If you’ve been putting off your weekly exercise routine, maybe a free Gyrotonic class will inspire you to get back in track.

Try this unique exercising technique, plus get free healthy food samples and enjoy live music at at the “When Health and the Body Unite” open house July 25th at South Beach.

Gyrotonic is a type of exercise program that combines movements found in swimming, yoga, gymnastics and tai chi to improve flexibility, balance and strength. It’s a little similar to pilates, but has a little more emphasis in breathing patterns.

The South Beach Gyrotonic has partnered with other local health-conscious local businesses for an afternoon of health-wonderness.

Stop by at 5:30 for a free class, live music and free food sampling by the SoBe health foods restaurant and juice bar Juice & Java, and the vegan cupcake company BunnieCakes.

Movement Thru Rehab will be doing a presentation on physical therapy at 7p.m.

If you go:
What: When Health and the Body Unite
When: 5:30-9 p.m. . Sunday, July 25
Where: Miami Beach Gyrotonic, 1370 Washington Ave, Suite 307.
Why: Free health event. Gyrotonic class at 5:30p.m., Movement Throu Rehab presentation at 7 p.m. Juice & Java and Bunnie Cakes sampling all evening.
More info: Call 305-397-8070 for more information.

I’ve known about BunnieCakes for a while, but I finally made it to Juice & Java on the Beach last weekend and got to try these delicious vegan and organic cupcakes (see a video of my interview on the side video).

There I met Mariana, the baker behind BunnieCakes, who explained that she began looking into vegan baking after not being able to find sugar and gluten-free food for her children. After some experimentation in the kitchen and some tweaking of her grandma’s cupcake recipe, she developed her own recipe, which substitutes butter, wheat flour, sugar and eggs for things like apple sauce, agave and sugar cane.

Her vegan cupcakes come in mini and regular sizes ($1.50-$2.75) and in 15 flavors including red velvet, vanilla ginger, passion fruit, key lime and espresso. They are currently available at the natural food and juice emporium Juice & Java in South Beach and in Aventura, at Garden of Eat’in, and very soon at the Saturday Doral Farmers Market. You can also place orders online and delight your friends at your next get-together, or send your mom a yummy animal-cruelty-free treat for Mother’s Day.

For more information visit www.BunnieCakes.com continue

After hearing much talk about Lifefood Gourmet in Coral Gables, Ecozine made a lunch stop to try the restaurant’s raw vegan cuisine at its new location on Coral Way.

Followed for its cellular enrichment and rejuvenation attributes, the raw food diet is based on the idea that if you cook foods at more than 116 degrees, the enzimes and other nutrients will begin to degrade, losing its nutritional value. Raw foodists use instead dehydration, sprouting and other techniques to cook their meals (living foodists use the same concept, but use more sprouting to bring nutrients from a dormant to an active state).

Lifefood Gourmet owner and raw food chef John Schott, who studied with raw food guru Dr. David Jubb in New York, has a passion for living food and its qualities, which shows in the restaurant’s extensive menu: lasagna, burgers, burritos, nori rolls, four types of pizzas, wraps, pesto Alfredo, tomato and Mexican soups, and a variety of salads.

I ordered one of the most popular dishes, the All Veggie Pizza ($14), and loved every bite of it.

The pizza comes on a dehydrated sprouted quinoa and flaxseed bread topped with spinach, creamy homemade vegan cheese, tomatoes, raw tomato herb sauce, onions, nutmeg sauce and oregano (you can see the delicate layering in the picture).

The pie is preheated in a dehydrator before served to make it a little warm while conserving the freshness of its ingredients, a key to the raw diet.

To drink, I had a spicy and sweet ginger juice.

I was too full after the pizza but couldn’t leave without trying a dessert. I originally went for the cupcakes but there weren’t any left, so I ended up getting a blissful chocolate fudge crepe with fresh strawberries and redberries to go ($9). The wafer was made of apricot flax, and had a crispy yet soft texture, which surprised me considering it was dehydrated. I have to say the chocolate fudge was the best I had in a long time. I later found out they make if from pure cacao beans, which gives the fudge a rich grainy texture and a spicy and bitter flavor.

