Category Archives: Organic

May 8, 2012 · 3:24 pm

“I Think There’s Something To This Whole Organic Thing…”

…my husband said to me at the airport Sunday.

I shot him a funny look. “Obviously.”

He listens to me talk ALL THE TIME about the merits of eating organic, cutting out the chemicals, the processed food, the genetically modified foods, and the foods that are a bit mysterious (I like to know everything that goes into my food). He’s a patient one.

And he knows I’m right, even if he isn’t as…shall we say…hardcore? as me. But yesterday he saw, in the itty bitty Tucson airport, quite a bit of organic snacks for sale. And he was surprised. And I was thrilled! Because not only did it give me some snack options for the flight home, but it was support for my argument. What’s my argument? That more and more people are wanting quality food with real ingredients and it should be available to us.

He was about to buy some non-organic cookie until the salesgirl said it was awful, so he put it down and bought this, at my insistence, instead:

And hooray! Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups are amazingly delicious. With the exception of my tiny nibble, the hubby happily polished these off. And while these are still technically candy, they’re far better than any conventional candy you could buy – both in taste and in ingredients. We tried the milk chocolate because that’s what the hubby likes, but they make dark chocolate, as well. And I recommend dark chocolate if you like it, as it is healthier, of course. You can find these online (click on the links above) or in local health food stores.

For me, I chose three less “desserty” selections, two of which were granola bars from the company, 18 Rabbits. One was the Nibblin’ Apricot Granola Bar and the other was the Cherry Apricot Bunny Bar.

Now, for the total fail:

I’ve seen Amande Coconut Almond Yogurt (soy-free and dairy-free) at Whole Foods and almost bought it many times. I figured airport hunger would be the perfect excuse to finally try it, as I wasn’t jazzed by the nutrition facts. Well, it’s official: I’m not a fan. It is way too sweet for me and kind of has a funny taste. I don’t recommend it.

But this just shows you how many organic options there actually were at this wee airport – and we didn’t even buy them all! I’m very happy to see organic products creeping into the most unlikely places. And very glad to be able to do this little product review for you folks. Keep your eye out for organic products where you least expect them.

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Filed under Chocolate, Coconut, Organic, Product Review, Snacks

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May 4, 2012 · 5:27 am

Give Up The Agave

Stay away from agave nectar, folks. There is a major misconception that agave is a healthy sweetener. It’s not. It’s actually quite unhealthy.

For one thing, it is not low-glycemic, so it’s really not any different from sugar. It’s just sugar masquerading as a health food. Take off that mask, agave! You won’t fool us!

Second, it’s highly unregulated. So we really don’t know what’s in it or how it’s made – some even contain corn syrup. Yuck. Healthy is knowing what goes into our bodies.

As an alternative, cook/bake with coconut nectar or coconut crystals which are a low-glycemic option. The nectar is like syrup and the crystals are closer in texture to sugar. And if you don’t like coconut, don’t worry – these sweeteners don’t actually taste like coconut. The Coconut Secret brand is organic, raw, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and GMO-free. Buy online or look for them at Whole Foods or your local health food store.

So make sure to read labels to see if the “health” food you’re about to buy has agave in it. And if a recipe calls for agave, sub in coconut nectar instead and you’re good to go.

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Filed under Agave, Coconut, Gluten-free, GMO-free, Low-glycemic, Organic, Raw, Sugar, Tips and Tricks, Vegan

April 28, 2012 · 10:33 pm

Getting Down to Basics

While many of you have likely heard some, if not all, of this before, I think it’s important to cover this info with you here. Here are 5 things you should do right now to get healthier.

1. Drink More Water
Soda, which is loaded with chemicals and sugar if it’s not diet, is just plain bad for you. Instead, drink water and add in natural flavor, if necessary. Sparkling water is also good, especially if you need that fizzy mouthfeel. Try adding in lemon or fresh fruit – raspberries, strawberries, and oranges make water taste great. Mint leaves and cucumbers are refreshing. If you find yourself reaching for yet another caffeinated drink, it’s possible you’re dehydrated and a glass of water will make you feel a whole lot better.

2. Sit Less, Move More.
Since you’re now drinking more water, take frequent breaks to get it – fill up a mug or glass instead of a large bottle, which requires fewer breaks. And when that water brings on a bathroom break, do 20 squats in the bathroom (or bathroom stall). When you wash your hands, suck in your stomach, stand up tall, and go on one leg like a flamingo. Stand on the opposite leg on your next bathroom break.

3. Eat More Organic
It’s great to buy only organic if you can afford it. But if you can’t, it’s important to know which foods really should be organic. Find the list of the Dirty Dozen (most pesticide residue) and the Clean 15 (least pesticide residue) here. Follow these lists as much as you can. Also, choose organic meats and dairy, as well as wild-caught fish whenever possible. Pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones in our food cause a whole host of problems.

4. Cut Down on Processed Foods.
Who wants all those chemicals in their body gunking up the pipes? A clean machine works better. And you wouldn’t drink from dirty pipes, so don’t dirty up your own set. If you see an ingredient and you don’t know what it is or how to pronounce it, it’s probably not real food. And if it’s not real food, it’s not the best choice. Furthermore, thousands of chemicals aren’t even regulated or approved by the FDA. Instead of a pre-packaged snack, have some nuts, baby carrots, or a homemade baked good instead.

5. Eat More Vegetables.
If you haven’t had a vegetable in awhile, go grab one. Right now! Any vegetable will do. People don’t seem to have a problem eating fluorescent colors when it comes to candy. Why not eat a bright orange carrot instead? Add one more serving of veggies to your day and see how you do.

Question of the Day:
What was the last thing you did for your health? Write your responses below. I’d love to hear!

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Filed under Organic, Tips and Tricks, Vegetables, Water

April 28, 2012 · 1:24 am

In a Pinch

I wanted to share with you a tasty product I stumbled upon that passes the Health Coach Jillian test…which is no small feat, my friends! Generally, I like to eat whole foods. Real foods. But I like to have something on me at all times in case I get hungry when I’m out and about. So here’s what I found as I was strolling the Whole Foods aisles the other day…

What: The Macrobar

Flavor: Chocolate Protein

Texture: Chewy with crunchies

Taste: Chocolaty. It’s sweet but not too sweet, so it hits the spot without being over the top. It’s delicious.

Here’s why I like it:

It’s 100% organic. All ingredients are non-GMO. It’s vegan. It has wholesome ingredients like organic sunflower seed butter, organic brown rice protein, organic flax sprouts, organic cinnamon, organic natural vanilla. The sweeteners are my favorites: organic brown rice syrup and organic coconut sugar, which is low-glycemic. No agave nectar here. No refined sugar here. Hooray!

The Pros:
At 260 calories per bar, and with 10g of protein, this will fill me up for awhile, enabling me to finish my errands without getting hungry again.

Also great is that there’s very little sodium, saturated fat is low, and total fat is a good healthy dose.

The Cons:
I’m not ecstatic that the first ingredient listed is one of the sugars, which means the sugar content is a little higher than I’d like – 14 grams – but the coconut sugar is low-glycemic so your body will process it differently than refined white sugar.

The Verdict:
For an on-the-go snack to keep in my bag at all times, this is as good as I’ve found but I don’t recommend eating these every day. They are good as emergency food – when it’s not possible to eat real, whole foods that you’ve prepared in your kitchen. Other flavors look good, although I haven’t tried them yet because I liked the nutritional stats on this flavor best.

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Filed under Organic, Snacks