Mango-rita
½ cup lime juice
½ cup agave nectar
2 shots Cointreau
¾ cup tequila
1 16 oz bag frozen mango
3 cups ice
Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Makes one pitcher full, which is 4-6 drinks depending on the size of your margarita glass.
Mango Salsa
2 mangos, seeded, peeled, and diced
½ small red onion, diced
½ jalapeno, seeds removed, finely minced (leave seeds in for more heat)
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small cucumber, seeded and diced
1” fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve with grilled chicken or fish, or as an alternative to traditional salsa with chips.
_____________________________________
Mangos are rich many vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, especially Vitamin A, C, beta-carotene and flavonoids- all powerful antioxidants. Ripe mangos are higher in beta carotene while greener ones are higher in Vitamin C. They are a good source of potassium, good for the heart and energy levels. They are loaded with fiber- up to 40% of your daily intake requirements- for regularity and heart health. They also contain proteolytic enzymes which help break down protein and aid digestion. And have been found to contain a compound, lupeol, which has anti-inflammatory properties.
A great use for leftover tortillas…
Cut tortillas into wedges. Place on cookie sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin. Broil for a couple minutes, until lightly browned. Flip tortilla wedges over, brush with oil, and sprinkle with seasonings again. Broil on second side until lightly browned. Let cool, then serve with your fav salsa or dip. Yum!
So, I made my way into NYC on Sunday for the Go Green Expo. Despite the lack of organization- the vendors were crammed into rooms and hallways with no clear flow- I stumbled across some great folks and great products. Here are some of my finds:
HOME:
SodaStream (www.sodastreamusa.com) Carbonate your own tap water in the convenience of your own home. Makes bubbly sparkling water, or add one of their all-natural flavorings to make mock-soda without the sugar!
Wowgreen (www.wowgreen.net) Solutions come in a concentrated form with a spray bottle. Dilute the concentrate with water. Instead of purchasing another bottle when it’s gone, you only purchase the concentrate and reuse the same bottle.
White Lotus Home (http://www.whitelotus.net/) An organic bedding company. “Save the Earth while you sleep!”
Treeo Design (http://www.treeodesign.com/) Earth-friendly gift paper, boxes and ribbon
The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company, Inc. (http://www.milkpaint.com/) An old-fashioned, non-toxic, eco-friendly alternative to conventional paints. Comes in a great variety of colors!
KIDS/FAMILY:
Life Factory (www.lifefactory.com) Glass baby bottles with silicon sleeve. Durable, lasts forever, easy to clean, doesn’t leach toxins.
IAG Media (http://www.iagmedia.net/) Education tools that teach kids about nature and the environment. I got my son the Into the Great Outdoors video and he was entranced! Nothin’ fancy, but very cute.
House of Mongrel (http://www.houseofmongrel.com/) Fun eco-friendly clothing for kids.
Kiwi Magazine (http://www.kiwimagazine.com/) Magazine dedicated to “growing families the natural and organic way.”
Little Chickie Wear (http://www.littlechickiewear.com/) Uber adorable organic baby clothes.
FASHION/BEAUTY:
Olivier New York (http://www.oliviernewyork.com/) 100% natural, therapeutic bath and body products made olive oil. Flagship store in Rye, NY!
Ella Vickers (www.ellavickers.com) Collection of bags made from recycled yacht sails. I’m not a sailor, but these are super cute!
Raecyclements (www.raecyclements.com) This CA based company employs a women’s co-op in the Philippines to make a line of handbags, Rejuviebagz, made from recycled goods. Love them!!!
Boho Magazine (www.bohomag.com) A magazine, printed on recycled paper using soy ink, whose focus is the world of eco-fashion and beauty!
MISC:
Animals Healing (http://www.animalshealing.com/) “An eco conscious company offering holistic animal care & lifestyle products to educate, enjoy and inspire.”
Herbal Intervention (www.herbalintervention.com) They created an all-natural wound spray, Omyst, made with herbal tinctures and essential oils… The natural version of Neosporin.
Rain Organics (http://www.rainrenews.com/) Organic vodka with natural flavorings. I sampled two of the flavors and they were smooth and deeee-licious!!! Will definitely be adding these to my liquor cabinet!
I was at my son’s first soccer practice the other day, standing around talking with the other moms about a speaker some had recently heard give a talk about healthy eating for our kids. They left frustrated, feeling like they had to do all-or-nothing, and overwhelmed with the lack of “baby steps” offered.
