Goji berries are all the rage right now, and for good reason. Hollywood starlets are snapping them up for their celebrated anti-aging properties. Clif's 100% organic Lemon Vanilla Nectar bar features them for their nutrient density and essential amino acids, and alongside other anti-oxidant rich ingredients like acai, the vibrant goji are expected to break into an increasing number of packaged goods and beverages this coming year. We'll tell you a bit more about these super-charged berries, and then tip you off to some of our favorite ways to eat them.

The goji berry (or wolf berry) is indigenous to Tibet and Northern China.Be prepared for a bit of sticker shock when you go to purchase them, they are sold in most natural foods stores now, and they aren't cheap. You green-thumbed go-getters can take a shot at growing your own if you like - that is certainly a way to cut the cost.

You are likely to find goji berries in their dried form. Goji's are a deep, brick red color and are typically purchased dried. They are leaner than a dried cranberry or raisin, but similar in size - they are also typically a bit less moist. They are very tasty straight from the bag with a flavor that is sweet without being too sweet and tart without being puckery. Outside of the dried goji berries, keep your eyes peeled for goji juice.

Use the dried goji berries as your might other dried fruit - tossed in salads, tossed in warm or sauteed greens, baked into muffins and breakfast breads, chopped into pancakes, etc. Rehydrate them and stir them into yogurt or ice creams. Puree the rehydrated goji berries and play around with that as well. The goji juice can be used as you would any other fruit juice - in a sherbet or sorbet, in a morning smoothie, in popsicles, frozen into ice cubes, and in your favorite cocktails.

Goji Granola

4 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1 cup macadamia nuts, big pieces
1 1/2 cups raw unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup goji berries, loosely chopped
1 cup unsulphered dried fruit of your choice (try dried pineapple and dried papaya)
3/4 cup honey or for vegans, a light maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 cup unrefined full-flavored coconut oil

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Put the oats into a large bowl. Add the sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, coconut, dried fruits (except the goji berries), and orange zest. Stir to combine.

Heat the honey and coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Pour the warm honey mixture into the dry mixture and stir until everything is well coated.

Spread the mixture onto one or two rimmed baking sheets and bake for about 40 minutes, less if you are splitting the mixture between two pans. Stir every 10 minutes or so. You want to bake the muesli until it is a light, toasty, golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Toss the granola with the goji berries and store in large mason jars until you are ready to eat.

Makes about 10 cups of granola.

Comments (2) | December 19 - 5:35 PM

category: New Products, Recipes, Superfoods

Quite a few natural foods products come across our table - some better than others. We thought we'd share a few recent finds that garnered our mighty seal of approval.

Morning Glory
Way Back Pistachio Granola
Solay Gourmet Peanut Butter or Carob Granola
Fiona's Orange Crunch & Strawberry Mango Quinoa Crunch Granola
Fiddler's Green Farm Izzie's Irish Oats Hot Cereal (steelcut oats, millet, & almonds)
Dorset Cereals

Bread 'n' Butter
Dr. Kracker's Krispy Grahams & Seeded Spelt Snack Chips
Futter's Pistachio Butter
Tea-N-Crumpet's Organic Whole Wheat Crumpet

Gilding the Lily

High Desert Food's Spiced Tomato Sauce
Wholemato Ketchup
Arora Creations Spice Mixes

Sans Gluten
Mary’s Gone Crackers Crackers
Crave Bakery’s Brownies & Artisan Bread
Jake's Unbaked (good enough to mention twice)

Better than Gorp
Crispy Green's Apricot
Peeled’s Plu-What?
Crunchies Pineapple

Cacao Crazy
Nirvana Blueberry-Acai Chocolate Bar
Cocoa Vino Fig Caramel Bon Bons
Yachana Jungle Chocolates
Grocer’s Daughter Wally or Blue Bar
Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate or Naked Coconut "Ice Cream"

While we're not about to abandon our favorite recipes, we can't deny that more than a few of these have re-energized our breakfast routines, put a little spark into our lunch boxes, and given us a new sweet treat to nibble on.

Comments (0) | August 29 - 4:10 PM

category: New Products

Lisa Averbuch and Sabrina Moreno-Dolan are the ladies behind LOFT liqueurs, the producers behind the first certified organic liqueur in the United States. Their story is interesting and inspirational, particularly for those of you who have tinkered with the idea of turning a passion into a small business.

When and why did you start making LOFT Liqueurs?

Lisa: I started making liqueurs for fun about 2 years ago. I came across a recipe for limoncello and at the time I didn't even know you could make it at home! After trying that recipe, using lemons from my boyfriend's backyard lemon tree, I was hooked! I tried to make cello everything: apple cello, banana cello, tangerine cello- you get the idea. After about six months of experimenting I let my friends try it and they were really excited! They said it tasted a lot better than much of what was available in the marketplace and wanted to buy it for themselves and their friends. So I thought, "well you are my friends� I'll make this for you." So many flavored vodkas and other liqueurs have a synthesized taste and obvious artificial color (don't even get me started on the traditional neon-green apple-tini). I wanted to give people the opportunity to go to a bar or restaurant and order a drink that they can feel good about - something that tastes like the real thing and isn't filled with chemicals. And once I learned that alcoholic beverages could be certified organic, it was a no-brainer. Whenever possible I buy biodynamically grown ingredients as well.

Sabrina: The first time I tried LOFT I went into fiendish plan mode. I thought "this is so amazing. There must be a way to share it with people (and save the planet through good-will established with flavor)."

What is your favorite way to serve LOFT Liqueurs? Do you like to pair anything with them?

L: They can be chilled and sipped on their own or mixed with a variety of other spirits, such as vodka or rum. They're great in Champagne, lemonade or even just a splash of sparkling water. We have about thirty cocktail recipes on our website too. My favorite drink is the Lavender Daiquiri. It's a basic daiquiri recipe substituting the usual sugar with LOFT Lavender Cello. I also really like to pair them with dark chocolate or pour over ice cream. One person I know had great results using the Spicy Ginger Cello to marinade a pork chop!

S: With friends. I love people and I love when they are happy. It's cool when people are able to honestly say "I love it" and be happy and proud of you and really want your product. I've brought it to parties for friends and had more than one person approach me and say, "are you the liqueur lady? I really want to taste it. I've heard amazing things." I suggest you try it any and every way.

What makes LOFT Liqueurs great?

L: First and foremost, they taste incredible. We are the first certified organic liqueur in the U.S. We sweeten them with low-glycemic agave nectar. We use only fresh fruit or botanicals from small independent farms. We handcraft in small batches. The flavors are unique (and delicious): lemongrass, spicy ginger and lavender. We use no additives, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors. And we use tree-free bamboo paper labels, biodegradable inks and boxes made from recycled materials.

What would most surprise people about LOFT Liqueurs?

