Sears Canada - Organic Cotton

Did you know that Sears Canada has organic cotton clothes?? I had no idea! Not only do they have it, but their prices are extremely decent. See below for some of their great selection. 




(Left) Organic Pointelle Tank Top. This organic cotton tank top is form fitted and comes in four fabulous colors. $12.97
(Right) Organic Cotton T-Shirt. This shirt has spandex added in for a little stretch-ability. Comes in seven colors. $12.97 

Juicing Adventures Vol. 2

Never before have I had so many different kinds of vegetables in my fridge; it is packed from top to bottom with carrots, zuchini, lemons, limes, oranges, celery, apples, chard, lettuce, kale and beets. (All organic of course!) Chard and Kale have never even made it into my house before!

My daily juicings are all a little bit different. I don't measure or anything I just choose a quantity of fruit and vegetables and go with it! I have carrots in it every day and usually an apple or two but the rest is all interchangeable.



Yesterday I tried chard for the first time; unfortunately I made the mistake of tasting more or less straight chard juice; DISGUSTING!! I thought for sure that I had ruined my juice mixture; thankfully I only put one big chard stalk in and it completely blended in with the other juices. I don't think I will try more than one stalk at a time. But one stalk is more than I have ever eaten before!



Today I have a brilliant purple mixture of carrot, apple, orange, lettuce, lemon, zuchini, kale, chard, celery and beet. I put a rather large beet in, and I think it was a little too much. From now on I'll cut the beets in half. The earthy flavour, while amazing cooked and slathered in butter, doesn't taste as great with fresh fruit and veg. Though it sure looks pretty!

Have I noticed any changes so far? Well it has only been a week but I do think that I am a little more energetic; I was up 1.5 hours earlier than normal today and it felt like I woke up at my normal time. I didn't start to get really tired until after supper; so that's a plus!

See you next time!

Photos via John-Morgan and julie gibbons 

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Juicing!

Over the past few weeks I have been debating whether or not to begin the adventure that is juicing. My sister has been juicing nearly every fruit/vegetable imaginable for ages and swears by it. I know for a fact that I don't eat nearly enough vegetables and I don't mind the juice that she makes! But, is juicing what "I" need?

I'm still deciding, but in the meantime I figured I would share some of the things that I am learning!

Why Should You Juice Vegetables? 

Everyone knows that you're supposed to eat 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. How often does that actually happen? I know personally I'm lucky if I eat that much in a day once a month! Juicing allows you to consume the benefits of all those vegetables in a single glass. It is way easier to get all those nutrients into your body.

Your body can absorb the nutrients more readily in juice form; so you're not wasting nearly as much.

You will end up eating a greater variety of fruits and vegetables than you normally would.

Juicing is also beneficial because it uses fresh uncooked fruits and veg. Once a food has been cooked it loses its micro-nutrients, but not if it has been juiced!

Does it really make a difference?

Everyone that I know that juices has told me that they feel more energetic, healthier, they recover more quickly when they get sick, etc... I've seen how much of a difference it makes in their lives and really believe that it does. I don't think so many people would go through the 'hassle' of it if they didn't find it beneficial.

Why juicing and not making smoothies?

I'm not 100% clear on whether or not there is a big difference between blending and juicing; except that some blenders can heat the food resulting in a loss of nutrients. For me, the choice is more personal. I enjoy smoothies but I cannot get them down very easily. I can drink a whole lot more juice because it isn't thick; so juicing would be a better choice for me.

So what is taking you so long to decide?

I 'know' that juicing would be a good idea; but I'm a pretty busy person. My biggest concern is whether or not I would have the time/inclination to do it. I have no desire to spend the money on a good juicer only to use it for a few days and decide it is too much of a hassle. You have to clean the juicer RIGHT away or it will mold, something you want to avoid at all costs. Will I have the time to do that?

The other fact is that there are an absolute ton of juicers out there. I personally want one that is as easy to clean as possible, and still gets the most out of the vegetables that it can. (Without being too expensive.)



One of these juicers is just over $100 - The other... over $300! That is a lot of money for me to invest before I figure out what I really need.

If you are thinking about juicing you should check out what Dr. Mercola has to say about it. 

I'll keep you posted and share any new juicing information that I come across!

Thanks for stopping by!

Photos courtesy of mathiasbaert, rick and cbb4104

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Organic Books - Product of the Week

The following books are all from the Chapters website - (Which is handy if you are Canadian because they offer free shipping on orders over $25.) The first book deals with travelling and organic food, the second and third are little more scientific.


