Welcome to a new week of Robin Recommends, the first one of 2021! The holiday craze is behind us now, and I’m back this week to share another roundup of favorite recipes, snacks, local spots, gift ideas, and more. Read on for more of my favorites to help you jump right into a healthy new year! Note that most of these items are also shoppable on my Amazon storefront.
This company makes organic, whole food based sauces and culinary ingredients that are a perfect easy companion to so many different dishes! Some of the varieties include their organic essential sauce, the spicy organic sauce, organic carrot bolognese sauce, and organic vodka sauce. They’re all dairy-free, plant-based, gluten-free, and high in micronutrients (like vitamin A) and fiber. Each packs a punch with between 9-12 organic ingredients, and you can shop them on Amazon as well as locally at Whole Foods and Sprouts markets, as well as on their website. I actually met owner and first tried these at the FNCE conference. I immediately fell in love. They’re a great way to get a variety of veggies in for adults and picky kids. You can use these on everything from pizza to spaghetti and chili.
This spot in Southport, CT is a great one for kids and their menu offers a variety of delicious bowls breakfast offerings, smoothies, juices, and more. Some popular menu highlights include their coconut rice pudding, which is dairy free and made with brown rice, the GF blueberry chocolate chip muffin, the tofu scramble, and multigrain pancakes. My kids love their avo toast, smoothies, GF pasta and even vegan mac and cheese. I love the buffalo cauliflower collard wrap and green smoothies. You can also design your own salad. They also offer online ordering + local delivery; this one is definitely a must-try if you’re local!
3. Lune & Aster Eye Shadow Palettes
All of Luna & Aster’s products are clean, vitamin-infused, paraben-free, and don’t contain phthalates or use animal testing. They also offer products that are specifically vegan and gluten-free. These gorgeous eyeshadow palettes include neutral and The Galaxy Edition Palette can help you achieve easy eye looks using warm and cool-toned eyeshadow shades with names inspired by the colors found in our galaxy: Venus Orbit, Mars Storm, Jupiter Cloud and Mercury Surface. They provide an array of matte, shimmer and pop shades so you can achieve any look, and take the palette from day to night easily. This palette is perfect for all occasions, anytime, anywhere – great for all your Zoom calls!
I purchased one of these just this year (believe it or not). It is ideal for baking, as it makes getting batter out of bowls so much easier, and is also great for cooking in nonstick pans (eggs, sauces, stews, etc.). I look for a high-heat resistant version that’s BPA-free (exposure to BPA is a concern due to potential health effects for kids and can affect children’s behavior; there may also be a link between BPA and increased blood pressure.) This one comes in a neutral color, which I like, but Amazon has a lot of great options, as would your local kitchenware store!
That’s all for this edition! Check back next week for more of what I recommend, and make sure to read last week’s blog, if you missed it!
