Gut-Healthy Homemade Lattes with Gut Power Drinks

I introduced Gut Power Drinks into my diet in 2020 when I started experiencing some uncomfortable and frustrating tummy issues (constipation, indigestion, pain after eating, etc), and it’s been a part of my routine since then. Gut Power Drinks is a research-backed blend of some of the highest quality prebiotics and probiotics to create a healthy microbiome. In addition to a well-balanced diet (plus exercise, sleep, and stress management, of course), Gut Power Drinks has been instrumental in eliminating my tummy issues. 

Here are my two favorite ways to incorporate Gut Power Drinks into my daily routine. Follow the links below and use the code “HUNGRYHALEY” at checkout for a discount! 

1. Creamy Dark Chocolate Mocha 

2. Iced Vanilla Latte 

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What you’ll need: 

Hand-held frother 

Freshly brewed hot coffee 

Iced coffee (homemade or store-bought) 

Sweetener of choice (I use honey) 

Non-dairy milk or creamer of choice 

Gut Power Drinks Coffee

Gut Power Drinks Cocoa 

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Creamy Dark Chocolate Mocha 

1 scoop Gut Power Drinks Cocoa mix
6 oz brewed hot coffee (strong is best, in my opinion) 
4 oz non-dairy milk of choice (I also love unsweetened almond milk)
1 tbsp. Dark chocolate chips (dairy-free, preferably) 
2 tsp honey or maple syrup 
½ tsp vanilla extract 

1. Gently heat the non-dairy milk on the stovetop or in the microwave, then stir into the brewed hot coffee. Stir in the dark chocolate chips and blend for a few seconds with the frother until the chocolate chips have melted and dissolved. 

2. Add the sweetener and vanilla extract, and blend again for a few seconds. 

3. Finally, add the Gut Power Drinks Cocoa mix and blend with the frother until a good amount of foam develops on the top. Enjoy! 

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Iced Vanilla Latte 

1 scoop Gut Power Drinks Coffee mix
4 oz filtered water, room temperature 
4-6 oz cold brew 
2 oz non-dairy milk or creamer of choice 

1. Add the Gut Power Drinks to a large mason jar with the 4 oz of filtered room temperature water. Blend with a hand-held frother or shake vigorously until dissolved. 

2. Stir in 4-6 oz of cold brew and blend again. Add the non-dairy creamer, if using. 

3. Drop a few ice cubes in and enjoy!

If you try Gut Power Drinks, let me know what you think! I swear by these mixes, guys. I wouldn’t be sharing anything gut-health-related if it wasn’t backed by science or something I would include in my own routine. Even if your gut health is “okay” or you’re not noticing any symptoms of gut imbalances, these pre- and probiotic blends can still be very beneficial. 

Thanks for reading, and thanks for supporting me! Make sure to tag me in your Gut Healthy Homemade Latte creations :)

Four Things I'm Loving Lately: LifeArt Glasses, Orgain, Flying Embers Hard Kombucha, and City Views

So much time has passed since my last time logging onto my little corner of the world-wide web. I have tons to share and little time to spare, so let’s just get right to it. Here are four things I’m absolutely loving lately!

Orgain

The only reason I hesitate to call my breakfast my favorite meal of the day is because, to me, saying I love a protein shake this much sounds… you know, stereotypical? Basic? Fitness-freak-ish? All of the above. Really, though! Over the last few months, I’ve gotten back into making post-workout protein shakes (or smoothies, whatever you want to call them) and I absolutely love them. I searched the web for the highest quality, best reviewed, and most cost-effective whey protein powder to add to my protein shakes and Orgain Clean Whey came out on top. The flavor is strong enough and just sweet enough that, if you’re into it, you can just shake a couple scoops with water or milk and have yourself a simple post-workout fuel source to sip on. OR, you can be like me and blend it up with frozen banana, spinach, avocado, and a spoonful of cacao (for extra chocolatey-ness) and have yourself a thick, creamy, milkshake-esque protein smoothie to enjoy.

Click the link below AND use the code “hungryhaley” to get 30% off your order. I’ll do the math for you - this code gets you a whole tub of Orgain Clean Whey Protein for around $20, which is the most competitive price around. Do it!

Flying Embers Hard Kombucha

I’m kind of a wine person (I like white wine). I’m barely a beer person (I like two specific beers). And I am rarely a liquor person (vodka ew tequila ew rum ew). But hard kombucha? THAT’S my kind of alcohol. My favorite brand is only sold in California, which made the move to Minnesota that much more difficult, but after months of tasting a couple local brands here in the land of 10,000 lakes (and like 2 bottles of kombucha), I’ve found one that I LOVE - Flying Embers Hard Kombucha. The black cherry is innnnncredible, definitely my favorite. It’s low in sugar, which I appreciate because I’m not into super sweet drinks (or hangovers). After two of these - okay sometimes three - I can wake up the next morning and not feel like I… got hit by a bus. You know?

It isn’t widely distributed throughout the state yet, but there is a store locator on the website that you can use to find it at a store near you. Lucky for me, a liquor store just down the street from my parents’ house in the suburbs sells it, so I make sure to grab a pack or two when I visit.

LifeArt Glasses (blue-light blockers)

After my first two weeks at the new job, I’d spent about 80% of my hours staring at a computer screen. Yikes! One of my coworkers rocked her blue-light blocking glasses each day and recommended I give them a try. I found these LifeArt glasses on Amazon for the most affordable price (for a girl who just spent way too much on brand new furniture for her brand new apartment), wore them everyday at work for a week straight, and noticed a significant improvement in headaches and eye fatigue throughout the day, and most importantly for me, SLEEP. For the first time in a long time, I slept all the way through each night without waking up and had no trouble at all falling asleep.

I bought two pairs - one to keep at home and one to keep in my work bag so that I don’t forget a pair when I head out the door - and I’ve been encouraging family and friends to try them out because they’re SO helpful!

City Views

The minute I stepped foot into this apartment unit and took a look at the view from the patio, I was sold. Living in a big city has always been something I’ve wanted to do for a period of time in my 20’s - call it what you want, but yes, I’m kind of a city girl. The tall buildings and bustling streets and bright lights send excitement pulsing through my veins. I’m so grateful I have the opportunity to live here, work here, and gaze out my windows at Downtown Minneapolis every morning, noon, and night!

PS if you’re looking to move to the area and might be interested in any of the units in this building, send me a DM on Instagram or an email and I will happily share more details with you! I’ve had such a great experience here so far and would love for anyone interested to have this opportunity, too.

The first and second photos are from my patio. The third photo was taken at the Stone Arch Bridge - one of my favorite spots for a summer-night stroll.

Thanks for reading about my favorite things lately! I hope you’ve taken something from this - be it a pair of LifeArt glasses or a tub of Orgain protein. Some of these links are affiliate links and I will earn a small percentage of any purchases made through them, which helps support this blog, so thank you again!

See you again soon for more favorites 🤗

Chocolate with a Purpose: JOJO's Chocolate

This post contains an affiliate link from which I may earn a small compensation. All statements are my own - I love and support JOJO’s Chocolate, and want to say thank you for supporting my blog in return!

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy chocolate, and that’s pretty much the same thing.”

— Jodie Jones, Creator of JOJO's Chocolate

Yes, yes it certainly is.

During one of my visits home in college, as I peeked into the pantry to see what snacks Mom and Dad had gathered since my last visit, Mom insisted I try some of this new chocolate she’d found. On the resealable bag stamped boldly with “JOJO’s” were the claims “kick the craving!”, “low-sugar, high-protein” and I rolled my eyes. Will it even taste good? Can’t I just satisfy the craving rather than “kick” it? I questioned, but I bit into a bar studded with crunchy, salty pistachios and tart dried cranberries anyway (I’ll never turn down free dark chocolate). 

