Foodies go fossil-free

Good old fashioned elbow grease...not sure who thought that saying up - most elbows I know are quite dry, perhaps even chapped...hmm...

Well, regardless of the origin of the expression, this photo captures double the off-grid goodness.

With GSI's Vortex blender, we get a decent workout while preparing our organic green smoothies. Today it was packed with blueberries, banana, kale, coconut milk, flax powder, spirulina, coconut butter, and Chocolate Vega powder. I will say that the hand crank Vortex is no VitaMix...if you like chewing your smoothies (which I do) then it will work just fine with the kale. If you don't like to chew your smoothie (cough:::cough:::Joe:::) then, try juicing the kale first and adding it that way.

In the background you see Joe working it with our Junior Wonder Mill. This is a solid piece of equipment that we are loving! We sprouted hard wheat berries for about 3 days (which is SUPER easy with the Sproutman sprout bags) and milled them while they were moist to make a dough. With just ONE ingredient, we made sprouted wheat bread! No yeast, just sprouts and love :) We'll be posting a "how-to" video soon!

Love CRUNCH

You can rest assured that you're doing something good for your body AND for others when you buy one of these organic snacks. Love Crunch bars won't leave you wondering what happened to your money after you donate it. These treats are made in circles, and for every tasty little semi-circle that is sold, literally, it's other half is donated to starving people. It doesn't get more straightforward and transparent than this. Big ups to this company for packing in 26 vitamins and minerals, using vegan ingredients, AND delivering it all in recyclable packaging.

Organic Advertising!

We were so pleasantly surprised last night when we showed up to Next Door Cafe to teach a free community Budokon yoga class, and we saw these custom whole food bars promoting the event!

These bars had piqued our interest before, but now they really had us interested. Turns out this is a local company in Chicago that will CUSTOM make granola bars! On their website, they offer different bases, textures, fruits, sweeteners, and boosts, with many of the ingredients having the option of going o

rganic. The average cost of a custom bar seems to be around $2.99, and they'll deliver a case of 12 to your door. And the best part is...you guessed it - you get to create your own label!

Well, maybe that's not the BEST part, but it's certainly fun. Other highlights that I dig about this company are the nutrition facts (like % of carbs and % of protein) that constantly update as you create your ideal power snack. The various bases for the endurance bars are accompanied with suggestions for opportune times to utilize that particular energy bar - whether it be pre, post, or mid-race - making this is an awesome resource for athletes! Finally, Element Bars assures its customers high quality, minimally processed, all-natural ingredients, and for that, we are hyped!

Nana organic

"A Nana's heart is like a garden of love" ... Located on 33rd St and Halsted in the south side of Chicago, NANA is officially our favorite restaurant in the city! They source all organic ingredients as locally as possible, and chef Guy Meikle makes magic with them every time! This family owned business is definetly one to support. Nana even makes the chocolate for the mochas herself - blended with organic milk, these are simply the best. Today we tried the "nandict", an eggs Benedict dish with house made chorizo, poblano cream, fresh greens, and potatoes. This breakfast was also featured on the TV series, Diners, Drive Ins and Dives and now we know why - Mmm Mmm Mmm!

Beat the Traffic by Biking!

Sensei Joe is always ready for the long haul on his new utility bike, sponsored by Yuba. This thing is a beast! While we're waiting for the panniers, our cooler fits perfectly on the side, which is great for cold beverages or even just storage. The extended frame is big enough to fit 2 more people, and yes 3 of us rode on 1 bike to DMK last night, haha. If you don't know about their $8 grass-fed burgers...now you know!

You'll often find us studying over at the Next Door Cafe. This is an awesome spot in Chicago that offers FREE classes, workshops, and financial advising. These guys have given us crucial support to launch Nu-topia, our non-profit. The next free community Budokon Yoga class is tomorrow, Thursday January 12 from 6:30-7:30pm...Bring a mat and a smile!

Sun Worshipping

In the winter time, it's easy to keep our heating bill down by opening up the blinds and allowing the sun to passively heat our home. Plus, the plants and our Goal Zero solar panels LOVE to soak up the rays. I love the shadow that's cast around Sensei Joe's Geometrix organic T-shirt in this shot!

Eating Organic on the Road

Even with all the apps in the world, sometimes it's difficult to find organic/GMO-free food when you're driving for thousands of miles down our nation's highways. This is one of our favorite on-the-go lunches that is easy to store on long car trips, as all the ingredients can stand to be un-refrigerated. Sensei Joe likes his sprouted soy crunch sandwich with almond butter, banana, and local honey. I sub honey with coconut butter because I'm decadent like that ;) Try it with apples, or other great staple foods. It's easy to get creative and stay nourished all in one 5-minute meal...and it's better than a mysterious gas station burrito!