Get Hands-On Green Inspiration

Have you ever met someone that is SO caring, good, and hard working that this person and their efforts inspire you for a lifetime? Well, imagine being in a room surrounded by that kind of magic~ because that's where I was last night! Yes, there wasn't just one awesome person at this event I went to, the room was filled with incredible, passionate, caring people who work hard to do good in this world.

Last night I went to a Green Festival Holiday Celebration in NYC. This event was to engage fellow green-lovers to be a part of the planning and actualization of the FIRST EVER NYC Green Festival 2012! As you probably know, I am a big fan of Green Festival, and have been since 2004. The cool thing about the Green Festival Host Committee is that YOU can actually have a hand in creating this awesome event by volunteering to be on various themed committees, such as Eco-Fashion, Organic Foods, Green Energy, Social Justice, etc. Along with that, you get the opportunity to work with some of the most brilliant and nicest people out there. At this meeting alone, I had the pleasure of getting to speak with Alisa Gravitz, Executive Director of Green America, Denise Hamler, Director of the Green Business Network, Georgia Malki, CEO and President of Seven Star Inc., the nations premier green events expert, and Alix Davidson, Senior Regional Director of NYC Green Festival, to name a few. It was such a pleasure!

Get involved and use your talents and skills to benefit people and the planet through Green Festival NYC 2012.  Email Alix@greenfestivals.org for more information.

Also, save the date and spread the word about

Green Festival NYC
April 21-22, 2012
North Javits Center
655 West 34th Street

Saturday 10am - 7pm
Sunday 11am - 6pm

http://www.greenamerica.org/

http://sevenstarevents.com/

Thirsty Cold Weather Skin? Try this Regimen.

Is your winter skin in desperate need of a drink? As we age, it is easy for skin to look dry, wrinkled and flaky, especially in cold winter months. Trying to find heavy moisturizers that plump up our dry skin without leaving it too greasy and likely to breakout can be a hassle.

So here are some exciting all natural suggestions that should do the trick! These tips and products will help your skin look its best during the year's harshest season.

1. First, minimize eating baked flour products. Hard, crunchy foods like chips, crackers, cookies, cakes and breads are dried out from being surrounded by heat in an oven. The oven dries out the food (cooking it) so you can eat it. When you eat these foods, you are drying out your body- thus drying out your skin. Try to replace those baked snacks with water rich foods. Eat some leafy greens. Make warm vegetable soups or a nice, hot, steamy pot of oatmeal with cinnamon, nutmeg and dried fruit.

2. Next, get your hands on some all natural facial products and make yourself an ultra-moisturizing skin regimen. My favorite products right now are Power Repair Skin Toner followed by Vitamin C Solution (both by Super Salve Company), then Grateful Body Facial Moisturizer and last, a little bit of shea butter as eye cream. Once you apply makeup, spritz your face with Power Repair Face Mist by Super Salve Company. This will help set your makeup and give your extra moisture so your skin will look natural and supple, instead of powdery and dry. It also smells amazing.

3. Last - Exfoliate. Daily. Cell turnover happens fast, so help your skin out by sloughing off old, dead cells to let your skin breathe, detoxify and be more radiant. Lightly scrubbing your face with a warm washcloth not only feels great in cold weather, but it is actually good for you- and your skin!

Some information on Super Salve Products:

• Skin Toner - Removes the last traces of cleanser residue and debris and prepares the skin for better absorption of moisturizers. Using the toner regularly is an important step to healthier skin and a beautiful complexion.
• Vitamin C Solution - Delivers high potency antioxidants into the skin cells. It is helpful in reducing fine lines, wrinkles, under-eye puffiness, and enlarged pores. 
• Power Repair Face Mist - A high potency mist that delivers vitamin C ester into the skin cells. It is helpful for hydrating and soothing skin while firming and repairing damage. It also contains MSM, which is great for skin!

http://www.supersalve.com/ 

Fun With Tofurky

Even though I stopped eating meat, I NEVER thought I would eat Tofurky. It just sounded too weird. But one day, I decided to try it out. I do not make a habit of eating fake meats, because I don't think it is good to consume them regularly,  but I figured - I like to be adventurous with food, so I would give it a try. I got myself the Tofurky Italian Sausage. 

