After my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, our family decided to make a drastic lifestyle change. We transitioned from, what I refer to, a soda family to a juice family; this was not an easy task. I took my research beyond food and looked deeper into my everyday beauty products, and in doing so realized that I had been subjecting my body to harmful toxins for years. I was shocked to uncover the research behind the food we eat and the products we use every day. Their clear link to various forms of cancer and diseases was bewildering. I decided I would no longer subject my body to either. I was invested in leading this type of lifestyle, but was saddened when I arrived in Gainesville in 2014 to find that Krispy Kreme and Dominoes were the preferred food choices by my peers. In Green Leaf, I show students that it is possible to live a sustainably sound life right here in Gainesville by showcasing the various restaurants and companies that support local farmers, brewers and the environment, while also sharing my favorite tips, tricks and recipes along the way. Green Leaf will show you exactly how to shop for things that may not be on every college grocery list. These include organic beauty products, tempeh and chia seeds. As I pursue an advertising major and a sustainability minor, my short-term goal is to obtain an internship this summer in New York City with a brand that promotes sustainable business practices. My long-term career goals include working for the Ad Counsel and eventually opening my own restaurant called “The Lemon Tree”, which would be supported by an organic farm that I grow myself. An interesting fact about me is that I have been inside the Blue Grotto. I hope you enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy making it!
The sun sets over the Union Street Farmers Market located in downtown Gainesville at the corner of S.W. 1st Ave. and S.W. 1st St. The Farmers Market is held every Wednesday, rain or shine, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is sponsored by the City of Gainesville. The vendors range from Alachua County farmers, clothing and jewelry retailers, as well as musicians. All of the pictures shown were taken by me on Nov. 11, 2015. Learn more at: http://www.unionstreetfarmersmkt.com/
Crispy kale leaves, left, and turnips, right, are just two of the many produce sold by Frog Song Organics. Frog Song Organics is a farm located in Alachua County, Fla. The owner’s, John Bitter and Amy Van Scoik, set up their stand every Wednesday to sell their wide array of organically grown vegetables. Learn more at: http://frogsongorganics.com/
Christina Smith, a student at the University of Florida, loves to attend the Farmers Market. “Every week I do my best to go,” she says, “It’s a great place to try new foods and meet new Gainesville residents outside of campus. The only problem is that I spend all of my money on the food!” Here she is holding fresh olives, grown by one of the many local farmers.
One of the longest lines you will encounter at the Farmers Market is at the Grab N’ Go Lunch tent. The most popular item sold is the arepa. An arepa is a corn pancake that is most popular in Venezuela and Columbia. The owner, Melissa, makes and freezes her arepas at home so they are always fresh for her customers. She explains that the reason they taste so good is because of her secret family recipe.
Gainesville resident, Don Austin, plays his guitar for the crowd. He has been attending the Farmers Market since its opening in 1996 and regards it as his favorite place to be in Gainesville. Don shared with me that he taught himself to play guitar when he was only 4-years-old.
I was lucky enough to grow up in a small town in New Jersey located only 30 minutes outside of the international hub known as New York City. As I got older, I began spending more and more time in the city and immersed myself in the booming trend that was based on eating organic and becoming environmentally friendly.
For a city that seems to be based on consumerism and pollution from an outsider’s perspective, the idea of reducing your carbon footprint, practicing holistic medicine and eating organic was and continues to be a popular topic.
The people I met and companies I became exposed to in New York City opened my eyes to a world that I was unaware of. I began to watch documentaries like The Human Experiment, which lead me to do my own research on the meat industry and the harmful chemicals that are used in our everyday products.
For about three years I chose to live as organic as possible. I boycotted meat industries that pumped their products with harmful additives, purchased only organic beauty products and supported businesses that promoted safe environmental practices. In doing so, I felt more connected with my mind, body and the environment around me.
When I arrived in Gainesville last year, I was saddened to find that Dominoes and McDonald’s were the preferred choices of restaurants to visit by my peers. At one point, I was certain that I would have to adjust to living as the typical college student.
It was not until spring semester that I began to talk to locals and students who shared my same interests and discovered that Gainesville was actually a hub of sustainability and organic growth.
GreenLeaf is my space to showcase the various restaurants and companies that support our local farmers, help to protect the environment and enrich consumer’s bodies with healthy ingredients. I will also share my favorite recipes, products and tips and tricks on how to save money on food and products while living green as a college student.
Where does GreenLeaf come from?
Green leaves represent everything to me that is pure and simple, two qualities that are lacking in the industries in which we support today. I thought that GreenLeaf would be the most suitable title for what my blog is trying to promote. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.
Not only did 3Natives bring the acai bowl to Gainesville, but they also created a relaxed, hipster hangout in the heart of Gainesville.
Acai bowls (pronounced ah-sah-YEE) look like and have the consistency of a mix between ice cream and a smoothie. It is a bowl of blended, frozen acai berries that is typically topped with fruit, seeds, granola or peanut butter.
The acai berry is native to the rainforests of South America and is known for its antioxidant powers. It is also a great source of vitamin C, A, B1, B2, B3 and E. To read more about acai berries, please visit the website below.
When you walk into the beach themed restaurant, you can immediately hear the hip sounds of “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood playing in the background. After your walk in, you’ll typically have to wait in line as you look over the various menu options ranging from hummus wraps to acai bowls and fresh juices.
Their acai bowls and juices are never supplemented with sugar, preservatives or other additives. They pride themselves on using the freshest fruit and most health conscious ingredients, like their delicious vegan mayonnaise. Check out this vegan mayonnaise recipe by one of my all time favorite bloggers for a similar taste to 3Natives. http://deliciouslyella.com/avocado-cream/
3Natives also makes sure that all of the food they buy is local. When I spoke to a worker there, she said that their ingredients are purchased from Lucky’s, Fresh Market, the Gainesville farmer’s market, Wards and SAMs.
