The Best of Expo West 2016
Guys, I seriously can’t overemphasize this — today’s giveaway is the BIGGEST EVER.
But first, let’s talk about Expo West :)
Every year, throngs of healthy food enthusiasts flock from all over the west coast to the Anaheim Convention Center with hopes of overflowing their eco-friendly, reusable grocery bags with massive amounts of delicious snacks.
Every tastebud tantalizing treat you can imagine is on display, just waiting to be devoured.
It’s called Natural Foods Expo West and it’s the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory of healthy food.
My favorite thing about this three-day extravaganza is getting to check out all of the latest and greatest natural/organic products before many of them even hit the shelves.
While they’d be considered suspicious foreign substances to your average consumer, things like black bean-based cereal, chia seed pudding, pinot noir flavored salt, prickly pear water, and mushroom supplements (for your dog) are common place in this healthy foodie playground.
Naturally, I don’t want my amazing loyal readers to be in the dark about all of this cutting-edge stuff, so each year I round-up my favorite products from the Expo and give you guys the chance to win every single one of them. And I gotta say — this year’s giveaway is the biggest and the best yet.
Not only will the winners get one of every product in this roundup (15 total) but this year, there will be 15 winners!
That’s 225 products up for grabs!
Hungry yet?
Read on for my picks of The Best Products of Expo West 2016 and enter to win all of them at the bottom of the post!
The Best of Expo West 2016
I usually just buy lightly salted almonds. Or, if I want them flavored and am feeling resourceful, I’ll whip up a batch of my Sweet + Salty Almonds at home. So when I first tried AgStandard, I was blown away. These are the tastiest almonds I have ever tried — ever. It would be impossible to replicate the intense flavor of these psychedelic nuts at home, and I wouldn’t even want to try.
The locally grown and produced large, crunchy almonds are wood-smoked, non-GMO, vegan, and made with in-house blended herbs and spices — no refined sugar or artificial flavoring here.
2. Alexia Southern Sweet Potato Blend
Recently, I’ve been trying to be a better “Suzie Homemaker” and make more creative dinners for the hubs on weeknights. However, after a long day at school, the last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen. I want a tasty, exciting dinner, and I want it fast.
Alexia’s frozen potato and veggie bags are a huge time-saver. They’re pre-seasoned with natural herbs and spices (no artificial flavoring or added sugar here) and frozen at the peak of freshness so you don’t have to worry about losing nutrients (nutrition fact: frozen veggies are just as healthy as fresh).
As a sweet potato addict, this blend is by far my fav. Toss it with some black beans or chicken and a side of quinoa and you’re good to go!
3. Ancient Harvest POW! Mac + Cheese
When I approached the Ancient Harvest booth at Expo West, my ears immediately perked at the sound of one phrase: “healthy mac + cheese.” Sold. Nuff said. Who doesn’t like macaroni and cheese? No one. A person like that doesn’t exist.
With Ancient Harvest’s new pasta, you can now have your mac + cheese — with a dose of fiber, healthy whole grains, and plant-based protein. The pasta is made from organic lentils and quinoa, so it’s gluten-free for my celiacs out there, it’s low in saturated fat, and it tastes incredible.
4. Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP Popcorn
Angie’s has been around for a while now and I’m guessing you’re familiar with their adorable pastel packaging.
I’ve enjoyed their tasty, low-cal kernels for ages but this year at the Expo I got a special treat. I got to meet the woman behind this fantastic brand.
At about 5′ 2″ and sporting a bright pink A-line dress and ear-to-ear smile, Angie is just as adorable as her packaging. She told me the story of developing the brand in her garage with her husband as a way to earn money to send their kids to college. Now, with both her children earning their degrees and a booming business, she gives back to the community by helping teach children about sustainable farming.
BOOMCHICKAPOP is a delicious, healthy snack, that you can also feel good about getting behind.
One word: WOW.
You should have seen my eyes light up when I tried these for the first time. The flavor and crunchy flabulosity of these chickpeas is off the charts. Chickpeas are such a great snack because they’re high in protein and fiber and will help keep you full between meals.
They come in a ton of tasty flavors, but Rockin’ Ranch is my fav!
I haven’t been a huge supporter of the multitude of “exotic waters” on the market these days. A lot of them are high in sugar or just taste funky (sorry aloe – not a fan). So I was a bit hesitant when I first heard of CaliWater. It’s made of prickly pear cactus extract and cactus puree.
I tried it for the first time at the Expo though and was immediately like, “Where have you been all my life my sweet desert friend?!”
