Tag Archives: drinks

A Primer on Europe’s Hippest Non-Dairy Milk

Being lactose-intolerant and having just spent about a month overseas, I noticed a strange trend while frolicking between?European coffee shops and bakeries. Soymilk was a rarity. Almondmilk was practically nonexistent. And let?s not even talk about coconut milk. But you know what was in every?single cafe? Oatmilk.

Oatly is a Swedish-based company that does one thing really well?makes oatmilk. Oatly was?in almost every coffee shop and grocery store that I entered. And you know what? I get it. Oatmilk is delicious. But the benefits of drinking oatmilk extend well beyond taste and texture. Here’s everything you need to know…

It’s super affordable.

Since?store-bought oatmilk is way cheaper to buy than other non-dairy and dairy alternatives (you can buy a lot of organic oats for only a few bucks), it makes sense that it?s even cheaper to make. And it doesn?t require all that pesky soaking that almonds and cashews require. Just put your oats in a blender with some water (and any sweetener you desire), blend and strain. Super fast, super easy and it lasts for about 3 days in the fridge. (When using homemade oatmilk, be cautious about heating it on the stove or baking with it. It has the unique tendency to gel up.)

It’s more sustainable.

Oatmilk also has a significantly lower environmental impact than its more popular American cousin, almondmilk. We all know that nuts are an especially intensive crop and, in these times of Californian drought and the decline of bees, blending them into a milk can seem like a bit of a waste. Oats, on the other hand, are much less water intensive and much easier to grow. And, of course, oatmilk is?way easier on the environment than traditional cow milk, which has gotten environmentally out of hand. In Sweden, Oatly is using?oatmilk as?a way for farmers to transition out of environmentally-intensive, nonsensical livestock farming and start using their land to produce clean foods for human consumption. Switching over to oatmilk is a move in a more sustainable direction.

It’s nutritious.

Oatmilk is a plant-based drink that is rich in soluble fiber, protein and nutrients like manganese, potassium, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin A. It is vegan, dairy-free and can even be raw-friendly if made at home. Plus, oatmilk has a creamy, earthy, neutral flavor that easily compliments?other?flavors, unlike other milks that rather aggressively?stand out (I’m looking at you, coconut milk).

It may not be Celiac or Paleo friendly.

Be aware that oat milk is not necessarily for everyone. It’s not Paleo-friendly, since oats are a grain. Those with Celiac disease may not be able to handle the proteins in oats, even if they are certified gluten-free. And for those of you watching carb consumption, oatmilk is?way denser in carbohydrates than nut milks. So, it’s not perfect for everyone. But if you don’t have any of the above limitations, go ahead and give an oatmilk latte a try.

Oatmilk is becoming increasingly more popular here in the States. Look for it at your local coffee shop or grocery store, or try making some at home. It’s nutritious. It’s delicious. If you’re anything like me, it’s probably going to be your new favorite thing.

Related on Care2:

7 Ways to Finally Start Loving Yourself
Eating More Plants Will Improve Your Mind
6 Ways to Reinvigorate a Long Term Relationship

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Link – 

A Primer on Europe’s Hippest Non-Dairy Milk

Posted in Everyone, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, organic, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Primer on Europe’s Hippest Non-Dairy Milk

The Secret to Enjoying a Greener Cup of Coffee

I once?asked a man which he would rather give up, coffee or alcohol. It was cocktail hour and he generally had two very large, very stiff drinks each?night without fail. But, when confronted with that seemingly impossible decision, he was quick to say, “I can never give up coffee.” A few weeks later, he gave up alcohol for good. Yep, coffee is that powerful.

We love our coffee, but our coffee addiction does not always love the planet. Coffee is generally a pesticide-ridden crop with a disproportionately large carbon footprint. It’s a major source of waste in our society. But it doesn’t have to be. The secret to a cleaner cup of coffee is a greener cup of coffee. Here are 6 ways to green up your favorite beverage of the day:

Use reusable pods.

