Maria Patrascu

Not only was I extremely impressed with the quality and taste of their products, but my family felt for the first time that all the products truly had that authentic standard and taste from home. If a meat cut in our store is labelled “Grassfed”, you can rest assured that it is 100% Grassfed, and not the type of grassfed beef that’s finished on genetically modified grains and corn sprayed with pesticides and fertilizers. If we say a cut is Organic, it is legitimately Certified Organic, and not “this is like organic, or as good as organic” as many places will say when trying to convince you that what they have is worth buying. On top of it all, the store also carries products that cater to every diet lifestyle; be it keto, paleo, dairy-free, gluten-free, and the list goes on… personally, my current eating habits align with Dr. Gundry’s

Pasta carbonara is my absolute favourite pasta dish, and I always tend to help myself to more than one serving… unfortunately it can be a pretty heavy meal and usually leaves me feeling dazed and bloated like a water balloon. Made from the Konjac plant, the noodles are 97% water and 3% soluble fibre called glucomannan, plus a natural calcium additive to help the noodles keep their shape. Then wash them in cool fresh water 3-4 times until the konjac plant aroma disappears (the fishy smell is normal)Place them into boiling water for 2minsDrain the hot water and let the noodles dry until the pancetta is ready (see next steps) And now for the yummy Carbonara: Finely chop the pancetta; remove the rind if necessary. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)

Here are some concerning facts I’ve found in my research that I think you should be aware of: Apples are one of the most chemically-sprayed fruit  in America. In fact, in a study conducted by the USDA in 2016, it was found that 80% of conventionally-grown apples contained diphenylamine, a chemical that is banned in Europe. * Strawberries (one EWG study found 36 types of pesticides on strawberries) * Cherries (pesticides found in 91% of cherries tested in EWG study) * Potatoes (also found to contain fungicides) The best solutions I’ve found to keep eating these foods without the negative effects of chemicals are to buy organic, when in-season, farm-fresh, or even frozen.

By the time you’re reading this, it’s actually a very proud moment for me because it has taken me hours (ok, days) to understand how websites work.. and I’ve only touched the surface. I picked up a racquet when I was 5, started competing professionally full time at 17, and turned down university scholarship opportunities to pursue my tennis dream, which was a pretty controversial decision. Little did I know that by sharing my world on social media, it would lead me to work opportunities with a few brands by luck, and 60+ collaborations later I now do this on a regular basis! Here’s what you can expect me to post about: * my collaborations with brands in detail and stuff you would never know from Instagram