Non Toxic Bubble Bath

Oliver's cashing in on the Christmas love early.

Check out this awesome non toxic bubble bath he was just gifted.

He is a bubble bath addict, so he was pretty ecstatic to pull this from its wrapping. Like, even more so than his daily Lindor advent chocolate.
I'm happy because it's 100% natural, vegan, gluten-free, and totally kid-friendly so he can splash it in his eyes without a meltdown. 
It is a bubble bath but it actually cleanses so if the soap doesn't quite make it all over his precious (and highly active) skin, at least I feel like he's clean.
And. It. Smells. Like. Ice cream.
Not that Ollie cares this young but the ink is soy, the packaging is recycled (and recyclable) and the bubble bath itself is biodegradable and never tested on animals. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the ingredients list - no SLS (for a bubble bath? wow!) and most things were organic.
100% Pure is awesome - they use no synthetic chemicals, chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances or colours, harsh detergents, or other unhealthy toxins. They even offer make-up that's dyed using fruit. I love that. And their baby line is coming out soon. (Pretty please by January?!)

Until December 8th you can use the coupon code 100PURE1204 for 10% off your order. 

I am not affiliated with this company. This is my honest review.

The Root Cellar Organic Cafe

I've always wanted to be a 'long time listener, first time caller'. There's something nostalgic and exciting about the term. As a pretty infrequent listener of the radio, my dream seemed unlikely. But, this week, I was sort of able to...

Working as a coffee-slinger for Fire Roasted Coffee years ago, I became familiar with a really cool business venture called On the Move Organics. I knew that the founder, Jeff, rode a bike a lot, I knew that his sister Jen was the smartest person I've ever talked to, and that their smoothies were mind-blowingly delicious. As a huge fan of On the Move Organics I was thrilled to hear about their new cafe operation, The Root Cellar. Branching out from the organic produce delivery end of the business, they now offer coffee, juices and an array of baked items. Be-still my heart. I finally decided to request an interview with Ellie Cook. As the manager of the Root Cellar cafe (the bakery and kitchen are run by Max Collin), Ellie is a big time player in the movement to make our city more community-oriented and sustainable. Like Jen, she's also brilliant, and if I had to guess I'd bet she rides a bike like Jeff too. It's amazing to know that our city is harbouring these inspiring minds who are willing to put action to ideas and make change when it's needed. 

Photo by Jackie Noble

The Root Cellar is located in a dreamy, brick storefront at 623 Dundas St, which is just east of Adelaide.

So I guess you could say I was a 'long time beverage enjoyer, first time emailer'. Which is fine with me. Here's our interview!

What is the Root Cellar's mission?

Our mission is simple: to work to rebuild London's local organic food system, and to serve some really good food while doing it! Through our integration with local organic produce & grocery distribution company, On The Move Organics (onthemoveorganics.ca), we are able to source most of the food served in the cafe from small-scale, sustainable farms surrounding London, and offer accessible prices while doing so. It is our intention to strengthen the connection between the producers (the farmers) and the consumers (our customers) by communicating regional needs.

This is our statement of intention--it really sums up what we're all about: "We believe that food is political, that the choices we make about food--what we choose to eat and who we choose to support by doing so--resonate through our community, our economy, and our planet. At the foundation of this project is a commitment to invigorating our community, discovering the plentitude of our local foodshed, supporting sustainable agricultural practices, and working cooperatively."

How long had you been mulling over the idea of opening the cafe and what is the story behind its conception? 

