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New on the Shelf
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by
Sara Barthelson
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| A Bounty of Beverages |
Function
Water is a new product that can be found on the shelves with the
bottled waters. It is a vapor distilled water with electrolytes.
Distillation is the process in which water is boiled, evaporated and
the vapor condensed. Distilled water is free of dissolved minerals and
can absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them.
Ola all-natural “ades” (check out the lemonade and orangeade fl avors)
are non-carbonated, made with fruit juice and sweetened with cane
sugar. Ola beverages, which are locally produced in Pine Plains, were
originally introduced to Honest Weight a few years ago, only to be
rejected because they were sweetened with corn syrup. Since Honest
Weight would not sell the corn syrup formula, Ola changed their recipe
to the cane sugar product now available.
Regionally made Vermont Soy organic soymilk is fresh, non-GMO soymilk
made the “whole bean way,” using the entire soybean and not extracts or
supplements. Unlike other soymilks, Vermont soy creates weekly batches
that are distributed like fresh produce. As a company committed to
supporting local, they only use 100% recyclable bottles from a plastic
company also located in Vermont.
Dahlicious Lassi is a low-fat and organic cultured milk smoothie made
from Indian Dahi, a yogurt-like drink that dates back nearly 5,000
years. Aptly named “food of the Gods” by ancient Indians, lassi is
purported to strengthen the immune system and decrease cholesterol.
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More
Gluten-Free Snacks
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Robbie’s
Cookies are made locally in Ravena. Flavors include Chocolate Double
Espresso with Kentucky Bourbon, Triple Lemon Lavender with Blueberries,
and Triple Lime with Cranberries. Arico Natural Food Company’s cookies
are not only gluten free, but made with organic grains as well. They
are the first carbon-neutral gluten-free snack company in the world,
and are committed to reducing their “carbon footprint.” Regionally made
Taza Chocolate (Somerville, Mass.) offer a selection of stone ground
organic chocolate bars, ranging from 60% to 80% dark, in fully
recyclable packaging. The only makers of stone ground chocolate in the
United States, their cocoa beans are sourced from small organic farmer
cooperatives, bought at a Fair Trade price. Also available are
chocolate covered nibs — crushed cocoa beans covered in… chocolate.
To
offset the sweetness of all these new snacks, check out the Yacon
products by Sweetlylight. Yacon is a perennial plant grown in the Andes
and both its roots and leaves are edible. Yacon contains an
indigestible sugar called inulin and is a great non-glycemic, natural
sweetener for diabetics — or anyone concerned with their sugar intake.
Sweetlylight offers the Yacon Syrup (produced from the roots) and a
Yacon Filter Leaves (a “sugar reducer tea”). And if it’s coffee, rather
than tea, that’s on your mind — try the new flavor from Equal
Exchange: organic, shade-grown Midnight Sun French roast.
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Clean
“Green”
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Twist
Loofah Sponge #50 may have an industrial sounding name, but it is all
natural and 100% biodegradable. The cellulose used in creating Twist
sponges is sourced from renewable tree farms, and 99.97% of their waste
is reused in production. Twist has recently partnered with Global
Response, an organization that works to “help local communities and
their environment from destructive projects.”
Seventh Generation
natural laundry detergent has been concentrated to twice its original
strength. Not only is it nontoxic, biodegradable and hypoallergenic,
but its new formula now reduces packaging and saves energy. Sound Earth
cleaning products, made locally in Fishkill, are composed of
all-natural, cruelty-free ingredients. The company donates 10% of all
profi ts to various charities. Honest Weight currently carries their
Fizzn’ Floor Booster (for floor and toilet), Wood Food (wood
polish/cleaner), Powder of Power (multi-purpose scouring powder) and
The Velvet Hammer (multi-purpose gentle abrasive).
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For
Your Furry Family
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There
are two new supplements available from The Wholistic Pet, a New
Hampshire-based company that only uses human-grade whole food and/or
certified organic ingredients: Run Free for joint support; and
Digest-All Plus, a blend of digestive enzymes and probiotics. These
products can be sprinkled on the food of your dog, cat … or horse!
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Bulk
Up
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Sweet
Brown Rice Flour is another option for gluten-free baking. Bac’Uns are
still vegetarian, but are now available as organic. Salad Essentials,
made with almonds, maple syrup, cayenne and sea salt, add a spicy-sweet
crunch to any bunch of greens. Milk chocolate peanut clusters are now
available by Baker’s Daughter, a local company owned by April and Wei
Zheng, fellow Honest Weight members. Finally, Panko breadcrumbs are
made from bread without crusts, creating an airy, crisp texture that
will add a new dimension to any fried cuisine. They’re perfect for
fried tofu or vegetable tempura.
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Honorable
Mentions & Special Notes
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Several
new flavors of both Liberté yogurt (try the plum and walnut or
the peach and passion fruit) and Nature’s Path organic instant hot
oatmeal are now available; Envirokidz organic and gluten-free cereal is
now available in 23 oz. “Enviropaks.” Something new that is not on the
shelf is Dufour puff pastry. If you’re looking for a more natural
alternative to the preservative- and trans fat-filled puff pastries
(like Pepperidge Farm’s), request a package from the friendly folks in
the cheese department. Dufour puff pastry contains only butter, flour,
water, salt and lemon juice — simple ingredients you can recognize.
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