“Pacing the aisles in King Soopers looking for a companion to
my yogurt and I saw your sticker on a package of granola.  I looked at
your package and you offered everything I look for in food – locally
made and no high-fructose corn syrup.

Holy cow, this stuff is awesome.   While I don’t often like paying
more…  this is absolutely worth it.

Losing weight has been a struggle for me and with 120 more pounds to
go, food like this makes it easier to control the sweet tooth.  It
doesn’t even taste like it is good for me!

THANK YOU!”

-Laura

Last year, on my 21st birthday, Alex showed up with a crown, sash, bouquet of my favorite flowers and a cookie sheet FULL of dark chocolate-covered strawberries! (TRUE LOVE!)

~STRAWBERRIES~

I sunk my teeth into my first strawberry this season, and my heart raced when I tasted the sweetness of this succulent, red fruit that I had missed so much all winter! Strawberries are finally coming back into season and they are packed full of so many wonderful health benefits–and not to mention–TASTE! Let’s break down the 3 big ones:

• Antioxidants: “Antioxidants in strawberries are thought to help defend the body against several diseases and conditions, including cancer, heart disease, neurological decline, and diabetes.” (Source 1)
• Vitamin C: An awesome vitamin that helps with everything from immunity to anti-aging to healing wounds!
• Fiber: So key for intestinal health, heart health and being regular!

When strawberries are in season, I devour them pints at a time! Strawberries are great to slice up and enjoy on top of your yogurt and Love Grown granola. You can add them into your salad or even throw them into your smoothie. Alex and I, however, love making them a vehicle for melted dark chocolate! Strawberries are also an awesome addition to fresh-fruit crisps! When strawberries are in their peak this season, I suggest buying A TON, washing them, cutting out the stem, and sticking them into your freezer to enjoy throughout the winter!

BE BERRY DELICIOUS! EAT STRAWBERRIES, LOVE FULLY, and LIVE FREE!

*Note* When/if possible–buy organic. Strawberries are one of those important fruits to buy organic because most conventional strawberries are sprayed with pesticides

Breakfast of Champions!

Whole-grain rolled oats (the perfect complex carbohydrate) mixed with the low-glycemic sweetness of agave makes for the PERFECT post-race breakfast! It re-fuels the body with sustained energy and is pretty much a party on your taste-buds! THAT’S LOVE GROWN FOODS!

~        ~        ~

SPRING forward! With the time change and losing an hour, this “spring” was a little rough but totally worth it! Alex was away at the food expo west; I stayed behind to spread the LOVE and sponsor the 1st Annual Water Buffalo 5K. It was put on by the CU Swim Team and it was a truly AWESOME and SUCCESSFUL event!

One of the lead swimmers on the CU Swim Team shows off his mucles and how stoked he is to eat Love Grown!

The 5K was around the CU campus–SO NEAT–winding through the campus greens and by the brick buildings! There were lots of runners–of ALL ages! It was a great local crowd! Plus, the post-race breakfast of LOVE GROWN FOODS was a HIT!

Christine: Showing off her CHOSEN PRIZE after coming in 1st in her age group for the women

Mark (& CO.): stoked to take home his CHOSEN PRIZE for coming in 1st in his age group for the men

Not only was LOVE GROWN FOODS on each race tshirt, but all the runners got a bowl to enjoy with vanilla yogurt post-run and 2 lucky winners got to take home 3 bags as a prize for coming in 1st in their age group! We are excited for next year’s event and looking forward to hearing how the CU Swim Team does at NATIONALS!

THE CU SWIM TEAM HEADS TO NATIONALS WITH BAGS FULL OF LOVE GROWN FOODS!

I encourage you to eat more whole grains. Here at Love Grown Foods we are all about creating delicious foods that are also full of all of the things we need to be eating. Whole Grain Rolled Oats are the very first ingredient in our Original Agave Naturals. Oats are one of the many grains out there that are packed full of nutrition. Alex eats oatmeal everyday for breakfast. He is an oat fanatic. At least I know that he shouldn’t be having cholesterol issues and heart failure when he’s older…

Here are some quick facts about the health benefits of Whole Grain Rolled Oats:

• Helps Lower Cholesterol–this is great for preventing heart disease and diabetes
• High in Fiber–Insoluble fiber is needed in the body for a number of things. Fiber acts as a broom that sweeps the intestinal walls of build-up which leads to a healthy intestinal track. (Imagine if you never swept or vacuumed or house–you would have a ton of mold, dust balls, and other things hanging around. The same goes for your intestinal tract.) Fiber also is important for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease (Source 1).  Additionally, fiber is a key factor in reducing pre-menopausal breast cancer. (Source 1) SO EAT UP, LADIES! Let’s just face it: FIBER IS A SUPER HERO IN HEALTH!
• High in Antioxidants–Oats have an antioxidant compound called avenanthramides. Antioxidants are our body’s soldiers that fight the free-radical (or cancer-causing) cells. The more soldiers (i.e. eating more antioxidant-rich foods like oats) the more power your body has to continuously fight against free radical oxidation. (Source 1)
• High in Selenium–Selenium is a SUPER important nutrient that our body needs! Selenium helps lower asthma symptoms (source 1) and repairs DNA damage (the damage caused by free-radical cells that promote cancer). (Source 1)
• Stabilization of Blood Sugar–We all have those dramatic shots of energy followed by a hard crash of exhaustion. This most commonly is a result of unstable blood sugar. When we eat refined sugars and flours our body get hits with an intense rush of energy. The energy, however, doesn’t last–it’s not sustained–which is a problem. Because those things are so refined, our body goes through them quickly. Whole grains, on the other hand, provide the body with a longer lasting, more sustainable form of energy because it takes our bodies time to break down the molecules. Sustainable energy is key, plus if your blood-sugar levels are jumping all over the charts too often, it eventually takes a toll on your body. (Source 2)

I could go on and on about why we need to be eating less refined flours and more whole grains. I am a true grain lover. There are tons of options now with whole grain breads and pastas. I encourage you to replace your white bread and regular pastas with those made of whole wheat and other grains. Think about your heart, your life, and your blood sugar…and ladies, think about your breasts.

Love your body, eat Love Grown.

*Please note that the 1st source is a website that is full of LOTS of information on oats. I encourage you to read more, learn more. Knowledge is power. The second source is one of my most favorite books by a fabulous author, foodie, nutritional guru, and wellness leaders: Rebecca Wood. Her work is amazing, easy to understand, and very insightful. I linked Source 2 to her website, so for more detailed information for this particular blog post I used her book: The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia page 234.

“Hey Maddy and Alex! So Maddy, I woke up this morning and sprinkled your granola on my oatmeal like you said you did and it was AWESOME!! Jen and I also like to eat it out of bowls just raw for dessert. I couldn’t stop myself from picking out almonds out of the bag individually…whatever you do to those almonds keep up the good work!!! You guys are OUTSTANDING and I admire your hard work, determination, and positive attitude. I look forward to following the growth and success of your business. Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with next!! (chocolate??!! ahhhh!!) Good luck and best wishes!!

PS-I’ll see if Joel can come up with some “constructive” criticism…cause I can’t!!”

Love,

Alyssa from Denver, Colorado, by way of Maine and Georgia