Our Blog Archive

We are all concerned about the amount of plastic in the environment, but it’s hard to avoid. Crystal Geyser felt the same concern, and they knew they had to be part of the solution

From the very beginning, Lassen’s has supported Earth Day. The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, and Lassen’s opened the next year. We’ve been celebrating Mother Earth ever since! Still independent, family owned and run, Lassen’s is committed to environmentally friendly, sustainable, healthy products and practices. This philosophy didn’t start with the official Earth… Read more: Earth Day is in our DNA

Santa Barbara Pistachio Co boasts of delicious and nutritious nuts, with many fun flavors

Stefanie and Chelsea — mother and daughter — have been on a long journey to better health.  In the 1990s they began learning and understanding how our bodies work, and what role food and supplementation play in well-being.  They particularly learned how enzymes and probiotics impact digestion and overall health. The whole family set out… Read more: Check out Delicious Tosi Bites!

Get started on a New Year, New You! Lassen’s can help!

To Our Valued Guests in Echo Park, At Lassens, the health and safety of our Team and Guests is a high priority. We believe in being proactive and transparent in addressing challenges and we value clear, complete communication.  We met a notification of a diagnosis with immediate action. We conducted two intensive store cleanings, one… Read more: Our Covid Response

Our Latest Great Private Label Offering! Kombucha is trendy now, but the culture has been around for a long time. So when we at Lassen’s wanted a partner for our Private Label brew, we searched for one with a great track record, high quality standards and deep passion. We will only put our name on… Read more: We Have Our Own Kombucha!

Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour Looking for a superior gluten free, low carb flour? Bob’s Super-Fine Almond Flour is made from the finest California-grown almonds, which have been blanched and ground to a fine meal that is ideal for gluten free baking. Almond flour is also a must-have for paleo and grain free baking recipe.… Read more: The Best Products of 2018

Certain diets gain immediate prominence or notoriety and others take some time to catch on. At the start of 2018, US News ranked the Keto diet in last place as “Best Diet Overall: [1]  but by the summer it became one of the most popular diets with new grocery items popping up daily.  And with… Read more: New Year, New Better You! Ke·to /kēˈtō/ diet

This Water Doesn’t Just Travel a Long Distance! The Evamor story doesn’t start in Lousiana — but that’s where we went to learn about their naturally alkaline water. This delicious water starts in the Appalachian Mountains as water and snow. The water flows down through bedrock,  filtering out impuries as it goes.  As it travels… Read more: From the Appalachian Mountains to New Orleans to You!

Times Have Changed! It wasn’t that long ago that fat was a dirty word. I recall attending a gym class where the teacher advised choosing all-sugar treats (such as Starburst or Skittles) over treats with any fat at all.  Many were excited to see no-fat products on the market — cookies and cakes made without… Read more: Can Fats be Healthy? Yes!

We’re on the Hunt for Great New Products! September has brought us to Baltimore for the Natural Products Expo East Trade Show. We love attending seminars and meeting producers — it’s exciting to see the creativity and great new products!  Here are some of the fun and delicious things we’ve see at this show! I… Read more: Finding New Products at Expo East!

The first time I had Oda’s Danish creamed cabbage was at Christmas time. After a fancy Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day offered a more laid-back menu — Danish Frikadeller (meatballs) and creamed cabbage. Cabbage is one of those nutritional unsung heroes — full of dietary fiber, vitamin C, K, and B6. It’s also a great… Read more: Danish Creamed Cabbage

Oda would have been 100 years old this week! Lassen’s is proud to have such an amazing Pioneer in the Natural Foods Industry as our founder!

Brought to you by Yemetz Family Farms! Lassen’s is committed to supporting organic and local farmers, and that applies to how we source our bulk items as well. A case in point is our bulk almonds, grown in the Central Valley of California. A few of weeks ago I visited George Yemetz at his almond… Read more: Our Bulk Almonds are Local and Organic, too!