"This book is destined for vegetarians, vegans, and people who want to stay healthy by eating better foods obtained in compliance with the laws of nature. Although Paris is not yet a vegetarian haven like London or New York, vegetarianism is now booming here, as well as the use of organic foods in traditional restaurants. This is very good news ! Vegetarian Paris has now become Vegetarian and Organic Paris to include traditional French restaurants using organic products and being vegetarian-friendly. This year, I have added a "Read Me First" section in the book. Here, I have grouped information about what continues to be hard to find in Paris, including where to find wheatgrass juice, have an organic breakfast, eat without gluten, eat organic crepes, have organic Italian meals, have meals with many sprouted seeds, buy organic products with your Amex card, etc.

In addition, the section includes a useful list of the restaurants that no longer exist but continue to be mentioned on many websites. In the first chapter, "Restaurants", you will find addresses, telephone numbers, business hours and closest metro stations of Parisian restaurants. Also included are brief examples of meals proposed and price, the percentage of organically grown products used in the preparation of meals, the kind of restaurant (vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, vegetarian-friendly) and website addresses, when available. You will also find pictures of the restaurants listed. The second chapter lists organic and non-organic juice bars and soup bars and quality vegetarian (or vegetarian-friendly) snack bars. Included are the names, addresses, business hours, phone numbers, and closest metro stations, as well as examples of meals/juices/soups proposed with their prices and organic ingredients used.

The third chapter lists organic food shops with their names, addresses, business hours and phone numbers. When available, the number of seats for eating-in and websites are given. In the fourth chapter you will find listed the artesian wells still open to the public. Here you can get pure spring water for free, and chat with French people.

In the fifth and sixth chapters, you will find lists of the main organic bakeries in Paris and information about organic food open markets. At the end of the book is an English-French food dictionary to help you get what you really want. I hope that Vegetarian and Organic Paris will help you enjoy even more the City of Light. Bon voyage and bon appétit!"

VEGETARIAN AND ORGANIC PARIS



This book is currently 24% off!

"Organic gardening and farming with organic systems such as Biodynamic, Biointensive, Forest gardening, and more. Organic techniques such as Aquaponics, Companion planting, Intercropping, Multiple cropping, No-dig gardening, Xeriscaping, and much more. Organic pest and weed controls such as biological pest control, drip irrigation, dynamic accumulator, mulch, tillage and much more.Project Webster represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Project Webster continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge."


Organic Gardening & Farming Including Organic Systems, Techniques, Pest, & Weed Control


CURRENTLY 24% OFF

"This book begins by explaining the relationship between sustainability and the organic agriculture movements. It delves into the regulations and associations that monitor these products. It then explains how organic agriculture works and provides examples of some products.

Project Webster represents a new publishing paradigm, allowing disparate content sources to be curated into cohesive, relevant, and informative books. To date, this content has been curated from Wikipedia articles and images under Creative Commons licensing, although as Project Webster continues to increase in scope and dimension, more licensed and public domain content is being added. We believe books such as this represent a new and exciting lexicon in the sharing of human knowledge."

The Relationship Between Sustainability And The Organic Movement, And Products And Regulations Of The Organic Movement

Thanks for tuning in, see you Wednesday!

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Organic Recipe: Chocolate Macaroons/Boiled Chocolate Cookies

Technically this recipe can be made organically or non organically; it really is up to you. (Though I'm an advocate for the organic variety of course.) When I call a recipe organic it basically means that everything in it can be organic, and if I'm making it, the ingredients are probably also pretty easy to find. You won't find ingredients like -- "1 can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup"! (Not that mushrooms would ever find their way into my cookies....)

Some people call these cookies Chocolate Macaroons, others refer to them as Boiled Cookies... Whatever you call them, they are delicious. My family has been making them for as long as I can remember, and darnit if they aren't just MMmmm.

Chocolate Macaroons: 

2 cups of organic white sugar
1/2 cup organic milk
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1/2 cup organic butter
1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract (you could also use vanilla powder)

Combine these ingredients in a large pot, place on medium heat and melt. Once the mixture has begun to bubble, stir continuously, (think witches-cauldron-type bubbling), wait ten minutes before adding the following ingredients:

1 cup of organic shredded coconut
2 cups of organic oats

Once you have it all stirred in, remove from heat.