I've always been fascinated by cafe culture, specifically how cafes function as social spaces. Historically, cafes were the centre of creative and intellectual innovation. I think some of that has been lost in the modern corporatization of cafe culture, but small, independent cafes (and there's quite a few of them in London!) continue to provide infrastructure for communities. All this to say--I've always mulled over the idea of opening a cafe! (Plus I really, really love coffee.) Near the end of my university degree, I came to work with my partner Jeff and the rest of the team at On The Move Organics, which at the time had just outgrown its delivery box production space at The Western Fair Farmers' & Artisans' Market, and moved to a new, extensively renovated warehouse space at 623 Dundas. The warehouse came with a beautiful storefront--it used to be a winery. We debated a few different ideas of what to do with the space, and ultimately decided that an organic cafe was the way to go. Basically, we wanted to create a new facet of our business that was most conducive to interaction with our customers--enabling us to both serve the food we're bringing in from the farms, and to share the stories behind that food. With the help of Jeff's sister, Jen, I was able to integrate the cafe business planning and development with my final research project for my Social Justice and Peace Studies degree from King's University College. After joining with baker & cook Max Collin, we opened at the end of July, 2012.

What is different about the Root Cellar?

First of all, everything we offer in the cafe is ethical. All of the produce and ingredients in our dishes are certified organic, with 80% local in season. Milk, cream, sugar … it's all organic. We are very transparent about where we source our food from--we have a big blackboard in the cafe stating where everything comes from (right now is an exciting time, because our growing season is just beginning, so we're seeing new local produce every week). Ingredients traveling to us from outside North America (like our coffee, some of our teas, bananas and tropical fruit, cane sugar) are certified fair trade as well as organic. Ultimately, it's important to us to advocate for the small-scale producers we work with, and to always offer them a fair price. 

Something else different about The Root Cellar and On The Move Organics is that, as a business, we are transitioning to a worker co-operative. This model of business centres on democratic work and ownership of the business by the employees. The core team here (there are 5 of us) have been working together over the past year to consensually define our business mission, values and vision. We strongly believe that this type of business model has the resiliency to withstand economic hardship, as it puts the workers first. Along with our business structure, we also measure our success and profitability using a triple bottom line--we weigh fiscal sustainability equally with social responsibility and environmental stewardship. (Our environmental stewardship was just recognized by the London Chamber of Commerce with a Business Achievement Award in Environmental Leadership--an honour we are still reeling from!)

Lastly, we strive to engage our community in the work that we do. At the cafe, we organize a monthly book club meeting (all are welcome!), a bi-weekly Fibre Arts Collective, and various art and crafts knowledge bartering workshops and music nights. All our events are free, or pay what you can, and everyone is welcome. 

What can you expect for food and drink offerings on any given day? 

We offer a fresh organic & seasonal menu that focuses on local produce. Right now we're still working with a Winter Menu (think lots of beets, lots of squash, kale…), but we'll be transitioning to a Spring Menu as fresh greens, asparagus and fiddleheads become available. Everything on our menu is organic. Our menu is mostly made up of salads, soups and sandwiches, with changing daily specials thrown in every day. We also have an in-house bakery, and offer fresh bread and baked goods every day--all made with 100% organic & local flour from Arva Flour Mill. Saturday mornings from 9am-2pm we also offer a breakfast menu featuring local organic eggs, local GMO-free & pastured sausage, french toast, and the like.

Photo by Jackie Noble

 We also have a fresh organic juice and smoothie bar at the cafe, with a variety of made-to-order fruit & veggie juices and smoothies. Our most popular juice, hands-down, is the Sikorski Slammer--beets, carrots, apple, celery and ginger (it's been touted as a hangover cure!). Our green smoothies are also popular, especially for folks who want to grab a quick healthy meal, but don't have time to sit down and eat lunch.

Lastly, we have the typical cafe offerings, but with an ethical twist--organic coffee and espresso, local wildcrafted teas, organic milk lattes, and the like.

What are your vegan and gluten-free options like?

We offer vegan options every day--soups, salads and sandwiches. Our vegan cinnamon buns have also been a big hit! On the cafe side of things, we offer a variety of dairy-free "milks"--my favourite is our fresh house-made fair trade cashew milk. We are not a gluten-free facility, but our soups and salads don't contain gluten. We also bake with a variety of low-gluten ancient grains like spelt and kamut, so our sandwiches are available on low-gluten bread. Our scones and cookies are made with spelt flour as well. 

