Natural Grill Cleaner

How to Clean a Grill in Three Steps

This natural and non-toxic grill cleaner produced by food journalist, Kate Kordsmeier of Root + Revel, is a must during summer! Homemade grill cleaner is not only safer and cheaper, but also makes a perfect Father’s Day gift. You just need four natural ingredients (no harmful ammonia) to clean your grill grates, improve taste, reduce gas expenses and prevent rust!

You’ll need:

1 Tbsp. Baking soda
1 Tbsp. Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
1 Tbsp. Cleaning vinegar (can substitute distilled white vinegar)
1 ball Aluminum foil, or grill brush if preferred)
2 Tbsp. Sprouts Avocado Oil Spray

Instructions:

Fill a shallow tin (I recommend an aluminum baking tin) with boiling water and stick it in the lit grill. Close the lid and let steam for 10 minutes to loosen any dirt, grime and stuck on food. Remove water pan and turn off heat when ready to clean.
Meanwhile, combine baking soda and Sal Suds with 12 ounces of warm water. Pour into a glass bottle fitted with a sprayer and add vinegar. Gently swirl to combine. Spray cleaning mixture onto grill to thoroughly coat the grates. Ball up aluminum foil until it’s the size of a baseball and scour the grill to clean. If you prefer a grill brush, that works great too.
Once the grill is clean, spray avocado oil onto a paper towel and give your grill a quick wipe over to stop it from rusting and season it for future use.

Meet Our Food Blogger

Kate Kordsmeier is a food journalist and restaurant reporter turned real food expert after her own chronic health issues (PCOS, Hypothyroidism + IBS/Leaky Gut) catapulted her into a long journey of trying to heal her body naturally. Today, she blogs full-time over at Root + Revel, a natural living site helping people strike the balance between good and good for you. Root and Revel logo

DIY Father’s Day Gift Baskets

Still searching for a last minute Father’s Day gift? Check out these DIY gift baskets your dad will love!

Father’s Day is coming up fast, and you may still be looking for the perfect gift for dad. A gift basket personalized just for him is a great, practical gift any dad would be excited to receive. Get some inspiration from these easy, DIY gift basket ideas created by our friends at Fresh Mommy Blog; Food, Pleasure & Health; and Root + Revel!

The Manly Pampering Gift Basket by Fresh Mommy Blog

While dads might not purchase pampering items for themselves, it doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy a manly pampering gift basket, or a “man-pering” basket! Impress dad with natural products that smell incredible and give him the gift of taking his morning routine up to the next level.

Supplies:

From the grocery section:

Lucky Jack and Sumptown Cold Brew Coffee
Tillamook Country Smoker Beef Jerky

From the body care section:

Cologne – Dusk by Herban Cowboy
Aftershave – Dusk by Herban Cowboy
Beard Oil – Bull Dog
Soap –The Grandpa Soap Pine Bar
Razor – Every Man Jack
Deodorant – Dusk by Herban Cowboy
Body brush or natural sponge – Bass Brushes

From a craft store:

Bucket

Instructions:

Start with a color theme! Choosing a color theme really completes the overall look of the gift. While browsing the bath and personal care aisles of Sprouts, the masculine, neutral color theme of black and brown popped, not only because so many of the men’s products fell into this color range, but I truly loved the packaging and the scents.
Gather any items that would make dad feel special, and don’t forget the little touches that he might not purchase for himself. A cologne is a top gift for dads, as well as shaving products. Add some soap and deodorant, as well as a body scrubber, to complete his pampering routine.
Next, it’s time to add a few extra treats. I stuck with a masculine theme, and our color scheme as well, and went for beef jerky.
Don’t forget something to drink! What does the dad in your life love to drink? You could find a good beer, and I love that Sprouts stocks their beer section with local brews, so there’s always something new to discover. Is dad a coffee drinker? There are some amazing cold brew available, too. Whatever you choose, try and stick with the color theme.
Choose an unexpected container to use as a gift basket! A tool box or wooden tool chest, a cooler or an ice bucket… the list goes on and on. A great container is like a gift in itself.
Once you’ve settled on a container, load it up with the goods and some shredded paper, which helps with the natural masculine feel, keeping in mind height and placement.
Give dad his gift and watch his face light up!

