I just spotted this recipe in my Martha Stewart Living mag (October ‘09).  The ‘Magic Of Fall’ issue is dedicated to all things festive - and if you haven’t been able to tell by now my affection for Autumn is in full swing.  I definitely plan on making this soon…but probably not before I make a trip to a pumpkin farm.  This is one of the few recipes I’ve found for pumpkin soup that doesn’t involve dairy - which is perfect for me since I’m lactose intolerant.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup:

2 3/4 pounds sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, halved and seeded

1 onion, peeled and quartered through the stem

2 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps wiped clean

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/2 cup organic olive oil

Course salt and freshly ground pepper

5 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium vegetable stock

Directions:

1). Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut pumpkin into 2-inch pieces. Combine pumpkin, onion, mushrooms, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet.  Add oil and 2 teaspoons salt; toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until pumpkin is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 minutes, rotating pan and tossing vegetables halfway through.  Let cool, then remove skins.

2). Transfer vegetables to a medium saucepan; heat over medium. Pour in 2 cups stock; puree with an immersion blender until smooth. With the blender running, slowly add remaining 3 cups stock, and puree until smooth. Bring soup just to a simmer. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper.  Serve hot. Cover to keep warm.

Photo & recipe courtesy of www.marthastewart.com

Thanks to Twitter, I just learned one of Katy Perry’s big secrets.  Apparently she recently played a concert in her hometown of Santa Barbara, California and backstage the folks who work at Bragg (where Bragg headquarters are) asked her to sign a poster for Patricia Bragg (daughter of the infamous health guru, Paul Bragg).  To their surprise Perry not only signed the poster but wrote “…your apple cider vinegar is my secret among secrets…”:

Katy Perry sips Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon is the recommended dose) to help her stay healthy, but its not a total shocker.  Patricia Bragg has helped many celebs get healthy by incorporating apple cider vinegar into their diet.  Madonna, Demi Moore, Clint Eastwood, Jack LaLanne and others are apparently fans as well.  So what can apple cider do for you?  Instead of making medical claims the FDA may frown upon, I’ll share my own personal experience with this simple, nature-provide miracle juice:

*Suppresses appetite

*Provides a boost of energy

*Healed a plantar wart on the bottom of my foot (with nightly topical application - no joke)

*Clears acne prone skin

*Cleans hard to remove stains or residue on laundry or in the kitchen

*Great ingredient for a healthy salad dressing

I always keep a bottle of Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar on hand for a variety of uses.  Have you tried “ACV” and if so, are you a fan?  Please share your story!

Note: Not all Apple Cider Vinegar is created equal.  The kind with the healthy benefits is cloudy and has “the mother” (apple sediment) on the bottom of the bottle, not the clear kind you find in the salad dressing aisle at your grocery store.  If you’ve never tried it, please start slow using only 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water and gradually increase to 1 tablespoon.  

Image credit: Bragg’s Blog

Last month, Demi Moore (a.k.a. @MrsKutcher on Twitter) and Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) attended an exclusive launch party at The Little Seed, a chic baby boutique in the hip and urban shopping area on Larchment Boulevard in LA owned by Soleil Moon Frye (actress who played “Punky Brewster“).  The event was sponsored by BDIH-certified, natural skin care pioneers Weleda (pronounced “Veleda“), a brand who’s been crafting natural, biodynamic and organic skin and body care since 1921.  The guest list included many a-listers and the purpose of it all was for The Little Seed to introduce their brand new bright-colored private label organic cotton baby/kids clothes line.

At the event, Demi confessed to a Weleda exec that she loves their Wild Rose Creamy Body Wash and I must agree, it is fabulous (in fact, it is the only body wash that I’m traveling with currently)!  It smells like REAL roses (because it is) and produces a nice foam and creamy hydration.  Check out my review here!  The generously-sized pink tube typically retails for $17.99, but I found it here for just$9.45.

Photo credit: The Little Seed blog

This past week I’ve been working in West Hollywood and just so happen to be working in the same building as the casting company for TLC’s hit TV show, LA Ink.  While you can’t just walk in and be on the hit TV show (you’ve got to have a cool story, be unique and be selected), you can however walk-in to their ‘real’ tattoo shop High Voltage Tattoo and get one anytime (though it won’t be on camera).  Though I didn’t venture in the shop (there was a long line), I did drive past the yellow building with big red letters (complete with casting crew in headsets outside on the sidewalk) and snapped some pics.