L: I posed this question to a couple of friends and they said they were surprised as to how smooth our drink is compared to, say, most limoncellos. There are a couple of reasons for that. One, we brought the alcohol down a few points to let the flavor of the fruit or botanical shine through. Second, we're the first in the U.S. to use a new technology called Evolution. It's been used for a few years in Japan with sake and shochu but we've had it approved for use here. Basically it rearranges the water molecules to smooth the bite of the alcohol and enhance the flavor.

S: The mouth-watering good taste. No, really, it tastes so good. Up until now I thought organic and that translated into "healthy" but that didn't conjure up images of farm fresh produce or just picked botanicals. In my old way of thinking an organic orange tasted the same as a regular orange but it didn't have the chemicals that hurt the earth and it cost more. So my reason to buy the organic orange (even though it was more expensive) wasn't taste-motivated but planet-motivated. With LOFT you get great tasting, earth-friendly, exotic flavors and you support one of the only female-owned spirit businesses in the U.S. We're a small company, we caringly handcraft every batch, we're fun.

What other natural food producer(s) do you really admire?

L: I love Cowgirl Creamery. If I could make a cheese liqueur I would - I know it sounds weird and crazy, but just maybe� I've seen squid ink used in cocktails, so you never know. Also in my liqueur quest I discovered Equator Coffees in San Rafael, California. They do incredible organic and fair trade coffees and teas.

S: Yummy - Ben and Jerry's Organic Ice Creams. Dreamy - Cowgirl Creamery cheese. Yeah to anyone who makes products thinking about great taste, the consumer, the environment and a good time.

What's your favorite natural food product other than your own?

L: It's really hard to pick one product. I'll just say that I have a renewed respect for any company willing to go through the difficulty and expense of the organic certification process. We only use four ingredients and our application was over 100 pages. So my hat's off to anyone who's done it! It really shows a commitment to wanting to make a good natural product.

What's next on the horizon for you and LOFT Liqueurs?

L: Our first three flavors available are Lavender, Lemongrass and Spicy Ginger. However to date I have tried making liqueurs with over 40 different fruits and botanicals including some herbs such as basil and lemon verbena. I have 15 or so viable flavors and would love to produce them all, but in the meantime we hope to do some seasonal flavors such as tangerine later in the winter and perhaps blueberry in the summer.

S: An endorsement from George Clooney (or at least drinks). No, really- I do want to have drinks with Clooney with my husband- and I believe, more importantly, that people (including George) will love LOFT because it really tastes great and it's chemical free. I hope that LOFT will be a big hit and we can launch exciting seasonal flavors like tangerine. I look forward to people being excited that I am sharing LOFT (the truth) and not fearing that I am trying to sell them anything.

Where can people find LOFT Liqueurs?

L: Full bottles can be purchased online at from Mondo Liquor or at Ledger's Liquors in Berkeley, California. We just launched so we're still working on getting wider distribution, but for the moment any bar, restaurant or liquor store in California or New York can buy from me directly. Consumers can find us in a few restaurants in San Francisco including Jardiniere, Americano, and Kuleto's (who, by the way, has a separate all-organic drink menu). A list of where to buy can be found on our website and will be updated often.

www.loftliquors.com

Comments (4) | May 25 - 6:16 PM

category: Gift Ideas, Interviews/Profiles, New Products, Organic Wine / Beer

It seems that edible wild plants are all the rage right now. Martha Stewart even has a feature on the joys of these overlooked weeds in the April 2008 issue of her namesake magazine. We couldn’t agree more and spring is a perfect time to reap the rewards of wild harvesting.

This is why we are so excited to share with you our new favorite find – Wild Leek Vinegar from Food for Thought in Honor, Michigan. This tiny gem of company specializes in tasty products made from wild harvested, local, and seasonal plants. We got our hands on a bottle of this small-batch elixir and have been slurping it up in vinaigrettes over roasted asparagus and spring lettuces. For a twist (because we like vinegar on potato chips and french fries), we sprinkled some over a batch of salty oven fries and found the delicate, almost garlicky tang to be a great match. The bottle itself is so beautiful that we also pair it alongside our favorite olive oil for an unexpected and welcome hostess gift.

Comments (3) | March 30 - 11:11 AM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

We’ve tasted our share of energy bars around here and for the most part, we’re still partial to making our own or assembling a bag of our favorite dried fruit and nuts. So you can imagine our surprise when we found ourselves ordering yet another case of Jake’s Unbaked bars to replenish our personal stash. Yes, they’re raw. Gluten-free, organic, and agave sweetened too. But, at the end of the day, no matter how “healthy” something is, if it doesn’t taste good, it’s a no-go for us. Simply put, these bars are out-of-this-world.

Jake’s Unbaked bars come in three tasty flavors: the Goji Bar is studded with antioxidant rich goji berries, the chai-spiced Yogi bar, and our favorite, the Rawnola bar which we'll happily crumble into a bowl of plain or frozen yogurt. We’d even go so far as to say these babies satisfy a cookie-craving…think crunchy, sweet, coconut macaroon and you’ll have some idea of what they taste like.

We love to get to know the great people who bring us our favorite natural food products and because these bars are a borderline addiction around here, we headed straight to the source to uncover just who Jake of Jake’s Unbaked is...we ended up choosing him as our latest Tastemaker:

When and why did you start making Jake’s Unbaked products?
In 2001 I began to discover the benefits of a raw-live food diet. During this health transition I found myself unsuccessfully looking for substitutes to the common baked snacks I was used to eating. One day my pursuit lead me to a curious red berry called Goji. After discovering the many nutritional benefits the Goji Berry bestowed and how great they tasted, I began to purchase them regularly. One day, by mistake, I left some sitting in my car in the hot sun with a few nuts. When I returned later that day they had become warm and were stuck together. As soon as I tasted these clusters, a light went on in my head and the idea for the “Goji Bar” emerged.

Once I started to make Goji Bars, my raw-live foods friends kept asking me for more. Where ever I took them, they were gone in an instant. But, it wasn’t until I started to get positive comments from people who were eating a more standard American diet, that I figured I might be on to something. Plus, there was nothing similar to them already on grocery store shelves.

What makes Jake’s Unbaked products great?
For starters, all of our sweeteners are low-glycemic and unlike most other raw bars on the market that use dates, we use figs and agave nectar. Plus our bars have a wonderful crunchy texture that many people, whether they are transitioning to raw and live foods, or not, simply love.

What is your favorite Jake’s Unbaked product? What is your favorite way to enjoy it?
These days I’m enjoying our Yogi Bars the most. The chai spices we blend into these bars promote optimal digestion. One way that I love to eat them is in the Fall, when persimmons are in season and ripe enough to spread like jam. I simply top one of my bars with a thick layer of these wonderful sweet fruits. To take it to another level, I place them in the freezer before using them to make ice cream sandwiches.

