EVG Q&A: Reusable Menstrual/Sanitary Pads & Tampons

Question:
I'm working on going eco-friendly/fair trade/organic and I was wondering what you thought about reusable menstrual pads. I've been thinking about maybe trying them but what about when you're out all day or not able to get home?

Answer:

Video Recipe: Delicious Green Vegetable Juice

If you're looking for a delicious way to get your day off on the right foot, look no further. This juice recipe will give you a flood of energy, boost your mood, and keep you full until lunch time, all without sugar, gluten, or soy - what a perfect breakfast!



For the written recipe, click here to view it on Eco-Vegan Food, the website I'm slowly migrating all my recipes to.

How to Make Your Own Organic Vegan Lip Balm/Chapstick

One of my big eco-vegan missions is making my own everything, from meals to cleaning solutions to personal care products. Recently, it occured to me that I was wasting a lot of plastic containers every time I bought a new chapstick, and at $4-5 a pop it was getting expensive. So I decided to learn how to make it myself and discovered it was extremely easy, fast, and fun! Making it reduces packaging, saves money, and you get to control exactly what ingredients are used - talk about being eco-vegan! Here's how you can do it too (watch video or read written recipe):

Eco-Vegan Daily Download: Easy Health Food, Home Solutions, & Inspirations

Here's a new post concept I'm trying on for size: a download from my brain into yours. I have so many eco-vegan thoughts swarming through my mind all day and not enough time to write long posts on each topics, so why not give you a quick summary in hopes you'll be inspired? It's kinda like a journal of what I read, researched, ate, and want to do in the future. Since I'm testing this idea out, let me know what you think in the comment section - do you benefit from reading this?

DIY Kitchen Staples: Beans, Beans, They’re Good For You!

When you hear the word "beans" you might be reminded of that embarrassing jingle the boys in junior high used to sing. Though, you have to agree, beans are pretty magical - they're delicious and fill you up, and to top it all off they’re a great source of protein. There might be a stack of canned beans in your kitchen cabinet, but beware: these cans often contain a toxic chemical called BPA; there goes your appetite. Here’s a solution: ditch the can and go for fresh, dried beans! Doing it yourself is safer, and have a better flavor when cooked fresh.

Read the rest of my article at Organic Authority.

Do It Gorgeously - Sophie Uliano at T Salon

Today I went to an event at the T Salon in West Hollywood. I have been to the cafe/store before and really enjoyed it - almost all of their desserts are vegan, the building is very eco-friendly, and their tea is fabulous (video review coming soon). I wasn't sure what the event was going to be like, but I was excited because there was going to be a demo on how to make organic skin care products. I was also intrigued after hearing rave reviews of the book Gorgeously Green, so I looked forward to learning about Do It Gorgeously. The event turned out to be fantastic!

Bake Your Own Luscious Organic Desserts!

Most of the vegans I meet love to eat out and shop, but few actually make their own food because they either don't know how or don't have time. I often fall into this category myself, and that's why I love Luscious Organic Desserts cookie dough and brownie batter - it takes the work out of baking and results in 2 delicious treats!

Luscious Organic Desserts makes fantastic goodies to begin with (especially their cupcakes), so how exciting is it that you can prepare them from home?! Simply store the dough and/or batter in your freezer, take it out and let it thaw for about an hour, and then bake according to the instructions - easy! In fact, this is almost better than buying one of their products off a shelf because you can enjoy them right out of the oven!

Or, if you're super lazy/inpatient - try them raw! They don't have eggs so they're safe to eat without baking first. You can even mix them in with your favorite ice cream - yum!

The only downside is that they're not widely available yet, so if you're looking for a fix today, check out Eat Pastry. But don't worry, they've got different flavors, so you can enjoy both. Plus, Luscious has the added benefit of being organic.

Other opinions:

• frozen vegan cookie dough from luscious organic desserts
• vegan brownie batter by luscious organic desserts | quarrygirl.com
• Veggywood - Lazy Vegans Rejoice

Bikerowave

I took my bike to get tuned up at Bikerowave and had a great time. It was fun, informative, and cheap ($7 an hour to use their tools and ask questions)

Eco How To: unclog a drain without Drano

DIY business cards on recycled paper bags

I always design and print my own business cards, and yesterday I found a website showing cards printed on paper bags. I thought that was a great idea, so I gave it a try today and they came out well. I took 2 different bags, one of which was from Real Food Daily. Due to my design, they came out a little dark, but the quality is good, and it looks really cool and very eco. Can't wait to pass them out at WorldFest this weekend!

