Guest Post

Guest Post: ‘Shrooms with a Brew

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‘Shrooms with a Brew

Special Easy-to-Grow Mushroom Garden Giveaway to Support Breast Cancer Awareness


Three Special Offers Just for Cooking For a Vegan Lover Readers

1)     Comment on this post to be in the running to win a free Easy-to-Grow Mushroom Garden .

(Giveaway closes October 29th at noon)

The Winner is AutumnTao!


2)     Also, use limited time checkout code: veganlover20 for a 20% discount online.

3)     We’re currently donating 5% of proceeds to support breast health organizations…help support the cause!

It was Spring ’09 and we were fourth years at UC Berkeley. Both of us had offers in corporate America. Investment banking and consulting seemed to be the futures waiting for us after graduation. All that changed one day after listening to a lecture in one of our business ethics courses where we first heard about the idea that gourmet mushrooms can be grown entirely on recycled coffee grounds.

We could really do something with this idea: we discussed the possibilities. America is absolutely addicted to coffee. The world production of coffee is nearly 7 million tons a year. Only 1% ends up in the cup, while 99% ends up in the land fill. The possibility of diverting this waste stream, a negative externality, into something of value, gourmet mushrooms, was something we just couldn’t let go. As the weeks went by, we really dove into first seeing if we could actually grow mushrooms from coffee grounds, and then seeing if this idea could work as the basis of a full scale social venture.

The first plan of action was definitely an interesting experience. We went around to local coffee shops collecting used coffee grounds. Out of the 10 buckets of the mushrooms we planted, only one grew. In that one bucket though, we saw potential. We took that batch to the local Berkeley Whole Foods, and the team members we showed it to took a real interest. We created a plan and submitted our business proposal to “Bears Breaking Boundaries,” an entrepreneurial competition sponsored by the UC Berkeley Chancellor to provide $5,000 in initial funding for a ground breaking project. And that’s really the story of how we got started, giving up the corporate titles to carry a new one: “The Mushroom Guys.”

At its heart, BTTR Ventures (pronounced Better) stands for “back to the roots,” a phrase that encompasses the idea of creating a company that stands for sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility. What is so unique about Back to the Roots is its completely closed loop system. We first utilized a large waste stream to produce something of value: gourmet oyster mushrooms. The mushrooms were harvested and sold across NorCal. The coffee grounds, enriched by the mushroom growth, turned into premium soil amendment that was then donated to local nurseries and urban farms, giving back to the community from which we gather the coffee grounds from.

Since we launched in 2009, we have diverted & transformed over 50,000 pounds of coffee grounds into a rich soil for local, healthy food and have grown 7,500 pounds of delicious gourmet mushrooms sold at all Nor Cal Whole Foods Markets. Starting off as purely an urban mushroom farm, Back to the Roots has recently transformed into an eco-centered company dedicated to bringing fresh, sustainably grown food straight to the home through our grow-at-home mushroom kits: the Easy-to-Grow Mushroom Garden . Our vision is to serve as a standard bearer for innovation and responsibility in our community in order to inspire others to work towards a more sustainable future. We’re happy to be pursuing this vision first through our mushroom gardens!

Our Easy-to-Grow Mushroom Gardens, sold on our website, are packaged in post-consumer cardboard and printed on with soy ink, an environmentally better alternative. Our mushroom kits arrive in the mail ready to grow: we wanted to create a sustainable product that is easy and simple, so everyone can enjoy growing and eating fresh. We really love the fact too that when kids get involved in growing with our Mushroom Garden, they not only get exposed to sustainability, but also get to experience seeing first-hand how food  grows. The Easy-to-Grow Mushroom Gardens yield up to one pound of delicious oyster mushroom in as little as 10 days, and you can harvest as many as four crops. The soil inside is safe & sustainable – 100% recycled coffee grounds! And while some worry that the mushrooms may taste like coffee, plenty of chefs, such as Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, can attest to their authentic nutty flavor.

We’re also currently donating 5% of all sales to support local breast cancer awareness organizations – supporting a cause that is close to our hearts (our co-founder, Alex, fought through cancer in high school) and building on the great health benefits that oyster mushrooms have.

