During a warm July almost three summers back our family was hit with a crisis. Parenting my two young boys was all consuming. I have a handful of allergies and could not muster the energy to make a separate meal for myself.
Unlike other stressful times in my life where I turned to food for comfort, now I had completely lost my appetite. This stream of stress triggered cranky G.I. symptoms of acid reflux and nausea. At the time skipping meals seemed sensible.
I was drinking most of my meals- pea protein, fruit, ice. While a far cry from the canned Slimfast of the 90’s- this liquid holdover was not viable long-term. My dear friend recommended a fresh food delivery program. The last time I subscribed to a daily service was a few months before my wedding, it was called The Zone. It was plain awful, a first-class airplane meal at best. One late night I checked out my friend’s suggestion called Sakara. The two glowing, gorgeous founders, Whitney Tingle and Danielle Duboise, launched the brand to heal themselves. As a two-decade wellness seeker their origin story resonated. Sakara is a whole food, plant-rich diet plan. Their mission is healing through foods. Healthy but make it seductive. I was skeptical that sex appeal and nutrition could be bedfellows. I signed up on a lark.
Soon my first delivery dropped at my doorstep. My expectations were mediocre at best. When I opened up the box, I discovered a welcoming care package nestled on top. These ladies know how to cheer a sister up. This was in sharp contrast to the sleepaway camp care packages my mother sent up to the Adirondacks. She obliged my pre-teen sweet tooth of Tang and Toblerone, but nary a note inside, but I digress. My Sakara welcome package signaled this was more than healthy meals and winsome graphics- this was an orientation into a wholistic (and sexy approach) to being well. A menu highlighting the upcoming week’s theme and thought starters was tucked alongside sachets of Dextox Tea, two infusions for water (one a relaxing rose essence), and CBD beautifying chocolates. Finally, I pulled out a Palo Santo smudge stick-this got my attention- they’re setting the tone for their new customers with evocative smoke to imprint a positive memory. They were flirting with a wellness nerd- and it was working. I was totally down with the multisensorial rituals- tea, smoke, and chocolates. The little pleasures did slow me down. I started to blend them into daily rituals. Instead of watching my kids eat, while I slurped on a straw, I lit candles and enjoyed eating with them. Sakara is a Sanskrit phrase that means “from thoughts to things”. The resulting “thing” for me was being able to switch into “rest and digest” mode, eat nourishing foods, and savor our family meals.
Danielle Duboise and Whitney Tingle, cookbook: Eat Clean Play Dirty.
Sakara recruits world-class chefs. The menus deliver fiber and nutrient-dense superfoods. Between the flavor and presentation, you will forget this is molecular-level nutrition-science at work. One reality check, you will have to learn to love dark leafy greens because, well, dark leafy greens for vitality. Your gut, skin, and microbiome will thank you.
The novelty of Sakara’s breakfasts made me realize I had too long been on auto-pilot every morning with my blender. Now I was unveiling sweet waffles with fresh jams, crunchy granolas with pretty nut “mylks” (cue the creamiest Pantone pastels). Lunch is often a copious fluffy bowl of organic lettuces with killer dressings, maybe a cumin-spiced bean burger or sesame soba noodles. Dinner can be pesto over brown rice penne with broad beans or an enchilada dressed in salsas and cabbage slaw.
Every Sakara meal is accompanied by a little narrative about the plant-food alchemy. I always take a moment to read the benefits. I feel good knowing my sesame soba noodles are a magnesium-rich radiance booster. You can call me a nutrition nerd- I take it as a compliment. (On a more serious note, I manage an autoimmune condition with wholesome healing foods).
You have to taste and experience Sakara. For the health food averse- you will not miss gluten, processed sugar, and dairy. In fact, you will develop an entirely new palate and body awareness. After a week on the program, you will feel noticeably better. Sakara has figured out how to infuse pleasure into a marriage of healthy living. I find it an alluring proposition.
Explore it yourself sakara.com or get busy in your kitchen with the Eat Clean Play Dirty cookbook.
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