What would most surprise people about Jake’s Unbaked products?
Despite the name of our company, I am constantly reminding people that our products involve no baking. Folks seem to find it hard to believe that we can create such a crunchy texture and remain true to the principles of what the raw-live food movement is about — not cooking.

What other natural food producer(s) do you really admire? Why?
I admire honeybees the most. They are the humblest and sweetest natural food producers I know of. Plus they seem to have more reverence for the land than humans. Locally gathered honey is the most ecological sweetener in terms of energy consumption and sustainable farming practices. Not to mention they assist us with pollination of our food and create beautiful flowers for us to enjoy.

What's your favorite natural food product other than your own?
Although I eat a plant-based, raw-live food diet, I do enjoy warming up with herbal teas. Right now I’m big on Rooibos by African Red Tea Imports. I enjoy the mellow flavor and earthy aroma and it’s relaxing properties. I am told that Rooibos plants have a complex root system that travels very deep. I like to think this the reason this tea has such a high mineral content and imparts a grounding sensation. African Red Tea Imports also makes a Rooibos Extract powder that I like to keep this handy while traveling because all I need is a tiny dash into a glass of warm water and I can enjoy instant Rooibos tea.

What's next on the horizon for you and Jake’s Unbaked?
More delicious treasures! We are working on developing a dehydrated pro-biotic biscuit that is cultured with live lactobacillus organisms. I am interested in ways that food can be both medicine and delicious to eat. We are working on more varieties of our Rawnola Bars as well. Our next addition will be a carob inspired bar, for our customers who want an alternative to the raw cacao products on the market.

Where can people find Jake’s Unbaked products?
You can find our products at a handful of select natural food stores throughout the country, such as Erewhon Natural Foods in Los Angeles, California, Essene Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Frontiers in Flagstaff, Arizona, Westerly Natural Foods in New York. Visit our website for a list of locations or wholesale inquires. Also check out Zebra Organics for retail sales. For wholesale, or your personal enjoyment, you can order them by the case from our website.

Related Links:

- Jake's Unbaked (www.jakesunbaked.com)
- Tastemaker: Neal Gottlieb of Three Twins Ice Cream
- Tastemaker: Minh Tsai founder of Hodo Soy Beanery
- Real Food Energy Bar Review

Comments (1) | March 9 - 5:19 PM

category: Interviews/Profiles, New Products, Vegan / Veg

I was browsing Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools the other day and came across a woman, Maria, who was writing about the impact her bento-style lunch box was having on her life. She used the phrase life-changing and explains how the design of the lunchbox has impacted the way she thinks about the food she puts in it. It's great.

Maria also links out to one of my favorite Flickr groups to browse. Nearly 4,000 photos of laptop lunches, uploaded by over 600 members. Fascinating. Wraps and hummus seems to be all the rage with the laptop lunchers. -Heidi

Related Mighty link:
- Lunchbox for Grown-ups

Comments (1) | March 7 - 5:54 PM

category: New Products, Studies + Trends

We're loving Pancake & Franks foodie stationery. They've created a stunning line of whimsical letterpress note cards that include images of some of our favorite mighty foods, such as earthy lentils, graphic black eyed peas, bright red radishes, sunny golden eggs, delicate heads of garlic, and many other simple foods that they've elevated to true art form.

Here are a few other mighty foods inspired products we've been eying:

- vegetable ribbon
- fruity scratch n' sniff wallpaper
- healthy food t-shirts
- veggie kitchen scrubbers
- little cookbooks from a little press

Comments (2) | March 6 - 8:47 PM

category: New Products

For the bread enthusiast looking to cut back on plastic and paper bags, Berkeley-based Bamboo-bag is manufacturing a smartly designed alternative. Run by three friends, these sustainable bamboo cloth bread bags come in two sizes - the baguette quiver ($16) can hold up to three long loaves, the loaf pouch ($16) can manage two one-pound loaves or a single challah. We love the diagonal strap which keeps your hands free to squeeze avocados or pick through citrus at the market.

Related Links:
- Bamboo-bag.com
- How to fold your Bamboo-bag
- Bamboo bags on Studio-707

Comments (0) | February 13 - 2:36 PM

category: Eco-Kitchen, Gift Ideas, New Products

Soybeans are magical beans. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Jack used them to climb his beanstalk. Studies have shown these little legumes to have a host of health benefits in part because they are rich in cancer-fighting isoflavines and heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats. From one simple bean you can get a range of delicious foods, including creamy soymilk, snacking edammame, miso for soup, and of course - tofu. Sadly, many people consider tofu and soymilk to be anything from plain and bland to out right bad tasting. If this is your impression then you must not have had the soy goodies from Hodo Soy Beanery. Minh Tsai and his partner John Notz take bean curd back to it's rightful place, as a delicious, super-fresh, clean-tasting artisinal treat that vegetarians and meat eaters enjoy with gusto.

When and why did you start making Hodo Soy products?
We started testing the market in 2003 while still holding "day jobs" and then I quit my job to do Hodo full time in 2004. As mentioned on our website, Hodo started because we were very surprised that we couldn't find the high quality of tofu/soy that we enjoyed in Asia, made to be consumed fresh.

Secondly, we guessed that if we could show customers that fresh tofu could be significantly tastier, whether ready-to-cook, or in ready-to-eat dishes, rather than packaged (and preserved) tofu found in stores, more people would eat Hodo's tofu. Hence in addition to making organic fresh tofu daily to show customers what "tofu" should really taste like, we also decided to make a line of ready-to-eat dishes to highlight various flavors and textures of tofu, which won us many customers.

What makes Hodo Soy products great?
In our humble opinion, our freshly made tofu and ready-to-eat dishes speak for themselves. Where else can you find tofu made and sold to you on the same day?

What is your favorite Hodo Soy product? What is your favorite way to enjoy it?
When we first started out, we were very excited to develop ready-to-eat dishes that customers loved. One of my favorites is the "spicy braised tofu salad" because you can eat it cold, throw it on top of a salad, or toss in a vege stir-fry - always delicious. These days, I'm more of a purist, I tend to eat more of our organic tofu blocks; I love how little I need to do to prepareit. I simply pan-fry or grill cubes of it and dip it in a variety of sauces.

What would most surprise people about Hodo Soy products?
Regardless of whether they are seasoned tofu eaters or first timers, most folks are surprised that tofu could taste so good. I think chefs are also surprised that our freshly made tofu has such amazing flavors and that is why so many are using more of our tofu in their kitchens. We are pleased to be on the menus of such notable restaurants as Greens, Slanted Door, and Coi for example.

What other natural food producer(s) do you really admire? Why?
Wow, I am exposed to so many at the farmers markets! I admire all the small farmers who work so hard to bring us the amazing seasonal produce and fruit. In particular, I really like Full Belly Farm. Also, one of the folks I really admired is June Taylor of June Taylor Preserves. She has been making handmade preserves for years! They are amazing, you should check out her kitchen on 4th St. in Berkeley.