I should have known having grown up in the desert that I would naturally bond with this beverage. It’s so refreshing, subtly sweet, and totally free of added sugar. In fact, there’s a mere 2 grams of sugar and 10 calories per bottle yet tons of electrolytes and antioxidants called betalains. Cheers.
Stop the presses, I’ve got breaking news — well, not breaking actually since these eggs don’t come in a shell. Ok, I’ll stop with the lame jokes and get to the point.
Follow Your Heart’s new VeganEgg is the first egg replacer of it’s kind. Unlike others that are used solely for baking, this one can be used to make legit, soft, chewy, yellow scrambled eggs. Hallelujah, I may be able to go vegan one day after all (well, once they make a top notch salmon sashimi replacer).
I tried these at the Expo and can vouch that the taste and texture are on point.
You may have seen this drool-worthy Jambalaya on my Instagram recently. Let me tell you — it’s just as amazing as it looks.
Steel cut oats at dinner time may seem like a strange concept, but I’ll bet you thought zucchini noodles were weird once too. Neither are, both are bomb — get on this grain train asap!
Not only are these sides so yummy and nutritious, they are also a huge weeknight time saver. I mixed mine with some sautéed shrimp and veggies and had an awesome dinner and days of leftovers in under 30 minutes. Score.
9. Maskal Teff Brown Teff Grain
You’ve heard of Kamut, you’re friends with farro, and you’re a seasoned pro with quinoa — it’s time to take your ancient grain game to the next level. Introducing: Teff.
Teff is a fine, tiny grain that comes in a variety of colors and is predominately found in Ethiopia. It has a mild, nutty flavor and the nutritional profile of a superhero. It’s gluten-free, packed with vitamins and minerals, and is considered a complete protein (meaning it has all nine essential amino acids).
Use the brown teff grain for hot breakfast porridges or the teff flour for healthy baked goods.
10. Numi Turmeric Tea Three Roots
I’m a tea fiend. After my morning cup of joe — it’s all tea, all day. Lately I’ve been getting bored of my tried and true green blend, so I was so excited to try Numi’s new turmeric line at this year’s Expo.
In case you hadn’t heard, turmeric is so hot right now. Research shows it has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties and may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of diseases like cancer.
This blend is particularly exquisite with a mix of ginger, licorice, and rose.
But this tea isn’t just tasty and good for your bod, it’s also good for the planet. As a part of their H2OPE campaign, Numi is building 22 wells that will provide clean water to more than 3500 people in turmeric farming communi’teas in Madagascar.
11. Nutiva Buttery Coconut Oil
Mmmm butter. There’s nothing quite like it. Well, there wasn’t until now. Nutiva’s new Buttery Coconut Oil has all the melt-in-your mouth, rich flavor of butter, but it’s made from coconut oil.
This luxurious spread is organic, non-GMO, vegan, and tastes incredible on everything from popcorn to stir-fried veggies.
It also looks a bit like butter with it’s yellowish tint and solid state, but doesn’t use any junky chemicals for color.
12. Salty Girl Seafood Smoked Sockeye Salmon
My hubs is a HUGE (like imagine Donald saying it) fan of smoked salmon. Breakfast buffets beware — he will shut your salmon station down.
A lot of the salmon out there is a little sketch though, and if not, it’s super pricey. So I don’t buy it too often.
Salty Girl is neither of these things. All of their seafood is wild, sustainably harvested, and sold at a fair price. The Smoked Salmon is also totally portable so it makes a great high protein, on-the-go snack.
Fyi, you can scoop these up at stores like Lassens, Bristol Farms, Grow LA, Clarks, Wolfes, and Vicente.
13. Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt Parfait
Yogurt is a staple in my diet. But I won’t eat just any yogurt. I like my yogurt to be the cream of the crop. Tillamook has been making delicious, wholesome yogurt for over 100 years as a farmer-owned co-op and uses all natural ingredients.
Their newest product is a greek yogurt with gluten-free honey oats from Bob’s Red Mill. Despite two opportunities to lace this container with sweetness (the yogurt and the granola), this snack only has a few grams of added sugar in addition to the natural stuff from the lactose in milk.
14. Vega Sport Performance Protein
I’ve been a dedicated Vega user for a while now. Not only does their plant-based protein powder have an impressive protein to calorie ratio, but it’s naturally sweetened with stevia.
So how did this trusty old favorite make it on to my new discoveries list? They’ve reformulated their recipe.
