 Image Credit: Otamot Below are some great 10-minute meals by some of Otamot's favorite foodie bloggers, that will help you serve healthy, guilt-free kid-favorites like pizza and tomato soup. These recipes all deliver the nutrients and fiber of 9+ organic veggies without any of the prep work using Otamot’s highly versatile Essential Sauce, Organic Carrot Bolognese Sauce + Spicy Organic Sauce. The wonderful thing about Otamot Essential Sauce is that it’s naturally rich and thick, so you can make a host of quick, tasty soups filled with vegetables, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants by adjusting the dilution, ingredients and toppings. Tomato Soup o For the most basic tomato soup, simply pour Otamot sauce into a saucepan and gently heat! o To make a thinner soup, mix the sauce with salted water or stock at ¾ cups of liquid to 1 cup of sauce. o To cook a more brothy (and budget conscious!) soup, double up and mix 1 ½ cups of liquid to 1 cup of sauce. Some days you just crave a smooth, creamy soup. To make an extra-rich cream of tomato soup, mix 1 cup of plant milk to 1 cup of sauce, then blend with a hand blender until smooth. You can add croutons for a touch of crunch or a spoonful of pesto for an earthy note. For a seasonal minestrone, dice and cook your favorite vegetables in water or vegetable stock. When they’re tender add 1 cup of sauce for every 1 ½ cups of liquid in the pot. Season, and you’re done. Garnish the top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, plant-based cheese and serve with your favorite crusty bread.  Image Credit: Otamot Otamot English Muffin Pizzas
Serves 4-6 Ingredients 8 English muffins, split in half 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 jar Otamot Essential Sauce 1 lb fresh plant based cheese, thinly sliced 2 tbsp basil, thinly sliced Optional Toppings Sweet onion Button mushrooms Black olives Roasted garlic Artichokes Preparation: 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Lay the English muffin halves out on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush each half with olive oil. 3. Spoon 1½ tbsp of Otamot Essential Sauce on each half and spread out to the edges. 4. Put one slice of plant based cheese on each of the muffins. 5. Add any additional toppings. Have fun and get creative with whatever you like on your pizza  In the new book Plants for the People (Thames & Hudson, May 5, 2020), master herbalist and nutritionist Erin Lovell Verinder explores 40 medicinal plants and imparts knowledge to readers on how to use them, weaving ancient wisdom with a modern approach to plant medicine.
With a profile of each plant—from yarrow, turmeric, and wormwood to Californian poppy, passionflower, and dandelion—and advice on harvesting, this beginner's guide to using plants to restore high vitality and a general sense of wellbeing offers easy-to-follow recipes for teas, tinctures, syrups, balms, and baths. Throughout, golden tips address common ailments such as bloating, bad skin, lack of energy, winter coughs and colds, jangling nerves, and many other present-day complaints. This a beautiful and education hard cover book for yourself or as a gift.  Image Credit: Sugar Bowl Bakery Sugar Bowl Bakery's crisp, light and sweet Apple Fritters are perfect with your morning coffee.
Sugar Bowl Bakery is a wonderful example of The American Dream. Family-owned and operated, it was founded by five ambitious brothers in 1984 when they pooled their savings to buy a neighborhood coffee shop. The Ly brothers had been fortunate enough to escape Vietnam and immigrate to the US in 1979. With a tenacious drive to succeed, the Ly brothers made pastries from scratch and sold them to the local community. Using only the finest ingredients, Sugar Bowl Bakery quickly became known as the local stop everyone went to for their baked goods and now their baked goods are sold throughout the nation. Enjoy!  Image Credit: Sipsby Earlier this year we featured Staci, Founder Sipsby, who makes discovering team fun, personalized and affordable. We enjoyed the new Organic teas she sent!
