It’s finally here. The end of 2020. A time that almost all of us had doubts that we would never see. With March and April feeling like years away from December, we are finally at the end of 2020.

What a year it was. This was the year that I thought would be my best year. It started out that way. But, turns out, this was the year of major redirection. What felt like challenge after challenge was just part of the growing pains of moving forward to a new direction.

It was the end of my 20’s. I turned the big 3-0 in November. I thought that I would’ve achieved some of the goals I had before that time. But unfortunately, the pandemic happened, and everything changed. It’s funny because we can have all these plans and then life gets in the way. But hey, that’s life!

Ultimately though, maybe the things we thought we wanted, actually were never the things that we needed. Maybe we were destined for more or for something greater than anything we have ever planned. We just always have to trust that no matter what, there is something better for us and that everything ALWAYS works out for the best!

This year was also year 11 of my organic journey. I love my organic passion and I am so dedicated to it. But this year, I have never felt so disconnected from my organic lifestyle. Not shopping at Whole Foods or any grocery stores for 6 months had a major effect.

I of course ordered organic grocery deliveries from Whole Foods and other grocery stores. I bought organic products from there, but it was just not the same. Also, as I had mentioned in previous blogs, I couldn’t consistently receive organic products, or the shopper picked conventional products even when I selected organic. It was a nightmare, but I learned to cope. Desperate times surely do call for desperate measures.

We are living through such uncertain times and a lot of products were unavailable. I had to learn that I couldn’t always get organic products. In times of survival, all that matters is that you are sustaining yourself with good nutrients, not whether something is organic or not. This year, I thoroughly learned how to cope with that and learned to not make myself wrong for not eating organic. It wasn’t that I chose to not eat organic, but it just wasn’t always available. That was a hard lesson to learn, but an important one. It truly opened my eyes to reality.

Also, not attending any organic food shows this year affected me too. The conventions are where I reignite my passion and immerse myself in all things organic. It is where I also learn the food trends for the year and try all of the new products coming to market. After those shows is where I then develop new content for my blogs and social media accounts. So this year I have had to create new ways to come up with content, since going to an organic grocery store or food show was not an option.

Despite all of the hardships that this year brought us, there were still many positives that came from it as well. It is all about perspective and how you look at it. I learned a lot and went through some necessary hard growing pains. In the end, I’m thankful for everything that this year has taught me!

I read a quote by Melody Godfred that said “I thought 2020 would be the year I got everything I wanted, now I know 2020 was the year I appreciate everything I have.” That quote resonated with me and it is so true. That was the the theme of 2020.

I appreciate my family, friends, and everyone in my life. I am thankful for everything I have and everything I have experienced. Thank you to all of you who read my blogs and follow me on my social media accounts. Thank you for inspiring me and for letting me inspire you.

All things considered, 2020 was a significant year and the lessons we gained from it are immensely valuable as we continue to go through life. I refuse to deem this year as the “worst year of my life” because it wasn’t. It was just a different kind of year, where we had to learn how to adjust to a pandemic and make sacrifices for safety. This was the year where the small things significantly mattered.

As this year comes to an end, I hope and pray that you all stay safe and healthy. I hope that you all have a better 2021 filled with new possibilities, goals, and dreams. I pray that this world transforms into a kinder and safer place to live. As our world slowly but surely returns to “normal”, I hope that it changes back to a better and new normal. One where we slow down a bit, where we cherish our loved ones, where we aren’t selfish, and where love is the answer.

I wish you all health, happiness, success, peace, serenity, and a magnitude of organic love in the new year. May this next year be 100 times better than the previous one. Here’s to the end of 2020 and a brighter 2021!!

Happy New Year!!

Love always,

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

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Expo West is THE best convention to attend if you are connected to the organic and natural food industry. They call it the Super Bowl of natural food shows. Every year, the show grows larger! That is crazy to even imagine because the show already takes over the vicinity of the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim Marriott, Hilton Anaheim, and the Anaheim Arena. So in other words, Expo West takes over half of the city of Anaheim, California. But, that is great news because that means that the industry is growing. This year, I found so many amazing new products at the show!

These were the top trends at Expo West 2019:

1. Keto Products
2. Oat Milk
3. Plant Based Products
4. Cauliflower Pizza

1.Keto Products

The Ketogenic (Keto) diet has skyrocketed in the past few years. The Keto diet is a high-fat and low- carb diet. At Expo West, there were many new Keto Products. Those products included Keto ice cream, Keto pancakes, Keto chocolate, Keto bars, Keto muffins, and so much more.

