Equal Exchange

August 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Equal Exchange Coffee, Tea and Chocolate Pairing Wheel If you love chocolate, tea or coffee then maybe you should consider Equal Exchange products. Equal Exchange products are Fair Trade and/or organic but what I like the most about Equal Exchange is how informational their website is. Many “green” companies give you what you want to hear so you will buy what they sell but Equal Exchange really details for their consumers how important our environment and sustainability really is as a part of their practices. Read Equal Exchange’s Resources page to learn about food practices, processes as well as what your choices really mean. My favorite part of Equal Exchange is their Get Involved page.  I personally love any company who is willing to want to educate their customers.  Dare them to do more than just buy something to actually participate in the movement.  How easy could
Equal Exchange
make it for you really?

About Equal Exchange:

Equal Exchange has created Big Change for over 20 years. It all started with an idea: what if food could be traded in a way that is honest and fair, a way that empowers both farmers and consumers? What if trade supported family farms that use organic methods, rather than industrialized agribusinesses that rely on harmful chemicals?

Our founders Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal and Michael Rozyne asked these questions as they envisioned a trade model that values the farmers, consumers and the earth. So they took a big risk and plunged full-force into changing a broken food system. In 1986, they started with fairly traded coffee from Nicaragua and didn’t look back. Read more about our story.

Today, Equal Exchange continues to find new and powerful ways to build a better food system. Our products now include fairly traded and organic coffee, tea, chocolate and snacks from farmers all over the world, including here in the United States.

Our worker-owned co-op is based in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Because Equal Exchange was founded with democratic principles in mind, we strongly believe in a one-person, one-vote workplace without a corporate hierarchy. We partner with co-operatives of small-scale farmers who make their own decisions on business and community matters.

From the farmers co-ops to our co-op, we’re providing the best-tasting foods – while also making Big Changes to the way food ends up on your table. We’ll keep the ideas coming.

Sierra Club

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Bamboo Salad Hand Set

July 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Bamboo Salad Set

Bamboo Salad Set

I have always loved these! I’ve seen bamboo salad mixers before but I love the over sized ones. Buy Greens Bamboo Salad set is perfect as a housewarming gift or for yourself. Having cute salad sets could even get you to eat more salads which is always a good thing. Being that the set is made from bamboo ,which is one of the most sustainable materials in the world, you can feel safe and secure you have purchased the right product and made more than just the healthy choice.

Product Info:
Serve salads easily with these 100% bamboo salad hands. Our 2 Piece Bamboo Salad Hand Set are light in color. These stylish salad servers will be a statement of eco-friendly style.
These 2 Piece Bamboo Salad Hand Set and other bamboo are durable, safe and environmentally- friendly. Stronger than oak, bamboo is a sustainable hardwood that reaches full maturity in four years, renews itself quickly and doesn’t require the use of pesticides.

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Clementine & Mint Infused Vodka

July 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Clementine-Mint-Sparkler

 

 

 

I love summer! The parties, beautiful weather and all of the fresh fruits and veggies! For the sake of yummy party food I have found and simple recipe to spruce up any drink easily and quickly!

 

Ingredients:

750 ml vodka (obviously organic, I prefer Prairie Vodka but any organic brand will do.)
4 organic clementines (keep the peel on and quarter them)
1 small handful fresh organic mint (chop up coarsely)

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a jar & seal well.
2. Place in a cool place until flavors develop, about 3 to 4 days, shaking gently every day.
3. Strain and store in a well-sealed container. The vodka will keep for months.
4. If you want to drink immediately add a little sparkling water and your fave fruit juice! Super delish.

create a healthy home shop mightynest.com

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GlassDharma Drinking Straws

June 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hello super cute straws!! What a great idea these are not only to make you look super fancy but to keep gross plastic straws out of landfills. I can only imagine how many straws are used and thrown away each day let alone each year! GlassDharma has USA made glass straws to help keep our garbage straw free!

GlassDharma

BuyGreen.com – Your Trusted Source for Green Products

Product Info:Colored dots add both fun and functionality. Use these to color code your drinks (or just plain decorate your place setting). A good way to identify who has what straw in your family.
Decorative Dots – note that straw is clear, only dots are colored. The dots keep the straws from rolling. Glass straws don’t leach toxins into your food as you drink. Each time you use your glass straw equals one less plastic straw ending up in your landfill. One glass straw replaces thousands of plastic straws.