The menu and flavors is so extensive that I plan to come back and try more things. I specially regret not getting some of their prepackaged apple fries ($6) or Life Chips ($6) to go.


Following what seems to be the norm in the raw food world, prices are in the medium price range, which I attribute to how time consuming preparing raw foods is. I ended up paying a little over $30 (I then realized my pizza was among the priciest menu items). Appetizers, which includes nachos and zucchini rolls sell, for $9-11, entrees for $10-15, soups for $6, desserts for $8-$9 and natural drinks for $4-$10.

Chef Schott, who began his raw food endeavors at the Coconut Grove Farmers Market, is expanding the restaurant into an education center with kitchen apprentice programs, video teachings and other instructive tools, and he’s putting together a lifefood nutrition manual. His menu actually features a human body showing what body part is nourished by each dish. He’s definitely up to something, so stay tuned!

Have you been there? What did you order?

If you go:
Lifefood Gourmet
Opens Mon-Sat, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
1248 SW 22 Street
Miami, Fl 33145
305-856-6767

The South Florida Living Green Fair in Dania Beach is coming up Nov. 14-15, and we are giving away 10 family passes to 10 readers.

Each ticket is valid for up to five people, so you can have a fun and green family day for free! The first 10 people to comment below will get a free pass. (You don’t need to use your real name, but I do need a real e-mail so I can send you the code you’ll need to download and print the free pass. I never share e-mails with anyone).

Fave fun while learning about how to be more environmentally-responsible at this fair that will feature pavilions on subjects such as The Great Outdoors, Natural Beauty, Travel the Earth and Sprouts. Other highlights will include food and wine samples, test drives of electric, hybrid and CNG vehicles, education on solar, wind and water technologies, and tips on how to create an organic garden.

If you go:
What: South Florida Living Green Fair
When: Nov. 14-15
Where: John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, 6503 N. Ocean Drive
More info: http://www.livinggreenfair.com

Halloween can be scary, really scary.

Think about all the candy wrappers ending up in landfills and the flashy costumes bought and tossed the next day.

Think about all the calories that you’ll put on before, during and after Halloween -yes, Halloween candy bowls tend to stay around for days after Halloween.

Doing the right thing doesn’t mean you have to miss on the fun.

Here are some tips for a green Halloween:

1-Costume: Instead of buying a $20 synthetic outfit shipped from China, get creative and come out with the same outfit with things you already have at home. The most common outfits are easy to recreate: a pirate, a nurse, a witch. Use old clothes or stop by a nearby Goodwill Store, where you could even find a used costume. Check out this site for inspiration. This site also has good ideas for home-made outfits for children, although some require some preparation.

2-Office candy: You can’t stop co-workers from bringing in candy, but you can try talking to them about having a healthy Halloween this year. There are tons of tasty snacks that won’t disappoint their taste buds. If no one sounds very exited about the idea, still bring some healthy snacks for them to try. It might change their minds, and it will keep you away from their candy bowl. Nuts and dried fruits are my favorite. Reduce your waste by looking for stores that sell the snacks by weight. Fruits and a few dips will also keep co-workers hanging around your desk (think yogurt, chocolate, peanut butter, just to name a few). Read labels and watch out for calorie-filled dips.

3-Pumpkin carving: Forget about this wasteful activity unless you plan to eat the pumpkin filling. Check out www.pumpkinrecipes.us for recipes and ideas. Make sure the pumpkin is later composted.

4-Education: Talk to your child about healthy and unhealthy candy. The site Greenhalloween.org suggests setting up a point system: they get points for every piece of candy they collect (and don’t eat), and then they get to trade their points for a new toy. If you have small children, you can also agree with other parents to only give out healthy candy, then take your kids only to their homes.