2. Oat Milk

Move over almond milk, oat milk is moving in and taking your place. Oat milk is officially the new almond milk. At Expo West, there were several oat milk based products. Many companies sampled their oat milks. The new trend is oat milk ice cream, which was delicious and creamy. Oat milk is smoother and creamier than almond milk and it doesn’t have the slight nutty flavor like most nut milks do.

3. Plant Based Products

Every year more and more plant based products come to market. This year was no different. The products were also top notch. There was plant-based ice cream, burgers, pasta, health bars, milk, and so much more. The big trend at Expo West 2019 was plant-based tuna.

4. Cauliflower Pizza

As the saying goes “If cauliflower can somehow become pizza, you, my friend, can do anything.” Cauliflower Pizza crust is THE new trend. It is made entirely out of cauliflower and very few other ingredients. It is gluten free, grain free, and low carb. It is very delicious too! Cauliflower pizza is a great alternative for those of you that are gluten free, following the Paleo or Keto diet, or want to consume less carbs.

Below are some of the unique products I found at the show:

As always, I had such a fantastic time at Expo West. I love catching up with my friends in the industry and I love meeting new ones. I found so many amazing new products that are coming to market soon. I can’t believe this was my 6th year attending Expo West. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend this show for the past 6 years and to witness the growth of the natural and organic industry. I can’t wait for Expo East in September!!

Love,

Sara,”S.O.Eats”

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Looking back on 2018, it’s been one of the most challenging yet rewarding years yet. I wanted to take some time to reflect on both my personal and organic life. It’s true that so much of my personal life is my organic life, but there are still some moments that I like to keep private.  

First off, the organic industry skyrocketed in the best way possible in 2018. More companies are now producing organic products. Also, organic products are being sold in many places and they are also becoming readily available. It makes me happy to witness the growth.

In 2018, Amazon fully integrated with Whole Foods Market after their purchase in 2017. I still have mixed feelings on the purchase of Whole Foods by Amazon. However, the greatest benefit is that they lowered some of the prices on certain organic foods. If you have an Amazon Prime account, you can get discounts on sale items when you check out at the register. What I like the most is that they are also making organic food more accessible and cheaper for consumers. You can now purchase more organic products on Amazon.com. I love that you can now buy a wider range of organic products on Amazon because I think the future lies in consumers purchasing everything from the comfort of their home. My only wish is that Whole Foods Market stays true to organics and that they won’t replace organic products with natural counterparts just to keep the price down. Only time will tell.

Natural Products Expo West 2018 was the best one that I have ever attended! The convention grew so much this year! It’s so great to witness the growth of the convention because that means the organic industry is growing. My wish for the future is that the organic industry continues to grow. Hopefully, that will eventually result in all of our food being grown the organic way. Then, we can eliminate the term “organic” as well as health food stores because all of our food will just be food. In my heart and soul, I know that is coming! Hopefully in the next few years or in my lifetime we will see that change.

This year, I had major growth in my organic life. I realized that this year was my 9-year anniversary of living an organic lifestyle. I can’t believe it has been 9 years! I have never felt so healthy and happy. I just can’t ever imagine my life without this organic passion of mine. In 2018, I had some amazing opportunities to work with some awesome organic companies. I learned even more about the organic industry. I love learning new aspects about the organic industry because I want to have as much knowledge as I can so I can further my organic passion.

As far as my personal life goes, this year I got to see four amazing people in my life get married. Out of the 4 weddings, I was a part of 3 of them. All of them were special, but the most special one was assuming the role as maid of honor at my sister’s wedding. At her wedding, I got out of my comfort zone and said a speech in front of 100 plus people. I didn’t just say a speech but I sang through it as well. My sister is part of the theater world and since she is so special to me, I created a speech using song references to Broadway shows.

Only for her would I get up and speak, let alone sing in front of that many people. The reason I am talking about my speech is because that was one of the many challenges for me this year. Standing up in front of a crowd (even though most of them were my family) is not my specialty. Putting yourself in the position of doing things you aren’t comfortable with is where your growth comes from. Moving forward in my life, I will continue to put myself in situations where I’m not comfortable because that is where you experience the most growth. I’m not talking about walking into danger or anything like that. But, just doing things that scare us the most will help us grow and build character. After making the speech, I realized that the fears and thoughts will always be there, but I am stronger than that and I conquer anything.