Grilling Guru Gift Basket by Food, Pleasure and Health

Surprise your dad with a gift basket filled with essentials for both indoor and outdoor grilling.

Supplies:

From the grocery section:

Sprouts Original Barbecue Sauce
Sprouts Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Colgin Liquid Smoke Natural Hickory Original
Sprouts Avocado Oil
Sprouts Grapeseed Oil Spray
Organic Sprouts White Corn Tortilla Chips
Farmhouse Culture Zesty Garden Veggie Kraut Krisps
2 boxes Sprouts Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese
LaCroix Natural Lime Sparkling Water
Pamela’s Honey Grahams Graham Style Crackers
Sprouts 54% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar
Sprouts Toffee Caramel 33% Milk Chocolate Bar
Cabo Fresh Authentic Guacamole
Mocajete Salsa Roja Cup
Sprouts Broccoli Slaw
Mix of veggies, like bell peppers, squash, onions
Fresh ground chicken breast
Butcher Shop boneless, skinless chicken breast

From the body care section:

Everyone Lavender & Aloe Lotion
Everyone 3-In-1 Lavender & Aloe Soap

From a craft store:

Basket or galvanized tub
Cardboard
Tissue paper
Fabric
Cellophane bag

Instructions:

Gather all the supplies from your favorite craft store such as basket, galvanized tub, cooler, riser, tissue paper or fabric for décor.
Purchase all the groceries including produce, meat, condiments and personal items from your local Sprouts.
Lay the basket or galvanized tub flat on a floor and put empty cardboard box or riser for height.
Cover the riser/cardboard box with tissue paper or fabric.
Arrange the non-perishable ingredients – think about color combination and height to make it visually appealing.
Cover with cellophane bag, bows or other decorations as desired.
Add ice to the cooler and pack it with perishable items like produce, raw meat, etc.

Mindful Man Gift Basket by Root + Revel

This Father’s Day, instead of picking just one gift for your mindful man, how about putting together a fun collection of delicious, yet healthy, foods and practical personal care products that he is bound to love?

Supplies:

From the grocery section:

Hope Foods Buffalo Blue Hummus
Sprouts Organic Blue Corn Chips
Surf Sweets Organic Candy
Sprouts Organic Pink Salt Popcorn with Coconut Oil
Sprouts Organic Salt + Vinegar Chips
Sprouts Organic Teriyaki Beef Jerky
Sprouts Thai Chili Beef Jerky
Wild Tonic Blackberry Mint Jun Kombucha
La Colombe Draft Latte in Vanilla and Mocha

From the body care section:

Dr. Bronner’s Shaving soap
EveryOne soap for Every Man
EO Lotion for Men
Badger Anti-Bug Balm
Badger Beard Oil
Sprouts Salt Stone Deodorant
Gaia Herbs Male Libido Supplement

Instructions:

Rather than using a girly gift basket that the Father in your life will likely toss or forget about entirely, wrap all these healthy goodies up in something they’ll actually use. I opted for a veggie grill wok because what dad doesn’t love to grill?
Gift and watch dad enjoy all his goodies!

Sustainable Fish Facts

Which is better, wild-caught or farm-raised fish? The answer is both—there are pros and cons to each. While we might refer to them collectively as fish or seafood, multiple species, including crustaceans (shrimp) and bivalves (oysters, mussels, clams and scallops), can be considered either wild-caught or farm-raised.

Wild-Caught Fish

Just like it sounds, wild-caught fishes are caught in their native habitat using nets, hand-lines, divers or traps. Wild-caught can be a healthier choice for a variety of reasons. They eat a natural diet in their native habitat which means they are potentially exposed to less man-made pollutants. The reverse side is that some fishes may contain more mercury and/or were not responsibly sourced. A logo to look for, when purchasing seafood, is the Marine Stewardship Council logo. Buying products with this logo ensures it was responsibly sourced.

Visit the Marine Stewardship Council website.

Farm-Raised Fish

Also known as aquaculture, fishes that are farmed don’t endanger wild populations—a great reason to choose them. But it can have drawbacks including crowded conditions, toxins, pesticides, antibiotics and parasites. Take heart though, when you see the Best Aquaculture Practices Certified logo, you know you’re getting responsibly farmed fish. BAP certifies the entire production chain: farms, feed mills, hatcheries and processing plants—so you can feel good about the seafood you’re serving your family!

