These posts are quickly becoming one of my favourite to put together. I love sharing new-to-me foods as well as old favourites that have returned to my life.
So far we’ve seen:
- 7 Foods I’m loving right now – March
- 14 Foods I’m loving lately – April
- 12 things I’m loving lately – July
Don’t forget to tell me about your current food obsessions in the comments below!
Note: I purposely left all forms of squash, pumpkin butter, and apple butter off my list because that all goes without saying for this girl.
Ready….set….go!
1. Pomegranates
This is the time of the year when I mourn summer berries being out of season. To console myself, I like to think of pomegranates as off-season berries because they are so rich in antioxidants. Yes, I know they aren’t berries, but let’s pretend. Toss these little guys on salads to add a fun crunch and burst of antioxidant power. Just don’t try blending them in a smoothie without straining….that little experiment of mine, was…grainy to say the least. Apparently there are some things a Vitamix cannot pulverize!
2. Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage Vegan Sausage
There are simply no words for how much I adore this Field Roast grain and veggie based sausage. I finally tracked it down at Organic Garage and sampled all three flavours this summer. The apple sage flavour is by far my favourite. I like to pan fry it and throw it into quinoa salads or just stuff it in a bun with a little BBQ sauce and apple butter. Eric is a huge fan and even said he would eat this over a meat sausage any day. Each sausage has 26 grams of protein, zero trans fat and cholesterol, and just 1 gram of sat. fat.
3. Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Pre-ground nutmeg doesn’t hold a candle to freshly grated nutmeg; I’ve known this all along. Then why has it been so long since I grated the fresh stuff? Have you ever compared the two? It’s unreal. I sometimes forget this little fact and when I do go back to the fresh stuff I’m quickly reminded just how amazing the fresh stuff is (this is true for all spices really!). Plus, grating nutmeg take seconds and the aroma that fills the air is so comforting. If you’re like me you get a free nail filing at the same time.
4. Adzuki Bean Tabbouleh
I’m so over rainy fall weather. Give me sunshine in the fall and I’m a happy camper. Give me rain, doom, and gloom and I suddenly wish fall never existed. My relationship with fall is complicated. Anyway, this salad brings me a small dose of summer and sunshine back to my life, which is why I made it over the rainy weekend. You can’t help but feel happy when you eat quinoa tabbouleh served on top of kale!
5. Coconut Jam by Cocovie
Umm, say what? I know. Have you ever heard of coconut jam? This world keeps getting crazier. When I spotted this in Organic Garage a couple months ago, it was thrown into my cart so fast your head would spin. It’s made with just coconut milk and raw coconut sugar. Much like coconut oil, when it’s chilled it firms up and when it’s at room temp or warmed, it softens. You can use it as a spread or topping on all kinds of foods. Perhaps with a few tweaks to my coconut milk condensed milk, I might be able to make this jam at home. Hrrrmm…the wheels are spinning.
6. Edamame
Looking for a fun high-protein snack to throw into packed lunches? Meet edamame. I love to top salads with edamame or enjoy some for an afternoon snack. I could seriously eat an entire bag of this stuff in one sitting. It has a strange power over me. Don’t even tell me to remove the skins either…I love it all.
7. Whole Grain Mustard
For a long time, I only bought regular mustard and Dijon mustard. Yawn. Well recently, my wild child came out and I gave whole grain mustard a try. Whoa. How did I not try this before? It’s amazing in dressings and sauces and I just love the hearty, crunchy texture of the seeds. New kitchen staple, hello!
8. Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Raw Protein
I tried a sample of this protein powder a month ago and loved it so much I bought a bag of it. This Warrior Blend is a non-rice protein powder featuring a mix of easy-to-digest pea, cranberry, and hemp proteins. It’s easily the best protein powder I’ve tried to date and isn’t chalky like some protein powders can be. The downside is that it’s priced like gold, so try to buy it on sale to get the biggest bang for your buck. I justified my purchase because I go through protein powder very, very slowly – a bag will easily last me 3-4 months. They also have a chocolate flavour which I will be sampling soon!
9. Acetaia La Bonissima Balsamic Vinegar
It’s really sad to think how long I stared at this bottle in the grocery store to make sure it was actually balsamic vinegar. Darn you, label. Thankfully, it was worth it. This stuff is the real deal. I use it for salad dressings, roasting veggies, balsamic reductions, etc.
10. Allegro Ready, Set, Go! Tea
I purchased this tea on our trip in B.C. when I was running on about 4 hours sleep many nights (as you can see it got a bit busted in my suitcase!). This tea brought me back to life in the morning. It’s described as “assertive, yet balanced, with a hint of cinnamon”. I’ll take 743 please. I’d like to think it rubbed off on me too. Next time someone asks you what your personality traits are, you can end your description saying, “with a hint of cinnamon”.
