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Organic Cocktails for the Weekend

November 6th, 2009 by saracsnow

RoundLabelIt’s the perfect vodka in my opinion; made from 100% organic ingredients with corn (not wheat) as its primary element (I have a wheat allergy so I especially appreciate this).  Rain Organic Vodka comes in four unique flavors, plus the original variety.  Each is distilled in small batches at Buffalo Trace Distillery from 100% organic white corn.  The vodkas undergo a 20-day production process that includes cold-water sweet mash fermentation, seven distinct distillations, and a polishing stage that adds in pure limestone water.

This results in a smooth, perfumey vodka.  In fact, according to the Rain site “There are smells of pear drop, moss and hay in the first sniffing.  Aeration allows the aroma to deepen, especially the appealing earthy moss and wet soil perfume.  Palate entry is feather-light; at mid-palate there’s a firm but satiny taste of sweet grain.  Aftertaste is grainy.  Delicious and delicate.”

Maybe you’ve never gotten that deep with your vodka.  But when it’s organic, small batch distilled, and occasionally blended with flavors like Honey Mango Melon, Cucumber Lime, Red Grape Hibiscus and Lavender Lemonade it’s time you did.

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Here are a few recipes to get your weekend kickin’!

Cucumber Rain Refresher

  • 2 oz Rain Organics Cucumber Lime Vodka
  • 4 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix
  • 1 oz. Ginger Ale
  • Ice
  • Cucumber Wheel

In a shaker, add Rain ORganics Cucumber Lim Vodka, sweet and sour mix, ginger ale and ice.  Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with a cucumber wheel.

Seaside Rain

  • 1 1/2 oz. Rain Organics Lavender Lemonade Vodka
  • 2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
  • 2 oz. Cranberry Juice
  • Lemon Wheel and/or Blueberries
  • Ice

In a shaker, add Rain Organics Lavender Lemonade Vodka, grapefruit juice, cranberry juice and ice.  Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with a lemon wheel, blueberries, or both.

Laughter in the Rain

  • 2 oz. Rain Organics Vodka
  • 1/2 oz. Peach Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 oz. Simple Syrup
  • 1-inch piece of Cucumber, peeled and chopped
  • 1 strip Lemon Zest
  • 1 strip Cucumber Peel
  • Ice

In a shaker, add Rain Organics Vodka, peach liqueur, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, chopped cucumber and ice.  Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with lemon zest and cucumber peel.

Terra Plana shoes to bring an ethical spring to your step

November 4th, 2009 by saracsnow

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I first discovered Terra Plana a few years ago while filming my show in NYC.  Someone ran by their showroom to pick up some shoes for me to wear and I ended up purchasing two of the pairs they brought back because I couldn’t live without them.  About a month prior I had happened upon their SoHo shop and fell in love with the brand (and a handbag that, to this day, I get multiple compliments on every time I carry it).

What’s to love?  Everything.

The company offers fashionable shoes with an ethical twist.

The Terra Plana products themselves support theories and actions of sustainability: lightness, anatomic design, disassembly and durability.  They constantly strive to minimize waste, toxins (vegetable tanning their leather instead of using chemicals), and glues (using stitched construction instead), while using eco-friendly and innovative materials to create light, flexible, durable, and earth friendly shoes.  They say that “the totally sustainable shoe is still a long way off but with each collection we get that little bit closer.”

There are recycled elements in every Terra Plana shoe: recycled PET bottles for mesh, recycled rice husks for soling materials, recycled leather and recycled foam for footbeds, etc..

Their VivoBarefoot line goes one step further.  The construction of the show actually works to strengthen the muscles in your feet, realigning your posture, and stimulating sensory perception.  They give you the protection of a shoe with the health benefits of going barefoot.

But here’s what I really love about Terra Plana.  Their shoes and boots are not only ethical, they’re BEAUTIFUL!

1022_greyvegtannedJust the other day I slipped my foot into my newest pair of Terra Planas; a Grey (the hot color of the season) Juniper pump.  They hugged my feet in all the right places, felt so soft on the sole of my foot, and carried me on a bed of feel-good all day long.

Check out Terra Plana shoes out for your holiday parties, winter boots, or a special gift for someone you love.