Visit the Best Aquaculture Practices website.

MegaFood Gummies

four bottles of MegaFood gummies on a wood background

MegaFood’s new gummies are made without high-fructose corn syrup, gelatin, added flavors, colors or preservatives—at all! They’re also vegan and free of gluten, dairy and soy. But what’s not missing at all is flavor, that’s because all their gummies are made with a special Slo-Food Process™ that incorporates real fruits and vegetables. In fact, at MegaFood, they use over 500,000 pounds of fresh fruit and veggies a year in their supplements from trusted farm partners. Each of MegaFood’s new gummies has two grams or less of sugar and all have bold and uniquely tasty flavors. And if you hold them up to the light—you can see specks of those real healthy fruits they’re made of!

D3 Wellness – Supports Bone, Muscle & Immune Health*

Combining fresh Florida oranges, sweet Quebec blueberries, tangy Wisconsin cranberries and spicy Kauai ginger together in one gummy? Yep. MegaFoods did that in their Mixed Fruit D3 gummies. The result of this delicious combination is a bold fruity start with a light ginger finish.

B12 Energy – Supports Cellular Energy Production*

These B12 gummies come in two taste-bud stimulating flavors, cranberry and ginger. Delightfully zingy and tangy, they might just become you’re new favorite afternoon pick-me-up.

C Defences – Supports Daily Immune Function*

Mmm … you’ll feel like you took a bite of a fresh organic orange when you try the Tangy Citrus flavor of this vitamin C gummy. Did you know? Nearly half the population (40%) has a hard time swallowing pills—but there’s nothing hard to swallow about MegaFood’s new line of gummies. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Cooking Up Goodness with Vital Farms

Matcha Butter Latte

Whether you’re looking for a breakfast booster, coffee alternative or an afternoon pick me up, you’ve found just the right drink to hit the spot! This drink will be a new favorite of yours. It works great as a latte and is even refreshing when blended with ice.

Benefits of matcha:

Can boost energy, mood and metabolism, all while tasting good!
Is packed with antioxidants
Supports higher levels of concentration

Ingredients:

1 tsp. matcha
1 Tbsp. Vital Farms Butter
1 Tbsp. MCT oil or coconut oil
2 Tbsp. collagen powder or vanilla protein
1 squirt vanilla Stevia
Dash of cinnamon
6-8 oz. unsweetened coconut milk

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together until blended into a puree.

Tip: Remix your drink by adding ice to make it a little cooler or add another teaspoon of greens powder for an easy way to get those greens in!

Egg Fried “Rice”

This is a simple recipe you can use to improve your vegetable intake. It provides a very satisfying alternative to the typical starch base, using a sweet potato instead of rice!

Ingredients:

2 Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Eggs
1 medium sweet potato or 2 small/medium parsnips
1 Tbsp. Vital Farms Butter
1/2 tsp. garlic
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
Dash of Himalayan sea salt

Directions:

Preheat a medium-sized sauce pan on medium-high.
Rinse and chop potato or parsnips. Use a food processor to chop into rice-sized pieces. It works best to pulse about five times for about two seconds each time. A subtle shake can help break the pieces up evenly. Depending on the size of your processor, you may need to do a couple runs.
Toss chopped vegetables into the sauce pan and use with a wooden spoon to slightly toast without oil or butter for three minutes.
Add butter to pan and continue to toss for three minutes.
Add seasonings and eggs. Scramble eggs into veggie mixture. Stir for two additional minutes to prevent sticking.
Add more seasonings, if desired.

Optional Add-Ins:

Leafy greens, like spinach or kale
Hot sauce or broth to sauce pan with chopped veggies
Hemp hearts for protein and fiber
Fermented vegetables
Nutritional yeast
Sliced avocado before serving

Video Description: Facebook Live with Jason Sani!

World Fair Trade Day

As a consumer, every purchase you make is a vote within the market place. You have the ability to influence not only which products you see on shelves, but also where those products come from and how they’re made. When you choose fair trade products and ingredients, you help improve the lives of farmers, farm-workers, producers and their families. World Fair Trade Day is May 12th this year. A global celebration of fair trade, it brings together thousands of people who are committed to building healthy and sustainable communities worldwide. Vote for positive change this May and every day when you purchase dedicated fair trade brands.