Now my favourite part – let me know below what foods you can’t get enough of right now!
I love sun warrior protein. Sadly I can’t buy it where I live… and it’s so expensive, so I hardly ever have it!
I’m loving 85% dark chocolate, spaghetti squash, and carob. I never thought I’d be able to handle higher than 72% in a chocolate content, but my taste buds must be maturing.
I have never seen Field Roast sausages before. Do you know where we can get them in the states? Also, what is the casing made out of with these sausages?
Yah, I agree about that coconut jam! Looks amazing! I’ve been loving coconut cream for quick vegan whipped creams that taste whole and fresh. I’ve also been indulging in a cup of special tea, Tazo Joy from Starbucks. It’s not back on sale yet (seasonal), but I stocked up when I worked there last year. It should be back on the shelves soon. It’s a wonderful mix of green and black and is mild (sometimes black tea acidifies my tummy). A splash of cold Almond milk is perfection!
Oh my goodness these lists are my new favourite thing. I hope I can find edamame here where I stay… also I hope I spelt edamame right :)
I am in love with the Sun Warrior Warrior Blend protein powder too! I tried it last January and fell in love. I use it to make dips, in oatmeal, and even in baking! Lucky for me, the martial arts studio I train and teach in has a partnership with The Vitamin Shoppe, so I get discounts. Lately, I’ve been loving beets, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms!
I’m obsessed with those Field Roast sausages! I only eat them every few months because of the price, but that makes them an even more special treat for me. The texture is so incredible, and they taste so amazing! I even had a few of my guy friends try them, and they thought they were just as good as regular sausage. Win! :)
Chili! The last of the chilies are ripening on my terrace, so right now I throw in chili in almost everything. Chili in hot chocolate I can recommend!
I’m loving Red Kuri squash at the moment, so buttery!
I love whole mustard too–such an elegant splurge, I think.
I’m absolutely loving canned pumpkin (I have 1-2 pumpkin things a day, these days) & shiritaki noodles. I love shiritaki noodles–I often eat them as an after dinner snack.
Ive been apple picking the last few weekends, so I am loving apples in everything! I make a really good chunky baked applesauce that is amazing for breakfast, lunch, or dessert with a little vanilla ice cream! Also, loving apple pb sandwiches, and grilled cheese and apple paninis..mmmm
I hated the warrior blend when I first tried it but I actually really like it now! I’m loving coconut in any form, especially coconut yoghurt, kabocha squash and plums.
I love posts like these! Especially yours since I know I’ll be able to actually buy the things you post. I always get jealous when I see TJs and other American goodies on other blogs.
I’m so excited that those Field Roast “sausages” are available in Oakville – I’ve only ever seen them in the US before and I’ve been dying to try them!
Lately I’m loving Four O’Clock licorice spice tea, Golden Girls granola, and roasted butternut squash.
I could wax poetic for days about edamame, I love it THAT much! I can’t say I’ve ever tried grating nutmeg but you’ve got me very intrigued now! Ginger is one spice that I far prefer in fresh, grated root form rather than powdered. When you add it to stir fries, its amazing how much flavour it creates! Right now, I’m living all sorts of pumpkin, squash, and apples (like you said, those go without saying!), as well as Banana Nut Bread herbal tea from David’s Tea, Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, and maple balsamic-glazed Brussels sprouts. Honestly, I might just turn into one!
Every Tuesday night the Healthy Eating Specialist at our local Whole Foods holds a class with a different theme. Last week she made Pumpkin Pecan cookies and frosted them with a mix of Artisana cashew butter and maple syrup. The frosting was delicious! I could put the frosting on everything. Your Iron Women Gingerbread Smoothie is also a big favorite of mine.
I am totally with you on the pomegranate and the fresh nutmeg. I sit and pop handful of pomegranate seeds all the time. I just keep them in a glass container so that they are on hand at all times.
Hi Angela! Where did you get those tea light holders in the picture at the top? They’re so cute!
Thanks Jordana, they were purchased at Costco 2-3 years ago. :)
Whole grain mustard is one of my favorite condiments of all time!
Great post! I tried the sausages at the TO Veg Fest – they were amazing. Glad to hear Organic Garage has them stocked!
As for me, I recently discovered raw coconut – just eating from the shell. So filling, and so yummy! I also am loving Yogi’s Kombucha tea.
Oh, what a perfect list!! I look forward to fall for pomegranates…so delicious. I agree with the edamame power, too.
Question about the protein: how often do you make a protein drink or feel the need to supplement? I just bought a Vegan protein mix and am not quite sure if I just did an impulse buy or if its actually beneficial….Thanks!