My love of all things Pangea began a few months ago. I was browsing the body care section of a Whole Foods when an end aisle display caught my eye. The display was full of these brown bottles, an array of such unique packaging design that I had to stop and look. I'd never heard of Pangea, so I filed the name away in my brain for later research. When I finally looked into the company last week, I was so impressed with them that I got really excited. I'm talking about the kind of excitement you feel when you're playing Oregon Trail, and you go out to hunt, and you shoot a ton of buffalo, and you can't carry it all back ...continue reading
30 Aug | 2006
Monthly Meals: August 2006
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This month I decided to go with what I like to call "Sexy Cheese Pizza". Yes, this little piece of heaven will have you singing its praise after the first bite. I've been developing this recipe for a while, and the fun of it has been changing it up a little each time I do it. Adding your favorite toppings to the pizza before baking will make this recipe your own. PIZZA CRUST 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour 1 tsp honey 1 tsp salt 1 package quick active dry yeast (Note: You will only be using half of the packet, unless you opt to double the recipe.) 1 1/2 tbsp Jungle red palm oil, melted* 1/2 cup warm ...continue reading
30 Aug | 2006
How to Use Red Palm Oil
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Note: here's Part Two on how to use red palm oil. The women are where it's at. It seems like the majority of the cooking-related questions I'm asked have to do with how to use the red palm oil I get from Jungle Products. I use this oil in so many things, so I always have a few recipes handy to help my family and friends wrap their brains around how to include it in their diet. Seriously, it's not a bashful food. This stuff is bright red, and full of intensity. It is a major source of Vitamin A, as well as the full spectrum of Vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols). It has a low melting point, and a very ...continue reading
30 Aug | 2006
Roasted Red Potatoes in Red Palm Oil
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The women are where it's at. It seems like the majority of the cooking-related questions I'm asked have to do with how to use the red palm oil I get from Jungle Products. I use this oil in so many things, so I always have a few recipes handy to help my family and friends wrap their brains around how to include it in their diet. Seriously, it's not a bashful food. This stuff is bright red, and full of intensity. It is a major source of Vitamin A, as well as the full spectrum of Vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols). It has a low melting point, and a very high flash point (over 500º). It's shelf-stable for at ...continue reading
29 Aug | 2006
Method Vs. Ecover: Smackdown!
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If my earlier rant about my disappointment in Method wasn't enough to convince you, I'm comparing it with a great company, Ecover, to help you see the light. You already know why I no longer keep Method's products in my house. But did you ever wonder why Whole Foods doesn't stock them in their stores? I haven't sought an answer from Whole Foods yet, but I do know that the retailer has a list of standards that their vendors must adhere to. Since Method refuses to let me know what their ingredients are, I can't really tell you why it is that Whole Foods won't sell their products. So what's really in it? Baby seals? ...continue reading
29 Aug | 2006
Method: A Total Let-Down
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Remember when I touted Method's fabric softener as being good? Well, I was wrong. Sure, it still works well and smells good. But ever since I posted that entry, the company's failure to disclose their list of ingredients has been gnawing at me. Every other company I have emailed has been cooperative in discussing their ingredients with me. A good example is Pangea Organics: when I emailed them about an ingredient I had questions about they sent me a response that very day, and I was fully satisfied by their answer. So when my email to Method about their lack of an ingredient list on their products or their website, I ...continue reading
25 Aug | 2006
Great Company: Avalon Organics
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If you're reading this site, chances are you've been in a natural foods store recently. So it's likely you've seen some of the Avalon Organics products gracing the shelves. Avalon makes some great products, but what you might not know is how responsible the company is. They're doing a good thing, which they call Consciousness in Cosmetics. The company's dedication to eliminating the use of parabens, petrochemicals, and sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, among other synthetic ingredients, is setting an industry standard we should all be paying attention to. The company's website explains in detail why they've chosen to ...continue reading
25 Aug | 2006
Orange, Carrot, Ginger juice
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Today I made one of the best juices I've had yet. Here's the ingredients: 2–3 oranges, peeled 1 carrot, scrubbed slice of ginger root, to taste Send these through your Champion juicer, and the bright orange concoction will make you a believer! ...continue reading
23 Aug | 2006
Focused Bags: Making Handbags from… Skateboards?
