Vegan Fashion.  What is it, exactly?  The vegan lifestyle is inherently cruelty-free and posits that no animal is exploited in the production of any item, be it food, clothing, accessories, personal care products or furniture.

Compassion for animals is the basis for the ethical choices that vegans make and compassion in fashion is a logical extension. Living the vegan lifestyle is also the environmental choice because excluding animal products is a very effective way to reduce your carbon footprint.

Going vegan has become very trendy and it seems every day another star athlete or well-known celebrity makes the decision to kick animal products from their menu.

There are, however consumer items in all areas of life that exploit animals one way or another and while most begin by choosing the plant-based diet, eventually other areas of lifestyle come under scrutiny.

For clothing to be considered vegan, materials like wool, leather and even silk are not acceptable. Does that mean vegans cannot be fashionable?  Not at all!  Vegan fashion is not an oxymoron. …read more of Eco-Fashion: Look Good, Feel Good, Do Good! here

Cleaning the house can certainly be a chore, but it shouldn’t expose you to health risks and foul the earth.

The issues associated with toxic chemicals found in household cleaning products that line store shelves across America are a concern to health conscious consumers.

A recent Product Report from the Organic Consumer’s Association stated that the chemicals in many cleaners that foam, bleach and disinfect to make our dishes, bathtubs and countertops gleaming and germ-free, also contribute to indoor air pollution.

Fragrances added to many cleaners may cause acute reactions such as respiratory symptoms, allergy and asthma, headaches, sneezing and eye irritation.

Oftentimes common household cleaners contain substances that are poisonous if ingested and/or harmful if inhaled or touched and many are among the most toxic products of any found in the home. …read more of Tea Tree Oil: Effective Alternative to Hazardous Household Cleaners? here

Photo: Joseph A. Garcia

Biscotti are delightful twice-baked biscuits with an oblong shape and a crunchy, satisfying texture. Biscotti (Italian for biscuits) are perfect with coffee or tea and a popular item at coffee bars and bookstore cafes.

Thick batter is shaped into a loaf and baked, cooled, sliced and returned to the oven to “toast.” This produces the characteristic not-too-sweet toasted biscuit consistency.

While traditional biscotti are made with almonds and oftentimes a touch of anise, it is not unusual to find biscotti made with everything from dried fruit and pecans, to macadamia nuts and chocolate chips.

My richly flavorful Double Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and make great “dunkers.” Like all my baked goods, these biscotti are made without any added fat and contain just two grams of fat per cookie. …read more of Double Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti, Luscious, Low Fat and Vegan! here

Chocolate chip cookies are an all-American classic that doesn’t need a special occasion, just a half hour or so and a desire to sweeten up your day.

Who doesn’t love dessert? Offer a plate of chocolate chip cookies and young and old alike will step up to sample with delight.  That is, unless you are one of the 25.8 million adults and children in the United States who have diabetes[1]

The 8.3 percent of the population who have to remain vigilant with regard to their serum glucose level need to drastically limit or avoid sugar altogether.

Perhaps you are among the almost two-thirds of adults in the U.S who are overweight or obese  or the whopping 17 percent of our youth 2 to 19 years of age (12.5 million) who are also obese. …read more of Naturally Sugar-free Chocolate Chippers – Sweet! here

Natural Products Expo West, the largest natural products trade show in the country marked 2012, its thirty-first year with a record attendance of over 60,000 industry professionals.

More than 2,000 companies exhibited products that filled more than one million net square feet at the Anaheim Convention Center in southern California.

Once again Expo West proved to be the place to be for buyers and retailers sourcing the latest and greatest in the natural products marketplace and producers looking to connect with distributors and buyers.

Attendees sampled natural, organic and oh-so-green products from around the world in more than 3,000 booths.  All things natural and organic, non-GMO and planet friendly from vegan, raw and gluten-free foods and baked goods to household products, pet supplies, textiles and skin care filled booth after booth. …read more of Expo West – Doing Business Naturally here