Wednesday, December 27, 2017

The Food Babe Army can’t be stopped! (Proof)

This year has been LIFE CHANGING and full of adventures and surprises. Two big developments happened in 2017, in case you missed it…

#1 –First and foremost in my heart, I became a mom. Harley was born in January and being her mom has brought me the greatest joy I've ever experienced. My biggest hope is that when she's all grown up, our food will not look like it does today – full of synthetic additives and dangerous pesticides. This has strengthened my resolve to keep fighting for a safer food system.

#2 – I (finally!) launched my own product line, called Truvani. This is how I will fight the food industry in 2018.

One thing I like to do at the end of the year is remember all the great things that the last 12 months have brought us and how far we've come…

You won't believe all that happened in 2017. Check the list here!

All the work we are doing, sharing information, asking companies to change, spreading the word about the dangers of GMO crops, synthetic pesticides, and chemical additives, and choosing to buy organic food at the grocery store is working. I'm so proud of my fellow activists and the Food Babe Army!

At times it can seem like our food is just getting worse or that good changes take FOREVER… but the truth is that we are winning the battle… and I truly believe we'll win the war.

See our 2017 accomplishments here… it will blow you away! 

I am incredibly excited about the new products that are currently under development at Truvani. We've accomplished so much in such a short period of time. This is our next step and your continued support will help! Stay tuned because I've got some big updates coming very soon.

If you know anyone who isn't part of the Food Babe Army yet, forward them this email and ask them to join the movement here: https://foodbabe.com/subscribe/

Here's to an INCREDIBLE 2018, which I believe will be our best year yet. Onward!

Xo,
Vani



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

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Friday, December 22, 2017

This last minute gift ends tonight!

It's the Friday before Christmas and I know you've got a million things on your plate...  but I have a quick reminder.

Today is the last day that my partner ButcherBox will give you $34 off a box full of antibiotic and hormone free meat that was NEVER raised on a factory farm. This makes an outstanding last-minute gift!

Get (or give!) a ButcherBox here before this special offer ends tonight!

Here's why meat from factory farms is bad for you, and why ButcherBox is a healthier option:

  • Factory farm animals are crammed together in inhumane living conditions, subsisting on a diet of chemical-laden GMOs and antibiotics, while being pumped full of hormones and drugs to make them grow bigger.
  • These animals are not healthy. And when we eat animals that are not healthy - we become unhealthy.
  • Grass-fed and pastured meat is healthier for you - lower in total fat, while being higher in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help to reduce inflammation. It's also higher in some vitamins and minerals.
  • One of the best ways to stop factory farming is to vote with your dollars and support farmers who are doing the right thing - and ButcherBox is a great way to do that.

Vote with your dollars! Give ButcherBox a try and get $34 off here - Ends today!

It's not easy to find grass fed and pastured meats that are raised in humane conditions on family farms at grocery stores - especially since labeling can be confusing. That's why I partnered with ButcherBox. They have done the work for you and found small family farms that hold quality and animal welfare as their core values, who never use hormones or antibiotics and grass-finish their cattle.

How ButcherBox works:

  1. Sign up here and set your schedule to automatically get a new ButcherBox sent to your house (or a loved one's house) every month or every other month.
  2. ButcherBox will ship your box without any shipping charges. All meats will arrive frozen and ready to pack in your freezer or defrost in the fridge.
  3. You can cancel or change your schedule at anytime! No commitments.

Your purchase also supports the work my team and I are doing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting us here at Food Babe. We couldn't do this work without you. Here's wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season!

Xo,

Vani

P.S. Remember, the $34 off offer ends today. Choose your ButcherBox here before midnight tonight, if you'd like to try their service!

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Too busy to bake for the holidays? Try this recipe...

Every year for the holidays I love to send gift boxes to my friends filled with homemade cookies and candies, and this year is no different. But, I've got to say… juggling my time between being a new mom, writing a book, and launching my new product line Truvani... I've hardly had time to get to the grocery store… let alone spend hours in the kitchen baking!

