Time for Scentsibility

Who doesn't love to smell good? Having a signature scent can be a powerful anchor. Scents are engrained in our memories; my grandmother wore Shalimar and it still reminds me of her, 30 years after her death, if I get a whiff of it.

Sadly, most perfumes on the market today are not safe to inhale or apply to our skin on a regular basis. Long ago, rare essential oils and fancy plant extracts were commonly used as fragrances by the upper class. While it's hard to know for sure that they were pure and safe, there were fewer synthetic ingredients available at that time.

Today, the goal for the big perfumers seems to be profit at any cost, potential health consequences be damned. More and more evidence is showing that hormone-disrupting chemicals are interfering with our reproductive and immune systems. Yet, the major players dial up the fragrance boldly and shamelessly—from perfume to air fresheners to laundry products. They are chock full of phthalates, known endocrine disruptors, and should be avoided as much as possible.

The good news is that many companies are popping up with nontoxic perfumes. I have tried a lot of them and, in my experience, it's hard to find the right scent and the lasting power is definitely less than traditional fragrances. My signature scent (prior to becoming enlightened on ingredients) was Chanel No. 19. I looked up the notes in Fragrantica to see if I could find something similar—a tall task!

Here are a few I've tried or have my eye on:


PHLUR — tried three samples for $18 and didn't like any of them so they sent me two more at their expense (great customer service!). I haven't settled on one yet; packaging and concept make it worth checking out.

CLEAN — does not say phthalate-free on the website, but I reached out to them and they said they are. This brand is also focused on sustainability with regard to its packaging and raw materials sourcing, which is terrific.


Lavanila — this is still my go-to after several years. I use Pure Vanilla in rollerball and spray and just simply love it. I get a lot of compliments, and while it's a straightforward, uncomplicated scent, other variations are available.


Strange Invisible — tried some samples of these and was intrigued but the scents did not speak to me. Very beautiful articulation of their brand and they offer body products as well for layering.

French Girl Organics Parfum — I tried the stick perfume in Madame Blond (of course) and liked it. I don't see that on the site now, but they do offer five scents, which look to be very complex. Those are on my list to try. 

Daniela over at Drops of Lemon and Honey wrote a great post with her favorites—most of which were unfamiliar to me. I did try LURK and didn't find a scent I liked (got samples through Integrity Botanicals).



Treehugger also covered 12 natural perfume companies, only one that Daniela or I mentioned (LURK), and there look to be some excellent options here as well. 

What have you tried...and what do you recommend? I would love to hear!

P.S. If you're interested in identifying other hormone-disrupting chemicals, EWG provides a list of the top 12 — where they commonly show up and how to avoid them.

Best Gluten-Free Products 2017

Going gluten-free (GF, yo) has never been so delicious.

If you haven't experimented with how different foods make you feel, look or act and you think all bodies are the same, act the same and react the same, this article is probably not for you. Just move along with your "gluten-free is a fad" thinking. We can still be friends. Really.

If, like me, you've found that curbing intake of gluten makes you feel better, or you have been diagnosed with gluten intolerance, then this article is for you!

When I eat gluten, I shortly thereafter feel tired, my face breaks out in little dry patches and my system gets, let's just say, messed up. Am I sensitive or allergic or making it up in my head? Who cares. I like the energy I have when I don't eat it. So I have tried a lot of GF versions of products normally made with wheat. Some are downright terrible. Many are okay but not worth repurchase.
Some really stand out. Those are the ones that deserve a shout out.

Without further ado, below is my shortlist of go-to GF basics:

canyon bakehouse bread

Canyon Bakehouse breads. The best GF bread, hands down. It's the closest thing to normal bread you will find—and it's really close. Buy it fresh at Target (preferred) or frozen at Wegman's. I love the white and the multi-grain is also excellent. We keep ours in the fridge and use within a week. It is great for a grilled cheese sandwich. It holds up in the lunchbox with my son's favorite chocolate almond better spread (surprisingly not unhealthy). Canyon Bakehouse also makes focaccia, buns and more, to wonderful acclaim, but I have yet to try those because our lame stores carry a very limited selection.