Enter discount code TerraPlana20 for 20% off everything on the site!

Make Your Snacks Funky

November 2nd, 2009 by saracsnow

While they’re probably meant for a younger audience than me, I have to say that I’m hooked on Funky Monkey Snacks!

51I7FZXD1IL._SL160_AA115_It’s the Fruit That Crunches – made of all natural, freeze-dried fruit.  They have no added sugar, preservatives, color, or flavors and they’re all completely gluten-free, wheat-free, and dairy-free.

While most freeze dried fruit is made up of teeny tiny pieces of fruit, Funky Monkey Snacks uses a proprietary freeze-drying process on whole slices and large pieces of fruit.  Each one-ounce bag contains three servings of fruit.  Sadly, 72% of Americans don’t eat their fill of fruits and vegetables in a day.  Funky Monkey Snacks can help!

Funky Monkey just announced the addition of three new flavors:

  • Applemon™ (freeze-dried apple and organic cinnamon),
  • MangOJ™ (freeze-dried mango and orange juice), and
  • Pink Pineapple™ (freeze-dried organic pineapple and guava)

This trio joins the existing varieties: Bananamon®, Carnaval Mix™, JiveALime® and Purple Funk®.

As for where to get it:  Funky Monkey Snacks can be found in the produce or snack sections of grocery stores and natural foods stores across the US, including Super Target and Whole Foods.  They retail for about $1.99 – $ 2.49 for each one-ounce bag.

Snack a little funkier today.  I will!

My favorite, by the way….the MangOJ.  Delic!!

Switch Out Your Skin Care for a Glowing Winter Face

October 30th, 2009 by saracsnow

As you prepare to transition your wardrobe for Fall and Winter – your clothes, shoes, hair and accessories – you don’t want to forget about one of your most important features: your skin!

sa-logoSkin care expert and founder of the natural skincare company, Skin Authority, Celeste Hilling offers the below five tips for maintaining radiant skin even through the dull winter months.

She says that just as we all know it’s important to exercise our bodies every day to stay healthy, it’s also critical to give ourselves a “five-minute beauty workout” each day to protect and maintain healthy skin.”

  1. Hydrate Your Skin through Exfoliation: Old skin care myths led people to believe that exfoliation can dry or thin the skin. Modern research shows that regular exfoliation speeds up the cell turnover process allowing the body to produce much needed moisture-bearing properties like hyaluronic acid and helps to plump the skin by churning up elastin and collagen production. That’s why Hilling recommends using a resurfacing agent like glycolic acid. Commonly derived from sugar cane, glycolic acid gently dissolves dead surface skin cells signaling the body to replace those skin cells with new, plump cells. With nightly use, moisture can be increased by 33 percent over eight weeks.
  2. Become a Mask Maven: Masks play an important role in calming inflammation or combating dehydration that can result from overexposure to summer heat or cold, dry winter air. For extremely irritated skin, Hilling recommends applying a mask of eucalyptus and sulpher once a week, in addition to your daily skin care regime, which puts nutrients and moisture back into your skin while fighting inflammation.
  3. Love ALL of the Skin You’re In: Our face is the most visible portion of our skin, but it’s important to resurface the entire body, including those summer- and winter-time problem areas such as knees, elbows, hands and feet. Hilling recommends resurfacing each night by using an external exfoliator, such as a shower scrub, followed by a moisturizer with 20 percent glycolic acid.
  4. Don’t Put the Sunscreen Away with the Pool Bag: Sunscreen helps prevent signs of aging as well as immune disorders, such as skin cancer, so it’s important to protect your skin throughout the year. To ensure your sunscreen works for you this winter apply to all exposed skin (which in the winter months often includes our faces, neck, ears, décolletage, hands, forearms, feet and ankles) and use a sunscreen that gives you full-spectrum protection (those with SPF 15 or greater yield the best results).
  5. Sun-kissed Recipe for Beautiful Winter Skin: To recreate a healthy summer glow, use bronzing powders and tinted moisturizers. These products give you a safe, sun-kissed look without going in the sun. Quick, money-saving tip: take a moisturizing sunscreen and add two drops of foundation. Mixing the two together gives you a more natural look for winter, saves you money and gives you healthier skin.

media.nlCommitted to a sustainable future, Skin Authority uses natural ingredients in their products, recycled and recyclable materials in the packaging, renewable energy in the production, and never adds dyes, synthetic fragrances, or parabens.  And, of course, no testing on animals.