Through our Easy-to-Grow Mushroom Garden, we hope to encourage people to go “Back to the Roots” of sustainability. If you want to go try growing your own food, use the special discount we’re giving just to Cooking for a Vegan Lover readers: just type in veganlover20 on the checkout page on our website and get 20% off!

Happy Harvesting!

Q & A: Envitote

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The newest addition to my OpenSky shop is this great back the Envitote.  I have been using this reusable back for a few months now and love how durable it is.  The most unique thing about this tote is the square base and handles on the side as well as the shoulder strap.  I have not found any other totes that are like this and it creates and easy totae for me to carry my groceries in.


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1. Why did you decide to partner up with OpenSky?

As a new, small business, Envicorp Products tried to find every creative avenue to distribute our eco-friendly products such as our original design Envitote. With limited resources, this can be challenging.  After meeting an OpenSky buyer at the California Gift Show, we believed that this was an opportunity we had to seize.

We saw the OpenSky Project as a bold, new approach to shopping.  In an age where personal interactions are becoming fewer and far between, OpenSky aspires to use those very technologies to bring relationships back to shopping.

2. What was the inspiration behind Envicorp?

Inspired at an Earth Day festival in Santa Monica, CA, Stephanie Collins began designing environmentally friendly products. Along with best friend of 20 years, Tana Collins, a plan was made to start a company that would provide products to the eco-conscious. Our hope is to reduce consumer waste and environmental pollution. While we are a company, part of our mission is that of advocacy, education, and service. The long-term objective is to start a non-profit foundation that will give grants to grassroots environmental programs.

3. Why do you feel it is important to use reusable bags versus plastic?

The average use of any plastic bag is only 12 minutes.  It then takes that single bag 500-1000 years to decompose.  The average U.S. family uses on average 1,500 plastic bags per year.  With one reusable bag preventing six plastic bags from being used, this is one easy step that everyone can take to help protect our environment.  With roughly 60–80% of all marine debris, and 90% of floating debris being plastic, the use of reusable bags can have a dramatic effect on our planet.  We have a page of our website devoted to many of the statistics about plastic bag consumption.  Our envifacts can be found at http://www.envicorp.com/envifacts.html.

4. What is the Envitote made out of?

Envitote is made from 100% cotton, canvas – a renewable resource.  The cardstock stiffeners are paper which is renewable and recyclable.

5. What is your favorite thing about the Envitote?

First, we like the fact that Envitote has an impact on saving the planet.  Next, we are thrilled with the multiple uses that have been found for the Envitote.  Its diversity as a bag extends well beyond the grocery store.  For example, Envitote fits perfectly under an airline seat, so it works as the perfect travel bag.  We have had it used as a diaper bag and pet carrier.  Also, it makes the perfect eco-friendly gift basket.  The uses are endless.

6. Do you have any plans to create other products?

We have other products available on our website, www.envicorp.com, and on OpenSky.  Also, we are currently in the process of developing additional original products (like the Envipal another great tote but this one is insulated!)

Q&A with Hail Merry

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One of the new additions to my OpenSky shop are Hail Merry snacks.  The pack contains orange cranberry grawnola, choco macaroon, blone macaroon and a meditation card. The choco macaroon is my favorite, it’s like a little ball of happiness. These snacks are handmade, rich with nutrients and low in sugar- snacking couldn’t get much better.

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To tell you more about Hail Merry I did a blog interview with Susan O’Brien- Hail Merry Snacks Founder:

Why did you decide to partner up with OpenSky?

In order to be exposed to a wider group of individuals interested in the healthy, raw, vegan, gluten-free, or natural lifestyle.  We find that most people that try our products fall in love with them and become passionate and loyal fans, so we’d like to let more people know we’re around – making great products that they might appreciate!

What was the inspiration behind Hail Merry?

The name Hail Merry was inspired by the game of chess.  My kids played a lot of Chess and we went to A LOT of chess tournaments.  When I was incubating the brand I would often be at these events and always loved how the Queen was so powerful on the board. I worked in the field of commercial architecture which was dominated my men.  So Hail Merry and the Queen icon is sort of a wink and a nod to girl power!  I also am a HUGE Madonna fan.  I loved how her name is so self-actualizing. With a name like Madonna you have no choice but to change the world and make a difference.  The name Hail Merry does that for me.  I hope that Hail Merry will one day become a huge force for change in the way we snack in America. The name Hail Merry is definitely provocative and I hope memorable, and yes of course there is always the Catholic connotation.  I am Catholic and love and respect my faith very much.  The challenge of building this business at times can be daunting and for me the name Hail Merry gives me divine inspiration.