5-Treats: Most children are told not to eat unwrapped candy, so they might not eat dried fruits and nuts. Instead, give out small toys such as playing cards, books or crayons. You can buy certain amount of small toys, wrap each in magazine paper and put them in a tray or bowl. Have each trick-or-treating child pick one prize. They’ll love the surprise factor.

6-More candy: If nuts and dried fruit won’t do, you can always shop at health food stores for granola bars, chocolate-covered fruits and nuts, and organic and nutritious snacks. Make sure that all boxes, wraps and bags are recyclable. Buy bags of loose candy as opposed of individually wrapped candy. You can also make your own granola or chocolate dipped snacks.

7-The day after: Take your time to separate recyclables in their respective containers. Candy can be composted, so just toss away all the candy you don’t plan to eat or you’ll end up eating it. If you got a used costume from a Goodwill Store, plan to take it back. You won’t use it again and someone else could.

8-Share ideas: What do you do to make your Halloween green? Comment below! I’d love to hear what do you.

Image by jeffk

Thinking about starting a vegetable garden?

Then Fairchild’s Edible Garden Festival is your best first stop: get seeds, seedlings and advice from experts. Today is the festival’s last day, so don’t think too much about it.

I stopped by yesterday and got tons of advice on how to fight the insects that are colonizing my pepper plant, and I also picked up four ounces of composting worms that I can’t wait to start feeding.

Here are the five reasons why you should go today:

1-Seedlings: Although I didn’t get any -I’ve learned to quiet my beginner’s enthusiasm and be realistic about the space I actually have-there were dozens of seedlings to pick from: mint, parsley, chives, basil, pepper, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumber, arugula, romaine lettuce, jalapeno, celery, collard, carrots and more.

2-Worms: What I did end up getting was four ounces of worms after hearing Lanette Sobel from the Fertile Earth Foundation give a basic intro to composting with worms.

I’ve been collecting all my kitchen waste in pots and mixing it with soil that I later use for planting, but this takes a lot of space. Worms sounded like a faster and more space efficient idea. I’ll be keeping you up-to-date on my worm composting experience.

3-Lectures: This is the best part of the festival. Learn everything from growing tomatoes to growing edibles South Beach style. You’ll hardly find so many experts on edible plant matters at the same place elsewhere. Check out today’s schedule.

I was particularly interested in yesterday’s “Organic Pest and Disease Management” lecture by Andres Mejides: about a week ago, I found some yellow and white insects on my pepper plant.

With a lot of humor, Mejides went from the gentler pest solutions -like ladybugs- to the stronger ones -like sulpher. What I have apparently are aphids, so following his advice, I’ll use chili pepper and garlic to fight them.

4-Involvement: Learn about local organizations promoting edible green spaces and get involved.

GROW, a non-profit urban farm educating the community on land reclamation and urban farming, was there to talk about its farm by the airport and giving away free herbs grown there.

The Urban Oasis Project, which recently completed its 10/10 by 10/10 campaign (10 families, 10 gardens by October 10) was there getting the word out and selling seeds and sprouting kits. (Ok, here’s my disclaimer: I volunteer for this wonderful organization).

5-Local vendors:I ran across some interesting local vendors producing delicious products:

Delightful Bites was selling all kinds of rich homemade jams, jellies, preserves and chutneys.

Bees N the Keys had a variety of honey flavors and I was told you can actually visit their bee farm in Key Largo, something I plan to do next time I’m in the area.

Crackerman Crackers, based out of Bay Harbor Islands, is also worth checking out. They use unbleached flour and only a handful of ingredients for their crackers and breads- the old-fashioned way bread should be.

They specialize in two products: crackers made of golden and brown organic flaxseed and sesame seed, and German-style whole wheat bread made with organic pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Vegan Miamians rejoice. The animal-free food movement has been picking up so much in Miami that there will actually be two politically-charged vegan potlucks this weekend at almost the same time.