What is your favourite thing to eat and drink at the Root Cellar?

Everything! My favourite drink is the Emerald City (a green smoothie with almond milk, spinach, kale, banana, strawberries and hemp hearts), although I also love the Ginger Snaps Latte made with cashew milk (I make all our coffee syrups at the cafe--this one has ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves). Food-wise, I love the Sweet Carrot Panini on a multigrain bun (roasted herbed carrot, house-made hummus, fresh spouts, caramelized onions and cheddar), and the Vegan Squash Curry soup. And on the sweet side, I ADORE our vegan cinnamon buns.

Who have been key players in getting your business on its feet?

We are lucky to be surrounded by a vibrant and creative community who are eager to help out with new projects. Our friends, family and neighbours donated much time and effort to help us with our renovation. On The Move Organics' customers have also been incredibly supportive as we started this new project. 

Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? 

First of all, be original and creative in your work! Work hard and with integrity. Seriously consider the co-operative model as a viable business structure. There is a huge network of support for those interested in starting a co-operative--don't be afraid to reach out! 

What can people do to help sustainability in London?

Support sustainable local businesses! Advocate for a city compost program. This is one I'm working on right now--love your bike and learn how to care for it. Support organizations like Food Not Lawns (and Food Not Bombs), Veggie City, ReForest London, The London Carolinian Food Forest Project, and London's community gardens. Educate yourself about local food systems, organic farming, and food sovereignty. Learn how to grow veggies, to preserve the harvest, to wildcraft tea---these homesteading practices will, if nothing else, instil a deep appreciation for the work our food producers do for us every day.

The Root Cellar is open Tues & Wed from 10 - 7, Thurs & Fri from 10 - 9 and Sat from 9 - 6. Their menu (updated daily) can be found at https://www.facebook.com/TheRootCellarOrganicCafe

Chil Frozen Yogurt

Self-serve frozen yogurt bars are majorly on trend right now. Just look at the hoards of hungry students shivering in, wearing mitts and scarves, ready to fork out top dollar in the dead of winter for an icy bowl of chilly yogurt. The combination of perceived healthfulness, relaxed atmosphere, and utter customizability is pretty enticing.

What if most bowls of trendy frozen yogurt are not as healthy as you think?

With added sugar, chemical preservatives and a bevy of sweet confections at your finger tips, some of these fro-yo joints are a glorified candy aisle at the grocery store. So paying $8 for a snack-size bowl doesn't seem right.

Don't worry - help is on the way. Someone out there is doing it right.

Chil Frozen Yogurt Bar has spun the mainstream version of this treat on its head and is making self-topped frozen yogurt bowls truly healthy. Located at Richmond and Hyman in London, the joint boasts ample indoor space with a hip, but not trying too hard, feel as well as a seasonal patio that I imagine will be packed. They opened in September of this year. After sampling their array, I am all too excited to share with you how Chil is doing fro-yo differently.

• Organic Greek yogurt. Not the watered down stuff that other places serve, barely fulfilling the minimum requirements to be considered yogurt. Chil's greek yogurt has the water drained out, leaving a creamy, thick, high-protein product that is so pure and real it takes an hour to melt. (For a change.)
• No harsh additives. Forget artificial flavours and colours - with a background in natural health, one of Chil's co-owners explained to me that only the best and most natural will do. The maple frozen yogurt is made with real maple syrup. The soy vegan yogurt is certified organic soy which is of utmost importance when talking about soy. The other co-owner, Kevin says "We don’t believe in adding any artificial flavors, artificial colours, artificial sweeteners, water, fillers, chemicals, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids or corn sweeteners of any kind to our yogurt." Refreshing.
• Excellent healthy selection. At time of counting there were 117 toppings to choose from. Yogurt selection doesn't drop below 8, and vegan's can enjoy at least 3 of them. I only noticed one frozen yogurt that contained gluten (the Bailey's flavour) so Celiac's can rest easy too.
• Better toppings. I chose to enjoy a serving of pomegranate, a handful of carob chips, a sprinkling of raw walnuts, some unsweetened coconut shavings and a shake of black sesame seeds. Also on the menu: dark chocolate peanut butter cups, organic museli, quinoa seeds, rock salt, Sriracha hot sauce, and flaxmeal. Go nuts!
• Local sourcing. The owners do their best to find everything possible through London-and-area farmers. 
• Independent ownership. Unlike the big name shops you think of when you hear 'frozen yogurt bar', Chil's company is run entirely by the folks you see hanging out by the hazelnut sauce.