pamela's baking & pancake mix

Pamela's pancake mix. We tried a lot of flours and mixes and Pamela's is by far the best. (If you're interested, Bob's Red Mill was the absolute worst. I actually took it back to the grocery store, it was that bad.) Pamela's pancakes are a little more dense than fluffy. But they are not heavy. The texture is normal and the flavor is all pancake. Of course, my kids douse enough natural maple syrup on them that they can't taste the pancake anyway! It's available in a 24-ounce size, which makes about 34 four-inch pancakes. It also comes in a 4-pound bag. We use this same mix to make delicious waffles, which are easy to freeze for use during the week. This mix is also designed for muffins and cakes, though I have not used it for those recipes yet.

bionaturae spaghetti

Bionaturae pasta. Pasta is delicious and when you have kids with a busy schedule, it's a fast and filling dinner. Even though we have tried some very bad GF pastas, I did not give up. Thankfully, I found Bionaturae spaghetti. These noodles are so good, my husband asked me if it was really gluten-free. Fooled him! It may be the combination of rice, potato and soy flours that makes it better than others. We don't eat a lot of soy, but this at least is organic soy flour, so I make that concession. Pasta made with only rice flour has a terrible texture and does not hold up in pasta salads at all. It gets hard and crumbles. Corn pasta is a less expensive substitute (Wegman's brand), however Bionaturae is our hands-down favorite. 

evol chicken tikki masala

Evol Chicken Tikki Masala and Fire Grilled Steak bowl. We all try not to buy processed, convenience foods. But let's not pretend it's not great to open the freezer, grab a boxed meal and microwave it for a quick and healthy lunch or dinner. While they violate my "ideal" of avoiding the microwave, particularly in a plastic container, I make an exception for these delicious quickies. I am super weird about meat in general and I've never had a bad piece of chicken or steak from Evol. The serving size is on the small side, but they are filling, taste fresh and have no fake ingredients. I usually buy them at Target, and they are often on sale. If you're wimpy about spices, start with the Fire Grilled Steak bowl because the Tikki Masala is spicier.

jilz crackerz

Jilz Original Crackerz. If you like a crunchy, hearty, peppery cracker, you will love Jilz. These gems are packed with nutrition, Paleo-compliant and filling. I found them on Thrive.com but they are also available on Amazon now. Not inexpensive, but definitely a high-quality snack. I've only tried the Original; Jilz also offers Tuscan and Mediterranean and the reviews are excellent for all three flavors. They would pair well with almost any cheese and definitely a glass of red wine.

kinnikinnick cinnamon sugar donuts

Kinnikinnick donuts. I haven't seen many GF donut options, but Kinnikinnick's are very good, worth an occasional splurge. We have tried the cinnamon sugar and the chocolate coated and both cake-style donuts are delicious. You'll find them in the freezer section. A quick pop in the microwave and they are good to go. I also recently saw that Stonewall Kitchen has a dry mix that gets excellent reviews, so I am going to put it on my list to try (along with buying a donut pan).

Against The Grain rolls and baguettes. Against The Grain came up with a unique way to solve the dryness often found in GF breads—add cheese. As long as you're a dairy-eating person, you will find this to be ingenious. Their baguettes and dinner rolls come frozen. After thawing them for about 30 minutes, I pop them in the toaster oven. Out comes a crusty, chewy, delicious bread that is awesome for dips and cheese plates. It is crumbly on the outside, for sure. But the flavor and the texture when it first comes out of the heat is just perfect. Against The Grain Gourmet also makes a pizzas, bagels, pitas, and a 100% plant-based chocolate chip cookie that I have yet to try. I love that they are against not only grain, but also fillers, binders and gums.

Capellos Grain Free Lasagna Sheets. You will never know these are made with almond flour and eggs. I mean, seriously, these make the best lasagna. Use your normal recipe but layer these sheets instead of normal pasta and prepare to be amazed. I will warn you, their products are a little pricey. I buy them in the freezer section of the natural foods area at Wegman's. Capellos also makes cookie dough and pizzas. People love this brand and for good reason.

