#marilife

Founders Dana and Sam Stewart started the company in 2009 after finding a gap in the market for chemical-free beauty products that help repair and prevent sun damage. The duo -- former surfers who currently reside in Portland, Oregon -- worked with a pharmacologist friend who helped develop all-natural creams and serums that are rich in all the right vitamins to improve skin and fight signs of aging.

SURF'S UP

Originally, the Stewarts created Mad Hippie for their brothers and sisters in the surfer community. But they soon realized that annoying hyper-pigmentation and fine lines weren't just beach bum problems. So, they broadened their horizons with the aim of helping people who lived both on and off the beach. The most well-known Mad Hippie potion is the Vitamin C serum, said to brighten the complexion while "reducing the effects of photoaging". The Face Cream boosts the production of collagen using ingredients like acai berry and coconut oil, while the Facial SPF contains avocado oil to hydrate and works in tandem with zinc oxide, which protects from the sun. All Mad Hippie products are free of paraben, sulfates, and petrochemicals and are completely cruelty-free. And that cute packaging? The airless pumps are 100% recyclable and the soy-based inks are environmentally sound.

Part of the vinification process involves clarification to remove unsightly particles from the wine, like yeast, tannins, and pulp. Fining agents are needed to help clear it up to make it clean and transparent (because no one wants a cloudy chardonnay!) Unfortunately, some wineries use fining agents derived from animals -- fish oil, gelatin, and bone marrow are all substances that can be used to clarify. But that is completely unnecessary because animal-friendly substances like limestone and benonite clay can also act as fining agents.

TAKE A CHANCE

Clos LaChance Winery goes even further for their Vegan Vine collection. The Northern Central Coast California company simply allows any unwanted matter to settle on its own, which is then removed through what they call 'sterile filtration.' Additionally, all of Clos LaChance wines are Sustainably Certified, meaning they adhere to a list of guidelines to ensure environmentally sound wine growing practices. The company has also put together a program that educates people about vinification and how vegan wines are made.

If you can't find Vegan Vine at your local wine and spirits store, you can purchase their Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay online for a very affordable $18 a bottle.

Last-minute trips to the convenience store -- its refrigerators teaming with high carb, high sugar, processed frozen treats -- just left her cold. A yoga and meditation devotee, Milrom craved fresh-pressed juices but their short-shelf life and high price made them inconvenient. After figuring that there were probably others out there just like her, she decided to make the juices herself and freeze them, creating a shelf-stable product that was also cost effective. After mixing up different flavor combinations and testing them out on her friends, in 2014 she launched EatPops, a line of fruity, frozen desserts that are so yummy you won't believe they're good for you.

VEGGIE TALES

EatPops have energetic names like "Activate", "Nourish" and "Cleanse". Each variety is formulated with complementary flavors that are flush with nutrients. For instance, "Restore" combines potassium-rich banana with pineapple (vitamin C) and kale, a bonafide superfood with cancer-fighting enzymes and vitamins like calcium and iron. "Green Detox", with its fruit and veggie blend that includes spinach, apple, ginger, and cayenne -- is a literal juice cleanse on a stick. There are no artificial flavors or colors in any EatPop bars and a box of three runs about $7. You can't get a fresh smoothie for that price!

Like most beans, the protein content rivals that of most meats -- 184 grams per cup -- and they rate low on the glycemic index, which is good news for diabetics. If you are watching your weight, add kidney beans to your diet; they are formidable source of soluble fiber which makes you feel fuller, preventing you from overeating. One surprising aspect I recently learned about kidney beans is that they act as an immune-system boosting antioxidant, which can come in handy during cold and flu season.

