Vegan Deliciousness

I’m not vegan, but I love trying out various vegan eats and treats – vegan eating is a good way to make your grocery dollars stretch.  Organic eggs and milk are very expensive, and knowing how to substitute for them in recipes is a really useful skill to have.

Sometimes vegan eats are great and sometimes they’re lousy, especially when it comes to desserts like brownies and cupcakes.  I’ve eaten a vegan cupcake that looked absolutely gorgeous on the outside, only to bite into it and discover that it tasted like it was made with glue and sand – yuck.  I have a feeling the pastry box it came in probably tasted better – my kids couldn’t even choke it down.  However, if you’ve never tried vegan desserts before don’t be discouraged.  There are many terrific recipes out there for you to try (and tweak), so even your pickiest of non-vegan eaters will be satisfied.

Here a five easy vegan desserts for you try.  By the way, I’ve made Isa Chandra’s old fashioned chocolate pudding pie and it was really good.  My family enjoyed it and they have very strong opinions when it comes to dessert.  Enjoy!

• Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding Pie
• Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Fudge
• The Ultimate Vegan Brownie
• Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Coma Cupcakes

What’s your favorite vegan dessert recipe?  Share it with us on twitter @greenearthbazar , or on facebook – we’d love to try it!  Peace.

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Valentines Day is right around the corner, so if you’re all out of homemade gift ideas and want to buy your valentine something special, then check out these 25 fabulous gifts for under $25!  Many of the items listed are products that I use, own, or are from brands that I know and love.

Source: theultimategreenstore.com via Michelle on Pinterest

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Ease Sinus Congestion Naturally

I have sinus disease and a deviated septum so I know how awful sinus problems can be.  Sometimes it feels like my head is going to explode, other times my head feels so congested I feel on the verge of vertigo (which sucks).  Over the years I’ve learned ways of coping with my sinus problems without resorting to the many prescription and over the counter medications I used to take (yuck).  I watch my diet, sniff water into my nasal passages (sort of like the neti pot), and use different herbs that are good for allergies but I still have bouts of sinus congestion from time to time.

Since I began practicing yoga regularly I noticed that when my head feels stuffy and congested certain poses seem to ease and open up my nasal passages – relief without having to use anything is very cool!  Poses like forward bends and wide-legged downward facing dog pose have given me the most relief, but I feel it’s also my regular yoga practice that plays a big part in taming my sinus problems.   So I’ve put together some simple yoga resources for you to check out – if you suffer from sinus problems or seasonal allergies you may find a yoga pose that provides you with some relief!  Peace.

• How to Choose Yoga Poses for Sinusitis
• Sinus Solutions
• Yoga for Your Sinusitis

How do you cope with sinus congestion or seasonal allergies?  Leave us a facebook comment below or tweet us on twitter @greenearthbazar.  Like what Green Earth Bazaar is all about?  Like us on facebook – we’re nice!

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2012 has sparked a desire in me to reconnect with my artistic self.  Lately I’ve had the urge to start learning to sketch and paint once again.  It’s been at least fourteen years since I last picked up a pencil to sketch or a paint brush for water colors, so I’m completely rusty when it comes to creating anything.  But I’m sure with a little practice and a lot of You Tube art instruction I’ll begin to get the hang of things once again.  Those college art classes were a lot of fun and something I wanted to continue with, but life had different plans for me… a beautiful family that I’m very happy to care for and love with all of my heart.

So if you’re inspired to create, here are a few free resources and a lot of inspiration to get you started drawing beautiful sunflowers in no time!

Don’t have any art supplies?  Don’t worry, you can still create beautiful sunflowers with Artweaver – a free paint program avaiable for download.

Share your sunflowers with us on twitter @greenearthbazar or on facebook.

Want some more sunflower inspiration?  Check out my sunflowers page on pinterest.

