Get Green with new OrganicGirl foods!

Posted on October 9, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

We’ve known about our namesake almost twinsie, Organicgirl greens, for over a year now. Their organic pre-rinsed greens mixes have taken center stage in our fridge for months. Their spinach has starred in our green smoothies, their arugula pizzazzed our pizzas. And yet, we were surprised to find out they had ventured into 2 new product markets, green juices and salad dressings. Could they get any greener!?

As big Organicgirl fans, we got to sample both the dressings and juices at the recent Fit Foodie Run and (BONUS) were treated by Organicgirl to our very own bottles for further taste inspection.

We’ve been wondering, we have all these BPA free recycled clam shells of Organicgirl spring mix, what do we dress it with!? Lemon Agave, White Cheddar, Fresh Tomato Italian or Kale Parmesan.

Can we put a squeeze of each on single leaves? Each dressing has it’s only unique flavor profile that fits particularly well with the various greens that Organicgirl offers.

The Zesty Tomato Italian mingles with pepper greens, feta, artichokes, olives and roasted garlic. For a fast and easy lunch, take a Toufyan multigrain pocket filled with greens, organic yellow cherry tomatoes, Morningstar Farms grilled chicken and dressing.

The Kale Parmesan, reminiscent of pesto, meshes with super greens, quiona, baked butternut squash, red and green bell peppers, and pumpkin seeds.

Continue fall trends with White Cheddar dressing drizzled over a spinach, green apple, dried cranberry salad with walnuts or hold on to summer with Lemon Agave dressing, watermelon, pinches of cayenne, jalapeno and that baby spring mix we mentioned. Another quick lunch creation to add with raw organic greens include cucumbers, veg grilled chicken and shaved Parmesan.

Also, check out this super cool blog, Nutrition Happens, for even more recipe ideas. Let’s get drizzical, drizzlical (Olivia Newton John reference!) with these new drizzly dressins’.

Next, the super secret just released Organicgirl “Get Real” Juices

Fair Warning: If you are the type who loves your juice super fruity fruit loop flavored, these may seem a little..umm..veggie heavy (aka healthy tasting). However, fear not. Organicgirl tells you these organic cold pressed vegan juices are “More Greens, Less Fruit” so you can’t act like you didn’t know. They are way lower in calories (think 45-60 for a full bottle) and way way lower in sugar so you won’t feel like you are crashing after drinking them. Additional goodness: They have 2-3 servings of veggies in each bottle so it’s an easy way to down a head o’ lettuce or two to start your day or supplement your lunch. 4 veg-rrific options await you: The light and lemony “Brighten Up”, The minty cucumber “Be Cool”, The King of All Greens and ruler of the iron throne (hehehehe) Kale Rules and….

Our vote for best Organicgirl juice: “Fuel Your Ride” with 84% Greens and Veg, pumped up with kale, carrot, spinach, cucumber, beet and parsley. We suspect the beet and carrot create a magical spell to make the kale less bitter. Don’t be green with envy (HA!) other juices.

You can find Organicgirl products at Mariano’s (unless it’s Sunday when everyone snags all the baby spinach and makes us sad. Don’t go on Sundays, people) as well as other food retailers in your salad-hood.

BluePrint Cleanse Giveaway

Posted on September 23, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Aww hello Fall. We love you and your pumpkin spice lattes. Before you get plumpkin, however, a change of seasons is a fabulous time to adopt new healthy habits and shed old ones. A juice cleanse may help you transition and reset your cravings. We were invited to try BluePrint cleanse for free to eval the benefits of a fall juice cleanse. This ain’t our first cleanse rodeo so we can tell you a thing or two about how this cleanse compares. Let us remind you that neither one of us is a medical professional (we just play them on tv…jkjk) so these are our personal opinions and we can’t guarantee anything similar…except you may become a unicorn. Here are our JAQs (Juicily Asked Questions):

Why do a Juice Cleanse:

Ummm…most co-workers look at you with curiosity and/or incredulity when you show up to the break room with your lunch bag o’ juice. Proponents of juicing contend that it provides a waterslide of vitamins to your body and flushes out toxins. We aren’t really sure but juicing is a good way to quickly get your 5 servings of produce a day, pulverize unhealthy habits and squeeze out a clean eating regimen.