Eating healthy, living “green”, isn’t about doing everything, people. It’s about doing something! If you have the time, money and means to do it all, then more power to ya. But the reality is, most of us don’t. Feeling like the only option for cooling off is diving head first into the pool is a sure fire bet to keep you from even dipping your toe in if you are a beginning swimmer. But it’s ok to dip your toe in and slowly make your way to the deep end.
I dream of having a pantry and fridge stocked with only organic, healthy foods. But I am not there yet. Frankly, I only recently was able to break myself from an addiction to coffee creamer. No Coffee Creameraholic’s Anonymous needed. Cold turkey, thank you very much. I try to feed my son as much fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains as I can, but he gets Dunkin Donuts munchkins on occasion (like yesterday when he scored the first goal of the season…woo hoo!!!). And I will indulge myself in a bag of Doritos when I’m feeling PMSy.
Can you imagine having a closet full of the latest and greatest organic and sustainable fashions? I’d be in heaven, I tell you, heaven! But I am a single mom building a business. ‘Nuf said. So I dress myself and my son in the latest fashions from Target and Payless.
One of the simplest things I do is using my Envirosax reusable bags whenever I go to the grocery store, aka my home away from home. It keeps me from using tons of plastic grocery bags, and that’s something I feel really good about. We try to recycle as much as we can. We stock up on fruits and veggies, even if they are not always organic. We eat mostly chicken and fish, and lots of whole grains. But we are by no means fanatical about it. We do what we can and hope that it’s enough.
This idea of having to do all or nothing, or that natural living is overwhelming, is why I created GreenChic… to inspire and educate people to live healthfully… but to have fun with it! It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming. It IS and SHOULD BE accessible to and fun for everyone.
What’s For Dinner?
Cumin & Sesame Grilled Chicken
Grilled Asparagus
Grilled Eggplant with Provolone
Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend
Cumin & Sesame Grilled Chicken
Drizzle chicken with olive oil. Then sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground cumin and sesame seeds. Grill until done.
Grilled Asparagus
Trim off bottom of asparagus and wash. Toss lightly with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and pepper. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side, or until asparagus have light grill marks. They will be al-dente and delicious!
Grilled Eggplant with Provolone
Wash eggplant, trim off top and bottom and slice lengthwise into 1/3” slices. Drizzle both sides with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the first side for 2-3 minutes, until it has nice grill marks and the flesh is tender. Flip slices over, layer with ½ slice provolone cheese, and continue to grill for another 2 minutes until cheese is melting.
Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend
A blend of large couscous, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa. Prepare according to directions on package.
Wardrobe Warrior
We have always used our clothing to make statements about who we are and what we believe. But only recently have we realized that our clothing makes an impact on more than our appearance. The green fashion movement is quickly gaining momentum as both an environmental and health issue. Conventional cotton takes up only 2.4% of the world’s arable land but consumes 24% of world’s insecticide and 11% of pesticides. With stats like these, cotton is the most chemically laden crop on the planet. It’s no wonder that the fashion industry is hitching a ride to Eco-fashionville, with sustainable clothing lines hitting the runways from New York to London.
The producers of organic and sustainable clothing hope to preserve the environment, create less waste and pollution, and protect our health by minimal-to-no use of chemicals and pesticides. They often utilize the best land management practices, are animal friendly, and adhere to fair trade practices. Why is this important? Because the conventional growing and processing of fabrics leaves them doused with chemicals that have significant effects on local wildlife and contaminate runoff from irrigation and rainwater.
Not only do these chemicals affect environmental and wildlife health but human health as well. In California, it is known that five of the top nine pesticides used on conventional cotton are cancer causing chemicals. Farm workers on cotton fields suffer from a multitude of health problems related to toxic exposure, causing acute poisonings and chronic illness. Dr. Dick Irwin, a toxicologist at Texas A&M University, is quoted as saying that chemicals have replaced bacteria and viruses as the main threat to human health. He believes that the diseases we are beginning to see as major causes of death are of chemical origin.
Some may roll their eyes at the idea that chemicals used in the production of clothing could have any impact on our health. But it makes sense. The chemicals remain on the fabric even through washings. Heck, many of the chemicals are applied specifically because they don’t come off in washing! Think about that pair of stain resistant pants, flame retardant pajamas, or that wrinkle free shirt. These chemical-laced pieces of clothing are in constant contact with our skin, which is a porous organ. The chemicals are absorbed through our skin, enter our blood stream and are stored in organs such as liver, kidneys, brain, and heart, where they potentially wreaking havoc on our immune system.
