I have been singing the praises of one of my favorite “finds” for a few years now, and a friend recently noted that I’d never blogged about it. Duh! I don’t know why this product slipped my mind. It’s such a great thing to have around the house and has a zillion uses. So here it is: True Lemon crystals! Sounds strange – I know. But I swear, once you check this out, you’ll love to have it around. (And let me just disclose that I buy this product, it’s not something that was sent to me specifically for reviewing).

True Lemon is crystalized 100% natural lemon that comes in little packets. The reason I discovered it in the first place was that I was looking for something to stop cut up apples from turning brown when I sent them to school with the boys. They love those presliced apples that you can buy at the store – but that whole concept bugs me, paying a ton more for fruit that is not as fresh and is something that I could do just as easily at home. So I was looking for some kind of vitamin C that I could use on the fruit (which stops the oxidation process). Scouring the shelves at my supermarket, I came across TrueLemon. They boys loved it on their apples, and then I started realizing the other uses for the product.

First off, it is, as I said, totally natural.  According to the website, True Lemon’s ingredients are the same as found in a lemon: Citric Acid, Lemon Juice, Lemon Oil and Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C). It also has a bit of organic evaporated cane juice (but that doesn’t add any calories). Great start, right? I am a big water and seltzer drinker (I have blogged about the SodaStream machine before – another one of my favorite finds!) and I love the concept of fruit water but a) the stuff you buy has artificial sweetener in it which just seems unnecessary and b) keeping cut up lemons and limes around gets to be a pain. So now I have these packet that don’t spoil like fresh fruit but add just the same flavor. So cool! It makes drinking water much more enjoyable

But the uses go on from there – the site lists 20 uses, but I am sure you could come up with more. Some of them include sprinkling it on fish and vegetables as well as adding it to tea. And what is even more interesting, is that the website has an article about a study done by Purdue University that shows that adding lemon to green tea quintuples the amount of antioxidants available for your body to absorb. So tea that actually tastes better is really better for you, too!

Another article on the site refers to a study (also done by Purdue University) that has connected artificial sweeteners with weight gain. According to the article, “when we consume products with a sweet taste and few calories, the result is a metabolism that stores, rather than burns calories, and that wants even more of them.” So put away the Crystal Light and the diet sodas, and instead get some plain water or seltzer and toss in some True Lemon.  Not a big fan of lemon? Or you want more variety? They also sell True Orange and True Lime, as well as Lemonade and Raspberry Lemonade (the boys are HUGE fans) that have stevia as the sweetener.

If you can’t find it in your supermarket (check the area where drink mixes are, as well as the baking area) – you can easily order the products online at www.TrueLemon.com.

Can you tell I have been in a baking mood these days? The thing is, I just don’t like buying treats at the store – they are so filled with yuck that I don’t enjoy them as much. And with my darned sweet tooth, I like to have a little something sweet every day (everything in moderation is a big motto in this house!). On top of that, having a son with a nut allergy makes it even more challenging to find cookies or baked goods that are safe. Soooo that all adds up to me doing a lot of baking.

This recipe is one I based off of other recipes that I saw online, after watching Paula Deen make chocolate bread that looked amazing – but it was loaded with fat. So, purely driven by a craving, I set out to find something I could make without feeling too guilty.  This is a nut-free, and low-fat quick bread that could easily be tweaked (per my notes) to be a dairy-free treat as well. And I’m sure those of you that are challenged with baking without eggs and without gluten could easily adapt this recipe as well.  But most of all, it’s just plain YUMMY!

Chocolate Bread

1/4 cup canola oil
1/4-1/3 cup applesauce (I confess I wasn’t meticulous about measuring – I’m thinking closer to 1/3)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup cocoa (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon espresso powder (totally optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use kosher – less sodium)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk (OR 1 cup milk mixed with either 1 tablespoon white vinegar or 1 tablespoon lemon juice OR 1 cup soy milk with the vinegar or lemon juice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Prepare a 9×5 loaf pan by spraying with cooking oil spray
3. In a mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the oil, applesauce and sugar. Beat well.
4. Add eggs one at a time – beating well after each addition.
5. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl (flours, cocoa, espresso powder -if using, salt, baking soda, baking powder).
6. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to the oil/sugar/egg mixture, beating well after each, and scraping the bowl a few times.
7. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.
8. Bake for about 1 hour (depending on your oven) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool (of course, I skipped the cooling step and dove right in, but patience is not one of my virtues, especially when it comes to baked goods…)

This is a quick treat to make, and was inhaled by my kids (ok, and me, too!). There are recipes for chocolate butter spreads to go with it, or chocolate honey butter – but we liked it plain, or toasted with cream cheese. YUMmmm.

