Start your day right! When Raw Foods Expect Sarma Melngailis (President and Owner of One Lucky Duck and Pure Food and Wine restaurant) shares the shake she finds “sexy,” you take a good look at Sarma, and start your blenders;

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shake: Serves 2

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 cup frozen banana
• 1½ cups coconut water
• 1½ cups cashew milk (OR, 3 cups of either one)
• 2 heaping tablespoons yacon powder
• 2 heaping tablespoons lucuma powder
• 1 heaping tablepsoon maca
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar or pinch stevia (optional)
• Pinch Himalayan sea salt (optional)
• 1 heaping tablespoon cacao powder (add for second half)

HOW TO? Put all the ingredients except the cocoa powder in the blender and blend. If it’s too thick add more coconut water or cashew milk. Taste and add agave or stevia to sweeten. Pour half the shake out into glasses filling them partway. Add the cocoa powder to the remaining shake in the blender and blend. (add cacao nibs to if you like those in your shakes). Top off the glasses with the chocolate. It helps if you pour it gently around the inside perimeter of the glass (otherwise it will just fall straight down in the center and you won’t get the pretty layers). Put a raspberry or strawberry on top and sprinkle w/ cacao nibs. YUM.

Sarma Says;
The “Chocolate Covered Strawberry” - On sale at Pure Food and Wine.	It is kind of ironic to us that the concept of using foods to improve body function and strengthen the immune system is constantly referred to and regarded as “new age”.  For years and years, and years, and years,  Ancient people have scoured the forests and jungles trying crazy fruits and tripped out flowers, roots and fungus, doing all the work for us (like, weeding out the poisonous stuff!) and figuring out how and if they benefit our bodies. One thing to consider when using natural supplements or energy boosters is that even if they don’t do anything for you, they certainly won’t harm you in anyway - unlike chemical drugs. That being said, our ancient ancestors did know what they were doing regarding many of the foods that they considered “superfoods”. In particular, it seems that ancient Peruvians really knew what was up. Yacon, Lucuma and Maca originate from deep in the Andes.  Cultivated for millennia, these foods were first used by the Incans for various enhancement properties. For Valentine’s Day, we chose to make a sexy shake using all three because of their kick ass energy increasing power, but also, because the ancient Peruvians believed that these foods were aphrodisiacs.  Plus chocolate and strawberries? Yum.  Here’s some info on these three little known powders, which are featured in our shake at our takeaway locations, and are also on sale as ingredients at www.oneluckyduck.com. 15% off if you buy all three. Lucuma is also a popular ice cream flavor in South America and Maca is great in a smoothie for a malted flavor..yacon is probably the best for a sweetner substitute! Enjoy!	Get one to go!
Get all 3 Peruvian superfood powders and        save   15%   Maca, Yacon and Lucuma      Click here to buy: Peruvian Superfood Bundle	Everything you need to know about: Yacón: The powder is popular among diabetic people and dieters who consume these products because of their low sugar properties. The low sugar characteristic is due to the fact that the tuber is made up of FOS (fructooligosacharide), a special type of fructose that the human body can not absorb, and thus itleaves the body undigested. The powder is also a probiotic which means that it feeds the friendly bacteriain the colon that boost the immune system and help digestion. A valuable health food and alternative sweetener, yacon’s greatest attribute is its naturally high contentof inulin, a  complex sugar that breaks down slowly into fructooligosaccharides (FOS).The high levels of FOS is a quality that is beneficial for two reasons. First, although yacon tastes sweet, the sugar of inulin is not digestible and simply passes through the body. Therefore yacon only contains about half the calories of an average sugar source. Secondly, FOS promotes the production of healthy probiotics within the body, which can contribute to better digestion and colon health. Lucuma: A dried exotic fruit. Has a nutty, maple flavor and is rich in carbohydrates and nutrients. The lucuma has particularly dry flesh which possesses a unique flavor of maple and sweet potato. It is a very nutritious fruit, having high levels of carotene, vitamin B3, and other B vitamins. Lucuma is considered a healthy alternative sweetener as it lends a sweet taste to recipes, but is very low in sugars. With naturally occurring beta-carotene, niacin, and iron, lucuma powder is a welcome antidote to notorious “empty calorie” sweeteners. Navitas Naturals Lucuma Powder has a distinctively sweet fragrance and full-bodied, maple-like taste. A deliciously versatile dessert ingredient, lucuma blends well to make alluring smoothies, puddings, and ice creams, and can also be used as a flour in exotic pies and pastries Maca: This nontoxic stabilizer is known to increase energy, endurance, physical strength, and libido. The ancient Incan warrior soldiers would consume this precious root before battle to make them fiercely strong, and then would be prohibited from taking it once into the city so the women would be protected from their heightened sexual appetite.   Warriors used this stuff to get revved for battle! Small-scale clinical trials performed in men have shown that maca extracts can heighten libido and improve semen though no studies have been performed on men with sexual dysfunction or infertility. Maca does not affect sex hormone levels in humans, and has not been shown to act on hormones directly. It has been presumed that maca’s hormone-normalizing effects may be due to the root’s unique nutritional profile, which provides optimum levels of nutrients utilized by the body’s endocrine system. Flavor profiles: Yacon :sweet molasses Lucuma: sweet potato, nutty, maple Maca: coffee, malted, chocolate