Place spoon size globs of the mixture on a waxpaper covered cookie sheet... The blogs can be as big or as little as you want them to be. I make them big when just for a few people and small when I'm feeding the masses.

Place the glob covered sheets in the fridge until cool; once cool carefully remove them from the wax paper and store. They last longer when kept refrigerated, and can easily be frozen for future munching. (They are just as good after being frozen!) 

This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.

The macaroons should be relatively dry once cooled and will crumble when you chew them. If you don't boil them long enough they will end up rather sticky; the shticking to teh woof of your mouf like peanut budder... kind of sticky.

Enjoy and Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas!!

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Green Reading Ideas

I spend a great deal of my time sitting in front of the computer screen so I know more than anyone how important it is to walk away and do something else. Today's post is designed to inspire you to get away from that gosh-darned computer and go sit on a comfy couch with a hot cup of mint tea and do some well deserved reading and relaxation!

"The best purchase is an educated one. North American's best resource for practical tips, products and valuable information. You'll get the dirt on what not to buy and why, and the dish on great gifts, clothes, home supplies and more. Based on the popular and authoritative "Ecoholic" column that appears weekly in NOW, Ecoholic is a cheeky and eye-opening guide to all of life's greenest predicaments."

Find out more.



"Featuring over 80 self-contained projects, from growing your own organic food, cooking home-grown produce, keeping selected livestock, and leading a more sustainable lifestyle, 'Slice of Organic Life' is the perfect start for someone looking to go "green.""

Find out more.



"In this easy-to-follow guide, the green-living expert and host of the popular TV shows Living Fresh and Get Fresh with Sara Snow offers busy families simple, affordable ways to create a healthy, environmentally friendly home—room by room.

Every day, families make countless consumer choices, from which diapers to use to which apples to buy, to whether their next car should be a hybrid. For new parents concerned about the future of their children—and of the planet they will leave them—being informed feels especially urgent. But in the midst of a booming natural and organics industry, the many options can make easing into living green confusing. Now Sara Snow offers practical solutions for every aspect of family life, from laundry to recycling to decorating the nursery. Discover ways to green…


• your kitchen with healthier foods and safer cooking and storage options
• your bathroom with recycled toilet and tissue paper and nontoxic cleaning supplies
• your bedroom—and your love life—with chic eco-friendly bedding and sexy personal products
• your yard with a rain barrel attached to your gutter downspout to reduce runoff, prevent erosion, and capture clean water for your flowers, vegetables, and lawn


And there’s much more to inspire and encourage you, from advice on introducing children to healthy eating, to products and foods for your animal companions, to chemical-free gardening—plus sidebars offering insider secrets from green-living pioneers. Here is an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to do something positive for the well-being of their family, while leaving a lighter footprint on the world."

Find out more.


"We are what we eat, but we also are what we use to clean our homes, pamper our skin, and decorate our rooms, according to Renée Loux, accomplished raw food chef, award-winning author, and host of Fine Living TV's Easy Being Green. In her new book, Easy Green Living, she applies her whole-foods philosophy to home, garden, and beauty routines.


Renée Loux demonstrates that being green at home is easy, affordable, and better in every sense of the word. She discusses the daily choices we face that can keep the home, personal care, and beauty routines free of toxins. She exposes the dirt on cleaning products and common hazardous ingredients and reveals her recommendations for greener options, including her "Green Thumb Guides" for choosing non-toxic, eco-smart, and human-friendly products. Peppered with compelling and inspiring facts, Easy Green Living is full of "5 Step" lists, products and recipes for green cleaning, helpful charts, safer choices for every room, and inspirational advice so we can save the planet--one cleaning spritz at a time. 

As recent special issues of Vanity Fair, Time, Newsweek, and other major publications have demonstrated, going green is an idea whose time has come. Whether addressing big-picture topics like renewable energy, or offering simple suggestions for everyday living, this complete lifestyle guide shows that healthier choices don't mean a radical or complicated life change--it is, after all, easy to be green."

Find out more.

I hope one of these books captures your interest and I'll see you next week! (Be sure to tune in, I have a few posts for you that I am very excited about!)

For those of you living in the USA, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Why Do I Care?

It's a funny thing, determining where your opinions originated; once you start looking into it, chances are you'll find that there was more than one push that got you going. Something must have happened for me to care a little more about sustainable living, organic foods and eco-friendly products than your regular Joe.