What's your favorite natural food product other than your own?
Putting me in a tough spot here! I have to go for June Taylor's preserves! I don't have a sweet tooth, but I can use her stuff on lots of things.

What's next on the horizon for you and Hodo Soy?
For the past two years, we have been looking for a space to grow into. Well, we are taking a big step this year to build a new production space in Oakland. If everything goes according to plan, at the end of this year we will be opening a production space that will allow people to come and view how we make our products. We hope that our new production space will allow us to continue to educate customers about high quality tofu and also develop new recipes for everyone.

Where can people find Hodo Soy products?
Customers can find our soy products at Bay Area farmers' markets (see website for locations). In addition, the following Bay Area restaurants use our tofu: Coi, Greens, Slanted Door, Medicine Eatstation, and Saul's. Our bulk tofu is sold at Rainbow Cooperative in SF, and used at Green Gulch farms and the Berkeley Student Coop. We only ship large quantity out of state to minimize shipping costs and maximize freshness.

Hodo Soy Beanery
www.hodosoy.com

Comments (2) | February 11 - 8:20 PM

category: Interviews/Profiles, New Products, Superfoods, Vegan / Veg

These days it seems that energy bars are occupying nearly the same amount of grocery store real estate as the floor-to-ceiling cereal aisle. Lengthy shelves are weighed down with an increasing stock of bars that offer everything from the protein equivalent of a t-bone steak and so-called lunchbox-friendly bars for kids, to those claiming the same great taste as a candy bar.

And it's no surprise, energy bars are a great idea — in theory. They are a portable, non-perishable, quick-pick-me-up for after the gym or that 4 o’clock crash. However, many have a lot of added sugars, often more than a serving of ice cream. Others are loaded with ingredients that are anything but whole foods, for example this list came from the back of one popular bar:

chocolatey coating (sugar, fractionated palm kernel oil, cocoa, whey, nonfat milk, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor), trisource™ protein blend (whey protein isolate, calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate), glucose syrup, caramel (corn syrup, sugar, cream, water, fructose, palm oil, soy lecithin, salt, sodium phosphate, natural flavor, carrageenan), high oleic canola oil, maltodextrin, evaporated cane juice syrup, peanut flour, natural flavor, glycerin, peanut butter, soy crisps (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, salt), soy lecithin, salt, almond butter.

We decided to taste our way through many of the bars made with just real food to see if there was anything we could get energized about. By real food, we are referring to those predominantly made with some combination of dried fruit (usually dates) and nuts and without any added sugars or proteins. We took no offense to a little lemon zest or vanilla here and there, but by and large, these were just tiny packages of good ol' trail mix bound together in one way or another.

We tasted bars from the following brands: Larabar, Larabar Jocolat, Clif Nectar, Smart Monkey, Think Organic, Ruth’s, ReBar, Go Raw, Vega, Raw Organic Food Bar, and Gertrude & Bronner’s Alpsnack.

With a total of 35 bars to taste, we anticipated highlighting the best bars from each popular flavor category, which included chocolate, cherry, apple/pecan, cranberry, apricot, and the more nut-centric ones. However, in the end, we didn’t find very many that tasted good enough for us to want to buy them again and most were not any better than a simple bag of our favorite GORP (Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts). In the end our tasting was not for nothing, aside from the energizing jolt we got from munching our way through all the offerings, there were a few that received our Mighty Foods “Taste Tested" stamp of approval.

Larabar had an impressive five bars in their main product line that we liked. The Cashew Cookie had good distribution of cashews and satisfying balanced taste. The Lemon Drop was zesty, refreshing, and bright. The Apple-Pie was apple-y delicious. And the Pistachio was very good, though not screaming of pistachio.

In the chocolate category we were almost left thinking that it’s just best to enjoy a good piece of dark chocolate when you’re having that cocoa craving and have one of these fruity bars when you need a snack on-the-go. However, Larabar Jocolat’s Chocolate Coffee was a pleasant surprise and had a brownie-like enjoyment with a nutty finish. We did note that unlike the other bars we liked, Larabars are not certified organic.

Clif Nectar’s Cinnamon Pecan had real flavor dimension and tasted of pears and autumn. Their Lemon, Vanilla, Cashew tasted much more of vanilla than lemon, but was really delicious and had a nice distribution of nuts.

Think Organic’s Cranberry Apple was more subtle than the others, but pleasantly so and had a smooth taste that was refreshingly not cloying.

We were also inspired by a few creative cooks who took matters into their own kitchens and made some simple homemade versions of these real food energy bars. Here are their recipes as well as a few simple trail mix-type snacks.

- homemade Larabar
- homemade Clif Nectar bar
- homemade trail mix
- homemade GORP

And if you're still not happy with the ones we've tasted and you aren't up to cooking your own, You Bar, allows you to custom design your own bar with lots of choices to choose from, then they send you a case of your monogrammed munchies.

Comments (2) | February 8 - 11:51 AM

category: Lists, New Products

Have a look at the Food Map Container, it's a new growing container perfect for that edible container garden you were going to plant this year. The self contained unit is conveniently built on wheels to make moving from sun to shade easy if necessary. The container is made from nontoxic materials that wont rust, and with minimal care the it won't lose its color or warp over time. The Food Map Container is manufactured in Los Angeles, is 100% recyclable, comes in two sizes, and is priced around $250.

Comments (2) | February 6 - 8:54 PM

category: Eco-Kitchen, New Products

While I may not always carry my pocket-guide to sustainable seafood in my wallet, I've given it a good study and I try to stay up-to-date on what fish is in and what's out. In today's world where we're wedged between warnings of over-fished near-endangered Nemo and the importance of eating Omega-3 fatty acids (concentrated in some fish),it can be a little tricky to know exactly what to eat and where to get it from.

Here is why I love Vital Choice Seafood. It's:

- so yummy - this is no dry, flaked fish
- quick and convenient
- a very mighty food
- affordable when compared to fresh seafood
- wild
- sustainably fished
- tested and certified low-levels of contaminants, such as mercury

I keep a steady supply of a few of Vital Choice's fantastic products in my pantry. For one, their canned wild red sockeye salmon quickly turns into a lunch-time treat or satisfying dinner. And while salmon often gets all the glamour and glory, it's essential fatty acid friend, the sardine is often over looked (and confused for anchovies). These amazing and delicious silver-skinned swimmers come packed several ways, including in organic olive oil (a regular salad topper) and in organic tomato sauce (easily thrown onto a bowl of cold or warm tuscan beans). The bone-in salmon and sardines, are not only a great souces of Omega-3 fatty acids, but also bone-supportive calcium.

And while I generally agree with the all-knowing Alton Brown and his 'no single-use kitchen tools' gospel, I happen to think this one, despite the specialized function, is mighty enough to deserve a spot in my kitchen drawer.

