Image from peta.org

‘Easy Vegan‘ is all about practicality. Sure, in an ideal world we’d prepare each meal at home, from organic fresh-from-the-field produce. But what about when you’re held up at work and get home *starving*, with no motivation to cook? And what about when you’re visiting Uncle Bob, in nowhere-ville, and there’s nothing fresh to eat? Or what about when you’ve got that ‘fast/greasy/naughty food’ itch that just really needs to be scratched? What then?

For times like those it’s good to know what’s worth grabbing – and what’s better left on the shelf. Hence, the ‘Easy Vegan‘ guide.


I recently received a small but exciting box in the mail – free nuts! (insert joke here) The nice folks at Sahale Snacks sent me their two vegan varieties to sample and review (see my Integrity Policy here, under ‘Give Me Stuff’). The cool thing about Sahale Snacks is that their nuts have been picked up by Starbucks! So, setting aside any thoughts on the coffee monolith, it’s great to know that wherever there’s a Starbucks (which, let’s face it, is *everywhere*), there’s also reliable vegan eats! (please do note there are 2 varieties that aren’t vegan – the Roasted Almonds with Honey and Sea Salt and the Barbecue Almonds with Mild Chipotle and Ranch)




Sahale Snacks: Soledad Almonds with Apple, Flax Seeds, Date, Balsamic Vinegar and Red Pepper

On the bag: “Influenced by the heat of the Mediterranean sun, this delectable snacking experience features almonds, apples, and flax seeds, tickled with date, balsamic vinegar, and cayenne.”





Our Thoughts: The ingredients sure sound like overkill, but the flavor is totally balanced and nothing overwhelms . Sweetness from the apples leads into a well-rounded and complex flavor profile. The aftertaste is just the tiniest bit of heat – a nice little kick!

Upon tasting, Damian’s eyes got real wide. “What?”, I asked, “do you like it?”. His response: “It’s just so . . . interesting!”

I agree. And we both gave our thumbs up. Would eat again!




Sahale Snacks: Cashews with Pomegranate and Vanilla

On the bag: “We think we’ve found the perfect combination of sublime flavors: pomegranate, vanilla, and cashews. Our whole cashews are teamed with pomegranate and apple, and balanced with pure vanilla beans. Our light glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness.”





Our Thoughts: Okay, I gotta admit I was skeptical at first. It was the vanilla that threw me. But wow, guys, these sort of blew my mind! Very sweet but also complex, I was reminded of the Pralines & Cream ice cream that was my favorite as a child. Such amazing flavors!

The only problem I have with these is my potential to eat the whole bag. NOM.




So guys, now that you’ve read the reviews, here’s the fun part: Sahale Snacks is giving out a gift pack just like I got, to one lucky Bonzai reader. You’ll receive both flavors of vegan nuts and maybe a little something extra as well. All you have to do is leave a comment here! I’ll use the random number generator to choose a winner later this week. Good luck!

Happy New Year! I used a random number generator to select our three winners, and here they are!







First was #68, Jill, who wrote: “I have no bag. I only have pockets and sometimes I don’t even have that. I hope I win!”

Congrats lady! Now you have a bag!







Next up was #31, Sara, who said: “I don’t know why I’m doing this, I have so many bags already but those are so CUTE! :) Novica’s mission is pretty amazing too.”

Sara, a girl can always use another bag. ;) Congrats!







And lastly, we had #46, Minna, who commented: “Haha, all of a sudden there’s like 45 comments :D That is such a cool drawing! I wonder if people outside of the USA can enter :P”

Yay! You’re comments are always so positive and sweet, I’m so delighted that you won! (and of course, anyone in the world is eligible here)


Congratulations to our winners – you should be receiving an email from me shortly.

And thank you to everyone who entered. I hope that this will be the first of many giveaways here, so make sure and check in again soon. And mostly, happy new year to all of you!

I’m so happy to announce our first giveaway, just in time to kick off a new decade! When Novica approached me about sponsoring the site, I thought, ‘what better way than to pass on the goodies to you guys’!? So here it is, in the form of three free handbags to three lucky readers!





Novica is an online international marketplace of sorts, and functions in association with National Geographic to allow artisans from around the globe to hock their wares worldwide. You can read more about their mission, here.





Each of the bags pictured in this post will be given away on New Years day! All you have to do to enter the drawing is to leave a comment on this post. Feel free to request the color you’d prefer, though I can’t guarantee that you’ll get that one if you win. And why not poke around Novica’s site to check out their awesome unique handbags, slings, and totes.

You guys are awesome! Happy New Year!!!

Last week we delved into socially conscious skivvies, namely our bras and panties. As the new and growing movement of Ethical Sartorialists, it’s our responsibility to morally manage every aspect of our wardrobe. Thus, we continue this week with the critical other half – boxers and [my personal favorite!] socks!

So let’s dive right in, shall we?


~ Boxers ~

I wrote about Patagonia last week, but let’s recap. This southern California-based retailer is at the forefront of sustainability in textiles. Their mission statement reads: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” Their position on corporate social responsibility can be found here.

• Tighty-whiteys and boxer briefs, made primarily from recycled polyester.
• Regular baggy boxers, again from recycled polyester.

The progressive Cottonfield USA is an organic company, using cotton grown in America, milled in America, and made in America. All their dyes are also free of heavy metals. Their commitment to organic products is laid out on their website.

• They have two styles of briefs, the classic and the sport.
• They offer one style of boxer briefs.
• And these are their boxers, though honestly they don’t look very comfortable (or stylish).

I absolutely love Faeries Dance for their affordable options. They’re all sweatshop-free, made with environmentally sensitive fabrics and low-impact dyes. You can read about their policies on their website.

