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Gratitude Gourmet(tm)

New Book 'Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness'

4/5/2019

 
PictureImage 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.

Organic Chocolate Rooibos Tea

4/5/2019

 
PictureImage 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.
  • Alchemy: Caffeine-free rooibos with cocoa powder, cocoa shells, honeybush and vanilla.
  • Flavor Notes: Real cocoa and sweet rooibos.
  • Occasion: Great dessert tea; add honey if you desire.
  • Caffeine: None
  • ​Enjoy!

New Book & Recipe: Leon Fast Vegan Carrot Smoked 'Salmon'

3/23/2019

 
PictureImage 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. 

PictureImage 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

 
PictureImage 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 Designs

3/16/2019

 
PictureImage 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!

New Book: Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Other Backyard Wildlife

3/16/2019

 
PictureImage 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.

Fun Personalized Teas

3/7/2019

 
PictureStaci, 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!

Recipe: Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze

3/5/2019

 
PictureCredit: 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:
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Vanilla Bean Glaze
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

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.

New Book: Child of the Woods: An Appalachian Odyssey

3/4/2019

 
PictureImage: 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. 

Brownie Belgian Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Mix

3/4/2019

 
PictureImage 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! :)

Veggie Frittatas at Costco

2/27/2019

 
PictureImage 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!

Almond Sesame, Toasted Coconut, and Sriracha Almond Seaweed Thins

2/27/2019

 
PictureImage 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!

San Francisco International Ocean Film Festival March 7-10, 2019

2/11/2019

 
PictureImage 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.

Recipe: Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Salsa with Blue Corn Chips

1/30/2019

 
PicturePhoto 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.

PicturePhoto 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.

Recipe: Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/24/2019

 
PicturePhoto 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.

PicturePhoto 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.



Organic Acerola, Pineapple and Banana

1/22/2019

 
PictureImage: 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.

Reduced Sugar Blueberries and Montmorency Cherries

1/7/2019

 
PictureImage 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.

Limited Edition Peppermint Keto Bark

12/19/2018

 
PictureImage: 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.

Holiday Gummies

12/12/2018

 
PictureImage: 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).
  • Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Allergen friendly
  • Free from artificial Anything—say goodbye to artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners
  • Free from Sugar Alcohols
  • No Artificial Anything
  • Made in the USA
Find SmartSweets holiday packaging in-stores nationwide at Whole Foods, and all of SmartSweets Kick Sugar candy in 6,500 stores across Canada & the USA!

Specialty Salt Passport Collection

12/12/2018

 
PictureImage: The Grommet
  • Do you know someone (or yourself) who is a salt lover? 
    Check out this Specialty Salt Passport Collection which includes 
    1 oz. glass jars of each of the following sea salts: Himalayan Pink, Black Lava, Black Truffle, White Truffle, Roasted Garlic, Lemon, Ghost Pepper, Thai Ginger, Spanish Flake, and Applewood Smoke in a wooden slide box. 100% all-natural sea salts that have unique flavors inspired from global cuisines.
  • No anti-caking agents, artificial flavoring, or additives. Pure high quality, organic sea salt harvested directly from source.​ Great for backyard grillers, professional chefs, or cocktail aficionados. Available at www.thegrommet.com

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