Do you agree with my picks? What are your favorites? Please share. That's how I found Canyon Bakehouse—thank you very much, Liz!

Review: Integrity Botanicals

I'm a sucker for great design and remarkable customer service. So I have to share a quick story of my shopping experience with IntegrityBotanicals. 

Things they are doing right:

1. Instant delivery of coupon code for signing up for their newsletter.

2. Very well curated product selection.

3. Free samples with every order.

4. Gorgeous design and usability.

5. Responsive on social media.

6. Free shipping with minimum order.

7. High quality products at fair prices.

8. Fast shipping.

9. Careful packing with branded materials.

10. Hand-written note and coupon with order.

I was able to try a few Lurk and Strange Invisible scents, as well as a lip stain and Acure argan oil. I bought 100% Pure body wash, W3ll People lip gloss, skinnyskinny dry shampoo and Theodent chocolate toothpaste for the kids.

Excited to try everything and will definitely order again from Integrity Botanicals.

Review: Metropolitan Gourmet Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons

My first review following two whirlwind days at EXPO East comes from a company I didn't set out to see. So glad I stopped to chat.

My go-to healthy dinner used to be a chicken Caesar salad but when I went gluten-free, I found myself missing the crunch. And fell out of the habit. 

Among the gems at the show, I found my way to Metropolitan Gourmet, purveyors of gluten-free croutons and bread crumbs. Jerry kindly gave me a sample of their new garlic croutons and a box to take home. 

I must really have been missing croutons in my life. After an eight-hour day on my feet and a 90-minute drive home, I took one look at a piece of grilled chicken left over from the kids' dinner and chopped up a chicken Caesar salad...because I had croutons! 

Chicken caesar salad with Metropolitan Gourmet Gluten-Free Garlic Croutons.

I always have Parmesan cheese on hand but it was lucky that my favorite yogurt-based Caesar dressing and fresh romaine also happened to be in my fridge. Voilá! 

It was delicious. MG's GF croutons were fresh, crunchy, flavorful and just the right size (thankfully not those giant ones that don't easily break and are too big to eat politely). 

In addition to being gluten-free and non-GMO certified, the products are soy-free, corn-free, dairy-free and egg-free. Their goal is simple ingredients and great taste. Mission accomplished. 

I'm looking forward to baking with the bread crumbs and trying Metropolitan Gourmet croutons to make GF stuffing for the holidays. Yum!

You can purchase them on their website under the Retail tab. Check out the recipes while you're there, too!

Natural Products EXPO East is this week!

Last year was the first year I attended Natural Products EXPO East and I was unprepared for the scope of brands I'd get to meet. I didn't even plan a full day there! This year, I am booked for two full days, so I can take my time and see all the new products launching as well as see companies I love.

I came home with a huge bag of goodies last year and ended up not doing too many reviews, due to switching jobs and to being very choosy about what I recommend. (I see no reason to do negative reviews unless a company is being negligent or intentionally dodgy.)

I'm armed with a list this year. Very excited to connect with like-minded people and introduce my readers to healthy, delicious options. 

Be back next week!

Review: EVOL Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese (GF) — Ah-mazing.

Admit it, sometimes you need to grab food that is pre-made. All the best planning in the world cannot predict life's little surprises (or laziness). My friends, I have a great option for you. I mean, that is if you eat dairy and love small doses of comfort food.

I spied EVOL Smoked Gouda Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese at Target in the frozen aisle and just had to try it. I am a complete sucker for mac and cheese. And making it from scratch with GF pasta is a crapshoot. It seems that most pasta I try ends up with a less-than-ideal consistency. 

Now, by the LOVE of EVOL (see that?), I can pop a single-serving of bliss into the microwave (or oven if you prefer) and 4 minutes later have a quick meal. A cheesy, tasty, perfect lunch or snack. 

Here's how they describe it on their site: "Gluten-free elbow noodles, caramelized onions and chives—All combined with an insanely tasty smoked gouda cheese sauce." Accurate.

Like bacon? You're in luck. They make Gluten-Free Uncured Bacon Mac & Cheese touted as "Gluten-free elbow noodles, crispy uncured bacon and peas—All combined with an insanely tasty cheddar cheese sauce." Again, deliciously on the mark.

