Jamba's oatmeal for $1

Yes, if you haven't tried Jamba's steel cut oatmeal this is your chance. I love it specially now with this soooo freezing weather.

Get it for $1 buck now through Dec. 11. Click here to get your coupon!

Glad to be back...

It feels so good being alive...After being sick for many days. Glad to be back.
Here is a cute figure of my tiny family, soon to become a little bigger...
Have fun making your own family figure at FreeFlashToys.com
Have a great day!

Make your Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com

After Thanksgiving Shopping...

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! For many of us shopping the day after Thankgiving has become a tradition, and personally, I can never resist the temptation...
This year I will be at the great and huge Gift & Craft Show in Spanish Fork, UT. It will be at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds located at 500 S Main St. Take exit 257 off I-15 about 7 miles south of Provo. Show hours are as follows:
Friday November 27 from 10am-8pm
Saturday November 28 from 10-8pm

I hope you can stop by and see all the wonderful crafts from local vendors. Remember to support our community by buying locally, especially this Christmas season. Best wishes!!!

Beautiful printable bird houses, ornaments, and gift tags...

If you love bird houses you will absolutely love these free printable ones I found via Nordstrom. You can print and make your own three dimensional paper birdhouse for a tree ornament, mantel or table decoration. You can also print these really cute gift tags. Just click, print, and follow the directions. Click here to get started...

Disney warehouse sale

Disney warehouse sale

Posted using ShareThis

Beaded Creatures...

I came accross these adorable "creatures" necklaces while browsing Anthropologie.com. Worth checking out! Photo via Anthropologie

Support a good cause...

Show others that you care about the future of our planet and support the Rainforest Alliance!

Get your absolutely FREE sticker by clicking here

Mango Lassi...

I came accross this delicious recipe for this traditional South Asian drink through Care2, one of my favorite blogs. Click here for recipe. Photo and recipe via Care2

Mindy Maes Market

I am really excited to be in this show. I will have variety of jewelry and hair accesories. There will also be several other amazing artists with some unique items to get a head start on you holiday shopping... For more information check out their blog here

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

A deliciously healthy recipe...

Photo and recipe via Care2.

CRUST


2 1/4 cups pecans, soaked overnight and dehydrated for 24 hours

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon date paste

1 pinch sea salt

1. Place prepared pecans in food processor; pulse into small crumbs. Mix pecans and all remaining ingredients together well by hand.

2. Press into plastic (or parchment) lined 9-inch tart pan to desired thickness. Dehydrate 48 hours.

3. Chill crust in freezer for 15-30 minutes before filling. If not using all of hte crsut mixture, store extra in a container in the freezer.

FILLING

1/2 cup cashews, soaked

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup agave (read about agave)

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons carrot juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 vanilla bean, scraped

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg

1. Blend all ingredients in Vita-Mix (or a basic heavy duty blender) until very smooth.

2. Fill tart crust and chill in freezer overnight. Remove pie from tart pan, cut into 12 even slices and serve, or wrap each slice in parchment and store in refrigerator.

The Dehydrator. When I first started considering a raw diet, all this talk of a dehydrator made me very nervous. I imagined some very high-tech piece of kitchen lab equipment that was probably very expensive, certainly complicated, and maybe even dangerous! Lo and behold–it’s a simple box with drying trays and a small fan and heater. I got one and use it all the time for a million things, even though I’m not exclusively raw. Anyway, you can live without it. If you are in a cooler climate, Matthew Kenney recommends using an oven at the lowest setting with its door propped open, or if oyu are in a warmer environ, he suggests laying your food in the sun. Again, you can also skip the drying of the crust and make the pie filling as a pudding.

Adapted from the great raw cookbook Everyday Raw (Gibbs Smith, 2008) by Matthew Kenney

And about that picture. It is an actual picture of the recipe, from the cookbook, but the recipe doesn’t explain the grid decoration (or how someone could possibly have such a steady hand with a pastry bag!). It looks to me like they reserved some of the filling mix, maybe mixed it with a little extra coconut oil (or maybe not) and piped it on.

Pumpkin Carving Templates...

I came across these wonderful pumpkin designs via HGTV. Click here to download these amazing pumpkin-carving templates!

Introducing....

...Genuine stones headbands. I have gotten a lot of compliments on them so far. Find them on my etsy shop

Natural Hand Sanitizer...

