Hi hi! I’m brand spankin’ new around here so let me introduce myself! My name is Natalie and I’m the newest member of team hummus.

I love love love food. Turning wholesome, nutrient dense foods into something delicious and fun is absolutely my passion. Like if I have a free afternoon you can find me busting out my oat flour and coconut sugar trying new recipes while I blast John Mayer in the kitchen. And while I love plant based foods just as much as the next girl, I’m never one to turn down cake at a birthday party or a late night ice cream run. Kale and cake both have their places in my life and it’s so wonderful.

While food is super great, there are so many other things in life that get equally as excited. Working out has been a big part of my life for years and I really enjoy experimenting with different types of training to find what I enjoy in whatever season of life I’m in. Sometimes it’s running, other times it’s strength training, and sometimes it’s not working out at all and just letting myself be. When I’m not working out or experimenting with food, I’m reading, learning to play the guitar, or grabbing drinks with friends. The little things in life are what make it so fun.

I technically started interning for Alexis in April when I was searching for something to fulfill the internship requirement for Agribusiness and Applied Economics at Ohio State. Struggling to find something I was excited about, I reached out to Alexis and the next thing you know I had my dream internship! A few weeks later I set off to Brazil where I experienced all the acai and fresh coconut water of my dreams. My time there was incredible, but I am so happy to be back to join you on the delicious adventure that is life! Let’s kick off our first time together with some fun grocery store finds, shall we?

Think peanut butter cookie meets reese’s cup filling meets super satisfying wholesome snack. This Perfect Bar is a favorite of mine not only because it’s incredible flavor, but also for it’s staying power. It seriously keeps me full for hours!

A pizza party is the best kind of party!! What better way to enjoy it than with a crust made of real ingredients that will leave you feeling satisfied?

I’m a firm believer that smoothie bowls are really just vehicles for toppings. I live for the crunch so these little crisps are such a dream! I’ve been topping all my smoothie bowls with them and eating them with almond milk as a snack. They make the milk chocolate-y and take me back to my cocoa puff eating days. Oh the nostalgia!

I know I’m not alone when I say that chickpeas and avocados are some of the most perfect foods to grace our planet. Add a little bit of spice and you have the perfect hummus!

I’m a huge fan of Mary’s Gone Crackers but THESE. They don’t exactly taste like pretzels, but they’re perfectly crunchy and salty and I can’t get enough. I think I ate half a bag on the drive to the lake last week and I regret nothing. 

I love a good veggie burger at a summer cookout, bonus points if it comes pre-made and requires no effort on my part. A lot of veggie burgs out there are pretty processed and leave me feeling less than great but these little guys have stellar ingredients and I’m excited to give them a try!

Do you have that one thing that you just love and can’t leave the store without? This ice cream is that for me. It’s the creamiest dairy-free ice cream I’ve ever had and I can’t recommend it enough!

That’s all for this month! See you in August with some more deliciously fun finds!