If you’re interested in ‘greening’ your after tattoo care routine (yes, you’ve got to take care of it - afterall it is a wound), look no further than your local health food store (and I found a great one near LA Ink called Erewhon - right next to The Grove).  The keys to keeping your tattoo healthy and healing well are two-fold: 1). Keep it clean and 2). Moisturize.  For both steps, you want to think “simple, gentle and effective”.  To clean, you could do what Eminem does and wash with Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap (the ‘Unscented‘ version would be best for this purpose) and to moisturize you could slather on pure Organic Coconut Oil or the first USDA Certified Organic line designed by tattoo artists, specifically for after tattoo care, called Rose Tattoo Aftercare serum created by tattoo artists:

Rose After Tattoo Care Liquid Serum is USDA Certified Organic and comes in a spray bottle for easy and sanitary application, is 100% vegan and 99.5% organic.

Rose Tattoo After Care Body Balm is USDA Certified Organic, 100% vegan and 97% organic; designed to heal, moisturize and brighten tattoos.  Available in Rose (girly) or Lavender (manly).

Alex and Ani Jewelry is becoming quite the media darling, and for good reason.  This unique brand creates pieces made from recycled material and aims to inspire the one who wears it.  Owner and Designer, Carolyn Rafaelian believes it is her calling in life to inspire others to relish what is unique and authentic about themselves.  This bohemian chic collection is made from recycled materials in the U.S., and has been spotted on many celebrities as of late:

Jessica Simpson likes to wear two sets of bangles together n stage, one gold, one silver.

Proving the pieces can be dressed up or down, Vanessa Hudgens wears Alex and Ani bangles with jeans (above) and was recently spotted at the MTV Music Awards sporting the expanding wire bangle set (below).

Seventeen Magazine just featured Miley Cyrus wearing hers to a trip to a smoothie bar.

Photo Credits: 

www.Styleholics.com

www.Seventeen.com

Famously known for her booty~shooting party girl persona in movies like her breakout film, The Mask and There’s Something About Mary, those images are replaced with elegance and sheer beauty in this month’s issue of VOGUE.  The twelve page spread highlights Cameron Diaz’s sun~kissed lean body and beaming smile while she sports sustainable fashion brands like Hessnatur and Del Forte denim.  I really didn’t know she was a green girl, but apparently she isn’t one to shout it from rooftops, it was just how she was raised and it comes naturally to her.  Take a look at the trailer for her new environmental documentary in which she travels around the country interviewing everyday people about environmental issues.  Marie Claire Editor tagged along on this roadtrip and shares about it here.  Diaz also shares her favorite green websites here. 

Word is Eminem, rapper with a rather (read: very) dirty mouth is a huge fan of Dr. Bronner’s Organic Soap.  Apparently he can’t believe that he can brush his teeth with the very same soap he uses to wash his body with.  Dr. Bronner’s has a huge cult following and it’s no secret why.  The versatile and totally affordable soap has at least 18 different uses and I personally have used it as a body soap, hand soap, laundry soap, dog washing soap and dish soap (I’ve tried brushing my teeth with it, but no thank you).  It’s so very concentrated that a bottle lasts a very long time and everyone from hippies to celebrity makeup artists (i.e. Bobbi Brown) are fans.  (Read that Drew Barrymore and Sandra Bullock are too).  It may be hard to pinpoint exactly what draws people to it ~ it’s versatality, affordability or the crazy ramblings on the side of the bottle.  I tend to think it’s all of the above. 

Dr. Bronner’s Pure Magic All~One Soap has been around for a whopping 60 years!  They fight hard for organic personal care standards and are committed to supporting fair trade initiatives.  The majority of their products are USDA and/or Fair Trade certified.  This is what Dr. Bronner’s says when curious consumers ask a question I hear (and I’m asked) all the time:

What is “Organic” and why is it so great?

The term “organic” refers to both sustainable farming practices and to products ecologically made from materials produced on certified organic farms. According to federal standards, such products have to be at least 70% organic by non-water, non-salt weight. Organic products not only support sustainable farming, but also farm worker health and ecological processing methods.

Unfortunately, the hollow market-driven needs of some “natural” body care companies are making a mockery of organic principles. Underneath fluffy, feel-good “organic” floral waters and infusions, many “organic” body care products are really just composed of the same synthetic cleansers, conditioners and preservatives found in mainstream products, often in part or wholly derived from petroleum. Culprit companies are inflating organic content by counting ordinary distilled water in “floral water” as organic, a practice which is not allowed under the National Organic Program.

