Green Smoothie Treasure Chest: Mason Jars & Working Glass

If you're like me, you're busy and you may use smoothies as snacks on the go, or a really large smoothie (with a significant protein) as a meal replacement.  But wait, you need a blender and straw--not very travel friendly.  My solution?  I blend my smoothies in the morning for a healthy breakfast.  Or before I leave home for the day I make my smoothie and use mason jars (with plastic screw top lids) or working glass jars as to-go containers.  From my experience the plastic mason jar lids are pretty spill resistant, but I doubt they're completely water tight so be careful--put the smoothie in a plastic bag to catch spills if you're going to put the jar in your purse.  If you purchase a dozen mason jars, they make fun and stylish water glasses too!  (Sorry for the weird flash picture).

Now these won't keep your smoothie cold, but if you're going to drink the smoothie on the drive to work it doesn't need to stay cold all day.  Or you may have a handy refrigerator at work to keep your lunch and snacks cold.  One note--you may get questions at work like, "What is that?"  "What are you drinking?"  "Gross."  Remember, instead of a morning doughnut, you're having fruits and vegetables.  You've made a healthy choice.  Good for you!  But if you want to keep your smoothie more red and purple, use beet powder or extra blueberries.  Remember you'll still have bits of spinach and kale floating around.  And bananas and avocados will start to turn a little funky gray color in the course of a day, but no worries--the smoothie is still okay to drink.  Though I wouldn't suggest keeping a smoothie for more than about a day and a half (and keep it refrigerated!).  If I make a whole blender full of smoothie, I usually have one full meal sized smoothie and a smaller size, which I store in a 14 oz working glass jar or a smaller jelly jar, as a snack for later in the day.  Also, remember to rinse out your smoothie container once you've drank it--otherwise bits of spinach and fruit residue will dry onto the jar (no worries,  a light scrubbing will remove it if you forget to rinse).

Here's some Amazon links to purchase:
Mason Jars (pint size as pictured)
Plastic Mason Jar Lids  (these are the regular size, they also have wide mouth size--check the size of your mason jars before you purchase!)
Working Glass Jars 21 oz and Working Glass Jars 14 oz (pictured above)

Upcoming posts--My blender and eco friendly glass straws!

Beauty Treasure Chest: Etta + Billie Exfoliating Scrub Bar

This is one of my shower favorites!  I don't have time to do this every day, but at least once a week, I like to exfoliate my legs before shaving.  Exfoliating sloughs off dead skin and lets you get a much closer shave.  I've used tons of salt scrubs and sugar scrubs.  I've even made my own with jojoba oil and sugar.  One problem--they're messy and gloppy and goopy and sloppy.  The Etta + Billie Natural Exfoliating Scrub Bar is the perfect solution.  At first you may need to wet the bar with warm water to get to the salty part before you can start scrubbing.  Don't use this on open cuts (it stings) or your face (not for sensitive areas).  But it's perfection for your legs, arms... I even use it on my hips/sides to try and keep my stretch marks moisturized (and hopefully prevent more from showing up).  Well, that was embarrassing, but true... This is not soap.  It doesn't lather.  It's a like a salt scrub in convenient soap bar form (although, Etta + Billie does sell soaps!).  Just wet it a little and rub in circular motions.  I like to follow with exfoliating mitts to get an extra close scrub. The Etsy listing says the bar lasts 5-8 showers.  But since I only use it once or twice a week, I usually get a month and half to two months out of a bar... longer in the winter when I'm lazy about shaving my legs. Aren't I full of embarrassing admissions tonight...  It's $7.95 for a 3.5 ounce bar.

So anyhow... What else is great about Etta + Billie?  Check out the ingredients in this Scrub Bar.  Good quality natural ingredients.

Ingredients: Sea Salt, Organic Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) seed butter, Fair Trade Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) fruit butter^, Organic Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) essential oil, Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender) essential oil^, Rosemary Extract, Tocopheral (Vitamin E)  

^grown w/o pesticides/herbicides 

The Shea Butter in this product is wild harvested and processed by a women's collective in West Africa.        

I'm currently using a Coriander and Ylang Ylang scented scrub bar.  I believe I got a couple of these as a gift (which I requested) after having purchased one myself in the past.  Sorry for the weird used product picture.  My bar only has a few more shower and shaves left in it.  I best get over to the Etta + Billie Etsy site and stock up.

The exfoliating scrub bars also come in a few other scents:  Lavender, Peppermint and Cocoa, Grapefruit and Cardamom (I'm excited to try this one!), and Geranium  Patchouli.  Etta + Billie carries other natural goodies too--soaps, lotions, butters, and bath salts--just to name a few.  From perusing the shop's Esty listings, I can tell you the ingredients are good quality oils and butters that are nourishing and moisturizing for your skin.  Lots of organic ingredients.  My guess is when organic is unavailable, Fair trade or wild harvested are used.  No creepy chemical preservatives you can't pronounce (Yay for natural preservatives Rosemary extract and Vitamin E).  Another sign that a company takes being all natural seriously--no synthetic fragrances.  I saw a Sweet Orange and Ylang Ylang solid lotion bar.  I'm citrus obsessed and Sweet Orange essential oil is my favorite (smells just like a fresh peeled orange-yum!).  She also has a Cinnamon and Oatmeal soap scented with--you guessed it--cinnamon and oatmeal!  Sounds like breakfast... or a cookie!

Etta and Billie is currently working on becoming a San Francisco Certified Green Business.  I glanced at the retail checklist to become certified and wow... talk about reducing your carbon footprint.  Now I'm not sure what standards an independent business would be held to to attain green certification, but I think it's a moral business choice to respect the Earth and our posterity.  Nobody is perfect, but each little thing helps (I admit it, I'm not even close to being perfectly green, but it's good to try).  Go green!  Okay, off my soapbox.

I was wondering about the name of this brand... guessing it had something to do with singers Etta James and Billie Holiday, but I was wrong.  Here's the lovely true story from Etta + Billie's Etsy profile:

I decided to name my business Etta + Billie after my grandmothers. I spent a lot of time with each of them growing up and they have always been a huge part of my life. Etta + Billie seemed like the perfect way to honor their selflessness, tenacity, support and courage. 

My Grandma Etta passed away before my business ever really started but my Grandma Billie loves my products and has made me promise to give her a million once I make my first two ;).

Check out Etta + Billie on Etsy.
You can sign up for the Etta and Billie newsletter on her facebook page.
Or check out the owner on twitter.
Or on her blog.