The Natural Products Expo West in 2018 was the best one that I have ever attended! The convention grew so much this year! It’s always fantastic to see the growth of this convention because that means the organic industry is growing. My wish for the future is that the organic industry keeps on growing and eventually all of our food will be grown that way. We can get rid of the term “organic” and we can get rid of health food stores because all of our food will just be food. In my heart and soul, I know that is coming! Hopefully in the next few years we will see that change.  This year, I had major growth within my own organic life. I realized that this year was my 9-year anniversary of living an organic lifestyle. I can’t believe it has been 9 years! I have never felt so great in my life. This year I felt healthier and happier than I ever have. I just can’t ever imagine my life without this organic passion of mine. In 2018, I had some amazing opportunities to work with a few organic companies. I learned even more about the organic industry by working with these companies. I love learning the different aspects about the organic industry because I want to have as much knowledge as I can to further my passion.

Also this year, I met some amazing people. Going into a new year, you just never know whom you are going to cross paths with. The people that come into our lives do so for a reason. There are no coincidences or accidents to meeting them. It was all supposed to happen. I am so grateful to everyone that I crossed paths with this year. Whether it was for a moment, a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or for the whole year, THANK YOU for impacting my life in some way.

Symbolically, New Years is a time for change and for new goals. What we all forget is that every single day of our lives is a chance to start a new goal and for change. We don’t have to wait for the New Year to do so. Just because the number at the end of the year changes at 12 am on January 1^st, it doesn’t mean that we will automatically be new people and that our goals will magically be fulfilled. You can do that any day of the year. Don’t forget that!

In 2019, I hope to see more growth in the organic industry. I hope that our broken food system starts to change for the better and that organic food becomes even more accessible to everyone.

2018 was an extraordinary year! Even though this year was extraordinary, it also came with a lot of challenges and tests. I think I was thrown almost every curveball in the book. Regardless, I am living proof that I can survive anything that was thrown at me because here we are at the end of 2018. I am walking away from this year stronger, smiling, happy, full of life, and feeling younger than I have ever felt in a LONG TIME.

I am so thankful for the growth, the open doors, the closed doors, the happiness, the pain, the heartbreaks, the people I met, the places I traveled to, and just everything! I am so thankful to my family and friends for supporting me in my endeavors. Also, thank you to those of you who have made a difference in my life. For 2019, I just want to keep sharing my organic passion and knowledge with you all. I want to keep creating a life filled with gratitude, happiness, love, adventure, and empowerment. I want to continue to make a difference in peoples lives.

“Thank you for the adventure 2018, now go have a new one!”-UP

I wish you all a HAPPY, HEALTHY, SUCCESSFUL, PROSPEROUS, and ORGANIC New Year! I can’t wait to see what 2019 brings!

Love,

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

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I just returned from a trip to Philadelphia. While I was there, I visited Independence Hall. Independence Hall is where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were signed. It’s awesome to be able to walk through history and to see where our rights and freedoms as American citizens were signed.

In the preamble of the Declaration of Independence, it states“ Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” The pursuit of happiness has always stuck out at me, even as a young girl. I remember back in elementary or middle school, we had to write essays on what we thought it meant. Now at 28 years old, the pursuit of happiness has an entire different meaning to me.

Organic happiness is something that I have been searching for, for a long time. But, I have stopped searching because as I have learned, happiness comes from within. It is a choice. Happiness does not come from the things you have, how much money you make, how many presents you receive, or what honors you achieved. Sure, those things do bring temporary bliss, but they do not equal complete organic happiness.

My whole life I have always said, “I’ll be happy when I graduate high school” or “I’ll be happy when I graduate college”, or “I’ll be happy when I land that job”, when really happiness was in front of me the whole time. Those things that I thought would make me happy did in the moment. But then when the temporary high wore off, I needed a new fix for the next happy occasion or life goal. I almost forget to enjoy the little moments because I was so focused on the end goal. Organic happiness is not just about the end goal. It’s about everything!

When I was in my teens and early twenties, I had this notion that my happiness directly depended on someone else and their validation of me. I thought that finding a man would fulfill that happiness for me. Let’s just say that didn’t end well. After those failed few relationships, I took some time to recreate myself.  