As both a holistic nutritionist and a discerning foodie I recommend this place to anyone within driving distance. They are open seven days a week from 12 noon until midnight @ 620 Richmond & Hyman, downtown London and can be liked on Facebook here.

Update: they open at 11am now! (May 2014)

Beauty and the Beast: Dangers in Your Beauty and Baby Products *GUEST POST*

Hi there! My name is Katie, I’m a good ol’ Canadian woman living in Australia. I’m a proud momma of a 17 month old girl, and I’ve got another little bub on the way! Amy has been lovely enough to let me write about a passionate topic of mine – chemicals in our beauty products and the consequences of slathering them on our delicate, gorgeous bodies.

In my teenage years I had the unfortunate experience of suffering allergy attacks- on my face. It was terrible. My eyelids had swollen up, I had a red rash all over my face. I could not go in public. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing, but most of all, it was perplexing. What the heck was causing this? How do I get rid of it? I’ll never be 100% sure what caused it, but I did manage to learn a lot in the process. When my face finally did calm down, I was so scared to cause another reaction and I became obsessively careful about what was going on my skin. Almost every product from moisturizer to mascara was making me have a reaction. I was terrified of irritating my skin and causing another red-rash nightmare. I remember putting foundation on my face (you know that expensive stuff starting with M ending in C) for the first time in a while and having it actually BURN while applying it- I know, CRAZY right? Becoming fed up with my all-of-the-sudden extremely sensitive skin, I became voracious for information on the most sensitive products out there. Here’s a few things I learned:

• “sensitive”, “gentle”, “organic” labelling DOES NOT automatically mean it’s safe, and it does not mean “free-of-nasty-chemicals-that-are-unnecessary-and-cause-harm”.
• skin absorbs more than 70% of what you put on it. When you think of it that way, you might not want synthetic chemicals and preservatives entering your body, or your precious baby’s.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, however if you see these chemicals listed in a product, it’s best to put it down. There are safe alternatives!

Parabens- Chemical preservatives used in most drugstore and even high end beauty products. They can irritate the skin, and have been linked to hormone disruption. Parabens can mimic estrogen, causing all sorts of problems and has been linked to breast cancer.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate/Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: These similar chemicals are used in many products, giving that foamy effect- hand soap, shampoo, face wash, tooth paste, cosmetics, etc. Sodium Laureth Sulfate can be often contaminated with ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen. Both chemicals are irritating to the eyes and the respiratory tract. It also doesn’t degrade easily in the environment and it doesn’t metabolize into our liver, leaving a longer-lasting effect on our body.

Perfume/Parfum/Fragrance: Sounds harmless, however fragrance in beauty products, or just perfume alone. Can irritate the skin, especially in babies. Known to aggravate allergies and asthma. Watch out for “unscented” or “fragrance free “as these products often contain a masking agent so that you cannot actually smell the fragrance that is indeed present.

Dyes: Spot them as “CI” and usually followed by a 5 digit number. These are known endocrine/hormone disrupters and can be contaminated by heavy chemicals that are toxic to the brain.

Worst Offenders in Baby Products:

• Johnson & Johnson products – familiar name, and long list of chemical concoctions. No way I’m putting that on my baby.
• Aveeno - contains a ton of dyes, parabens, alcohol, fragrance, etc.

