 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! :)
 Image Credit: Garden Lites Garden Lites®, a leader in unique veggie-rich foods has expanded their product line into Costco stores throughout the country. Consumers can also expect to try free samples at select Costcos over the next several months. The products include the new line of Garden Lites Frittatas: Spinach Egg White Frittata and Veggie Bacon & Potato Frittata (vegetarian, soy free and made with pinto bean bacon). Other products include, the popular Garden Lites Muffins made with fresh zucchini and carrots: Blueberry Oat, Cranberry Orange, Banana Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate. Enjoy!
 Image Credit: gimMe Organic Almond Sesame, Toasted Coconut, and Sriracha Almond. These are the amazing and tasty flavors for gimMe Seaweed Thins which are a superior superfood snack choice with a mission to not only keep your diet healthy, but also your environment. Seaweed is a sustainable crop that benefits the health of our ocean ecosystem and our planet and is full of nutrients, including high levels of vitamins A, B, C and calcium.
in addition, 15-100 times more volume of seaweed can grow on the same footprint as lettuce with no water consumed in production, whereas 15 gallons of water are required to produce one pound of lettuce. The entire gimMe Snacks product line is made with premium USDA Certified organic seaweed sustainably cultivated and harvested in South Korea. Enjoy!  Image Credit: San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival We are looking forward to the San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival this year March 7-10, 2019.
Purchase your Tickets Here.  Photo credit: Victor Protasio In The Southern Living Party Cookbook: A Modern Guide to Gathering, Heiskell, a best-selling author and a TODAY show food contributor, has written a Cookbook divided by occasion, including Bridal Tea, Garden Club Luncheon, Summer Nights, Cocktails and Canapés, Tailgate, Picnic on the Lawn, Fall Dinner, and 24 more gatherings you’ll want to host. Even if you're not in the South and in California, for example, you will find the book enlightening and fresh. Many recipes can be made vegetarian or vegan.  Photo credit: Victor Protasio Enjoy this recipe for Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Salsa with Blue Corn Chips. 20 minutes - Serves 8
- 1 1⁄2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, small diced (about 3 1⁄4 cups) - 3⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion (from 1 small onion) - 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 2 cups) - 1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons) - 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro - 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes) - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt - 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper Cilantro leaves (optional) Blue corn tortilla chips Gently toss together the tomatoes, red onion, avocados, jalapeno, chopped cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt, cumin, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Garnish with the cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve with the tortilla chips. Recipe credit: Excerpted from The Southern Living Party Cookbook by Elizabeth Heiskell. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from TI Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.  Photo Credit: Caitlin Bensel To country music icon Martina McBride, cooking and singing aren’t all that different. “When I make something delicious, I want to share it, which is a lot like sharing my music with an audience,” she says. “Cooking is my love language.” With her new cookbook Martina’s Kitchen Mix: My Recipe Playlist for Real Life (Oxmoor House, October 30, 2018, $30), you’ll find your own invitation to step inside Martina’s kitchen and sample more than 150 of her favorite dishes.  Photo credit: Caitlin Bensel Check out her delicious recipe: Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette. Enjoy!!
Serves 6 to 8 Hands-on 30 minutes Total 30 minutes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves pulled away (about 3 cups) 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced (about 1⁄4 cup) 1⁄4 cup sweetened dried cranberries 1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped pecans 1⁄4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese 1 ripe pear, chopped (about 3⁄4 cup) 1. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 2. Thinly slice the Brussels sprouts, discarding core. Stir together the Brussels sprouts, sliced shallot, dried cranberries, pecans, Gorgonzola cheese, and chopped pear. 3. Pour the dressing over the salad, and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately. Recipe credit: Excerpted from Martina’s Kitchen Mix by Martina McBride. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from TI Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.  Image: Sambazon Sambazon is diversifying its line of products by using Acerola as the main ingredient in its latest Superfruit Packs launch. The Tropical Immunity Superfruit Packs have an exotic blend of organic acerola, pineapple and banana that you can blend into a delicious smoothie. One serving of the Tropical Immunity Superfruit Packs contains 10 times the vitamin C of an orange, is only 40 calories and has no added sugar.
Acerola is a cherry native to Central and South America in the Amazon Rainforest and is a powerful superfruit, known to be one of the highest natural sources of Vitamin C with immune-boosting properties. The naturally low-sugar and low-calorie fruit contains powerful antioxidants that help promote heart health, good digestion and eye health.  Image Credit: Stoneridge Orchards Stoneridge Orchards has a new Reduced Sugar product line. Available in Montmorency Cherries and Dried Blueberries – these snacks are only 130 calories (per serving), 50% less sugar than before and are rich with fiber, free of preservatives, non-GMO, and gluten/allergen free.
 Image: ChocZero This December ChocZero has launched a Sugar Free Peppermint flavor of their best-selling Keto Bark. The festive packaging makes it a perfect holiday hosting gift, stocking stuffer or sweet treat for Mr. and Mrs. Claus after a long night of wrapping gifts.
 Image: Smart Sweets One bag of SmartSweets fun-pack gummy candy only has 3 grams of sugar, where normal gummy candy can pack an average of 24 grams of sugar! Check out their super cute holiday packaging—ugly Christmas sweaters filled with snowpeople and Christmas trees that taste like pineapple and strawberry! SmartSweets candies also include Fruity Gummy Bears, Sour Gummy Bears, Sour Blast Buddies (Vegan) and Sweet Fish (Vegan).
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