A recent OpEd piece in the Washington Post brought up the question again about whether food dyes could be contributing to hyperactivity. The author noted that the FDA is scheduled to meet this week to discuss the topic – in a Bloomberg article on the same subject, they note the specific dyes that are of highest concern, based on a petition submitted in 2008 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. As quoted from the Bloomberg article:

“The petition covers Blue Nos. 1 and 2, Green No. 3, Orange B, Red Nos. 3 and 40, and Yellow Nos. 5 and 6. FDA approval of these chemicals dates to the 1960s and is subject to batch certification. The dyes are used to make a variety of candy, beverages, baked goods and sausage.” (ok sausage? really?)

There have been numerous studies (all controversial) that have linked food dyes to hyperactivity. With two young boys (…), I will be definitely interested in seeing where this goes.  Food in our house is generally clear of dyes – I try to avoid things that are not natural-ish or at least that have too many unnecessary ingredients (like dyes).  I’m not saying we’re crazy vigilant about it – they do get the occasional treat that might have that stuff in it, but generally it is avoided. But it comes down to the fact that, to me, it just seems like another chemical that doesn’t need to be in our food.

But clearly this is a controversial subject. I also found this Food Fear Mongering the the WaPost in response to the Op Ed piece. The author clearly believes that there is too much hype and not enough proof regarding this topic. She believes that sugar is a bigger dietary culprit. She goes on to “fact check” the Washington Post piece. However, some of her fact checking lacks facts, unfortunately:

• She said she found no evidence that the FDA is meeting on the subject (they are, see link above)
• Her rubuttal to the quote from the Washington Post stating “Today’s supermarket is a fun house of hues. Its aisles feature riotously colored processed foods perfectly engineered to appeal to the part of your brain that says ‘yum’.”  is that those foods have no nutritional value and are loaded with sugar. All very true, however that’s not the point. The sugar impacts the taste – one of the senses that impacts the “yum” part of the brain we while eating. But the color impacts the visual – another one of the senses that impacts how appealing food is.

Anyway – I think this will be interesting to watch. Clearly lobbyists on both sides will be fighting hard. In Europe they have required warning labels on foods using some of those dyes. It has actually forced companies like Kellogg’s to change to natural dyes to avoid having to put those labels on their products in Europe. The way I see it, if it’s one fewer unnecessary chemical used in food, regardless of whether costly studies and wasted time have proven any links to anything detrimental, that’s a good thing. So let’s hope we at least get the warning labels.

CNN recently reported on a government study to understand our brain’s exposure to radiation when we use a cell phone. The research stated that after 50 minutes on a cell phone, our brain cells start to increase glucose metabolism.  According to the article, when glucose metabolism goes up, it activates cells in the brain – brain cells use glucose to create energy.

While it is not clear what impact the increased activity will have long-term, it does show that the exposure to electromagnetic radiation from cell phones is definitely reaching our brain cells. The key now is to figure out what this is doing to use over time – and how it could be impacting children who use cell phones, as their skulls are thinner and more easily penetrated.

There is talk about requiring cell phone companies to indicate and display the radiation levels emitted for each phone that they cell. Given these results, that sounds like a pretty good idea. Meantime – check out these tips for reducing your exposure to the cell phone radiation.

Foam. Gel. Suds. They always make you feel like you are getting super clean. But did you know that a surfactant/detergent (found in foaming products) is not the only way to clean? It’s actually pretty interesting – you can also cleanse your face with a combination of fats and oils. I know – that doesn’t sound especially clean. Especially if you have oily skin, right? Well guess what, it’s actually an incredibly effective method for ALL skin types – oily, normal, dry, mature, sensitive. It’s all very scientific but basically what happens (as I understand it – and I’m no scientist) is that oils and fats (or triglycerides) naturally function to force water past the surface of your skin and penetrate deeply to draw out dirt,oil and impurities, leaving skin clear, clean and soft.

Over the past few years we have had requests from customers who were seeking a milk cleanser. Milk cleansers have a strong following – for the very reason that they are gentle while deeply cleansing. So we are thrilled to introduce a milk cleanser that we think you will love! And best of all, no matter your skin type, it will work beautifully.