Made of borosilicate tubing and is the strongest glass commercially available. This means that GlassDharma spared no expense in bringing you the strongest, most durable drinking straw possible. GlassDharma straws are made of glass, and as a result there is no leaching of ANY TOXINS into your drink. You can use your non-toxic straws with confidence.
Great for hot or cold drinks, microwave and dishwasher safe!!
GlassDharma straws are fully backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. They are also covered with the manufacturers Lifetime Guarantee against breakage. If they ever break, we will replace them for free.
Hand-made in the U.S.A. Created with the beauty and elegance that only glass can give.

Want to know why that product is Green?

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Are Your Pots Safe?

June 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I know most of us greenies are all about organic and local food for our bodies but what about the tools we use to cook and prepare our food? How safe are all of the items we use? Who knows, I have no idea what my pots are made of or where they really came from. I have some expensive ones that were gifts and cheap ones I bought for last minute reasons. I have never really considered what I am cooking in may not be safe at all.

Did you know:
When heated, Teflon emits toxic particles and gasses, linked to countless human health illnesses. Aluminum cookware has raised health concerns due to its effect on the human nervous system and is linked to Alzheimer’s Disease. Stainless steel contains both chromium and nickel, (the 18/8 stainless referring to the percentage of each element contained). Both of these substances in the form they are used to make stainless steel are considered toxic to humans, causing a wide range of adverse health effects.
“Green Cooking Pots are made of enameled cast iron and are free of any chemicals, making them a great alternative to potentially toxic cookware. Green Cooking Pots and skillets make healthy cooking affordable and simple. Enameled cast iron absorbs heat and distributes it evenly, creating an efficient cooking experience, whether it is the slow roasting of vegetables or the simmering of soups. They can be used on any heat source including the oven for casseroles or baking bread.”

I have never actually thought of my pots and pans of cute but an added bonus to purchasing Green Cooking Potsare super cute and colorful! That may not mean much to you but I absolutely love color where ever I can get it so these pots have me way excited. I will say that the pots are moderately priced so to buy a bunch at once may not be a reasonable option for everyone but once your old pots are ready to be recycled you can purchase piece by piece or if you are soon to be married think about putting Green Cooking Pots on your registry.

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Homemade Organic Barbecue Sauce

May 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Homemade Organic BBQ Sauce

I love BBQ sauce in the summer. It adds a little something extra to any outdoor meal especially if it is spicy! Most store bought sauces are really sugary which I don’t love. I think I can do an even better job! So I will attempt. I found a bunch of recipes online and combined the ingredients I liked the most. I think I am not the only one who would like to conquer the BBQ sauce world. If you have suggestions let me know. I would love to try anything new!

Ingredients:

Organic Lemon Juice (approx 2 lemons worth)
3 T. Organic Tamari
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2½ cups finely chopped organic sweet onion
2 to 4 organic cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons organic brown sugar
2 Tablespoons organic sweet molasses
1/3 cup organic apple cider vinegar
1 6-ounce can organic tomato paste
1 teaspoon organic ground cumin
1 teaspoon organic chipotle chili powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground organic cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Several grinds organic fresh black pepper
1½ cups water

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot.
2. Add the chopped onions and cook over medium heat and remember to stir frequently, until the onions start to soften.
3. Reduce the heat and cook until the onions caramelize (about 20 to 30 minutes).
4. Increase the heat back up to medium and add the garlic let cook and remember to stir another minute.
5. Stir in half of the the brown sugar and cook, again stirring frequently, for about 2-4 minutes. (During the cooking process you can add more sugar but to make sure sauce doesn’t come out too sweet feel free to build on the sugar during the cooking process)
6. Add the molasses (Add about half for now because you can always add more later), apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, lemon juice, tamari sauce, cumin, chipotle chili powder and cayenne, sea salt, and fresh black pepper.
7. Stir the mixture to make sure all of the ingredients are combined.
8. Add the water to your mixture slowly.
9. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes.
10. While the sauce is simmering test the sauce. Here is where you can add more brown sugar or molasses or even more chili powder or cayenne.

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Recycled Candy Wrapper Spice Rack

April 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Recycled Candy Wrapper Spice Rack

Recycled Candy Wrapper Spice Rack

I absolutely love recycled candy wrapper everything! This is the super cutest candy wrapper concoction I have seen yet! The design is beautiful, the colors are fun and your green purchase preserves 1,145 sq. ft of land! 