• Of course, they have tons of underwear options!

Rawganique is a ‘human scale family business’ that specializes in organic hemp and other natural fibers. Their products are all sweatshop free, and made in the US, Canada, Europe, and Thailand. You can read a lengthy explanation of their business plan on their about page.

• They have quite a variety of offerings, from briefs to boxers to boxer briefs.

And again . . . *sigh* . . . if worse comes to worst you can always get organic cotton briefs from American Apparel. Also available in a 3-pack. (but read about why I don’t like to support them, here, in italics)


~Socks~

My absolute number one favorite online sock source is the amazing, the incomparable, Sock Dreams. Not all of them are organic, or sweat free, or even vegan, but there are plenty of options that are. And all of the Sock Dreams label are made right here in Oregon. Here are some of my favorite choices:

• Here’s their eco-friendly page, with TONS of styles.
• Some simple organics, nothing fancy.
• There’s lots and lots more, and they’re really well-priced, so check ‘em out!

Patagonia, pricey as they may be, has a small but significant selection.

• The lightweight everyday version, organic cotton and nylon.
• The lightweight ski liner socks are mostly recycled polyester.
• The lightweight hiking crew liner is the same.

Good old Cottonfield USA has such a comprehensive collection of apparel.

• They only offer one option, but it’s pretty reasonably priced.

Faeries Dance comes through again!

• Check out their entire selection with tons of cheap choices to choose from!

No Sweat Apparel was one of the first socially conscious companies I discovered, way back in the day (I asked for an awesome pair of red high top ‘chucks’ for Chanukah). They’re a great company that have been doing good for a long long time, and they seem to be hurting in this economic climate. So why not support them?!

• The women’s cotton crew socks are made in the US and vegan. Unfortunately the men’s classic is a wool blend. *sad trombone*

And that about wraps it up, my dears. Please do continue to share your own ideas and discoveries. I’m always looking for more alternatives!

So you’ve read the reports and you’ve taken the pledge, and now you’re quickly becoming an effortlessly styled Ethical Sartorialist. You shop primarily secondhand, except in cases of positive pro-cotts. You’ll proudly drop your dollar at vegan, earth-friendly, sweat-free shops like Herbivore, Alternative Outfitters, and No Sweat. You rock handcrafted jewelry from Etsy and recycled kicks from Ebay. You flaunt the frills you can now afford on this ‘no-frills’ budget, and relish in the thrill of a mint condition vintage score. Yeah, with a little practice, you’ve figured it out and you’re working it.

That is, until the elastic wears out in all your panties. Or your last good bra just melted in the dryer. Or you’ve blown out the toes in your entire collection of stripey long socks. What about these garments – the more personal underthings? How do we remain true to our values without having to buy such skintimate skivvies . . . secondhand? (eek!) Well, like this:


~ Panties ~

Patagonia is a southern California industry leader, pushing the limits of sustainable clothing for the past 2 decades. Their mission statement reads: “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” They’ve also written a comprehensive essay on corporate social responsibility.

• They may be a bit pricey, but these organic cotton choners are pretty damn cute, from a pretty damn cool company.
• Um hello!? Unders made out of old plastic bottles! Here & here & here. WOW!

Blue Canoe is another California-based company, with an entirely organic line. All their clothing is manufactured in San Francisco, California. You can read all about them here.

• Organic cotton string bikini
• Organic cotton + spandex panty
• Organic cotton + spandex boy shorts

Cottonfield USA uses only 100% certified organic cotton, grown in America, milled in America, and made in America. All their dyes are also free of heavy metals. You can read all about their commitment to organic on their website.

• Here’s their entire panty page, w00t!

Faeries Dance is a sweet little online company featuring diverse pieces from a variety of vendors. They have great options and lots of cute cuts. All are made sweatshop-free, with environmentally sensitive fabrics and low-impact dyes. Read about it on their ‘About’ page.

• The panty page! Lotsa choices, cheap cheap prices!

And . . . *sigh* . . . if worse comes to worst you can always get organic cotton underwear from American Apparel. (read about why I don’t like to support them, here, in italics)


~Bras~

Bras are so hard to find! You can get organic, but it’s not sweat-free. Or you can get vegan, but it’s not green. You can definitely find lots of yoga wear/sports bras, but anything underwired or purty is like ‘Where’s Waldo?’ on the internets. But here’s what I came up with.

Patagonia, as noted above, is always a good bet for quality and conscience.

• Here’s the organic cotton selection.
• Here’s the rest of them – spandex, nylon, and mostly recycled (and recyclable) polyester.

Blue Canoe, discussed above, has a pretty disappointing selection of bras. But if you’re looking for something sporty you may want to check them out.

• Here’s their catalogue page.

Faeries Dance, bless their hearts, have tons of options to choose from. Lace, push-up, and prints included. I love these guys!

• Get the whole list and see for yourself. It’s good stuff!

Enamore is the perfect choice for those across the pond. Sexy, sultry, specializing in sustainable and vintage fabrics. A bit on the pricier side, but also the nicest ‘eco’ lingerie I’ve seen!

• The Bedrock range. (raWr!)
• The Bamboo Bralette is adorable.
• This chic Underwire Bra is utter sexy sophistication.

So there you go, my ever-conscientious, fabulous fashionistas. Now you’ll be just as fly on the underside, as you are on the outside (and on the inside!). But it’s not quite over yet. We mustn’t neglect that essential other half . . . our feet! Nah, just kidding, I mean boys of course! And yeah, socks too.

Tune in next week for part II, on sustainable socks and boxers!