What to do before:

Not the best idea to do that 2 am White Castle before you start a cleanse. Ease into it and keep it light. BluePrint recommends you avoid animal proteins, dairy and processed foods before AND after a cleanse, so don’t jump into a pudding cup after you finish. Basically become a rabbit, a healthy rabbit who loves avocado, olive oil and crunchy greens.

Where did BluePrint come from anyways?

Sneezing and coughing can lead to a thriving business! In early 2000, Zoe Sakoutis, a certified nutritional consultant, caught a monster cold and looked for solutions from a raw foodie friend. The answer? A strict 7 day cleanse. The answer worked but Zoe wanted a way to replicate without all the daily juice machine cleaning. Zoe paired up with her friend, Erica Huss, and thus BluePrint came to fruition. Their cold-pressed juices are a blend of USDA-certified-organic fruits and vegetables. Ingredients are sourced from local farms (including BluePrint’s own acreage).

What was BluePrint Cleanse like?

User friendly for sure! Juices are numbered for ease of drinkage. Like Brian McKnight says “Start at 1” and then move your way through the day to 6 in the evening. You drink a bottle about every 2 hours. Juices come in recycled plastic BPA free bottles and we also received a cute juice carrying lunch bag to tote our way around the day. You need access to a fridge or ice packs in your bag to make sure your juices stay frosty.

Our renovation cleanse was recommended for the beginning juicer and featured 5 different juice combos to shun juice-logged feelings: 1) Green Juice 2) P.A.M.-Pineapple, Apple, Mint 3) Green Juice 4) Spicy Lemonade 5) C.A.B.-Apple, Carrot, Beet 6) Cashew Milk

“Best of Bottle” Juices?

Kate: Ok, so me and beet juice…not always friends. Usually, it’s my most hated juice in the cleanse repertoire. BluePrint’s C.A.B. juice has more ginger and lemon overtones and the beet doesn’t beat up your taste buds.

Monica: I love the idea of alternating juice with heavy fruits and vegetables to light lemon with a kick of either cayenne or ginger juice so I don’t get bored. The night ends perfectly with delicious rich Madagascar vanilla cashew milk….yumm.

Any side effects?

Constantly cold!

The distinct drooling effect over your co-workers garlicky noodles at lunch.

Missing the little things…like chewing.

What were the benefits?

Kate: I noticed I could taste everything more intensely (in a good way). After the cleanse, veggies and fruits tasted more rich and vibrant. I lost 2 pounds (probably water weight but heyooo, makes you wanna keep up the health and wellness juice jive). I got a ton of vitamins directly deposited into my body bank account.

Monica: I was giddy and perky on 2nd and 3rd day, so much so that my coworkers thought it was due to a new guy in my life (though true haha but I’ve experienced the exact same thing during my first juice cleanse). I didn’t need any caffeine to get through the day even post cleanse. No more bloating and slimmer waist!

Now it’s your turn!

You can WIN a 3 DAY CLEANSE from BluePrint! Click here to enter and start commenting. You can still be “winning!” without winning with Gilt City BluePrint Cleanse Dealio. Extra bonus news: BluePrint cleanse is debuting limited time fall dranks so ditch the Pumpkin Spice and try a six pack of 1 of 4 new juices for FREE when you buy a three day cleanse and enter the code “HARVEST“.

Don’t forget to enter our Rafflecopter giveaway!

Snap to Quick & Healthy Eating

Posted on August 12, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Say you just kicked butt in your HIIT workout with your friends and you all want a post exercise snack…but one of you is gluten free, one’s paleo and one’s veggie. What’s a diverse group of gals n’ guys gonna do? Snap your fingers and put some spring in your step because there’s a pop of healthy foods at the ‘new to Chicago’ Snap Kitchen.

