Sugar Lips Lifestyle Tips Wordpress Blog

Hello my dear readers!

I have been updating my wordpress account (www.SugarLipsLifestyleTips.com) regularly and invite you to visit me there. The content remains the same. As always, should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at sugarlipslifestyletips@gmail.com.

With Sugar,
Cyn

Project Green Challenge Expecting Thousands

Hearing the word "green" makes some cringe at the thought of stinky hippies who love the earth and peace but not deodorant. Times they are-a-changin'. The new faces of "green" are your neighbors, your children and the leaders in your community. Green consumers are no longer the tree-hugging 1970's stereotype and are making big changes from car choices to product consumption.

September 28th is “Green Consumer Day”, a day dedicated to building awareness about the importance of recycling, reusing and reducing. A great idea…but one day is hardly enough. Change is made over time, step-by-step toward the greater purpose and committing to small changes daily is how lifestyle changes occur. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Andria Kern, the Project Coordinator for Teens Turning Green (TTG), to discuss their mission and upcoming Project Green Challenge.

Teens Turning Green is a youth-led non-profit devoted to education and advocacy around environmentally and socially responsible choices for individuals, schools, and communities. "We seek to promote global sustainability by identifying and eliminating toxic exposures that permeate our lives and threaten public and environmental health." Students of all ages participate and commit to making changes in their lives and in the community. Their latest mission? Project Green Challenge. Beginning October 1st, they are devoting the entire month of October to environmental education. The program offers participants one challenge per day to live greener and cleaner.

Project Green Challenge, their largest initiative to date, seeks to mobilize high school and college students across the country to green their lifestyles in just 30 days. From October 1 – 30 students who register on www.projectgreenchallenge.com will take on one challenge a day, each focused on a specific “green, greener or greenest” action. Each is aimed at building a powerful, diverse and far reaching movement that inspires youth to transition from conventional to conscious and take small steps that will help sustain a healthy and just world.

Participants will share their responses and experiences on ProjectGreenChallenge.com, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Those that complete the 30-day Challenge can apply for the “challenge finals.” 10 finalists will be selected to participate in Green University, a two-day eco-summit held in the Bay Area, California this December.

What began in the Bay Area in 2005 now has a presence at elementary, middle and high schools, universities, and student organizations across the country, as well as a strong virtual platform and media presence. The TTG chapters lead grassroots efforts that aim to raise awareness, encourage behavior change, and lobby for policy that will lessen local and global impact. According to Erin Schrode, 20, Project Green Challenge program director and co-founder of TTG, “YOU can change the world! End of story. Choose an issue, get educated, unite with your peers, spread the word, and take action today. YOU can transform your life, home, school, and community – and thus, make this planet a better place. And environmentally and socially responsible choices in lifestyle, schools, and communities is a brilliant place to begin.”

TTG is expecting tens of thousands of students throughout the country to take the Project Green Challenge and go from conventional to conscious in just 30 days. This week and next, I will be sharing more green with you in hopes of inspiring more people to take the challenge. Stay posted and have a great Monday!

For additional information on Teens Turning Green or Project Green Challenge, please visit:
www.teensturninggreen.org.org
Www.projectgreenchallenge.com

Sunday Supper: Slow Roasted Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Carrot Fennel Slaw and Tuscan 3 Bean Soup

The market was bustling with onlookers and cooks of various skill sets jockeying for position in front of the season’s freshest bounty. As we are leaving summer and entering fall, the blueberries, beets and strawberries are on their way out and the apples, pears, grapes and squash are beginning to become present. The next few weeks are the most fun as the transition begins and menus change. Strawberries, blueberries and peaches are at their peak giving me the perfect excuse for freshly baked blueberry muffins, peach pie and strawberry tarts.

Six weeks ago, my life changed for the better freeing up my weekends and allowing me to celebrate Sundays for what they are. As I made my way down the avenue, I couldn’t help but smile at the live band dressed in cow-spotted chaps, Wranglers as they covered Johnny Cash. People of all ages danced and sang as they yee-hawed away. Typically, I am very systematic in my ways and often go to the market visiting the same vendors choosing much of the same ingredients and leave in a calculated 20 minute span without taking a moment to enjoy the scene.  This weekend, I chose to enjoy the journey and remind myself that Sunday is about slowing down, cooking throughout the day and enjoying the purpose of it all. And that is exactly what I did. Going forward, Sunday Supper will be posted later than it previously was so I can truly enjoy my day for what it is.