That's why I'm keeping it super simple this year by making my absolute favorite holiday goodies that take hardly any of my time. Today on the blog I shared a holiday candy recipe that you can throw together in a matter of minutes without turning on an oven and you only need 4 ingredients!

It's a recipe that my best friend Nicole shared with me several years ago… and I've since made it every single year for the holidays. The combination of flavors are deadly! The smooth texture of the chocolate against the chewiness of the goji berries married with the crunch of the almonds and spike of sea salt is an EXPLOSION in your mouth. The best part? They are fast!

See how quick and easy these Chocolate Goji Sea Salt Drops are to make here.

Here are some more treats you can make lickety split (some only take a few minutes!)…

Raw Coconut Macaroons - a must try!

Candied Ginger - only 2 ingredients!

Creamy Chocolate Mousse - just 5 minutes of total time!

Raw Cacao Candy Crunch - deeeeelicious and nutritious!

Fudgy Cinnamon Chocolate Brownies in a Jar - layer in a jar and you're done!

Chocolate Goji Sea Salt Drops  - personal favorite!

And, don't forget - if you've got some family-favorite holiday recipes that you're dying to make, check out these 12 Healthy Holiday Baking Swaps to make sure you're choosing the best ingredients! It's so easy to take virtually any recipe and make it healthier by making these swaps.

I hope this helps you whip up some delicious goodies for your loved ones… and now I've gotta run… I've got some quick baking to do!

Xo,

Vani


P.S. If you're still gift shopping, check out my gift ideas and stocking stuffers list here. The Food Babe Eating Guide makes the perfect last minute gift… you don't have to wait for shipping! Get a gift membership here.

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The PERFECT healthiest last minute gift

As I was online holiday shopping, I came across several "edible" gifts that made my head want to explode. These are gifts that I now refuse to buy or eat for that matter. There's no way that I'm going to send unhealthy, disease-promoting gifts to people that I care about. There's nothing that I value more than my health and the health of my friends and family. I believe there is no better gift than one that promotes health!

That's why my partner ButcherBox is one of my favorite gifts of the season that makes the PERFECT gift for your loved ones.

ButcherBox is a service that will deliver grass-fed meats that are antibiotic and hormone free (and NEVER raised on a factory farm) directly to your house!

48-Hour Flash Sale: Take $34 OFF your first ButcherBox when you sign up here. (ENDS FRIDAY 12/22)

The conventional meat found in grocery stores (even some organic) often comes from large industrial factory farms where they live in inhumane conditions, subsisting on a diet full of grains instead of naturally on a pasture. Unless organic, the animals were likely raised on GMO grains, routine antibiotics, and growth hormones. Because I care about not only my own health, but the health of our environment and animals, I made a commitment to myself years ago that I would stop eating factory farm meat, even if it's organic.

It sure would be nice if factory farm meat had a big giant WARNING LABEL on it, but unfortunately it doesn't. So, it's up to us to sift through all the different labels out there and figure it out on our own… grass-fed?, natural?, organic?, free-range?, humane?, vegetarian fed?, antibiotic-free?, no hormones?... some of these labels aren't even legit. It's no wonder why I get so many emails asking for my advice about meat. It's a jungle out there!

ButcherBox provides a convenient and affordable solution that makes it easy for you (and your loved ones) to kiss factory farmed meat goodbye FOR GOOD. They have done the work for you and found small family farms that hold quality and animal welfare as their core values, who never use hormones or antibiotics and grass-finish their cattle. No more scrutinizing labels at the store and searching high and low for farms that you can trust!

How ButcherBox works:

  1. Sign up here and set your schedule to automatically get a new ButcherBox sent to your house (or a loved one's house) every month or every other month.
  2. ButcherBox will ship your box without any shipping charges. All meats will arrive frozen and ready to pack in your freezer or defrost in the fridge.
  3. You can cancel or change your schedule at any time! No commitments.

