SEAL OF APPROVAL

FAIR TRADE: Fair Trade shares October Awareness with breast cancer, perhaps because such practices may help thwart the disease. This stamp indicates that farmers and their workers are adequately compensated and that the food they produce isn’t loaded with potentially harmful synthetic pesticides.

USDA ORGANIC: You are what you eat, and what your food once ate too. USDA Organic ensures that animals are fed only organic feed without growth hormones and absorbed antibiotics purely for therapeutic purposes. Plus, the plant food on your plate doesn’t leave a trail of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, or sewer sludge in your system.

THREE VITAMINS A DAY

Vitamins A, D and E spell prevention.

A: Citrus fruits, green pepper, broccoli, tomatoes, and strawberries

D: Fortified milk, freshwater fish, button mushrooms and 15 minutes a day of direct sunshine, vegetable oils, and wheat germ

E: Fortified cereals

COOKWARE

After making the right food choices, make sure you prepare them in safe equipment.

AVOID: Teflon-coated pans, made with toxic chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), that has been shown to cause cancer and birth defects in animals, but not yet in humans.

USE: Slightly more expensive pots made of enameled cast iron or layered with aluminum and copper between stainless steel.

AVOID: Storing your goodies in containers made with numbers 5 (Polypropylene), 6 (Polysterene aka styrofoam) and 7 (Bisphenol A—BPA) as they contain chemicals that are potentially carcinogenic and may pose a health threat.

USE: A stainless steel thermos or glass bottle for drinking water and microwave leftovers in glass or ceramic bowls and plates.

AVOID: Plastic wraps that contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), especially when microwaving.

USE: Wax paper to preserve your snacks.

Both in the form of sniffles and the brrr weather.

Posting pictures kicking it beachside as your desktop wallpaper is one way to say the shivers ain’t so. But let us recommend a more effective option: setting up an old school tea party, kettle, flowery cups, fragrant bags and all. You get the mugs, we got the goods.

Two Leaves and a Bud

While traveling through Asia and India, Richard Rosenfeld quaffed many a “good cuppa organic tea.” But in North America? Not so much. So he brought them over in the form of biodegradable sachets from Japan, India and Sri Lanka, among other exotic spots. A member of Trust Organic Small Farmers Initiative and determined to support all Fair trade Teas, these beverages warm you up with the constant do-gooding and flavors as soothing as Alpine Berry Herbal.

Tea Beyond

Without soda’s carbonation or the brute strength of coffee, it can be challenging to choose to fill our mugs with quiet, healthful tea. But when a lily or a peony may emerge from the pot? Yeah, we’re sold. That’s what happens when you dunk a Tea Beyond bag into your glass (preferably 4” tall with 2”) tea pot filled with 12-15 oz. of boiling water. The English Marigolds, a European salad topper and Sweet Olive flower, a Chinese bread and ingredient are safe to snack with your drink.

Rishi Tea

The other teas drink Rishi’s dust. After taking home 11 first place prizes at the 2009 World Tea Championship, the company decided to package ten of the golden brews (like cinnamon plumb and summer lemon) into the Award Winning Sample Set ($59.50). Since such quality can get pricey, Rishi is offering 31 days of giveaways via Twitter in support of Fair Trade Month.

SmartKetttle

Breaking away from the need to heat up on a stove was SmartKettle’s ($99.95) first hot move. This water-heater goes on to warm up faster than the microwave can, stay cool enough to sit on any surface and to be grabbed even while its contents are steaming.

Because sometimes a tea is only as sweet as its cookie, we’re dunking Late July’s green-tea infused vanilla bean sandwich cookies and Tea Aura’s all-natural shortbread cookies which are shaped like tiny tea leaves and chock full of antioxidants, in case you don’t get around to filling up your cup.

– Erica Goss

As the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, begins tonight, so will the tradition of dipping apples into healthful honey to symbolize a sweet year. However, it isn’t obligatory to pour the golden stuff from a bear-shaped bottle that often gets jammed with a crusty residue. Instead, try one that seamlessly drops in your dish while also getting the benefits of antioxidants, B vitamins and amino acids that make queen bees proud.

Honibe

Resembling a portable honeycomb, the Honibe Drops do just that, travel with you, (without sticking) and sweeten your tea and coffee with 100% natural honey, once they are torn from their individual packages and dissolved into your cup.