Today’s menu is low and slow with a variety of flavors. I started of my day with freshly baked blueberry muffins topped with an almond streusel served with my favorite coffee from Pacific Bay Coffee Co. After thoroughly enjoying my beautiful breakfast, I decided to make pulled pork BBQ sandwiches for dinner so I created a rub and began roasting the bone-in pork early in the day. I topped the pulled pork with a fennel carrot slaw and served it on freshly baked buns for dinner and made a Tuscan Bean Soup for lunch with some fresh cranberry beans that I had picked up at the farmer’s market. I served it with a sweet batard bread that was lightly toasted and buttered. It was delicious. What a perfect day…I did however, forget to take a picture of my sandwich. It was 8pm and all I wanted to do was sit, eat and savor the moment. So I did.

What You Will Need

Tuscan Bean Soup 

1/12 cups cranberry beans

1 cup garbanzo beans

1 cup kidney beans

1 large carrots

2 ribs celery
1 medium yellow onion

1 medium zucchini

1 bunch kale stems removed and cut into small pieces

1 can diced tomatoes (recommended San Marzanos)

1/2c. cubed pancetta

4 c. chicken broth

4 garlic cloves minced 

dried oregano

fresh thyme

fresh bay leaf

fresh rosemary

red pepper flakes

olive oil

sweet batard bread or alternate fresh bread with a nice crust

Parmesan cheese

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Carrot Fennel Slaw

Pork Shoulder or But, bone-in or bone out

For the Rub: salt & pepper, onion powder. garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne

For the Basting Jus:  Cider vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes
Red and Green cabbage 

Fennel Bulb and fronds

1 large carrot

1 rib celery

2 scallions slivered

1 T. verjus

1/2 t. cider vinegar

1/3 c. mayonnaise

Soft rolls

What To Do

Tuscan Bean Soup

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and let cook for approximately three minutes. Saute the onion, celery, carrot for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste then stir in garlic and allow to cook two more minutes. Meanwhile, shell the cranberry beans and blanch for one minute. Add the kidney beans, garbanzo beans and blanched cranberry beans to the pot. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the diced tomatoes, the chicken stock and herbs.

***Sugar Tip: If you have kitchen twine, it is helpful to tie the herbs including the bay leaf into a bundle. It makes it easier to remove later.

Season your soup with the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, then add the kale. Continue cooking and tasting until the cranberry beans are completely tender. Slice thick slices of the batard bread and toast. Top with butter (Irish butter is my favorite) and serve with a big bowl of soup with grated Parmesan cheese on top. Crack fresh pepper on top if desired and serve.

 Pulled Pork Sandwiches
You will want to roast this low and slow for a minimum of 6 hours so begin in the morning and serve for dinner. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with a large piece of foil. Prepare your pork shoulder by rinsing and patting dry. There may be twine on it so if that is the case, just leave it on while cooking. Season with the rub making sure to massage it well into the meat. Once you ensure that the meat is seasoned on all sides, wrap completely in the foil and place on the baking sheet then place in oven and roast for 5 hours. In the last hour, baste every ten minutes with the basting jus. Make this approximately 10 minutes before you begin basting so the liquid is hot. To make the basting jus, add the cider vinegar, brown sugar and red pepper flakes to a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil.

www.epicurious.com

You will want to make your slaw in the morning as it becomes better over time. Using a mandolin, slice the celery, fennel bulb, and cabbages into a large bowl. Take a carrot peeler and shave the carrot into the bowl. Remove the fronds from the fennel and chop for approximately 1T. worth and sprinkle in. Add the cider vinegar, verjus and mayonnaise to the bowl, stir to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. Sliver the scallions and toss them in as well. Stir to combine, cover and refrigerate. This can marinade for as long as the pork is roasting just make sure to stir every 2 hours. Taste for salt and pepper in the last hour. Add as needed.