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All Tied Up

Scarves are the ultimate accessory in my opinion.  They’re on trend (if you’re in to being trendy) and very practical.  I own at least a hundred scarves in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors – many have been given to me as gifts and the rest I’ve picked up at thrift stores.  I love they way a pretty scarf can totally change the look of an outfit, but what I love the most is the warm coziness I feel when wearing a beautiful scarf wrapped around me.

So here are some fabulous resources on scarf tying I think you’ll enjoy, and for the adventurous and crafty I’ve added some links to a few scarf projects too!  Peace.  

Scarf Styling Ideas:

• 37 Ways to Tie a Scarf - I love the internet!  How cool is it to have a website dedicated to all things scarves?  So many fun and fabulous ideas!
• How to Tie A Scarf – A really informative guide to scarf wearing from the Scarf Queen – she definitely deserves her title!  Lots of fun and creative ideas.

Scarf Project Ideas:

• Scrunchy T-Shirt Scarf – A great way to re-purpose those old t-shirts!  Very cute and practical.
• Infinity Scarf – Love this project idea!  A very pretty scarf pattern that you can wear many different ways.
• How to Knit a Scarf for Beginners – Learning to knit is on my To-Do list for 2012 (fingers crossed…).  This looks like a fairly straight forward scarf project for a beginner like myself.  It’s pretty and practical, plus it’s a great craft to learn.

Have a creative new way to wear a scarf?  Share it with us on twitter @greenearthbazar or on our facebook page.  We’d love to know!  Peace.

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A Delicious Dairy Alternative

At my house we’ve tried to lessen the amount of dairy milk we consume.  Organic and raw milk are very expensive and somewhat difficult to find.  Besides, we feel everything we consume should be in moderation.  So to supplement our milk needs we turned to nut milks – organic almond and coconut milks are our favorite, but they too can get pretty pricey when you’re buying them by the half-gallon.

Since I keep our pantry filled with all kinds of raw nuts for baking and snacking on, I figure at some point I should give making homemade nut milks a try.  I’ve read about it and watched it made on television (PBS’s b.Organic), and it seems very simple to do.  The most time consuming aspect of the entire process is soaking the nuts over night.

I’m not sure how cost effective it will be in the long run – I’ve calculated what I pay per half gallon of almond milk vs. what I pay for a 16 ounce bag of almonds, and it comes out to roughly the same price though the homemade will yield approximately 32 more ounces of milk.  A money saver in the end?  Probably not.  But learning a new skill is priceless in my book.

Here are three very useful links to get you and me started making our own homemade almond milk:

How to Make Your Own Homemade Nut Milk:  This is a great resource from Anton Health and Nutrition.  Great directions and flavoring suggestions to get you started!

Raw Almond Milk Recipe:  A good basic almond milk recipe from the Vegetarian Food section of About.com with a link to a homemade cashew milk recipe – yum!

What’s your favorite way to use nut milks?  Send us a tweet @greenearthbazar or let us know on our facebook page.  Peace.

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A Lucious Lemony Treat!

When life gives me lemons I make lemon bars instead of lemonade - a decadent and irresistable treat my whole family loves!  Although thsese yummy dessert bars aren’t the epitome of health food, you can play with the recipe to make them a little less naughty.  Use less sugar, another kind of sweetener (like honey), or try different flour combinations (gluten-free perhaps).  In moderation though these lemon bars totally rock!  (Especially with a cup of chai!)

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 14 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Filling:

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1.  First make the crust.  Add the flour, sugar, and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture has a consistency like a course meal.  Press into the bottom of a 13″ x 9″ glass baking dish, and bake for 20 minutes.

2.  While crust is baking make the filling.  In a large bowl beat the eggs.  Next, add sugar and beat until light.  Now add remaining ingredients (flour, baking powder, lemon juice, and lemon zest) and beat until smooth.  

3.  Pour filling over hot crust and bake for another 20 minutes.  Let cool completely before cutting into squares. 

My Tip:   Keep an eye on the browning of the filling.  If it becomes too golden before the end of your baking time, simply cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.

