnesium, calcium and many more. Of course, it is best to use raw cacao without a lot of added sugar or heated too much as this ruins the beneficial components.
4. Simple Mills Almond Flour Pizza Dough Mix
While this is more of a treat than something we use regularly, I find it really useful to keep a box or two on hand for unexpected dinner with friends or a quick weeknight meal. The gluten-free Simple Mills Almond Flour Pizza Dough only has 8 whole-food ingredients and is ready in only 20 minutes. Add a few delicious toppings, a side salad and dinner is served!
I find that many gluten-free crusts are just too bland or don't hold up to toppings and while this certainly doesn't replace a true slice of NY pizza, it's a great way to change it up a bit during the week. Plus, while many stores in my area now carry Simple Mills product, the price for these items on Thrive Market really can't be beat.
5. Thrive Market Organic Sprouted Brown Rice
Here is another example of a Thrive Market brand product that I love, their Organic Sprouted Brown Rice which is non-gmo and organic. I like making a big batch of this rice at the beginning of the week and tossing it into lunches or using it in various dinner throughout the week. Also, if I have any extra I freeze it so I can easily add it into soups or a stir-fry when I am short on time. I almost always have a bag of this rice in my order and always add it when I'm close to reaching the $49 minimum for free shipping as I know it won't go to waste!
If you like these products and want to check out over 2,500 more available on Thrive Market at discounted prices head on over there and save 20% on your first three orders. Don't forget the free shipping with orders over $49!
And if you'd like to make sure you never miss out on my recipes that utilize these products, make sure to sign up for my newsletter where you will also receive exclusive recipes and my free 3-Day Meal Plan Guide.
