So Delicious Coconut Milk Nog and Mint Chocolate

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to try some complimentary So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Milk Nog and Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk. I was pretty interested in trying both drinks, but primarily I was curious about the Nog because I have never been a huge fan of eggnog. I could take it or leave it most holidays, so it has been years since any has passed my lips. I like the flavors of mint and chocolate, though, so I thought it would be a no brainer that I’d like that one. I wound up being pretty surprised with the results.

First - the Coconut Milk Nog

Since it has been so long since I have had real eggnog, I want to say that my review of this dairy free version is probably not going to be an honest comparison with the egg version. With that in mind, here are my thoughts.

First, the drink itself is thick, yet it is creamy and smooth. There is a definite flavor of nutmeg, but it is not too strong as it is balanced out by the sweetness of the drink. For me personally, I do not taste an overwhelming flavor of coconut, which is obviously an ingredient that is not normally present in eggnog, however people who are not used to or do not like coconut may not have their taste buds be so forgiving. I love coconut myself, so it’s not a problem and again, I don’t taste it very much.

The Verdict: Overall, I have to say that I like this! It is really surprising to me since I don’t remember liking eggnog, but I would happily drink some again.

Here’s the Skinny:

• 90 calories per serving
• Only 3 grams of fat per serving
• Made with organic coconuts (although this isn’t an organic drink)
• Vegan
• Gluten-Free
• Soy-Free

Now the Mint Chocolate!

The Mint Chocolate is not thick like the Nog was. It is creamy and smooth, though, and it is also sweet. It is heavy on the mint, which may be too much for some people. I really like mint, but I have to be honest – it was too strong for me. I still enjoyed it and maybe it was the batch I had, but I think they could have toned the mint down just a tad. Again, I didn’t taste the coconut, but the chocolate and mint flavors are so prominent that I imagine that it would be hard for people to taste the coconut even if they were looking for it.

The Verdict: I liked it, but the mint was overbearing. I would try it again, though, to see if it was just that batch.

The Skinny:

• 50 calories per serving
• Only 2.5 grams of fat per serving
• Made with organic coconuts (although this isn’t an organic drink)
• Vegan
• Gluten-Free
• Soy-Free

Keep in mind that these are seasonal drinks, so they will only be available in your grocery stores for a limited amount of time! Check your natural foods section or where the other refrigerated non-dairy milks are located.

Giveaway

Congrats to Mari and Ashley – the winners of the two So Delicious coupons!

Winners!

So Delicious was also very generous and provided me with a couple of coupons so two of you can try one of these drinks for free!

The stipulation is that you must be in the United States to enter, and the contest is closed will close this coming Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:59pm Pacific time. I will announce the winners the following day. Please only enter once to be fair to the other participants!

Also, very important – these coupons expire on December 31, 2011, so if you win, please make sure you send me your address right away so I can get it out to you!

To enter, tell me your favorite holiday drink or dessert in the comments below.

Good luck!

For more information about these drinks and other So Delicious products visit www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com, like their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.

Eat Vegan on $4 a Day by Ellen Jaffe Jones

With the economy not always thriving like most of us would like, it’s so important to find ways to try and save money. Unfortunately, a lot of people have a misconception that saving money is buying a couple of burgers from a fast food joint every day for lunch rather than making their own meals from scratch. A few years ago I created a new category called Frugal Eats which was meant to help show people that they can save money by making their own food. While I don’t always follow my own advice in the grocery store and the kitchen, I still believe that we can cut corners without sacrificing health and good quality food. Thankfully it appears I’m not the only one who believes this way.

A few weeks ago I was sent a copy of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day, “a game plan for the budget conscious cook” by Ellen Jaffe Jones (The Veg Coach). This slim book is full of advice on how you can approach eating with both your wallet and health in mind.

Be an educated consumer at your grocery store and in your kitchen

The first few sections of the book focus on making you more of an educated consumer. So many of us, myself included at times, go to the grocery store without thinking about how many meals a pound of beans is going to support or how much each serving is going to cost. Her advice is about empowering you so that you know exactly what you’re getting when you shop for food.

One of the things I really like about the first part of the book is that there are several tables full of practical data to help you be informed when you are shopping for recipes. For example, prices tend to fluctuate quite a bit, but the thing that will always remain the same is how many cups of cooks beans or grains came from x-amount of dry beans and grains. There are a couple of tables that list out many varieties of both. There is also a table where you can enter in your own price comparisons between stores (i.e. if you were to price out the cost of dry split peas).

Now you know how much each serving costs

Most of the book, though, are recipes from breakfasts to salads to desserts. I had planned on making at least one or two of her recipes, but unfortunately I didn’t have chance, so I can’t tell you how they taste. But what I can say is that I like how each recipe shows how much each serving costs. Some servings cost more than others – for example, the Cabbage Wraps on page 96 cost $2.50 per serving (the recipe gives two servings), while the Rice and Beans, Rice and Beans recipe cost $0.25 per serving (this recipe yields 10 servings). It also seems that some recipes are more suited to a smaller household of one or two people (several recipes have one serving), but you can always do the math and adjust to how many people you’re feeding.