Better:

- Aleva Naturals: wipes, shampoo, wash and lotions (found in most drugstores and supermarkets)

- Gaia: wipes, shampoo, wash and lotions (found in most drugstores and supermarkets)

The Best:

- homemade wipes, or reusable cloth wipes. (Amy has a recipe for wipes)

- NatraCare wipes are my favourite (Loblaws, Superstore, online)

- Earth Mama Angel Baby: bath and body products are amazing! (Chapters Indigo, online, some organic grocers) www.earthmamaangelbaby.com

Worst Offenders in Cosmetics:

Almost everything at the drugstore (I know, it’s sad) and at Sephora (disappointing!) is on the naughty list. However, you can find a less offensive product in both (Burt’s Bee’s from the drugstore) and Jurlique (Sephora) is a great brand. Superstore and Loblaws actually carry a few good brands in their Healthy/Organic section like Green Beaver and Weleda.

Ok, so what can we use that is safe? There are hundreds of great organic, chemical-free, baby-safe products out there, you just have to be picky about what you buy and know where to go. If you are lucky to live by a Whole Foods, or even by an organic grocer, chances are you’ll run into a few of these good brands. You can even learn to make your own cosmetics and baby products (Amy has tons of ideas!) Check out these companies below, they have super strict criteria in order for a product to be sold. They have a wealth of information and a great selection of all sorts of beauty products, baby stuff, and even man products.

• Rocky Mountain Soap Co - amazing products. Canadian made. I love their soaps and facial cleansing oil. www.rockymountainsoap.com
• Green Beaver - Canadian made. Great sunscreen, safe body products. www.greenbeaver.ca
• Dr. Hauschka - cosmetics, skin care, body care, hair care (available at Saffron Rouge) www.saffronrouge.ca
• Pangaea Organics - skin care, body care (Saffron Rouge)
• Suki - cosmetics, skin care, body care (Saffron Rouge)
• Badger – sunscreen and skin balms (Saffron Rouge)

For more info:

http://www.saffronrouge.com/about

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals/

http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/mama-resources/reading-room/earth-mama-angel-baby-announces-skin-deep-rating

Thanks for reading! Hope I helped a little! Xx Katie

New Things to Try

I've been trying so many new and wonderful things lately I just had to write a post updating you on each and every one of them! Keep in mind I am doing this under the supervision of a highly active, almost Mogli-style 8-month old that gets annoyed if I so much as glance at something other than him, so I am going to much effort to tell you about these things! (And he just smirked as he pulled a shredded hardcover Douglas Coupland novel from his mouth... cute.)

Wild Sweets Sesame-Wakame Chocolate  



The first is my Easter chocolate! My mom popped down to the health food store and had a staff member, Andy, point out whatever he thought I'd like. He hit the nail on the head: a natural chocolate bar with added sesame seeds, sea salt and wakame seaweed. So delicious! I have been savouring every square of it, attempting to combat the temptation of eating the whole bar at once, and I still have about 10% of it left so I'd say I've succeeded. Nothing beats chocolate and salt together! Good job Andy! You can find this at Quarter Master Natural Foods if you live in London, Ontario.




Boscia BB Cream
So I said that there isn't really a natural form of BB cream? I was wrong! A helpful Sephora employee kindly pointed out that Boscia mades an SPF 27 BB Cream but that I might not know about it because it is constantly sold out! She was able to slip me a sample and I'm absolutely in love with what I've tried. I can't wait to get my hands on a full size.

I will be writing more on this product in the future. For now, ask a Sephora employee if it's available in your store.

See the original post here.
See the UPDATE here.


Camino Hot Chocolate

Camino has quickly become everyone's favourite Canadian, Fair Trade, organic chocolate purveyor, fervently producing chocolate products with the highest quality ingredients and supporting family farming in South America along the way. (Okay, I can't say all that without mentioning my friend Dave's new business - Habitual Chocolate. This stuff goes beyond what you can find in a grocery store. It is artisan quality products made with ingredients that aren't just sourced ethically but personally, by Dave's many trips to producing countries. A real treat!) Camino's dark hot chocolate powder is rich and full of flavour. I like to warm milk to the perfect temperature then pseudo-froth it using a French press, for those days when starting up the espresso machine just seems like a lot for one mug of hot chocolate.

