SPARQ Indoor/Outdoor Grill is a Father’s Day Favorite

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.

Is Your Sunscreen Providing Enough Protection?

Are You REALLY Protecting Your Skin?

A recent study from the Environmental Working Group caught my attention in a big way.   According the EWG, a nonprofit organization dedicated protecting public health and the environment with research and public information, many of the top sunscreens we depend on to protect our health may be causing us more harm than good in some cases.

How is this possible? In their comprehensive 2010 Sunscreen Guide the EWG researchers took issue with a surge in exaggerated SPF claims (above 50).  The group reports that the higher SPF claims gives us a false sense of security- so consumers are more prone to exposing their skin to the damaging rays without realizing the danger. There have also been new disclosures about potentially hazardous ingredients found in sunscreens.

So how do you protect your skin from the harmful UVA rays this summer?  First and foremost,  EWG  strongly urges the old fashioned approach when it comes to skin care:

Cover Up. Shirts, hats, shorts and pants shield your skin from the sun’s UV rays.  Sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays.

Stay in the Shade. Picnic under a tree, read beneath an umbrella, take a canopy to the beach. Keep infants in the shade – they lack tanning pigments (melanin) to protect their skin.

Avoid the Sun during peak hours. If possible be outdoors in early morning or late afternoon when the sun is lower in the sky. UV radiation peaks at midday, when the sun is directly overhead.

In addition to the rules above (which we all know but do not always follow), become a savvy sunscreen sunscreen shopper.  The organization provides the following recommendations:

Avoid Sunscreens that Contain the Following  Ingredients:
Oxybenzone (linked to certain cancers)
Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) government data links vitamin A to accelerated growth of skin tumors and lesions
Added insect repellent

Ingredients to Look For: Sunscreens that contain Zinc, Titanium dioxide, Avobenzone or Mexoryl SX

Use Sunscreens that provide Broad-spectrum protection and are “Water-resistant”  for beach, pool & exercise

Use SPF 30+ for beach & pool

Download their EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Safer Sunscreens for more tips!

Our Favorite Natural Summer Essentials for The Whole Family

Having a naturally safe and healthy summer is very important to us,  so we have researched and tested  products to provide you with the best shopping choices for your family and your home.   Here are some of our favorite summertime products to ensure your summer is natural, safe and healthy. Be safe and enjoy your summer!

#1 Summer Must Have: Sun Protection Products from Shady Day

Shady Day Wipes is one of our all time favorites among our customers.  They have been featured on Oprah’s “Love it” List and Parents Magazine have called Shady Day their favorite sunscreen for the summer.

This product was created by 2 moms who wanted to provide a product that combine mess free application solutions, with all natural, high quality ingredients.  We encourage you to check out their entire line of products but the award winning Daily Sun Protection Wipes are a customer favorite!

#2 Summer Must Have: Herbal Bug Balm

This bug repellent is a must have for parents concerned about using synthetic chemical compounds on their children’s skin. Created by For My Kids, this Herbal Bug Balm is a safe natural alternative to chemical bug repellents for kids and the whole family!

The Herbal Bug Balm uses pure organic catnip essential oil to keep bugs at bay. AND it is chemical free! Ingredients: organic coconut oil, organic soybean oil, candelilla wax, lemongrass oil, organic tamanu oil, Vitamin E oil, organic lemon balm, organic rosemary, organic geranium oil, organic catnip oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil.

#3 Summer Must Have: Piggy Paint “Flower Power” Kid-Friendly Nail Polish Gift Set

Piggy Paint is a customer favorite for a reason. Girls of all ages can have fun decorating their fingers and toes with these vibrant, natural & non toxic polishes.   It’s as natural as mud in the sense that every ingredient is biodegradable with no residues left behind to harm the environment.  This product was also created by a Mom so she could provide safe, non-toxic pedicures for her young daughter’s “piggies”.    And make sure you check out the Piggy Paint “Little Miss Firecracker” Kid-Friendly Nail Polish Gift Set for the 4th!