10 Principles of Fair Trade*

Opportunities for disadvantaged producers
Transparency & accountability
Fair trade practices
Fair payment
No child labor, no forced labor
No discrimination, gender equity, freedom of association
Good working conditions
Capacity building
Promote fair trade
Respect for the environment

*Courtesy of the World Fair Trade Organization website

Did you know?

The Fair Trade movement started in the United States in 1946. You can read more about the history of the Fair Trade movement on the World Fair Trade Organization website.

Rosé All May

If you’re looking for an easy-drinking summer wine, rosé is a crisp, lean, delicious and refreshing option that is easy to shop. Made all around the world, rosé is produced from a variety of red grapes with minimal contact from their grape skins, which results in the soft color.

Shades of Pink

Darker rosé may be slightly richer and can sometimes be a bit fruitier than the paler options, which may suggest floral notes.

Looking for something sweet?

Find one from the U.S., South America or Australia. They’re fruitier, sweeter and usually have a lower alcohol content. Italy, Spain and France will typically provide a crisp and tart wine with an ABV above 11%.

What’s Your Rosé Style?

A wine’s style is represented by its flavor, body and overall taste experience. For Rosé, there are three styles to choose from:

Soft & Off-dry

Offering flavors of berries, cherry, apple and peach. Pairs perfectly with Mexican dishes and spicy curry.

Easy-going & Fruity

Light and refreshing, these styles feature flavors of summer berries and are perfect paired with appetizers, bbq and pizza.

Medium-bodied & Dry

Full flavored with notes of cherry, vanilla, strawberry and even a bit of pepper. Grilled meats, salmon and fresh veggies will make the complete experience for this style.

Spiked Lavender Pink Lemonade

For the Lavender Syrup:

Ingredients:
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 Tbsp. Dried lavender

Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan, bring water and lavender to a boil.
2. Stir in sugar until completely dissolved.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Let cool and steep for about 15 minutes.
5. Pour mixture through a strainer, pressing on lavender to get all the syrup out.

For the Lemonade:

Ingredients:
- Lavender simple syrup
- 1 bottle Sprouts Pink Sparkling Lemonade
- 1 bottle Rosé
- Lemons, thinly sliced (for garnish)
- Lavender springs (for garnish, optional)

Instructions:
1. Fill a large pitcher with ice.
2. Pour in lavender syrup, lemonade and rosé.
3. Add lemon slices in to the pitcher and stir.
4. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with lavender sprigs.

Choosing Non-GMO

bunch of carrots pulled from the ground with soil and red shovel in background

What Is a GMO?

A GMO is a genetically modified organism—a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism—whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory and does not occur in nature. There are two ways to avoid GMOs in your food, both include looking for specific labels on the products you purchase.

Choose Organic

A great way to avoid GMOs is to buy organic! The USDA Organic standards prohibit the use of GMOs in farming and food processing. Products with the USDA Organic seal are also free from growth hormones and antibiotics, as well as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. You’ll find thousands of organic products at your local Sprouts.

Visit the USDA Organic website.

Look for the Butterfly

You can also look for the Non-GMO Project Verified logo. Since its inception in 2010, this non-profit has been committed to preserving and building the non-GMO food supply, educating consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices. There are now over 43,000 products that are Non-GMO Project Verified. You can find thousands of products with this label at your local Sprouts—just look for the butterfly!

Visit the Non-GMO Project Verified website.

Organic Certified Food Labels

Organic certified food labels: agricultural field with tractor and barn in background

Whether you regularly shop organic, or looking to learn more, this article will shed some light on a variety of common and not-so-common logos you see on products you purchase at Sprouts. A product is deemed organic if it is free of synthetic additives including pesticides, chemical fertilizers and dyes. The USDA Organic logo has been in use for nearly two decades, but other logos are new and emerging. It’s an exciting time in the organic field!

What is USDA Organic?

When you purchase a product with the USDA Organic label on it, you can be assured it’s made with at least 95% organic ingredients and is non-GMO (does not contain genetically modified organisms). The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 established the National Organic Program, but the use of the logo was not implemented until the early 2000s. You can find thousands of organic products at Sprouts!