Kombucha update

It's been 7 days since I started brewing the actual Kombucha tea (and 4 weeks since I started growing my own scoby). I noticed bubbles forming around the inside top of the jar, so it's starting to carbonate. I tasted it to check the progress and it still tastes pretty sweet - I hope by the end of the weekend it will be ready.

I'm a little worried because I haven't truly isolated the Kombucha jar. I keep it out of direct sunlight on my desk so I can keep an eye on it. However, I'm supposed to keep it left undisturbed and in total darkness...I'm just so curious! I also took off the cloth and moved it to take photos! I probably should have left it alone...I wonder if any of this will really effect the final outcome.

Photos coming soon - I've been documenting everything for the past month!

Also, my friend Hannah is a Kombucha expert and she has a great blog and Kombucha Kamp in Los Angeles. Check out the interviews with her below.

Homemade pizza with Cheezly & Rustic crust

I made a pizza tonight and although it was good, it wasn't great. I used my usual organic pizza sauce, black olives, and mushrooms. The mozzarella Cheezly melted really well, but it didn't have much of a taste. Rustic crust didn't either (even brushed with olive oil, spices, and garlic), so the entire pizza was a little boring. Its saving grace was the pineapple, which added a nice sweet taste here and there.

UPDATE: The pizza was much better the next day when I had it for lunch. I actually looked forward to eating it and now I want to make it again! Maybe I'll use Teese next time...

Kombucha update

When I got home from Seattle I was excited to check up on my scoby (or, as I like to refer to it, my little jellyfish baby). I was thrilled to see that it has grown and became thicker! I think I'm about to ready to start the kombucha process, as it's been almost 3 weeks of growing the scoby. It's not as thick as some are in photos, but I think that's ok because it was home grown. 

I can't get over the fact that I grew it from a tiny, quarter size piece from High Country kombucha!

I've been taking pictures everyday to track the growth, and I will post those soon.

I learned today (through the internet) to keep an eye out for mold - luckily mine has none. I also discovered some pictures of scobys that look similar to mine - thin and with little dark strands. I'm excited to discover I'm doing it correctly!

Kombucha update

I have been growing my own Kombucha "scoby" for a few days now, and so far so good!

• I started with a bottle of Original High Country that had a lot of scoby threads/left-overs in it. 
• I emptied about half the bottle into a wine glass (because I didn't have any other glass container) and left it for 2 days. 
• Today, day 3, I bought a half-gallon glass container (99 cents at the 99 Cents Only Store!) and moved the Kombucha into that. 
• My scoby is already growing into a clear, jellyfish-like shape (pictures soon to come!). 
• I keep it on a kitchen table, covered with a thin towel. Apparently the ideal temp is about 75 degrees, which is perfect for L.A. weather!
  
• I'm going to watch it until it has expanded to all sides of the container, and has grown thick in width. According to some web sources, this can take up to 3 weeks.

This is a fun experiment!

Junk Mail update

I have been really good about contacting companies and being removed from their mailing lists, and I encourage you to do the same. I found a really easy and fast method.

1. Everyday, when you get junk mail (physical, not email), Google the company website.
2. When you get on the website look for a button that says "Contact Us" - this is usually at the top or bottom banner. Sometimes it is under "About Us" or "Customer Service"
3. Look for a general contact email address. Many of them are info@(companyname).com.
4. Send the company an email with the header: "Please remove from mailing list". In the body of the email type that again, followed by your name and address (exactly how it appears on the mail).

This method works very well - junk mail and at work has been reduced drastically.

There are of course services like Tonic (used to be Green Dimes) that will reduce your junk mail for a few (or sometimes free), but they are guaranteed for all mail. If you keep on top of your junk mail on a daily, or even weekly basis, companies will literally get the message.

Here's a good article about junk mail myths

Making my own Almond Butter

I tried to make my own almond butter with my Omega juicer but all that came out was almond powder! I've read that it's possible with my juicer, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I tried mixing the powder with water and it was too pasty. Then I tried it was almond oil, which was better but a little too sweet.

Any advice?

Making my own Kombucha

I go through periods when I can't stop drinking kombucha, and I'm going through one now. I've been interested in making my own for a while, but never took the initiative. However, I am determined to do it now...well, not right now, but hopefully this week. = )

I want to try to make my own "scoby" from a purchased bottle, so I'm going to go to the CoOp and look for an unflavored bottle with a lot of "scoby" strands at the bottom.

