Boketto Moment with Nicole Rice + Jamie Kantrowitz of Countertop Foods
Jamie Kantrowitz and Nicole Rice founded Countertop Foods on the idea that functional wellness can be deliciously simple and easy to provide for yourself and those you care about most. Jamie is a startup veteran turned venture investor who built her career at Myspace where she was instrumental in establishing the company as a digital disruptor and pioneering community builder. Nicole is a highly trained and sought out doula and Ayurvedic educator who traded in her fashion PR and marketing executive life to follow the path of wellness.
The two met as Jamie was recovering from the birth of her daughter. Nicole showed her first-hand how truly transformative functional nutrition can be, and how much of it could be achieved simply by adding rich new flavorings and ingredients to the same food she already loved. Sharing a passion for cooking, the two became obsessed with helping people revitalize, strengthen, and heal their bodies every day through easy ways to use spices and herbs.
From their luscious Golden Butter that we love slathered on local sourdough, to their Happy Honey that stirs nicely into morning tea or coffee, we adore their line of pantry and cooking staples and are honored to have them adorn our shelves. It offers a simple, functional approach to cooking that our customers love, without sacrificing flavor or nutrients. We also appreciate their support for the post partum community and the ability to offer products that make nourishing meals for new moms both simple and wholesome. We’re happy to be sharing the Countertop story with you all, and hope it inspires you to get back into the kitchen with a new approach to cooking for yourself and your loves ones. You’ll also find a few of their go-to recipes — including an upgraded morning oatmeal for new moms, along with a springtime kitcheri with asparagus and green peas. Happy, healthy cooking!
What is the inspiration and philosophy behind Countertop Foods?
Making it easier and healthier to cook at home, using the power of spices. It’s so easy to amp up your flavor and health benefits with spices that aren’t chiles!
How do you envision the business evolving within an ever-growing industry while keeping your authenticity and integrity in tact?
I think keeping your authenticity as a person will help with that. We live and breathe Countertop, keeping to your word, never lying, showing up everyday has to be a recipe for success!
In what ways do you nurture creativity and source inspiration, from both a personal and business perspective?
Meditation is key to keeping nurtured. Being able to switch off mind noise helps to keep you open to inspiration. That and nature are life savers. If I didn’t see a tree I would be a different person.
What Countertop product would you recommend to someone looking to add instant flavor and nutrition into any dish?
Golden Butter — the easiest and most versatile cooking oil you can use. The flavors that develop when you use Golden Butter still inspire me every time I cook.
We adore that you have a Postpartum Grocery Shopping List. Do you have a favorite go-to recipe for new mothers using any variation of these ingredients + products from the Countertop Foods pantry?
As a postpartum doula, I used to make kitcheri almost every day for my clients. It really is such a great and easy way to get so many nutrients into one bowl — and you can add anything into it so it doesn’t taste the same everyday. My favorite kitcheri is asparagus and garden peas, made with chicken bone broth. I think I could eat this every day. And it is so good for New Moms.
We also love that you have a Mother Honey to support and nourish new moms. What is the purpose of the ingredients in this honey blend, and your favorite/preferred way to enjoy it?
All of the ingredients in Mother Honey have been put together to support the body in making more breast milk. Even the honey used is Avocado Honey, which means the bees have pollinated the flowers of the avocado trees. Herbs like moringa and oat straw and spices like cumin, fenugreek and cardamom have all been used for hundreds of years to support post partum moms. And we added coconut oil to help too. You get a honey that is not sweet at all, that has less sugar per serving that honey (due to the spices and the coconut oil) and can be super helpful for new moms.
New Mother’s Oatmeal, a recipe by Countertop Foods
“How does it get any better than a cozy, comforting bowl of warm oatmeal? High in iron, protein, and carbohydrates – all essential for a good milk supply – our upgraded version packs the mineralizing, revitalizing, and anti-inflammatory benefits of our favorite spices.”
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons of Countertop’s Mother's Breakfast Blends with Benefits
1 tablespoon Countertop’s Cocoa Butter
1-2 teaspoons of Countertop’s Mother Honey
2 cups water
1 apple, peeled and grated
1 cup of oats
Pinch of Himalayan salt
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small pot over medium heat, combine water, apple, spice blend, and salt, and cook for 20 minutes.
Add oats and Cocoa Butter, turn heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off heat, stir in Mother Honey and any toppings you would like, yogurt, berries, mint, bananas - whatever you have on hand.
Countertop’s Favorite Kitcheri, a recipe by Countertop Foods
“Asparagus, English Pea and Chicken Bone Broth. This Kitcheri is our favorite — so great to make in the spring as asparagus and english peas are in season. Though we crave it all year long.”
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons Countertop’s Golden Butter
1 teaspoon of Countertop’s Kitcheri Blends with Benefits
½ cup Countertop’s Kitcheri Bowl Mix
Small knob freshly grated ginger
1 x 12 stalk bunch of asparagus
1 x small bag (250g) of frozen peas
3 cups chicken bone broth, water or stock
INSTRUCTIONS
Thoroughly wash ½ cup of Countertop Kitcheri Bowl Mix. We like to do this in a bowl, not through a strainer. Wash 3-4 times until the water runs clear, stirring the grains in the bowl when you add fresh water. Let the grains sit in the last bowl of water whilst you prep everything else.
In a heavy-based pot or deep saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of Golden Butter and mix in 1 tablespoon of Kitcheri Blends with Benefits.
Add in asparagus, peas and small knob of freshly grated ginger, covering all in melted Golden Butter and spices.
Sauté veggie mixture for 2-3 minutes.
Add washed Kitcheri Bowl Mix into the veggie mixture, continuing to evenly coat all the ingredients in the Golden Butter.
Saute for another 2 minutes, then add in 3 cups of chicken bone broth, water or stock.
Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and cook on low for 30-40 minutes with the lid off, stirring occasionally.
Turn off heat, then stir in another tablespoon of Golden Butter and a handful of cilantro.
Cover with lid and let sit for 20 minutes. Enjoy!