After reading the book Unjunk Your Junk Food by Naturally Savvy.com founders, Andrea Donsky and Randy Boyer, my first thought was  “why hasn’t this been out sooner?” The book is extremely thorough in shedding light on what’s in the food we eat and how it’s prepared.

As a Holistic Health Coach, a lot of this stuff I already knew but I have to admit it gets into deep territory that I have not mastered.  For example, they demystify those hard to pronounce words on the nutrition label such as monosodium glutamate (an artificial flavor) but at the same time created an easy list of all the ingredients that should be avoided.

Other topics explored: glycemic indexes, what is organic, reading nutrition labels , the different kinds of sugar (and their substitutes) and my favorite part of the book – the marketing.  I tell clients all the time,

I love that they don’t just tell readers what they are eating is “bad” but they also provide alternatives.  One of the hardest parts of counseling people is that they are reluctant to give up foods they love.  Understandable.  But one also needs to understand that awareness of ingredients and taking steps to eat healthier will pay off in the long run and it does not mean sacrificing satisfaction.

The book’s layout is so easy to consume, you can read it in one day. It’s also compact enough that you can carry it anywhere but I also think it would be a great mobile app.

Highly recommended and would give it to my clients to help them stay on track with being Conscious of what they consume.

Considering I’m a single gal in search of Mr Right, I’m revisiting that thought and I’m in admiration of the fab women at the gym in their form-fitting Lululemon or Gap G Balance gear. So when I was invited to attend the MPG (Mondetta Performance Gear) spring preview, I was pretty excited and left totally motivated to up my workout gear game.

I wanted damn near everything in the showroom.  There were tight jackets with thumb holes, fold-over cuffs and a hood with a ponytail hole. Feminine details such as rouging and the stitching, would appeal to the chick that wants a little more than function in her workout. The bottom pieces were designed to flatter the female form and some of the tops had a removable bra.

Speaking of the bra, I feel like most of them are made just to smash your breasts to keep them from moving which is very irritating.  Admittedly, I did not try one on but they looked so much more “breathable” than the ones I’m used to.

As it states in their website profile, MPG has developed a line of clothing that seamlessly blends fashion and function, design and performance.  And that’s exactly what I thought as I left the showroom.

As a parting gift, attendees where given gym bags (with a pocket for your water bottle) and a long sleeve yoga or running tee.  I love them both and have worn the shirt as daily wear.

You can find MPG in the following NY stores: Equinox gym, Paragon Sports and City Sports. For those of you out of the NYC area, check out their site.

I was very impressed with the line up of speakers. I’ve gone a few of these events and have to say that these were some of the best topics I have seen at any of these.   One that I was really excited about was Victoria Moran – Peace, Love & Vegetables: Food for Your Soul.  Of course, I got to the venue too late to get a seat and was couldn’t really hear from the back so I left.  Wanted to shout that out though because it was the most intriguing topic of the event for me.

The night before I went to the Special Event which included a screening of the movie Vegucate and a performance by a band called Dynasty Electric.  I have to admit I initially wasn’t very excited about the movie as I have seen many of that ilk and felt that I was already “vegucated.”  You know what’s coming next…I enjoyed it! That is, once we got past the over-used sped up action shots and kooky, Charlie Chaplin faces.  The journey of 3 random but willing-to be-vegan-for-6-weeks subjects juxtaposed with the shocking facts of factory farming made for a captivating documentary.

Enough of the animal sadness; Let’s get to the food…

One of the hot tables was V Spot vegan restaurant located in Brooklyn.  I previous gave them a bad review on Yelp- and I stand by it – but they redeemed themselves with their black bean empanada.  Pretty good. Rich and filling without being too heavy.

There were a plethora of vegan baked goods including some really good cookies from Mama Micki’s located in Mass. I tried the oatmeal raisin with sunflower seeds (another healthy food trend for 2012)

There was an interesting food called Caviart which was is vegan caviar made from seaweed.  There were many varieties, one of which my friends though were horrible enough to spit out, to put it bluntly.  I chose the black one which tasted very much like the real thing. Looks like it too. See below.

Also present was the Vitamix guy who gave out samples of a yummy green drink,  Beyond Sushi which is all vegan and organic and one of my favorites discoveries, Kathie’s Kitchen curry flavored pumpkin seeds.  Aptly named Superseeds,  I chose the curry flavor but there was also spicy, sea salt and cinnamon flavors to choose from. You can order them online.