This November Skin Authority is hosting Beauty Workout Holiday Boot Camps at stunning spa locations from Key West to San Diego to take everyday people through a Boot Camp circuit and send them home with glowing skin, a personal coach and pages of tips to shape a healthier life.  Find Boot Camp locations and dates on www.skinauthority.com/holiday-boot-camp.

Rainbow Light’s New Gummy Vitamins in Time for Cold and Flu Season

October 28th, 2009 by saracsnow

Rainbow Light, a leader in natural nutrition for nearly 30 years, has unveiled two new Gummy Vitamins just in time for Cold and Flu Season: Gummy Get Well and Fiber Garden Gummies,

Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems is best known as the manufacturer of the number one selling natural multivitamin line, Just Once®, and the top selling prenatal line, Prenatal One™.

I’m a personal fan and user of Rainbow Light vitamins because I believe in their dedication to delivering all-natural, food-based formulas that are potent and created for optimum absorption.

The new fun and tasty gummy vitamins are designed to help families boost their immunity and digestive systems.

RL Gummy Get WellGummy Get Well Soothing Herbal Drops is the most potent, 100 percent natural, stimulant-free kid’s immune formula. With vitamin C and a calming herbal relief blend that includes elderberry, eucalyptus and peppermint, Gummy Get Well provides soothing comfort for sore throats, stuffy noses and respiratory discomfort. It is the only gummy-form remedy available in the market to deliver more than 1,000 milligrams of potent, calming herbal relief per gummy drop.

RL Fiber Garden GummyFiber Garden Gummies provides over 3 grams of fiber per serving, more than any other brand. Delicious, 100 percent natural and sugar-free, Fiber Garden Gummies is a great way for kids – and adults – to get more fiber, fruits and vegetables in their diet. Since dietary fiber helps reduce after-meal elevations of blood sugar, sugar-free Fiber Garden Gummies are also appropriate snacks for adults with pre-diabetes, with blood sugar imbalances or those dieting.

According to Rainbow Light president, Linda Kahler,“Rainbow Light’s new gummies can help promote immune resistance, digestion and regularity for both children and their parents.  They are a smart addition to any family’s diet and medicine cabinet this season.”

The new gummies are available at “fine health retailers” across this country and online at www.rainbowlight.com. SRP is $10.99 for 30 Gummy Get Well gummies and $19.99 for 30 stay fresh single serve packets of Fiber Garden Gummies.

Organic and Fair-Trade Candies for Halloween!

October 26th, 2009 by saracsnow

Still deciding what to give out to trick-or-treaters this Halloween?

Fair Trade, Organic, or Natural is the way to go!

890146001876_-_Family_Size_Fruit_Pops-217x249Try a selection of Organic Lollipops by Yummy Earth.  A big bag of 60 comes in 8 different flavors and they’re gluten-free, planet friendly and have no artificial dyes or flavors.  Each lollipop is individually wrapped making them trick-or-treater friendly!  Check out YummyEarth.com for a full selection of their Lollipops and Candy Drops.  $25 for a package of 160 lollipops or $30 for 675 drops!

The Natural Candy Store has a great selection of organic and natural treats.  They even have a full page dedicated to organic Halloween candies like organic chocolate coins and a bag of mixed, individually wrapped vegan candies!  Also check out their selections of Gluten-Free candies, Kosher candies, Allergen-Free candies, and Fair-Trade candies.

5137-peppermint-fuddge-organic-and-fair-trade-2oz_92x93October is Fair Trade month, which makes this Halloween the perfect time to embrace Fair Trade certified chocolates and treats.  Swoonbeam Chocolates are Fair Trade and Organic so they certainly fit the bill!  While they might not work as well for trick-or-treaters if they come by the hundreds to your house, they’re perfect for Halloween baskets or gift bags for the specials ones on your list!