In case you haven’t heard, read or seen ~ Gweneth Paltrow has her very own newsletter in which anyone can sign up via her website, GOOP.   I admit, I’m a subscriber.  Afterall, what’s not to like?!  She’s beautiful, classy and seems to be passionate about living a more healthy lifestyle…and I like her work as an actress and she definitely gets extra points for being coupled with Coldplay lead man, Chris Martin. 

Today, another one of her newsletters appeared in my inbox, this time with some recipes that look irresistible.  One of her great friends, Giancarlo Giametti, the partner of fashion icon, Valentino, shared his recipes with her so that she could share them with her readers.  And now I can’t help but to share it with you: 

Best Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe skips heavy breading and goes for a light dusting of flour. With good cheese and a bit of fresh basil, the end result is wonderfully flavorful. Leftovers make a killer sandwich.

SERVES: 4
TIME: 1 hour

• 4 small eggplants (about 2 1/2″ in diameter) or 3 regular eggplants
• Coarse salt
• 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• Olive oil
• 2/3 cup of your favorite tomato sauce*
• 1 large ball fresh mozzarella (about 4 1/2 ounces)
• Small handful of basil leaves, roughly torn
• 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan (about 2 ounces)

Slice the eggplants into about 1/3″ discs. Sprinkle slices with a small pinch of coarse salt on each side and place in a single layer between two clean kitchen towels. Place a cookie sheet on top and weigh down with something heavy (a few cans of beans or tomatoes will do). Let the eggplant sit for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly dredge the eggplant slices in the flour. Heat 1/4″ of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When a pinch of flour sizzles on contact, add the eggplant slices in a single layer, turn the heat to medium-high and cook for about one and a half minutes on each side or until dark golden brown. Drain the eggplant on paper towels and repeat in batches until all of your eggplant is cooked, adding more oil as necessary.

In a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, arrange as many slices of eggplant as can fit snugly in a single layer. Top each slice with a small spoonful of tomato sauce, a few small pieces of torn mozzarella, a bit of basil and a dusting of parmesan. Continue the layers, evenly distributing all the ingredients, until everything is used up.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melting and bubbling and the house smells divine.

*For my simple homemade, never-fail tomato sauce that’s always in my fridge…
In a large saucepan, slowly cook six cloves of thinly sliced garlic in a couple tablespoons of olive oil for five minutes over low heat.  Add two large, fresh basil leaves and stir for a minute.  Add two 28-ounce cans of whole, peeled tomatoes along with their juice and two more whole basil leaves.  Bring the sauce to a boil, turn down the heat, season with salt and pepper and let it bubble away on low heat for 45 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

+++++

Don’t have time to make your own sauce?  Check out the delicious Amy’s Premium Organic Marinara.  It’s USDA Certified Organic and doesn’t contain any added sugar (hard to find…trust me!). 

Recipe: Courtesy of GOOP.com

Photo credits: GOOP.com (1st), amys.com (2nd)

Have you checked out Allure’s Beauty Reporter in their April ‘09 issue?  Flip to page 64 and you’ll spot some green beauty finds including where you can recycle all your old beauty product containers.  Makeup artist Cristanne Davis gives her take on some low-key finds for Spring: 

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Lip Glosses

“The neutral shades really deliver a lot of shine, and the formula stays put.”

Lavera Eye Liner Pencils

“They’re creamy enough to wear as a shadow or as a liner” says Davis and according to US Weekly Magazine, Eva Mendez is a fan of the line.

Recycling Beauty:

Drop off your old beauty product containers (from any brand) to any of the 130 Origins stores or any of the 420 department-store counters and they’ll turn them into recycled packaging or convert them into energy by waste centers. 

Think those rosy cheeks are au naturale?  Wonder how Jennifer Garner gets her glow?  According to Suki (and Treehugger.com) she gets it from a product I just so happen to use and love myself, SukiColor’s Lip/Cheek Stain.  

Both SukiPure skin care and SukiColor cosmetics are lines I trust implicitly.  Their standards are high and they really do set the bar in terms of high-performance, high-end, quality skin care that is pure, natural and organic.  Suki products are stamped with EcoCert certification and you can be sure that you are getting what you pay for.  I get that mineral makeup is all the rage right now, but I’m still not a fan of the matte look.  Even when I do use mineral makeup, I have to be sure to pat a bit of moisturizer on top so I look fresh and dewy, not dry and cakey.  This product is multi-purpose and I don’t need to use moisturizer over the top of this cream blush and its a lip color as well so I’ll often throw just this is my purse if I need to add flush to cheeks or color to lips throughout the day or night.  You only need a bit to get great color so this pot is sure to last months and months! 

 Psst:  I’ve also heard that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are fans of the Suki skin care line.