It was creamy and rich, just like chocolate should be. It was sweet enough to satisfy the sugar craving without overwhelming your taste buds with pure sugar. Actually, JOJO’s doesn’t even add sugar to their chocolate - instead, they sweeten it with stevia. I know, I know - you’re imagining that unpleasant aftertaste it leaves on your tongue. I hate it, too, which is why I avoid stevia and was skeptical about it in this chocolate. Trust me, though, when I say the stevia flavor is as undetectable as the spinach flavor in a fruit smoothie! 

Now on an almost-daily JOJO’s Chocolate kick, my favorite is the Peanut Butter Delight, with the Raspberry Dream following closely behind.

Who is JOJO, and what’s so good about her chocolate?

JOJO’s story is pretty amazing. A breast cancer diagnosis and bout of treatment led this mother to realize that, in order to live a longer and healthier life with her family, she needed to make some changes. Beginning with her diet, she felt the need to find healthier alternatives for her sweets cravings - specifically, chocolate. She spent some time in the kitchen coming up with a homemade chocolate recipe so that she could control the ingredients and amounts of each to satisfy her cravings and bring nutritional benefits. Her son, Sterling, came alongside her - he needed something sweet, too - and helped her adapt the chocolate recipe to fit his paleo lifestyle. 

These rich, creamy, bittersweet bars are the final product of their hard work, and they’re low in sugar, high in protein, and packed with antioxidants. And, of course, I had to do my research so that I provide evidence behind these claims we so often see on food labels. If chocolate is going to claim to be healthy (and delicious), I’m going to need to see the facts.

So, healthy chocolate, huh? Here’s the research!

Flavanols

Maybe you’ve heard it before - chocolate is a rich source of antioxidants. Specifically, a group of antioxidants called “flavanols” found in cocoa butter acts to neutralize free radicals throughout the body and help prevent oxidative stress, which has been linked to inflammatory and ischemic diseases, hypertension, neurological disorders, and many other negative outcomes (1). Regular consumption of flavanols has been shown to reduce blood pressure (2) and some metabolic markers, such as total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, and blood glucose levels (3). For my grandma’s benefit (the biggest chocolate fan I’ve ever known), the good news is that these flavanols have been shown to improve cognitive function in elderly populations (1).

Stearic Acid

If you’re wondering, “uh… what?” let me explain. Stearic acid is a specific type of fatty acid - a long-chain saturated fatty acid found in both animal and vegetable fats, and it is one of the three fatty acids found in cocoa butter (oleic and palmitic acid being the other two). Unlike other saturated fats, however, stearic acid has been shown to exhibit no effect on cholesterol levels (5, 6). Though it is still a saturated fat that, in cocoa butter lives next to two other saturated fats that do affect cholesterol levels, since stearic acid makes up one third of the fat composition of cocoa butter, it’s nice to know that at least that amount is beneficial for our bodies.

Complete Protein

This isn’t necessarily a snack I’d call “high-protein”, but compared to other chocolate bars, this one definitely takes the gold for protein content. JOJO added hemp protein to her recipe, which on its own, is a plant-based and therefore incomplete protein, but along with the generous sprinkling of crunchy, salty nuts on top of each bar, JOJO made these bars a source of complete protein.

Proteins are made up of small building blocks called amino acids. Of the 20 total amino acids, 9 of them are essential - meaning our bodies cannot synthesize them, so we must consume them in foods or supplements in order for our bodies to meet daily protein requirements (7). Animal sources of protein, like meat, dairy, and eggs, are typically referred to as higher quality because they contain all 9 essential amino acids, while plant-based sources of protein contain less than all 9 and are therefore lower quality proteins. Don’t let this stop you from consuming more plant-based proteins! By combining multiple plant-based protein sources, the body can obtain all 9 essential amino acids to carry out metabolic needs and help stimulate muscle growth (8). 

Low Sugar

The high-protein and low-sugar content work together to satisfy chocolate cravings without the negative side effects of a super sweet snack. In a study investigating the effect of a high protein diet for 5 weeks (30% protein, 30% fat, 40% carbohydrate) on the blood glucose levels of those with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that the increase in protein paired with the slight reduction in carbohydrates (compared to a diet recommended for the general population composed of 15% protein, 30% fat, and 55% carbohydrate) did result in a small but significant reduction in blood glucose levels (3). Given that JOJO’s Chocolate also leaves the sugar out of the equation, the common spike and crash in blood sugar levels after consuming a sweet snack is not a concern here.

Where can you get your hands on some JOJO’s?

Head over to the JOJO’s Chocolate online shop and be sure to use the code “HUNGRYHALEY10” for 10% off your purchase!

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References:

1. Lobo, V., Patil, A., Phatak, A., & Chandra, N. (2010). Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 4(8), 118. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.70902

2. Hooper, L., Kay, C., Abdelhamid, A., Kroon, P. A., Cohn, J. S., Rimm, E. B., & Cassidy, A. (2012). Effects of chocolate, cocoa, and flavan-3-ols on cardiovascular health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(3), 740-751. doi:10.3945/ajcn.111.023457

3. Desideri, G., Kwik-Uribe, C., Grassi, D., Necozione, S., Ghiadoni, L., Mastroiacovo, D., . . . Ferri, C. (2012). Benefits in Cognitive Function, Blood Pressure, and Insulin Resistance Through Cocoa Flavanol Consumption in Elderly Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment. Hypertension, 60(3), 794-801. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.112.193060

4. Mastroiacovo, D., Kwik-Uribe, C., Grassi, D., Necozione, S., Raffaele, A., Pistacchio, L., . . . Desideri, G. (2014). Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: The Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study—a randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 101(3), 538-548. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.092189

5. Hunter, J. E., Zhang, J., & Kris-Etherton, P. M. (2010). Cardiovascular disease risk of dietary stearic acid compared with trans, other saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids: A systematic review. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91(1), 46-63. Retrieved June 02, 2020, from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/91/1/46/4597175.

6. Denke, M. A. (1994, December 1). Effects of Cocoa Butter on Serum Lipids in Humans: Historical Highlights. Retrieved June 02, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7977142/

7. Recommended dietary allowances (10th ed.). (1999). Washington DC: National Academy Press.

8. Berrazaga, I., Micard, V., Gueugneau, M., & Walrand, S. (2019). The Role of the Anabolic Properties of Plant- versus Animal-Based Protein Sources in Supporting Muscle Mass Maintenance: A Critical Review. Nutrients, 11(8), 1825. doi:10.3390/nu11081825

9. Gannon, M. C., Nuttall, F. Q., Saeed, A., Jordan, K., & Hoover, H. (2003). An increase in dietary protein improves the blood glucose response in persons with type 2 diabetes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78(4), 734-741. doi:10.1093/ajcn/78.4.734

Giulia: She's My Favorite

Would it surprise you if I told you that my favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities only made it onto my list after I’d visited for the first time? Coming up on its one-year anniversary, Giulia in downtown Minneapolis has gotten plenty of well-deserved attention since its opening. Somehow, I just hadn’t heard of it until about a month after I’d already landed here. It took nothing more than a few steps inside - gazing at the tall marble ceilings, mesmerized by the glowing bar - for me to (mentally) add it to The List and make it a point to come back as many times as possible, as soon as possible. I hadn’t even taken a bite of anything yet!