All in all, the best vegetarian festival, I’ve been to.

Here are a few easy ways to help keep the bathroom toxin-free.

PVC- Free shower curtains

That just-out-of-the-package smell when you open the new shower curtain package can actually be toxic fumes.  Vinyl show curtains contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride). According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), long-term exposure can lead to liver damage, reproductive/development issues and possibly cancer.

Shower curtains are now made of many PVC-free materials such as bamboo, hemp, organic cotton and linen.

Non toxic cleaner brands

You can either make your own all-purpose cleaning products or use one of the growing number on the market like Ecover, Seventh Generation and Mrs Meyers.  I favor Ecovers toilet bowl cleaner, SG’s bathroom cleaner and MM’s surface scrub in Basil.  All of these products eliminate the breathing discomfort that come with cleaners that include harsher chemicals, smell fantastically fresh and most importantly, actually clean well.

Air freshener use rose-water, or make own

This is probably the easiest change you can make, changing your air freshener from one of those plug-in ones or the aerosol kind.  You’re basically breathing in a constant flow of artificial substances. Light an incense, buy some rose or lilac water, or better yet, make your own. It can’t  get any easier than filling a spray pump with water and adding a few drops of essential oils.  According to a study conducted by the Natural Resource Defense Council, common household air fresheners contain Pthalates which can disrupt hormone production. Aerosol fresheners can also be an irritant for people suffering from respiratory issues.

Drain cleaner

My Super recently had to remove and replace the pipes from my bathroom sink since it was the source of leaking in two other apartments.  As it turns out, the drain cleaner I was using was corroding the pipes.  Truthfully, I tried using  all kinds eco-friendly drain cleaners and even made some of my own with no luck.  I know that my hair is what’s clogging the shower drain so I have decided to remove the drain catcher and replace it with one that collects hair. It’s a dirty job but better than having to constantly call the super to come fix your stopped-up tub.

Shower filter

I wrote a blog entry about the benefits of the shower filter a while ago  so I won’t go too deep into this but in a nutshell: less chlorine.

We could of course, get into the products that are actually used in your skin and hair but I will save that for anther post.  These changes will keep you busy for the time being. 

These recipes are from my new favorite book, Viva Vegan by Terra Romero, a collection of vegan latin recipes. So far, I’ve been very satisfied with this recipe book. The following recipe, I made last week and I made a few adjustments. For the bean dish, I omitted the Texturized Vegetable Protein. Instead, serve some orange and avocado slices on the side!

Brazilian Black Bean Stew with Portobello Mushrooms (Portobello Feijoada)

Dried bean tip: Always soak dry beans for about 4-6 hours or overnight, then rinse and cook.

2 cups dried black beans, sorted– you can use 3 cans of black beans if you are short on time
1 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound yellow onions, finely diced
1/3 cup red wine, light coloured Mexican beer or vegetable broth
1/2 pound (or more, up to 1 pound) Portobello mushrooms (any mushroom would work well here), stems removed and caps sliced into 1/2-inch strips, then halved
1 tsp liquid smoke (optional but good!)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 cups vegetable broth

1. Place black beans in a large glass or plastic bowl. Cover with 4 inches of water and soak for at least 8 hours, until they have doubled in size. Drain beans and rinse. Place in a soup pot and add 5 cups cold water, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-2.5 hours or until beans are tender. Remove bay leaves and discard.

2. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil and garlic in a heavy pot. Fry the garlic over medium heat until it starts to sizzle and become fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the diced onion and fry,      stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent and tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the wine and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring to deglaze the pot. Stir in the mushrooms, liquid smoke, ground cumin, thyme, chilli flakes, and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. From the pot of black beans, scoop out 2 cups of beans and bean broth. Puree the beans with an immersion blender and set aside. Add the remaining beans and the rest of the bean broth to the simmering stew. Stir in the vegetable broth, then the pureed beans. Partially cover and bring feijoada to a rapid simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook feijoada until it reaches a chunky consistency but still has plenty of thick sauce, about 30-40 minutes. Season with salt and lots of pepper. Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes to cool slightly.

5. Serve feijoada in large but shallow bowls. Place a cup of rice on one side of the bowl and ladle the stew around the rice. Add some chopped, steamed kale and garnish with a few orange slices.

Serves 8.