This company is pretty awesome...as evidenced by their mission statement: 








Try some of their frozen entrees, quesadillas, pastas, burritos...and come back to tell me if you're as in evol as I am!

Oh, Kraft, You're So Fake!

Today, I once again promised myself I would blog more. So, naturally, I looked to see if I had any posts drafted that I could publish now, before starting a fresh one. 

Lo and behold I came across a blast from the past—2009 to be exact—detailed how I had written a letter to Kraft asking them why they were willing to reformulate their products to healthier specifications in the E.U. but continued to sell their artificial, chemical version of Macaroni & Cheese to U.S. consumers. I finally got a reply [again, back in 2009] as follows:

----------------------

Dear Valued Consumer,

We received your recent e-mail about our Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

We completely understand that as a parent, nothing is more important than your family's health and well-being. That is one reason Kraft Foods is so dedicated to making the safety and quality of our products our top priority.

So that is why we follow the guidelines of government agencies that are responsible for the safety of our food. In the United States, Kraft Foods only uses ingredients that have been recognized as safe for food use in accordance with U.S. Food & Drug Administration regulations. We will continue to use the current ingredients, which are recognized as safe.

Our products around the globe are different to reflect local preferences and tastes. Yet we use the same standards to select ingredients, always putting safety first.

We know some people prefer products made without artificial ingredients so we now offer more choices. For products with no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors, you might want to consider Kraft Organic Macaroni & Cheese in White Cheddar or some of the Macaroni & Cheese dinner options in our Back to Nature line. We hope you'll give them - and some of our other Back to Nature products - a try.

Just so you know, our Macaroni & Cheese products are sold primarily in the United States and Canada. Although we have a variation of pasta and cheese products in Scotland/northern England and Australia, neither has made any changes to their recipe since 2006.

Thank you for sharing your concerns. Your views on our products are very important to us and we take them to heart.

Sincerely,
Associate Director, Consumer Relations

Kim McMiller

----------------------

My 2009 draft concluded with this musing:

While I absolutely appreciate that Kraft at least (1) responded and (2) gave lip service to thinking about the safety of the ingredients its using, I cannot believe for ONE MINUTE that Kraft really believes that the U.S. Government standards are appropriate benchmark to be using. They are profit-driven and looking to suck as much money out of consumers as possible with no regard whatsoever for the health and well-being of those who purchase or consume their foods. This situation is not entirely their fault, though, since the U.S. government in all its wisdom has decided to subsidize unhealthy things like corn and wheat, making them cheap and desirable for Big Food to use. 

Credit: FoodBabe.com

Today, FIVE YEARS LATER, Food Babe (if you're not following her, you really should be), through a Change.org petition, pressured Kraft so much that they gave in and promised to remove artificial dyes from SOME of their US products. 

That is a good start. If you want more details, here you go:

• Change.org petition. (359,673 signers as of today!)
• Food Babe recounts her impromptu meeting with Kraft Corporate.
• New York Times article with the warning label from US product sold in EU.
• Article about Kraft deciding to remove some dyes from some products.

Review: Against the Grain Original Baguette—ooh la la!

I've been mostly gluten-free (GF) now for more than a year. It's been a great change for me, however, I do love French bread and miss it with my fromage, vin and olives. I have tried a number of homemade, pre-made and packaged GF breads and have been routinely disappointed—dry, tasteless and many times so bad I was at a loss for mots.

Against the Grain Original Baguette

Ever optimistic, I ponied up beaucoup d'argent for a bag of two Original Baguettes from Against the Grain at my local Giant, bracing for buyer's remorse yet again.

Friends, I was NOT disappointed. I was ecstatic, elated, overjoyed. Seriously, if you have been GF for any period of time and not found a single go-to GF bread that you can splurge on, you will understand. These baguettes are frozen, which is usually the precursor to dry, falling-apart nastiness.

But not with Against the Grain. These baguettes are crunchy on the outside with a light and chewy inside that is vaguely sweet. I've used it as garlic bread, and I've eaten it plain. I love that I can pull a frozen loaf out of the freezer, microwave it and toast it—and voila! Delicious GF French bread in minutes.