Oda Saw She Could Help Solve that Problem When I came into the Lassen family and learned that Oda owned and ran a Health Food Store, I just sort of thought, “Oh, that’s cool.” It wasn’t until about ten years ago that it really hit me how astonishing that was. Oda was born in August,… Read more: Lassen's Started with a Brave Woman and a Problem to be Solved

A Delicious, Rich, Summery Treat I love to make this Danish dessert whenever we have guests come to dinner because it is different from anything they have ever had. We always make a game of having them guess the main ingredient, and they can never figure it out. It’s simple to make and so delightful… Read more: We Call it Dessert, and it's Perfect for Summer!

Where We Check Back in with Daina, Justin, and Vanessa It’s hard to believe that it’s been three-and-one-half years since I last interviewed Daina at Health-Ade (read about my visit here) so recently a few of us headed to Torrance for an update. What we found was amazing! They have gone from a little three-person start-up in… Read more: Still Focused on Being the Best Tasting and Highest Quality Kombucha!

When the Hilmar and Oda Lassen family immigrated from Denmark to California in the early 1950s, their first order of business was to find a way to earn a living. Hilmar and Oda had always been hard workers, and the trial of the German occupation of Denmark during World War II had strengthened their persistence… Read more: From Immigrants to Entreprenuers

The Fields are Bursting with Berries! This Danish Strawberry Porridge is one of the first Danish recipes that I tasted when I met the Lassen family. Simple and tasty, it takes advantage of the beautiful fresh berries we have in California. It makes a wonderful stand-alone dessert (served with cream or coconut cream), but can… Read more: A Danish Taste of Summer! Jordbær Grød

Amy’s is a California Original! When we visited Northern Califoria this year, we were excited to tour Amy’s Kitchen in Petaluma. We were surprised and impressed with their hands-on approach. I expected floor to ceiling stainless steel machinery doing all the work, but what we saw was hundreds of dedicated workers hand making and packaging… Read more: Amy's — a Natural Foods Staple for 30 Years!

The End of the War The end of World War II was a huge relief to the Lassens and to all of Denmark. They were able to relax a little and resume their lives. They had another little girl, Doris, and Hilmar started a business making, repairing, and selling canvas tarps. Oda was always a… Read more: The Lassens Immigrate to America — A Leap into the Unknown

Salad, Side Dish, Appetizer, Sandwich Topping — You Will Love this Simple and Easy Recipe! If you have enjoyed a Danish Smörgåsbord (or Swedish, for that matter) you have probably noticed a multitude of small serving dishes with little pickles of all kinds, red cabbage (rødkål, see Oda’s recipe here), peas and carrots, cucumbers, pickled beets, and… Read more: Danish Cucumber Salad

Thank Your Mother (Earth!) Our motto at Lassen’s is The Best of Everything Good. And one way we live that motto is in the products that we bring into our communities. As we celebrate Earth Day this month, as well as during our Earth Day Events on April 20-21, here’s how we live The Best… Read more: Lassen's Loves to Celebrate Earth Day — It's Part of Our DNA!

One Day Adam Noticed… Yup, it all started when Adam, the founder of the Seaweed Bath Company, noticed that his dry and irritable skin felt better the more he was in the ocean. He had tried a lot of products, but he didn’t like their harsh chemicals or side effects. He was living in Florida… Read more: The Seaweed Bath Company has Something Great for You!

One of my favorite stories about Oda — our founder — was how she met her husband, Hilmar. In the early 1930s, she went to a dance in her hometown of Aalborg, Denmark. She was only fifteen, so when this 20-year-old older man showed interest in her, she knew he was too old and worldly… Read more: Happiness amidst Turmoil — Oda & Hilmar, Denmark, and World War II

Delicious Danish Pancake Balls — a Lassen Family Favorite! I will never forget the first time I had Oda’s Æbleskivers. Warm, buttery, and just slightly crispy outside, they were a delight. Oda, our founder, was a wonderful cook, and was happy to share her recipe with me. I love making them for my family and friends,… Read more: Oda's Best Æbleskivers

It’s a Yearly Boost! We just got back from the biggest trade show of the year, full of excitement for new products and ideas! Here are just a few of the exciting products that we were able to see and sample this year. Coconut and lemon! Yum! These are going to be a fantastic snack… Read more: Catch the Excitement of Expo West!

