The second day of the Dole Healthy Lifestyle Blogger Summit kicked-off with an early morning run around the Westlake area. A small group of us met in the lobby just before sunrise to head out for a chilly 4.5 mile run. I only say “chilly” because I wore a tank top this morning. I thought California was a lot warmer!
I mostly stuck with Monica and Meghann during the run. We kept a good pace together, and I picked their brains for last-minute marathon advice and motivation. (GAH! How is NYCM only 2 days away!?!)
After our run, I returned to my hotel room, quickly showered, and got ready for the day. My stomach was on East coast time, so I really boogied to get myself to breakfast, which was held at the nearby Dole facilities.
For breakfast, we had our choice of healthy options from the Dole cafeteria, including oatmeal, bagels, omelets, fruit salad, yogurt…
And Dole bananas, my favorite!
I was really excited about the bananas.
What I picked for breakfast: sesame bagel, peanut butter, banana, pineapple, and iced coffee.
After breakfast, we visited the Dole Test Kitchen for a hands-on product demo of some of Dole’s newer products.
Who new it would be so fun!?!
(I’m so happy to finally have met Leah and Kristen on this trip!)
Product highlights for me:
Dole Salad Kits
I don’t usually buy packaged salad mixes (I’d much rather save my money and make my own), but Dole’s Endless Summer Kit knocked my socks off. It’s made with Dole’s own Summer Vinaigrette (<— wicked yum), Swiss and Gruyere cheeses, roasted sunflower kernels, croutons, pepper and herb Seasoning.
The Dole Salad Kits usually run about $4 each, so I’d definitely buy them when I’m short on time, traveling somewhere or when they are on sale at the grocery store. Four bucks is still quite a bit cheaper than getting take out or buying a meal out somewhere.
Dole Fruit Crisps
Dole Fruit Crisps are bowls of fruit in a sauce with a crispy, crumbly topping made with whole grain oats and brown sugar. When you microwave them… holy yum! Instant apple crisp!
As a dessert, these Fruit Crisps are the perfect treat—just 160 calories per serving and, oh, so convenient.
Portobello Mushroom Powder
You probably know that much of the US population is deficient in vitamin D, right? Did you know that most commercially-produced vitamin D pills are made from wool grease, yeast or fish livers? Yuck, right? Well, the Dole Nutrition Institute developed a plant-based vitamin D source, which they call Portobello Mushroom Powder. Just one teaspoon of Mushroom Powder provides 150% of your daily value. The powder has a very subtle, slightly bitter flavor that blends right in with most food flavors, so you can add it to just about anything– soups, sauces, dressings, casseroles, entrees, pasta, rice, smoothies, oatmeal, even desserts.
Our lunch this afternoon featured recipes that incorporated the Portobello Mushroom Powder. I couldn’t taste it at all in any of the dishes.
The Mushroom Powder was even added to the dark chocolate on the pineapple. I honestly wouldn’t have known unless someone told me. Now, isn’t that an easy way to get some vitamin D in your diet?
My plate included a little bit of everything from the lunch buffet: veggie lasagna, Greek salad, roasted veggies, ginger sweet potatoes, and a piece of dark chocolate dipped pineapple—all of which included Mushroom Powder.
Acupuncture and massage are next on the agenda for me! Wahoo!
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
Mushroom powder?! How cool! Enjoy the massage
What a great day filled with some great eats!! The dark chocolate dipped pineapple definitely caught my eye – wow does that sound delicious! Enjoy your massage and acupuncture.
What a fun event! That apple crisp product sounds interesting
Vitamin D levels are pretty universally low, so much so that they are considering changing the recommendations for the nutrient. The mushroom powder sounds like a creative solution to the nutritional deficit!
um acupuncture and a massage?!? Where do I sign up?! And that pineapple dipped in dark chocolate looks soooo good!
I am SO intrigued by that portobello mushroom powder. At first I thought you were going to say it was used for flavoring, but apparently not! Very interesting…
Also, I hope that banana was the best banana you’ve ever had! After all, it came right from the Dole cafeteria, so it must have been a good one
Ah what An awesome looking day! All those products look Amazing: )
I love Dole pineapples! Those chocolate dipped ones look delicious!
I have a coupon for the fruit crisps! Definitely picking them up soon!
Oh how fun for you all! Yes, SoCal is Chilly in the mornings and evenings…everyone thinks it’s South Florida and all hot and warm here year round. It’s nice, but it’s not always ‘tropical’…glad you stayed warm though.
And portobello mushroom powder…that’s a new to me find. Cool!
I have totally seen those fruit crisps at my grocery store! Was worried they wouldn’t be good but it’s great to know they are, since they are totally nutritionally sound looking!
How very cool! That pineapple looks AMAZING.
I’d have thought Cali was warm as well….haha. Have fun!!
Looks like a fun day! I’ve never heard of mushroom powder before – I’m intrigued!
Those fruit crisps sounds pretty awesome, and very convenient!
I’m interested on learning more about the mushroom powder, especially considering the super cold Boston winters and lack of sunlight during those months. Definitely a good idea to take in some vitamin D.
Enjoy your massage/acupuncture!
This sounds so awesome! Pineapple and chocolate are so delicious together!