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Want to learn more about Fair Trade?  Check out FairTradeMonth.org for facts about Fair Trade and simple ways to support the movement.

Join the “World Biggest Green Sweepstakes”

October 21st, 2009 by saracsnow

My friend Jill Palermo, founder of WE ADD UP, has created what she calls the “World’s Biggest Green Sweepstakes!”

According to www.WeAddUp.com, “With the recent passing of the American Clean Energy and Security Act by the House of Representatives and international climate talks in Copenhagen this December, many see an opportunity for the U.S. to act as a global leader in clean energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.”

homepage_adAnd WE ADD UP wants to be the one to move people to action.  In that vein, they are kicking off the Climate Action Giveaway, a virtual web campaign designed to create awareness and action around global warming across the country.

The contest kicked up last month and continues until the COP15 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen on December 7th.

Head to www.climategiveaway.com and click on “click here to help” to join the sweepstakes.  Once you’ve signed up you are automatically entered for a chance to win exciting green prizes, including a 4 day backpacking trip at Glacier National Park in Montana, 3 nights at Dragonfly Ranch’s eco-resort in Hawaii, over $2000 worth of custom raised bed gardens shipped to your door, LED Christmas lights, up to $4,300 in IceStone countertops, a year’s supply of gDiapers, $400 diamond simulant earrings by Diamond Nexus Labs, and more.

WE ADD UP’s goal is to get a million people engaged and learning about climate solutions.  Every week, registered participants are sent an email with a call to action; a suggestion of a single action they can take to promote greener living.  Suggestions include e-faxing your Senator to support strong climate legislation or participating in 350.org viral photo activism.

Are you ready to help?

Sign up today!

The Best Little Sponges You Could Hope For – TWIST

October 14th, 2009 by saracsnow

Housecleaning doesn’t top most people’s list of favorite activities.  But what if you could do it using a sponge that does the job quickly and effectively, and saves the planet at the same time?!  THEN you’d be rocking your way around that clean home, right?

LR_Twist_naked_trio_V3.tifTwist sponges were made by a bunch of people who, when it came to the kitchen, loved to cook and eat, but hated to clean up the mess.  So they stopped and asked themselves why they didn’t love to clean up.  For them, it turned out, it was mostly about the tools.  ”We didn’t like the tools.  We didn’t like the way they felt.  We didn’t like the way they looked sitting on the counter.  We didn’t like what they were made of.  So we decided to make some little changes.  Nothing big.  Just little things.  Pretty soon we were getting that lovey feeling when we were doing the dishes too.  And a new company was born.”

That company is Twist Sponges.  All of their sponges are 100% biodegradable, dye-free ,and some even come packed in an agave wrapper.  Fun, huh?  Healthy for the planet, too.

DishDumpling_V7I’m a huge fan of their  Dish Dumpling sponge – tough enough to get off the baked-on food, but doesn’t rub your hand raw in the process.  I also love the Sponge Blossoms.  They’re dehydrated sponges which come looped in groups of four on a string.  When you’re ready for another, you simply unloop and give it a drink of water.  Voila – a full sized sponge!  And one of the best is the Euro Sponge.  It’s huge!  Perfect for countertops.

961687-1827988-thumbnailBut because I’m a towel user, not a sponge user, when it comes to countertops, I have to say that one of my favorites is the Bamboo Cloth.  Made of bamboo, of course, this little baby will clean forever and forever, saving the landfill and your pocketbook from all of those disposable paper towels you might have otherwise used!  They wash up in the washing machine and continue to bust countertop butt in the kitchen.  I have a collection in my towel drawer right next to my sink and used them every day.

Granted, it doesn’t take much to get me excited.  It’s the little things!  And when I find a simple product that works for me and for the planet, I’m willing to do (ok, attempt) cartwheels!  To the Twist folks – I’m glad you didn’t like doing dishes, because some great little sponge babies were born as a result.

Ayurvedic Elixirs by Adina

October 12th, 2009 by saracsnow

How does a little Honey Eucalyptus sound to start your day?  Maybe Blackberry Hibiscus after a workout?  Or Mango Orange Chamomile when you’re finally relaxing after a long day’s work?

