Is kale the new wonder food?People are always talking about how great broccoli is for you - well kale kicks broccoli’s butt when it comes to good health comparison. Yes, broccoli IS great for you, yet kale is leaps and bounds better, packed with the vitamins like A, K, B6, as well as niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, calcium, iron, protein, magnesium, and more. Many people include kale into their diet to help lower cholesterol and decrease the chance of getting cancers, such as breast cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, or prostate cancer. This might vegetable is also a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, naturally detoxifying the body, keeping it healthy and full of energy. Raw kale creates enzymes to cleanse the liver, which helps detoxify cancer causing issues in the body. Besides eating kale raw or steamed, let's open our options to a wonderful, tasty treat - kale chips! It's become quite the rage recently, so if you search online, you'll find an assortment for kale chip recipes. One of the best recipes I've found is from Erika at A Little Insanity Blog. As a wife and mother of 3 boys, she strives to make healthy, raw foods for her family. Here's Erika's recipe: Raw Maui Kale Chips in the VitaMix & Dehydrator Soak Ingredients:
1. Place the Nuts, Seeds, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Dates into a medium sized bowl and place just enough water to cover them (approx 1 1/2 cup). Let soak for approx. 1/2 hour. 2. While Nuts are soaking, Wash the Kale and strip the leaves off the Center stalk or ‘Vein; and set them aside. (We will not be using the stalk/veins for this recipe, so be sure to add them to your Dirty Juice or Compost Bin!) 3. Once Nuts are done soaking, dump the veggies & nuts (including the water) into the VitaMix, then Blend on High until smooth. 4. Add the remaining ingredients into the VitaMix with the Nutritional Yeast last. 5. Blend everything until smooth… using your VitaMix Tamper to mix it around as needed. Feel free to add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup water if the mixture is too thick. Ideally the mixture should have a consistency like mustard, but smooth. 6. Scoop approx. 1 Cup of Mixture into a large bowl – lining the sides and bottom of bowl. 7. Add in a couple of handfuls of Kale Leaves to the bowl, and Coat each piece of Kale generously with mixture. 8. Transfer onto your lined Excalibur Dehydrator trays (I use the Paraflexx non-stick liners for the Excalibur) 9. Dehydrate at 125-135 degrees for 1-2 hours, then reduce heat to 115 degrees for an additional 20-24 hours or until all of the Kale is very crispy and flakes if crushed. 10. When done, remove the chips from the Dehydrator and store in airtight containers or Ziploc bags in the fridge until use. Yields: Approximately 4-5 dehydrator trays of Chips (which fills up 3-4 large Gallon Ziploc) Preparation & Cooking Time: 30 Minutes Prep & Soak. Approx. 20-24 hours dehydrating time. (your dehydrating time may vary depending on humidity, temperature, mixture, etc…) You can check out her video below: All ingredients I used in the video were Raw and Organic. Do you have a favorite kale chips recipe? Do share!!!
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Jagged Defense Shaving Cream, Razor Glide Shaving Oil At the beginning of the new year, we promised you new products and we are getting ready to roll them out! It takes a lot of work to make sure our products are ready for you through proper formulation and testing, so thanks for your patience. Take a peek at what we have in store for you. We're sure you'll be as pleased with them as we are! Jagged Defense Shaving Cream 3 oz $25 Our natural shaving cream is ideal for both men and women. It is excellent for a man's bristly beard, as well as for the softer feminine hair on legs, underarms, bikini and Brazilian. It soothes the skin and helps with razor nicks. Jagged Defense moisturizes, provides a smoother, irritation-free shave, creates slip with superior lubrication and prevents razor drag. Helps eliminate razor burn and rashes, while protecting against the harsh environment. You can expect smoother and suppler skin. Works great in combination with our Razor Glide Shaving Oil. To use: Massage cream into clean, wet skin to soften skin, uplift hair follicles, and provide slick razor surface. Shave with the grain to prevent nicks. Can be used solo or combined with our Razor Glide Shaving Oil for turbocharged results. Edible Organic Ingredients Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Seed Butter, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Lecithin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Peel Extract, Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil Razor Glide Shaving Oil 1 oz $25 Works wonders for both men and women on even the most sensitive skin. Razor Glide provides greater protection, smooth glide-enabling and superb moisturizing properties, giving you a closer, consistently smooth and irritation-free shave. The