Nourishing News: December 2009

Is it really December already? Every December I highlight some of my favorite things from the past year. If you missed my picks from 2008 & 2007, you can check them out: Debbie's Favorite Things 2008; Debbie's Favorite Things 2007. Here are my 10 favorites from 2009!

1. Justin's Nut Butter Packs. Justin's is a local Boulder company and I've liked their products for a while. It was this year that I came upon their Squeeze Packs. I love them! I keep a few in my purse, my computer bag, and my suitcase when I travel. Maple Almond Butter is my current favorite....but possibly only because I have yet the see the Chocolate Hazelnut Butter in our stores!

2. Ingenious Teapot. This IngenuiTEA tea pot is great! The loose tea steeps with the water in the pot. But you don't "pour" like a traditional tea pot. Instead, you set the pot on top of your cup and the tea "streams" out the bottom leaving the loose tea leaves behind. Ingenious indeed! View more here.

3. Rice Cooker. This Zojirushi rice cooker is the perfect size. It cooks a maximum of 3 cups of rice. My old rice cooker could cook a larger capacity, but didn't do a good job if you only wanted a small batch (the rice would be hard). This one cooks evenly whether its cooking 1/2 cup or 3 cups. And we use it for more than rice....try millet, quinoa, amaranth or any combo of grains!

4. Awaken Jewelry. My best friend Clare started this beautiful line of jewelry this past year. Her jewelry is all handmade and uses semi-precious natural stones. Each piece I see her wearing, I want! Check out my namesake: The Deborah Necklace in the Joy Collection. (Yes, I am Deborah by birth!)

5. Dessert Essence. I love when I find organic skincare that is affordable! Dessert Essence has all that....and feels great, smells great AND is wheat/gluten free! I've used the Red Grape, Red Raspberry, and Green Apple Shampoos/Conditioners. And I love the lotions....the Almond, Chai, Lavender, and Coconut (my husband has been told more than once that he smells like a Pina Colada!) are all terrific.

6. Smart Wool. Anyone who lives in Colorado knows that it's all about layering. Temperatures change thirty degrees within a day, some days! I love Smart Wool. It is light-weight, yet warm....and soft, not like your typical wool! Clothes range from microweight to lightweight to midweight for increasing warmth.

7. Two Moms in the Raw. These handmade, raw, organic, vegan, gluten free sea crackers are my newest obsession. I like the pesto and the tomato basil varieties. Alone or with a slice of Manchego cheese!

8. Slow Cooker. This year has been the year of the crock-pot. I've owned it for years, but put it to good use this one. If I can find about 20-minutes to put the ingredients into the crock pot in the morning, I come home from work to a ready-to-eat meal. Love that! And check out this fun recipe that I make in my crock pot. Not sure why it appealed to me (since I am not a coffee drinker) but I literally made it 3x in 2 weeks when I first tried it!

9. Environmentally Friendly Paint. We are in the middle of a major home renovation. If you have one planned, or just want to touch up with a fresh coat of paint, be sure to look for lines that carry VOC-Free paint. I've used Benjamin Moore EcoSpec and Sherwin Williams Harmony. The difference is truly amazing!

10. Mineral Sunblock. Sunblock is a must here in CO. I've tried many and recently came across Juice Beauty's Mineral Sunblock.
It is tinted so it doesn't look white when you put it on, and its loaded with antioxidants!

11. My Husband. I admit, adding my husband as the bonus #11 on my list is a bit cheesy! But how can I mention my favorite things of 2009 without a mention of him (he asked me out on January 1, 2009)! I got several email inquiries after my November Nourishing News came out under my new last name (and with a few minor errors....I was distracted!). Roy and I got married this past October. He is a local holistic pediatrician, my best friend, and truly the love of my life!