The topic of each vegan meetup is different, so whether you are in it for the animals of for the health benefits, you’re covered. Traffic is not that bad on Sundays, so wishfully thinking, you might be able to attend both events:

Progressive Vegan Potluck Social at The Wallflower Gallery
Sun., Oct. 18, 4 p.m.
Discussion of local and global animal rights issues. Meet people from various activist groups and learn about community issues, all while checking out an assortment of creative visual art pieces and listening to a selection of local music CDs.
Where: Wallflower Gallery, 10 N.E. 3rd Street, Downtown Miami. 305-579-0069
Cost: Free, bring a dish to share.

Vegan Potluck Dinner at the Save the Earth Eco Center
Sun., Oct. 18, 5:30 p.m.
Topic : Living Healthy in a Toxic World: How arsenic, mercury and plastics become part of our biology. How can we stay younger longer? How can we avoid disease and improve our chances for a healthy life? Dr. David Newman, who has an extensive background in alternative and progressive healthcare, will lecture on environmental issues that affect your health.
Where: Save the Earth Eco Center, 12399 W. Dixie Hwy. 305-228-1116
Cost: Free to members and children under 12; non-members pay $5. You must also bring a vegan dish for at least eight people, and your own utensils and plate.

Are you a vegan Miamian? How easy or difficult is it to find fellow vegans here? Would you like to see more vegan events?

Photo by striatic

Since I began growing veggies in my apartment last month, thoughts about seeds, soil, seedlings and worms (yes, worms) have occupied my mind more than they should (e.g.: I had to forbid myself from making more trips to Home Depot).

So when I heard that Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden was having its annual Edible Garden Festival Oct. 24-25, I rushed to their site to make sure it was not sold out (it’s not) and was even more thrilled after reading the list of lectures scheduled through the weekend, including one by Melissa Contreras, co-founder of the Urban Oasis Project (I was inspired to start growing veggies after attending a potluck at her home and seeing the dozens of tropical fruit trees, spices and veggies she grows).

So what can you learn at the festival? See it for yourself; here is the complete schedule: (I’m still trying to get a schedule broken down by day so I can decide which day I’ll go):

Lectures

Saturday, October 24

* 10:00 a.m. The Sustainable Edible Garden, Ginny Stibolt
* 11:00 a.m. Creative Container Gardening, Carolyne Coppolo
* 12:00 p.m. Growing Organic Heirloom Tomatoes, Margie Pikarsky
* 1:00 p.m. Edible Landscaping in Paradise, Gabriele Marewski
* 2:00 p.m. Organic Pest and Disease Management, Andres Mejides
* 3:00 p.m. Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening, Adrian Hunsberger
* 4:00 p.m. Growing the Chocolate Pudding Fruit in South Florida, Noris Ledesma

Sunday, October 25

* 10:00 a.m. Get Your Veggie Garden Growing!, Angela Garrison
* 11:00 a.m. Creative Container Gardening, Carolyne Coppolo
* 12:00 p.m. Sustainable Gardening: Rain Gardens, Ginny Stibolt
* 1:00 p.m. South Florida Gardening with Fruits and Vegetables, Dr. Richard J. Campbell
* 2:00 p.m. Counter Top Gardening with Sprouts, Keith Seidler
* 3:00 p.m. Easy as Takeout: Asian Edibles in the Landscape!,Ron Mossman
* 4:00 p.m. Extreme Edible Landscaping: Urban Homesteading!, Melissa Contreras

Gardening Demonstrations:

Saturday, October 24

* 11:30 a.m. The Fall Veggie Garden: South Beach Style, Danny Ackell
* 1:30 p.m. Composting and Worms, Lanette Sobel

Sunday, October 25

* 10:00 a.m. Slow Food School Gardens, Hunter Reno
* 1:30 p.m. Square Foot Gardening with Kids, Hunter Reno

Cooking Demos

Saturday, October 24

* 11:30 a.m. Johnson & Wales
* 12:30 p.m. Chef Sean Bernal of Oceanaire Seafood Room
* 1:30 p.m. Herb Pesto, Chef Kira Volz of Creek 28
* 2:30 p.m. Avocado Tartar, Chef Elizabeth Barlow of Canyon Ranch

Sunday, October 25

* 11:30 a.m. Chef Adri Garcia of Green Rocks Foods and Mise en Place
* 1:30 p.m. Chef Giancarla Bodoni from Escopazzo
* 2:30 p.m. Chef Lori Moldovan, Certified Holistic Health Counselor

A scarecrow contest will be going on too. Although it’s too late to participate, it should be interesting to watch, specially since the materials have to be environmentally-friendly.