Brazilian braised shredded kale

1 pound of kale, well washed, tough thick stems removed, leaves intact

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke–trust me this makes all the difference

salt to taste

You can add a little hot sauce too if you want.

Brazilian-Style Savoury Orange Rice

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice (I used brown rice)
1 1/4 cups hot vegetable broth
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice–trust me its better when its fresh. Invest in a citrus press
grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1. Heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry 30 seconds while stirring. Add the onion and cook until onion is soft and translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add the rice and fry, stirring occasionally, until the rice turns a light tan and golden brown colour, about 4-5 minutes. Add the water, orange juice and zest and salt, and stir.

2. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, stir once more and lower the heat to a low simmer. Cover lightly and cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.

3. Remove from the heat, fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.

Serves 4.

Well, if I made my own products I wouldn’t be able to review such gems as Hurraw!  Like the name suggest it’s made if raw ingredients such as the aforementioned candelilla, cacao butter and oils such as almond, olive, jojoba, coconut and castor. Each ingredient is chosen for a specific healing benefits that is detailed on their site. For example, almond oil is chosen for it’s conditioning abilities and jojoba aids in absorption.
Even their yummy flavors are made from essential oils.  They not only have more exotic flavors such as Chai Spice (my fav) and licorice but lemon, black cherry and coconut.

Just as it’s stated on the website, Hurraw! lip balm is “Super smooth, not draggy, not sticky, not sweet, not too glossy, not too smelly, never grainy, long lasting.” I concur.  It goes on smooth, instantly moisturizes and smells fabulous. Not to mention is vegan and organic.  It’s hard to find a lip balm that doesn’t have bees wax.

It doesn’t get more Conscious than this folks.  I found them at an American Apparel store but you can also order online. 

According to their mission statement there are no “parabens, petroleum, propylene or butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances.” A few other aspects that make them a Conscious Chick approved company: no testing on animals, they use solar power and recycle.

Juice Beauty actually has an entire line dedicated to the art of blemish clearing.  This is good for me as my ongoing thyroid issues can wreak havoc on my hormones.  The cleanser in particular is important to me as some are too drying and others don’t really feel like they are cleansing.  It’s made of organic ingredients that make you feel healthier just knowing they are included:

A juice fusion of lemon, cherry, grape & aloe

Herbs such as dandelion, sage and lemon balm

Coconut and sugar

Algae

And of course, course the skincare prerequisites, vitamins A and E.

It smells lemony and doesn’t lather very much but still manages to leave a clean feeling. And I’m happy to say that I have not had too many zits since using it.

So if you’re looking for a  Conscious cleanser that doesn’t leave your skin tight but actually cleans, give this one a try.

I’m making these tonight and cannot say enough about how filling , easy-to-make and nutritious these are.  They are a complete meal with the quinoa as a whole grain, the black beans as protein, the peppers, carrots and celery as veggies.

You can also make them vegan by omitting the cheese. Here is the recipe from Vegetarian Times Magazine.

I actually used butternut squash sauce for the bottom of the baking dish instead of tomato sauce since I didn’t have any (I’ve been watching too much Chopped) and it turned out even better than the tomato.

It’s a dish of sensory delight: it not only smells and taste scrumptious but the colors are a mood lifter.  You won’t want to eat it, cuz it looks so good.  You can always take pics.

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Let me be clear that when I’m speaking of dairy I am primarily speaking of cow’s milk. (Other animals milk such as goat’s tend to be more easily digestible and don’t contain the growth hormones found in most mass-produced milk products.)

Calcium is need for  not only bone and dental health but it aids in weight loss, preventing PMS, block colon cancer and maintaining good blood pressure and alkalinity in the body.

Below are some ways to get those benefits without the hormones, mucus and digestive issues.

Leafy greens such a  Kale

Orange Juice

Sardines

Nuts (including nut milks)

Quinoa

Peas and Lentils

It’s a very versatile dish as I’ve seen spinach, tomato, mushroom/zucchini and eggplant quiches.  Cheese and bacon are favorite ingredients in these dishes but you can always substitute with tempeh bacon or Daiya, rice or soy cheeses. Here is a recipe from allrecipes.com

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegetarian-quiche/

If you are like me and don’t want to go through the trouble of making one, there are plenty of places that have them on the menu or you can find them in the freezer section. Trader Joe’s has a couple, of course.