whole 30

Get Your Elements – Real Food for Real People

/ realmofvibes / 52 Comments

After completing the Whole 30 late last year, I discovered I had food intolerances to dairy and gluten. As most of you know from my previous posts, I partake in a mostly dairy and gluten free diet. Unfortunately, I find meal preparation to be one of the most difficult things about eating clean, so I appreciate any quick fix foods that are compliant with my intolerances and make me feel as fabulous as I really am. I am also training for a half marathon, so eating healthy is very important to me during my training.

Enter Elements, a company selling real food, in a bag.

WHAT? Real food? In a bag?

I have to admit, I was super skeptical getting a bag of freeze dried food in the mail. Little did I know that freeze drying only removes the water and leaves the vitamins, micronutrients, enzymes, and taste of the actual food behind.

Get Your Elements

Get Your Elements

Elements bags also have a 2-year shelf life and don’t require a microwave or stove top. All you have to do is tear the bag and add 1 cup of very hot water. Seal the zipper and shake well. Wait 12 minutes, open the bag, stir, and enjoy!

Need a bowl? Tear the bag at the lower hash-line.

So, what’s in the bag of Elements?

  • Fresh herbs
  • Sensational Spices
  • Delicious Taste
  • Self-Respect

 

Get Your Elements Review

Freeze dried deliciousness

 

What’s not in the bag?

  • Preservatives
  • Artificial Colors & Flavors
  • Gluten
  • Dairy
  • Processed Sugars
  • Shame
  • Guilt

 

What I Sampled

  • Broccoli Cinnamon Pork
    • Thoughts: Delicious. I love the combo – pulled pork is tender, the broccoli and squash are cooked perfectly, and you definitely taste the cinnamon. This was the easiest pulled pork and vegetable recipe I have ever made, and certainly tasted the best! 
  • Tuscan Chicken Pomodoro
    • Thoughts: Take me to Tuscany! I love the balsamic vinegar flavor throughout. There was a little excess water after 12 minutes, but it didn’t impact the dish. The chicken was soft and tender, and the tomatoes and onions were covered in the delicious herbs and spices. This was super yummy; my Nonna would be proud!

Other Elements

  • Maple Mustard Pork
  • Sesame Garlic Chicken
  • Chipotle Turkey Scramble

Thoughts

Elements are super simple to make and absolutely delicious! I love eating clean, and in 12 minutes I have a hot, delicious meal that fuels my body for or after a long run. I never would have imagined freeze dried food would taste so good!

Elements are great for anyone on the go who wants to eat well – perfect for busy moms, athletes, people who work long hours…or if I am on a long hike!

Elements has the perfect amount of calories, protein, carbs, and fats! Each bag is anywhere from 270-310 calories, just the right amount for a meal!

Get Your Elements Review

Kickstarter

Elements is on Kickstarter! One bag of Elements retails for $11.99 USD. During the Kickstarter campaign, you can get your Elements at a cheaper price, depending on how many you would like to purchase. Make your pledge today!

Elements Giveaway

Rules: Must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the continental USA. Winner must provide name, address, e-mail, and phone number within 24 hours of the close of the giveaway or another winner will be selected. You will receive a sampler pack of Elements ($60 value) at the end of their Kickstarter Campaign. Giveaway begins on 8/14/17 at 12:00 AM and ends 8/28/17 at 12:00 AM.

Enter the Elements Giveaway!

Make sure you visit Elements on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Namaste.

Disclosure: Two bags of Elements were sent complimentary for review purposes. All opinions within are my own. If you are interested in having your products featured on Realm of Vibes, fill out the form on the Contact page. 

 

 

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Chomps: A Jerky Stick to Sink your Teeth Into

/ realmofvibes / 24 Comments

I am training for my first half marathon. I am also mostly dairy and wheat free, due to intolerances that make my skin break out into a nasty red rash. To prevent a lovely red glow, I stick to a mostly Paleo/Whole 30 diet, which makes me feel great – inside and out.

