You know how every now and then, you take a bite of something and it’s so insanely good, your eyes involuntarily roll back into your head? Moments like those are few and far between for most of us, especially because food that divine is often outrageously decadent or made with rare, expensive ingredients. But sometimes what makes that food so delicious – even beyond brilliant flavor combinations and expert preparation – is the knowledge that every single aspect of its production was handled with the utmost care and responsibility.

Call me crazy, but for me, that’s why Fair Trade Certified foods taste even better than food made with the same exact ingredients but produced in a way that screws over the environment, workers and community that created it. Would you treat a bar of Hershey’s chocolate the same way that you’d treat a bar that is not only organic, but sourced directly from well-paid Mayan farmers? Nope. While you might scarf down a cheap candy bar without a thought, this chocolate is special.

For Fair Trade Month, I got to try a few certified food products including a bar of Green & Black’s dark chocolate, some La Yapa quinoa and a tin of Rishi Wild Berry loose tea. All of these products are certified by Fair Trade USA, an organization that ensures that products labeled ‘Fair Trade Certified’ meet strict criteria including fair price, fair labor conditions, direct trade without unnecessary middlemen, democratic dealings between the producers, community development and environmental sustainability.

Not only were the raw ingredients that went into each of these products sustainably grown by knowledgable farmers in a healthy working environment, those farmers often spend Fair Trade revenues on social and business development projects like scholarship programs and organic certification.

Are any of the products I tried unbelievably, eye-rolling good? Maybe not (though give a good chef that La Yapa quinoa – a brand owned by farmers in the salt flats of Bolivia – and your odds are definitely favorable). All of them were delicious, no doubt about that.

But beyond that, there’s a wonderful satisfaction in knowing that your purchase not only did no harm, but helped improve the quality of life of farming families and their communities – and this knowledge will induce you to slow down and savor that bite of chocolate, and truly enjoy that cup of tea.

Learn more about all kinds of Fair Trade Certified products at TransFairUSA.org.

That’s right, I said these three soup recipes are amazing. And they’re vegetarian, no less. Maybe it’s not often that such a strong adjective is used in connection with light brothy concoctions that generally serve as an unremarkable precursor to a more satisfying meal. But have you ever had butternut squash soup with ravioli, quinoa soup with red chili pepper, or cream of roasted red pepper soup with basil-spinach puree? Okay then.

And while you’re at it, check out last year’s 3 super-satisfying soup recipes, which include garlic, chickpea and spinach soup, fat-free vegan red lentil curry soup and ginger gold apple and squash soup.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ravioli
(image above and recipe via: foodie bride)

Foodie Bride calls this recipe, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, an “impulse soup”. I call it the most delicious squash-related meal I’ve ever had. Roasted butternut squash is surprisingly rich and creamy, and when paired with cheese ravioli, it’s filling as well. Not a fan of butternut squash? Try making some classic carrot soup with ginger and orange and adding some ravioli for a spicy variation.

Get the recipes

2 1/2 lbs butternut squash
32 oz vegetable broth
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup walnuts, rough chopped
1 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1 9-oz package refrigerated cheese ravioli, cooked and drained
Molasses, for garnish
Sea salt, for garnish

“Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the garlic and onions until soft and golden. Stir in the cumin and coriander and cook for one minute. Add the stock and potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add chickpeas and simmer for another 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Mix the cornflour, cream and tahini together. Stir into the soup with the spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, stirring and simmering for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper before serving.”

Quinoa Soup
(recipe via: veg bitch)

Quinoa is a superfood unlike any other, especially for vegetarians and those with gluten sensitivities, because it satisfies the craving for grains but is also packed with vitamins, minerals and plenty of protein. Vegetarian cook Emmie Kjellberg of Veg Bitch notes that it’s easy and cheap, and you can increase the heat on cold days by adding extra chili pepper.