One thing to keep in mind when you are looking at recipes is that they are all priced based on in-season, and likely conventional, produce prices. Not everyone buys things locally or in season, and not everyone can afford organic, so the price may fluctuate for you depending on your location and how you eat throughout the year.

Overall, I would say that this book is a good investment for someone who is trying to learn how to feed their family for less, but still provide healthy food. The information contained all throughout is easy to understand, and while it may be challenging or time-consuming at first to price out meals I think that the point is to get you to a place where you understand roughly how much each dish or meal costs. If you have ever counted calories, it’s a pretty similar process in my opinion – after a while you just automatically know how many calories a banana and a couple tablespoons of peanut butter you’re going to be getting. With this, it’s just a matter of time before you’re saving money automatically.

Visit www.vegcoach.com to learn more, like the book on Facebook, and purchase it online.

Giveaway!

Two – yes two – lucky people are going to get their very own copies of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day by Ellen Jaffe Jones! Here’s what you need to know:

The contest has ended will run until midnight (12:00am) on Monday, October 3, 2011, and it is only open to those of you that live in the United States and Canada. The winners will be selected via a random number generator and announced the following day in this post. I will email you if you’ve won.

To enter, answer the following: How do you try to save money when it comes to food?

Here are the winners, selected at random via Random.org. Check your inboxes for an email from me!

Giveaway winners! Congrats e and Jill!

Be sure to read everyone’s comments for some great advice on how you can save even more money in the kitchen!

Vida Vegan Con 2011

Ever since I started going to blogging conferences, I have come to realize that it isn’t exactly easy to express the complexity of the experience to you, my readers. Part of the issue is that I kind of feel like this is one of those let-me-invite-you-over-to-view-my-family-vacation-slideshow where it may not be nearly as interesting to you as it is to me. That said, I think that I’d be remiss in not giving you some highlights, as well as my thoughts, on the very first Vida Vegan Con, a conference for vegan bloggers. So let me share with you what I experienced this past weekend in Portland, surrounded by a bunch of vegans and vegetarians.

It meant different things to different people.

What I found so fascinating from the start, and perhaps even before I went, is that this wasn’t exclusively a conference for food bloggers. For many, this was a chance to learn more about how to improve their activism efforts in the fight for animal rights, but for people like me it was a chance to learn some new things about vegan cooking, baking and diet. Of course, I think all of us wanted to network, and network we did.

I was very excited to finally meet Susan Voisin of FatFree Vegan Kitchen, who is as kind and gracious in person as she is on her blog. I also met others like Marika Collins from Madcap Cupcake, who is sweet and humble, and Elaine Vigneault of Vegan Soapbox, who is passionate about the vegan lifestyle and lives her spoken ethics. I had a chance to converse with Allysia from Happy Vegan, who is probably one of the friendliest and happiest people I’ve met in a while. I chatted with Kate Echle of Le Chou Sauvage, a photographer who takes some pretty amazing photos with any photographic device she’s holding. And so many others, full of creativity, fun, kindness and compassion.

Vegan meringue is totally possible (and that means macarons are, too).

I attended three different cooking demos just a few MAX stops away at Whole Foods: one on chocolate, presented by Fran Costigan, another on Indian-inspired food by Kelly Peloza and Joni Marie Newman, and finally Hannah Kaminski‘s amazing meringue.

I learned some interesting things like when making chocolate ganache, the color and texture of the chocolate can be different just because of what non-dairy milk you use and that olive oil has a place in truffles. I discovered that the technique you use to measure flour, as well as the measuring instruments, really do matter and can make a recipe vary greatly. I found out that vegan meringue is quite possible, and that the possibilities for meringue are endless.

Food allergies are really serious.

When I went to my first food blogging conference last year, I was made aware of how important it is to make sure that gluten-free diets are respected. Celiac disease is not something to be toyed with, and I have made an effort to categorize which recipes on my blog are gluten-free. But I haven’t really made an effort when it comes to other food allergies. As someone who is probably more sensitive to certain foods rather than allergic (i.e. dairy and some fruits), you’d think that I would make an effort to recognize others, but I haven’t.

I learned that if someone is allergic to tree nuts, that includes coconut. This isn’t something I really knew before – but I am glad I know now. I also was reminded that it is important to try and accommodate people who do have food allergies if you have a party or potluck. It makes them feel welcome and like you really do care, and that they could safely dine with you again.

As a result, I plan on adding at least two new categories that will include dishes that do not contain nuts or soy, or that can have those items substituted. I already have those kinds of recipes on here, but have never labeled them as such – this is my opportunity.

My thoughts.

Overall, I am really glad that I went. When I first learned about the conference last year I was so excited that I would have a chance to meet people who I have considered to be my mentors in the vegan diet. While I no longer eat a 100% vegan diet, I still have immense respect and appreciation for these people, and I still refer to their websites for recipes and inspiration. After all, I am most comfortable and at ease when I am making vegan foods. I also was grateful to finally go to a conference where I didn’t have to worry about there being any meat in anything. Some of these other conferences I have been to have been more challenging food-wise (and I was actually hungry most of the time I went to one in particular – I won’t mention which one), so it was a great relief to know everything would be vegan.

