What's in your deodorant???

Sometimes it seems like we can never win with this whole "natural and sustainable" thing.  You try your best to eat organic and then they tell you to eat organic and local.  You take the leap and become a vegetarian and then you are told that you should become a vegan.  You make a serious effort to bring re-useable bags to the grocery store just to find out that you should only use cloth re-useable bags.  You invest in a prius to help the environment and then are criticized about the harm of the batteries...you get the point.  It definitely seems like an uphill battle sometimes.  My goal of this blog is not to make anyone feel helpless or judged.  It is to inspire people to start making changes and to enable you to be informed about things that you deserve to know about and that you are not being told.


Unfortunately, right now as American consumers, we need to do our homework.  We spend countless time researching what kind of car to buy, gym to join, jeans that will make our butt look great... now its time to start researching what we are putting in and on our body.


So we all get why organic food is important but what about our skin care products?  Our skin is our largest organ and absorbs anything and everything that we rub into it.  We don't spend all of this effort eating chemical free food just to put a bunch of harmful chemicals into our body through our skin.  Its time to change our beauty products too.  Luckily the organic beauty product industry is becoming hugely popular and widely available.  Consumers are demanding organic products and companies are stepping up to the plate.  But buyer beware.  Just because something says natural or green...doesn't mean its organic!  Look for seals that say "100% organic", "organic" (95% of product's ingredients have to be organic), or "made with organic ingredients" (70% of product's ingredients have to be organic).  Labels can be tricky and deceiving so do your homework!  Whole Foods has a great beauty section and their staff is very helpful and knowledgeable about the products that they carry, so don't be afraid to ask for help!  We are all learning and you won't know unless you ask!  


In the SF mag article below one founder of an organic skin care line explains why she got into the organic skin care industry.  She was working at a big commercial skin care company was making their lotion when she accidentally spilled some of the chemicals on her table.  When she returned to clean up the chemicals she realized that the chemicals had eaten through her table!  


Whatever I'm putting on and in my body should not be able to eat through plastic within a matter of minutes...what do you think?


Some great articles on this info...


http://www.sanfranmag.com/story/saving-our-skin


http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/natural-beauty-cosmetics/natural-beauty-product-labels

Artichoke, sweet onion, and roasted red pepper pizza

Happy Friday!  Going to the King Tut exhibit today...should be really interesting!

Made this pizza the other day and it was delicious so I wanted to share it.  Totally copied the cheese-less Annie's pizza I used to buy at whole foods.  So easy to make and like I said, completely delicious!

I bought a corn meal pizza crust from Whole Foods because they didn't have any pizza dough but I know TJs carry a variety of pizza dough and its easy to make your own if you have some time.

I sauteed two sweet onions and a red bell pepper separately and covered the corn meal pizza crust with the sweet onions, then the red pepper, then some diced marinated artichoke hearts.  I topped it all off with some pine nuts and put it in the oven for 15 minutes or so just to heat up the crust.  Yummmm....

Great book..."Farm City"

I'm coming into month three now on this crazy vegan adventure.  Still using the term "vegan" loosely because I'm sure that I have unknowingly eaten non-vegan things here and there.

It is so funny because to so many people this whole vegan thing is SO weird...except to Californians.  I am reading a book right now called "Farm City" (which is great and hillarious) and the author put it so perfectly. To put it into context the author was trying to eat only from her downtown Oakland backyard "farm" for a month.  She was at a bbq and describes the people at the party.

"The gluten-intolerant munched on ears of corn in the corner.  The vegans had their own grill set up with toasting tofu.  The raw-food vegans were sipping on freshly macheted green coconuts.  The pescatarians were shoving ceviche into their faces.  Defining ourselves by what we eat- that's what we do for fun around here."

This quote cracks me up because it is so true.  Californians are so progressive, weird, and great in that way!  I have been feeling so so great since trying this whole vegan thing, have cooked healthy dinners most nights, learned a ton about nutrition and about new vegetables and ways to cook them but really think that it makes it a lot easier living in this area.  Not saying that it can't be done successfully anywhere though!  Just be prepared to have people look at you like you have a third eye sometimes :)

Yummy beauty products...hold the parabens

Lately I have a serious problem with buying, making, and obsessing over all things bath and body.  Good news for you, bad news for my bank account.    Here are two products that I'm crazy about right now.  Both products are paraben-free and sulphate-free...scary things found in most beauty products that can cause cancer, reproductive issues, skin damage, and liver poisoning.  

The first one is Dessert Essence Organics Italian Red Grape Shampoo and Conditioner...mmmm smells like grape bubblicious and the scent stays in your hair for hours.

The second is Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser.  Seriously unbelievable stuff.  So creamy, smells amazing, and makes your skin glow!  They have tons of other flavors but this one is my favorite!

So much easier to enjoy your bath when you know you are doing right to your bod and the environment!