2/3 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, julienned
1 leek, white part cut in half, rinsed and cut
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ – 1 red chili pepper
1 can (400gr/15oz) crushed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock (or 4 cups water + 2 stock cubes)
salt and pepper to taste

For garnish:

1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp grated lemon peel
Green part of leek, finely chopped

“Add quinoa and water together and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and in the meantime prepare your vegetables. Peel and chop onion and garlic. Cut leek in half lenghtwise and rinse it. Chop up. Peel and julienne the carrot. (If using bell pepper cut it into small pieces). When the quinoa has simmered for 5 minutes drain it. Pour oil into a large soup pot and add the vegetables and garlic (if using spinach in the soup, don’t add it yet). Sauté for a few minutes and then add finely chopped red chili, saute for another minute. Add quinoa, the can of crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, until the quinoa is soft and has started opening. (If using spinach add this in just a few minutes before taking the soup of the hob and if using beans add them in 5 mins before taking it off, just enough to get them hot). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the garnish ingredients to a small bowl and sprinkle over the soup before you eat it.”

Cream of Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Spinach-Basil Puree
(recipe via: vegan chef)

It’s creamy, sweet and spicy with a rich depth of flavor and a heft that only potatoes can provide – and it’s vegan. In just over 40 minutes, with very little effort, you’ll have a stunning pale red soup topped with a vibrant green dollop of spinach-basil puree that will make you want to break out your camera and brag about your cooking skills on Facebook.
 
6 red peppers, destemmed, deseeded, and cut into quarters lengthwise
olive oil
3 cups potatoes, peeled, and diced
2 cups red onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 T. olive oil
1 T. garlic, minced
1 T. chili powder
1 T. paprika
1 t. salt
1/8 t. white pepper
1/4 cup unbleached flour
4 cups vegetable stock, divided
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 cup soy milk, rice milk, or other non-dairy milk of choice
1 recipe Basil-Spinach Puree for garnishing soup

“Place the red peppers, skin side up, on a cookie sheet. Using your fingers, coat the skins with a little of the olive oil. Place the peppers under the broiler and broil for several minutes or until the skin has charred and blackened. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, place the peppers in a brown bag, and allow them to cool in the bag for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, remove and discard the blackened skins, place the peppers on a plate, and set aside.

In a large pot, saute the potato, red onion, and celery in olive oil for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and soft. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, salt, and white pepper, and saute an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the vegetables, stir well, and cook an additional 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat.

Transfer the roasted red peppers and sauteed vegetables to a food processor. Add 1 cup vegetable stock and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree back to the large pot, add the remaining vegetable stock and sherry, and simmer over low heat until heated through. Stir in the soy milk, taste, and adjust the seasonings as needed. Garnish individual servings with a drizzle of the Basil-Spinach Puree for added color and flavor.”

We’re surrounded by endocrine-disrupting compounds at every turn, not to mention countless pesticides and other environmental toxins. Could all this chemical crap have ties to rising rates of breast cancer in women around the world? In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Breast Cancer Fund is highlighting its 2010 State of the Evidence report on how the disease is linked to all kinds of toxic substances, and you can’t afford not to read it.

A long string of recent studies cited in the report have linked breast cancer to everything from seemingly omnipresent BPA to air pollution. “Recent data demonstrate that early exposure to BPA leads to abnormalities in mammary tissue development that are observable even during gestation and are maintained into adulthood,” reads one sobering paragraph.

It’s easy to get lost in doom and gloom when the evidence is so overwhelming. For me, as someone who has struggled with hormone-related health problems associated with higher risk of cancer, the data can be downright frightening: who knew that sunscreen is often estrogenic?

Read the report. Get angry. Pass this information on to every woman you know. Then, take action. Don’t just go pink for a single month – go green for life. Your life. Ditch products packed with unpronounceable ingredients and go for natural alternatives. Stop consuming hormonally modified foods.

If you’re a regular Eco Chick reader, chances are you’re already doing a lot of positive things – in particular, reducing your exposure to toxic substances in personal care products and household products from cosmetics to cleaners. It can seem like an insurmountable challenge when you’re first starting out, but it gets easier – stick with it.