Product Description:
Spice up your culinary arsenal with exuberant colors and sweet, candy-wrapper pizazz. A treat for the eyes, deliciously eco-friendly.

•Iron & recycled plastic wrappers
•16.5″ H x 10.75″ W x 2.75″ D (42 x 27 x 7 cm)
•Handmade in and fairly traded from India

Get started with the rain forest site today!

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Homemade Nutella!

April 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Homemade Nutella

Homemade Nutella

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup raw organic whole hazelnuts
1 1/2 cups organic whole milk
3/4 cup organic nonfat powered milk
1 Tbsp. mild-flavored organic honey
pinch organic sea salt
1 heaping cup chopped organic bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, or chips
1 scant cup chopped organic milk chocolate, or chips

Directions:
1. On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the nuts in a 400ºF for 10 minutes, or their skins have begun to pop.

2.Transfer to a towel and gather into a bundle.  Then rub together to remove as much of their skins as possible.

3. While the nuts are still warm, put them in the food processor.  Blend them until they are finely ground to look pasty and thick, almost like natural peanut butter.

4. In the meantime warm the milk, powdered milk, honey and salt in a small saucepan just until the mixture starts to boil. Then remove from the heat.

5. Set a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave) with the chocolates in it. 

6. Melt the chocolates, stirring occasionally until smooth.

7.  Add the melted chocolate to the ground nuts and continue to process the mixture, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

8. Add the warm milk mixture and process until everything is well blended and as smooth as you can get it. Makes about 2 cups.

Adapted from the Encyclopédie du Chocolat


Spring Assorted Gerberas-10 Free with a bouquet of

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Chicken Apple Sausage & Polenta

March 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Chicken Apple Sausage & Polenta

Chicken Apple Sausage & Polenta

Ingredients:
4 Organic Chicken Apple Sausages
1 Organic Sweet Pepepr
1/2 Small Organic Red Onion
4 Organic Button Mushrooms
2 Cups Organic Unsweetened Apple Sauce
2 tbsp Organic Orange Juice
2 tbsp Organic Dried Orange Peels
2 tbsp Organic Carribean BBQ Seasoning
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Package Ready Made Organic Polenta

Directions:
1. Cut up the onion, pepper and mushrooms into desired sized pieces.
2. Cut up the sausages into desired thickness rounds. Make sure your slices aren’t too big so they can cook through in reasonable time.
3. Cover the bottom of your cooking dish with olive oil but save some to mix in with the sausage and vegetables. (In the summer you can make the same meal but wrapped in tinfoil packets. The sausage and veggies taste amazing on the grill.)
4. Put all the cut veggies and sausages in your dish and pour in the remaining olive oil. Mix to make sure everything is covered.
5. Add your spices and mix everything together.
6. Cover with tin foil and bake in the oven at 375-400 for 30 minutes. Check periodically to make sure nothing burns.
7. While the sausage and veggies cook cut up your polenta into 1 1/2 inch thick rounds.
8. Bruch olive oil on to each side of the round.
9. You can bake the rounds at the same temperature as the sausage and veggies.
10. When one side is golden brown flip the rounds and bake until brown.
11. Once everything has cooked place the sausage and veggies on top of the rounds either individually or place a few rounds on each plate and top with the sausage and peppers.

Eco Products

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Juice Wall Clock

February 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Bean Products Recycled
Bean Products Recycled “Juice” Wall Clock for Kitchen or Office
From: The Ultimate Green Store

More and more super cute recycled home accessories are becoming available!! The Recycled “Juice” Wall Clock is only $39.95 and it made from reclaimed and recycled detergent bottles. There are plenty of items one can use to decorate their home or office but when we can find respectable alternatives I think we should use them. By purchasing recycled home decor you are supporting a business that believes in the 3R’s and helping our environment as well as reflecting your ideas about innovation and the environment. The Recycled “Juice” Wall Clock can say all of that just by hanging on your wall.

Product Description:
The Recycled “Juice” Wall Clock
is loose! Created from reclaimed and recycled HDPE (100% recycled detergent bottles) this clock will look great on the wall of your kitchen or office. Available in Orange, Lemon or Grapefruit and bursting with good taste, the future of earth friendly products is finally here! The compact quartz clock mechanism comes with snap-on hands, and battery included.
Dimensions: 9″ x 9″ x 2″D
Lead Time: 1 week


Keetsa - Changing The World One Mattress At A Time

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