But I will admit that I felt out of place at Vida Vegan Con. I did not come to the vegan diet because I am concerned about animal rights – I came to it because I had physical pain that impacted my life in really negative ways, so I found myself not identifying with the experience of most of the people I did encounter. Before I say anything else, I want to be clear that I met people with a wide variety of experience and perspective – some would consider themselves activists, yet others choose to live their love of animals in their own personal life without putting their beliefs on others, and still others were more like me who came to it for health reasons. “Vegan” was expressed in very diverse ways at this conference.

I sat in on a talk by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, a fairly well-known author and speaker in the vegan world. It was incredible, and I was very impressed by her – but I sat there feeling like it felt oddly familiar, oddly evangelical. It felt more like I was sitting in church, not like I was at a conference for bloggers. I will share that I am not a religious person, but I did grow up in a religion where I heard similar talks, sermons, speeches, and advice. Replace “vegan” with any sort of religious word that pops into your head, and you’ve got a sermon on how to not do this or be that.

I want to say, though, that I understand the passion of vegans who are adamant about animal rights, even if I do not identify with their philosophy. I, myself, am extremely passionate about how the food industry is taking advantage of everyone, how GMO issues affect the health of people and ultimately the planet, and ways that we can improve our food system like using permaculture methods. I would love to convince people to make better choices when they go to the grocery store, or when they go out to eat or plan on planting a garden.

Ultimately, I think that the vegans who are outspoken about the plight of animals and I are on the same page, if not a few paragraphs apart. We can all agree that our food system is corrupt, that animals are caught up in the greed of big corporations, and that waste is rampant. These particular vegans fill a very important role by honing in on the horrors of meat, dairy, egg and fish production. I think, too, that people like me also fill a very important role by focusing on the horrors of plant agriculture. And there are still others who focus on the safety of water, air quality and oil issues. It is through each of our passions that I hope we can all come together to create a world that is safer for everyone, where food is not wasted, and where we can trust that we are doing the best for our health.

Will I go to the next one? I honestly don’t know. I am grateful I went, and I am so glad I met the people I did. I made some friends that I hope to keep, and I will probably be talking about this conference for a while. If I go again, I hope to dig a little deeper into some of the issues I do care about – or at least see if some other vegan desserts and dishes are possible through the imagination and efforts of the chefs who work to make the vegan diet a delicious one.

A New Look for Novel Eats

You know how you feel sometimes when you look at your house and you think to yourself, “I’ve gotta rearrange or buy new furniture?” Well, that’s exactly how I’ve been feeling for the last several months about Novel Eats. It’s been almost exactly a couple of years since I last changed the look, and I loved it for a really long time. The design really suited me. But then I started to notice that there were things that weren’t working quite so well that I couldn’t fix (you may have noticed, too), and then I started feeling like the design wasn’t exactly meeting my needs any longer as a blogger, and honestly, as a foodie.

So I finally made the plunge and for the last several weeks I’ve been re-imagining what I wanted out of this blog and have been working on getting these ideas implemented. There are still a few touches of paint I need to add, but overall this blog is ready to rock. Let me point out a few changes.

New Logo

One of the first things you’ll notice is that I am using a new logo.

New Novel Eats Logo

As much as I loved the old logo, it also didn’t really work for me any longer. I have long wanted to break out of the old mold that I set for myself when I first started blogging in 2007. The reality is that things change, and over the last four years I have most certainly changed my views on what it means to me to be a food blogger.

By changing something as simple as the logo and color scheme, I am allowing myself to change what I expect from both myself and Novel Eats.

First of all, you can probably tell that the new logo is more playful – I want to have more fun with my writing and posts on this blog. I am a pretty silly person in real life, and I want to be able to express a little bit of that silliness sometimes.

Secondly, you’ve noticed that I’ve moved away from using blue and have instead chosen a reddish color (I like to call it pomegranate). The reason why I chose pomegranate is because I want to express my passion about food more on here. I want you to not only enjoy recipe posts from me, but I want you to understand how much I deeply care about food.

Introducing Food Choices

Which brings me to a very important new addition to Novel Eats: Food Choices. (Note that as of this writing, it’s not set up exactly as it will be, but it will be soon!)

I have introduced a lot of categories in the past, but this one is probably the one that means the most to me of any of them. Long time readers and a few fellow food bloggers will know that I am deeply concerned about our food industry. I am disgusted by the greed of Big Agriculture and it pains me when I hear about the repercussions of that greed (birth defects, cancer, farmers losing jobs – or worse – their farms, and on and on). We have many food choices that we make on a daily basis, and because of our consumer status we have a responsibility to try and influence the system that feeds us.

So what does this mean? Well, this new section is going to be focused primarily on advocacy and what you can do to make better food choices. Because this is fairly new for me, I’ll probably be fine-tuning this section a bit, but I hope that what you will encounter will be both informative and motivating. I also hope to get some good guest posters so that my voice isn’t the only one you’ll be hearing.