On the package was the sausage sliced up and served over pasta and sauce, so I decided to give that a try (see my picture above). It surprisingly came out well! I served it with some steamed kale and cauliflower and it went really well together. The sausages were a little spicy, but other than that, I actually liked it. I suggest following the instructions on the package about how to prepare the sausage. Here is my easy recipe for the sauce:

3 Tofurky sausages, sliced on the diagonal in chunks

olive oil

1 yellow onion, half moon sliced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 yellow crookneck squash, half moon sliced

1 jar of Eden Organic Spaghetti Sauce

sea salt

1. Saute the Tofurky in some olive oil in a pan for a few minutes on medium heat on each side, then set aside on a plate.
2. Saute onions and garlic for 4 minutes. Then toss in the squash, and saute. Let cook for 2 minutes.
3. Pour the spaghetti sauce over the cooking vegetables and add the cooked sausage. Bring to a simmer and cover.
4. Let sauce, vegetables and sausage cook for 12 minutes, then taste and add salt as needed.
5. Serve over brown rice spaghetti or your favorite pasta. Maybe add some extra fun to your meal by serving with some garlic bread...

Check out and try Tofurky to give yourself some variety. Just be sure to read the ingredients on the packaging to make sure you don't buy anything with sugar/cane juice.

http://www.tofurky.com/

Paper Out of Poo

Mr. Ellie Pooh - with a name like that for a paper company, you've gotta be intrigued. Well, the name is pretty self explanatory. This company makes cute and functional paper from elephant poo. I first heard about this company years ago at Green Festival. Their concept is brilliant. Elephants in Sri Lanka were being killed by people, so the people who started Mr. Ellie Pooh decided to help the people of Sri Lanka see elephants as an asset instead of a threat. They started taking elephant dung and turning it into beautiful paper, made of 50% fiber from elephant dung and 50% post consumer paper. 

Mr. Ellie Pooh paper is handmade, acid free and all natural. It comes in various colors, sized, as memo books and pads, as greeting cards or stationary. I have a bunch of the cute heart shaped papers- perfect for writing small notes or for crafts.

The best thing about this paper is that every time you use it, you can feel good knowing that you are helping to save the elephants in Sri Lanka.

http://www.mrelliepooh.com/

Strengthening Fish Soup

I recently got knocked out with a bad case of food poisoning - I think I am over eating fried food at restaurants... Even though it was a painful and uncomfortable experience, it was also an opportunity to put what I have learned about healing and food to the test. With some advice from my expert macrobiotic chefs and friends, I was able to regain my strength and my ability to eat real foods again.

One dish that I decided to make to help me regain my strength was Fish Soup. Not only did this soup help me to feel stronger, it also tasted delicious! Here is the recipe. And just remember, if you are ever feeling weak - fish, root vegetables, stronger seasonings and cooking foods for a longer amount of time is a great way to go.

Strengthening Fish Soup

toasted sesame oil

1 onion, sliced in half moons

2-3 carrots, kinpira (matchstick) cut

burdock root or other root vegetable, kinpira (matchstick) cut - optional

sea salt

4 cups of water

2 stamp sized pieces of kombu seaweed, soaked in water for a few minutes

5 pieces of cod fish

barley or brown rice miso paste

4 stalks of scallions, in 2 inch slices

1. Heat your pot to medium low and saute onions in a small amount of sesame oil. Occasionally stir the onions and let them cook for about 4 minutes.
2. Add in carrots and other (optional) vegetables. Stir and let cook for 5 minutes.
3. Turn the flame down to low, sprinkle vegetables with a little sea salt and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally for 25 minutes.
4. Pour 4 cups of water over the vegetables in the pot. Add in the kombu and turn the heat to high. Bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add in pieces of cod and cover. Let cook for 4 minutes or until the cod is tender.
6. Add in scallions and dissolve miso. Taste the broth and add more miso to taste.