I’m going to be honest with you, ladies: I’m tired. Like, put-the-cereal-in-the-fridge-and-milk-in-the-pantry tired. You know you’re beat when you wake up and immediately do the math for when you can squeeze in a nap. So, I’m going to talk about the one thing that can get me up in the morning. Is it jotting my dreams down in my journal? Nope! Is it a morning run? Heck, no! It’s eating, of course. Grab your coffee or tea, your muffin, your doughnut or your wheat toast. That’s my plan since munching on something delish distracts me from my bedtime countdown. At least, that’s my hope!
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 2
In the autumn season, there’s one thing that gets me moving in the morning: pumpkin bread slathered with butter. During the fat-free craze of the 1990s, butter got a pretty bad rap, but we’ve since learned that just because butter makes everything better doesn’t mean it’s bad, particularly if it’s clarified butter, or ghee. In fact, ghee has essential nutrients that often aid in weight loss, digestion, inflammation and more. Moreover, according to fertility experts, ghee can help women’s bodies produce cholesterol, which is necessary to create and maintain higher levels of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones critical for fertility. So, ladies, if you’re hoping to have a bun in the oven, enhance your diet with a little rich, creamy, totally satisfying ghee.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Raquel Tavares Gunsagar, Founder and CEO of Fourth and Heart
If you’ve never even heard of ghee, you’re not alone. Here’s the scoop on this better butter: While ghee has a few more calories than butter, it’s actually been shown to increase metabolism. It also has a higher smoke point, making it ideal for sauteing and frying. It’s lactose- and dairy-free because the milk solids have been removed, which makes it shelf-stable and easier on sensitive tummies.
When a friend told me about ghee, I was skeptical, but once she introduced me to Fourth and Heart and the company’s incredibly tasty products, I became a true believer. The company was founded by health-conscious, food-loving yogi Raquel Tavares Gunsagar, who started the brand to bring a bit of ancient nutrition to the modern world. (After all, ghee has been a staple of Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine for ages.) At Fourth and Heart, it’s back to basics, artisanal-style.
A lover of all things food, Raquel grew up with a strong appreciation for and understanding of ingredients and nutrients. Born in Brazil, she moved to Northern California as a child in the 1980s, and gained much insight about food from her nutritionist mother, who instilled in Raquel healthy eating habits, including devouring homemade ghee. After she started a family of her own, Raquel tapped back into that ghee-making prowess, churning her better butter into a booming business.
Fourth and Heart products are available at retailers throughout the U.S., and on the Fourth and Heart website, which also features fantastic recipes, listed both by dietary restriction and by meal course, that incorporate ghee in traditional and surprising ways. Hello, leek and parsnip tart!
Raquel’s easily spreadable ghee is not only tasty, it’s available from Fourth and Heart in delicious flavors like California garlic and Madagascar vanilla bean and, oh yeah, white truffle salt ghee! Someone pass me a bagel! Fourth and Heart also offers sprayable ghee oil that’s perfect for making pancakes, and to-go packs for midday hankerings.
If we can learn one thing from Raquel, it’s that if you follow your gut and live with heart, you’ll surely find your way.
QUITE THE QUOTE
Let’s end with one of Raquel Tavares Gunsagar’s favorite quotes from the always-inspiring Nelson Mandela:
“There is no passion to be found in playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
This is Melinda Garvey signing off until next time. Remember, ladies, empowered women empower other women. Share On the Dot so more women can have a voice. Thanks for getting ready with us.
To learn more about our conversation, check us out at OnTheDotWoman.com and talk to us @OnTheDotWoman on Twitter and Instagram. We’d love to hear your voice.