And there are plenty of other things you can do to lower your risk of developing breast cancer, even if you have a family history of the disease. The American Cancer Society recommends regular exercise, a healthy body weight and low consumption of alcoholic beverages as important ways to be proactive.

Want more tips? Check out the Breast Cancer Fund’s Twitter feed, which offers up simple ways to beat breast cancer in 140 characters or less.

Photo by Anthony Cain

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Everyday Minerals. What’s not to love? A dazzling array of colors to complement all skin tones, impressively natural organic & vegan ingredients, no animal testing and great prices make Everyday Minerals the kind of brand you’ll blab on to other women about whenever you get a chance. And that I do – so I’m really excited to give you all a chance to try some of this stuff for free!

Learn more and enter the giveaway

Boho beauty founder Carina Menzies started Everyday Minerals as a boutique cosmetic brand in Austin, Texas three years ago, and since then it has taken off into a full-on women’s lifestyle experience. Menzies comes up with cute, unconventional names for each shade like “I’m Keeping Your CDs”, the eyeliner featured in this giveaway.

Then there are the adorable and surprisingly long-lasting sample sizes that allow you to find your ideal shades, and the “Try Me Free” collection – a rotating offering of samples. Get one “Try Me Free” kit for free with every order, and add additional kids to your cart for just $5 each.

To win a free Everyday Minerals Smokey Eye Gift Set, go to EverydayMinerals.com and take a look around – them come back here and leave a comment telling me what stands out about the brand to you. When commenting, be sure to leave your real email address (it won’t be shown publicly), so I can contact you if you win!

The randomly chosen winner will receive:

• “I’m Keeping Your CDs” 5ml Eyeliner
• “Smokey” 5ml eyeshadow
• “Sweet Woodruff” 5ml eyeshadow
• “Weeping Willow” 5ml eyeshadow
• “Postcards” 5ml eyeshadow
• Everyday Eye Smudge Brush with bamboo handle and synthetic hair
• Everyday Minerals Gift Box

Deets and Promises: Eco Chick does not sell, lease or lend any email addresses we collect. Giveaway ends . Good luck!

I’m no Drew Barrymore – I don’t use the word ‘magical’ very often. But sometimes it applies, and I’m not talking about supernatural phenomena here. I mean magic of an earthly sort, those moments of amazing interaction between us and the natural world where everything seems to fit together – well – magically.

To me, a prime example is the way certain plants can ease our ills and make us feel beautiful without any kind of laboratory manipulation. Two of my absolute favorites – pine and calendula – might be growing in your area right now, just waiting to be plucked and infused and allowed to work their particular magic on your body. Making infused herbal oils is so easy, they smell fantastic and it’s comforting to know that what you’re putting on your skin is as pure as can be.

Pine – Invigorating Massage & Relaxation

When you think of earthy green smells, pine is right up there with freshly cut grass – but its worth goes far beyond mere scent. Pine needles from evergreens of all sorts including white pine, cedar and arbor vitae contain naturally occurring oils that are antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-carcinogenic according to renowned herbalist Susun Weed. Infused pine oil is very easy to make and blows Vicks Vapor Rub out of the water when used as a massage oil when you’re under the weather.

On a dry day, harvest enough pine needles to fill a glass jar in the size of your choosing (I use a 20-oz mason jar, because I go through infused pine oil fast!). When you get home, cut the needles into small pieces with scissors and place them into the jar, leaving a few inches of space at the top. Pour olive oil over the pine needles, all the way to the top of the jar, screw on the lid and let it steep for 4 weeks. Open the lid twice a day for the first two days and stir it gently with a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon to allow air bubbles to escape. Then, strain the oil through cheesecloth into smaller dark-colored bottles using a funnel.

Pine is often used as an invigorating massage oil and is especially valued as a chest rub for colds and bronchitis, and a breast massage oil for painful lumps and tumors. It’s also highly relaxing, wonderful for unwinding after a long day.