RSS Feeds

I know – you come here primarily for recipes, right? Well, if you don’t want to read about food advocacy you don’t have to. Here are three feeds that I am now offering (you can find them on every page in the footer):

• All Posts – If you want to read everything that gets posted here, you can subscribe to the default feed. If you are already subscribed, this is the feed that you currently access.
• Recipe Posts – I have created a brand new feed that will only send out recipe-related posts. I’m still populating this one, but you can subscribe to this now if you’re only interested in recipes.
• Food Choices – While you can access a feed for any category, I am promoting this one in case you want to subscribe only to advocacy-related posts.

This and That

And, of course, there are a few other changes that you’ll probably notice. Things have been moved around, hopefully looking a little more zen-like and less cluttered. But as with all redesigns and furniture rearranging, I’ll probably be making even more changes over the next few days as I notice things that need to be fixed or updated.

I hope you like the new look, and of course, your feedback is greatly welcome. Notice anything missing? Drop me a line at ‘samantha at noveleats dot com’.

xoxo

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and So Delicious®.

Coconut milk is so delicious!

Disclaimer – I had the opportunity to review So Delicious® Coconut Milk, and I am being compensated for this review. I do genuinely enjoy this product, however, so I’m being honest in my review below.

I don’t often express my love for specific food products or brands on here, but after choosing to adopt a vegan diet several years ago, I was really missing a lot of dairy products. I was first introduced to So Delicious via their ice cream line, and I was hooked. I remember one sweltering summer in New York when we lost nearly all of our power – we barricaded ourselves in our bedroom with two things: a barely functioning air conditioner and So Delicious ice cream – exactly what one needs on a miserably hot day like that one.

I recently had the opportunity to try their coconut milk. I have never been much of a milk drinker, but I admit that this stuff can probably convince me otherwise every now and again. I purchased their Original (you can also find Vanilla and Unsweetened versions), and it turned out to be really creamy and decadent. The flavor is mild, so if you’re not a fan of coconut milk, it doesn’t taste strongly of it – I personally love coconut milk, but this is a bit different because there are additional ingredients. I also really appreciate that there isn’t a dissatisfying aftertaste like dairy milk often leaves.

But really there are two reasons why I love this stuff and would buy it again:

• First, it’s not soy. So Delicious does sell soy products, however I was really pleased when I saw they were branching out and choosing to offer coconut-based products. I have consumed a crazy amount of soy in my life-time (reminder: I’m a lifelong vegetarian), and so when I can I try to buy coconut products over soy ones when I have the choice. (My gluten-free readers will also appreciate that this is a product they can consume without worry.)
• Second, it’s organic. There’s a lot of debate over the benefits of organic foods – but honestly, at the end of the day, I really want to put as few chemical as possible into my body. When I can, I reach for organic and I’m glad that they’ve made this product fall into that category.

Pouring myself a nice cold glass of coconut milk!

So how can you use So Delicious Coconut Milk? Challenge yourself to trying it for a week, and I’ve got seven ways you can experiment with it.

1. Indulge a little and just drink it. A glass (one cup) is only 80 calories. Not bad at all if you’re watching your food and beverage intake.
2. Make a smoothie. Now that it’s starting to warm up again, toss some frozen bananas and berries into a blender, pour some So Delicious Coconut Milk on top, then blend, and you’ve got yourself a power drink. Of course, there’s also my favorite shake: frozen bananas, a tablespoon (or two) of peanut butter and So Delicious Coconut Milk.
3. Orange Scones - I’ve not made these with coconut milk before, but I bet this would be the perfect time. Toss some grated coconut in there, too, and you’ve got scones from heaven.
4. Coconut Squash Soup - This is the perfect soup to use So Delicious Coconut Milk in – the only thing I would say is to try to use the Unsweetened or Original, not the Vanilla. For obvious reasons, I hope!
5. Vegan Hot Chocolate – Holy cow – talk about decadent. Thick hot chocolate made with creamy, rich coconut milk. Perfection.
6. Mexican Cornbread – This cornbread recipe takes a good amount of vegan milk, and the coconut milk would balance well with the other savory and salty flavors.
7. Cinnamon or Chocolate Rolls – Pretty much any sweet bread recipe you’re going to try is going to call for (vegan) milk. I’m going to guess that coconut milk is going to work in all of them, and since I’m craving them, might I suggest you try these rolls first?

Visit SoDeliciousDairyFree.com for more information about all of their so delicious products. :)

Giveaway

Update 2/23/2011: Please take a look at the newly added rules below to be sure that you qualify and enter correctly!

Now to the part you’ve been waiting for – the giveaway!

You have a chance to win a $100 VISA card right here on Novel Eats, thanks to So Delicious, and the contest runs from February 22, 2011 to March 20, 2011.

To enter, tell me your favorite way to use coconut or coconut milk.

There are more chances to win so be sure to visit the Exclusive Offers section on BlogHer.

Here are the rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

• Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
• Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
• Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
• For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Visit the Official Rules.