Sold at: Modern Tea With Company (160 East 27th Street), William Poll, Inc. (1051 Lexington Avenue), Nimli Inc.
(252 W. 38th St., Suite 306) and Karen’s on Astor (1 Astor Place), www.honibe.com

Zambezi

A sustainable, organic approach to honey-making isn’t a trendy concept in Zambia, where the Lunda people have been producing the sweet stuff for 500 years from a rare honeybee, that only feeds on flowering trees.

Their products also contain significant antioxidant properties, higher than the normal levels (the National Honey Board gave them a 10, most rank between 3 and 5). Plus, it’s tinged with the woodsy taste of toasted caramel. http://www.zambezihoney.com/

Savannah Bee Company

Because a holiday party should invite honey too, the Savannah Bee Company dressed up their Tupelo Honey Flutes ($20.40) for the occasion. Harvested for two to three weeks before getting corked in the slim and sleek bottle, once poured, the flavors overflow with tastes of melon, crème brulée, butter, and dried pear. KSA Kosher Certified.

www.savannahbee.com/, flutes are 15% off through the end of September.

You’ll spin when it’s dark out. Endure the sting that comes with wearing the perfect pair of heels. And work even when you’re not feeling so hot to save sick days for when you really need it…for the beach. All in all, you’re a pretty high functioning individual. Which is why when it comes to eating, you can easily choose the foods that have the same status.

Some studies show that functional foods (a.k.a. nutraceuticals) possess beneficial properties that go beyond the food label to promote optimal health, longevity and quality of life.

The “F” Word

You may not like the word, but fats make hormones, carry fat-soluble vitamins and provide essential fatty acids (LNA and DHA and EPA) among other critical jobs. So instead of avoiding fats, use:

Omega oil margarine spread on your veggies

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and flax seed oil in dressings

Flax seeds on your yogurts and cottage cheese

SPICE IT UP

Move passed salt when it comes to flavoring your mains. Shake 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon a day to reduce blood sugar. Experiment with circumin, tumeric and curry because they can potentially prevent cataracts, heart disease and cancer. And top your chicken with rosemary, one of the many antioxidant herbs, to protect skin and boost memory.

DRINK UP

Seep your mug with green, black and white teas whose flavanoids provide immune boosting compounds

DETOX WITH VEGGIES

All veggies are good, but broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, shitake mushrooms, tomatoes and winter squash have potential detox enzymes and may prevent certain cancers.

ALL NATURAL SUGAR

With a low Glycemic Index (slower blood sugar uptake), and concentrated real sugar properties (1/3 cup Agave just as sweet as 1 cup sugar), you only need to sprinkle just a little bit of Agave nectar into coffee, tea and brownie mixes to give in to your sweet tooth, without overloading on the calories.

PROTEIN PLUS

You don’t have to go vegan, but choosing non-animal entrees like those containing soy protein, spirulina (algae) protein, beans and legumes are easier to digest and are high in vitamins and amino acids and support immune system.

AN APPLE (AND SOME OTHER FRUITS) A DAY

Sometimes you have to play favorites when it comes to filling your fruit bowl. Apples, cherries, berries, citrus fruit and grapes are loaded with antioxidants, a key protector against certain cancers.

You’ll spin when it’s dark out. Endure the sting that comes with wearing the perfect pair of heels. And work even when you’re not feeling so hot to save sick days for when you really need them…for the beach. All in all, you’re a pretty high functioning individual. Which is why when it comes to eating, you can easily choose the foods that have the same status.

Some studies show that functional foods (a.k.a. nutraceuticals) possess beneficial properties that go beyond the food label to promote optimal health, longevity and quality of life.

The “F” Word

You may not like the word, but fats make hormones, carry fat-soluble vitamins and provide essential fatty acids (LNA and DHA and EPA) among other critical jobs.  So instead of avoiding fats, use:

Omega oil margarine spread on your veggies

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and flax seed oil in dressings

Flax seeds on your yogurts and cottage cheese

SPICE IT UP

Move passed salt when it comes to flavoring your mains. Shake 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon a day to reduce blood sugar. Experiment with circumin, tumeric and curry because they can potentially prevent cataracts, heart disease and cancer. And top your chicken with rosemary, one of the many antioxidant herbs, to protect skin and boost memory.

DRINK UP

Seep your mug with green, black and white teas whose flavanoids provide immune boosting compounds

DETOX WITH VEGGIES

All veggies are good, but broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, shitake mushrooms, tomatoes and winter squash have potential detox enzymes and may  prevent  certain cancers.

