Tambra Riddle, Midwest Market Manager
How did you get started as a Brand Ambassador?
I started working as a brand ambassador my first year in college after getting into modeling and I LOVED this type of work. It's never boring, always changing, people oriented, and I'm outgoing and love to talk! I've done promotions on and off all through undergrad and grad school, I studied dietetics/nutrition, and continued on even after graduation. I kept taking bookings while working as a Nutritionist for extra money because I always enjoyed it more than consulting in Nutrition!
Why do you enjoy working with natural product brands?
I love working with natural product brands because it is what I've built my own personal life around. 17 years ago I became a vegetarian, and 14 years ago I started doing my own shopping. Whole Foods was not only close to my house, but it was also the only place (at the time) that made my lifestyle choices easier! I had started shopping at Whole Foods when I was 18, spending almost every last penny of my babysitting money on food, because it made vegetarianism fun and easy, and that also led to me buying organic food as often as possible, which was wonderful too. Educating myself about healthy food, and its effects on short term and long term health was beyond fascinating, and eventually is what I centered my life around and went to school for. Lots of the brands I promote today are products that I've been a fan of for years. I love being able to share the benefits of REAL food with people, because I realize that they have so many choices to pick from and most of the food available is full of chemicals, preservatives, and junk. Helping others enjoy the benefits of clean food is rewarding!
Tell us about your own ‘natural foodie’ lifestyle:
I've been on a plant based diet for 17 years, 7 of which I've been a vegan, and love to eat! I love to cook as well! I'm not a fan of processed soy, soy-based meats, seitan, tempeh, mushrooms, or hot spicy foods. I love beans, nuts, seeds, legumes, all vegetables, whole soybeans, and all fruits except grapefruit, green apples and blackberries. My favorite treat in the bulk aisle is the cocoa covered almonds by Sunspire. And there's nothin' that can take the place of a good ol' Lentil Loaf...I make a good one. It's a nice comfort food and full of protein and fiber!
I also like to write about natural foods. I have a website involving all kinds of plant-based goodness (VeggieEdge.com). In my spare time, I wrote a toddler series of 5 books (due out soon), geared toward parents that want to share the reasons behind vegetarian lifestyle choices in a very "G" rated setting with their children from 0-3 years. I also have a book (also due out soon) written for teens and twenty-somethings on how to successfully become vegan which has a casual, and almost comical style to it...after all, learning important stuff should never be boring and I want young people to be hooked into health as much as I was when I was 15. Healthy products can make a world of difference, especially years down the line. It's never too late to become a healthier version of yourself!
What have been your favorite Turn-Key campaigns that you’ve managed?
I would have to say Two Degrees food bars. Two Degrees was amazing, because not only were all the bars vegan, but for every bar that's purchased, one meal pack is donated to a malnourished child in Africa. This company is paired up with very respectable partners that help make and deliver the meal packs. I sold those like hot cakes! There are so many junky "food bars" so talking with people about the Two Degrees bars was an easy sell. These bars are balanced and consist of complex carbohydrates for nice steady energy and decent amount of fiber. They contain NO whey protein, and so are not congestive, constipating, or made of isolated ingredients. They are sweetened with fruit sugar and a little bit of brown rice syrup, a nice low-glycemic sweetener. They have WHOLE grains, which the body can utilize this protein more easily than animal based protein like egg or whey, commonly found in some bars. Two out of the three flavors have NO soy, which is always a plus. In addition, how else can you get a 3 year old to eat quinoa? I had a LOT of parents who do not feed their kids sugar or candy bars and were looking to these as a healthy alternative. For a snack bar, at only 180 calories, you get some quality ingredients with correct fats, correct protein and correct complex carbohydrates. They're easy to stash in your glovebox, purse, or backpack and a delicious little treat. For more info on Two Degrees, you can visit: www.twodegreesfood.com
Tell us why you enjoy the world of demos so much!
Demos involve everything I love: working independently, flexible schedule, products I believe in, an environment I'm totally comfortable in, and I get to talk all day about natural food.......all while helping people ditch the old lifestyles they may have had. Everyone is on a different path, but shopping healthier, eating better, and living cleaner should not be hard. The hard part is not ditching the junk. It's relearning new patterns of healthy living when the only thing most of us have known all our lives is Twinkies and Pepsi. I think people are scared of the unknown. So relearning how to shop and buy better food can be intimidating, almost to the point that a lot of people would rather not bother. But if you can shop well and eat well, you eventually will start to feel well. I love being a part of that! It's like I'm a live commercial and people get all excited about everything when you're excited about it yourself! And of course, I find natural food very exciting and fun!
Favorite recipe for the holidays?
I'd have to say it's my homemade version of Lentil Loaf with Savory Gravy. The gravy is a store bought one by Road's End Organics but here's the recipe for my loaf:
Lentil Loaf Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown lentils (that is, 1 cup measured before cooking; can use french green lentils as well)
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth (I used Pacific brand)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup corn
- 1/2 cup oats
- 3 Tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce (I like The Wizard’s brand)
- 1 Tbsp. tamari soy sauce (I like Eden)
- 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. agave nectar (or brown rice syrup or molasses)
- 1/4 tsp. each of: onion powder, turmeric, salt, coriander, paprika, garlic, and all-purpose seasoning (Frontier makes a good all-purpose seasoning that I like)
- 2 packets of gravy (I like Road’s End Organic Golden Gravy, Savory Gravy, or Mushroom Gravy)
How to make the loaf:
- I like to soak my lentils in water for about 1 hour before cooking. This is not necessary but will reduce cooking time a bit. Then I cook the lentils for 30-40 minutes until tender. Add the 1 cup of lentils and about 3 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer until done. Drain.
- While the lentils are cooking, chop the onion and saute in a bit of olive oil (1 Tbsp or so) until they are mildly fragrant, soft, and translucent.
- Oil a glass baking dish, or if you have a pan that makes mini loaves, oil that.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a separate bowl, set aside 1/2 cup oats and corn. Add to that 1/3 cup cooked lentils and 1/4 cup cooked onions. Combine the remaining lentils and onions in the food processor, but don’t mix yet.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, agave, and the spices.
- Turn on processor and add the flavor mixture.
- Add the vegetable broth and the flour.
- Take out the loaf mixture and combine with your “stir-in” ingredients that are in the separate bowl: lentils, corn, oats, and onions.
- Press into mini tins or regular glass pan and bake for 25 minutes. You may have to take a knife and go around the edges to loosen the loaf. These are removed easier the cooler they are….
- Top with gravy and parsley for garnish! Add mashed potatoes and veggies for a hearty meal!
For more delicious vegan and vegetarian recipes, make sure to visit Tambra at her website www.VeggieEdge.com!