They also make sure that they are environmentally conscious by serving their juices in glass bottles instead of plastic as well as serving the acai bowls in green wear, which is already recycled plastic.
How can I afford an $8 acai bowl on a college budget?
Get a 3Natives rewards cards the next time you go. Every time you purchase a bowl, they stamp your card and once you reach ten, you get one free.
Say goodbye to red meat; say hello to veggie burgers
I began to develop my love of veggie burgers after I became more knowledgeable of the harmful effects that come with eating red meat.
There is no question that limiting your red meat intake or stopping it all together will benefit your body greatly. Red meat contains a compound called carnitine that has been linked to the clogging and hardening of arteries. Red meat is also pumped with additives that the public knows as pink slime.
This pink slime or, as the meat industry calls it, “lean finely textured beef,” is a compound that allows packaged meat to appear fuller. To make pink slime, trimmings of extra meat are heated, spun, treated with ammonia gas and added to the meat we purchase at the grocery store.
Red meat eaten in high quantities has been proven to raise your risk of developing type 2 Diabetes and has been linked to a shorter life span. Read more about the associated risks in the links below.
After learning about the harmful effects of red meat, I started to purchase veggie burgers as a substitute to put over my salads and on my sandwiches and wraps. People often worry that taking out red meat will harm their bodies, but when substituted with the right sources of vegetables, grains, beans and seeds, the human body will remain healthy.
Veggie burgers are filling, versatile and delicious! You can make them simply by popping them into the microwave, oven or toaster oven. My all time favorites are Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Burgers, Dr. Tex Mex Veggie Burgers and Trader Joe’s Vegetable Masala Burger.
I enjoy pairing mine with carrots, crackers, hummus and peach salsa. Mary’s gone crackers are one of my favorite snacks due to their crunchy taste and healthy ingredients. The crackers are organic, gluten free, kosher, vegan and made with whole grain brown rice, quinoa flax seeds and sesame seeds.
How can I afford this?
Veggie burgers are relatively low in price, usually ranging from $3 to $5 per box, and make for an entire meal. Mary’s Gone Crackers can be found at Publix and often have buy one get one half off sales!
Do you know what’s hiding in your beauty products?
Two of my favorite natural beauty products are Alvera Aloe and Almonds All Natural Roll-On Deodorant and Pure Life Coconut Milk Body Lotion. In this post, I will explore the harmful effects that come with using deodorants that are made with harmful additives.
I decided to substitute all of my beauty products like lotion and shampoo to natural alternatives after I watched The Human Experiment on Netflix. The documentary opened my eyes to the unregulated, harmful chemicals and parabens that are in the products that we use every single day.
After my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and finished her treatment, her doctor told her that she was not allowed to use any deodorant containing chemicals or aluminum, which makes up the majority of deodorants sold on the shelves. I thought to myself, if a cancer survivor can only use natural deodorants, why shouldn’t everyone be doing the same? The Human Experiment along with my own research gave me those answers.
Even deodorants that say “natural” on the label sometimes still contain harmful parabens. Parabens are compounds used as preservatives in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. They have been linked to breast cancer as well as developmental and learning problems in children.
Before purchasing certain deodorants, be aware of the following harmful additives: methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl.
To learn more about the hazards of certain deodorants and their link to cancer and other health problems, click on the links below.
Alvera Aloe and Almonds All Natural Roll-On Deodorant is my favorite because it keeps me smelling fresh all day long without putting harmful chemicals into my body. If you are someone like me who recently switched from a strong antiperspirant, your body is going to need about a two-week adjustment period. However, if you do so, I can assure you that your body will thank you.
Don’t forget that the same goes for your makeup products, shaving creams, powders, hair products and sunscreens. Reflect on the fact that anything you put directly onto your skin absorbs into your bloodstream faster than if you were to ingest it. To learn more about chemicals and their effect on the human body, click the link below.
Here I will share with you the world’s best-kept secret: a bread that your body will benefit from eating. This heart healthy bread is known as Ezekiel bread. What makes Ezekiel bread so unique is that it is made from sprouted, organic whole grains.
The process of sprouting is simply soaking the grains in water, which increases the amount of healthy nutrients and decreases the amount of anti-nutrients. The process produces vitamin C and breaks down starches that build up within grains while also transforming them into simple sugars. This allows your body to digest them much easier than refined sugars.
To learn more about the sprouting process visit the link below.
http://authoritynutrition.com/ezekiel-bread/
My favorite kind is Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raison Sprouted Whole Grain Bread which is sold at our local Trader Joe’s. I must warn you, if you do not wish for your entire home to smell like French toast smothered in cinnamon, do not purchase nor toast this bread. I prefer to toast the bread, dress it with almond butter, banana slices, flax seeds, coconut, chia seeds and fruit.
Learn more about Ezekiel 4:9 by clicking the link below.
http://www.foodforlife.com/about_us/ezekiel-49
If you are worried that these ingredients seem expensive, I suggest purchasing frozen fruit. Frozen fruit prevents you from wasting your money because oftentimes people forget that they have a batch of $6 strawberries sitting in the back of their cluttered fridge until they begin to grow mold.
Frozen fruit also saves you money since you are buying in bulk, which typically lowers the overall price. I would advise that when you are purchasing the frozen fruit to make sure there are no added sugars or preservatives.
When I use frozen fruit instead of fresh, I put a handful in a glass bowl and place it in the microwave for around 40 seconds and then mash it up until it has the consistency of jam. The combination of the almond butter, fruit and seeds over the warm, sweet raisin bread will leave you addicted.
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