As an occupational therapist, I work in nursing homes and home care. Sometimes my lunches are in my car, or I am stuffing my face in the hallway before I enter my patient’s room. I work long hours, so eating something that is healthy and fills my belly is non-negotiable when I look for an on-the-go snack/meal.

Chomps

Take Chomps out to the ball game! Peanuts are good, Chomps are better!

Enter Chomps.

Chomps is founded by Pete Maldonado, who knew he struck gold with his homemade jerky snacks.

Chomps

Chomps Sticks

Millennials like me are awfully picky nowadays. We want grass-fed, non-GMO, sustainable food. We actually care about what we put into our bodies. We follow diets like Whole 30, Paleo, and do things like Intermittent Fasting. We like variety, too. Chomps hits the nail on the head…here’s why:

Chomps jerky sticks are:

  • 100% Grass-Fed, Non-GMO Beef
  • 100% Grass-Fed, Non-GMO Venison
  • 100% Free Range Chicken
  • No added sugars
  • No MSG or nitrates
  • No fillers or binders (celery juice is used, instead!)
  • No added preservatives
  • No antibiotics
  • Gluten-Free
  • Whole 30 and Paleo approved

Chomps is sustainable, which couldn’t make me happier. Each Chomps stick has at least 9 grams of protein and is 100 calories (Crankin’ Cran is 110 calories), which makes this a perfect snack for in between meals. A box of 5 Chomps sticks costs $11.25 USD. They can be ordered online through the Chomps website or you could search their store locator.

Chomps

Yours truly with the flavored Chomps

Enjoy Chomps in FIVE different flavors:

  • Beef, Original Flavor
    • Feedback: I love the natural beef taste mixed with the spices. I especially taste the garlic and coriander. I feel good that the beef is 100% grass fed and that there are no synthetic materials. Chomps shows me the beef!
    • Ingredients: 100% grass fed beef, water, salt, encapsulated citric acid, celery juice, black pepper, red pepper, garlic powder, coriander, stuffed in a collagen casing
  • Beef, Hoppin’ Jalapeno
    • Feedback: I am the jalapeno lady. I have a jalapeno plant in my garden. I am constantly adding jalapeno to cocktails and garnishing meals. The jalapeno compliments the beef; it isn’t too spicy, either. My husband LOVES this one!
  • Beef, Crankin’ Cran
    • Feedback: I love cranberries. I often purchase real cranberry juice and add it to my smoothies. I also make one hell of a Paleo meatloaf with cranberries. I love the Crankin’ Cran Chomps stick. It’s like Hoppin’ Jalapenos arch nemesis. This is the sweeter, softer stick. Excellent for a midmorning snack!
  • Chicken Flavor
    • I did not sample this flavor.
  • Venison, Cracked Pepper & Sea Salt
    • Feedback: I love venison because it isn’t gamey and is super lean. Chomps perfects being able to taste the meat, and adding delicious spices to enhance the flavor.
Chomps Sticks

My mom, Anna, loving her Chomps sticks

Final Thoughts

Invest in your health. Sink your teeth into Chomps. You won’t be disappointed.

Namaste.

Chomps

My husband leaving for work with a backpack full of Chomps

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Disclosure: Chomps sent me their product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.

Are you a small business owner? I am looking to feature your products/brand on Realm of Vibes. I am also looking for bloggers looking to guest post in the lifestyle realm. Please visit the Contact page and fill out the form or e-mail realmofvibesdg@gmail.com for more details.