Remove the pork from the oven and remove from the baking sheet preserving the drippings. Place foil on a cutting board and carefully remove the foil. Do not let the steam burn you- be careful.  Using two forks, begin to shred the pork apart. Pour the remaining basting sauce into a large sauce pan and add 1/4 c. ketchup, 2 T. of cider vinegar and the remaining pan drippings over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Pour over the pulled pork and stir to combine.

Serve the pulled pork on freshly baked buns topped with carrot fennel slaw. The crunch of the cabbage is the perfect contrast with the soft tangy pork. Pair this with a juicy Paso Robles Zinfandel.

Happy Birthday Kimberlee!

Happy Birthday Kimmy!

Our little fashionista celebrates her birthday today! She has been bringing you affordable fashion and styling tips for over a year. Last fall, she vowed to transition into the fashion industry with full force and I am proud to say that she has accomplished her goal! She began copy writing for a shoe company out of northern California last year. At the turn of 2011, she began building her brand by participating in local fashion events and networking throughout the industry becoming a local expert on fashion and style. Kim created a website Kimberleesmith.com to help market her skills landing her a second copy writing job which led into becoming an assistant buyer. She began traveling to trade shows across the U.S. gaining experience and industry connections.

Kim created her "Little Black Book" for fashion and beauty events in the tri-state area and has become a community leader among peers. Staying true to to her journalistic passion, she has attended various runway shows and covered numerous events. This summer she orchestrated her first event securing local sponsorships, vendors and designer labels. This and her additional involvement in the industry has led to her latest accomplishment. She  by recently accepted a position with one of the  finest boutiques in her community carrying designers such as Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Tori Burch, Rag & Bone, Beth Bowley, Demylee and Smythe.

This has truly been a year to celebrate her passion and accomplishments. Wishing you a beautiful birthday celebration!

xoxo J

Fashion Week Sponsor Wins Social Matchbox - Releasing Alpha

TGIFF! Fashion Friday is here again! There has been so much happening this week to celebrate. Congratulations to our friends at OMGiLuv.It for winning the Community Choice Award at Social Matchbox in Washington D.C. last week! They won back2back at Social Matchbox and Keiretsu!

OMGiLuv.It pronounced "Oh My God I Love It", is a app that let’s users find products they love and start trends. In short, while you are out shopping, you see something that you love and what do you say? OMG, I love it! Right? Well isn't this a clever little app? You simply take a picture of what you love and share it across your social network. What to find trends? No problem, just click on the map to see what is trending where. You literally see what people are loving across the globe. OMGiluv.it!!

OMGiLuv.It, sponsored San Francisco Fashion Week in August, and is now sponsoring DC Fashion Week. Michael was also a co-host at SFFAMA's Fashion Racked party on FNO celebrating the SF fashion scene. I had a chance to sit down with him and Co-Founder Aron Keuhenmann to talk about their new app. “We all have friends who find the coolest products, or set trends. Who always know where to find the best stuff”, says Co-Founder Aron Keuhenmann, “OmgIluv.It is a way to tap into all the local trends and hot products in your area.” By sponsoring events like Fashion Week, OMGiLuv.It is bringing their innovative application to the shopping destinations in both cities. "We are engaging the fashion retail community, from independent designers and local boutiques to iconic brands and retailers,” says Co-Founder Michael Lesniak.

The OMGiLuv.It team took home the coveted Community Choice Award at Social Matchbox last Thursday night in Washington, DC. Founders, developers, marketers, angel investors, venture capitalists and journalists gathered at the Navy Memorial Center to listen to 5 minute pitches by each of the 10 finalists and ask questions.

SMB’s Community Choice Award is an audience vote in the form of attendees investing a majority of their $5M Social MatchBUCKS in the winning company. Previous winners include well known companies such as Hotpads.com, Living Social and TapMetrics.
Plans for a public beta are scheduled for November. They are seeking alpha testers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington DC. If you live in SF or DC and are interested in being an alpha tester go to http://www.omgiluv.it and sign up.

***Founded in April of this year. OmgIuv.It and is located in Silicon Valley and Washington DC. For more inquiries about the company contact:

For Technical Inquiries
Lawrence Norton
lawrence@omigluv.it

Press and other inquiries
Michael A. Lesniak
michael@omgiluv.it