What I found was that I am in control of my own happiness and fulfillment.  Any time you focus on someone else to make you happy, you go down a dangerous path, which ultimately leads to despair. What I did was I started traveling and exploring new things on my own to truly learn what it means to love myself, which has always been tough for me to learn. Loving yourself is the first step to obtaining organic happiness.

Also, I learned that doing things for other people also created organic happiness for me. I love giving people my time, helping them, giving complements, and just being an open ear to listen to. Making a difference in someone else’s life and contributing to society are some of the best ways to achieve happiness.

To reiterate again, happiness does not come from your parents, from your family, from your significant other, your income, your materialistic possessions, your degree, from your friends, or from any other outside source. Sure, those things add value to your life but they CANNOT be your ultimate source of happiness. 

Happiness is a feeling and an emotion. When I feel happy my whole body feels light, I have a lot of energy, and I have a huge AUTHENTIC smile on my face. The reason I bolded the word authentic is because we all know how to fake a smile and we all know how to fake happiness. But when you feel true happiness, you can feel that emotion with every fiber in your body. Also, everyone around us can feel that authentic happiness that we are portraying. 

In my pursuit for organic happiness, I will no longer depend on anyone or anything for my happiness. I am in control of my life and my happiness. The amazing people that I surround myself with are the ones who add so much value to my life but I will not depend on them to make me happy. It is not a burden that I will ever dump on anyone anymore. I will never give anyone that much power to control my happiness. I have done that in the past and trust me you lose yourself real quick when you do that. And, you end up with disappointments and unrealistic expectations. The people that you give the power to make you happy also have the power to make you unhappy and that is something you must remember.

While writing this blog, it just so happened that one of my friends posted this quote below on her Instagram. I thought it was perfectly written and complemented what I am writing about. 

Always remember that organic happiness is a choice. It is the way in which we respond to not only our victories, but most importantly to our trials and tribulations. It’s about enjoying every moment, which includes both the journey and the destination. Life is all about the moments we create, the people we create them with, how we love others, and how we love ourselves. It is also about what we give, how we give, and how we contribute to society. That is the ultimate pursuit of organic happiness.

After everything I have learned thus far, I will no longer search for organic happiness because I will create it in every moment that I am still breathing. Life is too short to be anything but happy.

I give you all the power to create your own organic happiness, whatever that means to you, because you all deserve it!

When you learn that happiness is within you and that it does not come from outside factors, you have finally mastered what it means to pursue “organic happiness.”

Love,

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

The post Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Organic Happiness appeared first on Sara's Organic Eats.

Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Love Crunch is the newest flavor to Love Crunch which is a premium organic granola produced by Nature’s Path Organic. All of the Love Crunch flavors are amazing but by far, this is my favorite one. It just came out about 3 months ago and I was so happy to have found it. I mean, nothing goes better together than chocolate and peanut butter!  Unlike most Love Crunch flavors which you can buy at your local Whole Foods Market’s, Fresh Markets, and other natural markets, the dark chocolate and peanut butter flavor is exclusive to Target stores.

The granola is full of chocolate and peanut butter flavor. It is also the perfect amount of crunch that won’t break your teeth. There are small square pieces of dark chocolate scattered throughout the bag along with actual pieces of roasted peanuts. Even with the pieces of roasted peanuts in the mix, the actual granola part tastes like peanut butter. Bite after bite, you get more and more of the flavor of creamy peanut butter. When you open the bag, you can smell the delicious fresh peanuts and chocolate. It is the perfect amount of sweet, chocolate, and roasted peanuts. This will certainly satisfy your dark chocolate and peanut butter cravings.

You can eat this as a snack, on top of yogurt, in your cereal, or any other way you like to enjoy granola. It is certified organic, NON-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, low sodium, and suitable for vegetarians. Like their other products, they use Fair Trade dark chocolate.

If you are ready to taste the delicious new Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Love Crunch, head out to your local Target and pick up a bag or two. Trust me it will go fast in your house! There is so much love in that crunch that you will be begging for more.

For more information please visit Naturespath.com.

