local

Healthy Chicks in the Community Series: Meet Melissa Smith of The Hale Bone Broth

Leave a Comment / Healthy Chicks in the Community /

Morning friends, and Happy August! Seriously where is the summer going?! If you missed my message the other day, make sure to go take a look because I want you to know YOU ARE ENOUGH. Yes, I’m talking to Y-O-U!

Alrighty, moving onto this month’s feature on Healthy Chicks in the Community, a series highlighting rockstar Girl Bosses doing their thang in the wellness world. If you don’t already know by now, I have a major love affair with bone broth, so I was super pumped to meet master broth maker Melissa of The Hale Bone Broth at a wellness event, serving up her goods.

We naturally hit it off, and I knew she’d be a perfect fir for this series! In this fun interview, we chat about creating meaningful connections, plans to grow the biz and her girl crush on Rachel Hollis. I’ll let Melissa take it away from here!

NAME:

Melissa Smith, Owner of The Hale Bone Broth

DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS/LINE OF WORK:
The Hale is a health and lifestyle brand focused around healthy accountable living that is enjoyed! The Hale Bone Broth is a product that was designed to align with our search for the … Read More!

Healthy Chicks in the Community Series: Meet Melissa Smith of The Hale Bone Broth Read More »

Rethink Your Snacking: Energize Yourself with Chunks of Energy Superfood Snacks

4 Comments / Lifestyle /

I was recently approached by one of the lovely gals from Chunks of Energy to see if I’d be interested in sampling their products. I’m always up for trying new healthy foods on the market, so of course I said yes!

One bite of the rich, tasty chunk of heaven and I was sold! Made with nutritious ingredients your body knows & can trust, Chunks of Energy makes healthy snacking delicious, fun and convenient. Even better, most of their products are raw, vegan & organic, and made with very little sodium and fat.

I especially like that the company uses superfoods, like cacao, goji berries and spirulina, to add an extra boost to the already healthified bites! My all-time favorite? The Raw Cacao Gogi which, not surprisingly, is also their best seller!

While I could rave about these delicious bite-size chunks of goodness all day long, I figured I’d go directly to the source for expert advice and insights. The other day, I spoke with the Founder Michael to get the 411 on how the company transpired, the health benefits of superfoods, and his personal philosophy for living & being well.

Not only is he knowledgeable about nutrition, but he’s … Read More!

Rethink Your Snacking: Energize Yourself with Chunks of Energy Superfood Snacks Read More »

Boston Local Food Festival THIS Weekend: Beer, Healthy Eats 'n' Fun!

8 Comments / Health & Wellness /

Calling all local-lovers, environmental enthusiasts, health freaks, foodies and hungry people alike. This Saturday, Oct. 2nd is the First Annual Boston Local Food Festival.  No, this isn’t just your everyday Farmer’s Market or rinky-dink fair; this is a one-of-a-kind festival to remember! The delicious outdoor festival will take place at Boston’s Fort Point Channel from Congress St. Bridge, the Boston Children’s Museum up to the Moakley Bridge at Northern Avenue. Did I mention that there’s FREE admission? Yup, not cost to come!

Still not convinced? Well I’ll let you in on some insider highlights that’ll have you drop your Saturday cartoons and lazy couch potato lounging in a jiffy. Not to mention, I am one of their featured bloggers (take a peak) and am also volunteering on the day of the event, so you should definitely come say hi! 

Some hot highlights of the event: 

1. Prime location: Yes, you saw the directions. That means a whole afternoon filled with waterfront fun…can’t beat that. Shop, eat, and laugh the day away with your friends and family in the midst of the lovely Boston fall scenery! 

2. Budget-Friendly: You heard that right. Not only do you get to sample delectable food … Read More!

Boston Local Food Festival THIS Weekend: Beer, Healthy Eats 'n' Fun! Read More »

Gimme S'more Nella: Fresh, Local, Wholesome Pasta (Did I say Tasty too?)

3 Comments / Health & Wellness /

As you know, I’m a huge fan of all-natural, fresh ingredients…especially ingredients that you can pronounce.  Yes, it’s true that I used to be a calorie-counter and low in calories meant it was good for me. But that all changed when I went to Italy four summer’s ago. I remember before I embarked on my journey I was SO nervous I was going to gain tons of weight while abroad: loads of pasta, pizza and bread, what am I going to do? Needless to say, I had a minor panic attack. However, when I got back from my two month trip and stepped on the scale, the exact opposite was true: I had lost five pounds. Yup, that’s right. I lost five pounds with my only exercise being walking to school and the local markets every day, and  while eating lots of fresh pasta, breads, cheeses, fruits, veggies and even a serving of gelato daily. 

It’s no miracle as to why I lost the weight. You see, what they serve in Italy is completely different than the “Italian” food you see here. It’s unbelievably fresh (god take me back there now), local (I bought everything I ate from markets on … Read More!

Gimme S'more Nella: Fresh, Local, Wholesome Pasta (Did I say Tasty too?) Read More »

What’s a Nutcake?

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

As you know, I absolutely love anything and everything local. Forget brand names and packaged foods with more than 100 ingredients. EW. Local food artisans are so much more interesting…and they make tastier products. Seriously, you should see me when I walk into Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or a local Farmer’s Market. I’m like a little kid on Christmas morning…walking around with eyes bigger than my head and a grumbling stomach. I want to taste everything; I want to taste it ALL. From wineries and cheese producers to homemade breads and ooey gooey brownies, local is totally the way to go.

Today at work we discovered Effie’s Homemade, a local company crafting up biscuit-like cookies out of Hyde Park, MA. Two life-long friends (Joan Maclsaac and Irene Costello) started the company in honor of Joan’s mom Effie and her amazing Oatcakes recipe. And there you have it: Effie’s Homemade was born, baking up fresh, simple oatcakes, corncakes ‘n’ nutcakes daily! These tasty gems beat a cookie any old day…serve the biscuits with tea, a piece of cheese or enjoy as a light, tasty snack any time of the day! Better yet, the ingredients are fresh and simple so you … Read More!

What’s a Nutcake? Read More »

SoWa Open Market: The Perfect End to My Weekend

Leave a Comment / Health & Wellness /

Today my sister and I ventured into South Boston for SoWa Open Market: Boston’s Original Art and Indie Design Market. While at first we complained on our never-ending, mile (plus some) walk from Arlington Station, I think it’s safe to say it was totally worth it! And also safe to say that we probably needed that walk anyway considering the amount of food we consumed this weekend. Hey, walking is the perfect detox.

Anyway, back to the point. I don’t know how I’ve lived in Boston for nearly a year and have yet to visit this lovely Sunday tradition.
The two of us casually walked around the market, browsing a variety of artwork, homemade gadgets, local produce, and clothing lines. I felt like I was in creative heaven. It absolutely blew my mind to see all the unique, inspiring homemade creations, from personalized dog collars and signature greeting cards to beautiful jewelry and recycled beer bottles turned into artwork. “SO COOL!” I thought. “We really need more creative people in this world.”

As if these homemade gadgets weren’t; enough to make me fall in love with SoWa, then came the food! There were a variety of breads and … Read More!

SoWa Open Market: The Perfect End to My Weekend Read More »