I think it started a long time ago when I lived on a little acreage outside of town. We had a sheep, a big ol' garden and usually some rambunctious little puppies getting underfoot. I didn't spend my time playing video games; though I do now. I was one of those kids who liked nothing more than building a fort in the trees outside. Sticks for the walls, mud for chinking...

I think my love of nature may have solidified in one singular moment; when we found a nest of baby sparrows on the ground beneath our pine tree and no mommy sparrow to be found. (There had been quite the storm the night before.)



We took the little birds in of course, learnt how to feed them, how to care for them. Two of them made it to adulthood, learnt to fly and were released back into the wild. One came back to our porch every spring for years; just sitting on the railing of our front stairs, waiting for us to come out, say hello and bring a little treat.

You would think, perhaps, that such fondness for nature would result in me becoming a vegetarian. But it didn't. Instead it pointed me in a direction that made a little more sense.

The food chain has existed since the beginning of life on Earth. Earth being destroyed by greedy, uncivilized and uneducated humans is a relatively new occurrence.

Trees could be harvested sustainably, without destroying whole forests. Without leaving nothing but a gaping scar on the land. Mining could be done in such a way as to prevent the destruction and pollution that it causes. The whole earth could run on sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources. But we don't. Because it's all about money and convenience. Why have tomorrow what you can have today.



... If it was going to work better, taste better or be better for me tomorrow. I think I'd be willing to wait to a day.

As for the whole eating organically thing. If I don't want humans poisoning the planet, why oh why would I want to poison myself???

(There is a long story that leads to me coming to that conclusion as well, though I think it can be told in another post.)

So. Enough about me! Why do you care when others don't? Why are you here reading this post?

Photos courtesy of Nick Saltmarsh, MissTurner and crustmania.

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Product of the Week: An Organic Coffee Alternative

I was super excited when I came across today's product - It comes from a company (Two Leaves and a Bud) that sells a variety of teas, and tea related products; I'll be talking more about them in the future.

I don't know if you've ever used Krakus before - it's the roasted barley coffee alternative. Great stuff, and it tastes beyond brilliant when added to vanilla ice cream.

Today I found an organic version! Every day the number of things that you have to give-up if you want to eat organically decreases, which is totally awesome of course!

Behold! 

"Cafe Orzo: The Italian Caffeine-Free Alternative isn't coffee - it's Italian roasted barley. It has been the traditional caffeine-free brew of choice for centuries in Italy. This 12 oz. package of Cafe Orzo brews just like coffee, and features a nutty, full flavor. Low in acid and 100% caffeine-free, Cafe Orzo is the perfect after-dinner beverage, and is great for anyone trying to avoid caffeine from coffee."

You can purchase one of these for $7.95 or six of them for $42.00.

Find out more



Now, the big difference between Orzo and Krakus is that Orzo actually needs to be brewed; no instant mixing here!

If you want to cut down on the coffee you drink, need less caffeine, or just want to try something new -- the reviews all say that this is the way to go!

See you Wednesday!

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Product of the Week: Raw Organic Cacao

Thanks for tuning in to another edition of "Product of the Week" where we feature an exciting product that you might just love! Due to the holiday last week, there was no post on Monday: as such I'm giving you an extended version of this post!

Today I'm featuring chocolatey items from Sunfood -- a company that offers organic, raw products.

Cacao Nibs, 8 oz, Organic, Raw - Sunfood


"Sunfood's Organic Raw Cacao Nibs lead the superfood industry in quality, flavor, eco-packaging, and antioxidant value. This is one of our premier superfoods and is one of the most unique and beautiful chocolate (cocoa) products on Earth. Our Certified Organic Cacao Nibs are created from beautiful, clean, microbe-free 100% Arriba Nacional Fino de Aroma Pure Raw Cacao Beans."








Rawtella - Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, 6oz




"Rawtella in an incredibly delicious, hand-crafted, chocolate hazelnut spread made in small batches from high quality organic ingredients. Rawtella is mouth-watering simplicity. You can hardly believe that it is made from just three ingredients: raw hazelnuts, raw cacao nibs and coconut sugar. These fine ingredients are stone ground into a delectable, spreadable delight."




Caramel Cacao Truffle Bar, 2.3oz/66g, Righteously Raw (certified organic)



"Sunfood is pleased to introduce a raw cacao truffle so delicious, so pure, that the flavor and texture can only be called Righteous. The Caramel Cacao Truffle Bar is a stupendous leap forward in taste and nutrition for any chocolate bar, and it's completely raw, organic, and gluten-free!"



Mmmmmm.....