Click here for a printable coupon worth $5 off admission. Check back for a schedule broken down by day, I’m hoping to get a copy soon.

What lectures are you looking forward? Which one is a can’t miss? I’d love to read your comments and thoughts!

IF YOU GO:
WHAT: Fairchild’s Edible Garden Festival and Scarecrow Contest
WHEN: Oct. 24-25 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables
MORE INFO: Visit Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden’s website

After a little hesitation, I finally joined a produce buying club called the Organic Produce Buying Club of South Florida (read below for a complete list of CSA’s and buying clubs in South Florida). I got my first box of organic and locally-grown produce yesterday and I’m so pleased with my shipment!

Although a produce buying club is a little different than a Community Supported Agriculture group, they share a similar concept: you support local farmers and get cheaper organic produce.

Basically, a farmer will offer a number of “shares” or memberships to the public at a fixed price, and in turn, customers will receive a weekly -or bi-weekly- shipment of seasonal organic veggies and fruits. Prices are lower than at farmers markets because buyers, as a group, are buying in bulk. Another advantage is that most produce is picked up about 24 hours before the shipment, so you get incredibly fresh food.

This is as close as growing your own organic produce as you can get, even better than a farmer’s market.

The reason I didn’t join a CSA is because of you have to pay for the whole season in advance (about $600) whereas you pay-as-you-go in the buying club.

I have to admit my first shipment exceeded my expectations. I was hesitant because of the price: $49 per box, shipped to a local pickup location twice a month. They explained the box would be enough for a family of three or four who eat four home-prepared meals a week. We’re two at home, and I’m a working-from-home vegetarian who loves to cook, meaning I eat about eight or nine veggie-packed meals at home per week. My worry was that the produce might not be enough and that I would end up paying too much for it.

I decided to still give it a try, and I’m glad I did. This is what I got yesterday:

This is the detailed list:
7 bananas
4 yellow nectarines
7 Valencia oranges
13 ginger gold apples
cilantro
spinach
a red-tip leaf lettuce
an orange cauliflower
a red cabbage
a bag of Cremini mushrooms
baby tomatoes
3 yellow onions
2 garlic heads
11 carrots
2 acorn squashes
4 Russet potatoes

If you don’t like anything in the box, you can always exchange it, but it wasn’t my case.

I also loved the surprise factor à la Iron Chef. I drove back home thinking what would go good with what, what would be the best way to cook those squashes (any suggestions? I never cooked them before), and how I’d use the orange cauliflower to try an Indian recipe with curry that I found a while ago.

Anyway, I compiled a list of local CSAs and buying clubs:
Let me know if you don’t see your CSA here. Also, I’d like to hear your experience with CSAs, tips, which one has worked best for you?

ORGANIC PRODUCE BUYING CLUB OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Area served: Central pickup location in Bal Harbor Islands, satellite locations throughout SoFla.
Cost: $20 membership fee, $49 per shipment, which must be pre-paid during the previous pick-up.
Frequency: Every two weeks
Box size: 25-35 lbs of fruits and veggies.
Notes: Additional produce is available with prior notice. You can request half a shipment too, and they’ll help you find someone to split your share. Volunteer some hours and get a $10-$30 discount from your next share.
More info: Visit www.organicbuyingclubsofla.com

