Columbia Gorge Bottled Juice

Oh heck yes. Columbia Gorge is FINALLY distributed in the Midwest and I can buy it at Whole Foods to my heart's content. Columbia Gorge makes delicious juices which are made from real juice and devoid of my all-time least favorite juice additive: "Natural" Flavors (because they consist of nothing necessarily actually natural or even defined as anything specific).

I love Columbia Gorge's "real" juice flavors like the pictured Carrot Beet Celery which they present as-is without the need for adding something severely sweet. The Meyer Ginger Lemonade with Cayenne is super awesome for fighting a sore throat and is just the right balance of spicy and sweet. I also like the (un-pictured) Vita Sea mix with contains fruit puree and sea veggies. I have yet to try a flavor from Columbia Gorge that I don't like.

At any rate, I really recommend this stuff and you should definitely choose it if you see it in the store. AND if you start to get that scratchy "getting sick" feeling in your throat, stop and pick up at Meyer Ginger Lemonade immediately!

Bhakti Chai

As I never ever buy bottled iced teas or the like, I would have never known that Bhakti Chai existed (or that it was vegan), until my friend, Flo, picked one up at a Whole Foods in New Orleans. Bhakti Chai is deeeelicious! It's made with soy milk and just the right amount of ginger-y spice. They also make a less sweet version, which I love, and a decaf version, which I really really love. Bhakti Chai also is also socially-conscious company, donating 10% of their profits to "nonprofits that invest in women, girls, and the environment" - all awesome things to invest in! I love that the company mission is also based on actual Bhakti (not just co-opting the word for faux authenticity), or devotion through action, as practiced for thousands of years in India. The chai comes in a glass bottle, not plastic, which is something I've become more conscious of lately. This photo of delicious Decaf Bhakti Chai was taken in a rental car outside of Santa Monica's Co-Opportunity Natural Foods.

Blue Print Juice

Last week was an event for Whole Foods in the North Atlantic that featured a sea of Whole Foods vendors set up for two days outside of Boston. We were stationed at a long section of tables with other vendors with who we share a distributor. One of those vendors was Blue Print from New York. They make amazing fresh-pressed, unpasturized juices. I tried all of their flavors pictured, all of which were really delicious. Their distribution is limited at this point (they do deliver anywhere in the country if you're into that), but they have an pretty extensive where to buy list in New York. If you're ever in that area and interested in investing a great quality juice, this is one worth trying!

Caveman Foods Water Kefir

We are currently at ExpoWest, which is turning out to be the most magical place in the world both for discovering awesome vegan products and also for business expansion possibilities (which is the real reason why I'm here... no really!). We've had a lot of awesome people visit our booth including today's visit from George of Caveman Foods. George is a vegan dude from Philadelphia who now makes and distributes a kombucha-like fermented water kefir drink in five flavors. He brought over one of each and I decided to start with the original flavor (rose!). I haven't tried the others yet, but with flavors like tarragon, vanilla, and black pepper, they sound pretty promising. One of my favorite things about their brand is that all of their products are flavored naturally with things like real vanilla beans and not with "natural flavors." These taste very strongly fermented (stronger than most kombuchas) and are very refreshing and have a number of health benefits. Check out their website (which is very informative)!

Marla Rose likes Iced Tea

Marla Rose is another Chicago vegan and one of the main organizers for Chicago VeganMania along with her husband, John. She's also the lady dressed like a cupcake on the website (and at the event)! She writes the awesome blog, Vegan Feminist Agitator in addition to being the Chicago Vegan Restaurant Examiner. She is a super upbeat and nice lady, unless you write something ignorant on the internet and then she will eloquently rip you to shreds. Yep, Marla is pretty darn cool.


The Vegan Thing She Likes is Iced Tea!

Maybe I’m weird that with all the great vegan stuff out there, I choose iced tea. As long as it’s not caffeinated, it’s fresh and there is plenty of ice, I am usually pretty content. (Oh, except for the ultra-fruity teas that taste very artificial or the ones that are supposed to mimic coffee or the ones that are just too wispy and unassertive. Okay, I am a pain.) As someone who almost literally bounces off walls after consuming anything with even the notion of caffeine in it, I am grateful for tall glasses of this stuff. It tastes the very best when my husband pours it for me: he balances the ice somehow like a staircase, the tea is just perfectly refreshing. Or maybe I’m just lazy and I want him to bring me tea. It’s my little secret.