Snap Kitchen originated in Texas and is described as “fresh, healthy take away” food. The company works up a sweat partnering with local farmers and food producers while practicing sustainability. Their to-go lime green containers are BPA free, microwaveable, compostable and recyclable. They honor a wide range of dietary needs and 99% of their meals and snacks are gluten free.

Another core value of Snap Kitchen is their transparency. Containers are marked with allergen information, nutrition counts and, best of all, symbols that easily snap shot what is or is not in the dish (think dairy free, vegetarian, sodium conscious, paleo, and more). Snap gives you a choice of 3 sizes of meals ranging for different body needs. Calorie counts range from 200-300 calories a dish for a small and up to 500 calories for a large meal. As they serve up breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options, it’s easy for Snap Kitchen to supply your every meal. Customers who are interested in uncomplicated weight loss can also try their 21 day Snap Commit Program, a 3 day quick start, or a variety of juice cleanses.

When we checked out the Lincoln Park Snap Kitchen, we were surprised by the open layout and organization. The location is relatively new so the raw juices were not available yet BUT we were given breakfasts, lunches and snacks to sample. Kaitlin, the Lincoln Park GM, explained that the meals were organized by nutritional needs. Vegetarian and vegan meals lined bottom shelves while meatier options were above. Meals are chef inspired so you won’t find any run of the mill “diet meals” here. Although there’s a small seating area and a microwave available in store, Snap Kitchen is mostly for on-the-go people trying to simplify their food life. We could totally imagine dropping in after a hard training day for a quick bite or a refreshing juice.

Let’s snap, crackle and review the most pop-ular dishes in our opinion!

Carnivore Choices (Kate)

Home, home on the range…where the deer and the bison playyyy. So, I never thought I would like bison. I tried buffalo once and wasn’t a fan. The Bison Breakfast bowl with house made apple maple bison sausage (yumm), scrambled eggs and sauteed spinach and the lunch Bison Quinoa “Hash” with organic kidney beans, red quinoa and brown rice topped with scallions and cheddar cheese were my highlights. I tried something new and loved it! I also appreciated that the meats are grass fed and free range, thus cutting out some worry about hormones, antibiotics and corn fed lifestyle.

Veggie Visions (Monica)

Snap Kitchen offers unique vegetarian options. I sampled the spinach, scrambled egg whites, goat cheese and sweet potatoes and vegan peach oatmeal for breakfast. What could be easier than just grabbing a container out of the fridge on the way to work? For lunch, I munched on Caveman Quickies (granola, dried cranberry, honey and almonds with a sprinkle of cinnamon) and no guilt chia pudding. I ended my long days at the office with a quick gluten free dinner of mixed vegetable “lasagna” or Mediterranean eggplant “lasagna”, both nutritious and light but filling to my tummy.

Just Desserts!

Gluten free brownies and chocolate chip cookies you say? Yes, you can have delicious unprocessed desserts with Snap. Ingredients like coconut oil, flax seed and taste like whoaaa, you really can’t go wrong when loving these desserts feels so right and light.

With 3 locations in the Chicago area and 2 more on the way, Snap Kitchen is a convenient moderately priced options for people on the go who want to make healthy choices. Interested in winning $500 worth of this good stuff? Enter Snap Kitchen’s Snap in the City Contest for a shot at not cooking for months!!

New! Top Picnic Picks for your Basket

Posted on June 13, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Think fast! It’s time to go to an outdoor concert with your friends or a park with your kids or a romantic al fresco dinner with your boo. What do you pack for your picnic? You need something light, portable, tasty and healthy… and a crowd pleaser cuz you don’t wanna be that person who brought the last minute convenience store cheese curls.

We recently were given some samples of new products guaranteed to liven up your summer adventures and omgee, we had to pack them for our own picnic!