The new powder has all the benefits of the old blend with an added bonus of tart cherries (shown to decrease muscle soreness), turmeric, and probiotics. And — hard to believe because it was awesome to begin with — it tastes even more delicious now.
I’ve never met a granola I didn’t like. A granola that meets my expectations of whole food quality though? Those are few and far between — which is why I was thrilled to try Viki’s.
This golden goodness is made from gluten-free oats and contains 100% natural ingredients like nuts, coconut, dried fruit, seeds, and organic honey. Viki’s is low in sugar compared to its competitors, a big plus.
And that’s the list. So let’s get to the good part! Today I’m giving away a massive amount of swag to 15 lucky readers.
This awesome Expo West Prize Pack includes:
- 1 full size bag of AgStandard Smoked Almonds (Ranch)
- 3 bags of Alexia Southern Sweet Potato Blend
- 2 boxes of Ancient Harvest Protein Powder (Mac & Cheese + Red Lentil)
- 1 large bag of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP (Sea Salt)
- 2 bags of Biena Chickpea Snacks (Rockin Ranch + Sea Salt)
- 1 case (12 bottles) of CaliWater (Peach + Cactus)
- 2 samples of Follow Your Heart VeganEgg
- 2 bags of Grainful Steel Cut Sides (Jambalaya + Madras Curry)
- 1 bag Maskal Teff Brown Teff Grain or Teff Flour
- 1 box Numi Turmeric Tea (Three Roots Blend)
- 1 jar Nutiva Buttery Coconut Oil
- 1 package of Salty Girl Seafood Smoked Sockeye Salmon
- 2 containers of Tillamook Greek Yogurt
- 1 box (12 packages) Vega Sport Performance Protein
- 1 full size bag of Viki’s Granola
Enter to win using the Rafflecopter below. Next Friday, I will randomly select 15 winners. Good luck friends!
*This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. No purchase is required for entry.
Nicole LaCasse Noonan says:
I love the back story behind Boom Chicka! It all looks so amazing.
Jenny says:
The buttery coconut oil sounds so interesting — I can’t wait til I see it on the shelves at Whole Foods!
anne says:
The mac and cheese sounds sooo good
Lauren says:
I can’t wait to try the Vegan Eggs (even though I am not Vegan) as well as the yogurt. All those products look amazing.
Jennifer Dene says:
Love the round-up Whitney! I’m especially keen to try the smoked salmon (I’m a little like your husband in that regard) and love seeing more “sweet” products without added sugar – hallelujah!
Sarah de Jong says:
Vega one!
Kayley says:
I’m interested in the salmon because the idea of a portable fish snack intrigues me.
Kayla says:
I’m so excited to try this vegan egg replacer AND the vega protein. I wish they were making the a vegan version of the POW protein mac and cheese because that sounds incredible and I”m always looking for more protein #neverenough. :)
I really want to attend ExpoWest next year!
Rita says:
I am so excited to try all the products but the cactus juice is calling my name. I just got back from a run and I would love this right now!
Liz S. says:
I am most excited to try the Tillamook Greek Yogurt.
Kalena says:
Best giveaway!
Emily says:
Smoked salmon, granola and/or coconut oil, for sure!
Emily Fette says:
I’m excited about the chickpeas and the caliwater.
Katie R says:
Jambalaya oats!!
Jenny says:
They all look amazing, but I’d love to try the granola, Greek yogurt, and teff grain.
Jade says:
I’d be excited to try Vega Sport and the vegan eggs! (even though I’m not vegan, they sound so interesting!)
Alexandra Robertson says:
I am most excited for the Ancient Harvest Pow protein mac and cheese!!
Becky Anderson says:
These look and sound awesome! I’m looking forward to trying the chickpeas and the salmon!
Chelsea Caddick says:
Which one am I not excited to try?! Ifor I had to choose, I would say the teff grains or the coconut butter…sounds so good in smoothies!
Thank you for the entry!
Elise Eiser says:
I’m excited to try everything! Especially the coconut butter!
Jennie Ahlgren says:
The Vega protein sounds amazing! I LOVE their All in One Shake in Coconut Almond for my smoothies but if they’ve made their protein formulas even better? SIGN ME UP!
Eann says:
Would love to try the tilamook yogurt!
Natalie says:
I would love to try the Vega protein!
Jamie says:
I would love to try the Vega protein! Sounds so yummy!
Kaila Proulx says:
POW PASTA!!! I need it.
jennifer says:
vega protein!!
paige c says:
i would love to try the turmeric tea!
katie says:
the sweet potato blend and chickpeas sound delicious!
