Embracing Your Best Self :: Tara of Happy Hemp

Forget everything you thought you knew about hemp: for the next installment of our Embracing Your Best Self series, Maja interviews Tara Miko, founder of Happy Hemp, who spills on this super food and her many other healthy lifestyle choices. She also recently introduced us to our favorite new snack, toasted hemp seeds! By the way, Miss Miko is a far cry from any dread-locked health-food hippy — she actually spent years working in the L.A. fashion industry before founding her company. Specializing in the highest-quality raw and toasted hemp seeds, Happy Hemp culinary products have already been featured on CNN and Oprah.com. They taste great as a simple snack, but can also be used to season meats, dress salads and add protein to smoothies. In our latest interview, Tara takes us inside her brimming-with-color Austin home to give us a taste of what inspires her healthy lifestyle and how she incorporates hemp into her everyday life. Click through for all the details shot by Chelsea Fullerton.

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Tara Miko of Happy Hemp | Camille Styles

Maja: During the past three years, you left a demanding job in the fashion industry, moved from LA to Austin, and launched a health food company. Total life change! Tell us your story.

Tara: When one door closes another one opens! After working for the same company for ten years, I suddenly found myself jobless. Losing what I thought was a secure job in a career I loved, I was faced with the fear of the unknown and a financial stress that was reeking havoc on my health both emotionally and physically. No job. No insurance. Sick. Hmmm... What to do? Start every aspect of my life over.

Starting with my health, I took issues into my own hands. I started with nutrition and what I was choosing to put in my body. I started juicing, food journaling, drinking bizarre root teas, I hopped on one foot while drinking water. I was literally open to anything that anyone told me would help. Enter hemp. Intrigued, I started eating hemp seeds on a regular basis. After about two weeks, there was a noticeable improvement in my digestion, energy and sleeping habits. The more I learned about this amazing super food, the more impressed I was. That's when "the seed" was planted!

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10 Responses to “Embracing Your Best Self :: Tara of Happy Hemp”

Jeanine Donofrio January 28, 2013

I love Tara & Happy Hemp! My favorite is sprinkling the raw hemp seeds on avocado toast for a quick lunch.

- Chelsea January 28, 2013
  
  Great lunch idea, Jeanine. I’m going to try that combo this week!
  
Ashley January 28, 2013

I’m excited to try the super green juice! I have been looking for a “green” smoothie recipe that isn’t just kale + every fruit under the sun…aka sugar overload. The mint in this will be a nice touch! Thanks!

Ruins Barry January 28, 2013

Great post. Now I found something new to try.

- Chelsea January 28, 2013
  
  Chelsea, the photographer here. Tara was kind enough to send us home with some seeds and they’re so addicting! You’re going to love them.
  
  Thanks for sharing!
  
Brianna January 28, 2013

Cannot WAIT for her farmer’s market book to come out–what a great idea!! Thanks for sharing!

Amanda January 28, 2013

I love hemp seeds and have been eating them for a while now. Their delicate, earthy flavour tastes great in the smoothies I enjoy after my workout.

diane smith January 28, 2013

What an inspiring story. Great ideas. D

Cortney W. January 29, 2013

Yum! Love all of this. Thanks for sharing!

Kristin February 7, 2013

Great feature! Love Tara’s story and had to check out her product. Wow, there really is no overstating how great these seeds are. You’ve earned a new fan for life, and I’m even sending some to my parents and sisters on the east coast. Now we’re a happy hemp family.

10 Responses to “Embracing Your Best Self :: Tara of Happy Hemp”

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