I’ve enjoyed the pics – and totally recognized Kristen! Being from Iowa too, her blog was the first one I read regularly, which lead me to reading yours
Chocolate dipped pineapple is the best, only thing better is chocolate dipped bananas
Is mushroom powder in grocery stories? I’m so intrigued! Those chocolate-dipped pineapple slices look so good!
If you have a chance to get to Lady Face brewery, you should go. I know you enjoy your beer and their fries aren’t shabby either. They also have a great strawberry salad. It’s close enough to run to… Only one Fwy exit away. My husband and I go for all our anniversaries, love it!
Mushroom powder?! I am intrigued
I seriously have a huge craving now for chocolate dipped fruits!
I’ve never heard of mushroom powder before!
$1.35 for a banana? come on dole! that seems pricey for a snack at work from a company that supplies them. make less profit off your employees. boo.
@jessica:
I thought the same thing! My lunch place sells bananas for 30 eurocents (~$.40), and I thought Dublin is expensive
.
@Aleks: Man, I agree, that’s the most expensive banana I’ve ever seen! Unless it was for a bunch?
I did hear somewhere that the price of bananas is supposed to skyrocket soon because of the fair trade stuff going on (as in, it’s not fair trade), but I didn’t think that was happening yet.
Yep, it was for a bunch of bananas. All of the food at the Dole cafeteria is really cheap for employees!
Dole bananas are too pretty..I prefer the ugly, spotty ones
Wow, mushroom powder sounds awesome. I want some!
So great you’re in Westlake! I’m from there originally! I am sure your days are jam-packed, but if you need to steal an hour away for a good beer – my suggestions is Ladyface Alehouse: http://www.ladyfaceale.com/
Enjoy the summit and Westlake Village!
So nice to see how much fun you’re having at the Summit. I guess it’s an amazing experience to be part of it.
Looks like you are having a great time. Did you enjoy the acupuncture??? I am a huge proponent of acupuncture and am in love with the practice! Hope your afternoon was relaxing.
Yes, it was awesome! I’d love to do it regularly. My lower back feels so much better!
That mushroom powder sounds interesting! Chocolate and pineapple is delicious!
That mushroom powder is such a neat idea! I was actually just reading a paper for my nutrition class about how low vitamin D is linked to certain cancers. So that powder is a great way to make supplementation easier for people!
I think my favorite thing about all of this are all the cameras in-hand/strapped around necks, etc. Haha. Awesome.
Um those chocolate dipped pineapples look AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow….all of that food looks amazing!
Do you have the nutritional breakdown for the Mushroom Powder? I’m curious as to what’s in it. Very intriguing…
Ingredients: portobello mushrooms
Nurtrition Facts for 1 tsp: Calories 4.7, Fat 0.04g, Sodium 1.3mg, Carb 0.4g, Vitamin D 600 IU (150% DV)
sounds awesome! where can you buy mushroom powder?
Right now it’s only available online, so just click on the Mushroom Powder link!
Question for you – DO THEY SELL DOLE WHIP IN THE CAFETERIA? I’m addicted to it and I hear you can only get it in Disney World, Disneyland and Hawaii!
@Cate:
Ha! I always hated that stuff as a kid (although, I don’t like pineapple…) and when everyone else was getting a pineapple swirl at Disney World, I was getting a giant Diet Coke
I would definitely love to try that mushroom powder…now that I know what’s in my Vit D supplement – gross!
@Liz: I LOVE pineapple! I never went to Disney as a kid, so the first time I had it was a year ago. I am going to Disney in January and have been dreaming of it!
I would also love to try the mushroom powder, but I’m allergic to mushrooms. I wonder if it would have the same effect…
@Cate: Oooh…I haven’t had a dolewhip in FOREVER.
I used to love bringing those salad kits for lunch in high school, I mixed everything in the bag and shook it and ate it straight from the bag!
Looks like a fun time and so much good food!
I literally was swallowing a vitamin D pill as I read this post and I almost threw up hahaha. what a random coincedence. I’m definitely going to have to try that mushroom powder!
Hope you liked acupuncture, I get it for migraines and just love it, it is so relaxing too.
You are a lucky girl. I will have to pop over to the dole website to check on that mushroom powder. I had no idea the Vit D3 supplement was made of such grossness.
The blogger summit looks like so much fun!
Massages are the best!
My Fiance LOVES the Dole fruit cups!
Just picked up 2 Endless Summer kits at Roche Bros, on sale 2 for $5! Can’t wait to try it!!! Thanks for the tip!
This looks like such a fun weekend! Good luck in the nycm!
I actually love mushroom powder. I’ve found it at a lot of spice stores, my local spice store carries a porcini version that is fantastic. It sounds like they aren’t doing anything special to the mushroom powder to make it so high in Vitamin D so I’d be curious if other varieties offer the same benefits. I know there were studies where growers did things to boost the vitamin D in their mushrooms so I’d be curious to hear if they did anything to get the levels in the powder to where they are.
That said, I cannot imagine sprinkling it on anything and everything. It’s possible my powdered porcinis have a stronger flavor than the portabellas, but I just cannot imagine it being good in sweet dishes unless it was in very small quantities. However, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I find that it has a very savory, mushroomy flavor so I love putting it in hamburgers and any dish with mushrooms to up the flavor.
@Kelly: In case anyone is interested, this was what I was referring to in terms of technology to increase vitamin D content:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2008/081112.htm
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