#4 Summer Must Have: Green Toys Recycled Indoor Gardening Kit

This 9-Piece Indoor Gardening Kit is a great way to introduce your young ones to gardening and growing their own food. Everything you need is included, and of course, it is 100 % recycled.  Green Toys’ line of classic toys uses recycled plastic milk containers to make safe, eco-friendly children’s toys that do not contain phthalates or Bispenol-A (BPA), and meet FDA food contact standards.

#5 Summer Must Have: Klean Kanteen 12oz Brushed Stainless Classic Bottle + Kid Kanteen Sippy

This is a healthy and eco-friendly alternative to plastic water bottles-  perfect to take along  for the pool, summer vacations and camp. Klean Kanteen products help to keep your kids well hydrated while on-the-go.  The  12oz Kid Kanteen Sippy is designed like a basic bottle, add an adapter cap and Avent non-spill, easy-sip spout.  All bottles and caps are BPA-free .

Simple Summer Vegan Dinner Party

I had some friends in town this past weekend. On Saturday we tooled around the Farmer’s Market and visited a couple of local shops and art galleries. The afternoon was spent cooling off in my pool; later enjoying the early evening breeze and manatee-watching off my dock on the Indian River.

We had picked up some veggies at the Farmer’s Market that morning so as night fell we broke open a bottle of wine and the four of us quickly put together a yummy light summer meal before we settled in to watch a soppy chick flick & eat watermelon, the end to a perfect day! All ingredients are ORGANIC, of course!

Veggie Salad with Peanut Sauce

1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 ears corn on the cob, corn cut off the cob
1 red bell pepper, chopped
DRESSING
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
Salt & red pepper flakes to taste

Place the broccoli, corn & bell pepper in a mixing bowl. Put the remaining ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Mix thoroughly with the vegetables. Serves 4.

Sweet & Sour Vegetable Stir Fry with Almonds
     (adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cuisine by Rose Elliot-1988)

1/2 cup sesame oil
1 cup slivered almonds
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 pound shitake mushrooms, chopped
SAUCE
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
2 tablespoons agave nectar

This savory mixture of sweet & sour flavors cooks fast so if you plan to serve it over brown rice (which is oh-so-yummy), be sure to start the rice early enough to be ready when you are! This dish is also good served cold.

Put the ingredients for the sweet & sour sauce in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the sesame oil on medium in a deep fry pan or wok. Add the almonds & stir fry for 2 minutes. Turn the heat to high and add the vegetables. Stir fry for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Turn the heat off, stir in the sauce and cover the pan for 2 minutes to heat through. Serves 4.

Grow Your Own Organic Vegetables

Summer is here and that means lots of sun and hot weather; but it also means delicious locally grown vegetables are in season. 

My sister and I have fond memories of enjoying delicious tomatoes, zucchini, squash, peppers, herbs and fruit grown right in the gardens of neighbors and nearby relatives.  Everyone is talking about going green and eating organic; even the Obamas have planted an organic garden on the White House lawn! 

Growing your own vegetables may not be as difficult as you think.  There are so many reasons to grow your own vegetables- they taste better, it is good for the environment, the veggies are healthier and lack the chemicals that are commonly found in grocery store produce. 

You don’t need a lot of money or land to have a bountiful garden to produce organic vegetables for you to enjoy and share with friends.  It takes patience, time and care to become an organic gardener.  Here are some resources that offer lots of help for us beginners:

Scott Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening magazine shows how to plant and nurture an organic vegetable garden in this helpful video.

 

 I also recommend visiting OrganicGardening.com to learn techniques and ideas on how you can grow your very own organic garden.  They have an excellent article for beginners appropriately titled: The Beginner’s Guide to Organic Gardening.

Are you a gardener with tips and ideas to share?  We would love to hear from you!