Favorites and Super Bowl snacking with Whole Foods Market 365

Hi, my friends! A great big Happy Friday to you! So here we are into the second month of the year already, my goodness. Do you have any big plans for the Super Bowl? We’re having a couple of friends over, and I’ll talk more about Super Bowl food in a bit.

So what’s been going on this week? Other than the fact that this was another three-blog-post week, things have been going okay with the A Lady Goes West fam. We tried a few new things to help Brady sleep better at night, including purchasing the $40 Magic Merlin sleep suit, and that didn’t go over well. We had him out of it before midnight on the first night and before 11 p.m on the second night. He wasn’t a fan. Send help! And people swear by this suit, but clearly, Brady is in the minority.

We also had Brady’s 4-month doctor’s appointment on Wednesday and found out he now weighs 15 pounds and 10 ounces, which means he is way more than double his birth weight. I mean, look at this cutie during his appointment …

Such a soft little man …

In other news, my workouts were pretty good this week too, usually 30 minutes of something, followed by a 30-minute walk, and that’s pretty much the report!

This weekend, we’ll be laying low tonight, I’m teaching Bootybarre on Saturday morning, and we’ve got some friends coming over on Sunday. Now, let’s hop into the favorites ….

Easy Super Bowl snacking with Whole Foods Market 365

This portion of the post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market 365 and Whole Foods Market Northern California. Thanks for supporting our sponsors, and I’m super excited about this one!

A couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to check out the new Whole Foods Market 365 store in Concord. What is a 365 store? Well, it’s not a Whole Foods Market, but is a more affordable and convenient option, with products that cost less, but still have the same great quality as Whole Foods Market. There are a lot of ready-to-eat foods, tons of products from the 365 brand, organic produce, etc..

You’ll notice when you’re inside a Whole Foods Market 365 that there are deals for loyalty members, flash sales and all sorts of promotions to save you some cash. Love that! Well, the newest location just opened in Concord, and there are stores coming soon to Oakland and San Francisco. You can also find locations on the East Coast, Southern California and Texas with more coming soon, so check the store locator here.

That being said, I browsed my local Whole Foods Market 365 to look for some healthy and affordable Super Bowl snacks, and here’s what I came up with … (And yes, these are ready to eat, because Brady does not like mommy spending too much time in the kitchen these days.)

Pita chips + hummus + baby carrots

Is it just me or could you eat hummus by the spoonful? Whenever I have a party, I like to put hummus out, and I typically like the plain or roasted red pepper variety. I picked up a bag of 365 Ancient Grains and Flax Pita Chips ($2.39), 365 Roasted Red Pepper Hummus ($2.99) and a small bag of 365 Organic Petite Carrots ($1.50) to go together — because it just feels healthier when you have a veggie dipper as an option, even if you don’t use it. Am I right? (Baby carrots are un-pictured today.)

The pita chips are vegan and made with quinoa, millet and sorghum, but our party guests won’t need to know that. 

Sweet plantain chips

Something about plantain chips makes me feel like I’m on vacation. I happen to love all things plantains and never buy them, so when it came to planning my Super Bowl snacking, I had to fit these in. They are from the Terra line ($3.49).

These babies are made with coconut oil, are non-GMO and gluten free too. But all I care about is the sweet taste and crunch.

Tortilla chips + spicy guacamole + green salsa

Colored tortilla chips are my jam! I know they don’t always taste that much different than the standard yellow ones, but I gravitate toward colored chips. I picked up a bag of 365 Lightly Salted Blue Corn Tortilla Chips ($2.69) to go with either the huge tub of 365 Spicy Guacamole (made fresh and from the dip aisle and $8.51) or 365 Salsa Verde (also made fresh from the dip aisle and $4).

While guacamole is pretty easy to make, I was looking for super convenient and ready-made items, and the 365 tub of guac perfect for that — there’s probably a lot of avocados in there, making it worthy of being the most expensive item I bought, still under $9. Guac is another thing I can eat by the spoonful, by the way. And I know for a fact that some of you can too.

