Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques...

When I got pregnant I decided I wanted to consume products that would be as natural and organic as possible just to be on safe side and prevent any possible harm. That is when I started to use Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques and I got hooked to them ever since. They went far and beyond my expectations. All of their products contain real, pure, and organic ingredients and are free of toxic chemicals, artificial preservatives, dyes, nano particles, talc, or parabens.


Now just to narrow it down, I have to say that I can't live now without their Powder Foundation and Creme Foundation. They offer an amazingly beautiful matte coverage! And their prices? I can't complain. They are very reasonably priced. All of these fabulous products are also available at Natural Joy Beauty.


*I haven't been sponsored to review these products. All of this information comes from my heart.

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

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

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

"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.

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

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!

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)

Local Farmers Markets...

Two wonderful choices for fresch local produce and a display of cute crafts! Something refreshing to do Saturday mornings!

TOP: Provo's farmers market at the corner of 500 W and 100 S. Every Saturday from May through October from 9-2pm. It has improved a lot since last year. They now offer a greater variety of vendors. I love riding my bike ther every Saturday. Click here for more info here

BOTTOM: Downtown Salt Lake Farmers Market at Historic Pioneer Park 300 South & 300 West. Starts this Saturday June 13 through October 17. Several booths offering great food and crafts. One of my personal favorites! If you have a pet, take it there for a walk. They love pets there! For more info, click here

Real Foods!!!

I am a huge supporter of a raw/vegan, real food diet. Since I incorporated these changes into my daily diet I have experienced major improvement in my overall health and energy level. Here are some great suggestions on how to incorporate some tips for a healthier lifestyle that have worked for me. (By Dr. Neish Joshi)

Returning to a more natural way of eating is the best way to avoid disease and premature aging. It also keeps the weight off. Buy organic foods, shop in your local farmer’s markets. Increase the consumption of vegetables, fruits, seeds, grains and legumes. More raw foods are better for health (enzymes remain intact), the environment (smaller carbon footprint) and the pocket (lower utility bills).

Avoiding all refined carbohydrates including white flour and sugar

Avoiding all foods with chemical preservatives and flavorings including foods that contain toxic elements (such as heavy metals, e.g. tuna)

Drinking at least one to two liters of pure water daily to help the body clean and detoxify itself

Eating fruit and vegetables that are ripe, fresh and as free of chemical fertilizers as possible

Minimizing tea, coffee or caffeine, dairy products, and alcohol

Boosting your health and vitality with a diet rich in organic, ripe fruits and vegetables.

Sleeping at least eight hours a night and practicing some gentle exercise, yoga or meditation every day to reduce the effects of stress on the body

For more info I suggest you go to goop's newsletter by clicking here

Organic Fashion for Kids!

Did you know that Sweden is the mecha of organic fashion. http://www.polarnopyretusa.com/ Polarn O Pyret has been around for a while designing earth friendly children clothing. But they had just launched an online store in the US. Check out their ECO collection and of course their sale items. I haven't gotten yet a little one to dress up in these cute clothes, but as soon as I get one, I will...

Excellent ideas for those of us interested in planting our own fresh organic vegetables in our backyards. Check them out at http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/

Buy locally! - Organic Produce

I found this wonderful company that sells very fresh organic produce. I am getting ready to give them a try. They are located in Lehi. You can visit their website at:

http://allisonorganics.com/