Pure Food & Wine is located at 54 Irving Place, New York, NY 10003-2314 (212) 477-1010‎
oneluckyduck.com

Spring is almost here!  And that means it’s nearly time to shed all of those suffocating layers and turn your SPF protected face to the sun. Is your hair ready to bare?  You might be suffering from a case of winter hat hair, in which case, you need some rehab.  Today, Guest Blogging Hair Stylist Chrissie Eden Vázquez shares her sage wisdom with the hair challenged;

Hair care and rehab start with daily habits.  Is your hair: Thin/Fine?Dry?Long?Processed (Highlighted, Bleached, Colored, Permed, or Relaxed)?
If you answered “Yes” to one or more of these, your hair requires special care that includes a proper shampooing and conditioning regimen as well as gentle handling of your stressed strands.  Things you do like shampooing every day (when perhaps you could afford to wait a day or two), putting wet hair into a ponytail and jamming it under a hat, or using the wrong kind of shampoo can be trashing your hair.

GirlieGirl Army Founder Chloé Jo. Hair by Chrissie Eden Vasquez. Photo by Stephen Kosloff.

To get down to basics, here is some shampoo speak to help you decode what kind(s) of shampoo will help get your hair back into shape.

The function of shampoo is to cleanse hair of nasty stuff like oil, product build up, and pollution.  Shampoo removes grime and oil from your hair by using a surfactive agent, which is a two part molecule that is one part hydrophilic and one part lipophilic.  The hydrophilic part is attracted to water, which washes away all the nasty stuff that the lipophilic part is attracted to. (Lipo = fats = fatty secretions = oil!)

The most common surfactants in most shampoos are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate SLS or Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate ALS, which you may have heard about with the recent craze over Sulfate Free products. SLS & ALS are commonly used because they super cheap and produce lots of foam and bubbles when combined with H2O, which many people mistakenly confuse with the level of effectiveness of the product.

What that harsh detergent’s foaming action is actually is doing is stripping your hair of its natural protective coating known as the acid mantle.  The acid mantle is formed by a combination of your scalp’s secretions of oils and sweat, and its job is to maintain a normal pH levels of your hair and protect the integrity of the keratinized protein that hair is composed of.  Squeaky clean hair is actually extremely vulnerable hair!  (And hair happens to be at its most delicate when its wet, so if you’re raking through tangles or pulling your hair into tight pony tails and buns, you could be causing some of the very damage you are bemoaning.)

Harsh surfactants and detergents will also fade hair color faster because they strip away the surface coating of the hair strand, opening the cuticle and allowing the color molecules to come up and out.  Using shampoo formulated for color treated hair will make a long term difference in the life and vibrancy of your color, so invest accordingly.