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Adina for Life has launched a new line of elixirs called Adina Holistics.  Based on the ancient Indian medical practice of Ayurveda, Adina roughly means “life in its holistic and spiritual dimension.”
But this is not just another bottled drink company.  The founders of none other than successful beverage companies Odwalla and SoBe joined together to create Adina, a company that lives their mantra drink no evil by staying clear of high fructose corn syrup and synthetic ingredients; instead filling their bottles and cans with the best fairly traded and organically grown ingredients to bring you, not only a satisfying thirst quencher, but a drink that doesn’t just taste good, it does good.
energy_coffee_inprint_thumbYou may already be familiar with Adina’s successful line of coffee beverages.  And now there’s ample reason to fully explore the brand.
Adina Holistics, the newest line, taps into the 5,000-year-old holistic approach to health, Ayurveda, by using time-tested herbal recipes that have been known to exert a normalizing and balancing effect on the body.
“Replenishment that nourishes while helping to achieve harmony is part of our mission. The Adina Holistics line of elixirs contain adaptogenic herbal extracts that are part of the Ayurvedic tradition. These USDA Organic certified herbal ingredients are easily assimilated and used to fortify the immune system and vital organs against the debilitating effects of stress. That’s what we call Enlightened Refreshment!”
Here are just a few of their adaptogenic ingredients:
Ashwagandha has been used as an herbal remedy for hundreds of years. It has many applications, and has been used by Native Americans and Africans to treat inflammation, fevers, and to protect against infection or illness. It has also been used to boost the immune system, improve memory, and to promote overall wellness.
Astragalus has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, often in combination with other herbs, to strengthen the body against disease. Astragalus is an adaptogen, meaning it helps protect the body against various stresses, including physical, mental, or emotional stress.
Gotu Kola is a rejuvenative nervine recommended for nervous disorders, epilepsy, senility and premature aging. As a brain tonic, it is said to aid intelligence and memory. It strengthens the adrenal glands and cleanses the blood to treat skin impurities. It is said to combat stress and depression, increase libido and improve reflexes. It has also been indicated for chronic venous insufficiency, minor burns, scars, scleroderma, skin ulcers, varicose veins, wound healing, rheumatism, blood diseases, congestive heart failure, urinary tract infections, venereal diseases, hepatitis and high blood pressure.
Tulsi, or holy basil, is an important symbol in the Hindu religious tradition and is worshipped in the morning and evening by Hindus at large. The holy basil is also a herbal remedy for a lot of common ailments including cough, sore throat, heart disorder and stress.
Valerian has been used as a medicinal herb since at least the time of ancient Greece and Rome. In addition to sleep disorders, valerian has been used for gastrointestinal spasms and distress, epileptic seizures, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Don’t just drink, drink to health, wellness, and longevity.  I am!

Compostable Party Kit

October 9th, 2009 by saracsnow

Tonight my neighborhood is throwing a progressive cocktail party.  Ok, so that doesn’t really have anything to do with the compostable party kit I’m getting ready to tell you about, but it’s a fun fact all the same.  If it were a different kind of party, a tailgate or a picnic, maybe, THIS would be the party pack I’d turn to.

Made by Ultra Green, they’re a company that is in the practice of making Earth-friendly products using “cutting-edge ecological discoveries.”

In fact, they say that they’ve “gone beyond recycling” by using Tree Free paper products made from sugarcane fiber.

drsoda_2076_322629422After the sugar is squeezed from the cane, historically, the crushed stalk was burned or discarded. No longer. We’ve done away with the environmental nightmare of petroleum-based plastics that take hundreds of years to break down, contaminate our soil, groundwater and oceans. Ultra Green cups and utensils are made from cornstarch. All of our products are 100% biodegradable, compostable, and sustainable.

At Natural Products Expo East a little over a week ago I was introduced to their new Picnic ‘n Party Pack.  It comes with 12 plates, 12 cups, 12 napkins, and 12 utensil sets, all of which can withstand heat and hot liquids, are oil resistant, are safe for the microwave and freezer, and are made in compliance with US FDA guidelines.  And at $15, that’s only about $1.25 per person.

Perfect for picnics, tailgates, and birthday parties, I hope you’ll reach for this instead of the standard disposables for your next get-together!