Quality First! If you have ever been to Solvang in the Santa Ynez Valley (between Santa Barbara and Santa Maria), you’ve had a taste of Danish culture, and hopefully Danish food! Æbleskivers (round pancake balls, eaten with powdered sugar and jam), Pølser (sausages) and Kartofler (potatoes, usually boiled), and Smørrebrød (open faced sandwiches) are easily… Read more: A Love of Good, Healthy Living Started in Denmark

A Tradition! Whenever the Lassen family gets together for a traditional Danish meal, we love to include this taste of Denmark — Rødkål — Red Cabbage. It is delicious hot, warm, or cold, and makes a wonderful side dish. It’s sort of like the cranberry salad next to turkey on a Thanksgiving table, but much… Read more: Danish Red Cabbage — Rødkål

Those Characteristics Appear Early! As our founder, Oda Lassen, grew up in post-World War I Denmark, she was surrounded by loving family and friends. Her father was a seaman, and her mother was lovingly nurturing her three boys and three girls. Those years between the World Wars were years of growth and happy memories. Oda… Read more: Growing Up to be Strong and Brave

These are Definitely Not My Mother’s Danish Dumplings! My mom knew her way around the kitchen, and was willing to try lots of recipes. And our family loved her delicious soups. Occasionally she would make Danish Dumplings, which I liked, but I preferred noodles. When I joined the Danish Lassen family, I was introduced to… Read more: Try These Real Danish Dumplings!

From Mainstream Mom to Entrepreneur Jessica thought of herself as a “mainstream mom” — just using name and national brand products for her family. But she noticed that many of her friends were into using more thoughtful, natural products.  So when her daughter was dealing with weak and sensitive teeth, Jessica started to think and act… Read more: A Black Powder to Whiten Teeth? That's Some of the Magic in My Magic Mud!

Plain and Simple — Supplements Made from Food When Mega Food started in 1973, they wanted to keep it simple — to “produce superior whole food supplements for those who care about their health and well being” (from the Mega Food website). They found a wonderful little red house in Derry, New Hampshire, and went to… Read more: Made from Food — MegaFood!

And We’re Not Talking Barbecue! One of the first times I had heard the term “Activated Charcoal” was when I had little kids and wanted to make sure my first aid kit was complete.  I learned that activated charcoal was an essential treatment for accidental poisoning, which is always a fear with little curious kids! … Read more: The Surprising Versatility of Activated Charcoal

It was a Different World, for Sure!                         When the year 1918 began, the Great War — World War I, as it would be later known — was still raging, although it would end before the year did. Russia declared a republic of Soviets. There… Read more: One Hundred Years Ago…

Want Strong and Healthy Joints, Bones, Skin, Tendons, and More? Collagen may be just what you’re looking for.  It is one of the building blocks of our physical bodies — a structural protein that is found in those joints, bones, skin, and tendons, as well as many other places in the body. It is the… Read more: Collagen — Good for Every Body

A Model We Can Believe in When we flew to Nebraska to visit the Smart Chicken Farms and Plants, we were in for an education! With all that I had heard about meat processing, I prepared myself to see things up close and personal, and I did. But I also learned how thoughtful and careful… Read more: Not Just Smart Chicken — Smarter Chicken!

Gift Ideas at Lassen’s? Of course! You know the feeling — you have just a few more things on your gift list for the Holidays, and you need to get some groceries. You can take care of both errands at Lassen’s! You know we have great Always 100% Organic produce and the highest quality supplements… Read more: Holiday Shortcuts at Lassen's!