I just happen to have the Trader Joe’s brand Organic Spiced Rooibos Ruby Red Chai here as I am on this particular kick - I am a serial monogamist with the iced tea that strikes my fancy until I move on to another and eventually wander back to teas I have left in the dust (they always forgive me) – and it is a good one. I like rooibos in general because it reminds me of a milder, smoother black tea and this one, flavored with cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and other aromatic spices, is great on its own, with an orange slice or lemon slice or even, if you’re feeling in the mood for a little decadence, dressed up with a glug of maple syrup and a few splashes of coconut milk creamer for a homemade iced tea latte. Mmm…

I spend most of my day writing and a glass of iced tea is my perfect companion. Occasionally the ice shifts and there’s a little clink as everything moves around but other than that, the iced tea is a perfectly silent, supportive companion. It makes me feel a little taken care of whether I’m in the throes of writer’s block or in the midst of a creative flow and is just another example of a lovely thing that happens to be vegan by nature.

James Scott likes Zico Chocolate Coconut Water

Jamey Scott is a Dallas Vegan who is involved in a number of projects to help Texans Go Vegan. He works with Mercy for Animals and also helps to organize the Texas State Veggie Fair, which is in it's second year and taking place TOMORROW at Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake in Dallas. There will be a vegan deep fried food contest, vendors, samples, speakers and more! (I will be there teaching yoga early on so you can get the body prepared for digestion, and then working with Upton's the rest of the day). So come by the Veggie Fair and say hi to Jamey and thank him for his involvement in such a great event!

The Vegan Thing Jamey Likes is Zico Chocolate flavored Coconut Water. 

One of the more recent vegan things that I like (although, it's more of an obsession right now) is Zico Chocolate flavored Coconut Water. I grew up drinking Yoo-Hoo drinks (and the lesser-known "Chocolate Soldier") and loved the chocolately, sweet taste - much more than I liked chocolate milk (it's a wonder I still have all of my teeth!). Fast forward (ahem) a few years, and while I could easily snag a vegan chocolate "milk" product, Yoo-Hoo type drinks were nowhere to be found - until now! When I saw Zico's new Chocolate Coconut Water, I was not entirely excited - given that I'm not a huge fan of coconut water in general. But after my first sip, I knew I had finally found a replacement for those sugary sweet chocolate drinks of my childhood. The best part is, these *aren't* full of sugar, dairy, and high-fructose corn syrup. Just simple ingredients, low-calories and low-sugar, and full of flavor. What's more, its high potassium and electrolyte content make it a great post-workout treat! Try one today!

Cherry Chia Kombucha

I recently noticed GT's Cherry Chia Kombucha drink on the shelves at Whole Foods and had to give it a try. Since the huge kombucha recall last year, I have been making my own at home, but I always try out new kombucha brands when traveling and with GT's as the grand-daddy of nationally-distributed kombuchas, knew that I had to try this combo!

My partner thought this looked and tasted disgusting and the chia seeds do have this unusual slimy "skin" around each of them. When you take a sip, you can't tell if you should swallow right away or chew up the seeds (I tried both and I suppose either works). However, I think I liked it! The drink lacked the usual fermented "kick" of a good kombucha, but I suspect it was just diluted by the addition of the chia seeds. It's like drinking a thick juice or smoothie and the added health benefits of the raw chia seeds have to count for something!

Overall, I say if you like kombucha, this new addition to the Synergy line is worth a try! I'm a fan, but for the sake of my wallet, I'll still be sticking primarily with home brew unless I'm on the road.

Alo Drinks

Another vendor who we met in Portland a few months ago was a man from the Alo company. His booth was behind ours at a trade show and he generously kept us hydrated all weekend with these delicious Aloe Vera drinks. The company must have great distribution, because I see them for sale everywhere including most recently my local corner supermarket and a Piggly Wiggly in Wisconsin. They are affordable, every flavor I've tried is good, and they're very refreshing! Aloe is as good for your insides as it is for your outsides, so drink up!

Genesis Organic Ginger Lemonade

On a recent trip to Portland, I picked up a Genesis Organic Apple Ginger Juice. I was highly amused that the label referred to the drink as a "good source of ginger." It was super tasty and so the next day, I tried out the Ginger Lemonade which is probably also a good source of ginger, despite the label not saying so. Consisting of just water, lemons, ginger, and agave, you can't go wrong with this stuff. It's just sweet enough, just gingery enough, and just plain delicious. Lemonade is probably in my top 5 favorite drinks of all time and this one is a major winner. I can't wait to get back to the Pacific Northwest and try out a few more flavors.