My heels clicked on the white marble tiles as the hostess led us to our table, and I was thankful I chose to dress up (by my definition, at least). Without feeling at all bougie and intimidating, Giulia welcomes its guests into a bright, spacious, and gorgeous dining room. Yeah, it’s a little fancy. Dress up. Embrace it! As any foodie would, I glanced at the tables while walking to ours to sneak a peek at what co-head chefs Steven Brown and Josh Hedquist offer. With a delighted appetite, I knew from the plates of sophisticated pasta swirls and simple pizzas with smoky charred crusts that this place could be it. Giulia could very well be The One - my favorite restaurant. And after just the first visit, without a doubt in my mind, Giulia became just that - The One, my favorite restaurant (it’s that good) - so I accepted without hesitation an invitation for a second visit in exchange for a share here on the blog. 

Drawing from my first visit, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to order this time. For assistance, and for some family fun because we’re never too old for that, I brought along Mom and Dad. If anyone was going to appreciate this place, this food, this experience half as much as me, they would. Two extra stomachs and two extra sets of taste buds can’t hurt, right? 

It isn’t just the decor that provides that experience. It’s the service team and the cooks (which you can see hard at work in the open kitchen). The servers know the menu - like, they really know the menu - and they’re the best people to turn to for help in selecting a dish. Ours recommended the mozzarella speziato to start. It’s more than just a plate of mozzarella. It’s an entire show, a lesson from one of the cooks on how to make fresh mozzarella, and he’ll wheel a cart over beside your table equipped with a large steel bowl, jug of boiling hot salted water, various accompaniments, and the mozzarella-maker with 3 pairs of sturdy kitchen-grade gloves on. Pay attention - he’s teaching you how to make fresh mozzarella! If you can multitask, snap a picture as he performs the mozzarella pull. It’s mesmerizing and mouth-watering. Within seconds, he’s drizzling balsamic and olive oil over the mozzarella ball, and suddenly, you’re staring at a piece of mozzarella-artwork in the center of your table. Dig right in to the creamiest mozzarella you’ll experience outside of Italy. It doesn’t need a pizza crust and marinara sauce - it’s meant to be served solo, and you’ll understand why when you take that first bite. Fans of a little spicy kick will enjoy the speziato - pickled calabrian chiles, and those who love anything with a salty olive tapenade should get the nero. Next time, I’m ordering the speck and rucola. 

We had no plan of attack for the incoming four dishes, so when our server asked what we’d like brought out first, I just knew I wanted to savor the Black Apple pizza last. Something about starting with the Trout Saltimbocca and Duck made sense to me, so those arrived next, followed by the creamy Carbonara, and lastly, the beloved pizza. 

It was by far the meatiest duck breast I’ve eaten - tough with a subtle tenderness. A velvety butternut squash polenta lies beneath the duck, thankfully, and balances the tougher texture and gamey flavor. The whole dish is garnished with those little leaves that fall off the brussels sprouts and bake to a smoky, chip-like char, and an elegant sprinkle of parm. 

I would have overlooked the Trout Saltimbocca completely, had it not been for my dad, who kindly and sweetly insisted we try it. Next to the duck, which could easily have been mistaken for skirt steak, the trout is unmistakably trout - the whole fish wrapped in speck, broiled in the Woodstone gas-fired ceramic oven for the same amount of time it took me to eagerly accept this dinner invite. I won’t lie - the head gave me a bit of the heebie-jeebies at first, but those left the second I took a bite of the buttery flesh dipped in the zippy, creamy lemon sauce. If you must, just close your eyes and take a bite. You have to just give it a try. 

Whatever you do, do NOT close your eyes when the carbonara comes out. Give this dish your undivided attention. I finished every swirled forkful of house-made spaghetti (Chef Steven Brown’s own recipe, kept secret) enrobed in the classic creamy carbonara sauce with “Ohmyword, how have I never tried this before?”. Seriously. Dad, the carbonara connoisseur, knew there was something different about this one in particular. A subtle tanginess in the sauce, perhaps from an extra squeeze of lemon, sets Giulia’s carbonara apart from others. Whatever it was in this recipe, it had me in an instant. Only a few noodles lay in a couple puddles of remaining sauce, and I had to fight with all my lady-like manners the urge to pick the plate up and lick it clean. As if he could read my mind, a server politely came and swept up the almost-clean plate to make room for the pizza…

… the pizza! My favorite part (sorry, carbonara - I’m too loyal). For two main reasons, it’s fitting to save the pizza for last: 1) you know, “save the best for last” is kind a rule, and 2) the hints of sweetness from each ingredient give it an air of indulgence, almost like it’s a dessert. Chef Brown uses a high-quality Italian Caputo 00 flour to make the thin dough with a crisp chew and a distinct flavor only possible with a long fermentation process. It’s a one-of-a-kind crust, one you’ll want to eat every last bite of. The black apple, which raised eyebrows at our table, is similar to a fig, lightly marinated in vinegar to soften the texture and brighten the flavor. Casalingo salami, sweet sausage, and the bold gorgonzola cheese give this pie its umph - the reason it’s my favorite pie, in and beyond the Twin Cities. Don’t hate me for calling it sexy. It’s a sexy pizza.

Some restaurants are known for their food, others for their service. Giulia provides for its guests an experience rooted in undeniably good food, and extended into an alluring trio of genuine service and hospitality, and an irresistibly seductive atmosphere. I’ll be back soon, and I hope to see you there, too!

I Like Big Buns: Isles Bun and Coffee

I like lists, so I made a few to keep me sane and organized while I packed to move from California to Minnesota - clothes, kitchen things, books, and the like. My favorite and fastest growing list is still the one I couldn’t fit on a piece of paper and needed to write up on a Google Doc - the list of restaurants, bars, cafes, and coffee shops to visit in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. At the top of that fourth section, for reasons to be detailed ahead, stands Isles Bun and Coffee. 

From some in-depth social media research (read: Instagram- and Facebook-stalking), I gathered a few observations. The first is that this is a spot well-known for both its coffee and its baked goods, namely, the giant cinnamon buns blanketed in cream cheese frosting. The staff is thoughtful enough to set an additional tub of frosting out near the utensils and coffee add-ins for those of us who adore cream cheese frosting, ya’ know, just in case we need another slather or two. Good people. My people. And the second is that this is a neighborhood kind of coffee shop, one that welcomes dogs inside (see, good people!) and knows the guests by name, greeting everyone with a smile as warm and sweet as the homemade buns I can’t stop talking about. It’s the kind of place with rustic colorful chalkboard menus and t-shirts you can’t resist buying because you love the place the minute you walk in and inhale the sweet scent of cinnamon buns and espresso.  

This little coffee shop - a neighborhood favorite - sits humbly at the corner off a bustling street in Uptown Minneapolis, between the lively bars and restaurants and the quiet, quaint Lake of the Isles. Merely the size of three glass windows, Isles Buns appears tiny from the outside looking in, but they’ve squeezed a surprising number of tables inside. It’s cozy, warm, and sweet, just like the buns. The 80’s music bumps a little louder than one might expect or prefer in a coffee shop, but somehow it works here. I let that slide because the coffee and cinnamon buns are so damn tasty. 

Its in the name - Isles [Cinnamon] Buns and Coffee. They’ve simplified the decision-making process. How sweet of them! Cappuccino, mocha, chai, drip coffee - I’ve tried them all, and they’re all are delicious and without question prepared carefully and intentionally. You won’t make a bad decision. Just pick something. The cinnamon bun is waiting! While you’re at the register, peek down and to the left for a glimpse at the most pillowy and tastefully sweet, buttery, and cinnamon-spiked bun around town. That mesmerizing swirl of love is the reason you’re here, and according to the bakers, these buns are as “sweet as Grandma”. You should also know about the array of other fresh-baked goodies offered: scones - traditional and vegan, puppy dog tails, cookies, brownies, and carrot cake. Everything is made right behind the barista, in plain sight and without any structure blocking the flow of the heart-warming, mouth-watering scent of said goodies to float through the shop while you’re sipping coffee in good company, whether you brought a friend to share the bun with you or not. 