Here's to taking our tired tuna-salad sandwiches up a notch or two.

Vital Choice Seafood
www.vitalchoice.com

Comments (3) | January 18 - 11:13 AM

category: New Products, Superfoods

While it might be early in the year to break ground on an edible garden, spring isn't too far off on the horizon - and hey, there's no harm in a little planning or daydreaming. Have a look at these precious matchstick garden kits - each cute, petite matchbook opens to reveal ten matches, each containing seeds in their tips. Simply nestle each match tip-first into soil (warm, sunny place), and you're in business. For those of you lacking confidence, directions are inside the cover. You can even plant them indoors if you can't wait for a springtime thaw.

At $5 they make good party favors, or simply thoughtful treats for friends with green thumbs. They'll be thanking you down then line when they're able to snip fresh chives, basil, parsley, and thyme from their own tiny plot.

Matchstick Garden
matchstickgarden.com
$5 (on Perpetual Kid)

Comments (2) | January 13 - 11:53 PM

category: Eco-Kitchen, Gift Ideas, New Products

Hummus, along with guacamole, pad thai, and Greek yogurt, is yet another dish in a long line of edible international imports that have become familiar to the American palate. This favorite middle-eastern spread is now a staple - a delicious and healthy dish that can easily fill out a lunch box or a star on a party platter. I recently discovered a tahini made from black sesame seeds and was inspired to make black hummus by replacing traditional white sesame tahini and cream-colored chickpeas with black tahini and beluga lentils - the result is a beautiful midnight-hued dip.

Unlike many dips, this recipe features an almost endless number of nutritional superstars. The olive oil, garlic, and lentils alone deliver a hefty punch of good-for-you nutrients. Yet it’s the stunning, onyx-colored black tahini that takes center stage, both for its deep earthy flavor and healthy concentration of iron, calcium, and fiber. This recipe has quickly become a satisfying everyday food and one that I call upon to impress at dinner parties.

Having trouble finding beluga lentils? Black beans make a great substitute. If your grocery store doesn’t carry black sesame tahini, you can order it online here - or use the classic tahini from white sesame seeds which will produce a hummus slightly lighter in color, but still tasty.

Midnight Hummus Recipe

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups beluga lentils, cooked
1/4 cup black sesame tahini
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon or more to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Place garlic into your food processor and pulse until finely minced.

Add the remaining ingredients and process for 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides of the food processor. Taste and adjust for lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Process until well combined and smooth.

Serve this versatile hummus on whole grain crackers, as a dip for crisp vegetable crudités scattered with white sesame seeds, or spread inside of a warm pita with a slice of tomato, sprinkle of feta cheese – and maybe a few mint leaves.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Comments (5) | January 4 - 3:07 PM

category: New Products, Recipes, Superfoods, Vegan / Veg

We've been dabbling with the full spectrum of O Olive Oils over the past week, and the verdict is in. These olive oils (they come in a range of flavors), are the perfect way to put a finishing kiss of (organic) ruby grapefruit or Meyer lemon or Tahitian lime on your favorite recipes. Now you might think your recipes are pretty good without a fancy finishing oil. Fair enough. But we'd argue that these oils have the ability to add surprising (and delicious twists) to your everyday recipes. They provide a simple way to take your favorite recipes to the next level of deliciousness.

O uses olives from small family orchards near the northern foothills of the Sierras. The oils are neither infused nor flavored after the fact. The whole fruit is crushed with the olives at the same time - and only certified organic citrus is used. The oils are great in dressings, over steamed veggies, drizzled over pasta, brushed on after grilling, and in marinades. Try a slathering inside your favorite panini (use good crusty bread!)

Our absolute favorite preparation involved a bowl of white cannellini beans, toasted walnuts, and crumbled manouri cheese (your favorite soft sheep or goat's milk cheese will work here), drizzled with about a tablespoon of the Ruby Grapefruit Olive OIl, a small splash of champagne vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt.

Two other ideas we found on the O website that we can't wait to try (both with their Blood Orange Olive Oil):

- toss roasted yukon potatoes and yams (or sweet potatoes) with Blood Orange Olive Oil, fresh sage, sea salt and fresh pepper.

- add Blood Orange Olive oil to risotto with crimini mushrooms. (we be this would be great in a barley or farro based risotto-type preparation.

O also has a line of wonderful vinegars that we will write about separately.

Here's where you can buy O Olive Oil online
http://www.ooliveoil.com

Comments (0) | June 5 - 1:48 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products, Recipes

If you're going to treat yourself to something sweet, decadent, and indulgent - make it worth it. Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut-Chocolat has sourced smooth and creamy organic peanut butter to fuel one of her latest creations - outrageously delicious organic peanut butter bon bons made with dark milk chocolate and mineral-rich pink Himalayan salt. Each chocolate square is punctuated with Fleur de Sel. Finding a good organic peanut butter is slowly getting easier, but up until recently it has been a challenge. We look forward to future peanut butter creations from Vosges-Haut Chocolate - this is just the kick-off to their new (and evolving) peanut butter bon bon line. (9 piece Himalaya Peanut Butter Bonbons - $27)

Comments (1) | May 28 - 12:41 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

For those of you who haven't heard of Java Juice, simply put - it is pure coffee extract made from 100% organic Arabica coffee and comes in small, individual 1/2-ounce packets. Just add hot (not boiling!) water, and you've got a tasty cup of coffee to enjoy.

The front of each Java Juice packet proclaims "black gold" and backpackers and campers love the product because it means they can pack these little guys into the high-country in place of the undelicious powdered coffee insta-packs. Each packet of Java Juice has a PSI rating of 190 lbs, meaning they aren't likely to explode in your purse, backpack or suitcase. Checkmarks next to each of the following; fair trade, shade-grown, certified kosher, and uses organic coffee beans, means we've got a product on our hands worth supporting.

And while Java Juice might fuel a nice cup of coffee deep in the outback, it has much, much more potential as a cooking and recipe ingredient. Some off-the-cuff ideas:

- Coffee ice cream or frozen yogurt - stir Java Juice into your favorite vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt base.

- Iced coffee - Java Juice is liquid so you don't need hot water to dissolve anything.

- Use it in tiramisu (or even better, Beeramisu)

- Mix it with equal parts Kahlua and brush across your favorite chocolate baked goods.

- Blend it into meringues before baking.

- Blend it into your favorite chocolate pudding recipe.

- Add a bit to your favorite banana bread recipe.

Other ideas? Leave them in the comments.

Java Juice is available at Campmor, REI, and many other retail locations listed here.

Comments (0) | May 23 - 9:34 PM

category: New Products

Last year 7x7 magazine crowned Jill Litwin "Little Miss Puffet." Jill is the owner of Peas of Mind, celebrated by moms in the San Francisco Bay Area for her toddler-friendly, all-natural, organic, finger-foods called...Puffets.