Lush BB Seaweed Fresh Face Mask

Lush never ceases to amaze me with their willingness to give out samples. Recently while killing time in a mall while other people had shopping to do (I hate shopping) I spoke with an employee long enough that she wanted me to take home some seaweed face mask. The stuff is fresh enough that you actually need to get it in the fridge within 4 hours. It smells like a basement (love it) and feels great on the skin. I can't speak for the ethics of this company, as they've come into question within the past few months, but I do know they use some nice ingredients and are hand-crafted.

Sircuit Skin Savant Vitamin-A Alternative Serum 

I've always known how great vitamin A, or retinol, can be for your skin but it's not always an option for everyone. Particularly pregnant women really need to watch how much vitamin A they are taking in, even if its not through food or internal supplements - facial products are very readily absorbed in the blood stream. Sircuit Skin Cosmeuticals has come out with an alternative serum that is formulated with botancials that act like retinol called Vita-a-like. It hydrates and smoothes but doesn't cause irritation like retinols can. It is an amazing anti-aging serum because it treats fine lines, wrinkles, photo-damage and hyper pigmentation, and it can be used for any skin type.

Product Review: Derma E Fruit Smoothee Facial Cleanser

Company: Derma E Natural Bodycare, American (California)
Product: Fruit Smoothee Facial Cleanser, 175ml
Claims: Natural, Organic, "provides antioxidant benefits", "removes dirt and oil".

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin (naturally occurring component of fat, can be from plants or animals - in this case plants, is a moisturizer), Grapeseed oil, Calcium ascorbate (vitamin C), Sodium lauroamphoacetate (lathering and cleansing agent, considered low risk by EWG, often derived from coconut oil), Sodium cocoyl isethionate (a safe cleansing agent made from fatty acids found in coconut oil), 1,3 propanediol (a humectant, solvent, moisturizer and emulsifier made from corn sugar, note: in other products it may be made from a chemical process on petroleum feedstock - yuck!), Acai berry extract, Tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E), Cranberry seed oil, Pomegranate seed oil, Citric acid, Xanathan gum, Sodium benzoate (a commonly used salt-based preservative), Phenoxyethanol (an anti-bacterial agent approved by the natural product industry), Potassium sorbate (an anti-mold and anti-yeast agent), Tangerine and grapefruit oils.
Click here for more information on Derma E's ingredients.

Certifications: Recyclable, Not tested on animals.
Price: About $15

My review: First of all, my younger sister (a former cosmetician) has used much more expensive products than this on her face, and she swears this is the best. I tried it purely because I packed only a toothbrush, toothpaste and my raw mascara for a weekend cottage trip and then realized I should have packed more. She said I could use whatever I needed and I was pleasantly surprised at how natural the ingredients are. Right away I was impressed by the citrusy aroma - it is hands down the best-smelling skin care product I've ever used. One small pump was more than enough for a single use. It lathered nicely (considering it's free of the harmful SLS) and left my skin feeling clean and fresh. I was really happy to find a facial cleanser that both works wonderfully and doesn't contain harmful chemicals. This is one I will go back to.

This review has been cross-posted to flaxlash - my new collaborative natural beauty website with make up artist, Brittanie Havens. It is still a work in progress!

Try it Tuesday: Best & Worst Produce to Buy Organic

Unless you're made of money transitioning to organic won't happen overnight. Despite my frequent fantasies of throwing out all of our things and restocking with organic, we still house garbage like Heinz ketchup and Old Spice deodorant.

So if you, like me, want to go-orgo over time you should know which fruits and veggies should be your priority and which can take some time.