Milk No Cookies is 90% organic, creamy and non-greasy. Highlights include:

• Lactose and organic fruit acids (bilberry, cane sugar, sugar maple, orange, lemon and cranberry) to gently exfoliate and cleanse skin
• Organic aloe and organic coconut oil to moisturize and heal damaged skin
• Organic green tea extract to fight free radical damage and provide other antioxidant properties
• Organic lavender and organic chamomile to calm and soothe skin
• Non-comedogenic
• Paraben-free, sulfate-free, petroleum-free, phthalate-free, fragrance-free, no added colors, 90% organic

Read all about it on our website by clicking here. And once again, it’s so new that we don’t even have the photo yet (it is coming soon!).

This week you can get it for 33% off! Just “like” our Facebook page or join our email list (sign up on our homepage) to find out how you can the big savings!

In a recent Boston Globe article, Dr. Perry E. Sheffield, an assistant professor of preventive medicine and pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, was quoted as saying “Effectively, we’re conducting experiments on our population.”

In our homes, every day, we are exposed to all kinds of chemicals. And, as the article states, it’s nearly impossible to prove “scientifically that certain diseases are caused by household chemicals, such as bisphenol-A, phthalates, and flame retardants.” But the three scientists that were interviewed for the article have changed their own habits at home, based on their own research and therefore their understanding of the risks we are exposed to.

The “Big Three” that are the focus of the article are: Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates and fire retardants.

The first, BPA, is one that I have written about numerous times. It seems that every few months there is a new study linking it to some issue. The Globe summarized recent studies, saying:

We haven’t done a contest in awhile and as we are midway through our new product introductions I thought it might be fun to give away our super Super Hero Serum (a $38 value!) For those of you who haven’t tried it yet, Super Hero Serum is a gorgeous silky serum packed with anti-oxidants and anti-aging ingredients like CoQ10, DMAE, Retinol Palmitate and organic fruit acids. It feels incredible going on and your skin is left soft, smooth and radiant. It helps to firm, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and repair damage. It’s a tiny Super Hero in a bottle!

So for the next week you can enter to win a totally FREE full-sized bottle of our serum. Entering is easy, and you can increase your odds by doing more things. To officially get credit for your entries, you must summarize them and email them to contest (at) gardengirlskincare (dot) com

• An email to contest (at) gardengirlskincare (dot) com saying you’d like to enter – VALUE: 1 Entry
• “Like” the Garden Girl page on Facebook - if you have already done that, then just let me know VALUE: 2 entries
• Follow @GdnGrl on Twitter - again, if you already do, then just let me know VALUE: 1 entry
• Retweet the @GdnGrl post about the contest VALUE: 1 entry
• Post this link on your Facebook page and encourage your friends to enter the contest VALUE: 2 entries
• Join our email list by clicking on the link on our home page – if you already are on the list, let me know VALUE: 1 entry
• For every friend of yours that “Likes” the Garden Girl Facebook page VALUE: 2 entries (you will need to include the names because I can’t figure out how to track that…)
• For every friend of yours that places their FIRST order this week and puts your name in the comments section VALUE: 5 entries

Don’t forget – you will need to email your list of qualified entries to contest (at) gardengirlskincare (dot) com before Sunday, March 6th at 5pm. The winner will be announced in next week’s email!

Soup is such a great thing to make on a Sunday. You can have it for dinner, then have the leftovers for lunch during the week. And since I have had WAY too much cake this past week (too many birthdays at this time of year in our family!) I decided tonight was a good night to have a light dinner. I was trying to find this recipe that I had seen for easy tomato soup and I couldn’t find it, so I figured I’d have to wing it. And it’s not bad – so I thought I’d share it (I know it’s pretty close to the recipe I had used before). And as a little twist – I added light coconut milk to it instead of  half & half or evaporated milk. It’s delicious – makes it a little more exotic. (and apologies for the not so great photo…)

Why am I bothering to make my own tomato soup? Well, I don’t know about you if you’ve ever read the Campbell’s Tomato Soup label but when I did I was blown away. It has always been my favorite of their soups – and now I realize why. They were sucking me in with CORN SYRUP without me realizing it! No wonder I liked it so much – it was like a can of tomato candy! (OK – actually that sounds gross but you get the idea). Ugh.  So I looked for a healthier but still yummy alternative. I have posted a recipe before that’s perfect in the summer with fresh tomatoes (it’s delicious!) but it’s far too time consuming for a quick dinner. So enter canned tomatoes.  Let me know if you try this – I’d love your feedback (or if you made any tweaks to it). Also – after I made tonight’s soup, I found this recipe from Cooking Light. It sounds really good – kind of halfway between what I made tonight and the roasted fresh recipe that I shared this summer. You roast canned tomatoes as the base. Yum! I will have to try that one next.