Information and photo via Care2
In The New York Times article, Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, a New Jersey pediatrician who dispenses natural health advice recommends his tried-and-true recipe for homemade hand sanitizer called thieves oil–his formula calls for cinnamon bark, lemon oil and eucalyptus. As legend has it, a group of 15th century European perfumers-turned-grave-robbers were able to defend themselves against the demons of bubonic plague (and other assorted bacterial maladies one might encounter while removing jewelry from corpses) by dousing themselves in a blend of essential oils, hence the name “thieves oil.”

Now there are any number of stories circulating about this legend, and just as many recipes, many of them with a vinegar base. But going on Dr. Rosen’s fail-safe recipe and the proven efficacy of cinnamon oil.

The fomula includes equal amounts of the following therapeutic grade essential oils:
cinnamon bark
lemon
eucalyptus
clove
rosemary
Mix them with jojoba or olive oil as a carrier, and use on hands as a sanitizer.
(Note: pure essential oils can be very potent, it’s important to test some on a small patch of skin to check for any adverse reactions.)

Dairy-free Creamed Spinach Dip

This really yummy dip has become one of my husband's favorites. You can find this and other wonderful recipes at goneraw. I have changed this one around a little bit to make it creamier. Hope you enjoy it...guilt free as it is completely healthy!

10 oz fresh organic spinach
1/2 organic red onion
1.5 cups raw almonds (soaked for about 6-8 hours)
1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked for about 2 hours)
1/4 cup organic, cold pressed oilive oil
1 cup water (approx. depending on desired consistency)
lemon juice from 1 large lemon
2 tbsp nutritional flakes
4 small garlic cloves
2 tsp sea salt

Chop spinach and red onion and place in mixing bowl. Put remaining ingredients in food processor and process until smooth. Pour this content into bowl and mix. Chill for 1-2 hours to increase the dip thickness. Garnish with chopped red bell pepper for color. Serve with flax crackers or cut veggies.

Lemon Poppy Teacake

Goop had a wonderful article today about the benefits of vegan, gluten free, sugar-free diets. Read here for more information. Here are some great suggestions about simple replacements to consider on our daily diets:

Instead of Sugar ------------------- use --- agave nectar
"         "    all purpose flour     "  ---- Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
"         "    vegetable oil          "  ---- Coconut oil

Now, here is a wonderful recipe via Goop

Lemon Poppy Teacake

YIELD: about 10 slices

2/3 cup rice milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1⁄4 cup poppy seeds

3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for pan

3/4 cups agave nectar

1/3 cup applesauce

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons pure lemon extract

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 7 × 4 × 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
Pour the rice milk, apple cider vinegar, and poppy seeds into a small bowl – but do not stir – and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the oil, agave nectar, applesauce, vanilla, and lemon to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the poppy seed mixture into the batter, and combine just until all ingredients are blended. The batter will expand slightly.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 18 minutes. The teacake will be golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Let the teacake stand in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge of the bread. Cover the top of the pan with a cutting board, and invert onto the board. Carefully lift the pan away and re-invert the teacake onto another cutting board. Either cut and serve warm, or wait until it is completely cool before storing. Cover the uncut teacake with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Beautiful handprinted textiles...

Handprinted Textiles
You can see more at their Etsy Shop

Yes!!! I am finally back on Etsy...

greenrubydesigns.etsy.com

Have fun taking a look at the new items on my shop... I will keep adding more items throughout the week!

Over the knee boots...

Can't wait to get me a pair of these fabulous over the knee boots this fall...

 From top to bottom:

1. Joie Twiggy

2. Jessica Simpson Clancey

3. Via Spiga Nevin

Tomato Bread Salad | Healthy and Green Living

I found this wonderful recipe via Care2 and I absolutely love it. It's wonderful way to use all those recently harvested tomatoes!

Tomato Bread Salad Healthy and Green Living: "Tomato Bread Salad
Serves 6-8
4 large ripe tomatoes
1 whole grain baguette, or 3 cups bread
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh squeezed tomato juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tablespoons golden balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Ume Plum vinegar or 1 teaspoon sea salt

1. Cut or tear the baguette into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl.
2. Slice each tomato in half. Gently squeeze the juice into a bowl or measuring cup.
(The operative word here is “gently”, and I suggest you wear a full apron to avoid damaging your favorite T-shirt).
You don’t have to squeeze them dry, just enough for at least a half cup of juice.
3. Strain the liquid from the seeds and set aside. Discard the seeds.
4. Combine the juice from the tomatoes with the oil, vinegar, and ume plum vinegar (or salt).
5. Chop the tomatoes into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion, basil and parsley.
6. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss well, making sure to coat the bread cubes with the liquid. Let sit a few minutes, tossing from time to time to let the flavors absorb"

Small Printable Boxes...

