How to Have A Green and/or Vegan Valentine's Day

photo and cookies by Kristin Kolnacki

I wasn't planning on writing about V-Day this year because there's already so much coverage on other sites/I haven't had time, but decided to do a quick video summarizing my thoughts and tips. Additionally, I asked the Eco-Vegan Gal community for their advice and got some great responses, so here are some resources for you:

Healthiest Chocolate Ever: Organic, Raw, Vegan, Sugar-Free, Soy-Free & Gluten-Free!

Yes, the title is true. I have discovered the healthiest and most eco-friendly chocolate ever!!! Oh, and it's DELICIOUS too. Really, the best way for you to understand how excited I am about finding this is to watch the following video, but there's a little text below it if you can't/don't want to. Bottom line - this is one of the most exciting vegan products I've found in a long time.

Video Interview: Fair Trade USA

If you've ever asked yourself, "what is fair trade?" or "why fair trade?", I've got a video for you! At this point most people understand what organic certification means, but few grasp the concept of fair trade, so I went to the source to get some clarification. This spring at Expo West I interviewed the lovely Katie Barrow, public relations and social media manager for Fair Trade USA, the organization that certifies and puts the stamp on products that you see on shelves. In the video she talks about fair trade, what it means, how it effects farmers, why it's important to buy certified items, and explains that it's not just about coffee but applies to many other foods and even clothing.

Review: Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are Eco-Vegan!

I've had my eye on Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups for a while, but for some reason I never bought them. Perhaps it was the price: $1.99 for 2 small cup seemed a little steep. However, I decided to treat myself when I spotted them at Whole Foods today.

Akasha - dineLA week October 2009

So, here's testament that I'm really behind in my editing - this video is from last October! But, I pulled it from my queue because dineLA week is happening once again, and Akasha is taking part. (Check out QuarryGirl's great post on other restaurants participating in dineLA) **Make sure to call ahead and give them a heads up that you're a vegan when you make a reservation.

I've been to Akasha several times and each have been satisfying. I really enjoyed my experience during dineLA, and they have a lot of vegan options. However, I remember my waiter being a little unsure about what was and wasn't vegan, so I had him double-check everything with the chef. Nonetheless, I really appreciate Akasha for having such eco-friendly and healthy food; they even mention which local farms they support on their menu!

I enjoyed:

• Pumpkin Pie cocktail
• Fig Salad
• curried lentil soup
• Market Vegetable Plate
• Local Apple Crisp with soy ice cream

Taste: 8/10

Unique menu & flavors: yes

Organic: yes

Local & Fairtrade: whenever available

Healthy: yes - "no artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, trans fats, nitrates, hormones or antibiotics."

Eco-Friendly: yes (check out their about page for details)

Customer service: good, professional, could be more knowledgeable about veganism

Atmosphere: well decorated, nice lighting = great for a date

Location: pretty central to L.A., in a great part of Culver City

Parking: free in city parking lot

Portion Sizes: medium

Y.O.G.A. for Youth: Gala Fundraiser at Marrakesh House

I had an incredible time at the Y.O.G.A. for Youth: Gala Fundraiser, which "I AM THE DREAM" campaign benefitted at-risk children throughout the United States. It was my first time visiting the Marrakesh House, and it was wonderful. The event had a great turnout and was attended by some amazing people; there was such a strong, loving energy there. The night was topped off with some delicious food, samples from various vendors, and several inspiring performances.

Most importantly, the gala was a fundraiser for Y.O.G.A. for Youth, which is a non-profit organization that brings yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, chanting, deep relaxation and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth.

Performances by:

• Galen and Gentry Gorg ~ breath-taking performance
• Aykanna ~ beautiful music
• Adoré ~ fun belly dancing
• Tom Freund ~ peaceful music
• Amore One & J Brave of the Luminaries ~ inspiring hip hop

My favorite vendors:

• Coconut Bliss ~ delicious, as always
• Bliss Bar ~ incredible vegan smoothies
• Yogi Tea ~ served many of their yummy organic teas
• Theo chocolate ~ fair-trade, organic chocolates (many are vegan)

People I chatted with:

• Tommy Rosen and Kia Miller (organizers)
• Chris Paine (host)
• Rachel Avalon
• Lauren Selman
• Kris Willey
• Christy Morgan

Eco-friendly Mother's Day

Mother's Day is just a few days away (May 10), and although it may just be another reason for companies to profit on a silly holiday you might still want to buy your lovely mother something! So why not make it eco-friendly? Here are some ideas:

- Potted plants instead of cut plants (what's the point of a dozen roses if they die in a couple days?)

- Organic (and perhaps vegan) chocolates. Dagoba has some really neat flavors, like Lavender Blueberry! (you can find them at Whole Foods)

- Organic body products - I love Hugo Naturals because they have great scents, and you can find them easily at places like Whole Foods

- Eco-vegan makeup - I love Gabriel Cosmetics and they're offering 20% off on their website for Mother's Day!

- Organic cocktail mixes by Modmix - they're vegan,and are available at Whole Foods. You can find a free downloadable $1 off coupon for Modmix here

- Fair-trade/organic/shade-grown coffee, or loose tea and a strainer. These teas from Tea Forte look nice.

- Jewelry made from recycled materials. Here are some examples: Smart Glass and Cool Planet.

- Donation to a eco-friendly organization. Author Rory Freedman (Skinny Bitch) will match donors to Peta2 dollar-to-dollar (up to $5,000) for Mother's Day.

- Carbon-offset gift certificates.

Here's a nice article from EcoMii with more ideas.

If your strapped for cash (and time), Peta suggests making a microwave cake!

Here's another article, from GoGreenBlog, and one from The Green Girls

The Healthy Bean: California

This place has a great mission and principles: The Healthy Bean strives to be the global leader in functional, nutritionally enhanced coffee and wellness products. We support wellness and a healthy lifestyle in every aspect of our business. All of their coffee is sustainably farmed, shade grown and organic. All of the coffee beans we use are Fair-Trade certified. 

Although, I read that they put whey in their coffee...which is a little weird.

Coffee

I just came across a great blog entry on Siel's site on Starbucks coffee. Next time you buy coffee, try to buy fair trade & organic, which really isn't that hard to find these days. Here's another related article from Organic Consumers Association.

And, make sure you bring your own coffee cup/container - not only is it eco-friendly, but many coffee shops will give you a discount for doing so. 

I don't drink coffee, but my favorite cafe in Los Angeles is Urth Caffe. I also like Le Pain Quotidien, which has locations all over the world. And if you're in Boston or Providence (Rhode Island), Tea Luxe is awesome. 

GroundWork in Los Angeles is entirely organic and fair trade