Anyone got any words of wisdom?

Vegan goat cheese

While eating Sheese Gouda Style vegan cheese, I wondered if vegan goat cheese exists. I Googled it and while it doesn't look like it is sold, there are a few recipes out there. This one from Post Punk Kitchen sounds good and I plan to try it. 

• 3/4 cup strained soy yogurt (requires about 1 1/2 cups soy yogurt before straining. Instructions follow.)
  
• 1 tsp Chinese white (not red!!!!!) preserved tofu. You should find a jar without chilis or other spices, which isn't hard at most Asian markets. It should ideally contain only tofu, seseme oil, salt, wine, any other neutral flavors that might be in it, and probably MSG because they all have it 
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 2 tbsp Vegenaise
  
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs and dried herbs. I used 5 or 6 basil leaves, 2 tsp or so fresh rosemary, 1/2 tsp each dried thyme, oregano, and parsley. The more fresh the more better. Go crazy with the herbs.
  
• 1 SMALL clove pressed garlic. Only one. You don't want to go crazy with the garlic. A small amount adds savoriness, but you don't want to taste the garlic for itself. 
  
• 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

1. To strain the yogurt, take 1 1/2 to 2 cups (or an entire tub, and have leftovers) of plain, unsweetened soy yogurt. I used Wildwood for this. Line a sieve with an unbleached paper towel or a piece of cloth, prop it up over a bowl, and pour the yogurt into the lined sieve. Cover with plastic wrap to keep it from getting funky tasting in the fridge. Let the liquid strain out for 24-48 hours, refrigerated. After it strains you'll have a paste with about the consistency of thinnish cream cheese. 
2. When the yogurt is strained, combine it with all the other ingredients in a bowl, blend well. 

Page-A-Day: January 8 - 27

Wow. I have a lot of catching up to do! I'm only going to highlight the Page-A-Day tips that people are less likely to have heard - the others are pretty common tips.

January 8 - use concentrated forms of products you use everyday (laundry detergent, juice, etc.). Buy dry goods in bulk (flour, sugar, pasta, spices). (I'm not a huge fan of concentrated foods, but I definitely agree with buying in bulk - Whole Foods is great for this)

January 10 - If you have a diesel car, convert it to run on biodiesel. And use your car as little as possible. Check out: www.zipcar.com; www.greasecar.com

January 12 - Buy recycled office products. Check out: www.thegreenoffice.com, www.recycledofficeproducts.com, www.waldecks.com, www.officedepot.com/recycle.

January 14 - Leave a bucket in the shower to fill up with "gray water"  when you're waiting for the water to heat up - you can feet plants with the water.

January 15 - Eat local. Check out: www.eatwellguide.org, www.localharvest.org

January 16 - It takes an estimates 1.5 million barrels of oil to make plastic water bottles for Americans, and 77% of those are not recycled. Buy a Sigg bottle (or Klean Kanteen).

January 17 - Check out Rachel Carson, who is credited with  launching the global environmental movement.

January 19 - Make your own lunch and bring it to work (in non-plastic containers). And buy a set of portable utensils (such as To-Go Ware)

January 23 - Donate to a environmental charity, or join a environmental group such as Sierra Club or Audubon Society

January 26 - If you see the company cleaning staff mixing recycling with trash, contact your supervisor or human resources and try to prevent it from happening in the future. 

January 27 - "Man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons." ~ Douglas Adams, The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Boba/Bubble Tea

For a few years now I've been slightly obsessed with Boba/Bubble Tea, especially from Urth Caffe. However, it's a little expensive (usually around $5) and tended to be a treat for me. Not to mention I always wish for more tapioca pearls then most places add to the drink. 

So, I decided to try making it myself, and found great success and pleasure from doing so. Not only is it less expensive, but it's really fun, AND, I can add as many pearls as I want!

I bought a small bag of tapioca pearls at a Asian market in Massachusetts (New Oriental Supermarket in Littleton) for $1.50. It's really easy to make - just boil the pearls in hot water for 5 minutes. Then you drain out the water and you can mix in sugar or agave nectar to make them sweeter. I added them to green tea, and mixed in some (canned) coconut milk - YUM! 

Now I just need to find out if GlassDharma makes straws big enough to suck up the pearls! Their largest size is 12mm diameter, which is almost the same size as the standard 1/2 inch boba straws...

For those of you in L.A. there's a great Asian market on Centinela called Mitsuwa.