Did you know yesterday was National Mai Tai Day? It’s been just over a year since I’ve had an alcoholic drink, but I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a Mai Tai — or any other frou frou cocktail. Sometime in my twenties, I decided those sugary, high-calorie drinks just weren’t worth the calories — or hangovers.

But I love the idea of tropical fruity cocktails — which still make me think of a deliciously decadent beach vacation (ah, the power of advertising). And this week, I’m rediscovering the taste of these treats — minus the sugar, fat and alcohol. How? Zhena’s Gypsy Tea.

This organic, fair trade company — which made me really sad by no longer making its delicious biodynamic green teas — is back with a perfect-for-summer tea line: Tropical green teas.

My favorite so far: Coconut Rum. Just pour hot water over this pretty sachet and you’ll be greeted with a luxurious coconut-meets-pineapple flavor, spiked with a hint of rum. It’s like a summer indulgence — with green tea antioxidants! I also liked the Berry Bellini — a more tart, fruity brew made with organic apples, orange and lemon peel, raspberries, and peach flavor.

I discovered those two at Evolue’s fundraiser party for Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database earlier this week — and I’m already looking forward to trying out the other three flavors: Mojito Mint, Strawberry Kiwi, and Papaya Mango. Want to try one of these cocktail-teas yourself? A tin of 22 sachets costs $6.99.

Earlier: Tasty teas — that are fair trade and organic too

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Some love maca for its alleged libido-boosting effects. I just love the stuff because it’s sweet and yummy — especially when combined with chocolate. My favorite way to eat maca? Biting into the Chocolate Maca Chunk bar from Lulu’s Chocolate.

I discovered this organic, raw, vegan, handcrafted raw chocolate at Lightning in a Bottle, when I stopped by the Lulu’s Chocolate booth (below). Inside, visitors were invited to sit on cushions, sampling bites of the chocolates along with free tea.

After tasting the Chocolate Maca Chunk, I had to buy it. The bar brings together the best parts of two other Lulu’s Chocolate bars — The Maca Love Bar with its sweet maca taste and the Aztec Crunch with its high chocolate content and crunchy cacao nibs. Combined, they make the Chocolate Maca Chunk — a dreamy, melt-in-your-mouth raw treat made with 13 percent maca and 62 percent cacao, sweetened with Coconut Secret coconut crystals, and flavored with organic mesquite, vanilla bean, and sea salt.

The bars are smaller than most chocolate bars — which I think “right-sizes” the snack to prevent overindulging — though after finishing a bar, I immediately wanted more! Each 1-ounce bar has 142 calories. And all that yumminess comes wrapped in compostable natureflex with a recycled paper sleeve.

I regretted not buying more bars while at Lightning in a Bottle, but luckily found the bars again after I got home — this time at Erewhon, a popular natural foods store in Los Angeles! You can also find the bars at Euphoria Loves Rawvolution in Santa Monica — or buy them at Lulu’s Chocolate’s online store for $4.44 each.

Earlier:
>> Nicobella Munch: Get your organic, vegan, fair trade chocolate snack fix
>> Try new superfoods — or enjoy Raw Maqui Fudge Truffles

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Can you be a healthy organic foodie — and enjoy delicious chocolates too? Yes, if you ask Nichole Dandrea, a nutritionist and yoga instructor behind the organic, fair trade, and vegan Nicobella chocolate truffles and Munch treats. I caught up with the health-conscious chocolate lover at the Women of the Green Generation conference, and she shared how you can mix a lean green business with chocolatey pleasures.

When I think nutritionist, I don’t usually think decadent chocolatier. But you’ve combined the two roles — Can rich chocolate snacks really be healthy?

Yes! I’ve always been a lover of dark chocolate and was beyond excited when they started releasing studies several years ago, highlighting all of the benefits of dark chocolate. Once there was evidence I thought, wouldn’t it be great to use dark chocolate as a vehicle to deliver other healthy foods? That’s how the truffles were born. Starting with 70% dark chocolate, we substitute oat milk and coconut oil for the cream, then infuse wholesome ingredients such as blueberries, green tea, and pumpkin. They are rich and decadent but not too sweet, making them a high antioxidant, healthy treat.

Your chocolate treats are about the greenest in the market — organic and fair trade certified, and packed full of antioxidant rich ingredients — and even packaged with all FSC-certified paper. Was it tough to make the truffles as environmentally friendly as you did? Or are greener ingredients and packaging easier to find now?

Greener ingredients are definitely much more available compared to when we first started experimenting with the truffles in our kitchen about four years ago. But organic and Fair Trade certifications are costly to our suppliers and to our manufacturer (Theo Chocolate), making the product a little pricier than non-organic and Fair Trade chocolate. However we truly believe in eating organic and supporting the farmers, therefore want to stay true to our values.

FSC certified material is very accessible now and using FSC certified material seems to be a standard with many green companies. This is comforting knowing that companies are supporting the environment and consumers are becoming more aware of the benefits of FSC certification.

