Food & Drink

4 Local Wellness Food and Drinks to Try

From pickleez to chocolate, nourish your body and mind.

By Katherine Chew Hamilton December 30, 2020 Published in the Winter 2020/2021 issue of Portland Monthly

Myco Pollen Mushroom Chocolate

Myco Pollen Mushroom Chocolate Bar from Vehicle Chocolates

Could three pieces of chocolate a day keep the doctor away? These bars each contain 1,500 milligrams of functional (no, not psychedelic) organic mushrooms: lion’s mane, red reishi, cordyceps, and chaga. These shrooms are sources of protein, fiber, and antioxidants and, according to Vehicle Chocolates, boost the immune system and improve cognition. The mushroom flavor is undetectable, and there’s a pleasant floral, honey-like sweetness from dandelion extract and bee pollen. $12

 

 

 

 

Sassy in Purple Pickleez

Sassy in Purple Pickleez from Creole Me Up

Bring a taste of Haiti into your kitchen with this allergen-free, 100 percent raw, non-GMO condiment that’s often used in Haitian Creole cooking. This antioxidant-rich variety is packed with healthy, flavorful ingredients including purple cabbage, beets, turmeric, ginger, apple cider vinegar, and habanero pepper. Try it with salads, sautéed veggies, or meat. $12

 

 

 

Pan's Mushroom Jerky

Zesty Thai Jerky from Pan’s Mushroom Jerky

Founder Michael Pan learned this recipe for vegan shiitake mushroom jerky while visiting family in Malaysia. This popular variety is flavored with garlic, onion, lemon, paprika, tomato, basil, and black and white pepper. It’s loaded with umami as well as fiber and vitamin D, and free of cane sugar and preservatives. $9

 

 

 

Use Saskatoon to make a nonalcoholic negroni

The Saskatoon from For Bitter For Worse

Are you sober-curious, trying to drink less, or trying to cut alcohol out of your life entirely? Try these mocktails, made with ingredients macerated in alcohol for maximum flavor and then “reverse bootlegged” in copper stills to remove the alcohol. The result is pleasantly bitter and lightly sweetened with monk fruit. This variety includes saskatoon berries, rhubarb, orange peel, and foraged Douglas fir tips. Use it to make a nonalcoholic negroni or botanical sangria. $23.95

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