Go out and buy it right now. You will not be disappointed. Plus, I want to make sure it never gets discontinued!

Review: Iloves Organic Divina Pitted Green Olives

This post is LONG overdue. My friend Heidi brought us a goody bag years ago that included two jars of Organic Divina olives. First of all, I love olives. Second of all, I love filthy dirty martinis, which are only as good as the olive juice. 

I've had olives of every size, shape, origin and color, and firm mild green ones are a favorite. 

These Organic Divina olives are in a class by themselves. Firm-fleshed, not too salty, sort of buttery, mild and flavorful. Seriously, simply the perfect green olive marinating in barely cloudy juice that begs for top-tier vodka. 

They are grown in Northern Greece, where they are cultivated organically--no pesticides, coloring or additives. 

I set out to buy them and had to get them on Vitacost. They are not inexpensive at $4.59 a 10.2-oz jar, but worth it and if you buy 11 jars, shipping is free (haha!). 

Olives are full of good fat and delicious flavor, which makes them a great snack. Hope you get to try them and leave me your thoughts! 

Review: Mr. Milkman Delivery Service

Delivery time!

Folks, my dad's friend told me to check out Mr. Milkman and, when I did, I could not contain my excitement! 

You know all the local and organic agriculture in and around Central PA? Well, imagine being able to pick and choose from many purveyors with dozens of products and have them show up on your porch in a few days. This is your new reality, my friends. 

We tried Mr. Milkman and here are some of my thoughts:

1. At my request, they made a special delivery for our first order on Thursday, though our usual day will be Tuesday. Very accommodating.
2. Dan, one of the owners, pulled up in this adorable truck and personally loaded our goodies into a cooler waiting on the porch. He was very nice, apologizing for accidentally giving my peanut butter ice cream to another customer and making up for it with two containers (rocky road and chocolate covered strawberry).
3. My order: 2 dozen eggs from Nature's Yolk; pint of peanut butter ice cream, quart of buttermilk and quart of cream line whole milk from Trickling Springs Creamery; homemade 1-pound tub of FarmFriend natural butter; two pork chops (pastured); and one container of Pequea Valley Natural Yogurt (vanilla).
4. The delivery area is huge! You Philly people and suburbanites can participate, too.
5. If you have never had cream line milk, you are in for a rich treat. Timmy was not a fan, but Alex and I LOVED it in our morning coffee.
6. Soy-free eggs are available. A little pricey but an excellent option for the many people avoiding soy these days.
7. Other products: homemade sauerkraut, artisan cheese, honey, raw milk, gluten-free baked goods, Charles Chips and much more local meat.
8. The ice cream was decadent, super delicious, but the label indicated a lot more ingredients than I expected from homemade ice cream. 
9. The delivery fee of $4 is more than fair. The prices are in line with what you'd pay anywhere for products of the same quality that are probably less fresh.
10. All in all, we are ordering again. Love getting fresh milk in glass containers (no waste!) and knowing where our food is grown.

Try Mr. Milkman and come back to tell me what you thought, too!

What's in My Makeup Bag, Part 1: Mascara

Finding Beautycounter's super clean skincare line has given me a renewed energy to be stricter with the cosmetics I'm using day in, day out. Until the time comes that BC debuts their makeup line, I am content with a some decent options I've found that are also good performers and not too expensive. 

First up, mascara. I have to admit my favorite is Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes (everyday). The waterproof version—Lights, Camera, Splashes is also in my bag. I have also often used Korres B5 & Rice Bran mascara, which is safer but harder to find. They also seem to change the formulation and name constantly.

Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara

What I like about these Tarte mascaras is the performance. LCLashes seems to actually curl your lashes even without an eyelash curler. It has no discernible scent, doesn't flake, comes off easily with cleanser, doesn't irritate my eyes and isn't too expensive. LCSplashes is much the same, though it can get clumpy. It's tougher to get off, but that is true of most waterproof mascaras. 