The Puffets currently come in four flavors - Nanna's Banana, Black Bean Polenta, Carrot Risotto, and eat Your Greens. Peas of Mind also gets many requests for Puffet flavors that address specific allergy concerns. Right now, three of the four Puffet flavors are gluten-free: Eat Your Greens, Carrot Risotto, and Black Bean Polenta. And they are now at work on two much requested non-dairy flavors due out later this year.

So, that's the good news - a tasty, healthy, kid-friendly food with a fun name. The bad news? Peas of Mind's Puffets are only available in stores in Northern California. They are ramping up to expand and will soon be available in stores in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest. If you are desperate to get your hands on the Puffets, you can mail-order four and eight-box packs through the Peas of Mind website for what translates to roughly a buck and some change per Puffet.

Links:
Peas of Mind - All Natural Eats for Growing Kids ( link)
Peas of Mind recipe section (link)

Comments (0) | May 16 - 11:14 AM

category: New Products, Vegan / Veg

For those of us living in the United States, it is difficult to find domestic glass bottled water. Most of the glass bottled water found in markets is imported from faraway shores like Italy and France. Keep your eyes open for Mountain Valley Spring Water, it is a glass bottled spring water from a single, natural spring near Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. The water is bottled at the source and has a clean, clear, pleasing taste.

Why glass? People are becoming increasingly interested in avoiding foods and beverages packaged in plastic, many citing health reasons. There is concern that under certain conditions (for example, heat) some of the powerful chemicals that make plastic flexible can leach into the water or food.

Are there other domestic glass bottled spring water companies out there we should know about? We will talk about filtered tap water and municipal water supplies at a later date and why this is a better route to go environmentally - this post is mainly to give people a heads up that there is in fact domestic glass bottled spring water on the market for those times you choose to go bottled and want to reduce some of those foods miles without compromising quality.

Visit the Mountain Valley Spring Water website.

Comments (2) | May 15 - 11:41 AM

category: New Products

If the Basil Lemon body milk and Juniper and Olive Tree shampoo aren't enough for you, fans of Korres Natural Products will be happy to hear about their expansion into natural foods. Starting with a beautiful premium organic red Kozani saffron (as highlighted in Food & Wine's Tastes to Try in '07), Korres plans to delight our taste buds as well as our tresses. Now the trick is tracking it down - keep a look out on eBay (both in the US and UK).

Stay tuned for information on future products and US distribution.

Comments (0) | January 28 - 6:31 PM

category: New Products

I stumbled on Bluebird Grain Farms' Emmer (Farro) Pancake Mix recently, the mix piqued my interest because the flour base is ground from the organic heirloom whole grain, emmer. Sounded delicious.

The rest of the Bluebird Grain Farm line is equally inspiring - organic soft whole wheat white flour, wheat berries, organic whole flax seeds, organic dark northern rye, a whole grain pancake and waffle mix, and their newest product - a hearty old world cereal blend made from cracked emmer, cracked rye, and whole brown flax seed. Amazingly, they mill their flours fresh to order from their Washington State base - milling on Mondays for Tuesday/Wednesday deliveries and order fulfillment.

I used the Emmer Pancake Mix to create little sweet blini, topping each petite pancake with a thin layer of barely sweetened Bellwether Farms ricotta and a tiny dapple of jam (three different flavors).

Click here to see all the Bluebird Grain Farm products, place an order, or join their CSA.

Comments (3) | January 22 - 5:13 PM

category: New Products, Whole Grains

Many coloring agents used in frostings, icings and the like are made from synthetic dyes. If you are after a natural alternative check out India Tree's Natural Decorating Sugars. They are made instead from vegetable colorants. In addition to natural food coloring they also produce pretty candied rose (and violet) petals and a wide variety of colored sprinkles, sanding sugars, and French dragees.

Comments (1) | January 14 - 9:14 PM

category: New Products

Appropriately named "Help" - this is the perfect mug for those of us who can't seem to get the ratio of water to rice right....ever. By Studio Verissimo, available through Greenergrassdesign.com for $13. (link)

Comments (0) | November 25 - 11:31 AM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

Looking for a way to keep your recipes organized? Connoisseur, a fantastic little ap will go a few steps beyond that - it easily allows you to export shopping lists to your iPod, import recipes, or go metric if you need to. Think iTunes for recipes and you are on the right track. A steal for $20 bucks. Download a demo version here.

Comments (1) | November 20 - 7:16 AM

category: New Products

Certainly this is the most difficult bowl in the world to clean - but the cute, tiny bowls that are combined to form a larger vessel are perfect for fruit! Made by o-d-a, object design alliance.

Comments (1) | September 19 - 10:18 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

Single-dose pudding molds that go by the name il Buddino. Looks like they are currently only available in Europe. (via Moco Loco)

Comments (0) | August 21 - 9:51 AM

category: New Products

Every house or apartment can use a little freshening up now and then, and nothing breathes new life into tired kitchen like a fresh coat of paint. Check out YOLO's line of environmentally responsible paints - YOLO Colorhouse. The line comes in colors grouped by family: air, grain, leaf, water, stone, petal and clay. They've also one-upped the paint-chip (finally) - you can order poster-sized color swatches to get a feel for the paint before you commit.

YOLO Colorhouse paints are certified by Green Seal which is an independent non-profit that sets standard for environmentally responsible products. (via ecofabulous)

Comments (0) | August 15 - 8:08 PM

category: Eco-Kitchen, New Products

Have a look at Vessel's Workplace Dish Set. Stylish and practical design bundles placemat, fork knife and spoon, juice cup, plate, and bowl in one modern, smart-looking, turquoise carry-all. It is heat safe to 150 degrees and the perfect way to take healthy eats on the go. The only thing we'd like to see in future designs is some sort of compartmenting so you can keep your wheatberry salad from getting your panini soggy. Also, a snap on lid for the cup would make it so you could transport soup without spillage.

Click through for more images.

Comments (0) | August 7 - 8:52 AM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

Tea flavored lollipops on an organic rosemary stick. Does it get any better than this? Six for $15, plus shipping. Follow the link and click on the candy section.

Comments (0) | July 30 - 7:03 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products, Superfoods

Vermont-based Pop Soda makes small-batch, handcrafted, unfilitered(!), all natural sodas. Unlike most major brands of sodas that are made from highly refined and processed ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, Pop Soda's are created with freshly squeezed fruit juices, herbal infusions, pure cane sugar, and natural extracts. The ship their three flavors via DHL ground for $28.95 per case of 24 bottles - Citrus Hibiscus, Mint Lime, and Lemon Lavender. (via Cool Hunting)

Comments (0) | June 21 - 11:49 AM

category: New Products

Could this stylish Eva Solo tabletop grill be any more perfect? Actually, we would love an XL version of it, but the tiny version will do for now. (via Better Living Through Design)

Comments (0) | June 20 - 10:57 AM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

It's described as a beer mug, but we imagine ourselves drinking tea from this stone and porcelin Sakamoto piece. No two are identical. Cheers.