You might have seem them sampling at Lassen’s — the Bitchin’ Sauce folks know that if you just try their Vegan Sauces, you’ll love them! And you likely will.  When Star was a teenager she became a Vegan and started experimenting with Raw foods as well. She had a hippie-style, natural upbringing, and  was encouraged… Read more: Bitchin': Adj: Wonderful, First Rate, Excellent

It has been a bit of a journey, but Susan and her son Adam have come full circle back to The Ojai Valley, now making what they call “Farm to Bath” soaps. Susan’s parents moved to Ojai from Boston in the 60s, and after college in the 70s, Susan and her mother opened a shop… Read more: Bogüe Milk Soaps — As Local as You Can Get!

Ready set brine.   It’s the most important dinner of the year and you can start by getting the best fresh turkey! But once you get that bird home, what will you do to  ensure your turkey turns out the moist and delicious? One great option is brining. It doesn’t take an advanced degree to… Read more: It's Brine Time!

There’s a Big Difference in Aloe Vera Products! The facts show Aloe Vera is among the top sellers of Super Foods & Herbs since 2009. Why? Because it works as a catalyst to improve absorption of daily foods and any supplements you may be taking to Super Charge your energy and your life! Aloe vera’s… Read more: Aloe Life

King of Kiwi, that is! Glenn was on a quest — a quest to create a healthy, convenient, and shelf-stable drink. He loves juices, but the sugar level is high. He also hates the sugar spike that goes with drinking fruit juices, which always ends with a crash. He didn’t have to look far, since… Read more: Kiwi to the Rescue!

You Won’t Find Purer Honey! It was a lovely summer day when we drove up the canyon above Santa Maria to visit Alisha of Rock Front Ranch. We were there to see her beekeeping operation, as well as her Jujube orchards. The Cuyama Valley is famous for its rich soil and agricultural productivity. Alisha and… Read more: Rock Front Ranch

Not a Newcomer to the Industry! Urbana, Iowa was the place and 1982 was the time. The Essential Oil Company Aura Cacia was begun to provide natural and organic personal care products. They believed in using only 100% pure essential oils in their products, and the Natural Products Industry took notice. After several years of… Read more: Aura Cacia Essential Oils

Earth Mama® Makes effective, natural herbal care for the whole journey of motherhood: pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, baby care. Combines generations of women’s wisdom with traditional plant medicine to formulate certified organic herbal tea, soaps, balms, lotions, soothing sprays, and the first Non-GMO Project Verified nursing cream. Effectively supports the miraculous wonders and common indignities of… Read more: Earth Mama

If you know the words “Yogurt” and “Probiotics,” you have the folks at Natren to thank. Natasha Trenev’s father was the Official Food Supplier to the King of Yugoslavia, Peter the II, in the late 1930s and early 1940s. But in 1941, after the fall of the Yugoslavian monarchy, the family fled to Vienna. They… Read more: From Yogurt to Probiotics — Natren is the Pioneer!

Colony Collapse Disorder Bees have had quite a hard time for a while. For about a decade, they’ve been dying off at an alarming rate. In 2006, beekeepers reported that they were losing between 30-90% of their hives over the winter. What was so alarming was that up to 50% of those hive losses were… Read more: Our Branded Honey helps to Save the Bees

These are some of our Anniversary Celebration Sponsors! CAL-ORGANICS Starting with a quarter acre of lettuce back in 1984 and an idea of doing things differently, Danny Duncan formed Cal-Organic Farms. More than three decades later, we have taken the business to include approximately 60 different year-round and seasonal vegetable and fruit items. Today the… Read more: Lassen's Loves Our Producers!

Chino Valley Ranchers Organic Eggs   Chris Nichols went off and did his own thing for a few years, but his grandfather’s business drew him back. Now he leads the crew at Chino Valley Ranch, where Organic is in their DNA. Some of us at Lassen’s got to drive out to see Chris and his… Read more: Cage Free, and the Living is Easy!