ALL NATURAL AGAVE SUGAR

With a low Glycemic Index (slower blood sugar uptake), and concentrated real sugar properties (2/3 cup XAgave is just as sweet as 1 cup sugar), you only need to sprinkle just a little bit of  XAgave nectar into coffee, tea and brownie mixes to give in to your sweet tooth, without overloading on the calories. Xagave also contains inulin–a water soluble prebiotic dietary fiber that promotes a healthy gut.

PROTEIN PLUS

You don’t have to go vegan, but choosing non-animal entrees like those containing soy protein, spirulina (algae) protein, beans and legumes are easier to digest, high in vitamins and amino acids and support immune system.

AN APPLE (AND SOME OTHER FRUITS) A DAY

Sometimes you have to play favorites when it comes to filling your fruit bowl. Apples, cherries, berries, citrus fruit and grapes are loaded with antioxidants, a key protector against certain cancers.

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We knew there had to be another good reason to pair previews with popcorn. Lead researcher Joe Vinson, a chemist at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, recently reported that popcorn leads the snack list with the highest level of antioxidants (cell protectors). Few products beat the stuff at the concession stand, but we found some healthful options that even look good peeking out from your purse.

LesserEvil Kettle Corns

This wholegrain, gluten free snack is a “lesser evil” in more ways than just ingredients. The gourmet popcorn undergoes an eco-friendly process–air-popped and cooked in a huge copper kettle. It’s mildly sweetened with evaporated cane juice and brown rice syrup (no high fructose stuff) and chocolate liqueur. You might even bump into the “Emergency Snacking Team,” a street-crew on a mission to prevent”snacksidents”.

Classic Kettle Calories: 110 per oz, Total fat: 2g, Sat fat: 1 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 14 g, Protein: 1g

Oogies Gourmet Popcorn

We usually like our cheese grilled or topped on our salads, but Oogies’ variety of spiced gourmet cheese popcorn has us considering a new combo. With flavors like Romano and Pesto, Sundried Tomato and Parmesan, and Caprese, you get your Italian flavor fill, without the heavy pasta. Admittedly, the total fat is a bit high (11g per oz.), but it’s made with pure corn oil, no trans fats, no cholesterol, little (if any) sugar added and no garlic bread-basket risk.

White cheddar: Calories: 160 per oz., Total fat: 11 g, Sat fat: 1.5 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 1 g, Protein: 3 g

KuKuRuZa

KuKuRuZa (that’s eastern European for corn) Handcrafted Popcorn is a blend of air-popped white popcorn with a large surface area to retain flavorings and smaller yellow kernels for crunch. The 16 standard flavors, and up to 25 varieties, like Black Raspberry Liquer with Vanilla Cream are sold from mini bag size to 3.5-gallon tins. While we wouldn’t recommend making a meal out of this fresh-from-the-stovetop popcorn, you can find some of the components here that you might include in those meals like fruits, nuts, espresso, lemonade, liqueur, cheddar cheese and artisan chocolate.

Nutrition Facts: Not available at press time.

Dale and Thomas Popcorn

Because the “popcorn chef” at Dale & Thomas is also a Culinary Institute of America graduate, we’re not surprised to hear about such desserty type flavors like Butter Toffee and Walnut Crunch, but we love that we keep finding (a sometimes) chocolate cake alternative in these selections. We’re still partial to the classic Kettle Corn flavor, of original Popcorn Indiana fame, though.

Kettle Corn Calories: 130 per oz., Total fat: 5g, Sat fat: 0g, Sugars: 6 g, Fiber: 3, Protein: 1g

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We’re shamelessly obsessed with vampire culture.

Fine. Twilight culture.

However, we were unnerved to learn that garlic scares the blood-thirsty away. But once we uncovered Black Garlic, a food so tasty that even if it does turn away Robert Pattinson, we’d get over it.

This Haywood, California-based company spends about a month fermenting white Korean garlic bulbs to make these sweet, soft textured and chewy blackened individual cloves. Filled with antioxidants and S-Allycysteine (a natural cancer-preventing compound), your spiced up meal will have subtle, garlic undertones and a tad of tangy flavor without the usual bitter taste. You can use it in your cooking to replace white garlic or just slice up the tiny, delicious morsels into your favorite salad for a surprisingly rich and unique flavor.

http://www.blackgarlic.com, $3.50 for about 1.27-oz. 310-623-7063 or info@blackgarlic.com