Comments (0) | June 19 - 12:54 PM

category: Eco-Kitchen, Gift Ideas, New Products

Amazon launched their grocery service last week, and while a good-sized chunck of their 10,000 item, non-perishable catalog is dedicated to processed foods they are also making an effort to build a robust offering of natural and organic products.

We suspect their list of overall offerings will grow rapidly and one interesting aspect of their strategy is when they carry a product, they seem to carry the entire line. For example, not only can you find your favorite Annie's All-natural Macaroni and Cheese, you can try the other 23 products available under that brand. Shipping is also reasonable. As the service develops we would like to see nutritional information and ingredients listed for every product, and we would love to see earth-friendly, natural house cleaning products available.

Favorite products on Amazon Grocery:

- A six-pack of Bear Naked Banana Nut Granola, try their oatmeal while you're at it.

- Annie's Homegrown Organic Whole Wheat Shells & Cheddar, 6-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)

- Alter Eco Sugar, Unrefined Ground Cane, other Alter Eco Products

- Sahale Snacks They use really interesting and delicious spice blends in their products.

- Kettle Valley Organic Fruit Strips, 60-packs.

- Bob's Red Mill Seeds

- Zhena's Gypsy Teas

- Clipper Teas

- Modern Organic Products (MOP), shampoo and body products.

- Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Cacao Nibs

- Nature's Path Optimum Power Hot Oatmeal

- Himalania Organic Goji Berries, 2 pack

- Zico Pure Coconut Water

Comments (1) | June 17 - 10:17 AM

category: Lists, New Products

A lot of readily available Chinese sauces and condiments are packed with MSG, corn syrup, corn starch and other highly processed ingredients. We just stumbled on the Wok Mei line of Chinese condiments. They are made from 100% all-natural ingredients - they even use evaporated cane juice in place of refined sugar as a sweetener! Look for the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and plum sauce.

Comments (3) | May 2 - 9:27 AM

category: New Products, Vegan / Veg

Books to check out:

- Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen

- Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket

- The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health

- Organics, Inc.: Natural Foods and How They Grew

- The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

- Marion Nestle's What to Eat

Comments (1) | April 6 - 1:26 PM

category: Lists, New Products

Bad breath? Meet Breath Palette. For the discerning brusher, this robust line of all-natural toothpastes and mouthwashes provides an alternative to the staid state of the current oral hygiene market. For the chefs and sommeliers in the crowd, flavor zero is a neutral-PH selection that can be used as a palette cleanser.

Want a bit more adventure during your morning brush? Try the ZEN palette of flavors (rose, honey, lavender, lemon tea, and cola), or brush that sweet tooth away with the palette that includes Vanilla, Bitter Chocolate, Caramel, L'Espresso, and (gasp) Pumpkin Pudding.

The benefits as cited on the Breath Palette site:

Breath Palette provides real benefits with its all-natural blend of herbal extracts and Xylitol.

- Sugar-free – BP is sweetened with Xylitol, a natural white crystalline substance that helps prevent plaque build-up naturally.

- Alcohol-free – without the dehydrating effects of alcohol, Breath Palette promotes a healthy saliva balance, which is the best preventative measure against bad breath. Saliva itself has natural antibacterial properties.

- Low effervescence – less foam is ideal for electronic tooth- brushes and for children who are first learning to brush.

- Less abrasive – the abrasive particle is one-seventh the size of standard toothpaste allowing you to brush your teeth more closely and gently.

- No synthetic surface-active agents – with no surfactants BP is kind to your body and the environment.

Read more about Breath Palette .

Comments (4) | March 19 - 2:49 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

This clever apple slicer does double duty. Perfect apple slivers every time, AND it keeps the rest of the fruit from browning. ( via tango at designverb )

Comments (0) | March 11 - 11:05 AM

category: New Products

Not all baby mush is created equal. For the best baby food on the block have a look at Bohemian Baby (recently featured in Daily Candy, New York Times Magazine, and the Yogi Times). Why pay the premium? The Bohemian Baby line is all fresh, unprocessed, and 100% organic. Bo Baby also refrains from heat treating their products so nutrients that are lost in products with longer shelf lives are retained. While I'm sure we are preaching to the converted, foods are the number one source of pesticide-derived chemicals in children's blood streams - feeding your baby an all-organic diet is the best way to keep these levels at or near zero. The overnight delivery out of your price range? Make your own organic super baby mush.

Comments (2) | February 28 - 8:47 AM

category: New Products, Superfoods

HINT is a line of waters that have been lightly infused all-natural flavors. If you are trying to jump off the soda bandwagon, these types of sweetener-free drinks are the way to go. No calories, no sweeteners - plenty refreshing. Pear, mint and tropical punch have just joined ever-expanding line of HINT flavors.

Comments (1) | February 14 - 7:48 AM

category: New Products

June has a fresh batch of Rangpur Lime Jelly ready for takers. This beautiful, brightly flavored jelly is a favorite of mine - a kiss of sweetness rounds out the clean, edgy, tart complexity of the citrus. Made with organic Rangpur limes, June prepares her jams, jellies and fruit cheeses in small batches, by hand, with minimal sugar and no pectin. Surprise a friend with a jar - you can order online or buy in person at San Francisco Bay Area Farmers markets.

Comments (0) | February 11 - 5:33 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

Riding the growing wave of consumer awareness about the healthful properties in chocolate, NewTree has developed a line of high-end chocolate bars over the past three year. Each bar consists of a Belgium chocolate base boosted with zests, spices, and/or extracts, depending on the flavor and nutritional profile they are after. They have three new flavors to celebrate this month, just in time for Valentine's day:

SEXY - 73% cocoa, ginger, energizing
BLUSH - 73% cocoa, cherry, rejuvenating
COCOON -over 30% cocoa, comfort

The SEXY bar has a nice snap to it with strong ginger punctuating a dark, rich base. The cinnamon in the COCOON was fragrant and pretty enveloped in an overly milky chocolate. If you like your milk chocolate creamy and sweet, as many people do, give this one a try.

Comments (0) | January 24 - 9:39 AM

category: New Products, Superfoods

Caffe Classico has released a new line of acai-based sorbets under their Belizza brand. For those of you who've never tried an acai-based product, the flavor is rich and deeply berry flavored - some say with hints of chocolate, but I often taste a smooth vanilla finish as well. All the sorbets are non-dairy, creamy in texture, packed with nine essential amino acids and a boost of natural anti-oxidants. Retail price per pint will set you back about five bucks.

24 ounce Acai Smoothie

4 to 6 ounces Belizza Scoopable Acai
10 ounces apple juice
2 ounces frozen banana
4 ounces frozen blueberry or strawberry
4 ounces ice

Blend for about 20-30 seconds and serve.