Love,

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

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Teeccino, pronounced (Tea-chee-no) is an herbal coffee alternative. Teeccino is used to help others who cannot have caffeine or acidic beverages still enjoy a product that resembles and tastes like coffee. Roasted fruits, nuts, grains, and herbs are blended and grown to taste like coffee when brewed. The main ingredients of Teeccino include, chicory root, carob, barley, dandelion root, ramón seeds, almonds, dates, figs, and other natural flavors. Just like when you open a bag of coffee and you inhale the aroma of the beans with a smile on your face, you achieve that same feeling when opening up a bag of Teeccino. You just can’t help smiling and feel thankful for such a wonderful coffee alternative with benefits that won’t cause side effects for those of us who are sensitive to caffeinated and acidic beverages. The aromas are heavenly especially the flavored ones. Teeccino either comes in grinds where you can brew it in a regular coffee brewer or it comes in Tee- bags where you can brew it just like tea in hot water. My go to flavors have always been the French Roast Organic and the Chocolate Organic. The chocolate one has that little hint of chocolate in it and the French Roast taste like a traditional coffee. My favorite part is when I add my favorite dairy free creamer to it and I see the swirl of the creamer mixed with the Tee. I love using either So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer with it or Califa Farms Almond Milk Pecan Caramel Creamer. Dairy free creamers taste amazing with it! Feel free to use which ever creamer you please to enjoy with a cup of delicious Teeccino. The best way to describe Teeccino is that it tastes like a mix of coffee and tea. It contains the strong flavors of coffee but the flavors come from roots and herbs which is pretty amazing.

Products

Tee-Bags

These are some of the flavors of the individually wrapped Tee-Bags. There are 10 that come in a box. You can purchase the boxes in Whole Foods Market and your local natural organic markets but they don’t carry as much of a variety in the stores as they do online at teeccino.com. I love taking the Tee-bags with me when I travel because I can easily make a cup wherever I am at and I don’t have to worry about finding a coffee brewer.  To make a cup, just add 1 Tee-bag to a cup of hot water and let it steep for about 3 minutes.

All Purpose Grind

These are some of the flavors of the All Purpose Grind. They come in 11 oz bags. You can find a variety of the flavors at Whole Foods Market and natural organic markets. There is more of a selection of the grinds in the stores than there are of the Tee-bags. Even though there is a wide selection in the stores, there are a lot more flavors on their website that are exclusively sold online like the Chocolate Raspberry flavor shown in the picture. They are known as boutique flavors. You brew the Teeccino grinds the same way you would coffee. You can use a French Press, drip coffee machine, filtered cone, or espresso machine to make it. I normally use a regular drip coffee machine to make it. All you do is add 1 tablespoon of grounds to 2 cups of water in the machine.

Here is a recipe for an easy dairy free Iced Chocolate Teeccino

I first took 1 1/2 cup of hot water and put it in a measuring cup (suitable for hot liquids) with the Chocolate Tee-bag to brew for about 3 minutes.

I then took a large Tervis cup and filled it about 3/4 of the way with ice. I then added the brewed Teeccino to the cup. Then I added about 1/4 cup of Califa Farms Almond Milk Pecan Caramel Creamer.

Teeccino is such an awesome, amazing, great tasting alternative to coffee. I have been drinking Teeccino since I was 18 when my best friend told me about it when she heard that I was about to quit caffeinated products. I can vouch that I personally have successfully quit coffee and caffeine with the help of Teeccino. Within the first few weeks, I stopped craving coffee.  You can read about it in the post I wrote a couple weeks ago called “How I Broke Up With My Love For Coffee.”

If you have wanted to quit coffee but were afraid of withdrawals or giving up your favorite morning ritual, well there is nothing to worry about anymore. Teeccino helps take care of the burden of feeling deprived of coffee when trying to quit. The worst part of quitting is thinking that there is no substitute but Teeccino is out there and it is THE best alternative on the market.

Top 12 reasons why Teeccino is the best alternative coffee

1. It is non acidic
2. naturally caffeine free
3. Gives you an energy boost from natural sources, not caffeine
4. Contains antioxidants from natural sourced ingredients
5. Contains potassium and fiber
6. Contains inulin which helps digestion
7. Has awesome unique flavors like chocolate mint, chocolate raspberry, vanilla nut, dandelion caramel nut, almond amaretto, hazelnut, and more.
8. Products are made from 75 -100 percent organic ingredients
9. Helps you kick the habit of caffeine in just a few weeks
10. It is naturally sweet so no need for adding sugar
11. It is GMO free
12. It tastes and smells amazing!!

For more information on their products and how to quit coffee using Teeccino, Please visit www.teeccino.com

Follow Teeccino on:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Teeccino/ 

Twitter https://twitter.com/teeccino

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/teeccino/

Love, 

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

The post Teeccino appeared first on Sara's Organic Eats.