For the sweet tooth:

Get your potassium on while satisfying the sweet cravings with Barnana. We didn’t really know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised and happy campers (even Monica liked it since she does not like any banana flavor products). Simply, they are dehydrated bananas with a twist of treat. Barnana offers 4 types of munchable banana bites which are Original, Chocolate, Coconut and Peanut Butter. These are organic, gluten free, non GMO and non-dairy heart healthy snacks. Barnana consist of minimal ingredients a.k.a you won’t find a mile long list on the side of the bag.

For the purist, original Barnana is like popping mini banana chunks in your mouth. The chocolate Barnanas felt decadent, with a coco shell surrounded the soft banana inside. Tip: mix the chocolate with the peanut butter Barnanas and you will feel like you’re eating an extra healthy peanut butter cup (YES!). The coconut Barnana seemed more like a homemade energy bite with a chewy texture and flakes of coconut. We had guests over, ages ranging from 3 to 50, who quickly depleted our precious coconut Barnana supply. The bites come in a compact package, perfect for backpack carrying. You can purchase all flavors of Barnana online or search for a local vendor.

For the savory lover:

Ditch the greasy bag of potato chips and get classy with the back-packable Tuscan inspired Pasta Chips. Made with semolina flour and sprinkled with Italian herbs, Pasta Chips pair well with the picnic classics like hummus, dips or the party favorite of Wisconsinites, CHEESE!

On our summer picnic to the new Maggie Daley Park, our guests sampled 3 different flavors: Mediterranean Sea Salt, Spicy Tomato Herb and Spinach Broccoli Kale. Spinach Broccoli Kale will please the veggie lover and go well with an artichoke dip. The Spicy Tomato Herb wasn’t so much spicy as much as a pop of zesty tomato flavor. The light flaky texture would be perfect with mozzarella, tomato, basil bites as an appetizer. The Mediterranean Sea Salt could easily knock a potato chip out of the park with it’s crispy crunch and touch of salt. Dab it with french onion dip or an olive tapenade to wow a crowd with your master picnic status. You can purchase Pasta Chips online or we’ve spotted them at Chicagoland Mariano’s.

Dear audience, you know there’s nothing like a picnic with your fave friends in a park on a warm summer day. Load up your basket and get ready to Mangia! with Pasta Chips and the seductive yet not sinful Barnana. Where’s your top spot to stop for a picnic? We’ll bring the snacks if you bring the blanket and the boombox (or bluetooth speaker…but that’s not as fun *wink*).

A Souper Lunch Option: Smart Soups

Posted on June 2, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Forget you, Olive Garden! We are bringing our own soup and salad to work. Soup is an awesome option to consume more veggies AND feel full with fewer calories but packaged soups often have too much sodium, weird looking meat pieces, or too many additives. We were souper (hehe) excited to try some samples of Smart Soups because they are (ehem..be jealous cans o’ soup) none of those things. Creator, Anne Chong Hill has long history in the prepared food industry and recognized the need for high quality, easy to make food and her recipes are inspired by her international background and travel experiences.

Smart Soups are:

Vegan
Vegetarian
Gluten Free (Hooray!)
Made with REAL FOOD and no preservatives
American Heart Association Certified (cholesterol free!)
Low Calorie and controlled sodium (as one of our friend with high blood pressure was amazed to notice during our lunch break)

Taste:

With 7 souperb (ha ha ha) flavor options, we had a hard time choosing what to try first. We received 5 options.

Greek Minestrone was Kate’s first go to. Packaged minestrone tends to be bland or have too many noodles in the way. The Greek Minestrone was packed with veggies and rich in herby flavor, possibly the best Minestrone out there except what your grandma might be able to make (if she can cook). Pairing tip: Greek Salad with feta, olives, artichokes and mixed greens.

Thai Coconut Curry is Mon’s fave Smart Soup. Full of coconut water blended with fresh red curry made an amazingly authentic dish, especially tasty on a rainy day. It includes plenty of baby corn, bamboo shoots and red pepper. Pair with side of grilled spiced tofu.

Sante Fe Corn Chowder is vibrant with red peppers, black beans, and corn, balanced with a squeeze of lime. Dunk a vegan tostada and plenty of avocado in it!