organic ingredients help eliminate razor burn due to its protecting ability and moisturizing effect without clogging pores, leaving your skin conditioned and moisturized, not oily. It applies clear, so you can actually see where you are shaving with no mess! Say goodbye to cuts and nicks! Our shaving oil is a blend of vegetable oils or silicone oils and essential oils that can be used as a stand-alone shaving lubricant or as pre-shave underneath shaving cream, soap or gel, to facilitate shaving facial and other body hair. If a pre-shave is your preferred method, we highly recommend using it in combination with our Jagged Defense Shaving Cream. Often these products would work best by wetting the area before the razor being used. The concentrated formula delivers a comparable number of shaves as commercial brands, up to 100 shaves. To use: Massage a few drops of oil into clean, wet skin to soften skin, uplift hair follicles, and provide slick razor surface. Shave with the grain to prevent nicks. Can be used solo or combined with our Jagged Defense Shaving Cream for turbocharged results. Razor Glide moisturizes, provides a smoother, irritation-free shave, creates slip and prevents razor drag. Helps eliminate razor burn and rashes. Works great for men and women. Edible Organic Ingredients Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Orbignya Oleifera (Babassu) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Oil Calming Comfort Balm Calming Comfort Balm 2.5 oz $50 Potent cell regeneration and repair capabilities help to alleviate irritated skin, bumps, bruises, wounds and burns. Treat ouchies organically with our special blend that promotes skin recovery, reduces redness and inflammation of the skin, while helping to relieve pain. It assists in soothing and calming skin, and aids in reducing discomfort, as it helps restore and protect dry or damaged skin. It is powerfully antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal, with natural relaxant, anti-depressant properties. To use: Apply to affected skin and gently massage in, as often as needed. Safe for all ages, including infants. Edible Organic Ingredients Dromaius Novaehollandiae (Emu) Oil, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Pentadesma Butyracea (Kpangnan) Seed Butter, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Infused Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil Honey Dew Facial Scrub We are also working on a honey facial scrub that gently exfoliates, tones with anti-aging and anti-acne properties. Sweeeet! We expect to roll out these new products within the next month, so be sure to check back soon. What products would you like to see in our store that we don't already offer? Don't you just love the smell of Spring . . . the sweet scents of the never-ending variety of blooms - lilac, honeysuckle, hyacinth, lily of the valley, tulips, daffodils, lupine, sweet violet, clematis, roses, apple and cherry blossoms, to name a few - and the earthy smell we often associate with rainfall? There are actually words for that smell - Geosmin, which literally translates to "earth smell" and is an organic compound with a distinct earthy flavor and aroma, is responsible for the earthy taste of beets and a contributor to the strong scent (Petrichor) that occurs in the air when rain falls after a dry spell of weather or when soil is disturbed. Who knew? For more beautiful images like the one above, check out NixBlog. He says he's only an amateur photographer! You be the judge! As for my personal Earth Day project, I went into recycle/reuse mode. Since my move out to the country just outside Nashville six years ago, I have had some unfinished outdoor plans I'm been itching to complete. We recently had our annual Nashville Herb Society sale at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds and I was anxious to get some of new herbs planted. With so much shade on the property, I had an experiment in mind for my over-sized front deck, which required portable planters to find the sunniest areas. To get motivated, I decided to start small and tackle some older terracotta-colored planters that had seen better days. Scrub, prime, prime, paint, paint, PLANT! That's all there was to it! Planter placement on front deck. This deck is about 30 X 18 feet. I also have two back decks, each 44 X 20 feet. The jury is still out on whether they will get enough sun. (Click image for larger view.) And, yes - my deck needs staining! Want to volunteer? :) I'll show you the furniture on the other side of this shot when I get them recovered! These are just a few of my plants. Most of mine are in the ground, but I wanted to have some easily accessible for my kitchen witchery brews.
What did you do on Earth Day? Are you a gardener and if so, what type of plants do you grow? Feel free to share your ideas, plans and tips and you are welcome to share this blog post! Head into spring with your best face forward, using a simple four-step regimen: cleansing, toning, and moisturizing twice a day, and use a mask once a week.
