Nicobella uses Theo Chocolate™ which is fair trade and organic

It’s that time of year again. Chocolate season, a.k.a the month which hosts Valentine’s Day. Somewhere before February 14th, starting roughly around January 2nd, retailers start gearing up for the holiday where chocolate says “I Love You,” and the more heart-shaped the box, the better.

But what if you didn’t have to settle for the generic candies inside pink and read sheaths? What if your chocolate could be sourced and accounted for? Fair trade chocolate says “I Love You…more.”

According to FairTradeUSA.org:

Cocoa farmers are often forced to sell their harvest to middlemen who rig scales or misrepresent prices, and media reports of child slavery show the stark contrast between the delicious treat and the difficult conditions of the people who produce it. Fair trade certification ensures that farmers receive a fair price, allows farmers to invest in techniques that bring out the flavors of the region, and strictly prohibits slave and child labor.

FTC symbol

However, a lot more goes into shopping for fair trade other than simply looking for the logo. Care2.com posits some other considerations when looking for your fair trade chocolate. First, the task of policing where certain items come from is a difficult one, and absolute oversight is hard to implement. “Because of the difficulty in policing farming practices, items marked as ‘fair trade’ may still contain cocoa that was produced using slave and child labor or under unsafe working conditions with inadequate or no pay,” states Care2.

The organization also says small farmers may be unable to afford the costs of becoming Fair Trade certified. Furthermore, the very definition of “fair trade” is not universally agreed upon, much like the problems animal activists face when deciding what is “free range.” Additionally, similar to agribusiness regulations, there are several fair trade organizations and each is allowed to certify products with their own levels of oversight and requirements.

So, where does one turn? Just because a product is marked “fair trade,” does not guarantee that all standards of wages and humane treatment are met. Conversely, a company that doesn’t have the seal of approval may not be using child labor or unsafe conditions at all.

Some general consensus is that cocoa produced along the Ivory Coast is the first place to avoid. Organic chocolate grown in Central and South America, overall, is not faced with the issue of  slavery, and since organic chocolate is limited, many farmers receive a fair price. Additionally, some farms in West Africa are slave and child labor free.

For the most all-inclusive list fair trade chocolate-advocates can muster, take a look at FoodIsPower.org’s chocolate list. Don’t see your favorite fair trade chocolate’s name? Make sure you are browsing by what brand of cocoa they are using, not necessarily the name of the retailer.

Also, take a look at FairTradeUSA.org, a leading third-party certifier in the United States. Now, go enjoy your Valentine’s Day!

Attention Fair Trade Fans and/or Chocolate Lovers: stayed tuned for an interview with Nicobella Chocolates and a giveaway in our next posts!

It’s not too late to shop OrganicBug.com and ship 2 Day Express or Overnight in order to receive your products in time for Christmas!

For 2 Day Express, please order by TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th at 1:00 pm EST. For Overnight shipping, please order by WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21st at 1:00 pm EST and call for availability. Read the holiday shipping guidelines.

Here are a few of our Top Sellers this holiday season!

Whiskey Rocks

Dr Seuss Cat in the Hat Eco-Plush Toy

Bamboo Dreams Ribbed Bath Towels

Culinary Bay Leaf Wreath with Chilis & Raffia Bow

Handmade Block Print Scarves

Sydney Greensheep Eye Pillow

Bamboo Dreams Tie Dyed Pashbu Scarf

Canvas Tote Bag (Set of 3)

Cups of Poetry on Pottery

Be sure to follow these guidelines to get your packages in time for Christmas!*

Ground Shipping: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15th by 1 pm EST
takes 2-5 business days after processing for delivery~you will get a tracking number but NO Guaranteed delivery date

2 Day Express: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20th by 1:00 pm EST
takes 2-3 business days after processing for delivery~you will get a tracking number and a Guaranteed delivery date

Overnight: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21st by 1:00 pm EST
call for availability

Should you have any questions, please contact us using our Toll Free Number: 888.428.7050 9 am to 5 pm EST M-F
(if you are calling from outside the US, please call 386.428.7050)

*IMPORTANT NOTES:

Check AVAILABILITY and any special shipping notes in RED on each product page. Some products ship direct from our vendors and orders may not ship immediately so notice the AVAILABILITY of each product prior to ordering to know when the item will ship.