Vietnamese Carrot Lemongrass is filled with rich tasty Asian flavors and veggies. Pair the satisfying soup with a Tofu Bahn Mi sandwich.

French Lentil Soup makes a hearty meal with green and red lentils, leeks and moorish spices. Mix it up with a baguette and nicolaise salad.

Cooking:

Smart Soup stores easily in the freezer and couldn’t be more simple to make. You open the bag and pop it on the stove or in the microwave and then you’re done. You can get creative with Smart Soups too by integrating them into new recipes as well.

What’s the most delicious soup you’ve ever tried? Maybe you could inspire a new Smart Soup!

Chicago, Lettuce Eat Healthy with Just Salad

Posted on May 5, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Just Salad…the restaurant title explains some of the genius of Chicago’s brand new salad eatery chain, a transport from the NYC. It also makes us think of “Just Jack” and believe us, these salads will make you wanna do the same Will and Grace character Jazz Hands!

The first Just Salad location, placed conveniently for the downtown business set or tourists/culture lovers is just steps away from Grant Park at 20 E. Jackson. Vibrant orange and lime green accent walls add energy to Just Salad‘s design and the Chicago location is situated in the historic Gibbons building which adds to the charm of the atmosphere. Just Salad separates itself from the downtown munch bunch by providing quality healthy food with affordability.

These key points will make other eateries green with envy:

Just Salad‘s menu is created by a registered dietitian and nutrition info is readily available.
Protein offerings range from grass fed meats, sustainable creatures of the sea (aka seafood), organic tofu, & humanely raised antibiotic free cluckers.
Many produce options are GMO-free, organic and even local when possible. Veggies are baked, raw or steamed and never canned (hey hey no BPA!)
Just Salad encourages us to reduce, reuse, recycle and be rewarded! You can purchase a reusable ultra cute salad bowl and every time you bring it back for a salad refill you score extra toppings or CHEESE.

So what did the Chiorganicgirls (royal we) think of it? Well dang, who doesn’t love a good fresh salad. As you walk in, you enter into a world of your salad imagination. Like Chipotle x2, there’s a long topping assembly like starting with a bevvy of green choices. Romaine, kale, mixed greens, spinach, and other lettuces start you off and then your head begins to spin (salad spin, ha) with the possible salad combinations. The produce was very fresh, colorful and crunchy. The portion size for the price was superb and the reusable salad bowl held about 2 servings of salad=only about 4-5 bucks for a big serving of salad with primo toppings.

If you are feeling a little overwhelmed, you can start with a signature salad recipe. Our favorites were the Thai Chicken Crunch with romaine, red cabbage, celery and crispy wonton pieces, and the (what did you like Monical?). There’s even a Chicago inspired salad, the Windy City Kicker, with Italian sausage, giardiniera,red onions and celery. If you wanna get really jazzy, get your Dr. Frankenstein on and create your own crazy salad (butternut squash, falafel, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds, horseradish chive dressing…you monster!). We also really loved the menu because it’s colored coded to help you avoid allergy or even preference snafus. You can easily tease out sneaky hiding seafood, gluten, or dairy. Finally, don’t let the name fool ya. Wait for it! SURPRISE, there is more than just salads at Just Salad. Wraps, juices and smoothies are available too. We def need to go back after some sweaty warrior II poses at the Millennium Park summer yoga to try the Peanut Butter Chia Warrior with almond milk, chia seeds, PB, agave nectar and banana. Doesn’t that recipe make you want to do Just Salad Jazz Hands now?

No? Well how about a Kale Yeah (sorry had to!)

JUST SALAD is open!

20 East Jackson Blvd

S State St & S Wabash Ave

Hours:

Mon – Fri: 10:30am – 9pm
Sat – Sun: 11am -8 pm

*We were not compensated for our opinions but did get to try some yummy free salad.