For the health-conscious chocoholic who wants to eat a little chocolate every day — How many truffles are okay to indulge in on a daily basis? Which truffle is your personal favorite? (more…)

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L.A.’s locavores are lining up in front of Santa Monica Place today. Why? At 10 am, the doors open to The Market at Santa Monica Place, where local, sustainable, and artisanal delectables await you.

The Market’s like a cross between the prepped-food section of your local farmers market and a posh mall food court. Walk in, and you’ll be greeted with a curated collection of small, indie shops offering everything from organic ice cream cookies to biodynamic hand lotion. Here are ten of my favorite treats to try:

1. Beachy Cream. You’ll be hard-pressed to miss this booth. Not only is it right at the very front of the market, but it’s also run by retro swimsuit-clad girls. Stop by to pick up an organic ice cream sandwich.

2. Groundwork Coffee. You’ve probably already tried the organic coffee from this local roaster, but this new small cafe has a new treat: Organic, fair trade, and gluten-free cookies from Gluten Free Goddess Bakery. Some of these square cookie slabs were a bit too dry, but I liked the moister texture of the chocolate chip flavor.

3. Magical Blooms. This flower shop’s the best place to pick up an eco-friendly letterpress card — made by Elum from eco-friendly cotton rag paper using soy-based inks.

4. The Curious Palate. Get farm-to-table meals at this cafe, which embraces carnivores and vegans alike with its eclectic menu.

5. The Cookie Guru. Love organic, fair trade TCHO chocolates? Get them embedded in an all-organic chocolate chip cookie. This is one eco-luxe, moist cookie, made by a local baker using local eggs.

6. Artisanal LA. Once an occasional seasonal event, Artisanal LA has now become a permanent fixture — at least for a month. Stop by the pop-up booth between now and June 12 to discover new local, sustainable, and handmade products — featuring companies like Raw Bites and Bare Skin Organics.

7. N’ice Cream. Can’t do Beachy Cream because you’re lactose-intolerant like me? N’ice Cream offers both organic ice cream and sorbet cones and cups — I recommend the sweet-and-tart raspberry sorbet flavor (below), which you can get a scoop of free if you stop by between 11 am and 3 pm today!

8. The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories. At the preview party last night, LA Weekly’s Pulitzer prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold and Evan Kleiman of KCRW’s Good Food did a cooking demo for a hungry crowd. Such yummy events will happen all the time at this small school, where you can drop by to take a sustainable cooking class. In fact, free demos are planned all this weekend — like a chef demo with Alex Weiser of Weiser Family Farms and Chef Walter el Nagar of Lagunda del Lago and a sustainable chocolate making demo with Patricia Tsai of ChocoVivo.

9. Benedetta. After a day at the beach, pamper your sand-and-sun roughened skin by stopping by this booth, which offers handcrafted organic and biodynamic skin care. The Neroli Body Lotion is an especially moisturizing skin treat — and the store’s offering free hancials all weekend.

10. Movies on The Deck. Enjoy the outdoors while taking in a couple free screenings of food films this weekend. “Ratatouille screens at 8 pm on Friday, “Julie & Julia” at 8 pm on Sunday.

The Market at Santa Monica Place also boasts local and sustainable treats like beer and wine, charcuterie, and cheeses — none of which I tried, but you may be curious about. Enjoy the artisanal delights all opening weekend — and beyond.

The Market at Santa Monica Place. 395 Santa Monica Pl., Santa Monica. 310.260.8300.

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Love Nicobella truffles — but want more of a snack-friendly crunch? The organic, fair trade, vegan, and health conscious chocolate company’s got you covered with its Munch line — which offers nuttier, bite-sized chocolate snacks in handy to-go bags.

I’ve been a Munch fan for a while, but was reminded to write about them after tasting them again at the Women of the Green Generation event last weekend. My favorite Munch: The Maple-Nut Munch (top photo), a sea salty-sweet snack that combines the best of dark chocolate and maple syrup.

The Coco-Nut Munch comes in a close second. These look like mini-scoops of melted Almond Joys — though of course, the organic delights are made with high quality roasted almonds and toasted coconut, all held together with dreamy dark chocolate. The walnut-and-flax seed mix in the Mama Munch is delicious too — and packed full of omega 3s.

Made with the same high-quality organic fair trade as the more sophisticated truffles, Nicobella’s Munch snacks are perfect for the chocolate lover — who doesn’t want the less-than-healthy processed ingredients and weird preservatives found in conventional chocolate bars. In contrast, each Munch concoction’s made with just a handful of organic ingredients.

Of course, organic doesn’t mean totally guilt-free. Organic sugar, nuts, and seeds can still add up to a lot of calories — and it’ll take some serious willpower to close up the bag after a few of these. Each 2-ounce bag contains two servings — about four pieces each — which come to 177 calories. Buy individual bags for $5 each, or get the three-pack and try all the flavors for $12.

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