Congratulations, Danzel!

Danzel won the DermaE Clear Skin Sweepstakes! Check back on Monday to enter for your chance to win our next fabulous giveaway! Now, slather on some sunscreen and enjoy the weather!

Zap 'Em!

Morning time means crawling out of bed, climbing down the stairs of my loft bed, and trudging off to my bathroom to face the horror of what will be reflected in the mirror. Most days are usually filled with bad hair, greasy skin, and the occasional smudge of leftover eye makeup. However, one morning, I discovered an unfriendly looking something on my forehead that curiously resembled a unicorn’s horn. But upon a closer and more alert inspection, I realized it was something much worse! Trying to calm myself, I quickly thought of my options. The first, rummage around in my kitchen and find a suitable paper bag to cut out a few eye holes and shove over my head. And my other option, fight back!

Unsightly bumps and other unmentionables can be a great wake up call to better skin care. Even those of us with inherently flawless skin can encounter a few speed bumps that serve as reminders to always give our skin some much deserved TLC. After countless horrifying discoveries in my mirror, I have found a few great products to fight back against uncooperative skin!


“Burt’s Bees”, one of my personal favorites, offers a fantastic variety of products specifically directed to ward off acne. The company’s Acne Solutions “Daily Moisturizing Lotion” and “Spot Treatment” both sit side-by-side in my cupboard. “Naturalia”, an Australian-based company, provides a facial wash and cream that I’ve found to be quite helpful in zapping those annoying spots! But my “big guns” consist of two especially helpful products: “Home Health’s Blemish Treatment Lotion” and “Nature’s Gate Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment”. A bit more hardcore than others, these two products have been a great help to me on some of the hardest to treat acne spots. Because of the salicylic acid content, .5% and 2% respectively, they dig deep into pores while drying up those unwanted spots. Best of all, these products are also Paraben-Free!


For those who also awaken to discover that they might be changing into a mythical creature, these products are sure to help zap those spots (without harming any paper bags)!

Hydrate with Nature's Splash!

If you're like me you're not getting your 8 glasses of water on a daily basis. Even with the temperature going up, up, up.... I still battle with my water intake. So I have discovered "Nature's Splash Drink Packets". They are made by the same company who makes Truvia stevia products. It's comparable to the taste of Crystal Lite without the aspartame and other artificial flavors. It contains REAL fruit juice! Half a drink packet contains 25 calories and is enough to sweeten up 16 ounces of water. However, it does still contain evaporated cane juice, but only 5 grams of sugar compared to a sodas 39 grams for only 12 ounces! It does not taste artificial or have a bitter after taste like some stevia products. It's available in 4 yummy flavors including Passion Fruit Peach Tea, Mango Pineapple, Lemonade and Raspberry Blackberry!

They are even on sale this month! You can find them in our grocery room at the front of aisle 4. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have! Try adding to unsweetened tea or using as a low calorie cocktail mixer!

Vegan Wednesday!

Festive Stuffed Butternut Squash

1/2 cup brown rice

1 small/medium butternut squash

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 celery stalk, chopped

1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos or tamari

3 tsp tahini

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1 slice of bread, cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot, cook the rice. While rice is cooking, wash the outside of the squash thoroughly. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place squash cut side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20-35 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove squash from the oven (do not turn off oven) and place on cooling rack. Let sit until squash cools down enough to handle, then scoop out flesh (reserve squash shells for later) and place in a large bowl. Set aside. In a large saucepan on medium high heat, saute the onions, garlic, celery, and green pepper in the oil until onions are translucent. Add the squash, cooked rice, and remaining ingredients and stirl together well. Stuff the mixture into hollowed out squash shells. Return shells to baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

*Recipe taken from "Vegan A Go-Go" by Sarah Kramer (available at Food For Thought!)

Gluten-free Katz Coupon

Here's a gluten-free coupon for you to print!  Go here and save $2 off one Katz Gluten-Free product!  Yummy!

Weekly Sweepstakes: Clear Skin!

Has the summer heat and humidity taken a toll on your face?  Check out Derma E's Very Clear system!   This unique system is specifically formulated to work together to help resolve blemishes, reduce redness and inflammation, restore skin health and prevent future breakouts.   It has proven to be as effective as over-the-counter products but with fewer side effects!  Wanna see for yourself?  Register to win Derma E's Very Clear Cleanser and their Very Clear Cleansing Scrub!  Leave your name and email in the comment section below.   We will pick one lucky winner on Saturday. 

Please note:  All prizes must be picked up in-person.

The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation

This being my first of many "Green Living, Earth Loving" blog posts, I find it fate that upon reading the Spring 2010 edition of the Purely Delicious: Raw Food Lifestyle Magazine that I came across a short article about The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. This international nonprofit charity is dedicated to giving and promoting life.

Lisa Testa writes in Purely Delicious that the charity "strategically donate orchards where the harvest will best serve the communities. Places such as public schools, city parks, community gardens, low-income neighborhoods, international hunger relief sites and animal sanctuaries".

The organization's website goes on to include that their overall goal is to "collectively plant 18 billion fruit trees for a healthy planet (approximately 3 for every person alive). Fruit trees heal the environment by cleaning the air, improving soil quality, preventing erosion, creating animal habitat, sustaining valuable water sources, and providing healthy nutrition."  It is hard to believe that something as simple as giving life could be so promising of a solution for saving the many lives of those affected by world hunger.

I recently have had some blueberry bushes gifted to me (my grandmother loves me), which made the article just that much more relevant. I think what it really comes down to is that the organization should be an inspiration. Regardless, growing your own plants (whether they be trees, bushes, flowers, fruits, veggies or herbs) is one of the most environmentally friendly hobbies you could pick up. Not to mention, it is more cost effective to grow some, or even all, of your own produce than it is to buy it continuously from the stores every single week.

Don't get me wrong, I want you to come out to Food For Thought and buy lots of produce, as much as your organic-loving-heart desires! (Little secret, I do it all the time -- maybe a little too much). But in this case, I must say: Ignorance isn't bliss, Independence is!

Realistically speaking, however, for most of us, total independence from "Big Businesses" and "The Man" isn't feasible. Most of us Americans are just too darn busy to do a lot of gardening. Sadder yet, I know of people that, although they desire to be 100% green, cannot seem to develop a green thumb, no matter how hard they try. Nonetheless, the idea behind this foundation is superb, and I invite all of you to plant something of your own. By giving a plant life, you are promoting your own life. In the words of Angela Bassett in regards to FTPF, trees will "feed the body, replenish the earth, [and] oxygenate the air we breathe for more years than the hands that plant them will live to see."  And if it is a blueberry bush, just think: You're helping FTPF get closer to that 18 million fruit trees all while not having to worry about buying blueberries... quite possibly ever again!