In EPIC Proportions – Eating like our Ancestors

/ realmofvibes / 28 Comments

Most people may not know that during the week, I eat mostly Whole 30/Paleo friendly. It started when my friend and I did a Whole 30 challenge and I realized that I have a dairy intolerance (my skin breaks out into a red rash, and I suffer from severe GI issues – TMI, I know). When I ingest grains, my stomach distends and I feel exhausted. (Don’t get me wrong – on the weekends I love a slice of pizza or bowl of cereal; I just know I will not feel optimal.) That’s why, I eat a Hunter and Gatherer diet most days of the week consisting of grass fed meats, wild caught fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds. When I saw EPIC in my local ShopRite, I was intrigued. Grass fed? Gluten free? Wild caught? Bars, Strips, and BONE BROTH? I cook my bone broth for 48 hours; now I can BUY it? Score! You could only imagine how I felt when EPIC sent me a box full of goodies to review…

About EPIC

  • EPIC supports improving animal welfare so all animals eat and roam free outdoors.
  • 100% Grass Fed, 100% Wild Caught, Ducks are cage free.
  • 100% Animal Based Protein
  • Paleo
  • Gluten Free
  • Made in the USA

Reviewed Products

  • EPIC Strips
    • Wagyu Beef
    • Venison Steak
    • Turkey
    • Salmon Fillet

All I can say is Thank God EPIC sent me the sampler pack of strips because as soon as my husband saw these, he grabbed one of each and shoved them in his work backpack. (Funny how I do all the blogging and he reaps a lot of the benefits…) Since we both work professions where lunch is usually on the go, these are fantastic! They are low in sugar, high in protein, gluten free, 100% natural, and easy to eat quickly. They give us the stamina to get through our shifts. What I like is that the Wagyu Beef is tender, and the Venison Steak is super lean with the right amount of salt. The Turkey is flavorful and the Salmon helps fills my fish quota for the week. There is no BS in any of these strips! You want meat or salmon? You have meat or salmon! My husband’s favorite was the Wagyu Beef, while mine was the Venison Steak.

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  • EPIC Salmon Smoked Maple Bar
    • Wild caught
    • 120 calories
    • Salmon is my favorite fish. EPIC’s Salmon Smoked Maple Bar is perfect for a mid-day pick-me-up. If I can’t sit down to have an actual lunch, but know I will be home in a few hours, this is the perfect snack. The taste of the maple mixed with salmon is perfect; and the texture couldn’t be better – it’s not too soft, and not too hard. I would absolutely purchase this again.
  • EPIC Bison Apple Cider Bone Broth
    • 14 fluid ounces
    • 8g protein per serving
    • Hand crafted, small-batch
    • 100% pasture raised bison
    • I was making my own bone broth. It took 48 hours in a slow cooker. It was exhausting. Buy everything at the supermarket, prep the bones and vegetables, try to make everything fit in the slow cooker, let it cook for 48 hours, let it cool, strain everything, put it in the refrigerator to let the fat harden, skim the fat with a large spoon…ugh. Who has time for that? EPIC’s ready to heat Bison Apple Cider Bone Broth is a time saver. It is also delicious. I heat a cup in the morning, and sip on it until when I leave for work. I love getting natural vitamins and minerals and not being dependent on coffee. It has awesome flavor. I don’t eat bison frequently, but I prefer it over beef since it is naturally sweeter. You taste the sweetness, then the smooth tart flavor of the apple cider, making EPIC’s Bison Apple Cider Bone Broth very easy to drink. Bone broth is great to give your immune system a boost.

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I am happy to have had the opportunity to try and review EPIC’s strips, bar, and bone broth. I love that EPIC makes sustainability and careful selection of sourcing of their products a priority. I enjoy looking at the pictures on their website, which consist of people being active and alive in nature. So many processed items are on the shelves…and so many people live sedentary lifestyles. EPIC is a part of a solution to the problem. They provide products that can change lives – starting with the rancher who raises the livestock to the blogger behind the computer. You are what you eat – and I try to eat foods created by companies like EPIC that are sourced responsibly, taste great, and give me a natural source of energy to power me through a day of work.

Visit EPICBAR.com to shop or to find a store near you.

Follow EPIC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Adobe Spark (67)

Disclosure: I received EPIC products in return for a featured post on Realm of Vibes and social media platforms. All opinions and views within are authentic. Have you considered featuring your business or service on Realm of Vibes? Please visit my Collaborate page or e-mail realmofvibesdg@gmail.com to get started. 

Namaste.