Stocking Stuffers for the Foodie

Eat Your Greens Organic Tea Towel:  How cute is this functional reminder?  It's art for the kitchen and perfect for those of us who can't live without our daily greens.  I think this would be fabulous in a frame on the wall.

The first time I tried the Smoked Olive's Sonoma Blend, I got very excited because I love that smoky flavor and don't often get a chance to enjoy it.  This is wonderful for vegans and vegetarians looking to change it up and also would be fabulous for raw foodists as the smoking process does not damage the integrity of the raw oil, I am told.

The Microplane Artisan Series 4 Piece Grater Set comes in different colors and would be great in the stockings of anyone who loves to spend time in the kitchen.  They come in varying blades, each for a specific purpose.  Each grater sports a cover picturing what the grater is meant to be used for such as citrus, ginger, and vegetables. Graters are a kitchen necessity and though they do come in white, the bright colors feel festive and energetic and I love the idea of color coding.

Angell  Bars are Organic, fair trade, and offer gluten free and vegan options.  And they're yummy too.  The blue one pictured above is made with white chocolate and coconut and it's called Snow, how perfect for stockings.

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EMILE HENRY Eco Friendly PIZZA STONE

Need a super easy meal for those bustling pre-holiday nights?  Pizza is fast and easy and fairly nutritious, providing you pile on the veggies.  You can make it vegan, you can make it organic, and you can even make it gluten free.  And you can make it Fast.  Emile Henry's Flame Top Pizza Stone makes pizza easy and delicious, and it does it with that fabulous eco friendly French clay.

The pizza stones I've tried in the past  (two of them) were just not functional.  Little bits of food and oil would remain on the stone, baked in, only to smoke and create a bad burning smell the next time I tried to use it. I couldn't cut my pizza on the stone, so I had to then transfer it to another surface, and the traditional stones stain and are near impossible to get really clean.

What  I love about this pizza stone is that I don't have to worry about any chemicals leaching into my food.  Ergonomic handles make it easy to get in and out of the oven (others don't have handles at all) as well as add to the cool design.  I can cut the pizza right on the stone which saves having to wash another surface like a cutting board or serving dish.   And it's washable by hand or dishwasher and won't absorb soap-taste like other stones.  It's super easy to clean and takes just a minute or two even with stuff baked on.

Trader Joes has pre-made pizza dough for $1.29 that couldn't be easier.  Pair it with vegan cheese (or organic cheese which TJ's also has cheap) and load it up with veggies.  Children love to make their own pizza and sprinkle their favorite toppings all over the pie.  It really makes veggies more appealing to them in this context and you'd be surprised how easy it is to get them to eat vegetables this way.

It's also great for frozen pizzas (there are several great vegan, vegetarian, organic and gluten free options now), the stone helps make the crust bake optimally, and it keeps your oven clean.  It makes a lovely presentation on the table, elevating the frozen pizza to a nice looking dinner.  Pair with a salad and you've got a fabulous kid friendly meal.

You can use the stone for baking bread, but I have not tried this.  I think you could also use it as a serving platter for appetizers and whatnot.  The pizza stone comes in a gift worthy box, making it a great pick for holiday gifts as well and comes in several colors.  Find it HERE.

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Eco Friendly Emile Henry's New Risotto Pot

Have you tried Emile Henry cookware yet?  It's eco friendly, made from French Burgundy clay and absolutely no toxic materials.  You dont' have to worry about leaching and it's literally from the earth.  They have recently introduced the new RISOTTO pot and I think it's perfect for all that winter squash you (we) have around the kitchen this time of year.

Look at the gorgeous lines on this pot.  It reminds me of Asian one-pot-meal type cookware, or a Mongolian hot pot.  I've used it this way, it makes a fabulous presentation, and just seems perfect for a rich spicy Asian inspired soup.  The ceramic holds heat, so you can serve from this pot and place it on a trivet to look beautiful on the table where it's handy for second helpings.

Of course it works flawlessly for making risotto, the depth made specifically for all that stirring.  Butternut squash or pumpkin risotto is particularly decadent this time of year, and healthy, and can easily be made vegan.  The little nubs on the inside of the lid help to circulate flavor and promote even cooking and self basting.  Flame top cookware may be used on pretty much any surface, is dishwasher safe and is super easy to clean by hand.   Emile Henry stands behind their product and offers a generous ten year warranty.  Find the Risotto pot HERE. 

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Proteak FSC Certified Organic Teak Cutting Board

Need a cutting board?  I use cutting boards of varying sizes every single day--every single meal. Proteak makes some lovely options which are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified organic teak.

Proteak operates on a responsible and eco friendly business model.  Their forests cover over 8,000 acres of reclaimed Mexican ranch land and protect over 2000 acres of rain forest.  They've planted over three million trees which serve to offset the carbon emissions of over 20 thousand cars each day.  Pretty impressive numbers, huh?  A win-win approach like this just makes good sense.

The cutting board itself is beautiful.  I love the handle and find myself reaching for it every day.  It covers the right half of my stove so if I am doing food prep (raw or cooked) it makes for a handy work space.  When I'm done, I just rinse under warm water and go over it with a brush, dry it off and I'm ready for next time.  There are many different shapes and sizes to choose from.  Check Proteak cutting boards out HERE.

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