I would recommend inviting a friend because not only in this bun far too large for a single stomach, it’s far too good to be eaten alone. You won’t be able to shut up about it and that looks a lot less weird when you’re talking to a friend instead of the wall. It’s an uncontrollable reaction as a result of consuming perfect cinnamon buns. It’s physically impossible to eat one of these without smiling, and it’s difficult to focus on writing this piece with one staring right at me. Trust me. 

If you order a fresh bun, you’ll pay $4. For a day-old bun, which are wrapped up and nestled in a basket near that tub of velvety cream cheese frosting I wish I could order on its own, you’ll pay just $1. Go for the fresh bun if you’ve got a friend with you because you can and should devour the entire bun, and then after doing the math, you’re really only paying $2. If you’re solo, however, I’d suggest the day-old bun because you will find it difficult to finish an entire thing on your own. Unwrap the day-old, slather on a little frosting, and dig straight into the center. You’ll be satisfied, not stuffed. You’ll smile at no one in particular, just beaming with overwhelming joy because you get to cherish that buttery bun spiked and swirled with cinnamon all for yourself. It’s great, I promise. 

Every coffee shop has something unique to offer, and I’ll discover what that is at each of the coffee shops on my list. Isles Bun and Coffee is a small coffee shop with a big personality and big buns. Which I like. And I cannot lie.

SLO Good Brunch - NoVo Restaurant & Lounge

At the one-month-left-in-SLO mark, I compiled a list of all my favorite places - every restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and bakery I wanted to visit before hopping on Highway 101N for the very last time. You shouldn’t be surprised that happy hour spots filled most of the slots on the list. I, however, was surprised that it wasn’t as long as I expected it to be. What the heck am I missing? Or do I really just frequent these five or spots that often? I mean, hey, I have always wanted to be a regular somewhere.

To try and catch any missing favorites, I scrolled through the categories: breakfast, brunch, coffee, lunch, dinner, and sweets. Wait, wait, wait - go back. Brunch! If you’re looking for me at the brunch hour in SLO late on a Sunday morning, you’d probably find me anywhere with bottom-less mimosas. Aside from the iconic syrupy sweet, thick French toast dish, what’s brunch without countless mimosas? I usually count, and i’ve never had any more than four. Just in case anyone is wondering.

I’ve enjoyed a soothing, peaceful brunch overlooking the ocean, live music playing on the warm and sunny patio and handsome waiters refilling my mimosa glass like it’s their job (oh wait…). I’ve also enjoyed a rowdy, exciting brunch in downtown SLO, surrounded by my tipsy peers waiters running around like babysitters trying to calm the madness. What can I say, I can fit into a few different outfits, ya’ know? I had not, however, enjoyed brunch by the serene San Luis Obispo creek that weaves through the downtown streets. NoVo Restaurant and Lounge - tucked beneath beautiful leafy trees and perched neatly on the creek - is often the talk of the town when it comes to delicious fresh and seasonal food, which I can’t argue with just given the number of times I’ve seen the owner at the farmers markets picking up produce for the enticing menu.

With my fridge cleared of food and both mine and Dad’s stomachs growling on the morning we were to hit the highway for Minnesota, we had almost no choice but to visit NoVo for a farewell-to-SLO brunch. The staff of hosts, servers, and managers - the first handful of people with whom we interacted when we first arrived - all seem neatly cut out for their position at NoVo: dressed in outfits you’ll find in my dream Pinterest closet that still fit comfy enough for work, beaming with smiles as bright at the rays of sun peeking through the trees, and as confident, cool and collected, and welcoming as the very best of us.

It’s hard not to say the menu has something for everyone (one of the most cliché restaurant phrases) because it’s just true as true can be. Appetizers, soups and salads, mains, sandwiches, and even sweets! I needed a bigger car for the road trip I was about to embark on, but first, I needed a bigger stomach for the appetite I developed reading through all these dishes. The duck hash with kale and potatoes caught my eye, which seems to happen anytime I come across a duck dish. I don’t know why, it just happens. I kept reading and found myself stuck on the farmers market omelette (after I figured that a plate of French toast - no matter how sweet and delicious - probably wouldn’t let me sit very well in a car for the next 8 hours). Our waitress listed all the seasonal veggies stuffed inside, along with goat cheese (!), and I was sold. Sold! Dad bounced back and forth between the huevos rancheros and the capocollo benedict with peanut butter and wheat toast and a cup of coffee. For anyone curious, capocollo is a thinly sliced ham cooked to a tender crisp, almost like a cross between bacon and ham. Neither of us felt it was a mimosa kind of morning, but when we do someday, I’m glad to know that NoVo will provide a bottomless supply included in the three-course brunch package. Seriously. I’m coming back to SLO for that.

To see and taste that the veggies in my omelette were fresh and seasonal as could be, man was I just overjoyed. In the awkward transition from summer into fall, like that of a teen into a young adult, I find that restaurants sometimes feel confused as to which vegetables they should be serving as “seasonal”. On the West Coast, we’ve still got peaches and tomatoes and zucchini growing left and right and all over the place on our farms, but elsewhere in the country, people are picking up pumpkins and starchy squash and broccoli. NoVo is still embracing the summery warm California weather, indicated by the beautiful sautéed array of peppers, onions, zucchini, and summer squash. I prefer Fall and it’s seasonal veggies at this time of year, but the summer selection in this omelette made me forget all about those other veggies.

I peeked up at Dad to see if I could gauge his thoughts on the first bite of his benedict. He chewed and swallowed and paused for just a second before… “Wow. This is incredible.” Side note: is it just a coincidence that the word “incredible” has the word “edible” in it? Just curious. “This is one of the top five best breakfasts I’ve ever had”, Dad added. WOW. That’s saying something. He loves his breakfast, and like myself, he loves it done the right way (his way). Right down to the peanut butter toast, NoVo nailed it. And those potatoes. The potatoes! I’m almost always a fan of potatoes, especially the crispy ones, so I’m not the real critic here. Dad, on the other hand, doesn’t love them and is therefore a bit more picky than I am. Good news - he loved these, too. Even he was surprised that he enjoyed them and finished all but just about two bites.

There isn’t really anything not to love about the brunch experience at NoVo. The food is fantastic, to say the very least, and it’s served by a staff that knows the importance of genuine service and passion for quality food. I may not live in San Luis Obispo anymore, so my current restaurant list applies elsewhere (the frozen tundra we call “Minnesota”), but I will make darn sure to keep NoVo at the top of my list - right where it should be - whenever I am back in SLO.

Real California Milk Nourish Event

This post is sponsored by Real California Milk - all opinions and statements are my own. I believe in dairy as a nutritious and sustainable component to a healthy lifestyle. This post is a recap from the Real California Milk Nourish Event. Thanks for supporting HungryHaley!

Other than graduating college (!!!), one of the most exciting events I’ve recently participated in was the Real California Milk Nourish Event, which I attended in LA with Connie and a handful of other local bloggers. The words “Real California Milk” in the email invite immediately caught my eye because this is a seal I look for at the grocery store when I’m on the hunt for milk, cheese, yogurt, and my other favorite dairy products. I’ve always known that seal must be significant - after all, not all the kids in school get gold stars, ya’ know? But, I’ve never really understood all that it encompasses, and that’s why I was interested in this event. Plus, I’m always in to learn more about nutrition and sustainability!

Here’s a recap of everything the Nourish event taught me. Enjoy!