You may see DLS–Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate–in some of the shampoos listed for color treated or damaged hair. DLS is the surfactant found in baby shampoos and body cleansers, and is derived from vegetable oils, usually coconut or palm kernel.  The pH is rated as being low acid or close to neutral, so that it doesn’t strip the cuticle of its oils.

Some shampoo brands to consider for delicate strands:
Aveda (The Damage Remedy Line is a life saver!)
Aubrey Organics
Deva-Curl
Island Naturals
L’Oreal Everpure & Everstrong Shampoos
Lush Shampoo (Trichomania Solid Shampoo is yummy and coconut based!)
Morrocco Method (organic, vegan, and fair trade!)
Pureology
Samy
Ulta

There are various considerations beyond the detergent content of shampoos.  Many of us experience confusion as to what kind of shampoo is right for our hair type.  What is a clarifying shampoo used for?  Do I need one?  What does “for normal hair” mean? If this is soapless, how does it clean? pH balanced? Huh???

Always be sure to double check ingredients to make sure products are cruelty-free and vegan.

Here is a breakdown of what some shampoo terms mean:

Acid/pH Balanced means that the shampoo will not strip your hair’s natural oils and upset the pH of the acid mantle.  The normal pH of hair, skin, and nails is between 4.5 - 5.5, and is slightly acidic.

Clarifying shampoo is, as the name implies deep cleaning.  These shampoos contain a high level of alkalinity (to open the cuticle to allow for the removal of impurities) and is used to strip build up of oil, product, or toxins in the hair.  Most formulas will indicate how often they can be used (the stronger ones should only be used once or twice a week) and are recommended if you have super oily hair, swim often, or if you have highlights that are constantly turning off colors.  Will strip color treated hair; can be used if your color came out too dark and you want it to hurry up and go away.

Love: Frederic Fekkai Apple Cider Clarifying Shampoo, Aveda Shampure or Rosemary Mint Shampoos which are gentle enough for every day use

All purpose/”normal hair” shampoos have a low alkaline content and low concentrations of surfacants, and are not designed to correct any special conditions.  They are your regular everyday kind of shampoos that you’d use if you don’t have any specific haircare issues.

Try: L’Oreal Everpure Sulfate Free Shampoo

“No Poo” is a phrase associated with using all natural, non lathering shampoos, or in some instances, specifically non-lathering curly hair formulas.  Why no lather?  Because curly hair tends to be more porous, hence more prone to frizz, so it needs to retain as much of its natural oils as possible to retain shape and fight frizz.

Prime for curly gals: Deva Curl No Poo
If you’d like a little lather, try: Aveda Be Curly, Ouidad Clear & Gentle Daily Shampoo
There are a number of internet sources for No Poo natural cleansing recipes.  Try some out and let us know what works for you!

Conditioning/Restructuring/and thickening shampoos all preform nearly the same function, and contain animal, vegetable, or mineral additives.  These are generally protein derivatives that improve the tensile strength and porosity of hair by bonding to weakened areas of the hair strand to provide reinforcement.  The most common sources are wheat and silk protein, but know your brands–many use animal renderings like ground up cow hooves as a source.

Vegan: Samy Fat Hair Thickening Shampoo, Deliciously moisturizing: Aveda Dry Remedy System with buriti oil and pomegranate

Labeling “For oily/fine hair” OR the related “soapless shampoos” translates to a product that has a strong cleansing formula designed to remove the maximum amount of oils that weigh fine strands down and does not have any added oily or fatty substances.  Most of these shampoos contain sulfates.  Soapless shampoos are also ideal for those grappling with hard water because when the wetting agents in this type of shampoo react with the calcium salts found in hard water, it forms Calcium Lauryl Sulphate, which is soluble and rinses clean.

(*Note: the finished product, because of the reaction with the calcium salts in hard water, has a pH that is nearly neutral, so it does not damage the hair.  Hard water situations are the one instance where you may prefer a shampoo with a sulfate based surfactant.)
For oily hair: Desert Essence Lemon Tea Tree Shampoo
For fine, limp hair: Aveda Pure Abundance System (with organic acacia gum and a clay based conditioner–this stuff works near miracles!)