The downside of these mascaras is that they rate a "4" and a "6" respectively on EWG's Skin Deep Database (SDD). They contain four different parabens that I prefer to avoid (and phenoxyethanol, which is a safer preservative, in my opinion).

So how did I end up with a moderately toxic mascara? Through experimentation. I have tried roughly a kajillion mascaras over the past decade or more. Everything from Dior Show, which is expensive and delivers an amazing result (but is a "5" in the SDD) to Honeybee Gardens mascara, which rates an impressive "1" in SDD but didn't work well for me. I also tried Physicians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Mascara, which is available at drugstores, and scores a nice low "1" in SDD. But I didn't like it. It was thin and the wand was plasticky. 

Jane Iredale Longest Lash Thickening
and Lengthening Mascara

Ecco Bella Flowercolor
Natural Mascara

Beautycounter's creative director, Christy Coleman, has recommended Jane Iredale's line for the time being, and that mascara also scores a healthy "1" in SDD as well. Another I have not tried but scores well is Ecco Bella Botanicals Flower Color Natural Black Mascara ("1" on SDD). Please let me know if you have used either of these and if you like them.

Up next, BB cream.

Review: Tate's Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

As many of you know, I am trying to eat less gluten. I find that I feel less tired in the afternoon and a gluten-free (GF) protocol is suggested for anyone with migraines or autoimmune issues. Plus, I find it easier to maintain a healthy weight when I cut out a lot of empty carbs. 

The reason I cut out a lot of carbs when I am eating GF is that most GF breads, cookies, etc., are really not very tasty. If you are lucky enough to have a local GF bakery, you may find a bread you like. The only downside is that it doesn't keep long and tends to go bad before we finish it. 

One notable exception: Tate's Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. I found these at Wegman's and thought the packaging looked so tempting I had to try them. 

I was in for a pleasant surprise. If you like thin, crispy, buttery chocolate chip cookies, you will love these. I think they are as good as any homemade chocolate chip cookie, GF or otherwise.  

Give them a try: A 3-pack on Amazon is just a few days from your door. :)

Natural Products Expo East was a Blast!

I took some time to attend the Natural Products Expo East in Baltimore last week and boy did I meet some amazing people. Got to taste some amazing food. See new products. Find things I never imagined existed. It was my first time there and I did not even have time to cover the entire show. So I focused on the new products area. Next year, I will allot more time so I can spend two days roaming around in natural heaven.

They invited me to a press luncheon and sent me home with a huge bag of goodies. Yum. Stay tuned for a bunch of short but hopefully entertaining reviews of delicious new items, many gluten-free, GMO-free and just generally great!

Garlic Effective in Lead Detox (and it's Delicious)

Came across this article and thought it was worth passing along for anyone who has lead poisoning or knows someone trying to detoxify from it. 

I don't know about you, but we cook with garlic all the time. It tastes great and has lots of medicinal benefits. Oh, and let's not forget that it wards off vampires. 

WedMD has a decent page on the uses and quirks of garlic.

Ironically, as I was just paging through my new Real Simple, I also found a handy guide to cooking with garlic. I can't find a link online but here are some of the tips:

• Choose tightly packed cloves with unbroken white or purply skin. Should feel as hard as an apple and have no dark spots. Don't buy ones with green shoots, but if that happens at home, just trim off before using.
• "Garlic will remain fresh for up to two months when kept in a cool, dry place away from sunlight." Do not refrigerate.

To roast it (delicious!):

1. "Cut off and toss the top third of the head to expose the cloves."
2. "Place the garlic on a large sheet of foil and top with 2 TBSP olive oil, plus salt and black pepper. Fold the foil into a sealed packet."
3. "Roast the garlic on a baking sheet in a 325-degree oven until tender 45 minutes to an hour. Let cool a bit, then squeeze. The soft cloves will squirt out. Use right away, or stone in the refrigerator for up to 3 days."

Lastly, to get the smell of garlic off your hands, I used to use a product called Good Bye Smell for tough odors, but it's hard to find and I'm not sure how nontoxic it actually is. I've also read that you can run your hands under cold water and use stainless steel to remove the smell. Sounds nuts, but I'm going to try it. Has anyone had success with this tip? 