We started the day with introductions of the panel as well as my fellow attendees, and followed with an open discussion on health and wellness, sustainability, food styling and photography, and social media engagement. The panel consisted of:

• Megan Silva - CA dairy farmer at Frank N. Rocha Dairy

• Maureen Lemos - CA dairy farmer at Lockwood III/Lemos Jerseys

• Ashley Rosales, RDN - Director of Nutrition Science at Dairy Council of California

• Pace Webb - chef with a sustainability and zero-waste approach

• Marah Abel - professional food stylist

• Lenoria Addison - digital media expert at Deutsch

Each member of the panel spoke in their area of expertise, but the attendees, like myself, were also able to give our input. All of us have a social media presence in the food and health/wellness realm, so we discussed the questions and perceptions we hear regarding dairy in these highly nutrition- and sustainability-conscious times.

If you’ve been a HungryHaley reader for a while, you may remember that two years ago I transitioned from a vegan diet to a more inclusive diet. Maybe you can imagine the feedback I got - most of it was positive and encouraging (thank you!), but some of it was terribly judgmental and discouraging. Those that were part of the latter category questioned how I could eat animal products when I knew the cruelty of farming, and how I could put such “unhealthy” food into my body. Just as I did my research before I went vegan, I did my research before I went non-vegan, and I found plenty of evidence-based research that convinced me of the health benefits and the new more sustainable farming practices that many California farmers are implementing. So, that’s where I am when it comes to dairy + nutrition and sustainability - more to come later in this post.

From here, we transitioned into our first learning station, led by Chef Pace Webb and Ashley Rosales, RDN. And by this time, my stomach was growling. I was very ready to get my hands on some food!

Yogurt is an absolute staple for me - I buy a tub every single week from the grocery store and pretty much lick the tub clean, so imagine my excitement when I saw bowls of whole milk yogurt, labneh, cottage cheese, and sour cream amongst a beautiful array of fresh fruits and vegetables, spices, oils and sauces, and gorgeous bread. Chef Pace Webb taught us some of her tips for reducing food waste by rethinking many of our favorite foods - yogurt can be used as a savory condiment, and doesn’t always need a sprinkle of granola on top. Here, I prepared two toasts: the first is a savory toast topped with a whole milk yogurt spread made with lemon juice, sriracha, chives, and paprika.

Of course, yogurt is a staple because I love the flavor and texture, but also because it’s a nutritionally dense food. With all the talk lately about promoting and maintaining gut microbiome health, we can’t help but look to yogurt as a rich source of probiotics. A randomized clinical trial conducted on adults with irritable bowel syndrome found that regular consumption of yogurt eased the symptoms of IBS, like constipation, gas, and bloating, among other things (1). Similar results have been found in subjects who don’t have IBS, but report some digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, and stomach discomfort (2). Other nutrition-related reasons to love yogurt are it’s high-protein and low-sugar content, and high-vitamin D and calcium content.

Many of us at the event agreed that we’ve seen mixed reviews when it comes to whole milk dairy products - both pushback and emphasis on whether the fat in dairy is beneficial or harmful. Should we stay away from the full-fat versions and choose the low-fat versions, as some dietary guidelines have recommended for so long? It’s true that dairy fat is mostly saturated, and that saturated fats can increase the risk for certain cardiovascular conditions like atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), but emerging research brings up some new questions in this area. A study conducted throughout 21 countries on 5 different continents observed approximately 136,000 participants for 15 years. Results showed that consumption of dairy - regardless of the fat content - actually reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease (3).

Interesting. And while we’re talking about fat, can we all just agree that the higher fat, whole milk versions taste so. much. better.?! Cool. Moving on.

And that leads me into our next activity - we built our own cheese boards! This has been on my cooking bucket list (is it even really cooking?) for so long. I think cheese boards are one of the most beautiful creations, yet also extremely intimidating to create because of that beauty. All the fix-ins can be spendy, too - cheese, nuts, dried fruit, dried meats, etc. Anyway, I was stoked for the opportunity to learn how to create my own (for free!). Food stylist Marah Abel guided us through this process and opened my eyes to how simple this actually is. Just those few basic ingredients can really go a long way to create something eye-catching, appetizing, and crowd-pleasing.

I’dd admit that when I think of cheese boards, I think of social gatherings. I don’t think of the nutrition facts right away. Yes, cheese and nuts and salami are fattier foods, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid them altogether because they do have nutritional benefits. And, nutrition facts aside, they taste delicious and it can be such a joy to share food with others! If we boil food down to nothing but the nutrition facts, we miss out on so much flavor and enjoyment, both of the food and the experience.

The food activities were such a blast, but I was most excited to hear from the farmers. I’ve studied nutrition both in school and on my own time (yes, I think it’s fun) for the last 5+ years, so I wanted to learn more about how Real California Milk farmers are taking steps toward sustainability. Most importantly, I wanted to know more on what the Real California Milk seal actually means. What standards must a product meet in order to earn that seal that sets it apart from other products in the store?

So, the seal. Having the Real California Milk seal on the dairy product (could be milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.) guarantees that the milk used in the production comes from 100% California dairy farms, and 99% of California dairy farms are family-owned.California dairy farms also follow certain standards when it comes to caring for the cows, like making sure they have access to a nutritious diet, strong medical care, and a healthy living environment. The cows have access to clean water and food 24 hours a day, and live in communal stalls and pastures for the freedom to move and graze as they please. Not only that, California dairies make sure to follow the most stringent sustainability practices in the U.S. The cows’ feed includes grains, corn, grass, and byproducts like citrus pulp and almond hulls, and the last two are part of the sustainability effort to reduce waste (5, 6).

Other sustainability efforts include water recirculation projects to reduce water usage, manure recycling, and others. Dante Migliazzo, a dairy farmer in Atwater, California, says “The farm is a nitrogen producer; the crops are nitrogen users. If everything is done in proper balance, we have the opportunity to use and to grow and to be green.” For more information on how Real California Milk farms are run on a daily basis, click here for short and informative documentaries.

It’s events like this that help make blogging so special to me. This is more than just creating recipes and photographing the product. This is connecting with other passionate individuals, sharing our stories, and teaching, learning, and expanding our network. Thanks so much for taking the time to read, and I hope that this information helps you understand more about the nutritional benefits of dairy, and how Real California Milk promotes nutrition, sustainability, and honest farming practices.

References:

1. Guyonnet, D., Chassany, O., Ducrotte, P., Picard, C., Mouret, M., Mercier, C., & Matuchansky, C. (2007). Effect of a fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010 on the health-related quality of life and symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome in adults in primary care: A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics,26(3), 475-486. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03362.x

2. Probiotics: In Depth. (2018, July 31). Retrieved July 16, 2019, from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/probiotics/introduction.htm

3. Bellastella, A. (2017). Faculty of 1000 evaluation for Associations of fats and carbohydrate intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 18 countries from five continents (PURE): A prospective cohort study. F1000 - Post-publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature,392(10161). doi:10.3410/f.730372215.793539657

4. https://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/content/2019/fat-or-fiction-the-science-of-whole-milk-dairy-foods-and-healthy-eating-patterns

5. https://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/dairy-cows

6. https://www.dairyherd.com/article/innovations-california-dairy-shows-new-strategies
   

Denver Travel Recap

Just five days after finishing my last ever college final, my best friend Grace and I buckled our seatbelts for a trip to Denver, Colorado. Our play-it-by-ear four-day itinerary took us into the bustling and developing downtown Denver, through the beautiful town of Boulder, and up to the breathtaking peak of Red Rocks Amphitheater.