Visit the USDA Organic website.

Transitional Organic Certified by QAI

You might not have seen or noticed the QAI certification logo before—that’s because it’s relatively new. In 2016, this program, certifying at least 51% of the contents are transitional organic, was rolled out. It allows small- and medium-sized farms to transition to organic over a three-year period. The benefits of the QAI certification are three-fold: for those smaller farms, it helps to off-set the cost of transitioning their farm to organic. For you, it means more better-for-you choices are available. And for the world at large, this certification is helpful to the organic movement.

Visit the Transitional Organic Certified website.

ROC Regenerative Organic Certification

The newest label to the organic family, this certification builds upon the existing USDA Organic seal you’re likely familiar with. In addition to meeting the USDA Organic standards, farmers must also work to increase soil health, animal welfare and worker fairness. Three levels of certification—Bronze, Silver and Gold—ensure progressively more rigorous organic standards. Learn more: Check out our article about regenerative agriculture and visit the Regenerative Organic Certified website.

Did you know?

Farmers are struggling to keep up with the growing demand for organic products—less than one percent of U.S. farmland is certified organic. Interested to learn more? Check out this history of organic farming!

Coconut Aminos

Coconuts are one of our favorite island-fresh, nutty fruits because they’re packed full of flavor and brimming with good-for-you nutrients. But what are coconut aminos? And why would you want to add them to your shopping basket, let alone food? Are they paleo-friendly? Let’s find out!

Mystery Sauce

Packaged in a bottle, coconut aminos contain just two ingredients, coconut sap and sea salt. Yep, that’s it! Not only is it paleo-friendly, it’s also gluten- and soy-free making it a great addition to your pantry. Coconut sap is extracted from cut stems and the resulting material is full of potassium, vitamin C, B vitamins and 17 amino acids. Add that to the fact that coconut aminos have a similar and slightly sweeter taste than soy sauce with about one-third less sodium—and that’s tasty news indeed.

Say what?

Oh! And by the way, coconut aminos don’t taste like coconuts! But what can you use this savory-sweet sauce for? It’s a terrific substitute for soy sauce—a non-paleo-friendly condiment since it’s made from a legume. So feel free to use it in any recipe you’re converting to your paleo lifestyle. Or, try these easy recipes below for an amino boost that can’t be beat!

How to Clean a Grill in Three Steps

You’ll need:

Instructions:

Meet Our Food Blogger

Still searching for a last minute Father’s Day gift? Check out these DIY gift baskets your dad will love!

The Manly Pampering Gift Basket by Fresh Mommy Blog

Supplies:

Instructions:

Grilling Guru Gift Basket by Food, Pleasure and Health

Supplies:

Instructions:

Mindful Man Gift Basket by Root + Revel

Supplies:

Instructions:

Wild-Caught Fish

Visit the Marine Stewardship Council website.

Farm-Raised Fish

Visit the Best Aquaculture Practices website.

D3 Wellness – Supports Bone, Muscle & Immune Health*

B12 Energy – Supports Cellular Energy Production*

C Defences – Supports Daily Immune Function*

Matcha Butter Latte

Benefits of matcha:

Ingredients:

Directions:

Tip: Remix your drink by adding ice to make it a little cooler or add another teaspoon of greens powder for an easy way to get those greens in!

Egg Fried “Rice”

Ingredients:

Directions:

Optional Add-Ins:

10 Principles of Fair Trade*

Did you know?

Shades of Pink

Looking for something sweet?

What’s Your Rosé Style?

Soft & Off-dry

Easy-going & Fruity

Medium-bodied & Dry

Spiked Lavender Pink Lemonade

What Is a GMO?

Choose Organic

Visit the USDA Organic website.

Look for the Butterfly

Visit the Non-GMO Project Verified website.

What is USDA Organic?

Visit the USDA Organic website.

Transitional Organic Certified by QAI

Visit the Transitional Organic Certified website.

ROC Regenerative Organic Certification

Did you know?

Farmers are struggling to keep up with the growing demand for organic products—less than one percent of U.S. farmland is certified organic. Interested to learn more? Check out this history of organic farming!

Mystery Sauce

Say what?

Communication Preferences