When you walk into a cafe on a hot day to buy a refreshing smoothie the last thing you want to see is a menu with foreign ingredients as optional add-ins. Spirulina, wheatgrass, lucuma, guarana, mesquite, maca root...where’s the translator when you need one? Don’t let these words send you running to the nearest vending machine for familiarity's sake - they’re really not that scary once you get to know them.

Charlie Barra is the 83-year-old proprietor of Barra of Mendocino, a winery producing organic grapes in Northern California's Redwood Valley. He purchased the land in 1954, and planted new vines the next year. As a California winemaker for over 60 years, he'd be a legend just for longevity if nothing else. But Barra has also taught other winemakers, people who went on to found classic wineries of their own. And, he grows his grapes organically.

I dream about fun, warm, summer nights. My hubby and I have a few friends over, open a bottle (or two) of our favorite summer wine (did I hear someone say rose´ or chardonnay?), fire up our ceramic komodo barbecue, and eat around our oversized picnic table we built together. My mouth is starting to water as I write this.

Summer is a great excuse to serve up delicious fresh farmers market finds, and anything from your vegetable garden.

It's late summer and the grilling season is in full swing. The ideal late summer night: pour a glass of your favorite wine (or cocktail), have a few friends over, fire up the bbq, and eat some ridiculously, delicious organic foods. It doesn't matter whether it's steak, hamburgers, carne asada, or shish kabobs, we love it all! But, of course we want the delicious healthy meats that aren't full of antibiotics, hormones, pesticides and who knows what else. Give us grass-fed, certified organic meat or nothing else.

This unusual sangria is perfect for any summer party and will keep your guest guessing. Serve sangria in a glass serving pitcher or punch bowl.

6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cup of sugar
24 medium organically grown rose scented geranium leaves*
2 bottles of chilled dry rose wine - I recommend Silver Mountain Vineyards Rose of Pinot Noir
1 blood orange, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 pint of fresh raspberries or blackberries, or a combination of the two, washed
1 pint of strawberries, washed, hulled and thinly sliced
6-8 cups of sparkling water or club soda if desired

In light of the latest major egg recall, many people are considering getting their own flock of chickens. Farmers have been raising backyard fowl for over 3,000 years but in the last five years, it’s become accessible for even the beginner farmer like you and me. With 380 million eggs recalled, raising chickens at home never sounded so reassuring. You’ll be able to raise them organically, free of hormones and antibiotics, and let them run around your yard versus being cooped up in a cage. You’ll get around 300 eggs per hen per year but the benefits don’t stop there. Here are 7 more reasons to convince you.

Mold is a gross and frustrating household problem. It can be hazardous to your health and cause damage to your home. When you head to the store, there’s a barrage of products offering you a solution. Unfortunately, that “solution” often contains chemicals that are harsh, toxic, and even carcinogenic. Instead, try these step-by-step guide to being green while cleaning mold!

For those of us without outdoor space, it might seem like having your own garden is an impossible notion. But while it's true that most vegetable plants can only thrive outside, there are actually a number of veggies that are perfectly happy growing inside – and some of them are pretty surprising.

If you're one of the sundry September weddings whose save the date is engulfing fridge doors everywhere, this invitation sadly just misses you. But if friends and family everywhere can all be expecting you and your fiancé's smiling faces via snail mail (or paperless perhaps...) for say, come next September, this is THE ultimate event to kick off your engagement. It's Eco Weddings Los Angeles on October 3rd, and it brings together everyone and everything you could ever need to put on the most gorgeously green wedding in an entire day of pampered planning, or just eco inspiration. 

Admit it - you love carbohydrates. The intoxicating smell is impossible to resist: crusty bread rolls, toasted bagels, sugary donuts - mmmmmm. The only thing stopping you from slipping on your shoes and heading out to the bakeshop right now is knowing that those foods will go straight to your thighs and hips as soon as they pass your lips. However, not all carbs are created equally - each works differently in our bodies. Choosing carbs that have a low glycemic index won’t pack on pounds to your weight, and can even reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.