Cooked: Your Best Veggie Pre-Cooked Meal Delivery Service

Posted on March 8, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

We have ambitions of getting in touch with our inner culinary geniuses every week when we head to the grocery store…and then we end up passed out on the couch with a half eaten Morning Star Burger falling out of our hands after work. Like it or not (who really likes it), American culture is one of the most overworked cultures in the world. We need a break! Don’t you often muse about have your own personal chef? Chicagoans, rejoice! There is a pretty fantastic option for you to get your personal chef wishes fulfilled, even without a genie!

We were so excited when Erin Winston Silva, the co-founder of Cooked, reached out to us to sample their pre-cooked meal delivery options. Cooked promises “Nourishing Meals for Busy Folks” and we are 2 very busy ladies so we jumped on the opportunity. We were particularly intrigued as Cooked seemed to have more veggie options than many delivery services that we’ve seen. We also love the values of the organization. Chef Jona Silva’s own health journey inspired him to create local and nutritionally rich (not calorie rich) foods to promote wellness in others. One can tell from menu offers, which change weekly, as well as Silva’s transparency in where ingredients come from. The focus is local partnerships and he is also sensitive to food allergies like gluten or dietary preferences like vegan, vegetarian and T-Rexian. Ok, enough blabbing, we know you wanna know what you get to eat!

For $76 (tax and delivery included) dollars, we got ALL the foods below!! Delivery was timely and Erin was available throughout to deal with a multitude of blogger questions like: “What about Monica’s chickpea allergy” and “Can you change our delivery date? We forgot, we won’t be home!”.

Freshly Pressed Juice: Pineapple Cooler

Loved it! It was refreshing and green-licious with kale, romaine, spinach, coconut water and a sweet touch of pineapple.

Lunch Bowl #2: Organic POWER grains with black beans and salsa ranchera

We split this, yet there was enough for a full lunch for both of us. This puppy is only $5 and is rich in superfoods like quinoa, amaranth and other ancient grains with mysterious origins. The salsa added a nice kick to the mix.

Lunch: Kale, Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad

Again, the portion was plentiful. We enjoyed the sweet touch of cranberry and the kale and rice mix was tender and garlicky with a rich balsamic dressing.

Dinners:

Soup: Kabocha Squash and Apple Soup

Admittedly, we had to google what the heck a kabocha was. Turns out it’s an Asian winter squash! Last week’s weather was considerably still miserable so this warm rich soup hit the spot. It reminded us of a sweet potato bisque with light creamy touches of spices and cinnamon.

Sesame Crusted Tofu

The 2 tofu cutlets came with zuccini noodles and vibrant red and yellow peppers, dressed with a light a soy sauce.

Cauliflower Tacos with Roasted Poblano Salsa

Cauliflower is a vegetarian delight as it has a chunky texture. The taco mix also included cilantro, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds with a side of fresh salsa.

Walnut loaf with Roasted Squash and Broccolini

The squash and broccolini looked ultra fresh and colorful with bright orange and green hues and they were both cooked to perfection. The walnut loaf was a gray meat like color and was hearty for those of you who are familiar with the texture of meatloaf. We really liked the dressing that was provided and it seemed like it had a tahini base.

The meals are supposed to stay fresh for 3 days but we stretched them out until Thursday and basically had enough deliciousness to stave off any grocery shopping for 2 people for the work week. It was like a cooking vacay! We highly recommend Cooked. Meals change weekly to provide variety. This week features a tantalizing coconut dal (aka lentils) and chickpea zuccini fritters. Ready to order? All Chi Organic Girl readers can get 10% off their first order with the promo code: chiorganicgirls so skip the shopping this week and eat cooked!

*We were not compensated for our opinions but were provided with a gift card to try Cooked meals.

Easy Peasy Omega 3ies! The Healthy Fat for your Brain

Posted on February 20, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

We’re sure many of you have heard about the benefits of fatty acids. Yahhh fat isn’t all bad!! But you have to choose the healthy fats to keep your body happy (so back away from those processed cupcakes and chips). Some fats, such as Omega-3 fats, can combat heart disease, dementia, depression, ease the pain of arthritis and more. Omega-3s are your brain’s super friend!