You’ve probably already heard, but Apple Cider Vinegar can be a healthy part of so many areas of your life! From cleaning to health, ACV is one of those “go-to” items you should always have on your shelf. Let’s start with cleaning. Vinegar is one of the most versatile all-purpose cleaners around. Mix 1 part… Read more: Apple Cider Vinegar and the Common Uses

Chas Blueberries Lassen’s has found a wonderful local blueberry grower right here in our back yard! And last week I got to tour their farm on the Oxnard Plain! Born in Hawthorn to a farming family, Chas grew up down dirt roads and in the midst of acres of tomato plants. He  started farming in… Read more: These Berries Are Candy Without the Guilt!

OUR PROMISE OUR GOODNESS GOES BACK TO THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. WE’RE TALKING TWO TURNS AGO. HOW IT ALL STARTED The year was 1913. Jean Demakes had just emigrated from Greece to join her husband Thomas in the United States. And the foundation for a family business was inspired by four little words: “I can… Read more: Introducing Waterhill Naturals and Organics

A lot of origin stories go back a few years or even a few decades. But when I visited Joni from Puremedy at her office and production facility in Westlake Village, I learned a totally different kind of story. In 1865, Joni’s great grandfather, Joseph Piquette, was a toddler in Quebec, Canada. He suffered a… Read more: Puremedy

Nonie products are Healthy Food for the Skin!  Our product line is easy to use – simply cleanse, tone, and select the Nonie moisturizer appropriate for your skin type.  All Nonie moisturizers contain AHAs – Alpha Hydroxy Acids from extracts of Bilberry, Sugar Cane, Maple Cane, Orange and Lemon Oils.  AHAs gently exfoliate the skin… Read more: Nonie of Beverly Hills

B Corp is to business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee or USDA Organic certification is to milk. B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today, there is a growing community of more than 1,600 Certified B Corps… Read more: B-Corps

Get our Take on Teff! Written by Denae Teff, have you heard of it? The new super-food from Africa is getting its name out there, and maybe it’s time you take a look at what it can do for you! Native to the African country Ethiopia, Teff is a seed derived from a grass-like plant. Although… Read more: Get our Take on Teff!

Tints of Nature is the simple, healthier way to color your hair for stunning salon-standard results. 20% OFF all Tints of Nature products throughout April. Only at Lassens. We take a unique approach, different from all other hair color products, which damage your hair. Our unique range of Natural permanent hair colors, semi-permanent hair colors,… Read more: Tints of Nature

Deodorant Detox! Written by Denae Have you wanted to take the plunge from conventional deodorants but every time you try you just stink yourself out? EO Products, a wonderful organic & natural company, has dedicated their 2017 to helping everyone willing to take the challenge! Not only have they provided enlightening information like, “…there can… Read more: Deodorant Detox!

Open Faced Sandwich Central! Written by Denae We know, open faced sandwiches are all the rage these days! As you scroll through your social media there’s a myriad of pictures with every imaginable ingredient beautifully set-up on a piece of bread or toast. Well, when you get to look at the vibrant organic ingredients as… Read more: Open Faced Sandwich Central!

Celebrate March: National Nutrition Month®! Written by Denae and Mykey It’s likely that we all have roughly the same thing in mind when we consider what we see as “the ideal healthy lifestyle” — Able to wake up in the morning refreshed, fully energized to hit the gym BEFORE work, every meal having the perfect balance… Read more: National Nutrition Month®!

Some Help for your Vegan Diet! Written by Denae Thinking of switching over to a vegan diet? Or maybe you’re already there but looking to change things up, substitute ingredients, or learn more. As you know, when removing entire food groups, you need to find ways to replace those healthy nutrients so you can still keep… Read more: Vegan Eats for You!