Acai Energy Bowl

Scoop 6 ounces of Belizza Acai into a bowl. op with 1/2 to 1 sliced fresh banana. Sprinkle with granola and serve.

Comments (2) | January 23 - 2:30 PM

category: New Products, Recipes, Superfoods

Celestial Seasonings has teamed up with ten female chefs to raise awareness about heart disease - the number one killer of women in the United States. They've launched a multi-pronged promotion that involves announcing two new tea flavors, giving away free tea-centric cookbooks, and something quirky about lapel pins you can send away for with coupons.

When it all washes out it looks like you've got the following: new flavors - Vanilla Rose Decaf and Black Cherry Pomegranate. A cookbook that is available for free (while supplies last): Call 1-866-211-0374, toll-free. (Why they don't offer up a downloadable PDF version of it, we have no idea)...And if they have a lot oof interest in the pins, there is the potential for CS to donate up to $100,000 to WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.

The free cookbook, From Teapot to Table Top features tea-centric recipes like Fresh Asian Shrimp Rolls, Moroccan Spiced Apricot Chicken, Lemon Zinger Gingerbread and Red Dress Vanilla Rose Pound Cake (recipe below).

This Vanilla Rose Pound Cake was contributed to the project by Emily Luchetta, Executive Pastry Chef of Farallon restaurant in San Francisco. While the irony of a pound cake being included in a heart-healthy promotion is not lost on us - this recipe does seem to have a good percentage less buttery goodness than most pound cakes.

Vanilla Rose Pound Cake

1 tablespoon bread crumbs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Celestial Seasonings Vanilla Rose Decaf Black Tea (loose- tear open one bag and use contents)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 ounces (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Grated rind from 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Dust the bottom and sides with the bread crumbs.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir in the tea and salt.

Cream the butter until smooth. Slowly add the sugar and mix until smooth and light in texture. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a measuring cup, stir together the milk, lemon juice and grated lemon rind. In three additions, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture, making sure the batter is combined before adding the next.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean - about fifty minutes. Cool and then unmold by inverting the cake and pan onto a cutting board.

Slice and serve the pound cake by itself or with ice cream or Chantilly Cream.

High Altitude (3,500 - 6,500 ft): Decrease butter to 8 tablespoons and increase eggs to three. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.

Comments (2) | January 20 - 4:43 PM

category: New Products, Recipes, Superfoods

Have you seen Adagio's display teas? A cluster of leaves unfolds in your tea cup to reveal a beautiful, delicate flower inside. The tea blooms are hand-made in China from early spring leaves. Because the leaves are harvested young, you don't end up with the bitterness you otherwise might experience by leaving leaves in the cup.

Two types of display teas are available from Adagio - a Jasmine-infused green tea and a full-bodied black tea. No expansions of the line are planned at the moment citing Adagio's desire to, "offer a product that is visually impressive AND tastes great." Apparently making a pretty tea is easy, making a pretty tea that also tastes good is much more of a challenge. A box of ten costs $10 dollars.

Comments (0) | January 17 - 2:04 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

Mole made with organic dark Dagoba chocolate at Costco? Is that possible? Apparently so. San Francisco-based Native Kjalii Foods will roll out its Roasted Chocolate Mole to the San Francisco Costco location and other stores starting last month. Look for the 32-ounce tubs in the deli area.

Comments (0) | January 4 - 11:01 AM

category: New Products, News

Dagoba vs. Newman vs. Denman Island vs. Tropical Source, in a chocolate coated taste-off.

Comments (0) | December 31 - 11:42 AM

category: New Products, Vegan / Veg

Looking for a way to phase out plastic knives and forks? Treehugger does a round up of Eco-friendly disposable cutlery. ( Read more )

Comments (0) | December 26 - 11:14 AM

category: Eco-Kitchen, New Products

The Green Guide sounds off on silicon bakeware safety:

Silicone bakeware is relatively new on the U.S. market. However, it has been used for years in Europe and by professional bakers. Silicone bakeware is made of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved food-grade silicone. According to the FDA, silicone pans and molds are appropriate for all foods. Although the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has not tested silicone bakeware, their toxicologist suggests that it is safe for use. ( Read more )

Comments (1) | December 18 - 9:00 PM

category: New Products, Studies + Trends

Lotta Jansdotter prints on 100% natural linen fabrics, and we love her Chick Brick cafe apron. It comes in under $40, is a perfect shade of bricky-orange, and adds a pop of color to any kitchen (or outfit). ( Visit the Lotta Jansdotter site )

Comments (1) | December 12 - 10:30 AM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

Jivita is a new line of waters (with limited distribution at this time) flavored with Hydrosols - extracts from flowers, resins, herbs, and bark. The line of waters currently included four flavors. According to the company,

Jivita Red enhances mental and physical awareness; Jivita Orange enhances mental and physical endurance; Jivita Green calms the body and mind; and Jivita Purple centers the body and mind.

The flavors are quite strong. We mean really strong - possibly making the line ripe for creative culinary applications vs. throwing one back after you get off the treadmill. Some ideas that immediately came to mind:

- Finish off a risotto with one of the flavors.
- Use it to infuse icings or frostings. Jivita Red with its pretty floral notes would be perfect for this.
- Make flavored ice cubes to put in your favorite drinks.
- Any other ideas? Leave in the comments.

Jivita comes in a bottle made from corn (an annually renewable resource), an alternative to petroleum-based plastics.

Comments (0) | December 11 - 8:39 PM

category: New Products

When you've got the $500 Vita-mixer, the $400 Wolfgang Grain Mill, and the $800 FrancisFrancis - you've certainly got the coin for this $1000 made-to-order ice bucket set. Think ice bucket couture and you are on the right track. Each ice bucket is handmade from recycled glass processed by a wind-powered electric furnace at Portland-based Esque.

Comments (0) | November 26 - 8:15 AM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products

This one is for the herb lover in your life. San Francisco artist and designer Jill Bliss spent a month hanging out at the Strybing Arboretum (and combing through friends' yards) studying native herbs. The resulting limited edition posters are printed on recycled matte cardstock with soy-based inks. On a budget? You can get one for $16, or splurge for the entire set of 3 for $45. Check them out here.

Comments (0) | November 20 - 12:55 PM

category: Gift Ideas, New Products, Vegan / Veg

Deep sea drinking water is expected to becoming a booming export niche for the Hawaiian economy. Pipes deliver deep sea drinking water (marketed as a nutrient-rich alternative to tap and spring water) to a few production facilities in Hawaii. The bulk of the bottled water is then sold to the Japanese market with one company, Koyo USA Corp. exporting roughly 300,000 bottles a day to the island nation - with the big 1.5L bottles fetching $6 a pop. You do the math.

Comments (0) | November 19 - 1:29 PM

category: New Products, News, Studies + Trends