But that’s not all. So Delicious is doing a pretty awesome sweepstakes on their website. Check it out!

So Delicious® 100 Days of Change

Raise a glass to all of life’s delicious possibilities by entering to win our surprise-a-day giveaway called 100 Days of Change.

What is it? A fantastic, surprise-a-day sweepstakes you can enter on Facebook at facebook.com/sodeliciousdairyfree. One change-for-the-better prize each day, FOR 100 DAYS – all ending with the Grand Prize – a 14-day trip for two to Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa (www.kamalaya.com) on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand.

We chose 100 great prizes for you to win to help you change your life for the better. All you have to do is enter. The fun starts Thursday, February 10 and ends Friday, May 20, 2011. Enter daily to increase your chances of winning the Grand Prize trip to the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa.

Entering is simple – just visit the “Giveaway” tab at http://goo.gl/DiTyJ.

Zoe Organics - Extreme Cream

UPDATE 12/21/2010: Congratulations to Sam David! Here are his dreams for 2011:

Sam, if you’ve been a reader for at least a year, you’ll know that we moved a year ago from NYC to Washington state – a dream three years in the making. BEST decision ever. If you guys can do it, I highly recommend the West Coast! :)

I haven’t seen Heather in years, but we were friends in college more than ten years ago (was it really that long ago?!). We were both very different people then, still unsure of where life would take us. After finding each other on Facebook a while ago I saw how she had changed and how confident she seemed to be in the choices she had made. She had married her high school sweetheart, had a couple of gorgeous little boys and was on the verge of launching an organic skincare company.

Zoe Organics officially launched earlier this year, and like so many people, I was excited and curious to see how things would go for her. In just a short amount of time she has created so many products, and is launching new ones all the time. Her hard work is paying off – her products are finding their way onto television shows and into brick and mortar stores, and she’s thinking of expanding from a one-woman show to hiring some staff to help with demand.

I reached out to Heather a few months ago and asked her if she had any products that she felt would appeal to my Novel Eats readers. This, after all is a food blog, so I wanted to share something with you that would be relevant. She told me about a product that she was working on that wasn’t quite ready yet, but recently it launched and she sent me a jar.

All organic!

In general, I’m rather obsessive about washing my hands, but even more so when I’m in the kitchen because I really don’t want to taint any of my food. I wash my hands so much that they are dry year-round, and sometimes in the winter they crack and bleed (I know – probably too much information). I usually carry some big name-brand lotions around with me, but I am increasingly wanting to use more organic and sustainable products.

Extreme Cream is made entirely with organic ingredients, and it is packaged in a glass jar. It’s a thick cream (not lotion) that was developed specifically for very dry skin, as well as skin disorders like eczema. Heather has shared that some of her customers who themselves or their children have eczema are able to find tremendous relief with Extreme Cream.

So thick - perfect for really dry skin!

One of the great things about this cream is that a little bit goes a long way. I was able to completely cover my hands and my elbows with just this little bit of cream! It also took a little while to absorb into my skin, but once it did, my hands, nails and cuticles felt soft.

A little bit goes a long way!

I can also see putting some Extreme Cream on your hands and feet, then covering them with those moisturizing gloves and socks. What a great way to pamper yourself – especially if you’ve spent a few quality hours in the kitchen, washing dishes or cooking. My hands are going to beg for this after washing dishes, I can guarantee it!

I wanted you to meet Heather, too, so she graciously took the time to answer my questions.

Heather with her two boys

Q: Have you always been interested in making your own creams, lotions and balms? How did you decide to start creating them?

A: No, I have always enjoyed cooking and being creative with food, but didn’t become interested in making skincare until I became a mom. My love for beauty and wellness runs deep, however, and I have always wanted to open a day spa with its own product lines. I was originally planning to hire a third party to develop my formulas with me, but once I really got into the process, I fell in love with it and became a sponge for the knowledge that led me to creating my own product lines.

Q: Zoe Organics launched only a few months ago, yet you have so many products already! How do you come up with product ideas, and how long does it normally take to create a packaged product from just a simple idea?

A: I really delved into creating skin and body care products at the beginning of 2008. It took about a year to develop the baby care line. Our official launch date was May 21, 2010.

All of the products have been inspired by life experiences; seeing a need for a product and coming up with a solution. The baby line was easy for me because I created the line for my own kids. The pregnancy line was created from my experiences working as a doula and my own three pregnancies.

There are so many elements to getting a product just right; ingredients, textures, scents, choosing the right container, designing the label…

Pam Golafshar is an exceptional designer and has been working with me since conception to create designs that really reflect the brand. She is also a mother and pregnant and was actively testing these lines.

Q: All of your products are geared towards mothers (and parents of young children). What products would you recommend for people who may not have children or who may just want to pamper themselves?

A: My vision for Zoe Organics is to create lines that meet the needs of the entire life cycle. After all, Zoe means “life”. The stages of life that are most relevant to me right now are childhood and pregnancy. My husband has been prodding me to get started on the men’s line next…it is only a matter of time!