Improve your Workday Written by Denae In our Admin Offices there are a few of us that stretch for 5 minute every 2 hours.  Since we started doing that earlier last year, we’ve really seen a huge improvement in our workday. I decided it was time to extend this life enhancing to you, our lovely… Read more: Improve your Workday

Eat This, Not That: Childhood Favorites Written by Denae We all have our favorite snacks from when we were kids. Even if they weren’t allowed in our lunch box, we still pined after that one kid who took out the best fruit snacks and chips! It’s taken a few years to get here, but the… Read more: Eat This, Not That: Childhood Favorites

Dipping Oils and Flavored Vinegar Written by Gayle These gifts for foodies are so much fun to make and give! The vinegar takes about a month for the flavors to “marry”, so be sure to let your loved one know before they pop it open for a tasty salad! Flavored Vinegar Place your chosen flavorings in a quart-sized… Read more: DIY Gifts for Your Favorite Foodies!

Build a Salad Worth Eating! Written by Denae There are a lot of ways to make a kickin’ salad. Leftovers can be a salad go-to if you want to make sure they don’t go to waste. I’ve used baked chicken, fajita veggies, and fruit on it’s last leg to make sure I’m not throwing away… Read more: Build a Salad Worth Eating!

Superfood Spirulina! Written by Denae  So, what does spirulina have to offer you? This microalgae is more than just your average “pond scum”; it’s a superfood rich in vitamins, nutrients, amino acids, and protein. It also has some pretty great nicknames, “Mother Nature’s Multivitamin”, “The Hulk of Superfoods”, and “Bread of the Sea” to name… Read more: Superfood Spirulina!

WE MAKE COFFEE. More specifically, we make coffee that kicks ass, and we’ve done it for over 20 years. All our coffee is Organic. And all our coffee is Fairtrade. And it’s all deep, dark and delicious. FAIRTRADE: OUR POSITION “It can’t be done!” That’s what people said when we set out to use only… Read more: Organic. Responsible. Fair-trade. Kick Ass Coffee.

How to Stay Healthy through the Holidays Written by Denae It’s coming! The time of year we love to hate, or hate to love. So many parties and treats. So much stress. So much potential to pack on those pounds, making it more to lose when January’s resolutions come. For some reason, we do it to… Read more: 5 Tips for a Healthier Holiday

Make it Your Way! One of the easiest — and most fun — meals is a Noodle Bowl. Popular in many different varieties, I love to make and eat them. I also love the way I can toss just about anything that I have in my refrigerator into my noodle bowl and change the experience! This recipe… Read more: Noodle Bowls

Written by Denae  Apples are beautiful, tasty, tart, sweet, and with such a variety everyone has a favorite! More apple posts to get you through this wonderful season! Vegan & Grain-Free Apple Crisp … Yam & Apple Bake Recipe https://lassens.com/blog/drum-roll-recipe-challenge-winner-3/ Apple Chips Recipe https://lassens.com/blog/easy-healthy-chips/ Applesauce Recipe https://lassens.com/blog/applesauce-the-taste-of-autumn/ Apple Slice “Cookies” Recipe https://lassens.com/blog/after-school-deserves-these-cookies/ Biodynamic Apples https://lassens.com/blog/biodynamic-its-almost-super-organic/… Read more: All About Apples

Looking for a Way to Hurry up Your Morning? Do you have the morning rush going on at your house? Here’s a make-ahead breakfast that will stay with you all morning!– Chia pudding! Yup, you read that right. Make a batch of this and breakfast prep is cut down to size. There are lots of… Read more: Quick Breakfast!

Written by Denae – Graphic Designer & Social Media Manager As you have likely seen, we have an incredible educational event coming this weekend that we’re sponsoring with the Organic & Natural Health Association. This Power of Nutrients event is being held all day in LA and will be dedicated to teaching you how to… Read more: Optimum Supplement Absorption

What’s with Bone Broth? Written by Denae – Graphic Designer & Social Media Manager If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering where bone broth came from and why it seems to be trickling into lifestyle posts, recipes, and social media. I decided to do some research to help you (and me) understand what bone broth… Read more: What's with Bone Broth?

Hang on as Long as You Can! We have mostly sent our kids back to school — my college girl goes next week — but since the warm weather still continues, I want to hang on to it as long as possible! Today I kept the taste of summer alive with this amazing sweet fruit… Read more: Sweet Late Summer Fruit!