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Scent-sational! Nose friendly scents for the whole family...

The problem with so many scents these days is that they are made from a plethora of artificial substances. Many people can't handle the chemicals that are used to create these scents and their bodies react in a variety of unpleasant ways.

Certain scents might make it hard to breathe, irritate your skin, your nose, etc... And many, especially in perfumes and bath products, are just downright potent, and not in a good way!

If you're one of those people who can't stand such blatantly artificial scent creations, never fear! The key, when it comes to scents, is to get back to the roots. Some of the most delectable smells come straight from nature, and no amount of doctoring or tweaking is going to make them any better.

You can still whisk away those icky smells that crop up in your house without using terrible products like 'febreze', 'lysol' bathroom sprays and those gag worthy 'glade plug-ins'. (I speak the truth, honest!!)

Think back to the wonderful scents that emerges when you cut open an orange, brew some mint tea or bake with cloves - aaah, so good! These wonderfully natural scents, (and more), can all be captured exactly as they are meant to smell, and used in whatever way you so desire. The key is essential oils.

An essential oil is essentially (hehe) the essence of a plant. (That clarifies things perfectly doesn't it?) The oil of the plant (and thus the scent) is usually extracted by distillation; this results in an intensely concentrated liquid. This oil can then be used to add a natural scent to many different things.

Because it's fun to know; Essential oils are also sometimes known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea.

Some of the best organic essential oils (at great prices) come from Mountain Rose Herbs -- an organic company that sells phenomenal products!

Mint photo via wonderferret

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Shopping!

Recently we talked about shopping around for organic foods in your hometown -- so what about the things you can't find locally?

The web is a great way to find new companies and order products that you simply can't get by visiting your local grocery store. There are many places that sell organic products, products that are chemical free or eco-friendly; you simply need to know where to look.

I have been compiling a list of green/eco/organic companies that will ship to Canada; they are currently all located under the 'Green Products' tab at the top. Eventually, once the list has grown, I will split them out into different categories, but for the moment they are all together.

Some, like 'Only Green' are actually based out of Canada (I would prefer to feature these so if you know of more Canadian companies, please don't hesitate to let me know), others simply ship here.

I will continue to add new companies to this list, though I probably won't mention it when I do, so please check it every once and a while.

As I try out the companies I have listed, I will post 'Company Reviews' to share my opinion of them! For example, you can find the company review for Only Green, Here.

Are there certain products you have been looking for? Anything from organic foods to eco-friendly household goods? Just send me a quick message! I've been spending a lot of time researching companies so I might just have come across what you are looking for!

Watch and Learn: DVD's about FOOD

If you are interested in learning more about food and the state of the world, it is pretty easy to do; you don't even need to pick up a book.

This is a brief list of three movies that are easy to find and will impart valuable information!

"Food, Inc. lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing how our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the
livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. Food, Inc. reveals surprising and often shocking truths about what we eat, how it's produced and who we have become as a nation"



"THE FUTURE OF FOOD offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S. grocery store shelves for the past decade. From the prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, this film gives a voice to farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been negatively impacted by this new technology. The health implications, government policies and push towards globalization are all part of the reason why many people are alarmed about the introduction of genetically altered crops into our food supply. Shot on location in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, The Future of Food examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world's food system. The film also explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today. The Future of Food reveals that there is a revolution going on in the farm fields and on the dinner tables of America, a revolution that is transforming the very nature of the food we eat."

"Let thy Food be thy Medicine and thy Medicine be thy Food Hippocrates. That is the message from the founding father of modern medicine echoed in the controversial new documentary film Food Matters from Producer-Directors James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch. With nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and our tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs to treat what s wrong with our malnourished bodies, it s no wonder that modern society is getting sicker. Food Matters sets about uncovering the trillion dollar worldwide sickness industry and gives people some scientifically verifiable solutions for curing disease naturally. In what promises to be the most contentious idea put forward, the filmmakers have interviewed several world leaders in nutrition and natural healing who claim that not only are we harming our bodies with improper nutrition, but that the right kind of foods, supplements and detoxification can be used to treat chronic illnesses as fatal as terminally diagnosed cancer. The focus of the film is in helping us rethink the belief systems fed to us by our modern medical and health care establishments. The interviewees point out that not every problem requires costly, major medical attention and reveal many alternative therapies that can be more effective, more economical, less harmful and less invasive than conventional medical treatments."

As I mentioned before, you can watch FoodMatters free - so you don't even need to buy it!

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