When you sign up, you'll get to choose your box options. I just started with their new "Custom Box" option and I LOVE it!

OPTION #1: Curated Box - Choose from their different options: all beef, beef & chicken, or mixed box (beef, chicken & pork). Each box comes with a curated selection with 8-11 lbs. of meat. The selection varies every month so you won't get stuck in a rut and get to try new cuts!

OPTION #2: Custom Box - This is a bigger box with 12-16 lbs. of meat that you get to pick out yourself! For only $20 more than a curated box, you choose three options from the Everyday category (such as chicken thighs, ground beef, or even a whole chicken) and three options from the Premium category (such as boneless chicken breasts, steaks, or pork chops). You can change it up however you'd like, so you always have something new delivered.

I hope that you give yourself and your family this wonderful gift and see how much better you feel when you stop eating factory farm meat. It's truly life-changing!

Get (or Give!) a ButcherBox here.

Every purchase helps support the work and investigations that we do here at Food Babe, so my team and I thank you so much for the support!

Xo,

Vani


P.S. Remember this is a 48-Hour Flash Sale! Claim your $34 off when you sign up by Friday here.

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Grocery store swaps… holiday edition!

The other day I was doing some investigating work at a local grocery store and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the large displays of holiday baking ingredients. They were stocked full of… Crisco… Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour… Baking Powder with Aluminum… C&H Cane Sugar… Vanilla Artificial Flavoring… Artificial Food Colors… Domino Brown Sugar… and many more unhealthy (but super popular) products. I knew right then and there I needed to write about this immediately!

Do you have any of those products in your pantry? I bet a lot of you do.

Today on the blog I shared 12 Healthy Holiday Baking Swaps that make much better alternatives to common ingredients used in holiday baking. I show you EXACTLY what I use when a favorite family recipe calls for "flour", "shortening", and "sugar"... and you might be surprised at how easy it is.

Read the new blog post here.

You don't need to sacrifice your health to enjoy holiday treats. It's all about making better choices, and this same philosophy applies any time of the year. With these healthier swaps, you can ignore those holiday displays full of GMOs and controversial additives at your grocery store and still make your favorite recipes!

How we choose to spend our dollars is very powerful. If everyone made these healthier swaps, our stores would stop carrying all those toxic products and give us more good options!

Please forward this email to your friends and family to show them why it is important to make better decisions when we shop for food. Let's all vote with our dollars and protect our health – yes, even during the holidays.

Xo,
Vani

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Healthy chocolates?… you asked for this!

What's your favorite holiday memory?

When I was little on Christmas morning, I always looked forward to opening my stocking. I'd find it filled with fun little toys and candies that I loved. Now that I'm all grown up and a parent of my own, I'm really getting that magical feeling again this holiday season. I cannot wait to watch Harley grow up over the years and see the excitement in her eyes on Christmas morning too.

Last week on Instagram I shared a pic of the ingredients in Ghirardelli Mini's Chocolates. These are a staple in many Christmas stockings but sadly are filled with TBHQ, corn syrup, natural flavors, artificial flavors, and many suspect ingredients. Many of you were as appalled as I am and asked for an alternative! Thankfully there are much better options available nowadays.

You've got to see this big list of my favorite stocking stuffers… everything from candy bars, to toys, to spa-day treats… and I even included a healthier alternative to Lindt Truffles, without those artificial flavors!

See the Food Babe Stocking Stuffers List here.

I hope this list helps you create Christmas memories with your loved ones! Did you see anything on this list that you'd love to find in your stocking? Forward this email to your friends and family... you just might get what you've been hoping for.

Xo,
Vani

P.S. These gifts aren't just for stockings! Many of these would make great gifts for your neighbors, your mailman, and all the other people in your life that you want to show appreciation for.

