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Thursday, May 10th, 2012

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

As a mom, I appreciate homemade gifts from my children more than store bought ones. Especially as they get older, the trinkets and cards they have made me over the years are symbols of them in various stages of life, and are very significant to me. I’m not only a mom, though – I’m also a daughter so it’s important for me to give my mom something special that says I appreciate her, too. I almost always make my gifts and card because I think it is more personal, and usually more environmentally friendly and cost-effective (things that make Mom proud).

This Mother’s Day, for me, is all about herbs. I love how creative you can get with herbs and that they are useful, earth-friendly, beautiful and inexpensive. Most herbs can be purchased young from your local garden center or farmers market for a few dollars. The best parts about herbs, though, are their health benefits. Chopped basil, which I add to my sauces and salads, is a very good source of calcium, iron and vitamin A. Thyme, which I put in mashed potatoes, salads and rice, gives me vitamin K, Iron, and calcium. Rosemary contains substances that stimulate the immune system and aid in digestion. Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and folate. The list of incredible herb nutrients goes on and on. See below for some adorable ways to present herbs to your mom this Mother’s Day!

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Thursday, May 10th, 2012
Posted by: Pure Bar - No Comments - Filed under: Featured

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

A Simple Idea Can Make A Big Difference

A simple idea can make a big difference. This became evident on March 21^st, 2012 at the Lunchbox Fund’s most recent fundraiser – an auction of one-of-kind books at New York City’s Del Posto that raised over $200,000 for the cause. Albeit a magical evening, the best part of is the funds from this event are already being put to work.

I’ve just returned from a recent trip to South Africa to visit schools within the program and am happy to report our new feeding program at a school in Manenberg, a town in the Western Cape, is up and running. Manenberg is a poverty and crime-stricken area with approximately 66% unemployment, well above the national average. Parents actively encourage their children to drop out of school to look for jobs and girls as young as 12 are pregnant and at risk for contraction of HIV and AIDS. The teachers are extremely dedicated, often facing crowded classrooms of 40 or more students. The Lunchbox Fund’s assistance will be instrumental in continuing the schools efforts to convince these children that they do have the ability to influence their futures by staying in school. We want to let the students know that they are important and deserve to have a safe, clean place to learn, without being hungry.

We couldn’t do this without the help of kind benefactors and sponsors like, Pure Bar and people who support brands that are doing good.

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012
Posted by: Topaz Page-Green - No Comments - Filed under: Featured, Guest Blogs, Pure Blogs

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

The Power of Baking Soda

With spring cleaning starting to commence in households across the nation, I can’t help but worry about all the pollutants and toxic chemicals that are being released into our houses and environment in the name of spotlessness. Luckily there are natural, safe alternatives – like baking soda! One of my favorite ingredients to clean with, baking soda, is effective, non-toxic, and very inexpensive!

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a completely natural substance used as a cleaning agent since ancient times. It neutralizes acids and bases, thus eliminating orders, and acts as an antiseptic to kill germs. Simply sprinkle on a sponge and scrub your tubs, toilets, countertops, sink. It will even clean the scuffs off of your walls.

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Thursday, May 3rd, 2012
Posted by: Pure Bar - No Comments - Filed under: Featured

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

Vegan Fresh Cherry Scone Recipe -Chef Akasha Richmond Guest Blogger

I wait all year for cherry season! When the first cherries hit our local farmers’market, every chef in town is at the market early, buying up the first of the season. I have gone cherry picking quite a few times out in the Leona Valley where most of our local cherries come from. Once you pick cherries yourself (usually in very hot weather), you have a new found respect for your local farmer, since cherry picking is one hard job!

One year we picked sour cherries, which are pretty rare in our area. Sour cherries are very delicate, and once picked, they need to be used fast, or frozen right away. I am so obsessed with sour cherries that I once bought enough at the New York Green Market to fill a suitcase and took them home with me! Sour cherries are the only type that makes a proper cherry pie, so when available I get whatever I can. If you are lucky enough to live in Michigan, Utah, New York or Washington, you can get local sour cherries in season.

