Displaying items by tag: local

Review by EvG team member Amanda Shea:

I love soup all year round, and during the chilly seasons nothing compares to a warm bowl of it! Soup is lovely when full of nutrients, however the average processed soup is high in sodium and has a long shelf life due to all the preservatives it contains - I stay away from canned soup for that reason. Two Guys in Vermont’s sodium count ranges from 6%-12%, a quarter of comparable canned soups. It’s a great value at $6 dollars for each jar: it contains two servings, which amounts to $3 for each serving. It may cost more than canned soup but you are buying soup that contains real ingredients, with no preservatives. 

Sustainability & Healthy Living Sweeps Chicago with Luke Saunder’s Passion Project, ‘Farmer’s Fridge’

EvG team member Kelly O’Brien met with Farmer’s Fridge creator & owner, Luke Saunders and shared what she learned about the innovative new concept.

As their website indicates, Farmer’s Fridge is a ‘fresh twist on an old concept’ of healthy sustainable salads and snacks….at your finger tips in a kiosk - aka...a vending machine. This kiosk is unlike any you have seen before though! Healthy primarily organic salads and fresh daily made snacks in eco-sustainable packaging is yours with the touch of a screen. The concept is absolutely brilliant and the very first thought to go through my mind was ‘What took you so long’? In Chicago, there is absolutely nothing like it!

This list of Valentine’s tips appeared in my inbox from a site called Queendom.com - these ideas are so sweet and simple I had to share.

· Forget the dozen roses. Buy one, wrapped with a ribbon. (I add: **make sure it is organic, locally grown and fair-trade!**)
· Show up at your partner's workplace and whisk him or her away for (a healthy) lunch.
· Place a love note in your partner’s lunch bag or on the bathroom mirror.
· Grab a blanket, a bottle of wine, and drive out to a place where you can see the stars. (better yet, bike, walk or take public transportation!)
· Slow dance in your living room. (or get silly and dance to a fun, old school song!)
· Meet at a local hang-out and pretend you’re two strangers flirting with each other.
· Build a little bonfire in your backyard and make chocolate (vegan) Smores.
· Get tango or salsa lessons together.

And remember, V-Day doesn't have to be about being in a relationship - celebrate it with your friends, family, animal companions and/or yourself! I explored the importance of this (and following your heart) in this video with Charles from RawYouth.org:

In an effort to help people around the country find healthy foods no matter what stores are within reach and what the budget is, I've been exploring the options at national grocery markets. I started out with Kroger's Food Co, but wasn't able to find much at that discount warehouse. So my expectations were low when I ventured into a Safeway in San Francisco (16th & Bryant), but boy was I in for a surprise! This location has at least 100 vegan options, most of which are organic and many are gluten-free! Here are some of the highlights:

A few days ago I made a video about a great trip to the farmers market, and today I made a similar one about my visit to the Santa Monica Co-Opportunity. I felt incredibly empowered after buying spices, grains, and seeds in bulk and fresh organic produce - I barely used any packaging and I saved a ton of money. I invested in some glass jars, which were only $1.69 each, and then filled them up with the amount of organic spices I needed - in total this cost about $2. And of course, none of the items I bought contained gluten, soy, oil, or refined-sugar (with the exception of some flax crackers that had a tad of soy in them).

Here's what I bought:

• Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Pasta
• Mary's Gone Crackers
• Grapefruit
• Oranges
• Papaya
• Sweet potato
• Lemon
• Lime
• Almonds
• Quinoa
• Nutritional Yeast
• Dates
• Mustard seed
• Chia seeds
• Paprika
• Cumin
• Flax seeds

Every Friday there is a farmers market within walking distance from my apartment, but I rarely go because it closes at 11am and I'm usually still sleeping (I'm a night owl and don't go to bed until 3 or 4am)! However, since I've been eating so much produce recently I decided it's worth getting up "early" at 10am and making it a weekly trip. Today I made my first trip there in a while and bought a bunch of delicious, local food that will last me about a week - all for less than $30! The best part is, most things at the farmer's market are naturally free of gluten, soy, refined sugar, and oil (unless you buy pre-made food like bread).

I realized that I'm often writing about what I don't eat: I don't eat gluten, I don't eat soy, I don't eat refined-sugar, I don't eat oil. People probably think I'm depriving myself! Sure, I post recipes and list what I consume everyday, but I feel like it's time I highlight all the amazing food I do eat. Check out this video of all the organic produce I picked up today and stay tuned for the recipes I'll use them in later this week.



Here's a list of what I bought:

• Apples
• Grapefruit
• Avocado
• Daikon Radish
• Carrots
• Bok Choy
• Beech Mushrooms
• Tomatoes
• Fingerling Potatoes
• Onion
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Mixed Greens
• Cilantro
• Basil

I am slowly savoring an organic grapefruit and it tastes beyond words. It reminds me of being in Florida with my parents when I was little. I haven't had a grapefruit in so long and I don't know what prompted me to buy one, but I'm loving it. This one is from Sunrise Farms in California. If you can get organic, local grapefruit right now, I highly recommend a trip to the farmer's market or natural grocer to buy one. : )

What fruit are you enjoying today?

I was thrilled to see my former bosses Josh Tickell & Rebecca Harrell Tickell at the Home Tree Earth Day VIP Reception, and they had some wonderful things to say on camera. As with all of our interviews, Robert and I asked then how their diet was eco-friendly. Josh said, "veganism is the ultimate expression when we talk about reducing our carbon footprint", even though he's not a vegetarian (he tried but struggled with maintaining his weight and health). However, Josh and Rebecca are passionate about organic and local food - I saw them eat very healthy every day while working in their office.

Robert Cheeke was my correspondent at the Home Tree Earth Day VIP Reception last night and we were thrilled to interview James Cameron. Since Robert and I are each focused on healthy eating, we thought we'd ask Cameron how his diet is eco-friendly. Though he's not a vegan, he had some great things to say about organic, local food, growing gardens, and raising children. In fact, he further inspired me to consider finding a way to grow my own food - which will be tricky in an apartment with no balcony...