P.P.S. If you need more holiday gift ideas - you can check out my 2017 Holiday Gift Guide too!



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Toxins you don't normally think about...

Have you ever been near a window inside your home when the sunshine was coming in just right and saw little particles floating in the air? I'm sorry to tell you that this isn't just dirt… and that there is a lot more lurking in those little particles, which go right into your body every time you breathe. Those particles can contain everything from pesticides to flame retardants to industrial pollution which affect your health.

While outdoor air pollution has been classified as a carcinogen (causes cancer) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer – the air we breathe inside of our homes can be even worse! The EPA says that indoor air pollution is about 2 to 5 times greater than the air outside, and is sometimes 100 times worse than the air you breathe outside. I was shocked when I found that out!
If you wouldn't drink unfiltered water, why would you breathe unfiltered air? Even if I'm eating the purest, most organic food in the world and drinking the cleanest filtered water around, I know that the air I breathe is just as important!

Here's how to protect yourself and everyone that lives in your home…

  • Stop using products with added fragrances, parabens, or phthalates. 
  • Replace plastic containers with glass and stainless steel.
  • Dust surfaces in your home with a damp cloth, steam floors, and vacuum often.
  • Get some indoor plants. Certain plants have even been shown to help clean the air of VOCs. Some plants that are most effective are the Dracaena and Bromeliad.
  • Replace plastic toys that may contain phthalates with those that are made with non-toxic materials.
  • Invest in a high quality air purifier.

I started using a new air purifier in my home and cannot believe the difference in how well I feel and sleep. 

We obviously can't all live in a bubble, but we should do our best to make sure the environment we live in isn't toxic. Using an air purifier has really given me the peace of mind that the air in my home is safe, especially for my daughter!

As I always want to share with you what works for me, I partnered up with Intellipure to make it easier for you to try the same air purifier I've been using. My team was able to negotiate a special deal just for the Food Babe Army. They will give you $200 off a brand new system! They will also throw in a couple free replacement filters with your purchase. Here are the details…

Get $200 off a brand new Intellipure system with the code FOODBABE here.

Also add these two items to your cart: 1 Ultrafine 468 VOC Pre-Filter Replacement ($19.99 value) and 1 Ultrafine 468 VOC Post-Filter Replacement ($59 value) to get these for free along with your purchase when you enter the code FOODBABE. (These filters must be added to your cart to receive).

They also have 6 month interest-free financing available through PayPal.

This makes a great gift for yourself or someone you love - you can even forward this email to someone so they can get you one!

Xo,
Vani

P.S. This offer expires this week, so don't delay.

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Want to gain weight and get sick? Eat this ingredient often!

You know when you walk by a coffee shop and see all those pretty scones and treats… they are soooo tempting! It's too bad that these are almost always made with Monsanto butter, processed grains sprayed with Roundup weedkiller, and lots refined white sugar… No thanks. Today on the blog I shared one of my favorite organic holiday treats that rivals those goodies found at the coffee shop - and is wayyyyy healthier too.

My mouth is watering just looking at these Iced Cranberry Scones... Don't they look delicious?

When it comes to holiday treats, it's all just about making better choices, and this same philosophy applies any time of the year. Here are three ways to sugar your sweets that won't wreak havoc on your health and even pack in some nutrition:

  1. Organic Coconut Palm Sugar – This type of sugar is a perfect 1 to 1 substitute for recipes that call for regular old sugar. It's completely unrefined, helping to preserve all of its teeming vitamins and minerals, and has a much lower glycemic index than refined sugar.
  2. Date Sugar – Date sugar doesn't dissolve so it's ideal for sprinkling on top of baked goods in the place of regular old powdered sugar. It won't be as sweet but will give you that sugary boost you need to make desserts worthwhile. It's produced by grinding dried dates into a powder, and is completely raw and unrefined.
  3. Food Babe's Sweet Blend – To make my special sweet blend, I like to use organic raw pitted dates, prunes, bananas and sometimes applesauce or maple syrup together in the blender along with some fat – either organic coconut oil or melted organic butter. Then all you have to do is add vanilla (or other flavorings) and the dry ingredients to make the most deliciously sweet cookies or cakes… I highly recommend this blend as much as possible when baking because it uses 100% whole organic ingredients – no processing and all nutrition.

