11.28.2008

Green - Saving It, Giving It

I don't know if you're feeling like I am, but the economic meltdown and the continuing financial drama from banks to insurance companies to automakers has worn me out. It's tiring and stressful to hear about these big problems day in and day out, especially when the vast majority of us cannot control or change any of those macroeconomic issues. Most of us go about our day-to-day business while gauging the impact of these problems on our friends, families and communities. It's tiring and a bit disheartening, but from my perspective, there is some very good news out there. I've heard a lot of people talk about having a more sensible Christmas or holiday spending budget. The unbridled consumerism of the past decade or so is giving way to a bit of quiet reflection.

It seems a lot of people are scaling back, realizing that they don't need more stuff. That's not to say that no one's giving gifts this year, just that they don't need to go over the top. More importantly, I think this year people will think more about the gifts they give, and though they will give fewer gifts, they will be gifts that are useful to the recipient in some way.

So, my gifts this year will be focused on things that can be used - not stored in the closet for re-gifting or a visit to the Goodwill or Salvation Army during the next housecleaning. Gifts that don't add further clutter to our environment, things that green up our bodies, lives and wallets - those are the gifts that make sense this holiday season. Small specialty food gifts baskets, foods that people might not otherwise try, things that can expand the recipient's culinary horizons without breaking the budget.

This holiday season, my friends and family will be getting green gifts from me. Giving green gifts benefits my world - my friends, family, community and environment. If I can also save a bit of "green" this year, all the better.

Here's a link to shopOrganic's Green Gifts for the Holidays. Let the budget-conscious) shopping begin!
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11.17.2008

Natural Sweeteners - Brown Rice Syrup

OK, last in our series of natural sweeteners. Brown rice syrup is made by cooking brown rice in pure filtered water. Then, most of the water is evaporated and the result is a naturally sweet, golden syrup. Brown rice syrup has a similar thickness as honey but it has flavor that is a bit nuttier than honey. Brown rice syrup is gluten free and whate free. You can substitute rice syrup in place of sugar, honey, corn syrup, maple syrup or molasses. To substitute sugar, use 1 1/4 cup rice syrup for one cup of sugar, using 1/4 cup less of another liquid needed in the recipe. Brown rice syrup is a great sweetener to keep in your pantry. Experiment with it, you'll enjoy the unique (but mild) flavor of brown rice syrup.

Of course, shopOrganic carries a delicious, organic, kosher brown rice syrup from our friends at Lundberg. Click here to head to shopOrganic for Lundberg brown rice syrup.
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11.11.2008

Natural Sweeteners - Sucanat

Another installment of our quick review of sweeteners. This entry: sucanat. Sucanat is actually the shortening of the words sugar cane - natural (su-ca-nat). It is sugar cane in an unrefined form. Sucanat tastes like sugar, bakes like sugar and sweetens like sugar - the difference? Sucanat is whole cane sugar. Once the sugar cane is cut in the fields, the whole cane plants are crushed to extract the juice. The sugar cane juice is heated in a large vat until it reaches a deep, rich color and has the consistency of a thick syrup. The syrup is then hand paddled to cool and break up the syrup into dry granules. Nothing added, nothing removed.

Because Sucanat retains all the juice of the cane, it has characteristics similar to molasses. It's particularly well-suited to making barbeque sauce or anything with chocolate. If you want to add a level of flavor depth to anything you sweeten, try sucanat.

shopOrganic's sucanat is organic and fair trade from Costa Rica. Give it a try - here's the link to Wholesome Sweeteners Sucanat.

Next up...brown rice syrup.
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11.07.2008

Affordable Organic and Green Gifts

I just read an article saying that Americans were planning on cutting back on gifts this year. In many ways, that's probably a good thing as we have tended in the past to overspend at the holidays (and I include myself in that "we"). It will be interesting to see how this pans out as we get closer to those winter holidays. Often people swear they're going to spend less but end up spending more than they anticipated or budgeted. This year, I'm guessing most folks will truly scale back - but I'm also thinking the kinds of gifts we give might shift.

In recent years, I've started giving gifts of food since it's not something someone stuffs in a back closet or tries to re-gift (though if it's the notorious fruitcake, it might be re-gifted several times, even across state lines)...

As a business consultant and business owner, I often give a small gift to clients as a token of my appreciation for our business relationship (which often turns into genuine friendship over the years). Food is a pretty safe gift for corporate gift giving especially because you don't have to worry about size, color, or more importantly, cost. Many companies have strict rules about employees receiving gift, especially from vendors, but those restrictions rarely apply to food gifts.

Of course, there's a reason I'm talking about all this. Cara has been hard at work putting together some really cool gift collections that fit every budget. For example, we've got an Organic Harvest hot sauce collection of three of the best, 100% organic hot sauces you'll ever taste for only $9.99. Here's another example - a set of four organic jams from Colorado Mountain Jam so packed with flavor you'll be tempted to eat it straight from the jar - for just $21.29. One more example - Cara put together an amazing gift (I'm hoping someone gives this to me this year...hint hint) with organic Rishi tea, Biscottea shortbread cookies (perfect with tea) and a really cool ceramic mug with removable tea strainer for just $35.99. I'm not a big fan of tea (I'm more of a hard core coffee drinker), but this Rishi tea is like nothing I've ever tasted before. It's got incredibly robust, complex flavors and as it cools, you can taste more and more nuances. I know, I know, it sounds a bit like some high brow wine review, but really, this tea is THAT good. The Biscottea use organic tea in the cookies. Cara worked with Rishi to create parings that really work nicely together and the ceramic mug is great for coffee or tea.

So, you see, you can give a wonderful gift that the recipient will be thrilled to receive, you can do all this on a tight budget and you can be sure that everyone you know gets a little something at the holidays that won't end up being re-gifted.

I spared you by not listing every single gift we have - suffice it to say Cara's had a really fun time creating these gifts and I don't think she's done yet - so check back often for affordable organic and green gifts you can give with a clean conscience this year!

shopOrganic Affordable Organic and Green Gifts
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