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Mother who started nut butter company in basement is living 'American Dream'

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Mother who started nut butter company in basement is living 'American Dream'

Lea Hurley never thought the company she started in her basement would become her livelihood.  

“American Dream started in my basement, way back in 2018,” Hurley told Fox News Digital in an interview from her home in Noblesville, Indiana.

At the time, Hurley was in the middle of a cancer battle and had developed many food intolerances. “Everything” made her sick, she said, except for a few things: turkey, rice and nut butter.

EGG PRICES SOAR: 6 SUITABLE FOOD SUBSTITUTES TO CONSIDER

It was that last one that ended up being the true game-changer, and not just for her physical health.

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“I discovered I could make nut butter taste like dessert,” she said. 

Lea Hurley of Indiana is founder and CEO of American Dream Nut Butter. (American Dream Nut Butter)

And instead of eating junk food, she made her own nut butters that would help satisfy her sweet tooth and didn’t make her ill.

“Not only did that help curb my sweet tooth, it really changed my body composition as well,” she said. 

Formerly a personal trainer, Hurley began working her nut butters into her clients’ plans, “and they saw the same results that I did,” she said. 

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WOMAN WHO IS ‘ALLERGIC TO EVERYTHING’ CAN ONLY EAT THESE 2 THINGS

“So my husband kept begging me to let him take it to a bodybuilding competition because we had a ton of friends who were competitors,” she said. 

Initially, Hurley was hesitant and refused to let him, but that didn’t stop him. 

“It was kind of a hit. Everybody loved it.”

“He took it without my knowledge, and it was kind of a hit. Everybody loved it,” she said. 

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Before long, people were coming to her house to fill their own mason jars with nut butter. She realized she should begin selling them herself. 

‘Still remember the first order’

Hurley began posting her nut butters on social media and saw her following grow. 

“I started out with 12 followers in 2018, and now we’re up to 200,000,” she said. “I can still remember the first online order that came in.” 

American Dream Nut Butter had its first online sale in 2018. The company had its millionth in 2024. (American Dream Nut Butter)

That first order was so exciting that she and her family danced around the house, she told Fox News Digital.

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In July 2024, American Dream Nut Butter made its millionth online sale. 

“It’s kind of a crazy story, from starting from nothing all the way to what it is now,” she said. 

GIRL SCOUTS SAY 2 COOKIE FLAVORS WILL BE RETIRED AFTER 2025

Hurley named her company American Dream because, for her and her family, “that’s what we feel like we’re doing.” 

She said, “We’re living the American dream. We are the epitome of what that means, how people can go from nothing. And then, you know, with a little bit of opportunity and hard work and God’s grace, you can really make a difference.”

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Hurley said she and her family are “living the American dream” ever since she turned her American Dream Nut Butter business into a company. (American Dream Nut Butter)

The company “has actually been like a godsend, because I would have been fired from my regular job with all the work I would have had to miss” due to her numerous illnesses, she told Fox News Digital. 

‘Core ingredients’

The process of creating one of her products, she said, starts with a bit of math as well as high-quality ingredients. The protein powder in American Dream’s products is specially made for the company.

KATE MIDDLETON EATS THIS HEART-HEALTHY ‘SUPERFOOD’ FOR BREAKFAST EACH DAY

“It starts with the core ingredients I’m using, making sure that those taste good first, and then getting the right ratio,” she said. 

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She then moves on to the “macros” of the product: the amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. 

Hurley said she wants her nut butters “to taste like you’re almost eating the real thing.” (American Dream Nut Butter)

“I also want it to taste like you’re almost eating the real thing,” she said, as much as that is possible. 

“There’s no protein brownie that’s going to taste just like a brownie. But I want to get it as close as possible without using artificial sweeteners because I really don’t like those,” Hurley said. 

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Aside from making nut butters, cookies and other protein-packed treats, American Dream’s other goal is “to try to help as many people as we can.” 

One group especially close to her heart is veterans. American Dream has its own veterans and first responder program that the company has dubbed “American Heroes.” 

“One of the things that the troops said they missed from home was junk food.”

“And every month, customers or ambassadors will nominate a veteran or first responder or active duty military for us to send a care package to. We do 100 of those a month,” she said. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle

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Overseas troops receive “a big box full of goodies” in addition to nut butters and other American Dream products.

