Soap = Hope

At this past Green Festival in NYC I came across a really cool little soap company. As you probably know, I am obsessed with natural body care products and love to try out new soaps see new products that are on the market. This company, SoapBox Soaps, is a company that not only produces a great quality product, they also distribute soap to children in need. They basically adopted the Tom's Shoes One for One idea, so that for every bar of soap you purchase, SoapBox Soaps donates a bar to a child in need, as well as to local struggling families, homeless shelters, women's shelters and nursing homes. What a cool way to make our purchases - knowing that when we buy something, we are also providing for another person!

I thought this was a great idea, and even better, I didn't have to compromise my values to support this worthy cause. SoapBox Soaps contain all natural ingredients, gluten-free oatmeal, organic shea butter and sea salt. All of their soaps are cruelty-free, made in America, packaged with 100% recycled fibers and 35% post consumer waste and vegan. LOVE IT!!!

I think I bought 6 bars and am working my way through each delicious smelling flavor.

https://www.soapboxsoaps.com/

Comfortable Organic Cotton Underware

Comfort is key when it comes to the undergarments we wear. After a long day of running around shopping and cooking for clients, taking care of kids or cleaning up and doing laundry, I want to be comfortable.

One really comfortable garment made by Blue Canoe is the Cami Bra. This bra is light and breathable, made out of 87% organic cotton and 13% spandex. It has an elastic band at the bottom and straps that don't slip, so you never need to worry about readjusting or falling straps as you move. These bras are also not itchy and perfect for hot weather!

If you are looking for a new bra and value comfort, the environment and your health, I highly recommend the Cami Bra. Here is a link and picture:

Blue Canoe Cami Bra

Blue Canoe is a small company that uses organic cotton and bamboo fabrics to create excellent quality undergarments and active wear for women. All of their garments are made in San Fransisco and the company practices fair and local trade.

Kosher for Passover: Roasted Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad

I've been doing some research and have tried to find some delicious looking healthy, vegan and kosher for Passover recipes. What a challenge! Not just vegan, not just kosher for Passover, but also healthy and delicious... I also wanted to come up with easy recipes that anyone can make that would have easily accessible ingredients. You can get everything at your local kosher grocery store.

Here is one that I came up with recently. I will definitely be making it this year!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2  tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cups quinoa

• fresh parsley, finely chopped
• sliced toasted almonds

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel the butternut squash and slice into 1 inch cubes.
3. Place the squash on a lined baking sheet and toss with oil, salt and garlic powder.
4. Roast the squash in the oven for 40 minutes or until very soft. Roasting until very soft will make it creamy, buttery and sweeter.
5. While the squash is roasting, rinse the quinoa and then place it into a large pot with 3 ⅓ cup water.
6. Bring the pot to a boil, add a pinch of salt and then simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.
7. After 20 minutes, set the quinoa aside to cool.
8. Once the squash is roasted, toss it with the quinoa and parsley in a large bowl. Garnish it with almonds just before serving.

Making Healthy Food FUN for Kids (and Adults)!

If you have kids, then you probably know how challenging it can be to get them to eat healthy foods. Kids often have access to sugary sodas, candy, chips and other processed snacks during their school day. This can be a real hindrance if you are wanting your kids to grow up healthy, strong and developing good habits for when they become older.

I have been recently working with a family and their two children who are 6 and 8 years old. These kids LOVE candy. And ice cream. And sugary drinks. All they care about is treats when they get home. Getting these kids to eat a piece of fruit daily is like a miracle! Yesterday I made them their usual dinner - something frozen that you pop into the oven for a few minutes. I also made them a whole bunch of delicious raw fruit and vegetables, cut into bite sized pieces. I arranged the fruit and veggies in a fun way on a platter in the center of the table, and I let each child pick what they wanted. And you know what? They actually ate it! Seriously. I have never seen these kids eat so much healthy food at dinner.

Here are some easy tips for getting YOUR kids to eat healthier:

SHAPE
One big thing that makes healthy food more appealing is the way it is cut. If you give a kid a giant carrot out of the bag, they probably won't eat it. But if you cut up a bunch of fruits and veggies in fun shapes and bite sized pieces arranged nicely on a plate, ready and waiting for them, they are WAY more likely to eat it. Having fun with this doesn't have to be complicated. Use a small cookie cutter to make hearts, stars and other cute shapes.

You can even do a fun project with your kids to cut fruits, veggies, bread or tortillas into cool shapes with small and medium sized cookie cutters. You can make easy sandwiches with the bread and quesadillas or wraps with the tortillas. Adults will even love it. I know that when I make a fun soup with star shaped carrots or heart shaped radishes, it makes eating more enjoyable.

COLOR
When thinking in terms of color, here is an easy way to make things more exciting. Rainbows! Kids love rainbows. Rainbows make people feel happy. Try arranging your foods in rainbow order. Talk about the different colors on the plate with your kids. Talk about flavors and textures and take the time to help them experience why eating well is important. Talk about antioxidants. Kids really listen and will appreciate the time you spend with them in this way.

TASTE
Eating foods that taste good is important to kids and adults! If you try to give people things they don't like, they will just rebel. So start with the things they do like. I found out the other day that the kids I work with like oatmeal. They only like to eat it with sugar on top. So, I let them have sugar on their oatmeal because at least it is getting them to eat oatmeal! Baby steps.

TOGETHER
When your kids see you eating something healthy, they will want to copy you. When the kids I work with see me eating blueberries or salad, sometimes they will come over and ask if they can taste it. They often times like it. When you take care of your self by eating well, your kids will see it and also want to.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when preparing snacks and dinner for your kids:

• Are the vegetables or fruits cut in an interesting or artful way?
• Did you use a variety of ingredients, flavors, and colors?
• Are the colors of the dish you prepared vibrant and lively?
• Is the food arranged in a fun way on the plate?
• Are you using a colorful plate that makes eating more exciting?

Wishing you success in raising a healthy and happy family, and future generations.

Leftover Cranberries? Cranberry Walnut Muffins!

If you are like me and buy fresh cranberries for Thanksgiving, then you probably have some leftovers sitting in your refrigerator as we speak. Well, fear no more, I have a tasty solution for you to use up those extra little guys. This recipe is easy and delicious, and is an absolutely beautiful addition to an Autumn breakfast or as a snack. They can also be wrapped individually and given as little edible party favors at your next event.

Cranberry Walnut Muffins
These muffins come out slightly sweet, with a bit of tang from the cranberries. Delish!

• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a muffin tin and set aside. Whisk the oil, syrup, almond milk, vinegar and vanilla in a bowl. In a separate larger bowl, mix the coconut sugar, flours, baking soda and powder, cinnamon and salt. with a rubber spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Do not over mix the batter. Fold in the 1/2 cup walnuts and cranberries. Using a medium sized ice cream scoop, put one scoop of batter into section of the muffin tin. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and place into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pan half way for even baking. Bake 5 minutes more and until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes and remove muffins from the tin.