FIG FOODS

Kidney beans are definitely best when cooked slowly, simmering on the stove all afternoon until they are soft and tender. But if you're craving a burrito or some veggie chili and don't have hours to spare, then Fig Food Co. has a solution for you. They have created pre-packaged Organic Dark Red Kidney Beans that are ready-to-eat right out of the bag. Pop them into the microwave to warm them up or throw them right into your favorite soup or salad. Fig Foods does not add any extra flavorings or salt onto their beans, so they can also be thrown into recipes without worrying about a too-salty taste. This week, I'm going to use them in this amazing-looking Kidney Bean and Cilantro Salad from the "Mediterranean Dish" blog, which I am also make even better by using all organic ingredients.

And while I do have a few favorite recipes that I whip up every year, I also try to find some new and interesting desserts to try out. Just a quick search around the Pinterest yielded so many picture-perfect cakes, cookies, and puddings that it was hard to choose which ones to put on my 'To-Do' list. But I managed! This selection here is not only completely vegan and dairy-free, but they all look so gorgeous, you think twice about taking a bite (but not quite...if you like what you see, you can always snap a photo first!)

Chocolate Mint Cake | Coconut Tapioca Pudding

Snowball Cookies | Candy Cane Cupcakes

Hazelnut Cake | Chocolate Mousse Cups

Sugar Cookies | Cake Donut Mini Muffins

Carrot Cake | Red Velvet Cupcakes  

Phytonutrients are naturally-occurring chemicals found in plant-based foods which help protect plants from disease and insects. But it has been discovered that many of these chemicals, as well as herbal extracts, can actually kill cancer stem cells in humans. This is a revelation because so many synthetic cancer-fighting drugs have harsh side-effects (plus, cancer stem cells can also become drug-resistant). The International Journal of Molecular Sciences list of the most potent phytochemicals includes:

- Luteolin, found in leafy greens like spinach and kale

- Lycopene, found in watermelon, tomatoes, pink grapefruit

- Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) which is abundant in green tea

- Sulforaphane found in varies vegetables of the cabbage family, including broccoli and cauliflower

- Beta-carotene, which gives carrots, sweet potatoes, squash their orange color

- Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes

So what are the most effective ways to take advantage of these powerful little phytonutrients? By loading up on fruits and vegetables. Eating raw can help since cooking can often strip plant foods of their enzymes and vitamins. But don't go completely raw! In some cases, heat actually increases nutrients -- for instance, beta-carotene and lycophene get a dietary boost in the oven. Additionally, you can try adding supplements to your regimen. Most of the top cancer-fighting phytonutrients are available in capsule form at your local health food store.

Also known as the garbanzo bean, this unassuming roly-poly legume contains a whopping 18 g of fiber per 1/2 cup, along with nearly 20 g of protein. Chickpeas are also known as an exemplary source of manganese, a dietary mineral which builds strong bones and revs up energy.

The easiest way to add them to your daily regimen is by tossing them onto salads but you can also get creative by roasting them in the oven or whipping up some homemade hummus. One of my favorite new ways to enjoy chickpeas is with these chips from Maya Kaimal. They're extra crispy and satisfy the same cravings that beg for potato chips, but they are lighter, less salty, and not greasy. You'd never know they were made of chickpeas if it wasn't printed onto the bag -- they taste a bit nutty. I prefer the Lightly Salted variety, which are delicately spiced and go well with dips and salsas. All of Maya Kaimal's chips are gluten-free, non-GMO certified, and contain zero trans fats.

During the refining process, sugar cane juice is boiled three times, and after each cooking cycle the liquid is spun to extract sugar crystals. However, not all of the sugar is removed with one process, which is why the juice is cooked multiple times. The syrupy by-product left over after each boil is molasses. The first boiling results in light molasses -- the sweetest and most sugar-dense of the three types. Dark molasses, mildly sweet and darker in color, comes from the second boiling. After the third round is blackstrap -- the thickest molasses. It has a slightly bittersweet taste and the color chocolate fudge sauce. Because it contains the lowest amount of sugar, it is considered the most healthy. It's also a substantial source of iron, calcium, and potassium, which contribute to strong bones and improved brain function.

PUT IT TO GOOD USE