REDLAND ORGANICS
Area served: Located three miles north of Homestead, with additional pickup sites scattered between the Lower Keys and Pompano Beach.
Cost: As a CSA, you pay in advance for the five-month season, $630 for the full share, $375 for half, for 19 to 20 pickups, resulting in $31-$34 per share. Delivery at a pickup location has an additional fee: $40 for pickup in Miami-Dade, $60 in Broward, $100 in the Keys.
Frequency:Weekly
Box size: According to their site, a weekly full share is enough for a family of up to four.
Notes: The season runs for about 22 weeks from mid-November through mid-April. Four-week trial for $170. Additional produce available for purchase.
More info: Visit www.redlandorganics.com

FARM FRESH MIAMI
Area served: Pickups throughout Miami-Dade.
Cost: $50 per box, $30 for half a share, paid in advance during the previous pick-up. There is also a $30 one-time membership fee, and you must pay for your last share when joining to avoid “stand ups.”
Frequency: Every two weeks
Box size: 25-30lbs of produce in the full box, 15+lbs in the split share.
Notes: They are currently offering free one-week trials.
More info: Visit www.farmfreshmiami.com

GREEN CAY PRODUCE
Area served: Located in Boynton Beach, with additional pickup locations in central and southern Palm Beach County
Cost: $34 for a large box ($40 if delivered to a pickup site), $22 for the small box ($28 with delivery). Pay for the 34-week season in advance and get a free box at the end of the season.
Frequency: Either weekly or every other week.
Box size: Large box measures: 13″h x 12″w x 15″l, with eight to 10 items. Small box is 7″h x 11″w x 14″l, with six to eight items.
Notes: Different payment plans available.
More info: Visit Green Cay Produce of Farming Systems Research

WORDEN FARM
Area served: located in Punta Gorda, serves with pickup locations throughout Southwest Florida.
Cost:As a CSA, you pay $600 in advance for the 20-week season, resulting in $30 per share. Additional $60 fee for delivery at a pickup site.
Frequency: Weekly
Box size: According to their site, each shipment has eight or more items, enough for two people.
Notes:Currently open for enrollment. Season runs from the first week of December to the middle of April. Additional produce is available for purchase.
More info: Visit www.wordenfarm.com

09/16/09 update: I found a few more local CSAs I’d like to include in the list:

ANNIE’S ORGANIC PRODUCE BUYING CLUB OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Area served: Pickup locations throughout the tri-county area and the keys.
Cost: $45 per box, half share available for $35.
Frequency: Weekly or bi-weekly
Box size: Up to 35 lbs.
Notes: You can choose among different types of boxes: Florida-grown produce only, more veggies than fruits, veggies for juices only, etc. Also sells organic dairy, meats, nuts, prepared foods like hummus and more.
More info: Visit: www.anniesbuyingclub.com

Fruit juices and smoothies, vegetarian empanadas, organic produce and an endless honey selection; the farmers market at the Normandy Village Marketplace has everything to complement a day at the beach in a friendlier and more tranquil atmosphere than its South Beach counterpart on tourist trap Lincoln Road.

Stop for brunch and pick up a few Argentine empanadas ($1.95 each, three for $5.50) and an iced natural juice ($3.75 to $5.25) before heading down to the beach (just a few blocks away).

Besides regular chicken, meat and tuna empanadas, the Juices & Bites booth (which has a permanent juice bar across the street) sells a broad selection of vegetarian-friendly empanadas including spinach, spinach and cheese, corn and bechamel, broccoli and cheddar, onion and mozzarella, caprese, and three cheese. They also make all sorts of juices and smoothies including strawberry, banana, passion fruit, guava, mango, papaya, carrot and celery, and sell fresh coconut milk (let’s just pretend those soda cans next to the coconuts are not there).

The produce booth is a little pricey (in the $2-for-a-large-mango-price range ) but everything is organic and you can find many rare veggies that regular grocery stores don’t always carry.

Stop by the Bee Land’s booth for, well, you know what to get here. Most honey jars sell for $5-12, although there are a few family size bottles in the $40s. They sell uncommon flavors like eucalyptus honey, and jars with almonds and other nuts inside, as well as bee pollen and royal jelly, used to treat depression, menopause symptoms and other conditions.