“One of the things the troops said they missed from home was junk food,” Hurley said. 

American Dream’s “American Heroes” program sends out 100 care packages a month to troops, veterans and first responders, its founder said. (American Dream Nut Butter)

“So, along with our nut butters, we will pack things like Doritos and Pop-Tarts and cookies and all of the things that they requested, plus some fun things to do, like crosswords and things like that to kind of fill the time.” 

Through making nut butters that are both nutritious and tasty, Hurley said she has uncovered what she believes is a gift from God. 

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“I don’t know exactly how I do it,” she said. 

“I feel like everyone has different gifts from God, and this is my gift. It wasn’t until I started American Dream that I was like, ‘My gosh, I do have a God-given talent.’”

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Detroit, MI

Where to score tickets for this Sunday’s Pistons vs. Nets game for under $30

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Where to score tickets for this Sunday’s Pistons vs. Nets game for under


If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

Detroit Pistons fans will have the chance to see the Eastern Conference leaders this Sunday, Feb. 1, when they return to Little Caesars Arena to host the Brooklyn Nets at 6 p.m. ET.

Tickets are available now from Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub and Ticketmaster. Prices below reflect availability at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Ticket Service Starting Price
Vivid Seats $27
SeatGeek $29
StubHub $28
Ticketmaster $26

The team is currently in the middle of a Western Conference road slate, which includes matchups with the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors. They earned a 109-108 win over Denver Tuesday night to improve to 34-11 and will set their sights on the Suns on Thursday. They’ll then make a final stop in San Francisco to take on the Warriors before returning home.

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Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris each had a team-high 22 points in Tuesday’s win, while Cunningham also had 11 assists. Cunningham currently leads the league in assists, averaging 9.8 per game. He will represent Detroit as an Eastern Conference starter in this year’s All-Star Game.

Fans can score their tickets now for Sunday’s game from Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, StubHub and Ticketmaster.



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Milwaukee, WI

A Look Into Five Great Milwaukee Novels

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A Look Into Five Great Milwaukee Novels


Novels offer a great escape, but sometimes we want our fiction to hit closer to home. These recent books are set in Milwaukee, but do they paint a recognizable portrait of our beloved city?

MYSTERY | PENGUIN BOOKS, 2022 | $18 

Photo courtesy Penguin Books

Sneha, a queer South Asian college grad moves to Milwaukee in 2013 for a job. She explores identity, romance and friendship, along with our city’s socialist history and alcohol culture.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?”  

Most definitely. The people whom Sneha meets ring true to our region, including “tony Brookfield,” Bay View and beyond.

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 Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

Certainly. Sprinkled throughout are local history lessons and discussions of our prodigious alcohol consumption, not to mention a little day-drinking on Brady Street.  

Name-drops:

Bay View Massacre, North Division and Rufus King high schools.

 


Celebrate the Milwaukee leaders who foster connection, create opportunity and strengthen our community!

 


COMING OF AGE | POLIS BOOKS, 2021 | $19 

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Cover of At the End of the World Turn Left by Zhanna Slor
Photo courtesy Polis Books

Ukraine-born Masha must return from a new life in Israel to her childhood home in Milwaukee, where her sister has mysteriously gone missing. 

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Mostly. Masha’s father lives in the “semi-dangerous neighborhood of Riverwest.” Despite frequent allusions to Masha’s youth in Ukraine, Milwaukee’s cafes and clubs provide the main setting for Masha’s adventures. 

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

Indeed. Slor has clearly done her Riverwest research:Masha spends plenty of time sipping at Fuel Cafe (RIP) and checking out music at Bremen Cafe.  

Name-drops:

Foundation, Uptowner


POSTMODERN | PENGUIN PRESS, 2025 | $30 

Cover of Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon
Photo courtesy Penguin Press

In speakeasy Depression-era Milwaukee, a softening former cop deals with organized and not-so-organized crime as he follows the trail of a wayward cheese heiress.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Yes, early on. It’s left behind as a concrete setting for the second half of the book, but Cream City remains the spiritual home for our main character.

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Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The details are rich and almost always amusing. Characters gab around bubblers, drink old fashioneds, play sheepshead and talk more cheese than you can believe.