Last night I saw a new movie called Consumed at my local movie theater. I have watched many deep food documentaries like Food Inc and Forks Over Knives, just to name a few. Those intense and informative documentaries make you want to stop and think about what you are eating or stop eating altogether. But, unlike those persuasive food documentaries, I have never felt an impact as much as I have with Consumed. Consumed is not a documentary. It is a dramatic thriller and a political movie that dives into the complications and politics surrounding genetically modified organisms. The tone is a gloomy one, filled with paranoia and suspense. Some of the main actors include Danny Glover, Victor Garber, Taylor Kinney, Zoe Lister-Jones and Kunal Nayyar. Consumed is about a mother who finds an unexplainable rash on her young son and searches for answers on what the illness is. She believed it was caused by the food she was feeding her son, particularly genetically modified organisms. It also intertwines with stories about an organic farmer, scientific researchers and a biotechnology corporation. The best part is that it shows you from all different angles between the farmer, the CEO of the biotechnology corporation, the researchers, and the common people on how GMOs affects us all. The movie is not one sided which is much appreciated. It is fascinating to take a look at the world of GMO’s from all different viewpoints. The reason Consumed is so powerful is because even though it is “just a movie” it is so relatable to what is going on currently in our country with our food system. This movie is such an eye opener and makes you want to start asking a million questions. The movie is so convincing in a way that makes you want to fight for your food rights and think about what you are eating, without the writers of the movie even pushing their views on you. That is how you know how influential this movie is. Unfortunately, many people still have no clue what a GMO is and how it is affecting us and our children. I hope this movie will shed a light to people who have no inkling or even care about what is going on. I commend the filmmakers of Consumed on their brilliant story and for bringing the topic of GMOs to life through a wider audience. I left the movie theater saying, “wow, this is heavy and super intense”, but it is a movie that must be seen by everyone.

Love,

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

Consumed partnered with Gathr films to allow people to bring Consumed to their communities. For a screening near you please visit http://www.consumedthemovie.com/screening-list.

For more information on Consumed please visit. http://www.consumedthemovie.com .

Consumed is Not Rated

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Holidays occur throughout the whole year. During the months of October through December, when all the big holidays arrive, we give ourselves the permission to gorge a little more than normal thus resulting in forgetting our “diets”. Let’s face it, those holidays are all centered around food first and family and friends second. Our coworkers bring in all these amazing cookies and cakes into the office and there are so many sweets lingering around the house. We tell ourselves “It’s the holidays, it’s okay.” I am sure many of you can relate to that statement. The holidays are a time to enjoy and celebrate with our families and friends and of course to eat our family’s best dishes. The most important thing to remember and to teach ourselves is portion control so that we are able to maintain our weight, still eat our favorite foods, and not pack on those lovely holiday pounds. Also, to maintain an organic lifestyle during this time of year, the best way is to cook with organic ingredients and only keep organics in the house. I am here to tell you that it is possible to get through the holiday season without ruining your organic lifestyle and without buying new pants.

Now if you are like me, who is very devoted to an organic lifestyle, how do I possibly make it through the holiday times with eating organic and maintaining my weight?

Here are a few things that I do.

1. Since I love to cook and bake, I have taken on the liberty to cook at almost all of our family functions during the holidays. That way, I am certain that everything has been prepared using organic ingredients.
2. I make all of our family’s favorite holiday dishes using organic ingredients when in the past we used conventional ingredients.
3. Sometimes we have parties or holidays at my family’s house and they have been so supportive that they will make organic dishes for me. Also, I will usually make something as well and bring it to the party.
4. Even with the holiday season I still shop, eat, and keep organic food in the house. I wouldn’t sabotage my lifestyle just because these holidays are surrounded by high fattening, un-organic, sugar laden, tempting foods. But, I want to be clear and tell you that I still do eat high fattening, sugar laden foods but made organically and of course in moderation.
5. The way I maintain my weight during the holidays is really all about portion control and eating small amounts and trying my hardest not to take seconds. I have taught myself the power of portion control and self control and that has made all the difference.

Here are a few things you can do. 