We are unable to guarantee delivery if there are weather delays. These Shipping Dates are for packages shipped to addresses in the Continental US only. Products shipping to PO Boxes CANNOT be shipped using 2 Day Express or Next Day Air.

Of course, if you are just too late or you don’t know what to buy,

Santa uses INSTANT DELIVERY when you buy Organic Bug eGift Certificates!

Shop TODAY (Dec. 12) on OrganicBug.com and receive FREE SHIPPING on all orders! Finish up your holiday shopping with eco-friendly, sustainable products.

We’ve got some other fun holiday treats as well. Our brand new feature “Multiple Ship To” lets consumers shop ’til they drop by assigning a unique gift recipient to each product selected, in time for the holidays and all those Secret Santas. “Ship To” allows customers to create multiple addresses within the same order, while requiring only ONE check out experience.

Not sure what to get someone on your list? Choose from these popular items, or buy a gift card!

Bamboo Dreams Piper Dress

Whiskey Stones

Dr Seuss Cat in the Hat Toy

Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps

Our Black Friday deals last through Sunday!

Take a look at all of our SALES going on right now!

Bamboo Dreams Lightweight PashBu in Sky

The Bamboo Dreams Lightweight Pashbu is one of our favorite accessories! It is that little, fashionable extra piece of clothing that goes well in many seasons and climates. It will add warmth on a brisk winter day when worn around your neck at a scarf. If the temperature is warmer and you’re heading out in your little black dress, drape it elegantly over your shoulders.

Photo by Flickr User Cristiano Betta

Sometime around mid-October every year, when the air turns a bit cold and the fall leaves and pumpkin decor is out full scale, the only things that sound worthy of my kitchen are savory, thick dishes and warm, peppery beverages. However, as many vegans out there can attest to, one can get quite tired of cooking vegan chili for the entire season of autumn. Luckily, with a boost in awareness of plant-based lifestyles comes an influx of innovative recipes just waiting to be practiced and subsequently devoured. In light of Vegan MoFo this month, here are some wonderful vegan autumnal combinations.

Professional triathlete Brendan Brazier‘s new book Thrive Foods definitely sets the bar high when it comes to healthy and highly nutritional recipes, and they are fun to experiment with, blatantly ignoring the same-old, same-old regimen, making for creative seasonal, cruelty-free nosh.

“If you make one recipe, make this one,” says Thrive. The dish to beat? Summer Squash Fettuccini with Lemon Pepper Cream. Those eschewing dairy don’t often get to enjoy the luxury of a “cream” anything, let alone getting to spice up a “pasta” dish which is all too often the go-to food when there is nothing else available. The “pasta” is made from strips of squash, created from a vegetable peeler. Any type of zucchini or squash can be substituted, depending on what’s in season. By soaking the “pasta” in salt, all the moisture is drawn out, softening the vegetable strips into “noodles” hardly discernible from the typical stuff, but with much more nutrients and a unique flavor. Extra flavor is added using leeks and coconut oil. The sauce is made with a cashew cream base–my new favorite base for any type of creamy or cheese-like mixture. It’s even good on bagels! You can flavor the cream with whatever is on hand, but for this dish, lemon zest and pepper were used. The combination was quite surprising when added to the squash. This savory treat did not disappoint–indeed, it’s the one to beat. But don’t take my word for it; buy the book to try it out!

The Suburban Vegan blog has featured an Apple Cider Martini recipe that might just do the trick when served with the above zesty, summer squash pasta dish:

• 6 fluid ounces of apple cider
• 1 – 1.5 fluid ounce of armagnac
• 1 – 1.5 fluid ounce of Grand Marnier
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 apple slices

Then all that’s left to do is mix the apple cider, armagnac, and Grand Marnier together with ice in a shaker and serve with an apple slice and cinnamon stick garnish.