If you?re a fan of Nespresso or Keurig, you are probably aware that your convenience comes at a high price for the environment. Think of how many of those plastic pods get tossed into the landfills each year. It is one of the most wasteful ways of brewing coffee. Plus, the pods themselves are expensive. Do yourself and the environment a favor, buy a reusable pod and fill it with coffee yourself each morning. It’s cheaper and way less wasteful. Disposable pods are a hugely unnecessary and harmful modern convenience.

(On that note, you can also replace paper filters with affordable and reusable metal ones it you brew drip-style. Reduce waste in any way you can!)

Opt for the Rainforest Alliance certification.

The coffee industry is responsible for a significant amount of rainforest destruction each year. Farmers find wild crops in the rainforest and take down surrounding trees to allow the cherries more sunlight, which hopefully?produces a greater yield. It seems logical from a farmer’s standpoint, but it’s incredibly destructive to our already weakened forest systems. The Rainforest Alliance certification ensures that your beans didn’t come at the cost of precious ecosystem loss. Look for it whenever possible.

Opt for organic, certified or not.

We all know organic crops tend to be cleaner than conventional. That being said, many coffee farmers are unable to afford the expensive organic certification, but have very stringent, clean practices. Learn more about the coffee you buy and see if you can find out what sorts of practices the farmers use (ask your local roaster). I know my local roaster only carries beans that are grown using?organic practices, whether they are certified or not, so I am less concerned about the organic seal. If you don?t have access to?in depth info about where your coffee comes from, then naturally your safest bet is to opt for the organic seal.

Measure your coffee before brewing.

Be sure to brew only what you’ll actually drink. Dumping coffee down the drain day after day is such a waste, especially because coffee requires such intensive effort to make its way to your cup. Measure your beans and water, weigh them if you have to, to be sure that not an ounce gets wasted.

Get to know your local roaster.

Buy coffee from a local roaster and get to know what they look for in their beans and the farmers/co-ops they source from. Not only will you be supporting your local economy, but you can learn a lot more about where your beans came from than you would at the supermarket. Maybe they’ll even give you a private tour of the roastery for expressing interest.

Ditch the to-go coffee.

If you follow my writing, you know I am not a fan of the single-use coffee cup. It’s an environmental disaster, but it also deprives the drinker of a mindful coffee experience. To-go cups encourage a stressful go-go atmosphere. But coffee is such a wonderful social experience, why not take the time to truly indulge rather than grab and go? Take the Swedish concept of fika to heart and sit down, grab a pastry and mindfully enjoy your daily coffee.

Coffee is a special gift. It is painstakingly laborious to grow and harvest, must be shipped great lengths across the globe, must be delicately roasted and expertly brewed, all before it reaches your humble cup. Sure, using a Hario v60 and a filter will give you a cleaner cup in terms of taste, but with a little bit of mindful effort you can make your cup cleaner for the entire planet.

Related on Care2:

6 Hacks to Make Vegan Traveling A Lot Easier
Cutting Out Fruit Won’t Help You Lose Weight
Are Basil Seeds the New Chia?

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Excerpt from:  

The Secret to Enjoying a Greener Cup of Coffee

Posted in eco-friendly, FF, GE, Keurig, LAI, LG, Nespresso, ONA, organic, Pines, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Secret to Enjoying a Greener Cup of Coffee

What Will You Eat if Disaster Strikes?

September is National Preparedness Month. It comes around every year, but most peoplemaybe including youare still surprised when some kind of disaster strikes and they find themselves totally UNprepared to deal with the situationespecially when it comes to food. Here’s what you should have in your pantry in the event you lose power or can’t get to a grocery store for a while.

Water – The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourages people to store one gallon of water per person for at least three days. You’ll still have to ration that amount, since you’ll use it for drinking, maybe cooking and personal hygiene. Plus, children, nursing mothers and the sick may need a little more. Living in a hot climate might also affect how much water you need to drink. And don’t forget that your pets will need water to drink, as well.

FEMA recommends that you buy commercially bottled water that you keep in its original container in a cool, dark place. If you want to store water from your own tap, you can get food-grade water storage containers online or from a camping supplies store. Just make sure to wash them well with hot soapy water and rinse well so there is no residue left when you fill them. Don’t reuse old milk jugs or soda bottles. They’re hard to clean thoroughly and may leak. Also, keep a water filter on hand in the event that you can get water, which might not be safe to drink.

