My top 4 overall picks from Natural Foods Expo West 2014 was extremely hard to narrow down to.

It was so hard that when I was told to pick 3, I ended up choosing 4 (per the usual, marching to my own beat)!

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There was one main criteria for my top picks: minimal ingredients to fall in line with my life motto of living unprocessed. All products below are Certified Gutsy.

My Top 4 Overall Picks from Natural Foods Expo West 2014

Barnana: Organic Original Chewy Banana Bites

Bananas have been a key “sweet” ingredient for me to have on hand at all times during my gut healing journey. Bananas are a monosaccharide, and I adore them.

Since bananas are my favorite fruit, it should come as no surprise that these unprocessed banana bites were a favorite. The concept behind them is simple: take a single ingredient and make it the main event (like others have done and are beginning to do ->, Pomegranate seeds, Chia seeds, etc.) <- at least this is what co-founder Matt Clifford told me.

The Barnana Organic Original Chewy Banana Bites are a top find because they are chewy, delicious and non-GMO. They have officially stolen my heart as a new way to snack on bananas.

Ingredients: organic banana and banana powder

On long runs, most runners do Gu’s and gels. Not me, and now I have found my own perfect “energy nibble” for mile 11-ish!  {Bonus: I could easily mesh these with the A Loving Spoon Honey Vanilla Bourbon Peanut Butter.}

Big Tree Farms: Coconut Palm Nectar, Blonde

I have loved Big Tree Farms for a while now, and have always used their Coconut Sugar.

I first tried their Coconut Palm Nectar at the Fancy Food Show West a couple months ago, and took some home with me and began playing around with it. Ryan even took a liking to it immediately! So when I saw it again this past weekend, I investigated it a little more.

The Coconut Palm Nectar, Blonde is a top find because it is, “100% pure coconut flower blossom nectar, which means it’s low glycemic and high nutrient.” They never mix with cane sugar, and the company adheres to top-quality standards.

Ingredients: Organic Coconut Flower Blossom Nectar.

The nectar will be perfect for baking, drizzled over fruit and even as the perfect dash of sweet to my coffee.

Dang Foods: toasted coconut chips, caramel sea salt

Cliché, but dang the Dang Foods toasted coconut chips, caramel sea salt were amazing! I eat coconut daily: coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut flour, unsweetened coconut, coconut butter and now, coconut chips.

The Dang Foods toasted coconut chips, caramel sea salt are a top find due to their minimalist ingredient meshed with “crunch-snack” element. I love that I could easily pack these up in a BlueAvocado bag (another one of my favorite Expo product finds) and carry them along with me for a quick and awesome snack (something that is going to be even more critical – see Monday’s defeat – as I begin traveling more for work.)

Ingredients: coconut, coconut sugar, sea salt

I will likely develop recipes with these, and have them along with me for general snacking and travel eats.

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps: the company

Dr. Bronner’s is a company that stands for so many unbelievable things. They have a deep and true commitment to organic integrity, labeling GMO’s and Fair Trade practices.

I had been using their Castile Soap for various things already when I had the pleasure of meeting with their team at the Expo. I learned so much more about their company, and I truly felt their passion with and in everything they do, say, believe and produce. They taught me more about Fair Trade, and I began to look deeper within on my own desires to make more of a commitment to the practice.

I have several of their products (but did not know they had a Coconut Oil!), and in the coming weeks hope to use them and report back. But for now, I simply chose Dr. Bronner’s as a top find because of every single thing they stand for. They see their company as, “a means to create resources to help build a better world for everyone.”

And at the end of the day, isn’t this what all companies, people, and brands should stand for?

Interested in more Expo West posts and product reviews? You’ll find them all HERE.

Xox,
SKH