Oanh says:
I’m excited to try the VeganEgg product most because I’ve never seen vegan egg option before. I wonder how it cooks and taste. Also can I use it in baking.
Ariella says:
The smoked salmon and teff flour look fantastic! Can’t wait to try :D
Kinsey Van Druten says:
What an awesome giveaway!!! I would love to try this VeganEgg bc my vegan pancakes have been lacking in the fluff department since the chia/flax eggs don’t always cut it ‘)
Rachel says:
Cool beans! I hadn’t heard of teff before!
Jennifer Payan says:
The coconut butter sounds right up my alley!!
Jacqui says:
vega protein!
prasert says:
i’d love the 1 case (12 bottles) of CaliWater (Peach + Cactus)
Caitlin A says:
Salty girl seafood!
Ashley says:
The Numi turmeric tea sounds incredible! I’m always on the hunt for a new tea for the rotation!
Taylor Closet says:
I’m most excited about the jar Nutiva Buttery Coconut Oil…
Annie B says:
The vega sport! I’m a HUGE Vega fan!
Andrea says:
I’m excited to try the Nutiva Buttery Coconut Oil. I love coconut oil in baking and this would be amazing!
Gabrielle says:
The Numi Tumeric tea looks like a great way to start your morning commute!
Julie says:
I don’t think I tried the mac and cheese, and I’m a sucker for mac & cheese!
Katy Dyer says:
I already love almonds, so I am really curious about the smoke almonds. I am also really intrigued by the “healthy mac and cheese”.
Diane says:
Thanks so much for the giveaway. I’m all about that protein mac & cheese!
Heather says:
Most interested in the Salty Girl Smoked Sockeye! Cheers, and thanks!
Naomi Vidal says:
The Mac & Cheese, smoked salmon and Vega protein! They all look really good though. :)
Kylie Burnside Anfin says:
Can’t wait to try Nutiva’s Buttery Coconut Oil!
miranda says:
I’d love to try the popcorn
Gary says:
I would like to try the granola
Samantha says:
The cactus water sounds awesome.. Definitely want to try that! I love any flavor of boom chicka pop! One of my fav snacks!!
Mary says:
I can’t wait to try the AgStandard Smoked Almond!
Jeffrey says:
I’m excited to try Viki’s Granola, Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP Popcorn and the Grainful Steel Cut Sides.
april says:
the smoked salmon and the teff both look really good!
Devin Self says:
I am so excited to see the Alexia blends and the Oatmeal side dishes! Healthy, delicious, and convenient! I hope they will be sold at a store near me bc i would love to try them!
Cathy says:
Would love to try the Grainful Steel Cut Sides (oats)!! And that turmeric tea looks awful good too!!
Jessica Kelley says:
THIS. LIST. All the products you chose to feature were great!!! I’ve tried some of the brands but most of the features and brands are new to me! I love trying new health products and being able to recommend them to others! My heart skipped a beat when I saw the VeganEgg…so cool! and the teff. just because it’s such an underrated powerhouse!!! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Sinquefield King says:
Wow! It’s hard to choose one item as the one I want to try… vega protien, vegan eggs, Numi Turmeric Tea…
Annamarie V says:
So many great products but I really want to try the Salty Girl Seafood Smoked Sockeye Salmon.
Julia Williams says:
Ohh I am dying to try the vegan eggs!
Lindsey @livinglovingrunner says:
This is an awesome giveaway! I’d love to try the chickpeas and Vega :)
Amber Murphy says:
Most excited to try the cali water or the chickpeas
Ashley says:
I definitely want to try the chickpea snacks and the mac and cheese!
carol clark says:
bag Maskal Teff Brown Teff Grain or Teff Flour
Becky Stemple says:
Would love to try all of them… but especially the chic peas & Vega Sport protein powder! Always looking for healthy ways to fuel my workouts :)
Kaitlyn says:
Coconut oil!
Veronica V says:
All of these sound delicious! But I’m most excited for the turmeric tea, love my teas!
Brianna Carvalho says:
Buttery coconut oil! I love butter, I love coconut oil. Done and done.
Catherine says:
Such great stuff! I think I’d be most excited to try the Alexia Frozen Sweet Potato mix. I try and cook during the week but if work goes super late it’s hard to come up with something healthy. This looks like it would be a great back up :)
Sarah says:
I’ve been meaning to try the Vegan Egg since it came out!
Rachel says:
I would love to try the chickpeas and the teff! I’ve been experimenting with other flours lately for pancakes (garbanzo flour, spelt, and buckwheat) and teff is next on my list to try.