These cute little patterned boxes are perfect for weddings, showers, or just about any occasion. I found this free pattern via Packagetech. Click here to download yours for free, and get creative with it!

Harvesting Tips...

Here are some great tips I found on when and how to harvest some popular summer vegetables. For more information go to Care2 website

• Beans (snap): Pick before you can see the seeds bulging. They should snap in two easily and because they can get tough quickly, check them daily.


• Corn (sweet): Harvest sweet corn when the silks are dry/brown and the kernels are plump and tender. The kernels should exude a milky substance when pricked. You can check a few ears for maturity by opening them at the top of the ear and pressing a few kernels with your thumbnail and looking for this milky juice.


• Cucumbers: Make sure to harvest them early, before the seeds become about 1/2 inch in size although seed size does vary by variety. Generally, most varieties will be 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter and five to eight inches long. Over-ripe cucumbers can be bitter or stringy so make sure to check them daily. They should be firm and smooth.


• Peppers (sweet): Harvest when fruits are firm and full size. If red peppers are desired, leave on plant until they are red in color.


• Summer Squash - Always harvest when the fruit is young and tender because the smaller the squash is when you pick it, the better it will taste. Cut all fruit off and never lift squash by the stem. You want to cut it before it gets about eight inches long when the skin is still soft (when skin can be easily broken by a fingernail) and before seeds ripen. Letting it get too big will also slow down production of tender new fruit.


• Tomatoes - While each variety varies, in general, the best time to pick your tomatoes is when the fruit is evenly red and the end is still firm and not soft. Try to pull them from the vine by gently twisting them. Leave the fruit on the plant to ripen as long as possible unless you are having trouble with pests to give yourself a longer season

Lee's Asian Salad

This salad is delicious! I found it in Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP

1 small clove of garlic, peeled and finely grated

one 1"-piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon light agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon spicy sesame oil (or more or less to taste)

freshly ground black pepper

coarse salt

2 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage

2 cups finely shredded green cabbage

1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin matchsticks

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Whisk the garlic, ginger and rice wine vinegar together in a bowl and let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. This is a good time to cut up your vegetables if you haven’t already. Whisk the soy sauce, agave and sesame oil into the vinegar mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine the cabbages, carrot, pepper and scallions together in a large bowl and toss with the dressing at the last minute, sprinkling the seeds on top.

"Alternative" - Organic Cotton

I love this online store! They offer some wonderful basics for your everyday wardrobe. This line is made out of organic cotton and recycled polyester... And their prices are very reasonable. Check them out here.

Park City Arts Festival!

Yes! I am so excited to go there this weekend. They have an amazing display of artists in the areas of ceramis, digital imaging, drawing, glass and some wonderful music as well. For more info on the arts festival click here. For a music schedule, click here.

Food, Inc.

I can't wait to see this wonderful documentary. Now playing at Broadway Theater in Salt Lake City. Showtimes here. For more info and to watch trailer click here

Free Spoon Me Smoothie Day...

FREE Smoothie Day tomorrow July 22nd at any Spoon Me location from 11 to 5! .

Visit their facebook page here

We will be at the American Fork City's Steel Days!!!

The Andes Collection Jewelry will be at the American Fork City Steel Days this Saturday July 18th! Come see us at the Craft Boutique from 9am to 7pm at the Rotary Park - 400 S 200 E, AF.

Want to win this gardening tool kit...

Leave your best tip for controlling weeds in your garden (the all-natural way of course) in the comment section of the Garden Party Blog here. At the end of the month, they will choose the favorite tip and award this fabulous prize. Visit their website !

12 Steps to Whole Food Eating...

I thought I would pass this information along...

Robyn Openshaw, the Green Smoothie Girl, will be presenting her 12 Steps to Whole Food Eating program at Classic Books and Gifts in Lehi on July 17 from 6:30-8:30pm.

Robyn teaches at Brigham Young University (BYU) and is the author of 12 Steps to Whole Foods with over 250 recipes and The Green Smoothies Diet available in bookstores September 2009.

To register and for more information click here.