As a nice surprise, we received another personalized box with Organic Peppermint Rooibos, Hot Chocolate, Chai, and Green Tea. Thank you for your very thoughtful package, Staci, as this made our day! We are enjoying the Tea on this Fall Day. Cheers!  Image Credit: TwentyFifty Check out this brand new company based in San Diego - TwentyFifty. Named after the year 2050 - the year the population is projected to reach 10 billion and when it’s estimated that the amount of plastic waste in the ocean will exceed the amount of fish - the brand has one mission: to stop, or at least significantly reduce, plastic pollution. They are doing this with cutlery. The first compostable alternative to single-use plastic you can compost in your own backyard compost pile!
TwentyFifty differs from other ‘compostable’ brands whose utensils require industrial-scale plants to compost them. Others use cornstarch as a base for their products which requires the product to be broken down into extremely small pieces and then composted with a very high heat in order to biodegrade. Even then, a sticky, resin-like material is left that is both not good for the soil and also a cause of methane gas. If you were to discard them in a backyard compost it would take two years (or more) for them to fully decompose. A TwentyFifty fork, spoon or knife is composted in 30 days or less and according to founder, Zack Kong, actually provides a significant amount of nutrients for your plants. This is a great product! Awesome work TwentyFifty Founders!  Image: Fox Chapel Publishing 50 Simple Indoor Miniature Gardens by Catherine Delvaux contains 50 projects for creating and maintaining a wide variety of charming and low-maintenance mini indoor gardens. This book is the inspiration you need to make your small living space greener. Whether you prefer succulents, cacti, greenery, flowering plants, vegetables, or orchids, the chosen plants within these pages are all easy to find at your local garden centers. Transform unique items, from canning jars to fish bowls, into decorative plant containers, grow inspired with the beautiful photography and helpful tips, and awaken the creative gardener in you!
 Image Credit: Hatherleigh Press "Every day is a good day when you run."
Summer is here and it's a great time to be active outdoors including that simple activity of running. Available at the end of July, The Joy of Running is a collection of over 200 fun and inspirational quotations on the thrill and sport of running. Everyone's heard of the "runners high." There's an innate feeling of well-being that comes with this activity as well as a great sense of freedom. The Joy of Running is the perfect gift for runners of every level.  George and Kim Haymaker Photo Re:THINK Re:THINK Ice Cream was founded less than a year ago by George Haymaker, and its in 200+ stores in the Bay Area this month, including Whole Foods, Raley's, Lucky, and more.
George was inspired to rethink ice cream on his road to recovery from drug and alcohol addiction (another interesting story). He was overdoing it with sweets, especially ice cream, and it was having a negative impact on his health. Re:THINK is his way of helping people make healthier choices. Re:THINK contains approximately two times the protein, half the calories, and a third of the sugar of regular ice cream--all without sacrificing the flavor, texture or quality of a premium ice cream. Flavors include Cardamom Pistachio, Chocolate Majesty, Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed and Turmeric Ginger.  Chef Kelsey Larson and Mom :) with Toffee Peanuts Chocolate Bark Bernardus Lodge & Spa Carmel Valley @ Pebble Beach Food and Wine 2019 - Image Credit Gratitude Gourmet Gratitude Gourmet once again has been impressed with the Chefs, Food, Wine and of course The View at the Pebble Beach Food and Wine. During this year's 2019 event, we attended the Grand Tasting and Grenache Tasting. We enjoyed the lovely notes of the Bonterra Biodynamic Wine, Toffee Peanuts Chocolate Bark by Chef Kelsey Larson and Mom :) Bernardus Lodge & Spa Carmel Valley, Pineapple Upside Down Cake: Lemongrass Fish Sauce Caramel & Macadamia Nut Poltroon by Chef Michelle Lee The C Restaurant & Bar Monterey CA, Potato Gnocchi Lemon Burrata English Peas & Chibe Blossoms - Raspberry Pavlova Orange Blossom Ganache Raspberry Chambered Jam by Dominique Ansel 189 Los Angeles, Passion Fruit Mousse by elmo Faria Uma Casa San Francisco, Puffed Pasta Nachos Senise Peppers And Burrata Fonduta by Chef Joe Sasto Los Angeles, and Garnacha/Grenache Spain and France Pebble Beach Food and Wine Tasting With Master Sommeliers. Our Slideshow is below to see these amazing Chefs and Sommeliers in Action! Cheers!  Bria, 11, South Dakota, Founder Faces of the Endangered Image: Gloria Barron Prize The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes celebrates inspiring, public-spirited young people from diverse backgrounds all across North America. Established in 2001 by author T.A. Barron, the Barron Prize annually honors 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive impact on people, animals or the environment. Fifteen top winners each receive $10,000 to support their service work or higher education.