1. You can offer to cook for your families and find some healthy alternative recipes that still taste great.
2. Keep organic foods in your house.
3. Go out and buy organic ingredients for your recipes. This is the only sure way that you know you are sticking to an organic lifestyle.
4. If you are going to a family or friends house during the holidays, make a few dishes or desserts that you know you will eat and with organic ingredients.
5. Don’t be afraid to tell the host of the holiday dinner you are going to, of your dietary lifestyle.
6. Portion Control is the most important to learn and it takes a lot of discipline but you can do it!! It really is all about mind over food. The best advise is to use smaller plates. The smaller the plate you use, the smaller you will take. Also, if you try something and don’t like it, don’t force yourself to eat it.

Food brings us together and reminds us of our memories and our family. What makes the holidays so special are the people we share it with especially those friends and family members we only get to see once a year. So please enjoy the food that has been so lovingly prepared. Just remember that you have the willpower to stay on track during the holidays and you can eat food without it eating you.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones!

Love,

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

The post How To Stay On Track With An Organic Lifestyle During The Holidays appeared first on Sara's Organic Eats.

Are you tired of the same lackluster sorbet flavors that crowd the shelves of your local grocery store? Well then you must try Sorbabes! Sorbabes is the first sorbet company to use whole nuts as their base and chunky toppings without any unrecognizable ingredients, dairy, gluten, GMO’s, or corn syrup. It is made with plant-based, ethically sourced ingredients and it is also Vegan.

I found this wonderful company as I was walking through the Next Pavilion at the Natural Product Expo and I was blown away on how amazing these sorbets tasted. You can actually taste all the flavors of the description as opposed to other sorbets where you pretty much just taste its’ base which is normally dairy free milks. The secret to their amazing tasting sorbet is purified water, which is the base throughout each flavor along with whole nuts.

For those of you who cannot have dairy or if you are vegan, you will surely enjoy Sorbabes decadent flavors and will not miss out on real ice cream. There is no such thing as an ice cream “substitute” when it comes to Sorbabes as anyone can enjoy this creamy rich sorbet with benefits. The sorbets are so smooth and they are not too sweet which make for a perfect cooling dessert. The packaging is just as cool looking on the outside as the amazing taste of the sorbets on the inside.

Flavors Include

• Coffee Almond Sorbet with Chocolate Bark
• Raspberry Sorbet with Dark Chocolate
• Peanut Banana Sorbet with Chocolate Fudge
• Tart and Juicy Lemon Sorbet with Candied Zest
• Pistachio Sorbet with Sea Salted Caramel
• Juicy Orange Passion fruit with Lychees

You can’t go wrong with any of the flavors you choose. It is very difficult for me to pick which one is the best because they are all equal and it depends on what type of mood you are in that day. But if it your first time and can pick two I would go with the Raspberry Sorbet with Dark Chocolate and the Peanut Banana Sorbet with Chocolate Fudge. Sorbabes is currently on shelves in the New York area but make sure to keep up with them to see when they will arrive to a city near you!

If you would like to read more information, please visit their website http://www.sorbabe.com

and

Follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/GourmetSorbet

Like on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GourmetSorbet

Follow on Instagram https://instagram.com/sorbabes/

Love,

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

The post Sorbabes Gourmet Sorbet appeared first on Sara's Organic Eats.

Have you ever tried a purple sweet potato? If you haven’t, you should go to your local farmers market or specialty grocery store and purchase a purple sweet potato. Not only is the purple color amazing, but the taste is sweeter than a normal orange sweet potato. You can cook them the exact same way as you would any regular sweet potato. It is high in antioxidants. Because the color is so vibrant, you can use the coloring from the potato as a natural dye to other foods. About a month ago, I found organic purple sweet potatoes at my local Whole Foods Market and I decided to make a sweet potato casserole. Ever since then, I have made this recipe 3 times within the past 5 weeks. This is a great side to any dinner and it’s also a twist on a traditional sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving. Your guests on Thanksgiving will be surprised on how amazing, beautiful, and delicious this casserole is. No one will ever know that this recipe is Vegan. The most important part is that you do not have to be a Vegan to like and fall in love this recipe.

Cut and peeled purple sweet potatoes. Add these to a pot filled with boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this sweet, delicious, beautiful, comforting Vegan purple sweet potato casserole. 

Happy Holidays!  

Love, 

Sara, “S.O.Eats”

Slightly Adapted from http://ohsheglows.com

The post Vegan Purple Sweet Potato Casserole appeared first on Sara's Organic Eats.