ecofabulous

Cookies with a Conscience

The story behind Liz Lovely has a familiar ring (if you live in the Bay Area), with a bit of a twist: two high school sweethearts, former dot-comers and city dwellers, hightail it to Vermont where they make their dreams of running an ethical business of delicious, decadent vegan baked goods come true. Liz Lovely’s handmade cookies come in traditional flavors like chocolate chip and peanut butter as well as a few for those who favor more exotic tastes, including ginger and molasses snapdragons and coffee, macadamia nut, and chocolate “mochadamia mountains.”  The company’s mission has always included using organic, non-GMO and fair trade ingredients, and their line of tasty treats has recently expanded to chocolate covered pretzels, nuts, and dried fruit. Another of Liz Lovely’s latest endeavors is green packaging: gift samplers come in cute and endlessly reusable steel buckets, most of the chocolate-coated goodies are packaged in compostable containers made from corn,  and the company uses 100% post-consumer recycled and shredded paper from local businesses as fill whenever possible.

Brunching Green With Mom...And Beyond

Mother's Day is just around the corner (May 11th, for the truly preoccupied). In our experience, if there's one thing a mom really wants, it's to spend the day with her kids. So we're thinking, what better way to celebrate than a beautiful, organic meal from an eco-eatery?

LIVE for Today

LIVE for today...and tomorrow! Far from your typical energy drink, LIVE is a socially conscious, all-natural and organic beverage that donates 50% of its profits to charity. Each of their four flavors takes on a serious issue: Green Tea for Global Warming, Acai Berry for AIDS and HIV, Original for Youth Programs and Sugar-Free for Breast Cancer. Your flavor equals your cause. We are serious green tea drinkers over here - coincidence, I think not! But don't worry, all of the flavors rock, so maybe a little rotation is called for - spread the love. Don't despair if you've yet to see LIVE gracing your grocer's fridge; it's slated to be distributed in over 6,800 major retailers nationwide in the coming months. Oh, and, don't forget to recycle those cans (aluminum retains most of its embodied energy).

Getting Hopped Up

                                                                                    I am a beer buff - from Chimay to Corona light - I just love                                                                                         sipping a cold one on a hot day, or whenever really, but                                             buying from Belgium or Mexico isn't ideal, especially when breweries aren't environmental stewards. Wolaver's certified organic ales are a different breed and have garnered themselves a strong following, and after sipping a pint (or two) of the India Pale Ale, it was no surprise to us. This brewery embodies green with a local, organic, collective and a handcrafted vision that takes the environment into consideration with every step of the beer-making process. Several years ago they became the first brewery to convert their boiler fuel source to bio-diesel and plans are currently in the works for an onsite biomass boiler and power generation facility that utilizes local Vermont wood chips and their own spent grain left-overs. And that's merely brushing the surface of their green initiatives! The Wolaver team uses the finest local and organic malts, hops, their own special yeast, and, of course, water to create seven ales that will quench your thirst for flavor. Grow up, Vermont is not just for ice cream and maple syrup anymore!

Blondes are More Fun!

One Lucky Duck sent us over a box of their raw, incredibly delicious organic vegan treats, and we just can't stop eating them (too bad they aren't calorie free)! It's no surprise that they are divine since they are the creation of  Sarma, the proprietor of Pure Food and Wine, the hippest raw restaurant in New York. The macaroons (blonde or chocolate) are particularly yummy; made from organic ingredients (shredded dried coconut, almonds, maple syrup, coconut butter, vanilla extract,cocoa powder and Himalayan crystal salt), this healthier take on the Passover favorite leaves absolutely nothing to be desired. We are some lucky ducks over here at ecofabulous to be showered with such goodies. Be warned however, these delectables fall under the "once you pop, you just can't stop" slogan. You should also check out the One Lucky Duck site where they promote the raw lifestyle - from all natural beauty products to bamboo digs for your body and your bathroom.

Not Your Cookie Cutter Dessert

What better way to pay homage to our little planet than by eating it? Woo us with your Earth Day plans for a shot at winning a Love the Planet Cookie Tin (running April 8-15 here on ecofabulous). The reusable tin, available exclusively through Organic Style, comes chock-full of delectable sugar cookies created by a small bakery with a big message. The all natural, USDA Certified Organic cookies come in a variety of impeccably executed iconic animal and eco-images that are beautiful reminders of how connected everything is. We love these little treats so much, we're giving them away to one lucky ecofabulous reader (not our box, we aren't that generous!). Or get a box for someone that loves the earth or just loves really delicious cookies!

Biodegradable BBQ

Barbecue season is upon us, though the weather is still somewhat unpredictable - we made our first attempt on Saturday and ended up shivering between bites of wild salmon. Of course, it is important to  think about what's going on the grill and the grilling process itself, click here to find out more, but the disposables you're toting to the park, beach or wherever you may be firing up are just as important. We always serve on china when we grill at home but I understand that it's not practical to bring your own gear to a tailgate party or a picnic, but that doesn't mean you should forgo your commitment to the environment. With biodegradable plates, cups and utensils (and even BioBags), you can collect partygoers' trash (no need to separate leftovers from foodware) and take them home as fodder for your compost bin. Don't compost or have a Green Bin Program available in your city? This line of clean  compostables from Branch can alternatively be recycled. Using bagasse (a plentiful byproduct from the sugar refining process), potato starch and vegetable oil, your BBQ can be just as flavorful as ever and virtually waste free.

Kopali Proffers Super Food

Kopali Organics was borne out of a solar permaculture farm and educational sustainability center in Costa Rica - and of the founders' desires to connect the struggling organic farmers in their region with the US marketplace. What started with banana vinegar in Whole Foods has grown to encompass a deliciously healthy collection of foods and body care that carry a stamp of ethical approval. Though the packaging could use an overhaul, guilt-free snacking is worth celebrating. Kopali's Supergood Superfood line includes organic fair trade chocolate and organic dried fruits. The cacao nibs are not just delicious, they are packed full of antioxidants that fight free radicals. To find these munchies near you, click here.

Bunny is Bringing You Some Organic Holiday Spirit

Call your local health food or specialty store and ask them if they carry Sjaak's (pronounced jocks, sort of) Organic Chocolate. Easter is just around the corner and this Bay Area-based chocolatier offers up Eggs and Sitting Bunnies in both vegan and milk varieties. From branch to bar, the cocoa is fair trade and organic. In the spirit of keeping it eco and ethical this Easter, Sjaak's has transformed these conventional confections. I bet they are going to have some pretty sweet Halloween treats too. Finally, the holidays don't mean giving up all that is environmentally sound. Delicious!

Trivet Time

Protect those eco-counters with a coaster and trivet set from Branch. Available in brick/orange and slate/chestnut (my fave), the 100 percent felted wool rings are customizable. Each set features four rings - two larger rings in each color and two smaller complementing rings. Use the smaller rings as coasters at your dinner party, or place them inside the larger rings to shield your buffet from hot pots and pans. Branch applies a strict set of guidelines for its products, ensuring the materials are eco-friendly, the manufacturing process is environmentally sound, and the laborers involved in the process are treated fairly. They also examine recyclability and renewability of every product and strive to use alternative energy during production. Bonus -  these coasters and trivets are so simplistically eye-catching, that you can leave them out even when you're not slaving away in the kitchen... or sharing a little Veev for life with friends.