Truthfully, I use all of the products in the baby line on myself! These products were created for delicate, sensitive skin (and noses), but they are very effective for adult skin too! The most popular among the adults is the Baby Balm (moms love to stick this in their purses to use as lip balm or cuticle conditioner).

The products in the pregnancy line were created for the specific needs of pregnancy and new moms. I think we will find a lot of people enjoying the Refresh Lip Balm.

The Extreme Cream is really one of those products that works for everybody (and the name leaves it open for everyone).

Q: How did you come up with Extreme Cream?

A: I have heard from so many moms who have kids with eczema and are so discouraged because they have tried “everything” and nothing seems to work except for steroids (which is a short-term, undesirable solution for most). I began looking at the creams they were being told to try by their pediatricians and dermatologists and was shocked to find these creams the equivalent of junk food! I knew from the research I had done and the testimonials I was receiving about products like our Baby Balm clearing up eczema, that I needed to create something specifically for issues like eczema, psoriasis, or just very dry skin.

What I love about the Extreme Cream is that it is made with 100% natural and certified organic ingredients. That’s it. You can feel the protective barrier the Extreme Cream creates on your skin. It is loaded with vitamins and has no essential oils that may irritate sensitive noses.

Unlike a lotion, there is no water in the product, requiring a preservative and emulsifier. Only a little bit of Extreme Cream is needed, whereas a lotion must be slathered on to coat the skin.

Q: Do you make everything yourself or do you have staff?

A: Right now, the creation and production of our products is all done by me. We are currently planning our next steps; which include a larger facility and staff.

Q: You recently shared on your blog that you are expecting your third baby – how does being a mother influence the products you come up with or the ingredients that you choose to use?

A: As I mentioned earlier, being a mother and my passion for pregnancy, child birth and motherhood have absolutely inspired the products in these two lines.

I am REALLY excited to be launching the pregnancy line at the time of my third pregnancy. I think there is something really special about getting to share my own experiences and the experiences of the women using these products. I think the connection I have to these products is one of the things that makes Zoe Organics unique.

Q: Many of my readers are vegan, and are concerned about animal testing or non-vegan ingredients. Can you share how you test your products, as well as how many of your products are vegan?

A: We test our products on ourselves…hahaha. Throughout the development of the lines, all of our products were first tested by my own family, then friends and then volunteers from our community. The beauty of using natural ingredients is they are safe. Most of the ingredients we use are familiar and could be found in your kitchen. We aren’t using chemicals.

The only animal product we use is organic beeswax; which can be found in our balms. (Baby Balm, Diaper Balm, Lip Balm and Nipple Balm).

The Extreme Cream is vegan.

Q: Like so many people, you’ve experienced a lot of change over the last few years, but you seem to have handled it with a lot of grace and courage. It’s also been exciting to watch you launch Zoe Organics, which has clearly been a tremendous amount of work – although it seems like it has been very satisfying for you. For people who might be overwhelmed with change right now, do you have any words of wisdom to share with them? Any advice for 2011?

A: Wow. I have been on a personal journey of simplifying and returning to my roots to determine what is really important to me in my life. I have by no means figured it all out, but I have found that making sacrifies to do what I love and getting in touch with my creativity has made me a happier person.

Losing Suzanne a few years ago also really put into perspective how precious life is. You always hear the saying “each day is a gift” and it really IS! Sometimes is just takes really difficult circumstances, like losing a loved one, or a job or home to bring things into perspective.

My advice would be to grasp change as a chance to move to something better. Think of it as an opportunity for a new beginning that otherwise may have led to complacency.

For more information, visit www.zoe-organics.com, like Zoe Organics on Facebook and follow Zoe Organics on Twitter.

Now for the Giveaway!

Thanks to Heather and Zoe Organics, one of you will be lucky enough to experience Extreme Cream for yourself! You will receive one 4-oz. jar worth $28. Can’t wait to try it and want to buy your own? You can purchase Extreme Cream here.

Official Rules!

To enter, answer the following question in ONE comment (to be fair to other contestants only enter once):

What are your dreams for 2011? (Your winning does not rely on your answer!)

Be sure to include your email address in the email address line so I can reach you if you are the winner.

Note: This contest is valid only for people who live in the United States.

The contest will close this Monday, December 20, 2010 at 11:59pm PT and the winner will be chosen at random, then announced the following day.

Good luck!

The contest is closed!

Eating Local by Janet Fletcher

UPDATE 11/22/10: We have a winner! By random drawing (via www.random.org) Louise has won this beautiful cookbook! Congratulations, and I’ve sent you an email!

Back in August I attended Foodista’s International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC) in Seattle. My first night there I, along with all of the other attendees, got an awesome bag full of food-related swag. There were all sorts of little gadgets and spices, but the real gem was this beautiful cookbook called Eating Local: The Cookbook Inspired by America’s Farmers by Janet Fletcher.

I didn’t get to look at it until I was on the bus back home that first night, and I remember being mesmerized by all the gorgeous photographs and delicious recipes. But what I loved most about the book is how it is centered around community supported agriculture (CSA).

Beautiful photographs!