Calendula – Skin Healing & Renewal

One of the most prized herbs in any natural healer’s arsenal, calendula is a must-have in any skin-healing formula. Also known as the pot marigold, this bright and sunny flower doesn’t just kill germs and viruses, ease irritation and reduce inflammation. It actually promotes skin cell renewal, making it a valuable ally in both medicine and beauty. It’s my go-to oil for any skin ailment, and I also use it as my daily moisturizer.

To make calendula oil, place ¼ cup of dried petals into a pint-size canning jar, add ½ cup olive oil, stir and cover with a lid. Let it sit in a sunny window for two weeks or until the liquid is a deep shade of yellow. Then, strain it through cheesecloth into a small dark-colored bottle using a funnel. If you don’t have calendula growing near you, you can order the preserved petals in bulk at Mountain Rose Herbs.

Photos: audreyjm529, clairity

In a rush before a gaggle of guests were due to arrive at my house, I was staring at a shelf full of pre-made margarita mixers at my local liquor store. With no time to run to the grocery store, making my own was out, so I grabbed the first bottle I saw and dashed down the aisle, reading the ingredients as I walked. “Contains no juice. High fructose corn syrup… citric acid… polysorbate 60… umm, glycerol ester of wood rosin? Oh, hell no.” The bottle went back on the shelf. Tequila shots, anyone?

There’s no denying the convenience factor of pre-made mixers, especially for those of us who are a little too lazy or sloppy with a measuring spoon to play bartender. But should we have to settle for high fructose corn syrup and other less-than-healthy ingredients? The makers of RIPE Mixers don’t think so, and let me tell you, their products will blow that nasty stuff right out of your cocktail glasses.

Read my RIPE review

When a package of RIPE’s three offerings arrived at my doorstep, still chilled from its quick trip in a refrigerated box, you would have thought I was a kid waiting on a birthday present. I tore into that box and rushed into the kitchen so fast that it was literally about 60 seconds between the time the UPS guy dropped it off and that magical moment when I had a mixed margarita on the rocks in my hand.

I read off the ingredients with a blissful sigh: “Pure squeezed lime juice, reverse osmosis filtered water, 100% organic agave nectar, pure squeezed orange juice.” It doesn’t get any better than that – and it shows. I found my Holy Grail of cocktail mixers, and I’m never going back.

This stuff is special. It doesn’t last long, and that’s not only because it’s effing delicious, but because it’s so fresh and free of preservatives. It’s made with premium, all-natural ingredients in small batches and when you buy a bottle, it was just made a few weeks – not months – prior. In addition to margarita mix, RIPE offers San Marzano bloody mary mixer and sour mixer.

RIPE is available at Whole Foods locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island – or you can order online.

UPDATE: Thanks for participating, everyone! The winner is – Nicole Galland!

Scent can be so powerful, changing our moods and awakening memories – but sometimes it can be dangerous too, namely when it’s coming from a toxic blend of chemicals vaguely labeled as “fragrance”. Essential oils make it easy to avoid the bad stuff and get even more benefits than simply pleasing scents – promoting skin healing and even killing germs. It’s a no-brainer to ditch the synthetic perfumes and room sprays and switch to healthy products like RubyBlaise Essentials aromatherapy mists.

Learn more and enter the giveaway

RubyBlaise Essentials are multi-purpose, hand-blended sprays made with 100% pure essential oils like lime, lavender, bergamot and vanilla. I got to try a set myself and I’m now officially addicted to “Happy Mist” – there’s just something about grapefruit that brightens my day. I especially love the fact that RubyBlaise sprays are just the right concentration of scent – enough to give subtle fragrance to a room, but not too strong to spray directly onto your skin.

To win, leave a comment below telling us how you like to use essential oils – whether for relaxation in the bath, cleaning your home or repelling fleas on your pets – and which ones are your favorites. When you fill in the comment field, it will ask for you email address. This is the address I will use to contact the winner, so use a real email.