Name-drops:

Paramount Records (a defunct blues label in Grafton), Holton Street Bridge, Oriental Drugs


SUSPENSE | THREE TOWERS PRESS, 2019 | $27 

 

Cover of Beneath the Flames by Gregory Lee Renz
Photo courtesy Three Towers Press

Mitch is a firefighter looking to escape a tragedy in rural Wisconsin. He relocates to Milwaukee to join a busy firehouse, leading to many adventures.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

As a former pro, Renz knows his firefighting, and he knows Milwaukee well enough to strike a clear contrast between the quiet, manure-air of Mitch’s farm home and the frenetic energy of the North Side. 

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Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The neighborhoods are richly drawn, and Renz includes the violence, conflict and racial tensions all too familiar in our unequal city.  

Name-drops:

Teutonia Avenue, a character called the “Jawbreaker of South Milwaukee”


THRILLER | BALLANTINE BOOKS, 2021 | $19 

Cover of We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz
Photo courtesy Ballantine Books

Following a traumatic episode in Chile, Emily tries to recover with a new job in Milwaukee. A friend from the past arrives, and their violent history comes slowly to the surface.  

Is Milwaukee a “character?” 

Not really. Local author Bartz places the main characters here, but the setting isn’t the biggest factor in their character development.

Does it feel like Milwaukee?  

The plot mostly shines on the internal life of Emily, but there’s local insight: She’s “over Milwaukee – her hometown – with its smallish size and polarized communities.” 

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Name-drops:

Brady Street and the “slightly creepy Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit at the public museum” 


The cover of the January 2026 issue of Milwaukee Magazine

This story is part of Milwaukee Magazine’s January 2026 issue.

Find it on newsstands or buy a copy at milwaukeemag.com/shop.

Be the first to get every new issue. Subscribe.





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Minneapolis, MN

Lawmakers condemn ‘disgusting’ attack on Ilhan Omar at Minneapolis town hall

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Lawmakers condemn ‘disgusting’ attack on Ilhan Omar at Minneapolis town hall


Lawmakers from both parties have condemned the attack on Ilhan Omar after the Minnesota congresswoman was sprayed with an unknown substance during her town hall on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, responded to comments from Donald Trump who quipped that “she probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”

Jeffries countered: “That’s a disgusting comment and the president’s lies and misinformation continue to fan the flames of these types of violent incidents.

“Ilhan Omar, of course, is a strong, courageous, hardworking public servant. This should have never happened,” he continued.

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Trump has long targeted Omar, who arrived in the US as a refugee as a child and has been a citizen for more than 25 years. His xenophobic attacks on her have ramped up in recent weeks as he has targeted Minnesota’s Somali community. He recently called for her to be “sent back to Somalia” in a post on Truth Social.

After the attack, lawmakers have directly blamed Trump’s rhetoric.

Jasmine Crockett, the Democratic representative from Texas, said in a social media post that she was “disgusted” and “outraged”. “Let’s be clear: nonstop hate and dangerous rhetoric from Trump and his allies has fueled this type of violence.”

The Minnesota representative Angie Craig said she was “relieved that my colleague Ilhan is safe”.

“The rise in political violence in our state must stop,” she posted on X. “We are better than this Minnesota.”

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Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic senator of Maryland, said he was “relieved” that Omar was not injured. “But Trump’s response was shameful – & Republicans should say so. His baseless & racist attacks against her have no doubt endangered her. His inability to condemn the attack is appalling,” he wrote on X.

Greg Landsman, a Democratic representative from Ohio, said “the rhetoric against a sitting member of Congress is un-American” and leads to more violence. “Everyone, regardless of political affiliation, should approach this moment with humility and grace. That’s how we break this cycle of division and hate.”

Republicans have also spoken out against the apparent act of political violence. The South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace wrote that she was “deeply disturbed” to learn that Omar was attacked at the town hall.

“Regardless of how vehemently I disagree with her rhetoric – and I do – no elected official should face physical attacks. This is not who we are.”

Don Bacon, a representative of Nebraska, said on social media: “Political violence is always wrong. We always have the right to free speech and to petition the government, but political violence must be dealt with sternly.”

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He added that the attacker “needs to spend sometime [sic] behind bars”.

Omar is the second lawmaker of color to be physically attacked in the last week. The Florida representative Maxwell Frost said he was punched in the face on Friday at the Sundance film festival in Utah by a man who said Trump would deport him.



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