Visit https://barronprize.org to find out more and submit an application by April 15. Here are some of the great things that recent Barron Prize winners and honorees have done to help the Earth and wildlife: Bria Neff, age 11, of South Dakota founded Faces of the Endangered to protect endangered species through the sale of her artwork. She has sold more than 250 paintings of endangered animals and donated over $33,000 to animal conservation groups. Claire Wayner and Mercedes Thompson, age 17, of Maryland co-founded Baltimore Beyond Plastic to reduce trash and plastic pollution in their city on the Chesapeake Bay. Their non-profit of more than 500 students convinced the Baltimore City Council to pass a citywide ban on Styrofoam food containers. Claire Vlases, age 15, of Montana created the Solar Makes Sense initiative and raised the $118,000 needed to install solar panels on her middle school. She has sparked a movement in her school district and community, inspiring a new commitment to green building. Genevieve Leroux, age 12, of Quebec created Milkweed for Monarchs to help protect migratory monarch butterflies. She raises and plants native milkweed – monarchs’ sole food source during their caterpillar phase – and has logged more than 500 hours conducting research on the butterflies. Marcus Deans, age 16, of Ontario invented the NOGOS water filter for use in developing countries. His filter costs just two dollars to manufacture and is made from three readily-available materials: sugar, sand, and seashells. Robbie Bond, age 10, of Hawaii created Kids Speak for Parks, a non-profit that is building an army of activists, including fourth-grade students (who can visit our national parks free of charge), who will speak up to protect our national parks and monuments. Shelby O’Neil, age 17, of California founded her non-profit Jr Ocean Guardians to educate young children about ways they can protect our oceans and planet. She also created the #NoStrawNovember movement and is working on legislation to eliminate plastic straws in California. Shreya Ramachandran, age 14, of California founded the non-profit Grey Water Project to promote the safe reuse of grey water, along with water conservation, as a way to address drought. Her outreach includes curriculum for elementary students and a partnership with the United Nations’ Global Wastewater Initiative. Olivia Colombo, age 17, of Massachusetts invented a renewable energy technology that captures kinetic and thermal energy from highways and converts it to electrical energy. She has received a provisional patent for her invention, as well as awards from groups such as MIT THINK. Ryan, Hickman, age 8, of California created Ryan’s Recycling Company to keep cans, plastic bottles, and glass from polluting our environment. He is most passionate about protecting ocean animals from harm caused by trash. He has personally kept 76,000 pounds of pollution out of the ocean and our landfills. Gitanjali Rao, age 12 of Colorado invented an easy-to-use and inexpensive device to detect lead contamination in water, which can cause neurological damage in children and adults. After the 2014 Flint, Michigan water crisis, she was determined to make lead detection easier. Joey Gouthiere, Jr., age 12, of Louisiana, founded Geaux Green, an environmental campaign that encourages everyone to take care of the Earth. He has convinced hundreds of people to join his cause and take his pledge to “pick up litter, recycle, plant trees and flowers, conserve water and electricity, and make the Earth a better place to live.” Since its inception, the Barron Prize has honored nearly 450 young heroes and has won the support of Girl Scouts of the USA, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, and the National Youth Leadership Council, among other organizations. The annual application deadline for the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes is April 15th. For more information, visit www.barronprize.org.  Image Credit: Penguin Random House Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness by Dr Qing Li is the definitive guide to the therapeutic Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or the art and science of how trees can promote health and happiness.