For my long time readers and friends, you’ll know that I have a soft spot in my heart and soul for local farms. When we lived in New York we were members of a CSA for about three years where we got some amazing fruits and vegetables from a Long Island farm called Green Thumb Farm. That’s actually how I first fell in love with supporting local agriculture and where farmers became my personal heroes (they still are).

A cookbook like this back then would have been just what I would have needed, because it’s divided up not by appetizers and main dishes, but rather by locally grown and produced ingredients. Each ingredient appears in alphabetical order in the three primary sections of the book: Vegetables; Fruits; and finally, Poultry, Meat, and Eggs. Yes, it’s true – this is not a vegan cookbook. But remember that most recipes can be veganized (psst…most of the recipes found on Novel Eats are veganized versions of vegetarian and omnivorous recipes!).

Makes you want to buy a pomegrante, doesn't it?

There are really some amazing recipes, beautifully named and with some lovely accompanying photos. Grilled Corn with Chipotle Butter and Cilantro (just substitute vegan butter – and wow, makes me want summer to be here again soon!), Focaccia with Leeks and Cherry Tomatoes, Roast Acorn Squash with Maple Glaze, Pear Sorbet with Champagne, and Hot Spiced Apple Cider to name a few.

Lots of recipes for your creativity!

I want to pass along this beautiful cookbook to you! Even though many of us are well past the harvest of summer, there are still a few recipes in here for fall and winter fruits and vegetables, so I hope that the winner will be able to take advantage of a few seasonal recipes before next year.

Official Rules!

To enter, answer the following question in ONE comment (to be fair to other contestants only enter once): What are you thankful for this holiday season? (Your winning does not rely on your answer!)

Be sure to include your email address in the email address line so I can reach you if you are the winner.

Note: This contest is valid only for people who live in the United States due to shipping costs.

The contest will close this Sunday, November 21, 2010 at 11:59pm PT and the winner will be chosen at random, then announced the following day.

Good luck!

Contest is closed.

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.

A giveaway!

UPDATE 11/11/10: We have a winner! By random drawing (via www.random.org) Ashleigh is now going to be the proud owner of the Paula Deen pie pan and two pie vents. Congratulations Ashleigh!

It has been ages since I have done a giveaway, and I have no excuse except that…well, I have no excuse. But because I’m participating in Vegan MoFo, and because a lot of you are probably gearing up to be baking a plethora of sweet and savory pies, and because I want to tell you how much I love your patronage of my blog, I am now giving away some pie goodies!

Disclaimer: I have not tried these products personally, so I can’t vouch for them, but there are so many positive reviews on both that I have no reservations about giving them away to you! Also, I am giving these away of my own free will – the producers of these products don’t know I’m doing this!

First up is this green Paula Deen 9-Inch Stoneware Pie Baker, a.k.a. pretty pie pan. What’s great is that it is safe for the dishwasher (hooray!), and safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit in your oven.

And I am also giving away these two pie vents. They are supposed to help prevent your pie’s filling from boiling over, and it also helps your bottom crust to bake a little better. I’m so tempted to get these for myself, so whoever wins them tell me how you like them!

Official Rules!

To enter, answer the following question in ONE comment (to be fair to other contestants only enter once): What is your favorite pie you like to have during the holidays? (Your winning does not rely on your answer!)

Be sure to include your email address in the email address line so I can reach you if you are the winner.

Note: This contest is valid only for people who live in the United States due to shipping costs and unavailability of some products to overseas customers.

The contest will close this Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 11:59pm PT and the winner will be chosen at random, then announced the following day.

Good luck!

The contest is closed.

Learn more about Vegan MoFo.

It's been three years!

October 20 quietly came and went here, but that was the day three years ago that I launched what I decided to call Novel Eats. When I first created this blog I had no idea where it would take me or what I would do if it ever became popular. The very idea of my little portion of the web being something people would want to visit seemed both exciting and impossible to me, but these three years later I have a modest little crew of readers (that’s you!) and I am truly grateful for you.

There are always days that I know that Novel Eats could be better, that there could be more blog posts or a clearer theme to some of what I write, but I also know that I have tapped into something wonderful when I have such kind comments gracing each post. Even though I do not respond to everything said by my friends and readers on the interwebs, know that I read every one and that I am hearing you!

Vegan MoFo

Today, November 1, is World Vegan Day – the first day of World Vegan Month. It is also the first day of Vegan MoFo, a.k.a. Vegan Month of Food. This is very cool for a few reasons, but most of all that so many bloggers (more than 500!) are coming together to make the web a tastier place for people interested in eating a more plant-based diet. That’s awesome in my opinion, because I think that vegan food has long been underrated and this is the month to really show off!

Of course, you guessed it – I have also decided to participate! What this means is that you’ll be hearing from me more frequently this month. I know that I typically aim for about one blog post a week, but this challenge has asked that participating bloggers post at least 20 posts this month. That’s a lot more than normal! But hang in there with me, let me know how you enjoy it and I promise to give you a variety of posts that I already have in the idea hopper – and maybe even a giveaway or two.

Still, even though I have some ideas brewing, I’d love to hear from you. Thanksgiving ideas! Fall ideas! Random ideas! Hit me!