An early departure meant a brunch-time arrival, so we headed straight for Snooze A.M. Eatery in Union Station. I lugged my body-bag - oops! I mean suitcase! - through the restaurant to its outdoor patio, perched along _______ street. First things came first: mimosas. Next: food. Should we split something? I don’t know why I ask, because the answer is always an easy yes. As easy as the yes to mimosas. Our favorites caught our eyes immediately - a double-avocado whole-grain toast and a sweet potato and veggie hash, both with fried eggs. Though we weren’t our most adventurous selves with this order (if only you knew how fundamental avocado, whole-grain bread, eggs, and sweet potatoes are to my diet), it exceeded my expectations and satisfied all my brunch cravings.

I like to think Denver welcomed us with some of the first rays of sunshine all year. To soak it up and stretch our legs, we strolled through Washington Park in the afternoon and could have sworn it was a Saturday rather than a Wednesday, given how many dogs ran to catch frisbees their people threw for them, how many picnic blankets lay beneath spring-time snacks and beverages, and how many strollers wheeled tiny humans in adorable sunglasses.

We caught wind of a rooftop bar (one of many) that overlooks downtown Denver - Linger. The view, the music, and the people quickly convinced us we chose a cool spot. The rose, the sweet potato fries, and the charred edamame still linger in my memory (pun-intended). It’s a place for both the younger and older crowds, but not those who may have a fear of heights - more so for those wanting some affordable, but still tasty food and beverages paired with a stunning view of the city.

If there’s one thing I can’t get over about Denver, it’s the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. This place took my breath away, figuratively and literally. I mean, looook at that stunning view. Of course, being the young and active individuals we are, Grace and I just had to get a workout in. We tried to run the stairs, but were stopped by the unusually long distance between each step, so we resorted to a bodyweight HIIT workout instead. At roughly 6,400 feet altitude, my breath was almost literally taken away, but in the best way possible! Nutritional replenishment brought to us by RX Bar (not sponsored).

Not far from our Air BnB was Larimer Square with its cute little string lights and bustling downtown strip of restaurants, coffee shops, business, and more. We strolled (and grumbled about how nobody in busy cities knows how to politely merge on the sidewalk when walking by) the streets, picked up some lattes from Caribou Coffee, and then grabbed a couple salads from a little grab-n-go type of place of which I cannot remember the name. If we’d had more time and energy, maybe we would have strolled and shopped a little more. All we wanted was to walk, sip on a latte, look around, and enjoy the sunshine - you know, the sunshine we brought from California.

On this night - March 28th, 2019 - I discovered my favorite food. Or maybe it discovered me. Pizza had always been like that guy who is just so interested and determined in chasing after a girl (me in this scenario), but she has been indecisive and unable to commit… until now. She realized that the simplicity of an authentic Italian dough delicately topped with a homemade red sauce and just a modest (because modest is hottest) handful of quality mozzarella cheese was all that she wanted in a meal, and quickly - one or two bites in to the best Italian pie to cross my lips - she fell in love. Committed to pizza, and only the very best. Avanti F & B is the place to go for an affordable happy hour with a selection of wines, beers, and cocktails, and the best pizza I’ve ever had.

A short 30-40 minute drive North took us to downtown Boulder the next day. Despite a light sprinkling of rain, we walked the strip of coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, and outdoor gear stores before driving over to see CU Boulder. It’s a beautiful campus - brick buildings, picture-perfect mountain view, and a stunning athletics field. But, not long after, hunger struck. Back in downtown Boulder, we spotted The Post Brewing Co. and took a seat at the bar to split a salad and our first ever plate of fried chicken and waffles. Fried chicken and waffles! Fried. Chicken. And. Waffles. Pizza still has my heart, but if anything ever changes… fried chicken and waffles.

Like water after a sweaty workout, we needed something sweet and substantial after lighter-than-expected lunch. Just a couple blocks from our Air Bnb, we found the Happy Bakeshop. I gazed at the adorable, fluffy little cupcakes, resisting the urge to lick the mesmerizing swirl of frosting off the top, and instead went with a scotcharoo. Grace picked some sort of cookie bar with just about every add-in imaginable: coconut, chocolate chips, cereal, peanut butter, oats, and more. If you’re in need of a sweet treat local to the Highland area, look no further.

Almost everyone we chatted with recommended we visit RiNo Art District for plenty of good food and lively breweries and bars, so we penciled that in for our Friday night. This place, I imagine, would be as cool as everyone made it seem if it weren’t pouring rain - that way, we could have walked around and explored multiple places over the span of the few blocks it covers. Still, we made the best of it at 10 Barrel Brewing with a couple ciders, a plate of baba ganoush, and a phenomenal falafel burger and sweet potato fries.

What would you say if I told you that I’d never eaten a chocolate croissant until now? A cafe-baker for 6 months, home-baker for 6 years, and I’d never thought breaking open a warm, flaky, chocolate-stuffed pastry could be so satisfying until I did exactly that at Allegro Coffee in Denver (our second choice when we ran into a 45-minute wait at Denver Biscuit Co.). Let it be known, far and wide, that I love chocolate croissants. Maybe I’ll attempt one, or maybe - as I do with quality, fresh-baked whole-grain bread - I’ll leave it to the expert bakers. PS don’t mind the breakfast burrito sitting beside the croissant, and excuse my harsh review here, but that burrito was far from… well, good.

We finished off our last day at the Stanley Marketplace with Emilie from Emilie Eats, peeking into little boutiques and restaurants and chatting about all things blogging, school, nutrition, and more. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that I’ve made such strong friendships via Instagram! For dinner, we chose Bar Dough in Denver because now I’m just smitten over authentic Italian-style pizza and will take almost any opportunity to eat it. Ours was the mouth-watering Il Grande - absolutely delicious.

And that concludes my first trip to Denver! I had no intentions of “working” during my trip (except for a few emails here and there), so what you read about here was my itinerary. Had my trip been a few days longer, you can bet your bottom dollar I’d have visited Denver Biscuit Co., VooDoo Doughnuts, and maybe even Bar Dough one or two or three more times. Other recommendations I received but wasn’t able to fulfill were Chatauqua Park, Denver Milk Market, Pearl Street Pedestrian Mall, Park Burger, Little Man Ice Cream, and Root Down.

Thanks for feasting your eyes on my words, eats, and travels. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you get the chance to see Denver and the surrounding beauty that is Colorado at some point. Ta ta for now!

California Lavash Whole-Grain Flatbread

This post is sponsored by California Lavash - all opinions stated are my own. Thanks for reading and supporting my blog!

It’s no surprise I love to bake. And if it is a surprise to you, well, it must be your first time here, so welcome! Anyway, I love to bake, but the thought of baking bread kinda’-sorta’-really terrifies me. I’ve tried once before, and instead of a beautiful, fluffy, golden brown loaf, I think I pulled a football made from flour out of my oven. I haven’t tried anymore homemade bread since then.

Bread is one thing I’ll leave to the experts, like the bakers of California Lavash. This family of bread-makers, located in the town of Gilroy in Central California, uses traditional baking methods and simple ingredients to produce whole-grain lavash, naan, and pita the way their family has done so for years. All ingredients are vegan, non-GMO, and free of artificial preservatives.

If you didn’t already know, I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to nutrition, so you can bet I check the ingredient list on most packaged foods when I’m grocery shopping. Several store-bought breads are made with whole-grain flour (one of the first ingredients on the list, where it should be!), but several of those also contain different modified versions of sugars, gums, and other preservatives to keep them on the shelves for longer periods of time. These won’t kill you (at least I think they won’t?), but it’s best to consume as few of these as possible and as many whole foods/ingredients as possible, don’t you think? I’m not exaggerating when I say I was amazed when I looked at the ingredient list on the California Lavash package - just whole-wheat and wheat flour, water, oat fiber, yeast, oil, and cultured yeast. Each of those ingredients serves to produce the flavor and structure of this flatbread, and because the grains are in their whole form, the ingredients also serve nutritional benefit. Win, win.

