Friday Five #14

I’m back with another Friday Five to kick off the weekend! Tbh it just didn’t feel right to post last week with the Black Lives Matter movement taking center stage (and rightfully so), so I stayed silent on my Instagram feed (and on my blog) but did some reading and research behind the scenes to be a better ally for BIPOC and signed several petitions to hopefully bring justice.

Now I’m back with some favorites from the past, well, 2 weeks! I am currently enjoying my second “summer Friday” of the year (I work 10 hour days Monday through Thursday to get three day weekends) and it’s so nice to have that extra day off!

1) Articles About Trail Running as a Black Person

I’ve always believed the outdoors should be an inclusive space, but sadly it isn’t that way, and it was eye-opening to read articles from Black trail runners about how the outdoor industry needs to do better to make sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy outdoor recreation.

Check out the links below for some good reading:

Eracism (Trail Runner Mag)

Trail Running and Anti-Racism (Medium)

No Change in Silence (Trail Runner Mag)

BIPOC Runners Speak Out About Running and Race (Runners World)

Racing to Stay Alive (Runners World)

2) Charlotte’s Web CBD Recovery Gummies

I’ve been dabbling with CBD supplements for a couple of months (thanks to Thrive Market for having an awesome selection) and thought these “recovery” gummies seemed intriguing so I gave them a shot.

These gummies are plant-based and contain 20 mg of hemp extract per serving as well as turmeric and ginger. All these ingredients are supposed to relieve inflammation that comes from regular exercise.

Two a day to keep the inflammation away!

I’ve been taking two a day for the past week and a half or so after my runs and I feel like along with my foam rolling and stretching routine, they do help with muscle and joint aches, plus they taste great (love ginger anything)!

3) Happy Color App

Coloring isn’t just for kids! I bought a coloring book from Target earlier this year and just last week, I became hooked on the Happy Color app. It’s basically like the color-by-number from your childhood but modernized because it’s on your phone (or tablet in my case). There’s something that’s just soothing about zoning out and coloring in a picture, yet at the same time, it helps me focus on the small details.

I’ve been doing a few pictures a day and it’s a nice break in my workday to step away from my computer and tune into something fun.

Most of my color-by-number pictures have been cute animals!

4) Banana Softserve

It’s funny because I hate eating bananas as is (straight from the peel) but I love frozen bananas, especially blended into softserve!

I learned about this trick a few years ago and lately, I’ve been whipping up a batch of banana softserve several times a week. It makes a great lunch on a hot day (I might even try it for dinner!) and you can make it super nutritious by adding greens and protein powder (I always add frozen spinach and I’ve been using a vanilla Amazing Grass protein powder to boost the protein content).

A recent banana softserve creation 🍌🍦

You basically blend frozen, sliced bananas in a food processor with just enough almond milk (or whatever non-dairy milk you like) to create an ice cream like texture, then add in whatever other ingredients you want! I’ve also been adding in frozen blueberries and I usually top it off with a handful of a crunchy cereal.

5) My New Lizard Friend

Say hello to this cutie! 😍

Hi, lizard friend 🦎

I spotted him or her on the patio door on Tuesday afternoon, and he or she has been there since! Lizards are super common here in Arizona and I see them climbing on the walls in the backyard all the time but this is only the second time I’ve seen one hanging out on the door!

Lizards — cute or creepy? I think they’re adorable but I know some people are freaked out by them! Have you tried banana softserve?

What I Got In My Thrive Market Box: April 2020

I’m a big fan of Thrive Market. I’ve shared about this unique online grocery store before, but basically it’s better than Amazon as far as prices, company mission, product selection and employee treatment.

I still order from Amazon occasionally for things I can’t buy from other online retailers, but I prefer to support Thrive Market when I can. I don’t order from them every month, but at least once every other month or so, and going forward I’d like to try to place an order monthly and limit my grocery shopping trips to buying perishable food like fruits and veggies, and buying more snack-y items from Thrive Market.

Right now, unfortunately, is not a good time to order frequently from Thrive Market, as they’ve temporarily paused orders due to overwhelming demand. It’s understandable but still disappointing. The coronavirus is changing all our shopping habits and putting a lot of strain on online marketplaces. I’m hopeful Thrive Market will open back up again soon.