Fortunately we get plenty of red Bing cherries in California, and they can be used in so many delicious ways. Cherries make great preserves and chutneys, and can be preserved in syrup to last all year long. If you live in an area where you can pick or buy a lot of cherries, you can also freeze them to use later in the year. I love to add fresh or frozen Bing cherries to lemonade, cocktails, cheesecakes and ice cream. They are also great in salads and with cheeses like ricotta and soft goat cheese. You can add cherries to coffee cakes or chocolate cakes, muffins, and these scones that are lower in fat than a traditional scone. I have been doing a lot of baking with almond milk, but feel free to use buttermilk or a non-dairy milk you like in this recipe.

Cherry-Almond Scones

1 &1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup almond milk mixed with 2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 cup sunflower oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup pitted cherries (pit cherries, then measure)

4 tablespoon finely chopped almonds

Additional sugar

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, oil and lemon zest. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour the wet mixture into the dry and mix together with a wooden spoon or spatula, stirring with as few strokes as possible. Lightly fold in the chopped cherries.

Scoop the batter on to parchment lined baking sheets, making 12 scones total. Sprinkle each scone with 1 teaspoon chopped almonds and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012
Posted by: Veronica Bosgraaf - No Comments - Filed under: Featured, Guest Blogs, Pure Blogs, Recipes

Monday, April 16th, 2012

The Lunchbox Fund Event Raises Over $200,000 For Impoverished Children

Rain Phoenix and Veronica

The only thing better than being able to dress up and go out for a night in New York, is to dress up and go out in New York to raise money for an amazing cause. I was thrilled to be a part of the Lunchbox Fund Book Fair at the Peidmonte Room, Del Posto, March 21.

Topaz Page Green, who organized this event is the founder of The Lunchbox Fund. This remarkable organization provides a daily school lunch to children in impoverished regions of South Africa. Because many children are hungry, a lunch motivates them to come to school and learn which is the best hope to break the cycle of devastation in their lives. This creates stronger communities and a stronger world.

Pure Bar has been a proud supporter of The Lunchbox Fund for almost two years. We donated over 40,000 lunches last year and will donate even more this year. Having spent time in Africa with my grandparents who were missionaries, this opportunity touches my heart and hits close to home. It is always a blessing to come together with friends to help support a extraordinary cause.

The Spring Book Fair featured homemade celebrity publications that were auctioned off. There were creations from Yoko Ono, Desmond Tutu, Chuck Close, Mario Batali and more. It was also a star studded event with celebrities like Michael Stipe, Alan Cummings, Salman Rushdie, Rain Phoenix, Helena Christensen, and Courtney Love in attendance.

The best news of all though was that the Book Fair Event raised over $200,000 for The Lunchbox Fund and that’s a lot of lunches! I want to thank everyone who donated to this event and supported it, and especially to the Pure Bar customers who support our promotions and help us donate thousands of lunches to children who need them every year.

Monday, April 16th, 2012
Posted by: Veronica Bosgraaf - No Comments - Filed under: Featured, Pure Blogs, Pure News, Veronica's Blog

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Teaching Young Girls Confidence -Guest Blog Jessica Mendoza

In working with young girls all over the country, my goal is to teach them the skills to become better on the field, but also the best ways to develop their body and confidence off the field. Along with stations teaching girls to hit for power or make a diving catch, I have stations where we talk about nutrition and the importance of what we put into our bodies. One of the biggest questions I get at my events is “What do you eat to get into the shape you are in?”

My response is simple:

#1 Eat. Women are so conscious of calorie counting and trying to starve themselves for the “perfect” skinny body, when in reality that does the opposite. I know when I don’t eat because I am too busy or traveling and don’t have a lot of options, I run out of fuel. If I run out of fuel, I lose energy to do anything. If I keep this up, my metabolism will slow down and when I do decide to eat again, I will not be able to burn it off as easily as I once did. So eat.

#2 I love food and will eat almost anything in front of me when I’m hungry, so I surround myself with options I know will give me the most efficient energy throughout the day. As a high level athlete, I am asking my body to perform. The PUREST ingredients are what allow me to play at the highest level.

Each girl is given a Pure Bar and I educate them on why it is important to know what you are putting into your body. In just the two and a half months in 2012 alone, I have been able to educate over a thousand girls, and thanks to PURE Bar each one leaves with the my go-to for properly fueling my body: a wholesome all natural Pure Bar.

Friday, April 13th, 2012
Posted by: Veronica Bosgraaf - Comments Off - Filed under: Featured, Guest Blogs, Pure Blogs, Veronica's Blog