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A Hurricane bag from Focused Bags I was reading my favorite technology site today, Popgadget, when I came across this post about a company called Focused Bags. Based in the UK, you can sell them your old skateboards, even the broken ones, for a few bucks, and then they make a bag out of it. It sounds pretty random, especially since the concept of carrying around a handbag made from heavy wood sounds about as much fun as wrestling with a wet dog in your summer whites. But, once I looked at the different versions, I was pretty taken with the Hurricane bags. You wouldn't necessarily know the handle came from the nose ...continue reading
23 Aug | 2006
REVIEW: Focused Bags
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A Hurricane bag from Focused Bags I was reading my favorite technology site today, Popgadget, when I came across this post about a company called Focused Bags. Based in the UK, you can sell them your old skateboards, even the broken ones, for a few bucks, and then they make a bag out of it. It sounds pretty random, especially since the concept of carrying around a handbag made from heavy wood sounds about as much fun as wrestling with a wet dog in your summer whites. But, once I looked at the different versions, I was pretty taken with the Hurricane bags. You wouldn't necessarily know the handle came from the ...continue reading
21 Aug | 2006
Conventional Confession #3: Fenway Franks
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Photo by Chris Robb, August 2006 And we're back! Our trip to the East Coast was lovely, thank you. We relaxed by the beach with family, and on the last couple of days we stayed in Boston, attending a Red Sox game in the evening. Sadly, the Sox lost. But do you know who really emerged as the winner of the night? The Fenway Franks. Yes, I ate the famous hot dog. Yes, I know it probably contained hormones, nitrates, the whole lot. But you know what? I was at Fenway, and I certainly wasn't going to whip out a salad. That would have had me kicked out of the stadium for life. And you know what else? IT WAS GOOD. There, I ...continue reading
16 Aug | 2006
Tomatoes + Toner = Perfection
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So, summer is nearing its end, fall is approaching... But what about the tomatoes? I love tomatoes, they're one of my favorite things. I love the way they smell, and how they taste when eaten right off the vine. Tomatoes are incredibly versatile, lending themselves to a multitude of dishes and sauces. So you'll have to excuse me if, as the summer is winding down, I mourn a little for the end of the year's tomato season. Here's a way to make the most of tomatoes year-round: Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner. The smell is divine, they've captured the essence of "fresh-plucked tomato right off the vine" in a ...continue reading
16 Aug | 2006
REVIEW: Burt’s Bees Tomato Toner
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So, summer is nearing its end, fall is approaching... But what about the tomatoes? I love tomatoes, they're one of my favorite things. I love the way they smell, and how they taste when eaten right off the vine. Tomatoes are incredibly versatile, lending themselves to a multitude of dishes and sauces. So you'll have to excuse me if, as the summer is winding down, I mourn a little for the end of the year's tomato season. Here's a way to make the most of tomatoes year-round: Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner. The smell is divine, they've captured the essence of "fresh-plucked tomato right off the vine" in a ...continue reading
14 Aug | 2006
BARF-tastic?
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Murray BARFS. Do you? The BARF Diet, which stands for "Bones and Raw Food", is becoming more and more popular among dog owners. I'll admit, we don't feed our dogs an entirely raw diet, as enthusiasts recommend. We feed them kibble that's free of by-products and harmful chemicals, and since one of our dogs has food allergies, we try to stay away from foods that have several different kinds of animal proteins. We add things to their kibble, depending on what their needs are, everything from brown rice to canned pumpkin to organic wet food. Also, we like to give them fresh raw bones we get from the meat department at ...continue reading
14 Aug | 2006
REVIEW: The BARF Diet for Dogs
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Murray BARFS. Do you? The BARF Diet, which stands for "Bones and Raw Food", is becoming more and more popular among dog owners. I'll admit, we don't feed our dogs an entirely raw diet, as enthusiasts recommend. We feed them kibble that's free of by-products and harmful chemicals, and since one of our dogs has food allergies, we try to stay away from foods that have several different kinds of animal proteins. We add things to their kibble, depending on what their needs are, everything from brown rice to canned pumpkin to organic wet food. Also, we like to give them fresh raw bones we get from the meat department ...continue reading