I hope you try these healthier ways to sweeten up your holiday baking this season!

If you have a friend who loves those scones and treats from Starbucks, please forward this email to them and show them a better way to enjoy the holidays!

Xo,

Vani

P.S. If you like to bake, you've got to check out this collaboration of my favorite holiday goodies too!

P.P.S. Last minute gift reminder, this ends today! Aquasana Water Filters are 60% off with free shipping. Plus you'll get a free water bottle if you spend more than $199. Use the code "FOODBABE" at checkout to have your bottle automatically added to your cart.

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Are you giving money to Coca-Cola without knowing it?

Do you know anyone who buys bottled water? Maybe it's yourself, your mom, or your best friend… but bottled water is big business. It is also CRAZY expensive and the cost adds up quickly. The average person who buys bottled water is spending over $400 a year for a family of four – and that's being conservative. Also - plastic water bottles create an estimated 1.5 million tons of trash per year.

That's why I filter my own water at home. Drinking home-filtered water is so much cheaper and better for our environment. The practice of filtering my own water has changed the way I feel and look - and I believe drinking lots of clean water is fundamental to good health!

My partner, Aquasana makes some of the water filters I use in my house and any of their products would make the PERFECT gift for anyone still buying bottles.

Through tomorrow only, they're offering up to 60% off with free shipping. Plus you'll get a free water bottle if you spend more than $199. Use the code "FOODBABE" at checkout to have your bottle automatically added to your cart.

While you may think expensive bottled water is from a pristine mountain spring full of minerals, that's almost never the case… Popular brands like Aquafina (by PepsiCo) and Dasani (by Coca-Cola) are just straight up purified tap water. They take their water from municipal water systems, run it through more filtering, bottle it, and sell it at a huge markup. Why pay for that when you can do the same at home? I also don't like giving my money to these corporations that create products full of controversial additives and GMOs.

Give the gift of home-filtered water to yourself and your loved ones:

  • Countertop water filters are an inexpensive out-of-the-box solution for anyone in your life who is still buying plastic water bottles or using tap water as their main source of drinking water. This is the easiest way to get started!
  • Shower filters are great for the water in your home that many people overlook. Given that your skin is your largest organ, and your body absorbs what you put on it – bathing with clean water is crucial.
  • Their reverse osmosis model filters out fluoride, which SO MANY of you have asked me about! It also remineralizes the water, putting back healthy minerals lost in the reverse osmosis process like calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
  • Whole house filters give you the peace of mind that all of the water in your house is filtered. I personally love the fact that I can brush my teeth and grab a glass of water from the tap in my bathroom, knowing that it is filtered.

(Simply click on each filter option to learn about its features and compare here)

Aquasana has a 90 day return policy if for any reason you don't like the filter…which is perfect, so you have enough time to see how much money you are saving when you quit buying bottles.

Get up to 60% off with free shipping + a free glass filter water bottle when you spend $199 or more. Use the code "FOODBABE" at checkout to have your bottle automatically added to your cart. (Ends tomorrow, Monday 12/4/17)

This is a special promotion that helps us here at Food Babe too – so thank you! I only partner with the best companies I personally have used and trust.

Here's to healthy clean water for everyone – and to saving big bucks on this healthy habit too.

Xo,

Vani

P.S. Everyone should have a filter in their house - and at the very least a countertop and shower filter. Forward this email to anyone you know who would love this deal on home water filters!

 

 

 



P.O. Box 31521 Charlotte, NC 28231

If you would like to stop receiving free food investigations, recipes and healthy living tips, you can update your preferences here.