Visit her website for some amazing information!

Viktoriya - Benefit Concert

Here is the information on a benefit showcase for one of the most beautiful and talented women I have met, my former belly dancing teacher Viktoriya. Unfortunately, she was involved in a serious car crash and is still in the process of recovery.

This is going to be an amazing performance with the most talented middle eastern dancers in the state. I encourage everyone to come!

Local Organic Clothing Line - The Green Element

Photo via Salt Lake Tribune

Some of you may have already heard of these guys. They were featured in the Salt Lake Tribube a few days ago. They have an amazing line of organic eco-friendly clothing. For more info go to their website. You can find the at the following locations:

Trolley Green Giant » Trolley Square, 600 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City
Green The World » 4171 Riverdale Road, Riverdale
Model Citizen » 247 E. Broadway, Salt Lake City
Park Silly Market » Sundays in Park City
The People's Market » Sundays in Salt Lake City

Here is also some information about the benefits of organic cotton vs conventional cotton:

• Conventional cotton uses about 11 percent of the world's pesticides though it takes up just 2.4 percent of the world's arable land.


• Some of those chemicals are known carcinogens.


• Organic cotton is not genetically modified and is grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.


• Production of organic cotton increased 152 percent from 2007 to 2008. Leading producers include India, Turkey, China, Uganda, Peru and the U.S.


• Organic cotton fiber is used in such products as make-up removal pads, cotton puffs, ear swabs, towels, sheets, blankets, clothes and stationery.
  (Source: Sustainable Cotton Project and the Organic Trade Association)

Sweet Life Book Club * The Penny Pinchers Club

I thought I would pass this along. Post via sweet life in the valley.

The July Sweet Life Book Club selection will be "The Penny Pinchers Club" by Sarah Strohmeyer. This is a brand new novel (release date 7/02/09) that is the story of what money can and can't buy. It's also a reminder that sometimes we can focus on money too much, whether spending or saving, and ignore the things that really matter in our life. Please join us in reading "The Penny Pinchers Club" this month!
We are starting something new!! We will be having some in real life Sweet Life Book Club meetings. If you would like to start a group in your area send me an email and we will get the details to you. sweetlifeinthevalley@gmail.com with Group Leader as the subject.
The Sweet Life Book Club is introducing a Goodreads group to have our discussion forums. Be sure you join! Go to your Goodreads account and search in groups for "Sweet Life Book Club" to join. We will open the discussion for "The Penny Pinchers Club" on July 20th.Or click here: Sweet Life Book Club
To help you along in your reading, Sweet Life in The Valley is having a giveaway! We have two copies of "The Penny Pinchers Club" (Thanks Dutton/Penguin Publishers!) to give away...
{To Enter to Win }
1} Refer someone & get an extra entry 1. Send the names of the people you referred with your entry 2. They enter you get an extra entry for each person who enters
2} Post this Giveaway on your Blog
3} Twitter about it include @sweetlifeinthe in your tweet
4} Post on Facebook
5} Put our Sweet Life button on your blog
6} Post a comment on our Sweet Life Book Club on Goodreads
Email us so we know how many entries you get at sweetlifeinthevalley@gmail.com with Sweet Life Book Club as the subject- be sure to let us know that you get extra entries

By Jessica our {Sweet Life Book Club Leader}

Come and see us!

The Andes Collection jewelry and accessories will be having a booth on the 4th of July. We will be at 390 E Center Street in Provo from 8am to 2pm. Come and check us out!

Happy 4th of July to everyone!!!

To the one I love...

Happy Birthday to the most handsome, nicest, sweetest, funniest man I know; and the one I am lucky to have in my life. I love you husband!!!

Photo by LeoPatrone

Happy Birthday Mom!

To one of the most energetic, giving, hard working person I have known, and the best example I have had in my life. I love you mom!!!

Photos by LeoPatrone

Free IKEA Flooring Workshop...

This Saturday, June 27, for a 1/2 hour workshop. Workshops will be held every 45 minutes starting at 10:00am and running until 12:00pm at IKEA Draper 67 West IKEA Way, Draper, UT 84020.

A little black dress...makes a great summer dress...

From top to bottom:

NW Jeans, Kenley Shift Dress $64.99

Puff Sleeve Knit dress from My Tribe $78.00

AnnTaylor, Petite Ruffle Sleeve Sheath Dress $29.88

Banana Republic, Silk ruffle dress $49.99