Most people experience some symptoms of chemical sensitivity but don’t realize it since the effects of overexposure to these chemicals occurs gradually over many years and not immediately upon slipping into your jeans or dress. Toxic overload can lead to health issues including asthma, MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities), skin rashes, dark circles under your eyes, hyperactivity, allergies, respiratory problems, headaches, trouble concentrating, fatigue, dizziness and according to some sources, even cancer. And kids are at greater risk for health related problems than adults. Babies and children have thinner, more porous skin than adults so chemicals are more easily absorbed. Additionally, their skin is more sensitive to the chemicals.
But don’t get overwhelmed. I am not suggesting you go through your closet and systematically removal all conventionally produced clothing. Just take it forward. When you are in need of a new item, check out these online sources: www.thegreenloop.com, www.gramicci.com, www.hempest.com, and www.whiteapricot.com to get you started. And for your kids try www.gardenkids.com, www.sckoon.com, www.gonaturalbaby.com, or www.grandeurgreen.com. You might even go to a local eco-fashion boutique if you are lucky enough to have one in your area. Besides organic cotton, other eco-friendly fabrics to look for include hemp, jute (a vegetable fiber similar to hemp), calico (unbleached cotton, also called muslin), bamboo, tencel (biodegradable fabric made from wood pulp and cellulose), and ramie (a natural fiber).
Become a wardrobe warrior, giving your clothes a voice by shopping for environmental sustainability and your own health and well-being!
**Published in New Canaan News Review, 4/16/09
Dining with Alberto
I recently connected with Carolyn Centeno, President of Food for Thought Tours, who organized a gathering called “Dine with Alberto of Gustorganics”. I had no idea who Alberto was, but I sure do love to dine, so I said “sign me up!”
Well, I now know who Alberto is and he’s a new hero. Alberto is originally from Argentina but saw a need in the US for people to reconnect to healthy, local, organic foods. So he packed up his family and brought them and his vision to New York City. This guy is taking a bite out of the Big Apple and making his mark in a meaningful way.
Gustorganics is the first AND only 100% certified organic restaurant, not just in New York, but in the whole United States. Alberto’s is one of the greenest restaurants in the world, having been built with recycled woods and eco-friendly materials. He uses wind energy, solar lighting, green cleaning products, and composts food waste. He even prints his menus on recycled paper.
My three-course meal was delicious, and consisted of Dona Maria Cheese (baked mozzarella), Chicken Piadina (like a quesadilla but made with flatbread instead of a tortilla), and Flan. I drank the Pepino, a cocktail made with organic vodka, cucumbers and mint. Dangerously light and refreshing.
During the meal, Alberto spent some time with us, talking about his experiences with food, why he was inspired to create Gustorganics, and his trials and tribulations along the way. All of us around the table were so entranced by his stories that we hardly ate while he was speaking. Alberto is truly impassioned by his work and that kind of passion is both contagious and inspiring.
Not only did I leave Gustorganics with a full belly, but more importantly, I left with a full spirit. Thanks Alberto! And thanks to Carolyn for organizing a great event!
From left to right: me, Alberto Gonzalez of Gustorganics, Carolyn Centeno of Food for Thought Tours
Chicken Chow-Chows
Corn tortillas (about 2 per person)
Shredded chicken (great use for leftovers)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sliced avocado
Diced tomato
Jalapeños
Salsa/Sour cream/other fixin’s
Super simple… Turn the oven on broil. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet, spread a generous handful of cheese on tortillas, stick under broiler until cheese is melted and chicken is warmed- just a couple minutes. Pull out, top with avocado, tomato, jalapeños, and any other favorite fixin’s.
Purple Pineapple Delight
makes 32 oz
1 pineapple, peeled and quartered
2 mango, seeded and peeled
½ small head purple cabbage
1 head romaine lettuce, washed
Prepare ingredients and toss into the juicer.
_________________
Pineapple is loaded with Vitamin C and potassium. It is also a rich source of an enzyme called Bromelain. Bromelain is helpful for the digestion of protein and also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that have proven beneficial in treating sinusitis, arthritis, and surgery/injury related inflammation.
Mangos are rich in Vitamin C, carotenes and flavonoids- both powerful groups of antioxidants.
Purple cabbage is loaded with nutrients. It, along with other members of the cabbage family, significantly improves the body’s antioxidant defenses as well as detoxification processes. Cabbage is also loaded with anticancer compounds. It is a good source of silicon, a trace mineral necessary for strong bones, healthy skin, and flexible joints.
Romaine lettuce is the most nutrient dense of all the lettuces, providing Vitamin A, C, B1, B2, K, folic acid, manganese and chromium. It’s nutrient content makes it a heart protective vegetable. It is also a good source of chlorophyll which helps detoxify and cleanse the blood.