SO…where do you find them? Your body doesn’t produce Omega-3s so you can only get them through food or supplements. Fish contains two forms of Omega-3, DHA and EPA, which seem to have the best benefits. But what if you don’t like fish or you’re concerned about mercury ingestion? We certainly aren’t seafood peeps due to personal preferences. Luckily, a vegetarian form of fatty acids, ALA, can be found in flax seed, spinach, walnuts and vegetable oils. Although supplements are not ideal, sometimes they work better for a busy lifestyle (especially if they are tasty and in gummy form). We aren’t big fans of chalky pills or burping up fishy oil flavor (eww) so we recently added Be Bright to our regimen.

Be Bright, a Coromega product, is a non-GMO superfood oil blend with coconut, avocado, chia seed, hemp seed and black cumin. Even with it’s rich coconut flavor and pudding like texture, it is still plant based, dairy free, vegan AND gluten free, all tucked into a squeezable eco friendly package. Be Bright can be integrated in your morning smoothie, stirred into your oatmeal for a sweet touch or just eaten off the spoon as we like to do for a quick fix in the morning rush.

Coromega sells other Omega-3 products such as gummies for the candy chewy type of person as well as tropical, mango or orange flavors for the sunny citrus types. You can find these Omega-3 goodies online or at GNCs and Vitamin Shoppes throughout the Chicagoland area. Free one week samples available on Coromega‘s website. Happy Squeezin’ for Brain Pleazin’! (yeahhhh we did that :P).

*We were not compensated for our opinions but were provided with a free sample of Coromega’s Be Bright Superfood Oil Blend.

Help Bring the Herb-N-Juice Truck to life in Chicago!

Posted on February 13, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

One of the highlights of living in our great city is the bevy of food trucks we have. What we don’t have, however, is an eco-friendly juice and smoothie truck! Imagine your summer yoga sesh in Millennium Park and walking out to find a delicious organic juice blend waiting for you in the Chicago heat. Herb-N-Juice is a startup company created by Joe Wehrli. Wehrli, originally a Midwesterner, moved to California for a bit and was inspired by the holistic juicing culture. His focus is on organic, local produce, and homemade vegan protein blends, delivered in a green juice truck (a cool tech-ed up golf cart). Wehrli intends to expand to a store front eventually and will include healthy bowls, cold pressed juice and smoothies.

We had the pleasure of trying the goods this past Saturday at a Chicago Food Bloggers Tasting Party alongside Wehrli’s amiable family and friends. We were treated to 4 different juices, 2 smoothies and 1 bowl. Here’s all the juicy details!

Juice 1:

Orange, apple, carrot, celery, ginger

The color was a vibrant tangerine with a sweet carrot smell. Wehrli intends this to be his morning blend to give you a quick jump in the morning as a substitute for your morning caffeine fix. The taste was a good balance with no overpowering fruit or veggie flavors. It has a clean finish with a sweet aftertaste.

Juice 2:

Beet, Apple, Pomegranate, Lemon, Cucumber, Carrot

This is the detox heavy hitter of the bunch. Kate’s not a huge fan of beets and found the juice to be palatable and less earthy (thankfully) compared to other beet blends. Monica loved the bright rosey color (contributed by the pomegranate) and loved the light texture.

Juice 3:

Granny smith apple, celery, kale, cucumber, lemon, pineapple, pomegranate

This green blend is surprising with it’s limey color and balanced flavor. It is neither too tangy nor too sugary.

Smoothie 1:

Chocolate almond milk, organic peanut butter, banana, homemade vegan protein powder, greek yogurt

We both loved the smoothie which is surprising as Monica detests all things banana. The protein powder (Wehrli’s own mix of hemp seeds, chia seeds, lucuma, maca and a few other vegan high protein sources from a natural provider, Nuts.com) is mild and doesn’t detract from the flavor of the chocolate and peanut butter.