International Food Blogger Conference 2010

Like a lot of food bloggers I encountered a week ago, I feel as though I am finally coming back down to earth. If you follow Novel Eats on Facebook or Twitter, you will know that I went to Foodista’s International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC) in Seattle. I had never attended a food blogger conference before, so I was not entirely sure what to expect, but based upon what I had gleaned I would be seeing Morgan Spurlock, drinking a goodly amount of wine, sherry and beer, and potentially networking with some of the best and brightest of the food blogging world.

It was an overwhelming weekend with back to back workshops on things like how to word recipes that actually make sense to the average cook (should I write, “1 cup chopped onion” or “1 medium-sized onion”?), wading through the legal issues of food blogging, and the challenges and joys of writing for those with dietary restrictions. That last one was a session I was particularly looking forward to because of Alexandra Jamieson, a well-known vegan chef and nutritionist who first received national attention through her appearances in Super Size Me, a film documentary about the hazards of regular fast-food consumption. (I actually got to meet her and while I only spoke with her for a brief minute or two, she’s on my good list – sweetest person ever!)

I would be remiss if I did not mention Penny de los Santos, a professional photographer who makes pictures instead of takes pictures, a concept I must say I really love. Her presentation earned her the one and only standing ovation from a moved and teary-eyed crowd, partly from the eloquence of her words, but mostly from her clear passion for her art. (As a small aside, I have to say I am embarrassed that I didn’t know who Penny was before this weekend. I met her briefly the day prior to her presentation and didn’t bat an eye when she said her name, which I think she found to be a little humorous. I also admit that this has happened to me before. Oh Samantha.)

There have been many bloggers like Melissa from Gluten Free For Good, Denise from Wasabi Prime, Mardi from Eat. Live. Travel. Write., Jennifer from The Merry Gourmet, Mindy from A Balanced Kitchen and Anne from Bring To Boil, just to name a few, who have taken the time to write thoughtful and descriptive posts about the weekend. I am not interested in reinventing the wheel, especially since you come to my blog for posts primarily about recipes. But I do want to put down a few thoughts about some key points that really resonated with me.

Morgan Spurlock discussing his thoughts on the food blogging community

Morgan Spurlock, director and star of Super Size Me, spoke at length on Friday evening about how he feels that food bloggers have a unique opportunity to influence the public and the culinary world in positive and long-lasting ways. He believes that Americans are still too consumed with eating on the cheap, which usually means costly health issues sooner or later. He challenged those of us who were there to step away from our computers and really try to make a difference in each of our own communities through in-person events and activities. As someone who finds comfort in the anonymity and security of the computer screen and Internet, it’s hard for me to want to put myself out there, but I do understand his point. He said more than once that we are preaching to the choir through our blogs, because most of the time the people that come to our websites are people who already care and think about the food they put in their bodies.

Some food bloggers at the IFBC 2010

The next day as I was sitting in the Theo Chocolate factory (where the bulk of the conference was held), and I was looking out across the room at the many people that were there, I suddenly had a moment where I realized that we bloggers are reaching a lot of people. There were at least a couple hundred food blogs present, so I quickly did the math. Let’s say that each blogger there reaches on average at least 10,000 people a month (and obviously some reach more and some less) – that’s at least two million people who read or visit this small roomful of foodies’ blogs every month.

When I realized this, I understood more the underlying theme in Morgan’s words: responsibility. Each of us has a responsibility to our readers and to the people we meet on a daily basis to get others to care about food as much as we do. It’s not as though we should become self-righteous and hit people over the head about how important it is to purchase and eat good quality food, but we as bloggers – and yes, you as readers – have a lot of opportunities to impress upon others the value of a good meal. (As I write this I find it ironic that a “value meal” is typically based upon how much money you save rather than the nutritional or community value gained, yet many many people are more concerned with their wallet than with their health.)

I’d love to open this up for discussion because I don’t feel like I have the answers on how best to get people to care about what they eat or to become more invested in eating well (and, in an ideal world, locally). So what do you think? Are there ways that we can get more people to care? Or do you think they already care, but feel like there is some sort of barrier between them and a good meal?

I just want to do a quick shout out to a few companies that I encountered this weekend that I think deserve specific recognition. Many thanks to Rolling Fire – they made an awesome vegan pizza at my request. It tasted amazing and I loved their dough! Wheatless In Seattle, a gluten-free restaurant, worked very hard to accommodate the dietary needs of the gluten-free attendees. I also want to express my appreciation for including vegan dishes! Bambu provided some wonderful and sustainable alternatives to styrofoam and plasticware through their plates and utensils. Readers to Eaters was a constant presence at the IFBC. As someone who started a blog from a love of both food and books, I am completely on board with what they do as a bookstore. Last, but not least, I enjoyed watching Today’s Special (you should go see it – opens nationwide on October 8, 2010!), listening to the filmmaker, and I loved eating the delicious Indian food from Cedars Restaurant while it was playing (their papadum was amazing!). Thank you to all of the vendors and restaurants I did not mention!