What is my favorite product and why?

This is really hard.  You would think that I would be tired of each of these recipes since I have been eating them for over 5 years.  I would have to say the blonde macaroons just are simply transcending.  They literally melt in your mouth.  There is no guilt when you eat them either.  They are loaded with fiber, healing coconut oil and vitamins and minerals from the organic maple syrup.  As a Catholic I like “guilt free”, we get enough of that already!

Do you have any new products coming out?

YES!! We just launched our new seasoned nut line and we are SO excited.  I gave up salad dressing because I only want to eat fats in their raw whole food state, like nuts, avocado etc.  (I do consume coconut oil for its healing properties).  Instead of salad dressing I put a handful of our seasoned nuts on top!  They come in great flavors like:

Chili Chimayo Pecans,  Lemon Thyme Pecans, Orange Rosemary Pecans, Maple Almonds, and Salt and Black Pepper Sunflower Seeds.  Add some fresh herbs, and lemon juice and your golden!!

Reminder- use the Coupon Code: THIRTYVEGAN today! The coupon is good for the first five four customers who use it and expires on 9/30, so don’t wait!

Q&A with Juliet Mae’s

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I just added Juliet Mae’s Indian Spice Sampler to my Opensky shop;Buy Now

Below is a brief Q&A I did with Kathy from Juliet Mae’s, ENJOY!


1. Why did you decide to partner up with OpenSky?

I elected to partner with Open Sky because I was interested in expanding “our reach” into the food community.
We make a true artisan product. We  put a lot of effort into each item we make. We are all about quality, quality
quality. Because of the high quality, ease of use and creative potential of the product, bloggers can recommend our products with
the assurance that their readers will have a good experience. I feel that this type of marketing is the most effective, because
the blogger format tends to be effective when the blogger creates and presents an authentic voice.
In short, I feel my product helps to underscore  a bloggers credibility because Juliet Mae has its own authentic voice.

2. What was the inspiration behind Juliet Mae’s Spices?

I really like to use good quality ingredients when I cook. It seems to me if you are going to go to trouble of preparing a meal for friends or family,
you want to give it your best Juliet Mae came about from playing around with flavors and trying to recreate a restaurant experience at home.
I taught  myself how to make spice blends by remaking my classic curry blend over and over and over. I did a lot or research on spices, on various cuisines and
on packaging. I made my first few packs and give them as gifts to friends- they were a big hit and we went from there.

But at the end of the day, it is all about creating a great dining experience both in the kitchen and at the table.

3. What is your favorite spice blend?

Like a Chinese mother,  I think all my children are beautiful. Seriously, I like all of them or I wouldn’t sell them. I find it difficult to make blends from ingredients I do not like, as I just can’t abide the aroma- which makes it almost impossible to blend!
5. Do you have a favorite recipe for one of the spice mixes from the Indian Sampler that you would like to share?
5) The Cool Vindaloo is loaded with mustard and makes a nice seasoning for salad dressing.
just add about 1 teaspoon to minced shallot, good evoo, champagne vinegar and chopped parsley. mix well and
drizzel over mixed greens.

Q&A: GlassDharma

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Over the past few months I have been using my GlassDharma straws all the time and have added them to my OpenSky shop for you to get your own set.  These straws are great and so easy to clean and are eco-friendly.  Below is a little Q&A for the people at GlassDharama.  Enjoy!

1. Why did you decide to partner up with OpenSky?

GlassDharma’s publicity began with Bloggers!  Blog reviews of GlassDharma products brought about an appropriate forum.  Not only to get the word out about a new idea (Glass Straws)  but also to present the forward thinking that goes along with the creation of our products.

When Open Sky made it’s debut, Glass Dharma staff recognized an organization that could easily unite bloggers and product manufacturers in a way that gave bloggers opportunities for store fronts.  After all, the bloggers promote the products, so why not sell to their own followings as well & increase their profits?

2. What is the inspiration behind GlassDharma?

GlassDharma has a mission – the power of a spiraling thought process goes with each product that leaves our manufacturing facility.