The Environmental Working Group has come out with a list of 12 fruits and vegetables, known as the "dirty dozen" that should be the very first that you transition to organic with. They are notorious for high pesticide levels.

The offenders are:

1Apples

2Celery

3Strawberries

4Peaches

5Spinach

6Nectarines – imported

7Grapes – imported

8Sweet bell peppers

9Potatoes

10Blueberries – domestic

11Lettuce

12Kale/collard greens

Here are my suggestions.

There are 8 items on this list that you need to begin growing in your own garden right away (celery, strawberries, spinach, bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce and kale). If you don't have land, rent through the Community Gardens program in your city. Though they don't keep long fresh, most of these fruits and veggies can be put by with a few easy steps. Chop celery or bell peppers into the size pieces that you'd use for a stirfry or other similar recipe, then freeze as such in a freezer bag. Strawberries and blueberries can be made into jam or sauce and canned in mason jars. They freeze well also. Spinach and kale can both be blanched and frozen in glass storage containers. And potatoes should last in a cool, dark place but if they go green, throw them out. Lettuce is the only trick... try growing it indoors all year ground with a simple grow light that you can purchase in any hardware store.

Organic apples can be u-picked at Avalon Farms in Innisfil (near Barrie) which is my recommendation, or any organic farm in your area. Peaches, nectarines and grapes are often found organic in the grocery store. If you don't see them there, request them.

These 12 items are a great place to start when transitioning to organic.

Try it Tuesday: Green Kitchenware

Cooking your own meals at home is eco-friendly in itself but what if you're whipping up batches of millet & mushroom cakes all while releasing toxins into your food? You may not even know you're doing it.

So here are a few easy swaps to make to avoid poisoning your healthy food by using unhealthy kitchenware:


Stove Top Cooking

Trade in your non-stick frying pan, your electric griddle and your casserole dishes for one cast iron skillet. It's an all-in-one kitchen tool that is safe, easy to clean and even makes your food more nutritious. Scientists believe frying in a cast iron skillet will transfer dietary iron to your food - sounds good to us prone to anemia! I've been a die-hard skillet-fan for some time now but the key is to get a nice old one. New skillets have not been seasoned and tend to stick. See if a family member has one that they'll part with, or check the second hand store. If you must buy new, oil the skillet often and bake it for a while with a layer of oil. Never wash with soap, or in the dishwasher. Keep in mind a hardy skillet can wreck the nice finish on those fancy flat top stoves so it would be better suited for the BBQ. 


Storing 
It goes without saying that almost all plastic is a no-no, especially when you plan to reheat certain things in a (*hushed voice*) microwave. So many parents make an effort to pack their kids a healthy lunch for school, and then ruin it with a container that leeches yucky chemicals into the food. For storing food, choose glass. It's also nice and easy to pop into a hot oven for reheating. The glass storage containers I've seen are pretty tough and not prone to shattering easily.



Cutting 
Slicing can cause fragments of your board to chip off and enter the food. Now this is on a microscopic level so it's nothing you'll taste or hurt yourself on, but if you're cutting on plastic it's not the best thing to expose your body too. I love using a wood cutting board. There are, however, two considerations when switching to wood: cleanliness and sustainability. Wood is a bacteria-promoter and needs to be thoroughly washed after every use. Use hot water and soap. Or, for less threatening items like red bell pepper, wipe down with half a lemon. Allow to dry fully. With any wooden item we need to be cognizant of its environmental impact. Choose a product that is certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council.


Wiping 
If you're still using paper towel, it's time to stop! Disposable products like this are unnecessary and brutal for the environment. With each use you transfer a beautiful piece of our forests to garbage in a land fill - not pretty. A simple kitchen cloth can handle any of the messes that paper can, and a dirty cloth will take no space at all in your weekly laundry load (or rinse and dry for simple messes). If you really want to go all the way, purchase a cloth made of organic cotton. Cotton's one of those things that is just nasty when it's not organic.