You’ll Totally Want to Fire Up The Grill for this Recipe! There’s nothing like a burger when you want to shout “Summer!” and these are amazingly creative and delicious, to boot! So we give you — Organic Grilled Peach & Cambozola Grass-Fed Beef Sliders Makes 4 sliders You’ll Need: 1 lb. Organic Grass-Fed Ground Beef Champignon… Read more: These Aren't Ordinary Sliders!

Perfect for the Afternoon Blahs! I’ve heard these little orbs of deliciousness called Energy Bites, but I just call them fantastic. No matter what is on my schedule, these little bites give me what I need to power through until dinner. There are many possible combinations of ingredients, but today I used prunes, nuts, and quinoa.… Read more: Mini Pops of Power!

But This Time Scarier and More Serious Scientists have been warning us for some time that our over-use of antibiotics could lead to drug-resistant strains of bacteria. They have been calling for a drastic reduction of the use of antibiotics, particularly in our food system. Unfortunately, many growers have ignored those calls and continued to… Read more: Antibiotics in the News Again

Avocado Caprese Yeah, I know it’s not summer yet, but if I close my eyes tightly I can feel the summer vibe! So just to get into the mood, I made this Avocado Caprese for lunch — quick, easy, delicious, and healthy! You’ll Need: 1 ripe organic ripe avocado 3 TBSP chopped organic tomato 3… Read more: A Salad Fit for Summer!

Beautiful and Delicious! Vegan Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Tarts Need a delicious and beautiful dessert for Mother’s Day, or just to celebrate this beautiful Spring? Try this vegan cheesecake tart with sweet Meyer Lemons! Prepare this the day before, and you’ll impress everyone!  YOU’LL NEED: For the Crust: 1/2 cup almonds 1/2 cup pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds) 1/2… Read more: Vegan Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Tarts

Take Advantage of Spring’s Abundance! I’ve probably already told this story, but I grew up with a lot of asparagus. My mom taught high school in an agricultural area, and many of her students worked in the fields before school. Sometimes they would bring her grocery bags of fresh-cut “grass” (as they called it) when they… Read more: Spring Asparagus Salad

Now You Don’t Know As of December, 2015, it’s harder for consumers to find out where beef and pork are born, raised, and slaughtered. According to this article on the organicconsumers.org page, Congress repealed a labeling law that required meats to be labelled with their country of origin. (If you want to learn more about the legal… Read more: Where's the (Source of the) Beef?

Easy Solution — Cauliflower Rice! I’ve decided that I need to put a sign on my fridge: “Have you eaten enough vegetables today?” Without the pressure of cooking for a big family anymore, I find myself grazing on whatever is easily grabbed. And that’s usually not enough vegetables. But I made something that may change things… Read more: Want to Eat More Vegetables?

It’s a Great Time to Try Something New! Ever thought about having salad for breakfast? For those of us who prefer savory to sweet in the morning, it’s the perfect way to increase your consumption of healthy greens. But this is no ordinary salad — it’s chock full of healthy grains, fats, and has a… Read more: Clean and Green Warm Breakfast Salad!

Another Healthy and Fresh Salad! There’s no doubt that broccoli is one of those super healthy foods — high in vitamin C and K, fiber and even some minerals, but low in carbohydrates. I love roasted broccoli, but also love to use it as the star in salads — even for a whole meal. This recipe… Read more: Broccoli Salad with Thai Peanut Sauce

This soup is great for any kind of weather! Ok, so I know that the weather forecast has been all over the place, but no matter the temperature, I still love me some soup! Especially when it combines some of my favorite flavors (Thai anyone?), is quick and easy, and is great left over. This one… Read more: Thai Coconut Soup

Margeaux and Linda to the Rescue! Margeaux has always been into healthy living. Once a professional dancer in New York, she loved juicing and eating vegan and raw foods. Her mother Linda was frustrated with high blood pressure, so she began a raw/vegan lifestyle as well. Within six months, she was totally off of her medication.… Read more: Looking for Healthy Grab and Go?