The thought process?  REUSE!

Reuse it and you don’t have to throw it “away”.

Reuse it and you won’t have to “recycle” it.

Reuse and just say “no” to single use plastics.

Choosing a reusable straw is a small and simple act, but the decision leads to more decisions about much bigger things….

David Leonhardt, owner and founder, focuses his hard work and determination into creating quality products that have an impact on health and environmental issues.  While caring for his customers with the highest level of integrity, David creates a product that benefits other people like himself and the quality of our world. His vision to create his own line of glass drinking straws stems from his 12 years of experience as a Lamp-worker.

In addition to becoming a part of the “green” movement with his product and his packaging, David also loves the elegance of glass.

GlassDharma is the result of a life long pursuit to follow “dharma” – that which upholds and supports the proper conduct of living.

3. Which is your favorite straw and why?

“I use every style and size of GlassDharma straws but my most used are the 10inch 9.5mm because I drink Iced Tea every day.  At home I use tall Iced Tea glasses and on the go I use tall glass bottles.  The 10 inch are the perfect size for both.

Every day I drink a fruit & veggie smoothie for breakfast and I always reach for a 12mm “smoothie size” Beautiful Bends Glass Straw.

Serving guests?  The Decorative Dots are the favorite and the different colors help with drink identification.”

-Cheryl Newcomb (PR& Marketing Department at GlassDharma)

4. What are the benefits of GlassDharma straws?

There is the benefit of taste & feel when you use glass straws, the elegance of the fire polished glass…

The glass maintains a more constant temperature in both hot and cold beverages, there is not the condensation buildup and sweating that often occurs with stainless steel and aluminum straws.

The very best benefit is to reduce the need for single use plastics because of what plastic waste is doing to our Planet

5. How durable are GlassDharma straws?

GlassDharma Glass Straws are manufactured using a special annealing method:

David Leonhardt uses the highest standards available, provided by Corning, Inc. (the makers of Pyrex©) to anneal*.  Under computer controlled conditions, all glassware created by GlassDharma (*a special heating process that reduces stress in the glass) produces “Vintage Pyrex” quality and durability.  100% inspection for Quality Control is implemented at each stage of manufacturing and packaging.

Please see video à http://glassdharma.blogspot.com/2010/03/glassdharma-difference.html

6. Lastly, I see that you are involved in fundraising as well, could you tell me more about this?

GlassDharma knows that the giving back reaches far beyond the manufacturing of a product that is environmentally friendly.

There are many worthwhile causes in our world and GlassDharma would like to provide platforms and opportunities for Fundraising by providing a user-friendly Fundraising Package of our products to allow profits from sales to be used for worthy causes.

set of 6 decorative dots glass straws
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Interview: Ayala’s Herbal Water

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To help you get a little better aquainted with one of my favorite products in my OpenSky shop I did a short interview with Dr. Ayala:

What is the inspiration behind HerbalWater?

I am a pediatrician and one of my main interests in pediatrics was preventive medicine, especially the role good nutrition has on overall health.

Well before everyone became concerned with the obesity epidemic, I started advising parents to stay away from sweet drinks, because there are so many calories and so much junk in most sweet drinks and drinking sweet is so habit forming.

You see, the average American consumes about 300cal/day in sweet beverages, mostly empty calories from sugar.  There’s pretty good evidence that these calories don’t register the way solid food does, and therefore they’re not compensated for.  Just attacking this habit is a going to make a huge impact on our waistlines.

And since I try very hard to practice what I preach, and I believe that anything you put in your mouth should taste good, and not just be good for you, I started exploring calorie free beverages for my home

I grow an organic herb garden, and have an abundance of herbs in the warm months.  I love cooking with herbs: Culinary herbs are the natural way to flavor anything, while adding health benefits.  Herbs are also, to me one of the most sensual foods, and really connect you to nature and memories.  I would make herbal beverages to pair with meals, and our guests were offered this herbal water as an alternative to regular water or wine.  They came to expect it, and asked for it whenever they came. But I couldn’t make it in the winter, since I didn’t have the fresh herbs growing then.

The enthusiasm for this healthy alternative led my husband to believe that this beverage answers a need in the market, and we should make it commercially available.  My enthusiasm for making this drink widely available is so great because there just aren’t many truly healthy alternative drinks out there.