If you’re looking for a side dish or appetizer to pair with your seasonally themed meal, try a nice light salad with raw walnuts or dried fruit and a peppery dressing, like VegKitchen‘s Pear and Toasted Walnut Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette, or look into a soup to compliment your fall spread containing similar palate aesthetics.

Now bundle up, grab your favorite people and rustle up some seasonal grub. It will be winter before you know it, so enjoy the crisp air and matching food before the snow starts to fall.

By Flickr User Tim Pearce, Los Gatos

Amidst the weekend transition from September to October, ringing in cooler temperatures in many places as a pleasant break from record heat waves, another welcome announcement appeared on Huffington Post Green: Organic hops. That’s right, some clever farmers-turned-innovators are seeking a pesticide-free method of brewing up a cold one.

There have been some busy bees in the Northwestern part of the U.S., where farmers worked alongside researchers in the great hops adventure. In a rare call for transparency in labels, though possibly meant as a slight to local breweries, “brewers who label their beer as organic” are now required “to use organic hops beginning in 2013.” So the search is on for the best method. This could either be a time for breaking down in the face of changing ye ole’ family recipe, or, a chance to progress the beer industry to a higher standard. The best outcome would be for organic beers to become much more prevalent among the homogeneous rows of monopolizing top retailers.

As with many sustainable and organic goods, the demand is increasing, even if slowly.

“The organic beer market is still relatively small, but it’s definitely catching on,” said Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, to Huffington Post. “Just like a few years ago, organic cosmetics and body products were a niche. Across the board, whether it’s pet food or whatever kind of consumer product, there’s increasing demand.”

Additionally, the U.S. is strategically in a good place to be a leader in the organic hops business, if they so choose, as the second largest producer of hops next only to Germany. Prost! The Northwest region of the country is especially primed to spearhead this mission as the originator of the craft beer movement, bringing focus to local beverages over commercial alternatives. Craft beer festivals all over the country would also be prime places to introduce new brands to the consumers most likely to be first adopters in the movement.

Don’t think craft, organic beers are completely absent today, however. Peak Organic Brewing Company boasts of offerings ranging from the Fall Summit Ale, to Hop Noir or to Nut Brown Ale, as well as standard IPAs. There are definitely several other organic breweries out there as well, and many craft breweries have a sampling of organic beers, like New Belgium and Dogfish Head Brewing Co.

Green America says the reason to go for organic beers is to eliminate the chemicals leading to “at least 67 million birds [that] die each year from pesticides sprayed on US fields. The number of fish killed is conservatively estimated at six to 14 million.” Humans should beware of toxic chemicals as well, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But an even more personal, economic reason for going organic is that the family farm is affected by devastated ecosystems. “The US lost an estimated 650,000 family farms in the last decade. Organic farming, on the other hand, is proving to be small-farmer friendly-most organic farms are less than 100 acres,” reported the blog.

The highest level of organic certification to aspire to would be 100%, meaning “ only organically produced ingredients and processing aids are used,” says CraftBeer.com. The lower levels are the ones affected by the new regulations. Huffington Post says, “for many years, brewers could market their beer as organic even if they used conventional hops, arguing that organic hops simply weren’t available,” but cost may be one deterrent. “Organic hops can be anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent more expensive to brewers, so even if they could buy organic hops, many brewers opted for conventional varieties.” But the sales numbers are always steadily growing.

That’s what’s on tap.

After years of denying that the arsenic added to chicken feed does not transmit to chicken meat, the FDA has now admitted that chicken meat sold in the United States does contain arsenic, a known cancer-causing chemical! In high doses, arsenic is fatal. Just to reiterate, the arsenic chemical is intentionally added to chicken feed.

Please protect yourself and your family by being aware of this issue.

Find out more and read the full article.

With cicadas buzzing, tulips in bloom and fireflies lighting up the night, summer is here. Along with summer comes days at the beach, outdoor gardening and, of course, summer grilling!

Make your outdoor grilling healthier and lock in flavor by using a SPARQ Soapstone Indoor/Outdoor Griddle/Grill Combo. Set the soapstone grill OR griddle side up right on your grilling rack! The grill uses high heat distribution over its entire surface resulting in evenly cooked, tastier and healthier food for you, your family and friends. The food is healthier because the grill significantly reduces the risk of producing cancer causing carcinogens from cooking over an open flame.

Here are some favorite grilling recipes from our Organic Bugs that are sure to bring raves…so feel free to give them a try this summer on your grill!

Thai-Glazed Fruit + Vegetable Grill (serves 4)

Adapted long ago from a recipe by Celia Brooks Brown, her cookbook, New Vegetarian (Ryland Peters & Small 2001), is a wonderful intro to vegetarian cooking that pleases the palate of vegans (with some egg + dairy substitutions) and omnivores alike. This is nice served with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli.

• 1 large mango, peeled, seeded + cut into 8 chunks
• 1 pineapple, peeled, cored + cut into 16 pieces
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 chunks
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 8 slices
• 2 limes, cut into 8 slices
• 8 shitaki mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded + cut into 8 pieces
• 4 Serrano chiles, halved

8 long metal or bamboo skewers (remember to pre-soak the wood skewers for at least 30 minutes)

Thread skewers with the fruit and vegetables. Place in a large casserole dish and brush generously with barbecue sauce. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Place skewers on a preheated stove top griddle and cook, turning occasionally and basting with barbeque sauce. You want the fruit and vegetables slightly tender and lightly charred for best flavor.

Thai Barbecue Sauce

• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 piece fresh ginger (about 1”), peeled + coarsely chopped
• 1 whole lime, ends discarded and rest of lime (including peel) coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, finely sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 1-2 bird’s eye chiles (or other chile 50,000-100,000 Scoville heat units)
• Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  

Portobello Stacks + Asparagus Grill (serves 4)

This is a nice combo that is quick + easy served with a side salad! Substitute long, slender green beans for the asparagus and serve with mashed potatoes for a heartier meal!

Portobello Stacks

• 4 large Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar
• 4 thin slices red onion
• 4 thick slices tomato
• 1 handful fresh basil, chopped
• Salt + pepper

Place mushroom caps on a plate stem side up. Spread chopped garlic evenly over the mushroom caps. Pour a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of vinegar evenly over each mushroom cap. Place a slice of onion on each mushroom cap then top off with a slice of tomato. Sprinkle the tomato toppers with basil, salt + pepper.

Cook Portobello Stacks on a preheated stove top griddle without turning for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Asparagus

• 2 pounds asparagus, trim ends
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt + pepper

Coat preheated stove top griddle with olive oil. Grill asparagus until crispy tender (about 5 minutes depending upon thickness). Toss in a dish with lemon juice and season with salt + pepper.

Crabby Patty Cakes (serves 4)

This is a vegan recipe co-founder, Peggy English, developed as an alternative to Crab Cakes! If you are vegetarian you can substitute an egg for the flax seed meal/water mixture in the main recipe and use mayonnaise instead of a non-dairy/egg free replacement like Vegenaise (my personal favorite) as a base for the Tartar Sauce.

• 2 1/2 cups grated daikon radish
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, deseeded + minced
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• ½ sweet red pepper, minced
• ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons flax seed meal mixed with 1/3 cup water, let sit for 10 minutes
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dulce flakes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Coconut oil for grilling

Place the daikon radish in a large bowl with the salt and cover with water. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the daikon radish and stir in garlic, jalapeno, onion, sweet pepper, parsley, flax seed mixture, breadcrumbs, pepper, dulce flakes and paprika. Mix well. Form into 8 small round patties.

Coat flat griddle with oil and preheat over medium heat. Grill patties until firm and nicely brown, 3-5 min per side. Serve with tartar sauce as a condiment. Some sides that go well with this are corn-on-the-cob (yummy with salt, pepper + fresh squeezed lime juice) and cole slaw!

Tartar Sauce

• 1 cup Vegenaise
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• ¼ cup capers OR 1 Tablespoon minced spicy dill pickles

Put ingredients into a jar with tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed.

Find out more about the SPARQ grill.