Send us a tweet @greenearthbazar or comment on our facebook page and let us know how you like these lemon bars.  Enjoy!

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Hot Topics:  GMOs, Environmental Toxins, and Five Bad Habits to Avoid

• Monsanto GM corn linked to organ failure - If you need a reason to stay clear of GMOs here’s a good one – Monsanto’s genetically modified corn has been linked to organ damage in lab rats.  Though this story is more than a year old it’s still highly relavent and worth reading.  Take the time to educate yourself about genetically modified crops and foods!
• Children from low income households have higher levels of toxins in their bodies - Unfortunately this study doesn’t surprise me.  Low income kids usually live in areas with more environmental toxins than their wealthier counterparts, and eat diets that contain more of the additives we should avoid.  This is why we have to fight to change things folks!    
• Five bad habits that are making you age faster - Uh oh!  I have a tendency to do three out of five - I guess I need to break of couple of bad habits…  I definitely need to set aside more time workout, relax, and stop the eye rubbing!

We want to hear from you!  Connect with us on twitter @greenearthbazar and on our facebook page. 

Keep up with the latest news on the environment, GMOs, green beaty, healthy foods, and fitness by subscribing to Green Earth Bazaar’s daily papers on paper.li. 

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Eco Chic & Cheap Homemade Beauty

Homemade beauty recipes are a great way to be eco-firendly and naturally beautiful.  You control the ingredients (no toxic chemicals equal happy skin), and making your own natural beauty treats means more money in your wallet since many of the ingredients come from your kitchen. 

Ask any beauty expert and they’ll tell you that exfoliation is key to healthy glowing skin.  So here are five easy homemade body scrub recipes to make you feel eco-licious and beautiful.  ~ Enjoy!  

• Banana Sugar Body Scrub - Now I have another way to reuse the collection of ripe bananas sitting on my kitchen counter – I thought I was going to have to make a million loaves of my gluten-free banana walnut bread.  A simply delicious and effective body scrub recipe! 
• Coconut Brown Sugar Body Scrub - This is one of my favorite homemade body scrub recipes.  It smells delicious, and the organic virgin coconut oil works wonders on your skin!
• Coffee Body Scrub – A simple body scrub recipe requiring only a few ingredients.  So if you’re big on coffee, turn your leftover coffee grounds into a DIY eco beauty treat!
• Luxurious Summer Body Scrub - Though this recipe is intended to get you glowing for summer, anytime is the right time for a relaxing DIY body scrub - scorching summer heat is optional.
• Peach and Brown Sugar Body Scrub - This recipes is a real treat for the senses!  It will definitely make you want to eat it before you get the chance to apply it to your body.  That’s what I love about natural beauty though, you can eat it!  Try doing that with a scrub for your local drugstore… actually don’t try that at home kids – that stuff is toxic.

What’s your favorite at home beauty indulgence?  Share it with us!

Want more eco-friendly beauty?  Subscribe to the Green Beauty Daily – it’s free!

Connect with us on twitter @greenearthbazar and on our facebook page.  We want to hear form you!

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This Week’s GMO News:

• GMOs to Blame for Problems in Plants and Animals - Experts are linking Monsanto’s Ready Roundup to the serious problems they’re seeing in plants and animals.  For me this comes as no surprise – now let’s imagine what is happening to our health as a result of Monsanto’s toxic weed killer…
• Monsanto to be Prosecuted for Biopiracy – Some good news about Monsanto for a change – getting a taste of their own litigious medicine maybe?  Sweet justice!
• Eat or Avoid Genetically Modified Crops? - Food Republic talks with author and activist Jeffrey Smith about GMOs, their potential dangers, and why we should avoid them.

Want to keep up with the latest GMO news?  Subscribe to GMO Watch – it’s free!

We want to hear from you!  Connect with us on twitter @greenearthbazar and on our facebook page.  Get back to nature with us!

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