Dried Food – Rice, lentils, peas, kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans, pasta and quinoa are among the dried foods you can store, as long as you have water to reconstitute them. The benefit is that they don’t need refrigeration, last a very long time in their dried state, provide a lot of good nutrition and can be cooked in a pot over a camping cookstove if you don’t have gas or electricity coming into your kitchen.

Dried cereals, nuts, raisins, cranberries and other dried fruits– These are also handy staples for the emergency-focused pantry. You can eat cereal for almost any meal and feel satisfied, and the nuts and dried fruits make a good substitute for a sweet snack when more perishable cookies and treats aren’t available.

Buy sealed bags of driedfoods, then store them in larger plastic containers with lids on them so they won’t be tempting to rodents or bugs that occasionally infiltrate a pantry. The jugs will also keep them dry in the event water gets into the house. It might be handy to have salt, pepper and other spices on hand, also in a sealed container, as well as a small cookbook to give you ideas for some delicious recipes so you won’t be reduced to eating just rice and beans.

Food in Cans or Glass Jars – The advantage of preparedfood like soups, fruits, pasta sauces, juices, olives, condiments and tuna is that they contain liquid, which might be in short supply in a true emergency. Plus, they last a very long time, usually far past the designated expiration or “use by” date on the packaging. Cans are easier to stack than jars, so if space is limited, cans might be the best option. If possible, choose cans whose linings don’t contain the chemical BPA, which can leach into food and have toxic consequences.

Freeze Dried Food – The advantage of freeze dried food is that it takes up so little space. The disadvantage is that it needs to be reconstituted with water, which might not be available. But it might take less water to reconstitute some freeze dried foods than to say, make a big pot of pasta or soak a few cups of beans. Here are some organic freeze dried foods you could add to your pantry for variety in the event disaster strikes.

Aseptically Packaged Drinks – You can get milk, juice, protein drinks and power drinks in aseptic packages, which are essentially cartons that are sealed in such a way that they don’t require refrigeration. This is particularly important where dairy products are concerned. If you love milk with your morning coffee, tea or cereal, stock up on some single serving size cartons. Don’t aim for larger cartons, since once they’re opened they can’t be stored without refrigeration.

Powder for Drinks – Powdered milk is terrific to have in an emergency pantry; you can reconstitute it with as much or as little water as you want, or add the powder to something else you’re cooking to get the calcium and protein it contributes. Many powdered “juice” mixes contain more sugar than anything else, so read the label carefully before you buy. Whey powder and other protein powders are another option.

Don’t stock your emergency pantry willy nilly. Think about the foods you and your family like to eat, so if needed, the meals you make can provide comfort as well as nourishment. Keep a list by category of the foods you stock; an emergency throws people into a state of confusion, but being organized will help you stay calm and reassure the people around you. Pull together some recipes in advance so you’re sure you have the ingredients you need to produce a meal.

Also, keep some traps on hand in case rats, mice, roaches or flour moths, also known as pantry moths, show up. The last thing you want to do is have your food supply spoiled by vermin!

Related:

What’s the Best Freeze-Dried Food?
Which Canned Foods Still Contain BPA?

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

View original post here: 

What Will You Eat if Disaster Strikes?

Posted in Casio, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, organic, PUR, Radius, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What Will You Eat if Disaster Strikes?

16 Surprising Uses for Green Tea

Green tea has been around for thousands of years. Its no wonder the stuff sure is tasty, and is shown to have a number of great health benefits. But there are plenty of other reasons to keep green tea around. From cleaning carpets to giving your feet a much needing pampering, read on for some surprising ways to use green tea.

Quick Tip: Store your used green tea bags in the fridge so they dont spoil.

Beauty and Health

1. Reduce Eye Puffiness. The tannins and caffeine in green tea helps reduce both puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. Brew two bags of green tea. Take the bags out of the water and, with your fingers, squeeze out as much liquid as you can and let them cool to room temperature. Put one tea bag over each eye and wait 10 minutes before removing.