What is your favorite flavor and why?

I love all my kids the same, really.  I find that I’ll tend to drink the Cloves Cardamom Cinnamon Herbal Water with a meal, the Verbena Geranium with dessert, the Lavender Mint when I want to relax and the Lemongrass Mint Vanilla on a warm day after exercise.  The Ginger Lemon Peel and Cinnamon Orange Peel are my “anytime, anyplace” drinks.  Each of the Herbal Water flavors has a place in my own routine, and a lot of it also depends on the mood I’m after.

What makes Herbal Water a better choice than other flavored waters and functional drinks?

Ayala’s herbal water is a delicious flavored water that is 100% good for you.  It is made by infusing pure water with organic herbs, adding nothing else.  It has no calories, no preservatives and no additives and it delivers the wonderful taste and aroma of herbs.  Herbs are the natural way to flavor water without adding calories.  We achieved a full flavored plant based drink, without manipulating the ingredients, or using any additives and preservatives.

Unlike some of the other functional offerings, Ayala’s Herbal Water doesn’t throw in the new hot nutrient, thinking you can get away from eating well by drinking nutrients, many times mixed in lots of sugar and artificial ingredients.  What we offer is a centuries old traditional food that was always known for both its benefits and wonderful taste.

To get my favorite flavors you can simply click here for Lemongrass Mint Vanilla And here for Ginger Lemon Peel

To purchase any of the other flavors, which are all on my OpenSky Shop please click here.

Guest Post: Caitlin of Operation Beautiful & Healthy Tipping Point

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My name is Caitlin and I blog about my healthy lifestyle at Healthy Tipping Point.  About a year ago, I recognized a need in our community for a way to stop Fat Talk, or negative internal self-talk.  As Jillian Michaels said, “Fat talk is transcending….  It affects your reality and damages you professionally, personally, and physically.”

To help end Fat Talk, I launched the Operation Beautiful website, which is becoming a book on August 3, 2010 (if you want to order the book, it’s available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble,Borders, and Indie Bound).  The mission of Operation Beautiful is to post anonymous notes in public places for other women to find. The point is that WE ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. You are enough… just the way you are!

By posting these notes, girls, women, and even men are redefining what “beautiful” means and focusing on their internal qualities for validation.  I think we spend too much time, energy, and money chasing an unrealistic ideal of perfection.

So, what do we really mean when we say, “I’m so fat”?  We  actually mean that we are FULL WITH AN EMOTION. Oftentimes, it’s shame.  Or sadness.  Or fear.   Why do we express our inner turmoil by hating our bodies?  Because that’s what Fat Talk and society tells us to do.  Don’t admit you’re scared, just feel fat!  Don’t admit you’re lonely or depressed, you’re just fat!   We can deal with ugliness, we cannot deal with weakness.  The next time you feel the urge to say, “I’m so fat,” think about what you REALLY mean. By berating your body, you aren’t doing any favors.  But by honoring your emotions, you’re living a happier, more honest life.

If you wouldn’t say it out loud to a friend, why would you say it to yourself?

Maybe right now you’re thinking: “But a little guilt can be a GOOD thing!” or “Guilt is a normal reaction to indulging!” But, if guilt was healthy or “normal,” it would be PRODUCTIVE and it would make you HAPPY.  Do you find yourself feeling guilty over food a lot?  Well, then — you’re repeating the same actions over and over again, and clearly… Guilt isn’t productive, it doesn’t work, and it only serves to lower your self -esteem. Guilt is a waste of time and takes away from productive things you could be doing with your time — meditating, studying, sleeping, calling your friends on the phone, and more.

For tips on how to stop Fat Talk and begin to see yourself in a more positive light, check out Change the Way You See, Not the Way You Look.

If you’d like to spread the message of positivity and hope, post an Operation Beautiful note!  Take a picture of your note and email it to me at seebriderun@gmail.com, and I’ll post it on the site for thousands of others to read and enjoy.

Join me on the quest to eliminate Fat Talk in all its nasty and evil forms from our lives!  Remember, it starts now… and it starts with you.

I’ve posted this video about Fat Talk a few times before, but not recently.  If you haven’t watched this before, please do! It’s so powerful and I cry every time: