Oh man! I’m so excited to share this interview with you today!

Today I’m interviewing Hilary from Hilary’s Eat Well.  A few month’s back we kept seeing these burgers pop up on our social media accounts; people were going crazy for them. So we started following them and, seriously, every post I wanted to share!

(Like this one <3)

hilarys healthy veggie burgers

If you read our blog, you know we like to make all of our own food, but these burgers sparked our interest. So, we checked them out… they contained all GREAT ingredients. So we bought some… and were blown away with the flavor – they are so tasty!

After interacting with the Hilary’s Team I have been so impressed with how nice everyone is and their dedication to real, whole food. I just had to get the scoop from lady behind this amazing company.

(Spoiler: she didn’t disappoint!)

Meet Hilary

hilarys healthy veggie burgers

1). Can you tell us little bit about yourself?

For a large portion of my life, I was not my best self. I had a string of health problems and was constantly struggling with my emotional health as well. It all changed after I saw a naturopathic physician and he shed light to my food intolerances. I was basically intolerant to most of what I was eating.

That’s when I was given the opportunity to steer my life in a new direction. Understanding the connection between what we eat and the health of our world lead me to open Local Burger, a first-to-the-market sustainable fast food restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas. It was in that kitchen that I developed many of the recipes that would become Hilary’s Eat Well.

The mission of Hilary’s Eat Well is to create products that make you feel good, while cultivating a passion for knowing where our food comes from, and how it connects us to our world, our communities and ourselves.

That’s the inspiration behind all we do at Hilary’s.

hilarys healthy veggie burgers

2). Your Burgers are amazing! What did the creation process look like?

The creation process was very organic, just like the product! When I found out that I was basically allergic to the Standard American Diet, I learned about all kinds of uncommon ingredients – it was super exciting. Experimenting in the Local Burger kitchen one day (way back in 2005!) I saw the interaction of the ingredients and binders that we currently use and almost did a back flip! I am so grateful to have rediscovered food in this way because it opened the door to my soul’s true calling.

hilarys healthy veggie burgers
3). There are a lot of veggie/bean burgers on the market but yours are different, you use millet, why is that?

Millet rocks on so many levels! It is easy to digest, and is one of the only alkalizing grains. It’s also drought resistant, a great crop rotator, and can be easily grown just about anywhere. When I create products, I look for ingredients like millet that are beneficial to the health of our bodies, but that also contribute to the health of our ecosystems and to the health of our economies. Much like rice it doesn’t have an overwhelming flavor profile, until you dress it up. Honestly, it’s one of the only grains I can eat that I feel good after having it. I LOVE it!

4). You worked on a farm, is that right? How was that and what did you do?

Awesome! It is always nice to walk a bit in the shoes of the individuals that you want to be working with. I planted, harvested, sold, pushed, pulled, sweated, and learned a lot! It is amazing to be close to such courageous and committed folks. Working there really connected me to our food system.

hilarys healthy veggie burgers

5). Ok, so your burgers are so tasty and now you have salad dressings! Why burgers and salad dressing? (P.S we are dying to get our hands on the dressings!)

Like the veggie burgers, I originally created dressings in the Local Burger kitchen back in the day. The flavors have been treasured by our staff and my friends and family for a while now- so it’s about time we share the love with the rest of the world! The line is great because it lends itself to salads, marinades, or being enjoyed as a dip. One of my favorite things is a huge burger salad. Try the Root Veggie Burger with the Creamy Remoulade Dressing – sooo good!

6). Could you sum up your food philosophy in a sentence or two?

I want to create sustainable, real-food products that connect people back to where their food comes from, and how those foods impact their own health, the economy, the culture of their communities and the environment. I have a passionate commitment to create a ripple that will increase the health and well being of our world. It’s all about LOVE!

7). What does a typical day of meals look like for you?

I feel best when I am primarily eating vegetables, gluten-free grains and sustainably raised nutritional dense animal proteins (and, of course chocolate, coconut and kombucha!). I love eating all kinds of veggies – my new favorite thing is putting Hilary’s products and seasonal veggies in Paleo Wraps.

hilarys healthy veggie burgers
8). You have a lovely team that seems really passionate about your company and the real food movement, how did that come about and how do you keep everyone inspired?

Much like the creation process of the burgers, our team has been formed in a beautifully organic way. It’s almost like our stories were just meant to intersect and interweave. We all have a common love of food and care for the world around us.

For me, it always goes back to relationships. If you can be honest and transparent about everything in your business, you can attract people who have the same values. The inspiration, it’s reciprocal – some days I may inspire them and other days they inspire me – we all inspire each other…. <—we love this

hilarys healthy veggie burgers
9). What’s next for Hilary’s? Any new products or fun projects? Maybe some millet hamburger buns? ;)

Oh, yes!

We’re launching some amazing new product lines in the coming years! I would love to tell you about them all right now, but you’ll just have to be surprised! I will say that I’m truly living the dream working with some great visionary vendors, and a passionate, courageous staff!

10). Where is the best place for our audience to stay up to date with your company and all the goodies you are creating?

The best place for folks to stay up to date on the latest happenings at Hilary’s would be to connect with us online, via our website or Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.

We can’t wait to continue sharing delicious, allergen-free and non-GMO foods with everyone!

Now the question is…

Have you tried Hilary’s products yet?! If not you must go get some right now!  We get ours  from Jimbo’s Naturally or Whole Foods Market . You can find the location nearest to you HERE!

hilarys healthy veggie burgers

 

We will be taking some camping this weekend:)


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