Using a mild cleanser, like our Minnie Pore Facial Oil Cleanser, will do the trick, whether your skin is oily, dry, sensitive, menopausal, or acne prone. Our mild Rosie Apples Facial Toner is the perfect compliment for all skin types. Our Mighty Mud Facial Mask will tighten your pores and reduce oiliness. Its soothing skin-cleansing properties soften the skin as an emollient, reduce inflammation and aid in the removal of dead skin as an exfoliant with its natural alpha hydroxy acid properties, while producing a mild massaging effect. Choose from a number of facial moisturizers, like our popular Goddess Envy Moisturizer for the final step. If you're adventurous, try these at-home recipes for winter-into-spring pampering skin care. Brown sugar/olive oil/ginger body scrub: Mix 2 cups of brown sugar with 1 cup of olive oil and add a small amount of ground ginger. Mix well into a paste. Using circular motions, rub your entire body, paying special attention to elbows, heels, and knees. Rinse well. The result: Softer, suppler, and less dry skin. Milk and honey foot treatment: Pour 2 cups of milk per one cup of honey into a basin large enough to hold both feet. Soak for 15 minutes, lightly massaging the mixture into skin. Results: Softer, smoother skin without harsh exfoliation. You can also use the milk/honey combo to soak elbows or hands, or pat gently onto the face and massage in. Always rinse with tepid water. Egg white and citrus face mask: (normal to oily skin) -- Mix 2 raw egg whites with 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice. Apply to skin and let rest for 15 minutes until dry. Rinse well with warm water. The result: Tighter pores and a brighter, less dull complexion. Oatmeal face mask: (sensitive skin) Mix oatmeal with boiling water according to package instructions. Let cool, then apply to skin and let rest for 15 minutes. Rinse well with warm water. The result: A radiant, moisturized glow. What special recipes do you like to make for your renewed spring skin? Zach Woods of The OfficeHere's the swag Zach Woods from the hit TV show, The Office, with our Bodalicous Butta' Whipped Creme and our Rapid Remedy Lip Balm! He picked out our products at the GBK Oscar Gift Lounge and said that they were really NEAT! And here's the fabulous Reshma Shetty, who plays Divya from the new TV show Royal Pains (love her!), checking out The Artisan Group goodies at The W Hotel in Hollywood. Our display is just to her left in the vintage green travel case. Reshma Shetty of Royal PainsWe are super excited about the wonderful exposure we received at the Academy Awards/Oscar Gift Lounge.
Soon we will be rolling out our new men's products and other new facial care items that were gifts to the celebrities. Could it get any better?!! Wow! January seems to have flown by so quickly! I've been neck deep in preparing for the upcoming 2012 Oscars/Academy Awards GBK Gift Lounge in association with The Artisan Group, in honor of the nominees and presenters of the 84th Annual Academy Awards (Oscars), taking place February 24-25, 2012 at The W Hotel in Hollywood, California. Valerie and Nikki, founder and partner of The Artisan Group, have really been fabulous and have made quite an impression with the media and celebrities. Be sure and check out the awesome galleries of celeb photos taken at the recent Emmys and Golden Globes. In addition to the 100 gifts for the celebrities, we have our product display that will be featured at the table of The Artisan Group at the gift lounge. The Oscars display was the easy part. I found an adorable vintage travel case once used for makeup and/or jewelry from the 1950s. The green tone was a perfect compliment to our green and white labels and logo. Next came the gifts. Giving just one of our products to all the celebs just didn't seem right, so I decided to gift some of everything, including some new products we've created. Here are some snapshots of the gift boxes as they are being prepared for shipping. All the celebrities will receive our Rapid Remedy Lip Balm, along with another one of our products. The boxes and our display shipped out last week and arrived safely in California, ready to be transported to The Artisan Group's table at the GBK Gift Lounge!