Color/toning shampoos are used to enhance or neutralize certain tones in the hair.  Chamomile formulas are used to enhance blondes. Clove brings out natural brunette and honey tones. Red color shampoos usually contain henna or madder root to enhance reddish tones, while blue and violet bases are used to neutralize warm tones and enhance cool ones.  Blues & violets are especially helpful if you have naturally dark hair that is lightened, either into a double process blonde or highlights.

When I was a blondie, I would use a clarifying shampoo once a week and follow with a violet shampoo and conditioner to calm some of the orange threatening to creep in and ruin my golden locks!  You can make any shampoo or conditioner into a toning formula by simply adding the appropriate toning agent.  For example, to make a violet shampoo, go to your local beauty supply and look for a red/gold fix or an unred formula, and add the prescribed # of drops per ounce right into your favorite shampoo or conditioner.  Shake well to combine.

Not that ambitious?  Try: Aveda Shampoos in Clove, Camomile, Blue Malva, Black Malva (for black or brown hair), or Madder Root, J/A/S/O/N Color Enhancing Shampoo

Want to be sure your beauty care products are not tested on animals and/ or vegan?  Double check them on caringconsumer.com.

Chrissie Eden Vázquez, GirlieGirl vintage scavenger, studied French haircutting technique and graduated with certificates of recognition from the Carsten Aveda Institute, considered by many to be the “Harvard of NY Hair Schools”.  Chrissie has styled the likes of GirlieGirl Army Founder Chloé Jo for the  OlsenHaus lookbook, and specializes in event & bridal looks as well as authentic pin up hair & make up.  Yes, she makes housecalls. You can reach her via email at loveorperish@gmail.com.

In need of a little spirit boosting today?  Why not remind yourself how much you have (and will always) love YOU.  Is it that devilish way you make yourself giggle, or the way you make yourself gourmet tea every morning without fail?  Whatever it is, you have every reason to be in love with you.

Print out this darling image (by our friend SARK) and post it on your mirror, fridge, desk.. or wherever else you know you will look today.  Remind yourself that you are utterly delicious and endlessly lovable.

SARK is a best-selling author and artist, with over fifteen titles in print and well over two million books sold. If you haven’t read any of her books - have you been hiding under a rock? Her sisterspeak, heart liftingly delicious prose, and bright imaginative imagery has lifted us out of many a hard time and crap mood here at GGA HQ. Chloé Jo Davis (GirlieGirl Army Founder) had a chance to interview her with Joshua Katcher of The Discerning Brute a while back. Watch that interview here and learn more about SARK (and get some more delicious inspiration at planetsark.com);

DBTV: Girlie Girl & The Brute Interview SARK from The Discerning Brute on Vimeo.

Today Guest Blogger MP Dunleavey from DailyWorth.com fills you in on the tax bonuses of going green;

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could get a tax break for living a greener life?

As yet, there’s no tax credit for composting, buying organic apples, or using CFL lightbulbs. (Darn, those things are expensive!). But some eco-friendly upgrades can yield big rebates on your 2009 return.

Remember, a tax credit is a sweet deal:

It reduces your tax bill, dollar for dollar (i.e. a $2,000 credit knocks down the amount you owe by… $2,000).

• If you made energy-efficient home improvements last year (windows, doors, roofs, water heaters, wood or pellet stoves heating/cooling systems, etc.) you can save up to $1,500.
• If you installed an alternative energy source in your home (wind, solar, etc.), you may qualify for a much bigger tax break: 30% of the cost, with no limit on the amount of the credit.
• If you bought a hybrid vehicle, you may qualify for a tax credit up to $7,500. And that’s in addition to the vehicle sales tax deduction.

IRS Warning: Of course, you need to double-check that the products you bought qualify under IRS rules.

Read my piece in The New York Times: Don’t Overlook the Rewards for Thinking Green for more tips and tricks.

DailyWorth is a free daily personal finance email for women. We deliver practical tips, empowering ideas and the occasional kick in the pants.