Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ One of the most beloved crops our great earth has bestowed upon us is the sacred cocoa bean.  We have praised it in desserts and are now enjoying a good nibble or two each day in the name of healthy snacking.  But, in the name of Earth Day Every Day, I think considering the source of our chocolate is becoming ever more important.  Organic, Vegan, and Fair Trade are becoming the medals of honor in the cacao industry, and these companies are gladly stepping forward to accept an award or three …

Mount Crawford, Virginia ~ WhiteWave Foods has issued a voluntary recall of their 11-ounce plastic single serve bottles (the smaller bottle pictured at left) of Silk Soymilk Chocolate Flavor because it may contain undeclared milk protein. The recalled bottles  are printed with a "use by" date of "05 07 08" and a UPC of 2529360028 on the back of each bottle. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk protein run the risk of a health problem or illness if they consume this product. Some reactions have been reported ...

Nikki, Canary Girl ~ Before moving here to the Canaries it never–and I mean NEVER–would have occurred to me to make my own mayonnaise.  I mean, why?  It’s so easy to buy it at the store, and inexpensive to boot.  Why would anyone even bother?  But then I tried my mother in law’s alioli.   It was like a serious revelation, a turning point in my life.  Homemade mayo?  WAY better than store bought.  Add garlic?  Even *better* than WAY better than store bought.  It only takes about 2 minutes start to finish, too.  You’ll need a food processor or blender with an opening at the top to pour in the oil, but it really is one of the easiest things in the world to make. So that [will be] recipe number one of this post.  Keep reading for a super easy spring/summer sandwich recipe [too] …

Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ Earth Day celebrations abound this week, and when it comes to recipes and prepared food, it is difficult to get closer to the earth than Muesli.  This simple mix of whole grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits, enhanced with just a bit of sugar (if you wish) is loaded with fiber and protein, while still maintaining a vegan status.  The recipe below is from the e-newsletter, Micki's Kitchen Gazette.  It can be altered to use whatever nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you have on hand, but we highly recommend choosing organic whenever possible.  While it is easily a delicious breakfast, Micki claims that this recipe makes a delicious (dairy-free) "ice cream" topping ...

Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ I sacraficed the annual list of New Year’s resolutions long ago, but this year I am very excited about restarting the tradition. Only this time, January 1 isn’t my celebratory day, but rather April 22nd, Earth Day.  As I jotted down my goals for a greener earth, I noticed that my Earth Day Resolutions were reading more and more like a “how to save money” list … hmmm, interesting coincidence don’t you think?  Let’s see, simplifying, reusing, recycling … a recipe for a healthier environment and bank account!  Here are a few resolutions that we have already incorporated into our lifestyle and some on my to do list to start today: