GOOD FOR YOU HOT COCOA

GOOD FOR YOU HOT COCOA

Sugar-free is all the craze right now. Unfortunately in many products, sugar is simply replaced with artificial sweeteners making it an even less desirable choice for The Everyday Organic. Here’s a sugar-free recipe you can feel good about. Chocolate and Honey-two yummies for yo’ tummy. Enjoy!


4C Milk
4 TB Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (use good quality-alkaline free cocoa powder)
Salt
Vanilla Extract
Honey

In a medium saucepan, gently heat 4C milk, add 4TB cocoa powder, 4 dashes of salt, and 4Tb honey. Wisk the ingredients together and heat until steaming. Makes 4 Servings.

© 2008 The Everyday Organic

Farmers Market w/the kids

Check out what one reader has to say about her recent trip to the farmers market...

"We took the kids to our local farmers market today and had a blast. I bought the most delicious apples – tasted just like off of Grandpa's tree. They were, get this, $0.99 a pound and so crisp and juicy. I paid $2.22 for THREE apples at the grocery store yesterday. What the store sells is garbage in comparison to the farmers market. Go if you can and take the kids. They will love the samples!"

Views from the Mackinaw Bridge

Mackinaw City, Michigan

Food Storage

Pam in Grove City, PA recently wrote in with a question on eliminating plastic. She liked the paper sandwich bag idea but needed further options. She has a friend who is breast feeding and needs a plastic free option for storing breast milk.

Good question. Way back when then milkman came door to door, milk was delivered in glass bottles. Glass is an excellent alternative. I use empty pasta sauce bottles to store everything from homemade soup to salad dressings and croutons. They work well in the fridge or freezer (leave room at the top for expansion if putting them in the freezer). I store cereal and trail mix in these jars too and put them in the pantry. Because they're glass, they run through the dishwasher time and again with no worries of them "breaking down".

If you don't have food grade glass jars you can use, you can also purchase canning jars new at the store.

Hope this helps Pam. Keep those questions coming.

FREE CLASS AT WHOLE FOODS

COME ONE, COME ALL!

Thursday, October 23 6-7PM Harry's Farmers Market at 1180 Upper Hembree Rd in Roswell (click here for directions).
THERE'S STILL SPACE AVAILABLE FOR THURSDAY'S CLASS!
The Everyday Organic is YOU ... Everyday Advice for Organic Living

So you’re going organic! Now what? I promise to help guide you through the process of ‘going organic’ by offering some easy tips and everyday advice. Including my list of “the cheapest changes” you can make for your new natural lifestyle. Join me on October 23 as I shed some light on organic eating and living! Space is limited so please register by calling 770-664-6300 or emailing Jennifer.smeth@wholefoods.com

Eco-conscious hotels

My Dad and Susan stayed at an inn up North this weekend. Sitting next to their soap in the bathroom was a note encouraging them to TAKE THE SOAP. Yes, the hotel encourages guests to take their soap with them. Once used and left behind, it is only fit for one place...the landfill. Instead, they'd rather their guests take them back home and use them up! So the next time you're traveling, remember to TAKE THE SOAP! Another Easy Go Green!

Autumn Hill Nursery

I want to thank Nancy at Autumn Hill Nursery for all of her help. Our flower boxes were in need of fall plants and Saturday was the day! I was with my sister and she suggested we check out Autumn Hill. Nurseries (as opposed to Supercenters) are a great place to find plants a bit off the beaten path, if you know what I mean. The thing I really appreciated was Nancy's suggestion to save money and dig up some of my existing plants and shove them in there. The "dig and shove" method, sounds simple enough for me AND FREE! Thanks Nancy. I'm quite pleased with my flower boxes. Check 'em out...

Dixie Fern in the back, Marmalade Heuchera-Coralbell in front (the lettuce lookin' thing), a few pansies on the sides, and Creeping Jenny that I "dug out and shoved in" hanging over the front.

Bottled Water

A good friend of ours, Kevin Humphrey, is the founder of Miracle Streams bottled water. Not only does he sell, “the best water I’ve ever had” according to our 9year old daughter (and we agree), he promotes education as well. Ever bottle of Miracle Streams carries on the label information on significant contributions of African Americans in our history. As our daughter likes to call them, “black facts”. To make a good thing even better, part of the proceeds of Miracle Streams go directly to the Food for the Hungry Foundation. This organization helps feed children in Ethiopia.

"Our water originates deep in the pristine aquifers of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where it passes through miles of sand and gravel that filter the water naturally, giving it a crisp, fresh taste. This water is never stored in open reservoirs or trucked from other sources. We are proud to offer water that is chlorine free and quality tested for over 90 organic and inorganic chemicals." Miracle Streams

After two years of working and waiting, Miracle Streams is on the shelves of Whole Foods! Congratulations Kevin!

We all buy bottled water, so why not buy the best bottled water you’ll ever have!

Ghiradelli Chocolate DOES NOT use milk from China!

What a RELIEF! Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips are the only chocolate I use in my family-famous muffins. Yesterday the latest news on the melamine in Chinese milk was the concern regarding chocolate candy imported from China...our candy is made in China. Who knew? Even if you read the label on the candy, the uncertain part is while your candy maybe made in the USA, it doesn't necessarily mean all the ingredients are from the US, or Belgium, or wherever you like your chocolate made. So it dawned on me I have NO idea where my beloved Ghiradelli gets its ingredients.

In a panic, I get online and pull up their website. OH, THANK YOU! There they have it, on the front page "Ghirardelli Chocolate Company does not purchase, import or use any milk containing products or ingredients from China in any of our products."

WHAT A RELIEF! Thank you Ghiradelli! Eat on Chocolate Lovers!

Organic Facial

There has been quite a buzz about my organic facial. Seems Riverstone has found a true market here in Atlanta. The latest question has been, "who did you see?". I saw Tricia at Riverstone and I would highly recommend asking for her. She took her time, explained what she was using but didn't fill the peaceful setting with lots of conversation. You know what I mean. Enjoy!