There are about 40 artisans contributing to The Artisan Group gift bag for a total value of about $1,300! Wow! You can see a few that I blogged about last November. Feel free to check out the online version of The Artisan Group's official Oscars Event Guide, and stay tuned for updates from this prestigious event! We're bound for the Oscars! Well, not literally, but our skin care products are headed to the 2012 Academy Awards (Oscars) GBK Productions Gift Lounge in association with The Artisan Group. (To learn more about this group, read about them in my September blog post). It's all extremely exciting, though I must say a bit nerve racking. In addition to creating a proper display that will stand out amongst the other 40 group members, there are 100 gift packages we are creating that will be placed in the swag bags for each of the celebrities, along with gifts from the other participating members. Here's a peek at some of the items being included in the swag bags by other artisan members. Aren't these fabulous? And this is just a taste of what will be in the gift bags. To see more of these artisans incredible products, be sure to click on the images and check out their websites.
We are honored and humbled to be participating in the Oscars Gift Lounge and will keep you posted on our progress! Do you ever feel like clutter is taking over your life? Is it difficult for you to become organized and tidy? For as long as I can remember, I've been a bit over-the-top (some might say slightly OCD!) about being organized. My personal mantra has always been "less is more" and, though I realize that doesn't work for everyone, you can still maintain a clutter-free life even if you believe "more is better". In my personal and professional life, I find that a clutter-free environment makes for clearer thinking, stress reduction and ease of task management. Here are some thoughts on how you might de-clutter your life. 1) Include clean up as part of your tasks, as opposed to making it a separate task. This will help maintain order in your household or work space. 2) Rethink your shopping needs. Always make lists beforehand and don't buy unnecessary items just because they're on sale or you get that "impulse". Especially in this economy, it's important not to shop just to shop. If you need it, buy it, but otherwise stop over-buying. 3) When you do buy something new, remove something old to keep a balance in your life. That way you will maintain control over the amount of "stuff" in your household. 4) Time and energy is consumed by "stuff" because it requires keeping it clean and tidy. Examine your belongings and determine if they are things you love and actually use. If they aren't loved or useful, donate or discard them. Keep a bag or basket set aside for those items and when it's full, immediately get rid of them by taking to a local charity. You'll be amazed at how wonderful it feels to give those unwanted or unneeded items away. 5) Nighttime tidying is a must. Take just a few minutes as part of your retiring routine to clean up around the house. If you have children, they need to include cleaning up their toys as part of their bedtime routine. Waking up to a clutter-free home will start your day off right! What do you do to maintain a clutter-free life? The Artisan Group With the greatest of pleasure, I'd like to introduce The Artisan Group, an exclusive close-knit community of very talented artisans. All of the members collectively offer samplings of their own handcrafted products to an array of celebrities and members of the press at GBK Production luxury gifting lounges leading up to the many major award shows, like The Emmys, or The Golden Globes, and The Oscars, as well as other celebrity events. They participant in giveaways for non-profits, too. Most celebrities even pose for a professional photo with artisan member products. So, be to check out the incredible photos in The Artisan Group Gallery! In addition to The Artisan Group website, you can visit them on Facebook to learn more about them. Valerie Guerrero and Nikki Cutro The founder, Valerie Guerrero, and her partner, Nikki Cutro, are always available to the members, providing sage advice, as well as their support. As small business owners themselves, they clearly understand the struggles of building a brand and the importance of getting the right media exposure. I have never been involved with such a wonderful group and have found the members to be ever so encouraging to champion one another on to greater challenges, believing we all can achieve our dreams! I have also found many truly great friends that I expect will be in my life for a very long time. To me, that speaks volumes for the type of people Valerie and Nikki choose as members. The Artisan Group's 2011 Gift Guide For an incredible selection of an assortment of the handcrafted items, be sure and visit them at Pinterest and The Artisan Group's 2011 Gift Guide for a taste of what the members offer. You can also find loads of Gifts Under $20 and for the early bird holiday shoppers, you will be pleased with these fantastic Stocking Stuffers! As a final note, if you are a gifted artisan and think you would be a good fit for membership, check out The Artisan Group and apply today! |
Contact UsAuthorWelcome! I'm Stephanie (Jo to close friends), founder of EdenSong. Aside from my university studies, I have a natural passion for all things organic. I enjoy living and learning about natural ways, all things health related, cooking, gardening with herbs and flowers, photography, DIYing, yoga, bicycling, ballet, traveling and being with family and friends. A quirk of mine is my near obsession of Asian culture, particularly Korean history and its language. Would you like to know more? Find out about us. Categories
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