Smoothie 2:

Coconut-almond milk, acai puree, banana, mango, strawberry

This tropical blend is delicate and bright. Both of us enjoyed the frozen purple milk-shakey texture and the coconut touch.

Wehrli also served up a diabetic friendly juice with green apple, mint, parsley and other greens. Although it is not as fruit filled, it is pleasant and maybe even preferable for veggie lovers with it’s alkaline nature.

By now, we’re sure you’re begging to find out where the truck is waiting to grab some easy nutrients. Well, that’s where help is needed. Wehrli’s truck is still in process as it is electric, has solar panels AND, unlike most food trucks, the juices and smoothies are made on site. Many food trucks make their product at a stationary location and then bring it out, pre-cooked, into the world. This emission free concept has run into some financial snags as Wehrli is attempting to be green with every aspect of his business. Wehrli will also utilize plant made cups that are fully compostable. So what are you waiting for?! If you can, help get Herb-N-Juice on the road by donating to their kickstarter campaign. Depending on your donation, you may get a rad Herb-N-Juice Tshirt or every hipster’s fave (including our own), a mason jar with the cute Herb-N-Juice logo.

Juice up! Winter will be over soon and your swimmy suit is waiting in the wings. 🙂

GoodBelly for Good Health

Posted on January 7, 2015 by CHIORGANICGIRLS

Listening to the radio can be enlightening sometimes…like, say when you hear that 9% of your local school district is out with the flu. Cold and flu season is descending upon us like one of the Khaleesi’s dragons (yes, that was a Games of Thrones reference, we miss it so!), vicious and unrelenting! Other than hiding in a bomb shelter or wearing a head to toe hazmat suit, what are some more social ways you can keep healthy?

One way is adding probiotics into your diet. In our super bug society, good little bacteria flora often get killed off with the use of antibiotic soaps and drugs. These good flora may help ease digestion processes (reduce bloating, gas, etc or make you more regular) and improve the immune system (read more on factors that influence the micro flora balance here). Bacterial flora are often chilling out in yogurt but not everyone is able to digest dairy products. GoodBelly, a probiotic juice drink, offers a dairy free, soy free, non GMO, organic AND vegan alternative probiotic boost* for people looking to win the fight on germs. Each quart or shot also serves up immune enhancing vitamins and others, such as the PlusShot, include calcium too!

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GoodBelly probiotic drinks contain live and active cultures of the probiotic strain, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (LP299V®). This thoroughly researched strain, with over 125 species of flora, has demonstrated an efficient ability to make it’s way through the digestive track and improve both digestion and immunity. Many product options are juicy and fruit filled while some are for the purist who just wants a “straight shot” without the sugar. Those with digestive issues should try the SuperShot which contains 50 billion cultures (flora everywhurr!). We tried 1 flavor of the 32 ounce GoodBelly quart, Pomegranate Blackberry, and one flavor of the 2.7 ounce shots, Blueberry Acai.

So how’d we fare? Well the Pomegranate Blackberry is seriously tasty and we liked it so much, we got another quart and snagged a Mango too. The shots were definitely more concentrated and we felt you could taste the oat base a little more in this version. Stomach wise, Kate already took probiotics pills and enjoyed the benefits of better digestion processes. GoodBelly is a tastier alternative to pills and is easy to incorporate as a breakfast juice or just a meal in general when running late for work.

Ready to give it a shot (ha)? GoodBelly walks you through with a 12 Day Belly Reboot with buy 2 get 1 free coupons and a money back guarantee. Each day, you drink 8 ounces of GoodBelly and you can measure how you feel online with the Belly Tracker to see your results. 3 quarts should get you through your 12 day trial. We found GoodBelly at the South Loop Mariano’s and it’s available at all Whole Foods. You can also use GoodBelly’s “Find a Store” function for a store near you!

*Gluten sensitive folks, take note, although gluten free GoodBelly is available, we have had a hard time finding the elusive green capped bottles in the Chicago area.

We did not receive compensation for this post but did receive coupons for free products.

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