Have you felt relaxed and happier around trees? We love them and were even on a Board of a Canopy, a Tree Planting Organization, and planted many trees. Its actually a very beautiful experience planting trees and seeing them flourish and soils, plants and animals that thrive around them. We are also very grateful to have had the experience of walking through old growth forests around the world and hope you have that experience as well. Run your hands over its bark. Take in its citrusy scent. As a society we suffer from nature deficit disorder, but studies have shown that spending mindful, intentional time around trees–what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing–can promote health and happiness. In this beautiful book–featuring more than 100 color photographs from forests around the world, including the forest therapy trails that criss-cross Japan–Dr. Qing Li, the world’s foremost expert in forest medicine, shows how forest bathing can reduce your stress levels and blood pressure, strengthen your immune and cardiovascular systems, boost your energy, mood, creativity, and concentration, and even help you lose weight and live longer. Once you’ve discovered the healing power of trees, you can lose yourself in the beauty of your surroundings, leave everyday stress behind, and reach a place of greater calm and wellness. You can buy the book here.  Image Credit: Numi Numi has introduced an indulgent and delicious Organic Chocolate Rooibos Tea, and we have been enjoying it every morning! Smooth South African rooibos is enveloped by sweet honeybush and rich cocoa. This indulgent treat is a delightful, soothing beverage you can melt into.
 Image Credit: Conran Leon Fast Vegan contains more than 150 recipes. Divided into three sections, it kicks off with The Main Event, with easy recipes for everything from breakfast and brunch to sharing plates, via quick suppers and slow-cooked one-pot dishes. Part two, On the Side, features sauces, dressings, nourishing side dishes and scrumptious breads, and part three, Sweet, gives vegan options for desserts and cakes. As ever, healthy fast food chain LEON takes inspiration from around the world, with recipes for vegan sushi, Mexican tacos, Vietnamese pancakes and American burgers. The emphasis throughout is on great flavour and keeping things simple. Whether you are looking for breakfasts or party food, weekday suppers or ambitious feasts, there is something here for everyone.  Image Credit: Conran Check out this great Recipe for Carrot Smoked 'Salmon'
Enjoy!! serves 4 2 large carrots, washed 2 tablespoons salt, plus extra to taste 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil a pinch of lemon zest 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (we use hickory) a pinch of kelp powder TO SERVE: finely chopped fresh dill 4 toasted bagels vegan cream cheese or homemade vegan herbed labneh (see page 118) lemon wedges Prep time: 25 MINS Cook time: 50 mins Marinating time 2 Hours You just have to try this. We love it with tofu scramble (see page 38) as well as on bagels. You can luxe it up by adding vegan caviar aka seaweed pearls—these are available online, and also from Ikea. 1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 2. Place the carrots on a sheet of aluminum foil and sprinkle with the salt. Fold the foil around the carrots to seal, then bake for 50 minutes. When cool enough to handle, rinse off the salt and pat dry. Rub or trim off the carrot skin. Slice the remaining flesh into long strips, as thinly as possible and no thicker than ¹⁄³² inch. 3. Put the strips into a bowl and add the oil, lemon zest and juice, liquid smoke, and kelp powder. Toss gently until the strips are coated, then add a little more salt to taste (salt will cause the carrot to firm up, so be sparing to keep its soft texture). Let marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. 4. Serve with sprigs of fresh dill on toasted bagels with vegan cream cheese or labneh and lemon wedges on the side. 5. The carrot “salmon” will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but bring to room temperature before serving. Recipe Credit: Conran Rice’s Honey announces alliance with PACE, 'Pollinator Awareness Through Conservation and Education'3/16/2019
 Image Credit: Local Hive™ from Rice’s Honey® Local Hive™ from Rice’s Honey®, a leading producer of high quality, U.S.-only raw and unfiltered honey since 1924, offers 16 different local varietals of raw honey, including Local New England, Local Northeast, Local Florida, Authentic Clover, and Authentic Wildflower.