Lavash is a bit different from other breads - it doesn’t boast many air bubbles and isn’t shaped in a loaf form. Instead, it’s… well, flat, as the name “flatbread” implies. I’m a firm believer in fluffy, yeast-risen bread, but lavash deserves some love, too. Though it doesn’t rise, it still comes out of the oven light and airy and yields itself to several possibilities for both the creative cook and the quick-and-easy eater. Keep it as is fresh out of the package for a veggie-packed wrap with hummus, or bake it with your favorite sauce and toppings for a twist on thin-crust pizza. Slice it into smaller squares and bake those into chips (sweet or savory!) or taco shells.

Because it’s free of preservatives, the flatbread is best stored in the fridge for immediate use, and in the freezer for longer-term storage. Click here to visit the website, and select “store locator” to find them near you, and stay tuned for a lavash-chip recipe coming later this week!

PaleoValley Pasture-Raised Turkey and Grass-Fed Beef Sticks

This post is sponsored by PaleoValley and contains affiliate links - all opinions stated are my own. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog! 

If I could time-travel, my first mission would be to rewind sixteen years, befriend six-year-old Haley and snatch the Slim Jims from her hand in exchange for these PaleoValley turkey and beef sticks. I don't follow a Paleo diet now, nor did I back then, but the paleo-ism of these bars isn't the sole reason I appreciate them. 

I'll give you a quick run-down of this company's story, and then let you read the rest here. Chas and Autumn are a husband-and-wife team who set out on a mission to heal Autumn's IBS, and along with two other close friends, launched PaleoValley to promote the importance of nutrient-dense foods. Today, they sell not only turkey and beef sticks, but also vitamin and mineral complexes, superfood bars, and superfood powders. 

These turkey and beef sticks are what my six-year-old self desperately needed. Okay, they're more than that, but I just had to give that little side-note to make sure you know that child-Haley loved anything that involved sausage and snacks, and these bars are a close combination of the two. 

For the beef sticks, PaleoValley uses 100% grass-fed and finished beef. What many beef buyers might not know is the importance of looking for grass-finished beef - grass-fed cattle may be fed diets containing grains and other supplements during their last few months, whereas grass-finished cattle are fed nothing but grass for their entire lives. And if you must know some benefits of grass-fed beef, consider higher quality nutrient profiles and potentially less methane-gas-impact on the environment (1). Nowadays, most of us are likely aware of grass-fed beef in the grocery store and hopefully purchase that over its not-as-pretty grain-fed twin when we want to grill up some cheeseburgers, but how about when it comes to snacks, when we're looking for something quick and easy? PaleoValley saw that need and took initiative to make sure a grass-fed snack-able beef stick for those of us who just love them. 

And for the turkey sticks, PaleoValley uses turkey meat from only pasture-raised turkeys. If you're like me, you weren't exactly clear on the difference between "pasture-raised" and "free-range", as they've seemed to be two of the buzzwords used in reference to meat and egg production these days. According to Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC), farmers are required to give their birds 2 square feet per bird and outdoor access when weather permits in order to receive the Certified Humane Free-Range seal. To receive the Certified Humane Pasture-Raised seal, farmers are required to give their birds 108 square feet per bird and outdoor access year-round. The difference is clearly in square footage, and within that, food differs as well - free-range birds eat processed grain and supplemented diets, while pasture-raised birds are free to eat a variety of greens naturally growing on the pasture without any chemicals or pesticides (2,3). 

Both the beef and turkey sticks are naturally fermented, yielding gut-friendly probiotics to aid in digestion. Each stick has 6-7 grams of protein and as little as 1 gram of saturated fat (which is typically much higher in beef products). Organic spices are used to bring exciting flavors like cranberry orange, summer sausage, and garlic. 

Are you ready to give these a try? Head to the online store and use "HH30" at checkout for 30% off your purchase! And remember, I only promote companies/products here on my blog whose mission and values I whole-heartedly support. PaleoValley is paving the way for more environmentally friendly and humanely raised animal products, and as a former vegan, I hold those as high priorities when I make food choices. So, here is a delicious and convenient way for you to do the same!

1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/is-grass-fed-beef-really-better-for-you-the-animal-and-the-planet/2015/02/23/92733524-b6d1-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html?utm_term=.f5a01fd8acb2

2. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pasture-raised-turkeys-expensive_us_59dfa0fde4b0eb18af06ff13

3. https://certifiedhumane.org/free-range-and-pasture-raised-officially-defined-by-hfac-for-certified-humane-label/

Best Breakfast in SLO

Welcome to San Luis Obispo! It's time for breakfast, so we're going to skip the small talk and get right to it.

Sally Loo's Wholesome Cafe

This cafe was one of the very first I tried in SLO when I moved here for college. My mom and I shared two of the scones - if you could get me to eat and enjoy a scone during that rigid-eating time in my life, you were doing something right. Sally Loo's, you got it right. Walking into this space feels like walking into both a home and a restaurant at the same time. Pick up a menu for the items always served, but don't miss the specials board - that's where you'll find some of the most delectable dishes in town. If the definition for hand-crafted could be told through food, it would be a Sally Loo's special. 

I ordered the Big Al's Avo Toast special this time, after much contemplation over that versus a burrito, and now I know - if I'm ever stuck between a special here and a regular menu item, I should probably go with the special because 1) it's only offered for a limited time and 2) DANG it's good. The avocado toast was piled high with... well, avocado - there will be no skimping on this creamy favorite toast-topper. And because I was in a treat-myself/why-not mindset, I added the optional smoked salmon on the side. I'm still here actually, at Sally Loo's typing this up (because this is a study-friendly spot!) and I'm tempted to never leave, so that I can order something for lunch later and keep absorbing the light-hearted, community-centered atmosphere. It's one of a kind here and you will regret absolutely nothing about coming here and ordering anything on the menu. 

If you aren't in the mood for avocado toast or come when the specials menu has changed, my other recommendations include the Breakfast burrito (veggie for me), the San Louie Bagel, and anything from the bakery case - it's all made in house! And don't forget to grab some coffee, too, while you watch the barista craft your drink. It's just cool to watch, and the drinks here beat those at some of the other coffee shops in town (that good!). 

Louisa's Place

My first thought when walking into Louisa's: "my dad would love it here." And he does! During my freshman year, I brought my parents here for breakfast, not knowing at the time that it was voted one of the best breakfast spots in all of SLO county. To this day (three years later) I hear locals talk about Louisa's with more genuine adoration than many restaurants I've visited. Each weekend, when I'm outside walking or riding my bike during the quiet mornings, I see locals perched inside Louisa's at the counter reading the paper, sipping some coffee, and digging their fork into omelettes and pancakes and breakfast burritos I can smell from outside. And then I drool. 

We ordered omelettes - Vegetable Medley for me and Guacamole & Bacon for my friend. Of course, we both chose the homemade biscuits (did you hear that? homemade biscuits) on the side and could not stop talking about them alllllllll day. The omelettes were large, but large and delicious! Omelettes are a breakfast dish I always appreciate because I just can't make them well enough at home, and Louisa's made them beyond well enough to convince me that I don't need to learn how to make them - I'll just head down to Louisa's when the craving hits. And as for the homemade biscuit... it is a must. An absolute must. 

This is a spot I would take my dad. Diners are his favorite - those people I see when I pass by on weekend mornings would be my dad everyday at Louisa's Place if he lived nearby. The portions are big, so come hungry, with friends, and/or ready to bring home leftovers. Don't expect green juices and refined-sugar-free paleo breakfast pastries here - come for home-cooked meals made with real food and served in an atmosphere that feels like a home away from home. 