The tortilla chips are stone ground and organic, so woot woot.

Chocolate chip cookies

I spent far too long in the sweets aisle and ultimately decided on these 365 Two-Bite Chocolate Chip Cookies ($3.99), because they are always a crowd pleaser, and nobody will know they are non-GMO and made from cage-free eggs, they will just know they are tasty.

Yes, they are small, so you don’t feel like you’re eating too much. But yes, you are likely to eat multiple cookies. Perhaps I should have picked up more than one box? Okay, I’ll go back for more …

So that’s my spread for the big game, not including some adult beverages, flavored water and a great big pizza for dinner after half-time too. As you can see, I picked up healthier items, which were pretty well-priced and definitely full of good flavor! 

I had so much fun shopping at Whole Foods Market 365 and picking out food for the party, I also picked up some kombucha, fresh produce and 365 Organic Green Tea to fill out my pantry too. Three cheers for healthy and affordable foods. And P.S. These pull-able hand-baskets come in clutch when you’ve also got a sleeping baby in the stroller … 🙂 

Thank you to Whole Foods Market 365 and Whole Foods Market Northern California for sponsoring this mention! I received compensation and a gift card to shop, but all opinions and thoughts are my own.

My new tea kettle

Last weekend, I splurged on a new tea kettle, and I was definitely in need. I had been using my previous tea kettle for five years, and it had been a gift for our wedding in 2012 … yup. The plastic on the top was melted, and I’m pretty sure I was getting some form of toxic poisoning every morning when I used it. Well, a move into a new house seemed like the perfect time for a new kettle …

I picked this one up at Crate and Barrel, using a gift card from my brother and his fiance, and am so happy with it — cream is one of my favorite colors and is also the color of our kitchen cabinets, by the way. (You’re getting a sneak peek at our kitchen in this picture, and once we have more rooms filled up, I’ll share more of the house.)

The whistle is much more muted than my last kettle, and the top fits so nicely. Also, the plastic handle doesn’t get super hot, and it doesn’t melt, so it’s a major improvement. Simple design and functionality are all you need. I’m a fan!

Favorite links from around the web

• FUNNY STUFF: This is by far my favorite thing I saw on the Internet this week. I have to thank Dave for texting it to me in the morning after another not-so-great night of sleep from Brady. Even if you aren’t a parent yet, you’ll get a kick out of this one.
• FOOD & FITNESS STUFF: I have to give props to Erin for this great piece on what you should invest in for your food and fitness lifestyle. I want to get an Instant Pot and a Vitamix. What do you think? Do any of you have either?
• BLOGGING AND READERS: Hope you didn’t miss the reader survey results I posted. Thank you to everyone who took the survey and provided input. You guys are the best! It means SO much to me to hear some of your kind feedback on what’s happening on A Lady Goes West, and I wanted to thank you again.
• FITNESS TIPS: I LOVE using kettlebells. Now these are something I only have access to when I get to the gym, which as you know is rare these days. I’m also kettlebell certified, by the way. Kettlebells are very dynamic and they offer a different kind of workout that using dumbbells, which is why I enjoy them. It’s best to read up on form before trying your hand at kettlebells, and it’s even better to get a little help from a trainer. But if you’re game to try, here are some awesome moves. I particularly like the swing, of course!
• COLLAGEN SALE: You guys know my love for Vital Proteins collagen. Well, if you are looking for a gift for a health-conscious friend, Vital Proteins is offering the cutest bundle packages for collagen peptides along with an adorable latte mug for Valentine’s Day. Check out the deal here. The creamer is perhaps still my favorite VP product though.

Have a WONDERFUL day and weekend, my friends! I’ll see you back here soon!

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Questions of the day

Will you be watching the Super Bowl? What’s your favorite party snack?

What are most looking forward to about the month of February?

Who is excited for Justin Timberlake’s performance? This girl!