2. DIY Facial Toner. Green tea is found in a number of commercial skincare products but you can make some at home, too! Its also ridiculously easy: just brew some green tea, let it come to room temperature and transfer it to a clean spray bottle. Store in the fridge. Twice a day, spritz some on your face before using moisturizer. Its that simple!

3. Soothe Sunburns. Green tea contains properties that help with inflammation a major thing you want to combat if youre dealing with a sunburn. Soak a clean piece of cloth in cooled green tea and apply it to the affected area.

4. Pamper Your Feet. Green tea works well on puffy eyes because it reduces swelling and the same is true for your feet. After a long day, who doesnt want to relax with a nice, aromatic foot soak. Click here for a recipe.

Odor Fighting

5. Reduce Fridge Odor. Nobody wants a stinky fridge. Combat that by placing a dry, unused green tea bag in the refrigerator to absorb moisture.

6. Reduce Trash Odor. A couple unused green tea bags will also help stop foul odors that come from the trash. Keep a few unused bags at the bottom of your garbage can.

7. Clean Greasy Dishes. A used green tea bag is a great DIY sponge for cleaning greasy and grimy dishes.

8. Keep Litter Boxes Fresh. Adding some dry green tea leaves to kitty litter will help keep odors at bay and, whats more, your cat wont mind one bit!

9. Stash In Your Underwear Drawer. Green tea infuses a nice, subtle scent to your unmentionables. Keep an unused green tea bag in your lingerie drawer.

Cleaning

10. Clean Yoga Mats. One great way to clean yoga mats is to wash them in water with diluted green tea. Itll help keep them smelling fresh.

11. Clean Carpets. No, really! Sprinkling some used (but dry) green tea leaves 10 minutes before you vacuum the carpet will help you pick up more grime AND lightly deodorize both the carpets and the vacuum cleaner.

12. Clean Glass and Mirrors. Instead of tossing your green tea bag after you use it, brew it again, and use that weakened tea to clean windows and mirrors. Transfer room temperature tea to a spray bottle and wipe with a clean, dry cloth.

13. Clean Toilets. Deodorize your toilet by tossing a few used green tea bags in and letting them sit for an hour or two. Remove the bags, scrub and flush. Easy!

More Uses

14. Toss in the Compost. Green tea bags can absolutely be composted as long as the cloth is biodegradable, which many brands are.

15. Perfect Plant Watering. The big benefit of using green tea in the garden is that it absorbs water. Placing a used and dried tea bag at the bottom of the soil will absorb excess moisture and, over time, help redistribute that moisture more efficiently.

16. Naturally Dye Paper, Easter Eggs and More. Green tea is a great way to dye things, well, green! Click here for detailed instructions.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Taken from:

16 Surprising Uses for Green Tea

Posted in alo, Aroma, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, PUR, Radius, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 16 Surprising Uses for Green Tea

11 Surprising Uses for Salt Water

FEATURED NONPROFIT PARTNERS

Copyright © 2015 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved

logoff
my account
my care2

site feedback

ONSITE FEEDBACK FORM

Problem on this page? Briefly let us know what isn’t working for you and we’ll try to make it right!

Continued here:

11 Surprising Uses for Salt Water

Posted in alo, FF, GE, LG, ONA, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 11 Surprising Uses for Salt Water

DIY Green Tea Toner

Continue reading here – 

DIY Green Tea Toner

Posted in alo, FF, GE, LG, ONA, organic, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on DIY Green Tea Toner

From Rainwater Beer to Water Recycling: How Breweries Conserve Water

Original source: 

From Rainwater Beer to Water Recycling: How Breweries Conserve Water

Posted in FF, GE, LG, ONA, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on From Rainwater Beer to Water Recycling: How Breweries Conserve Water

Care2 Member Asks Coca-Cola To Use 90% Recycled Can

Original link: 

Care2 Member Asks Coca-Cola To Use 90% Recycled Can

Posted in FF, GE, LG, ONA, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Care2 Member Asks Coca-Cola To Use 90% Recycled Can

10 Reasons to Avoid Bottled Water

See more here: 

10 Reasons to Avoid Bottled Water

Posted in FF, G & F, GE, LG, ONA, Safer, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 10 Reasons to Avoid Bottled Water