We’ll pick a name out of a hat and the winner will get a set of five 2-ounce RubyBlaise Essentials aromatherapy mists in the following blends:

• Calm Mist – Soothing blend of lemon, lavender and vanilla.
• Citrus Mist – An uplifting and cheerful blend of grapefruit, tangerine, lime, lemon, litsea cubeba, lemongrass & vanilla.
• Cleansing Mist – The eucalyptus, bergamot, peppermint and tea tree oils in this spray not only kill bacteria, but will give your home that fresh, clean smell.
• Happy Mist – It’s impossible not to feel a little lighter and happier when you’re breathing in the aromas of bergamot and grapefruit.
• Stress-Free Mist – Let go of that tension with clary sage, lemon and lavender.

Deets and Promises: Eco Chick does not sell, lease or lend any email addresses we collect. Giveaway ends Monday, May 11th, 2010. Good luck!

Those tiny purple blossoms that are covering lawns, meadows and roadsides right now are much more than just ‘weeds’. You’ve probably never given much thought to the common blue violet, aside from admiring its delicate little flowers – but gather enough, and you can make a delicious syrup that soothes sore throats, turns pancakes pink and makes one seriously delicious (and highly unusual) cocktail. The best part – it’s incredibly quick and easy.

Pick a pesticide-free location to gather your violet blossoms – I spent a lazy, sunny afternoon tightly packing a large mason jar from the large violet patch in my backyard. The common blue violet has five rounded petals and broad, heart-shaped leaves; choose the least blemished and darkest ones you find; the white ones don’t have much flavor.

I tried both of the following recipes: one with honey (which is better for use as cough syrup) and one with sugar. I recommend adding the juice of half a lemon to both recipes for better flavor, though your syrup will end up more magenta than violet. Don’t be put off by the very green and earthy smell of the steeping violets! The final mixture is heavenly. I added a few tablespoons to some sparkling water and vodka; it would also be delicious with champagne, lemonade or iced tea.

A few tips from experience: watch the simmering mixture carefully, because it can burn – and handle it carefully when you’re pouring it into bottles, because boiling sugar is not kind to the skin. I used a ladle with a spout, along with a funnel.

Susun Weed’s Violet Syrup (With Honey)

1/2 pound/225g fresh violets
2 cups/500ml water
2 cups/500ml honey

Enlist all the help you can to pick violet blossoms. Boil water; pour over blossoms; cover. Let steep overnight in nonmetallic container. Strain out flowers. Reserve purple liquid. Combine violet infusion and honey. Simmer gently, stirring, for ten or fifteen minutes, until it seems like syrup. Fill clean jars. Cool. Keep well chilled to preserve.

Violet Syrup (With Sugar) by Linda Ziedrich

3 ounces (about 4 cups) stemmed violets
2 cups water
About 2 cups sugar

Combine the flowers and water in a saucepan. Simmer the contents, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a dampened jelly bag. You can squeeze the bag, when it’s cool enough to handle, to extract more liquid. Then measure the volume of the liquid, and combine it in a preserving pan with an equal volume of sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Raise the heat to high, and bring the syrup to a full boil.

Remove the pan from the heat. Funnel the syrup into a bottle. Store the bottle, tightly capped, in the refrigerator.

She founded one of America’s first dedicated eco-fashion online shops (and an Eco Chick fave!), The Greenloop, and led the search for the new green “it” girl. Now, we’re turning the spotlight on trailblazer Aysia Wright herself to learn more about what’s next for The Greenloop and Project Green Search, and her must-have wardrobe staples.

Stephanie Rogers: What are your top 3 must-have fashion staples, and why?

Aysia Wright: I’m a super casual person, so for me, whatever those staples are have to be comfortable, practical and nearly seasonless. You won’t see me glammed up very often, so this is truly going to be about staples. As most who know me know, I live in my ‘pre-loved’ Frye boots, so for 1, I’d say a great pair of boots that work with a variety of outfits…or at least you can pretend they do.

Number 2 – a great pair of jeans that fit you well in all the right places, lend length to your legs, make your butt look great and can go from casual to dressed up, meaning a good dark wash, not weathered.

Number 3 – a racer back tank. Wear it alone to show off sexy shoulders, or double duty over a long sleeve fitted tee for definition, color, contrast. See. So very basic, no frills for me.