Not All Supplements Are Created Equal Several months ago there were news stories casting doubt on the purity of herbal supplements. The New York Attorney General highlighted the store brands of several national companies. Samples taken from those store brands were found by DNA testing to not have the ingredients listed on the labels. There… Read more: What's in My Supplement?

This Smoothie Bowl Will Make Others Green with Envy! Super matcha — it just has a ring, doesn’t it? Matcha is the finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea. But not just any green tea! Generally tea leaves are dried and then are steeped in hot water. But Matcha leaves are ground finely and so… Read more: Matcha to the Rescue!

Here’s a Recipe to Fancy Up That Salmon! I love salmon, and often order it in restaurants, since they often find ways to prepared and serve it so beautifully. But to the rescue! You too can fancy up your salmon at home! Salmon is full of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, niacin, B-vitamins, and of course… Read more: Heart Healthy Salmon, and Heart Healthy Beets!

Put some Pow in Your Day! Have you heard of Smoothie Bowls? They can provide a powerful punch of nutrition in one delicious bowl! Lassen’s is now offering smoothie bowls in our delis, and you can make them yourself as well! Here is a new Acai Smoothie Bowl recipe that we are featuring this month!… Read more: Acai Smoothie Bowl

It Can Be Easier Than You Think! I recently listened to a TED talk on easy ways to change habits (I can’t find it now — too many TED talks available, and I don’t remember who gave the talk!) Anyway. The take-away, for me, was that if we want to establish new habits, we should attach them… Read more: How to Make a New You in a New Year

Yep, It’s Broccoli I kind of grew up without broccoli. I didn’t really give it a second thought until I went away to college and discovered this beautiful vegetable. I ate it regularly with my roommates, and I couldn’t understand why it wasn’t a staple on the generally healthy table of my family. I came… Read more: It's Always on Lists of Healthiest Foods!

Time For Healthy Soup! There’s nothing like a steaming hot mug of soup on a rainy day, and I pulled out one of my all-time favs today.  Our family has been going to Andersen’s Split Pea Soup Restaurant in Buellton (or in Carlsbad, when we’re there) for many years. You can buy soup mix there, and… Read more: Hooray! The Rain is Here!

It’s so fun to whip up some fun gifts in the kitchen! Lassen’s carries all of the ingredients for these wonderful Salt and Sugar Scrubs, including jars and bottles. Or you can reuse containers like I did with these Talenti Gelato jars! And they are immediately ready to give, so you can throw some of these… Read more: DIY Salt and Sugar Scrubs for Easy Gifts!

Gluten Free and Vegan! Celine calls herself a natural baker, and when the daughter of a friend was found to have allergies, she decided to try her hand at baking her some treats. She started experimenting, and the first treat she made was a garbanzo bean brownie, which was a big hit with her friends. Fast forward about 5… Read more: Celine is the (Local) Karma Baker!

Pamper Your Special Ones with Your Own Oils and Skin Care Products! It’s so fun to make gifts for friends and family members, and these easy-to-make body care items with be a big hit! Gentle Herbal Massage Oil 1- 1 1/2 cup Organic Sweet Almond Oil An assortment of flowers–I used Calendula, Rose buds, and… Read more: DIY Body Care Gifts!

We love nuts at Lassen’s! They make great snacks (packed with nutrients!) and they are great in recipes, too. Here’s a wonderful way to make nuts a star! Holiday Spiced Nuts YOU’LL NEED: 2 cups mixed nuts (I used raw, but roasted is ok, too) 1/2 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit, chopped 1 egg white,… Read more: Kick off the Holiday Season with Spiced Nuts!

I love to greet the the holidays with some wonderful smells, and potpourri makes it so easy! These potpourris make really fun, easy, and inexpensive gifts, too. Holiday Potpourri Cut some orange peels into thin strips (I removed most of the inner white part of the peel). Let dry for several hours, or in the oven… Read more: Holiday Potpourri