Introducing Beautycounter: OOTF Approved Skincare!

www.dori.beautycounter.com

I've tried more beauty products than I can count. Some that tout natural ingredients, some claiming to be organic and, many times, it's hard to know what's in products because the brands refuse to share ingredients. That is a huge red flag to me.

I'll be honest, it's been so hard to find good stuff that I have knowingly bought toxic products because I didn't like the so-called healthy beauty brands I found.


I'm a realist and I'm particular. Oh, and I have sensitive skin. Products have to work well, first and foremost. They need to be free of harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances and all potentially unhealthy substances because, let's face it, I'm using them every single day. Ideally, they are also not too expensive.


Until now, I found very few beauty products that met all this criteria. And most that were close looked unprofessional, or smelled funky, or were often unavailable.


But now there is Beautycounter. And I could not be more excited to share it with you, my friends, my family and anyone in my extended network.

Check out my site: http://www.dori.beautycounter.com/ or message me with questions. I'd love to help you host a social or just help you pick the best products to try.

To a beautiful healthy you!
Dori

Gluten-Free Cookies Can Be Delicious!

First, I should ask my babysitter to write this post instead of taking credit for it, but since she's away at camp this week, I will do the honor.

My older son is following a diet free of dairy, gluten and soy. This is my super active, super skinny, super tall son who loves sweets. Fortunately, he also loves fruits and vegetables and doesn't seem to mind this diet at all. In fact, he loves to tell me something has gluten in it just so he doesn't have to eat it. Clever little beast.

But I digress. My cookie monster will eat boxes of cookies a day if we let him. Not only is this a lot of empty calories (again, not entirely an issue; he eats a lot of healthy stuff, too), but the cost of these cookies is pretty notable. The best brand for his particular diet is Enjoy Life. They have a nice selection of soft and hard cookies that taste good but a box is anywhere from $4-$5. For 12 cookies.

That gets my value hackles up and also I really don't like to rely on processed treats. I mean, I buy granola bars and whatnot because I don't have time to make everything from scratch, but I don't like it. Enter the babysitter.

I buy gluten-free baking mix and dairy/soy/gluten-free chocolate chips and ask her to bake cookies with the boys. They love to be helpers. She texts me the first day: "What do I use instead of butter?" Legitimate question. I run through my pantry in my mind and come up with coconut oil, applesauce and ghee. To Google I go. I don't find anything conclusive but tell her to try an equal substitution with half coconut oil and half applesauce.

Those were the best chocolate chip cookies ever! Soft and flavorful. Not buttery but not bland and not coconutty either. Since that first batch, we have experimented with different mixes. It's hard to buy just the all-purpose gluten-free flour because then you have to find xanthum gum and baking powder/soda (I never remember which) and it's just more complicated than having a "baking mix." The Arrowhead Mills mix pictured here works well. Not inexpensive, though. We use the Enjoy Life chocolate chips, because they are soy-free and that's hard to find.

I'm going to suggest that she try the next batch with half or all ghee to see if that delicious butter flavor will be worth the cost increase. Speaking of which, if I add up the ingredients, it's probably close to breakeven with the store-bought cookies, maybe a little less. But they are homemade and there is less waste—and the boys get baking lessons to boot.

Endocrine-Distruptors Starting to Worry UNEP and WHO

From Science Daily: Effects of Human Exposure to Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals Examined in Landmark United Nations Report

Feb. 19, 2013 — Many synthetic chemicals, untested for their disrupting effects on the hormone system, could have significant health implications according to the State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and WHO.

Key sections:

• Some substances can alter the hormonal system. 

• Human exposure can occur in a number of ways. 

• More research is needed.

• Recommendations:

The study makes a number of recommendations to improve global knowledge of these chemicals, reduce potential disease risks, and cut related costs. These include:

• Testing: known EDCs are only the 'tip of the iceberg' and more comprehensive testing methods are required to identify other possible endocrine disruptors, their sources, and routes of exposure.
• Research: more scientific evidence is needed to identify the effects of mixtures of EDCs on humans and wildlife (mainly from industrial by-products) to which humans and wildlife are increasingly exposed.
• Reporting: many sources of EDCs are not known because of insufficient reporting and information on chemicals in products, materials and goods.
• Collaboration: more data sharing between scientists and between countries can fill gaps in data, primarily in developing countries and emerging economies.