When you're ready to convert more disposable products to reusable check out my posts on diapers and diva cups.


Lastly, Filtering
The best water system I've seen is the Santevia. The countertop model fits nicely on any flat surface and uses gravity and a layered filtration tube to remove most toxins (not fluoride however), alkalize and mineralize.

The kitchen is a great place to change the world, but you've gotta change your tools before you can do it!

Make Up's Dirty Secret

You may have heard of conventional produce's dirty dozen (the 12 fruits and veggies you really should buy organic) but you probably haven't heard of the cosmetic dirty dozen.

With books like There's Lead in Your Lipstick becoming best sellers people are more aware of what's in the products that they smear on their faces daily. Here are some of the worst additives in make up today, according to the David Suzuki Foundation:

- BHA, BHT
- Coal tar dyes
- DEA
- Dibutyl phthalate
- Formaldehyde-releasing chemicals
- Parabens
- Parfum (fragrance)
- PEG compounds
- Petrolatum
- Siloxanes
- SLS
- Tricolsan

If any of your cosmetics contain these ingredients it's time to hit the natural foods store & pick up a better brand. Or - an even greater solution is to make your own. (Wow, who thought I'd say that?)

Email or comment me your favourite face, body & hair products and I'll see what nifty homemade recipes I can scrounge up.

For more posts on cosmetics click here.

Community Shared Agriculture

I just attended a great talk at the Western Fair Farmers' Market through On the Move Organics. It featured a farmer from Aylmer, Ontario who runs the Triple Cord CSA.

A CSA is a program where people pay up front to secure a number of weeks of fresh produce. In this case it is $400 for a small, or $600 for a large, box of organic fruits and vegetables, grown in Aylmer, for 20 weeks - starting May 21st and ending October 1st. Boxes can be picked up Saturdays between 8am and 3pm at the farmers' market. They are packed full of fresh, organic produce ranging from spanish onions to potatoes to kale and even berries. There is also an opportunity half way through to visit the farm and get a tour of where and how everything is grown.

Reasons to join a CSA:

Support a farmer! These hard workers incur all of their costs at the beginning of the season and all of their profit at harvest - it's not easy on their bank accounts. By paying up front you give them both income for purchasing seed, etc. and a guaranteed market so they know exactly what to grow. It saves them from wasting a work day at the market when they could be tending to the crops. This in turn promotes the local economy.

Receive quality produce! You know this stuff will be fresh and organic. It will have high nutrient content and the very person who grew it will be giving it to you with pride. Grocery store produce is not often picked ripe and doesn't receive full nutrition. Instead it sits in a truck pumped with ethylene gas until it looks ripe. You eat a red tomato, but you get the nutrition of a green tomato. And grocery store produce is genetically bred for shelf stability and looks not taste and quality. Besides if you have a box of fresh vegetables sitting in the house you're going to eat a lot healthier than usual.

It's better for the environment! Rather than shopping around for avocados grown in Chile that must use gallons and gallons of gas getting to your plate why not eat the local food that your body was designed for that has only traveled less than an hour. When you accept a box of produce you eliminate the incredible food waste that goes on in grocery stores because people pick and choose what they want that week. And if it's organic you can be sure the soil and water practices are ethical and planet friendly.

Enjoy a new experience! Not only will you learn a lot about farming when you're touring the land but you'll come to see what crops thrive or don't in certain weather. Perhaps the melons in your box will be smaller this week because rain fall has been short, or your box will contain more spinach than arugula because weather's been unseasonably cold. You will also learn about vegetables that you wouldn't normally cook with (kohlrabi, turnips, bok choi), forcing you to experiment. If you receive an abundance of something one week that can't be eaten or shared before going bad maybe you'll learn a new method of preservation. This also grows community because it gives other CSA contributors a chance to talk amongst each other about uses for certain vegetables.

You can get more information about the Triple Cord CSA by emailing Jeff at onthemoveorganics@gmail.com or visiting the farmers' market on a Saturday.