Here’s my Kristin’s Easy Tomato Soup recipe:

• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• One 28oz can of crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano tomatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (less if you want thicker soup – you can play around with the amount)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk OR half & half OR light coconut milk (optional – to make “cream of tomato”. I love it with coconut milk – it gives it a whole new flavor )
• Salt & pepper to taste

To make the soup, in a medium saucepan saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent (don’t brown). Add the crushed garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the can of tomatoes, the tomato paste, the broth, brown sugar and basil. Stir to combine then simmer for 20-30 minutes until thickened. Blend either in batches (carefully!) in the blender, or use a stick blender until the consistency you prefer (chunky or smooth). Add salt and pepper to taste. If you would like to make the soup creamy, blend in the evaporated milk, half & half or coconut milk, if using, before serving.

It is surprisingly fresh and flavorful, and really only takes about 15 minutes of actual prep time.

As a total side note: RIP to my trusty Braun Stick Blender, circa 1991. Yep really – I had it that long. My college roommates gave it to me when I graduated. I just noticed tonight that it has a big crack in it. But boy was that thing made well – it has been around for many many sauces and soups. I guess that means I have an excuse to get a new one, though!

My son’s 5th grade class put together a cookbook. Each child brought in their favorite “healthy” recipe. I have to say, although some of them aren’t especially healthy, it is a great collection of recipes. We have had fun making many of them together (he is becoming quite the cook – although he, like his mom, prefers baking to cooking). Recently he made these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins all by himself, and we all loved them. They are really low fat, very yummy and easy to make. Much to my husband’s dismay (since they clutter up our freezer), I throw bananas in the freezer when they are starting to get too soft. Storing them in the freezer means you can always have bananas ready for baking! They look nasty on the outside, since the skin turns black, but they are perfect for recipes like this. Just thaw on the counter or even microwave them, pricked, for a minute or so to soften them up.

Low Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (we used 1/2 all-purpose and 1/2 white whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 3 mashed ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips  – optional – but clearly, why would you ever leave chocolate out?

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spray two 12-muffin pans (total of 24 muffins) with cooking spray or line with paper muffin cups. (I found some great ones at our grocery store that are unbleached and biodegradable)
3. Whisk together in one bowl: flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
4. Whisk together in another bowl: egg, mashed bananas and oil.
5. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and blend just until dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Add chocolate chips and stir lightly to mix.
7. Divide batter among the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
8. Bake until toothpick inserted in muffins comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. (I suggest checking at 20).
9. Let cool 3 minutes in pan, then let cool on wire rack. Serve warm or cool.

In our procession of new product introductions, this next product has been sampled and tested by many customers and friends, with an overwhelmingly positive response. If you have dry skin or mature skin, this is the product for you. Here is the description from the website:

QuenchCoat anti-wrinkle face cream for dry or mature skin is the newest addition to our face cream family. This baby is so rich and hydrating that you will fall in love. Really. (Don’t say we didn’t warn you!) The reason it work so well is that is packed with hard-working, natural + organic ingredients like:

• Organic aloe, organic jojoba oil and organic coconut oil which deeply hydrate, repair damage and reduce appearance of wrinkles
• Hyaluronic acid which draws in and traps moisture while puffing out wrinkles
• Organic rooibos tea and organic pomegranate, which are powerful antioxidants to fight free radical damage
• DMAE and MSM, both natural skin firming ingredients which help to reduce sag and smooth skin
• Gentle enough even for people with rosacea

Quench your skin’s thirst for hydration with QuenchCoat. It deeply moisturizes even the driest skin, while packing a serious anti-aging punch with Hyaluronic Acid, organic Jojoba, Coconut and Aloe, plus skin-firming MSM and DMAE. Add in repairing antioxidants from organic Rooibos Tea, organic Pomegranate and Vitamin E and your skin will look and feel soft, smooth and amazing! (2 oz.)

Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Juice, Cocos nucifera (Organic Coconut) Oil, Rosa damascene (Rose) Distillate, Simmondsia chinensis (Organic Jojoba) Oil, Aspalathus linearis (Organic Rooibos Tea) Extract, Emulsifying Wax NF, Palm Stearic Acid, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Punica granatum (Organic Pomegranate) Extract, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE), Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Polysaccharide gum (Xanthan Gum), Citric Acid
****If you would like to save $10 off the regular $35 price for the 2 oz jar (this week only), just “Like” Garden Girl Skin Care on Facebook or sign up for our email list.****