Raw, unfiltered honey offers many health benefits, including being rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and pollen. They also announced a new alliance with PACE, “Pollinator Awareness Through Conservation and Education”, the Butterfly Pavilion’s non-profit global initiative to restore habitats, strengthen populations, and reintroduce pollinators into native habitats around the world. A portion of proceeds from every bottle sold will be donated to the PACE initiative to promote and protect the prosperity of pollinators worldwide. Rice’s Honey® has a mission to help promote all pollinators & sustainable bee farms across the country. Check out their new website at: www.localhivehoney.com for more information and recipes. New Book~ Natural Style: Using Organic and Eco-Conscious Materials for Earth-Friendly Designs3/16/2019
 Image Credit: Fox Chapel Publishing Natural Style: Using Organic and Eco-Conscious Materials for Earth-Friendly Designs by Janet Sobesky is an eco-elegant guide to home decor packed with attractive decorating ideas inspired by colors, forms, and themes of nature. The pictures are also absolutely gorgeous!!
Using organic and eco-conscious materials for earth-friendly designs, Janet presents a host of practical suggestions for achieving a comfortable, informal, easy care and sustainable lifestyle. With advice for every room in the house, including Decks and Patios, Natural Style includes the latest information on organic fabrics, natural flooring materials, low VOC paints, energy efficient lighting options and more. We highly recommend this book!  Image Credit: Fox Chapel Publishing One of the biggest benefits of gardening with native plants is that it's great for birds and other wildlife. In return, your outdoor space will come alive with beautiful songbirds, colorful butterflies, buzzing bees and other fascinating wildlife for you and your family to enjoy. "Wildlife habitat gardens are an important way each of us can think globally, act locally and reconnect our own piece of the Earth—our yards and gardens—back into the ecosystem," says naturalist David Mizejewski.
Mizejewski is the author of the expanded second edition of the book Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Other Backyard Wildlife, a practical how-to guide to natural gardening filled with projects, diagrams, plant lists and inspirational full-color photos for experienced gardeners and new enthusiasts alike. Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Other Backyard Wildlife makes creating a natural garden that supports local wildlife easy. It hits shelves on April 8, 2019, just in time to celebrate Earth Day by planting a wildlife habitat garden.  Staci, Founder & CEO of Sips by. Image Credit Sips By Please meet Staci, the Founder and CEO of Sips by, sipping on her favorite - oolong! What is your favorite tea? Sips by is an Austin-based brand started by tea lovers who want discovering tea to be fun, personalized and affordable.
We requested a sample of organic teas and received a personalized collection of delicious teas such as Berry, Coconut Cacao Pu'erh, Lemon Balm, and Kashmiri Chai. Each box features 4 unique tea brands totaling 15 cups of tea at only $15 a month. Cheers!  Credit: Nielsen-Massey Enjoy these cookies for breakfast with bananas, almond butter and oats. If you want to lower the sugar, skip the vanilla bean glaze and use the no sugar added pure vanilla extract. These grab-and-go Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze courtesy of Nielsen-Massey will make the perfect dunkers for your morning cup of coffee.
Banana Bread Cookies Ingredients:
Directions Cookies Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher in a large mixing bowl. Add egg, almond butter and vanilla extract; stir to combine. Add oats, flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix until just incorporated. Spoon the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, making about 15 cookies. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies turn golden brown. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze. Glaze Add confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla bean paste to a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle onto cooled cookies.  Image: Hatherleigh Press Do you remember your walks in the woods as a Child? Do you want to relive the feeling of being enveloped in Nature and all its Wonders? Then you will love Child of the Woods: An Appalachian Odyssey.
Child of the Woods by Susi Gott Séguret is an exploration of the world through the eyes of a young child, whose life was defined and enriched by nature that surrounded her. This collection of short stories and insights highlights the wonders of growing up in rural Appalachia, learning to live as one with the land. These stories embrace the universal themes of self-discovery, adventure, and finding one's place in a living world.  Image Credit: No Sugar Aloud Are you looking for a Brownie Belgian Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Mix, and no milk, butter or eggs are needed? Check out No Sugar Aloud. Ready in just 90 seconds, just add water, mix, pop in the microwave (or oven) and you have a delicious, decadent, sweet-tooth-satisfying warm and gooey dessert that's Keto, Vegan, Paleo and Diabetic friendly. Available on Amazon. Enjoy! :)
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