Plating The Perfect Pair: Purple Carrot & Brightland Olive Oils

After a year of cooking most of our meals at home, it can be unbelievably difficult to find the inspiration and motivation to try new things, get creative, and make nourishing foods. I have over 300 recipes saved to a board on Pinterest, yet rarely make the effort to plan ahead, buy the right groceries and actually try them! But the week I made my plant-based meals from Purple Carrot, I felt like a new woman — and that’s not an exaggeration.

From Sprouted Broccoli Salad to Peanut Noodles with Tofu and Amaranth Chocolate Porridge, I was eating meals that were even better than what I might get for takeout, but right at home and with the added satisfaction that I’d made each plate myself. It almost turned into a daily self care activity!

Elevated even further with Brightland Alive and Awake Olive Oils, my Purple Carrot meals were satisfying and absolutely delicious. I even managed to impress my boyfriend, who rarely eats anything without meat but absolutely loved every meal we tried. Both Brightland olive oils are flavorful, creamy, and super high quality — you can just taste it. I also love that they’re made right here in California, where we live, without any preservatives or fillers, and with a focus on wellbeing. Ultimately, Brightland made our meals feel extra special.

Purple Carrot boasts an assortment of flavorful meals made from all-natural ingredients, and delivers entire recipes directly to your doorstep. Purple Carrot provides a healthier, more convenient way to prep your plate.

Using Purple Carrot‘s website, customize your meal plan by selecting Purple Carrot recipes, and build your 100%-plant-based menu for the week. Once you submit your meal plan, Purple Carrot takes care of all the prep work, ensuring that your ingredients arrive fresh and perfectly portioned to the recipes you chose. That means no more worrying about over or underbuying groceries, and no more hunting for the right recipe to create the healthy, delicious, nutrient-rich, diet-friendly dishes you crave.

While the vast majority of olive oils fail to meet minimum industry standards, Brightland has been making olive oil to maximize its health benefits and taste, right from the start.

Every olive Brightland olive is sourced directly from California family farms, and each bottle of Brightland olive oil is designed for optimal freshness and free of the harmful additives and adulterants.

I’ll be honest, the absolute last thing I want to do after a work day, or most days in general, is chop a ton of ingredients, cook for an hour, and then wash a ton of dishes. My partner and I admittedly turn to takeout, either when we’re low on groceries or particularly lazy, but that definitely doesn’t feel special. What I noticed the week we had our Purple Carrot meals was that I actually found the joy in cooking again, and it didn’t feel like a chore.

Since everything is pre-portioned and packaged, I saved time not only grocery shopping and finding a recipe, but also getting all of the ingredients together. Every meal required 30 minutes at most, and the chopping was very minimal.

I turned it into a full on experience by putting on jazz music, lighting a candle, and pouring myself a glass of wine before diving in, and it truly was self care to unwind after a long day. A bonus? I felt proud of myself once I’d completed all the steps and could see the fruits of my labor, and even more proud when my partner said it tasted amazing. It forced me to try something new, and made it easy enough to succeed.

From unique ingredients and spices to innovative recipes and quality produce, I just know I’m doing something good for my body when I’m making and eating it. There’s a focus on wellbeing from the inside out and as someone who does not eat primarily plant-based but wants to, I’m now a Purple Carrot convert.

There might be other meal kit services out there, but in the past I’ve had issues with ingredients going bad before I’d had a chance to use them, or even some missing. With Purple Carrot, I received fresh ramen pasta, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and peppers that all lasted for up to 5 days until I had the chance to use them.

Whether I was cooking with Brightland olive oils or drizzling them on top of my meals, I was impressed by the taste and could instantly notice a difference from the usual olive oil I get at my nearby grocery store on sale. I love that they make the distinction between the different kinds because it made it easier to choose which variety to use. I chose ALIVE for the dressing in my Sprouted Broccoli Salad but AWAKE to cook with for my Peanut Noodles with Nori-Spiced Tofu and Brussels Sprouts.

I feel like I’m actually putting effort into what I put in my body when I use Brightland oils, especially because they provide good fats and antioxidants, and support immunity, glowing skin and longevity.

I couldn’t have been more impressed with both of these brands and products and am already looking forward to cooking with them again! I’m feeling much more inspired in the kitchen, particularly when it comes to cooking for good health, which can seem daunting. Purple Carrot and Brightland are perfect for someone looking to up their cooking and plant-based eating game but might not know where to start.

I’m also already planning to give the Brightland The Duo as a gift to a foodie friend, and ordering another round of Purple Carrot to have the week after some upcoming travels since I know I’ll be low on groceries and time.