The other booths at the market sell orchids and flowers (which I personally have some reservations about buying here or anywhere, but that should be another topic of conservation) as well as handmade jewelry.

Compared to the Lincoln Road market, there are only about six vendors here, meaning less price competition, but hey, it also means less time spent shopping around and more time at the beach.

If you go:
WHAT: Farmers Market at Normandy Village Marketplace
WHERE: 900 Block of 71st Street at the Normandy Isle Fountain, along the Rue Vendome, North Beach.
WHEN: Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MORE INFO: Visit www.themarketcompany.org

Yes, Miami has long been the place where the rich, famous and sexy bask next to beachfront five-star resorts, but hotels and spas are figuring out a way to make all that pampering partly carbon-neutral.

An increasing number of Miami’s luxurious spas and hotels are becoming more eco-friendly by using organic and natural products, recycling more and even planting a tree in the Everglades for every facial given.

It has created such a buzz that TreeHugger.com did a feature on it.

Some of the spas and hotels featured include Uhma Spa, in downtown Miami, which sells and uses only 100% natural, organic and cruelty-free products.

There’s also the Mandarin Oriental Miami, which offers guests an excursion to the Everglades, and plants a native tree there for every Herbal Thai Compress Ritual its spa performs.

Here’s another one I’ve been hearing a lot about:

Tahira Salon, in Miami Springs, uses only organic, non-toxic, soy-based and vegan. They even have monthly raw and vegan cooking lessons.

Do you know any other eco-conscious spas in Miami or South Florida? What was your experience like? We’d love to read your comments.

Photo by Dennis Wong

Say goodbye to Doritos and soda dinners during those long days at the office.

You can thank local vegetarian-raised sisters Jennie and Rebecca Albano, who came up with the brilliant idea of developing vending machines that provide exclusively all-natural and organic snacks and drinks.

Jennie wrote in an e-mail:

“One day the idea of vending came to me. I thought of the long hours I used to work in an edit bay or stuck in the office in my tv job and that the vending machine was so wretched… Then it just clicked, if there was a vending machine that ONLY had healthy, nutritious and delicious options…how that would have changed my whole life at the time.”

Their company, Natural Choice Vending, is the first of its kind in South Florida, and already has machines at four locations: Florida International University, The Miami Herald, Ransom Everglades High School, and World Fuel Services.

The Albano sisters -who by they way got the money to start off singing karaoke on TV- carefully inspect every item going into the machine to make sure it doesn’t contain artificial flavor or color, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, trans fats or high fructose corn syrup. If a product doesn’t meet these requirements, it’s simply not sold.

But items must also pass a flavor test.

“We taste test everything and won’t put any products into our line if they are not totally and completely yummy. Once a machine has been at a location a while we see what sells more or less and are always switching things up to mirror the customers’ tastes,” Jennie wrote.

They currently carry over 100 products, selling for a prize range of $.80 to $1.75. See a complete product list here.

The sisters are currently working up the public school system bureaucracy, and hope to one day have healthy vending options available at more schools.

“One of our biggest concerns is the rise of childhood obesity and diabetes and we’d love to be at the forefront of the vending revolution for Miami’s schools,” Jennie wrote.

Ok, so it could take some time before one of these machines pops up at your office, but you can call 305-667-0812 or check out www.naturalchoicevending.net and let Jennie and Rebecca know you want a healthy foods machine there.

Where would you like to see a Natural Choice Vending machine? What do you usually snack on? We’d like to read your comments.

Photos courtesy of Natural Choice Vending.

Medical centers in Miami Beach and in Margate are taking some environmentally-conscious steps to save money and the environment, all while creating a healthier setting for us.

Mt. Sinai Medical Center, in Miami Beach, and the Margate Health Care Center in Margate, are testing a “green” lighting redesign that would significantly reduce the hospital’s electric bill.

The new LED lights the facilities are considering will follow government regulations for required levels of light, meaning that exposure to light is kept at a minimum.

Also, the new lights will emit no infrared or ultraviolet light, making the lights far healthier for patients and employees.

Read more

Photo by Boliston