Triple Omega Seed Chocolate Energy Bites + NOW Foods Immersion Event

I know we sound crazy to some people traveling twice right after we move but we seriously can’t pass up an opportunity to go and learn more about a company and/or products that we already love. We were invited to Chicago for the #NOWGetFit Immersion Event at the end of April. We were already familiar with NOW because we have a few of their products that we consider "must have", like their Better Stevia which we use multiple times a day (you see this linked to in most of our recipe posts) and their MCT oil. We just had no idea how expansive their product line was. Scott had to travel for work so he wasn’t able to attend but one of my best friends, Pam (of Moms RUN This Town and my co-host on WHAM Podcast!), was also attending so we were able to go together! We woke up super early to beat Atlanta traffic and got to the airport with plenty of time to spare. We even saw Pam’s husband (he’s a pilot) as he was flying out of the gate right next to ours!

Honestly I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going in, I had the itinerary but still wasn’t sure exactly what we would be doing. I was blown away to put it lightly. Every single thing was taken care of and no detail was left out. This company cares so much about their products, ingredients, and employees...which is hard to find from a company that sells supplements! It is STILL a family owned business and their morals definitely set them apart from the rest.

Ignore the tired plane picture, let's appreciate the food. Yes, we ate it ALL. Every last bite.

We went to dinner the night we flew in and we were able to chat with some of the employees of NOW. Pam and I sat down at a table and then we were joined by a man who we later found out was one of the owners of NOW, Dan. He was so down to earth and we really enjoyed our conversation. We also sat with the “food guy” (as they call him!) from NOW foods. It was the perfect dinner and really set the tone for the following day. It says a lot when the owner and CEO of a company mingles with you at dinner. The company truly is like a family.

Friday morning started early with a workout. We were all invited to a workout class called R.I.P.P.E.D. at the resort. It was about an hour long and a mix of cardio and strength. After the workout we refueled with a delicious protein shake that they kindly made for us. Mine had vanilla almond milk, NOW grass fed whey, organic banana, organic blueberries, and mango chili cashew butter. When I read the label and saw the mix of ingredients my first reaction was Y.U.C.K. but it was actually VERY good! I can’t wait to recreate my own at home.

We quickly showered, got ready, ate breakfast, and then hopped on the charter bus to head to the NOW warehouse for a tour. We were shown the warehouse floor and also the testing labs. Speaking of the warehouse floor, the warehouse was soooo clean. Everything had its place and was clearly marked. It made my heart happy!

The amount of care and detail they put into their products is amazing. You can see the pride on the faces of the people who work there too. The CEO was with us for a period of time and knew the people working on the warehouse floor and spoke to them – which I loved! I know when I think of a CEO I think of someone who is removed from the actual day-to-day activities and doesn’t really care about the people below him but NOW’s CEO was different. I loved it!

After the tour we went to the NOW office building and ate lunch (catered Whole Foods – my favorite!) while learning more about NOW Sports (things such as protein powder, pre-workout, BCAAs, etc.). Our next event was one of my favorites! We met NOW’s R&D Corporate Chef, Suzy! We taste tested oils (my favorite was the macadamia nut oil!) and we made a quinoa salad to go. Lastly, we took a quick look at the organic garden they have on site for employees.

Supplements are confusing. There's a ton of supplements on the market and a ton of supplement companies. It's hard to know what you might actually benefit from and what if you have questions?! While you can ask the worker at the supplement shop, sometimes you just want to speak with someone a little bit more knowledgeable, right? You are in luck with NOW! You can actually contact them on their website and they will answer your questions!

As I mentioned earlier, I was completely blown away by the thought and detail NOW takes with every product they sell, every employee they have, and how they treated us during our time there. They are also so kind to give one of our readers a prize pack valued at $350! Read on to learn how to win it!

P.S. There were some other awesome bloggers that we met at the event but for some reason, we didn't think to take pictures! I will share their information with you soon and we might even talk to some of them on our WHAM Podcast!

The weekend after I returned from the NOW event, Scott and I went hiking. I made these Triple Omega Seed Chocolate Energy Bites to take with us on our hike. They were amazing and the perfect hiking snack to provide enough calories (calories = energy) to keep us climbing!

Triple Omega Seed Chocolate Energy Bites

Ingredients (you can find the NOW ingredients on their site here):

3 Tbsp NOW Organic Triple Omega Seed Mix
¼ tsp NOW Stevia Extract
1 square of dark chocolate, crushed
pinch of sea salt
water or unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

Combine the omega seed mix and water
Add stevia, dark chocolate, and sea salt
Once all ingredients are combined, roll into small bites and enjoy or pack up for later!

It's GIVEAWAY TIME! Want to win a prize pack from NOW valued at $350 (I mean, take a look at the swag below!)?! Read on to find out how to enter.

psst: It's super easy!

Want to be the winner? All you have to do is browse NOW's website (here) and comment with what product you are most interested in trying. I can't guarantee it will be included in your prize pack but I'll do my best! :)

*Open to US citizens only - 18 or older. Winner will be selected using random.org. Leave your comment by 11:59 EST on May 26, 2017 in order to be eligible.