Read the full article.

   

 

Organizations worth following

High time for a useful post to help the faithful readers get news before I get around to tweeting or posting it to Facebook! I rely on some great advocacy groups and news sources to stay on top of issues related to toxins. Here's a look at the best.

Environmental Working Group
Pesticide Action Network
Organic Consumers Association (though a little radical sometimes)
Healthy Child Healthy World
For Pennsylvanians: PASA
Mother Jones
E The Environmental Magazine
Science Daily

Please comment with your favorites if I missed any good ones. Happy reading!

Last Call from Flavrz Founder

I have written before about Flavrz beverages. There was this review of the fruit concentrates and this review of the soda mixes. Both favorable. Not only are they are healthier than the average juice or soda, they are great as mixers, convenient and affordable. 

But it appears that I am in the minority of people who share actually buy the product. See the letter I got via email from founder Karen Barth. And, please, if you know any investors in this space, send them her way. 

Dear Flavrz Customers:

I am writing to you to let you know that Flavrz may be shutting down operations in the near future.

When I started Flavrz four years ago, I had a mission to create a beverage system that would be healthy for families, low in sugar, free of artificial ingredients, and good for the environment.   Personally, I was working hard to get my family to stop drinking sodas, sports drinks and other chemical and sugar-based beverages.   I knew that others were working on the same thing.  

I had a big idea: develop concentrates that consumers could add to water and make their own customized healthy drinks. I believed that if we delivered a truly high-quality product made from real fruits and botanticals, the market would quickly recognize the value without the need to spend a lot on advertising or marketing. It was my hope that this very superior way of making beverages would "take the market by storm"

We have, in fact, built a loyal following of customers who love our products.   Unfortunately, the size of our following is still small and our growth rate is far slower than we had hoped. We have discovered that it hard for people to change lifelong habits, especially when it comes to beverages. Personally, I have been surprised to see how many people eat a healthy organic meal and wash it down with a glass of Diet Coke.

The company is running out of capital and we are actively looking for a buyer or investor but unless someone comes forward soon, liquidation is a very real possibility within the coming weeks.

I encourage you to stock up, as we may soon be selling off our inventory..

We thank you for being our loyal customers and supporters.

Sincerely

Karen A. Barth

President and Founder

Review: Ascenta NutraSea hp Concentrated High EPA Omega-3 Supplement

Gregory was only two when we realized he was having some neurological difficulties, and our pediatrician cited growing research supporting supplementation with high-EPA fish oil. Since then, we've tried a few options; Ascenta NutraSea hp Concentrated high EPA omega-3 lemon flavor liquid is the best I've found.

First, we tried Omega Brite, which had an orange flavor that Gregory didn't mind mixed with juice. However, he was using sippy cups at the time and it would sometimes leak, resulting in a stubborn orange oily stain. Not good. It was also only available online and frequently out of stock. Oh, and it was pricey, as most good fish oil supplements are.

When we would run out of Omega Brite, I'd buy Nordic Naturals gel capsules, which we'd have to puncture and squeeze into his "vitamin juice." That was less than ideal.

High-EPA is the key for brain function and it's hard to find liquid that has enough concentrated EPA in it. The NutraSea liquid has a total of 2300 mg of Omega-3s, including 1500 mg of EPA and 500 mg of DHA in a single teaspoon! We dose Gregory with 1 tsp twice a day, at the doctor's direction.

He used to fight us on drinking the Omega Brite but he never fights us on the NutraSea, presumably because it has no discernible taste in juice. He especially likes it in apple cider.

I buy it on drugstore.com, two or three at a time, when they're running big cash back through eBates. It's not cheap at close to $40 a bottle, but that lasts about three weeks. And when I get 12% cash back through eBates, plus 5% in Drugstore dollars, it comes down to closer to $30 a bottle.

Now that we have G on such a good regimen, maybe Alex and I will get better about taking our own fish oil supplements!