Fortunately, I placed my most recent order shortly before they decided to close, and just got my box at the end of last week. I will say it took longer to ship than normal, which makes sense, but from the time it actually shipped to when it delivered was pretty quick, like 2 days. Keep in mind that Thrive Market is West Coast-based, so since I live in AZ my orders are delivered more quickly than they would be if you live in the Midwest or East Coast.

I will also note that there were some items I had in my cart that were out of stock by the time I ordered, which was a bummer but again, understandable. It’s a good idea to order ASAP to make sure the things you want are still in stock.

Ok, let’s get to sharing what I got in my box this time around! I actually ordered quite a few new-to-me items that I’m excited to try out, as well as a couple “staples”.

Winged Relaxation CBD Gummies

I’ve tried CBD once before (actually a free sample from Thrive Market) but I’ve been curious about using it for stress reduction. Let’s be honest, we could all use that during these uncertain times.

I have a thing for gummy supplements (as long as they’re vegan, obvs) so I had to try some CBD gummies. I like Winged because their CBD is 3rd party lab tested full spectrum hemp extract (organically grown, too). These gummies are also formulated with evening primrose oil, which may support balanced hormone levels, as well as chamomile, lemon balm and L-Theanine for a stress support complex.

I also love that Winged is geared toward women — I’m always down to support female-founded brands!

I’ve taken these for a few days now and I do notice I feel a bit more calm after eating one of the gummies, but I plan to focus on using them when I’m having a really stressful day to see how they help me cope.

Thrive Market Organic Seaweed Snacks

Seaweed snacks are a staple in my diet. I always have at least a few packets of them in the pantry!

I typically go for the teriyaki or spicy flavors because those are the most interesting options I can find at Sprouts (where I usually buy them from), so I was intrigued by the Korean Kalbi flavor offered by Thrive Market’s flagship brand.

Skout Organic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I typically buy my nuts from Trader Joe’s because they’re inexpensive but I haven’t been shopping there weekly lately, and I like to have nuts/seeds daily.

I’ve had my eye out for the newish chili and garlic cashews from TJs but haven’t been able to track them down yet. Then I remembered I ordered the Mountain Ranch pumpkin seeds from Skout and my disappointment faded. I love savory flavored nuts and seeds and I’m obsessed with the plain (salted) pumpkin seeds in the shell from TJs so I couldn’t wait to try these (vegan) ranch flavored pumpkin seeds.

These seeds are unshelled and they have a great flavor — definitely a tangy ranch vibe!

Prima The Trifecta CBD Botanical Elixir Sampler Pack

More CBD! This time, in drink mix form. I drink lots of water daily, and usually like to add something to at least one of my servings of water to spice it up. Typically, it’s a greens powder or one of the beauty powders from Pacifica but I love the idea of adding CBD to water to sip my way to better balance, focus and sleep.

This little sampler pack comes with 6 single dose packets, with 2 of each of the 3 elixirs. Besides 10 mg of hemp cannibinoids from whole plant extract, the packets also contain superfood type ingredients like ashwagandha, lion’s mane, valerian and hops.

SmartSweets Peach Rings

It’s hard for me to pick a favorite of the SmartSweets candies, but I do really love the peach rings. They’re so soft and chewy and tangy 🍑

I buy these from Thrive Market because they’re the one flavor I can’t buy at either Sprouts or Target. I can only find them at Whole Foods and I shop there once a month at most.

Cocomels Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk Caramels

This may seem weird to order in spring, but Thrive Market sold out of the chocolate-covered Cocomels and I remember liking these little pumpkin spice caramels when I ordered them last fall, so I got another 2 small bags (these, like many other candy items on Thrive Market, must be ordered in quantities of at least 2).

I’m considering adding these to cookies, if I decide to bake sometime during this quarantine. I haven’t baked anything in years because I always make so many substitutions and never end up loving the end product, plus it’s overwhelming for my eating disorder to have a bunch of home-baked treats around (it’s hard for me to justify eating them, but then I feel bad if I throw them away). But I have a mix of vegan, GF cookies from TJs that I’d like to use up, so these may make their way into those!

What new food have you bought lately? What’s your favorite nut/seed — mine right now is pumpkin seeds, but I also love cashews and pecans!