SR: How many designers are included on Greenloop?

AW: Right now about 60, but as we are getting ready to make some big changes, all the way around, the number represented will grow significantly.

Ed Note: I’m soooooooo excited!

SR: Who are your latest adds?

AW: Quite frankly, given how hard the last year or so has been, I have not added a ton of new lines. With that said, we are in transition at the moment, and while I’m behind, waiting in the wings are lines like Reif Clothing, Kristinit, and a.d.o., as well as casual lines like Brand of the Free and Reco Jeans, and athletic lines like Atayne, and more. Greenloop will soon represent every genre of eco-responsible apparel, from casual to couture and everything in between.

SR: What parameters do you use to decide which designers to include on your site?

AW: Each brand completes a pretty long questionnaire that runs through all aspects of their business: mission, materials, production, distribution, environmental / humanitarian initiatives, and business practices like water and energy conservation, recycling, buying recycled, carbon offsets and the like. I also like to see what their inspiration was for creating the brand and where they want to go with it. I often learn something new from each line, adding to the list of criteria I like to consider in adding them to the lines represented on the site.

SR: Tell us about Project Green Search. What is in store for this coming year’s search?

AW: Right now, we are finalizing the panel of judges, and I am honored to have the Eco Chick herself, Starre Vartan, joining us again this year. We’ll be officially opening the 2010 search on June 12th, hosting an in person entry event to kick things off in Los Angeles that day. Final dates, prizes, challenges and events will soon be listed on the site, so stay tuned. It’s sure to be a great year with exciting developments for the competition itself once the finalists are chosen, and I look forward to seeing the amazing women out there who put themselves forward for the opportunity. Yes, the future will bring a men’s competition, but for now, we’re stickin’ with ‘eco chicks’, so to speak – the one phrase in which the word “chick” is a compliment

Thanks so much, Aysia! It sounds like there will be a lot of exciting things going on at Greenloop this year – all the more reason to check it out as often as possible!

–UPDATE– Thanks for participating, everyone! The lucky randomly chosen winner is – Kelsey Toney!

Who doesn’t love a goodie bag full of free stuff – especially when it’s natural, organic beauty products from a super-high-quality brand? We are teaming up with one of our favorite online sources of natural beauty products, Beautorium.com, to offer a seriously craveworthy package of products from Naturaleve.

Learn more & enter the giveaway!

Naturaleve is a 100% certified organic skin care regimen that’s rich in organic oils, vegan, and free of harmful ingredients. Beautorium is known for being super picky about which brands they choose to work with, so they offer only the best – here’s what they have to say about Naturaleve:

A new line of truly 100% certified organic skincare products designed for consumers looking for organic purity, high product performance and outstanding value. Naturaleve is an ultra skin friendly approach to a pure and natural beauty regime and offers a complete range of luxurious beauty balms.

Naturaleve has been specially created with a super concentrated blend of 100% natural and organic oils that “melt” into the skin providing maximum purity and efficacy. Formulations include naturally rich organic ingredients such as Rose Geranium, Evening Primrose Oil, Pomegranate Seed Oil, Red Mandarin, Ginger and Chamomile. Naturaleve products do not contain any parabens, petrochemicals, SLS, artificial preservatives, colours or fragrances of any kind.

To win, check out the Naturaleve products over at Beautorium.com. Then, head on back here and leave a comment below telling us which product you’d most love to try and why. When you fill in the comment field, it will ask for you email address. This is the address I will use to contact the winner, so use a real email.

The oh-so-lucky randomly selected winner will receive one of each of the following products, worth a total of approximately $125:

• Nourishing Therapy Oil with Rosehip, Lavender, Neroli and Chamomile
• Sweet Lips Lip Balm with Vanilla
• Lip Repair Balm with Juniper Berry Oil
• Rejuvenating Balm with Rose Geranium Oil
• Multi-Task Rescue Balm with Red Mandarin

Deets and Promises: Eco Chick does not sell, lease or lend any email addresses we collect. Giveaway ends Thursday, April 14th 2010. Good luck!