Mint + Craft

This is a relatively new spot in downtown SLO, quaintly nestled in between between a couple of my favorite stores on Monterey Street. Since the day it opened, it's been calling my name and drawing in several other customers, too. Mint + Craft screams downtown SLO... in a really good way. If you're feeling like a light, vegetable-forward breakfast Mint + Craft is your spot!

Grace and I spontaneously chose this for breakfast one day and could not wait to get our hands on some toast, which seems to be the focus of their breakfast menu. And, like, I'm cool with that. We walked in and ordered at the counter immediately, but if we hadn't been so hungry, we probably would've spent some time browsing the shelves stocked with anything and everything that could distract me (again, in a really good way) - from cookbooks to homemade jams and jellies to cute linens to artisan chocolates. Oh, and if you aren't looking to sit down and eat, you can head over to the refrigerated section for packaged wraps and salads, bottles of juice and kombucha and even wine and beer! Or, grab something sweet from the bakery case - might I suggest the lemon bars or caramel brownies or giant chocolate chip cookies? 

Anyway, onto our breakfast - The Obispo for Grace and The SLO Market for me! We ordered and chose a table outside, and our food came in under five minutes, which was good on their end because, my goodness, were we hungry. First things first - the flavors. So many of them, and they all worked together to make an incredibly tasty and unique slice of toast. Grace certainly enjoyed hers, too. She's picky about her bacon and wants it exxxxtra crispy, and they delivered to her liking. We recommend both! One more thing - Grace ordered a cup of coffee, for which they offer free refills, and she grabbed another cup to go because it was so darn delicious. 

Big Sky Cafe 

It's time to introduce you to a favorite since my year in college here - Big Sky Cafe in downtown SLO. Most of my meals here have been for lunch or dinner, with the occasional happy hour/appetizer hangout with friends, so after looking at their breakfast menu and holding their food and service in high regards, I knew this was a must. We spent a fair amount of time reading through the menu because everything - e v e r y t h i n g - sounds good. Eventually, I went with the Greek Spinach, Feta, Mushroom & Tomato Omelette. 

Oh my word. It was unbelievable. Served with breakfast potatoes and sauteed peppers and onions, this plate filled me to the brim, so I was glad I came extra hungry, especially for the complimentary basket of cornbread as an appetizer (ask for some to-go!). 

Big Sky Cafe doesn't skimp on anything. Flavors are abundant, freshness is impossible to miss, and seasonal, local produce are a main component of each dish, so they're clearly speaking my language here. This is a place I can bring anyone - when Mom and Dad come into town, we come here for drinks and a food we know will be delicious and service that welcomes them into town. When my friends and I can't decide where to eat, Big Sky offers a variety of options to satisfy each of our cravings - whole-grain pancakes or shakshuka, omelette or beignets, breakfast burrito or crab cakes benedict. 

Lido at Dolphin Bay

And last but most certainly not least, take this recommendation as encouragement to treat yo'self. Lido at Dolphin Bay (yes, I brought Grace again because she is my partner in all things, especially eating, if you haven't noticed) is everything I want for brunch and then some more. We have a friend who works here and suggested we come in, and he definitely knows what she and I like when it comes to food - most importantly brunch - so we trust him. A Sunday morning at Lido is a stunning view of the ocean + friendly, welcoming service that makes you feel like royalty + food that might very well be my ideal definition of brunch - and by that I mean kinda' healthy, kinda' not, and completely whole-platedly delightful. 

Grace and I ordered two plates and split each one - eggs scrambled with spinach and white cheddar and served with sweet potato fries (which we asked for instead of the home fries) and a half-order of the thickest, fluffiest French toast I've ever tasted. Bottomless mimosas were most certainly involved here, too. Duh. We left feeling like princesses more happily satisfied than we can ever remember, and not just because of the mimosas. 

I will, without a single doubt, be back to Lido for more. Like I said before, it's a place treat-yourself-kind-of-place, so plan accordingly. Most importantly, enjoy every minute and every bite because this is a special restaurant with unmatched service, unbeatable food, and a breath-taking view. 

And that's a wrap (or should I said breakfast burrito? or should I not because maybe that would have been a weird joke?) for my favorite breakfast spots in SLO! As you may have noticed, I prioritize restaurants and cafes that emphasize local food and community, and offer some nutritious options as well as some... well, some other more (let's just say) "fun" foods. I hope you have the chance to try each of these places, and when you do, tell them Haley sent you :) happy eating!

Purity Coffee

This post is sponsored by Purity Coffee. Everything stated is my own opinion. Thanks for supporting my blog and making the healthiest, most delicious coffee around town! 

Let this be the debut of my inner coffee-lover. I've been drinking the magic stuff for almost three years, but not until I discovered Purity Coffee did I really begin to educate myself more on the drink we all know and love! 

What is it? 

Coffee... duh. I'm not trying to sound like your favorite salesperson here, but Purity Coffee really isn't the same stuff as what's on most grocery store shelves nowadays. Their whole process - from harvesting to roasting to packing - ensures that buyers receive the healthiest version of coffee available. It's also:

• organic: uses methods that recycle, conserve biodiversity, and balance local ecology. 
• almost defect-free: "speciality coffee" is the highest standard of coffee, and therefore contains the fewest defects. 
• mold-free: is frequently lab-tested to ensure no traces of mold and/or mycotoxins exist in the beans. 
• sustainable: "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices that will last over the long term" (according to the website).

My opinion:

I'm no "coffee-snob", so I've never really been one to toss a cup of coffee because I didn't like the taste (that only happened once). A medium-dark roast is my go-to, simple as that. When a representative from Purity Coffee assured me I'd taste and feel the difference most just by drinking it, I felt unsure, but I went with it. 

Aaaaaaand she was certainly correct. It just tastes... cleaner, fresher, richer, more robust. The biggest difference I noticed was feeling way less bloated after drinking it, a side effect I always ignored after drinking other coffee. I'll be honest - the taste didn't convince me that this is a life-changing cup of coffee (like I said, not a coffee-snob over here), but I felt mentally and as a result physically better drinking it, knowing what is going into my body is pure (pun intended), boasting maximum health benefits and reaping no potential consequences. 

Why Purity?

I don't buy into the "coffee is bad for you" campaign. Sure, it can raise cortisol (aka stress hormone) levels, but that only becomes harmful when stress levels elsewhere in life are through the roof and sleep is not happening like it should. I've got my stress under control, for the most part, and I get enough sleep. I enjoy coffee. Up until recently, I've never seen it as a "superfood" or a "bad food"... until now. 

I researched Purity Coffee and had no idea that coffee beans have higher levels of antioxidants than my favorite fruits - berries! Say whaaaat? Think about how many Americans drink coffee regularly - quite a few, huh? A cup of coffee is much more convenient and sometimes easier to get our hands on than a cup of berries, aaaaaand it's packed with many more antioxidants! Purity Coffee has the highest antioxidant level of all coffees at a roast level that produces the lowest level of acrylamide. Some coffees compared may have a higher level of antioxidants, but they also had a higher level of acrylamide. 

HALLELUJAH.

Aside from providing the body with antioxidants, coffee has also been shown to boost physical and brain performance, as well as metabolism, and decrease the risk for depression.

Where to buy?

Online! When you checkout, be SURE to use "hungryhaley" to receive a discounted price on any order. Here, you can purchase by the bag or subscribe and receive a shipment size of your choice and frequency. 

Thanks for reading, and I hope you found this information helpful in making your next coffee decision!