1. 1. We use organic ingredients and Fair Trade chocolate.
2. 2. Our truffle box is FSC Certified.
3. 3. All of our packaging is printed with vegetable-based ink.
4. 4. Our brochures are printed on recycled paper.
5. 5. Our new Munch bags are made with rice paper. (coming soon!)
6. 6. Our packing peanuts are vegetable-based cornstarch which can be dissolved in water or reused.
7. 7. We recycle and reuse cardboard boxes for shipping.
8. 8. We purchase our ingredients in bulk.
9. 9. We (of course!) use only vegetable-based ingredients.
10. 10. When possible we deliver local chocolates via bicycle.

We hope you are enjoying your garden, walking instead of driving and enjoying the outdoors today. Tell us some things you are doing to stay green!

1. 

   nicobella delivery bicycle

1. Reduce, reuse and recycle. This not only helps the earth but it feels very empowering. Buy only what you need, support local growers, carry a cloth bag for purchases, and reuse old bottles and bags.

2. Give away old clothes, toys, electronics and other barely-used items. This environmental cleanse is good for the planet, you and your recipients.

3. Wash laundry in cold water and line dry clothes that do not have to go into the dryer. Less heat=less energy, 'nuf said.

4. Bike or walk in place of driving. Burn calories while saving the earth-can’t beat it!

5. Purchase products from green companies. Here is a great list of the Top 10 Green Companies.

6. Plant a tree to help reduce greenhouse emissions and pollution.

7. Cook mostly vegetable-based meals using local produce. Plants require much less resources to grow than producing meat and dairy. Choose organic when you can.

8. Compost your food and biodegradable packaging. This is a great way to let food scraps and packaging decompose naturally. Here is a quick video on composting.

9. Opt for silence one day out of the week-no television, no ipod, no computer, no distraction! Great for the planet as well as your mind, body and soul (a nicobella favorite).

10. Instead of going to the gym (drive car, workout on treadmill, watch tv, listen to radio=lots of energy) get some exercise outside. Walking, running, biking, hiking and swimming are as good for your physique as the gym, and may be even better for your mind as you breathe in the fresh air and smell the spring flowers.

Make every day Earth Day!

BONUS! We can help you fulfill #10 (the outside workout) if you live in Southern California. Nicobella friend, Steve Vulin of Sunrise Fitness, offers the most phenomenal Venice beach workout every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6:15a until 8a. You will have fun exercising by the ocean with the mountains in the background and the rising sun. It's incredibly energizing while dogs play on the beach, surfers ride the waves and motivational Steve tells you only a few more! We are not lying when we say that the beach workout is 1 hour and 45 minutes and only feels like a half hour. The variety of exercises, inspiring scenery, and amazing trainer make the time pass quickly and painlessly (umm...sort of). Want to know the best part? It’s donation only! We love that Steve makes this challenging yet super fun beach workout accessible to everyone.

Place: Washington and Pacific (end of Washington Blvd, Venice. You will see Steve waiting for all of us on the beach!)

Days: Monday/Wednesday/Friday

Time: 6:15a until 8a. Can’t stay the entire time? Just come for the cardio, strength and agility portion from 6:15a until 7:15a.

Double bonus: Parking is plentiful by the beach at this time of the morning if you're not close enough to walk or ride your bike.

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Evening snack typically consists of a handful of almonds or pistachios. However a 'milkshake' is quite satisfying during evenings when something more substantial and 'sweet' is needed.

This milkshake is full of whole food, energizing ingredients and tastes delicious!

One or two truffles after a meal is a natural way to have a little indulgence while staying true to the cleanse. There is very little unprocessed sugar in each truffle (making them low glycemic) plus all of nicobella chocolates are made only with high antioxidant whole foods. That nice burst of energy that is felt after eating a truffle is from the theobromine that is naturally a part of the chocolate. Therefore, a little dark chocolate compliments an energizing whole foods cleanse perfectly!

Tip: Try to purchase organic ingredients whenever possible. Check this list by Dr. Weil to learn about the most important organic foods to purchase.

For use on a daily basis, we prefer the Chocolate Cleanse. It’s a way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in order to feel energized and focused without starving or depriving yourself of food, including dark chocolate.

Here are some things you can expect when you try the Chocolate Cleanse:

• Increased energy
• Heightened awareness
• Improved concentration
• Increased productivity
• Less sleep requirements
• Motivation to exercise
• Enhanced relationships
• Clearer skin
• Radiant beauty (from the inside out)
• Silkier hair
• More flexibility (both physically and mentally)
• Improved mood
• More creativity

With the Chocolate Cleanse it is important to consume the following every day:

• • 5-7 vegetables
• • 2-3 fruits
• • 3-5 high protein foods (lean and preferably plant-based)
• • 4-7 whole grains
• • 2-3 healthy fats
• • 2-3 pieces of DARK chocolate (70%  cocoa content or more)

The idea behind this cleanse is to focus on what you are putting INTO your body and not on what you have eliminated. All of the foods will be colorful, radiant whole foods that give you energy, nutrition and natural beauty. And given the tremendous health benefits of dark chocolate, it can easily be included into a daily cleanse. Just like fruits and vegetables, dark chocolate is a high antioxidant plant source that has many healing benefits if eaten in small quantities every day.

Here are some key guidelines:

1. • Be mindful while you eat (look at the food, smell the aromas, savor each bite, take small pieces and chew slowly)
2. • Make your meal veggie-centric
3. • Eat veggies first-the fiber will fill you up so you eat less overall
4. • Always include a little protein with each meal to stay satisfied
5. • Eat whole grains such as quinoa, barley, brown rice (avoid anything white)
6. • Drink at least 2-3 cups of tea (caffeinated or de-caffeinated) a day
7. • Limit caffeine to 200 mg a day (in the form of tea or chocolate)
8. • Drink at least 8 cups of water a day
9. • Drink a cup of hot water, lemon and cayenne first thing in the morning and at night before you go to bed (can also use herbal tea before bed time)
10. • Avoid alcohol
11. • Find time to move (i.e., exercise such as walking, yoga, dancing, etc)
12. • Try to take 5-10 minutes a day to be silent

Now…this is coming from a nutritionist who also loves her wine and coffee. There IS a way to have it all. It’s called the 80/20 Rule, which you’ll read about in the next blog!

Just wanted to give you a heads up about a little price increase for nicobella Munch (sorry!). We have been holding off for a while now because we wanted to continue with our old pricing through the holidays and Valentine's Day. However, due to the increasing costs of just about everything that goes into the Munch (chocolate, nuts, coconut and sugar) we will have to increase our price a bit. We hate to do this, but have avoided it for some time and certainly want to continue carrying the products. As you most likely know, we try our best to use the highest quality ingredients and do not want to sacrifice quality for a small increase in price.

If you have any questions or comments please email us at info@nicobellaorganics.com.

Thank you.

Here are 6 reasons why sunflower seeds are a perfectly healthy option to prevent the winter blues:

HIGH IN PROTEIN AND FIBER

Just one ounce of sunflower seeds contain almost 5 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber, making them a completely satisfying snack.

GREAT SOURCE OF VITAMIN E

One ounce of sunflower seeds provide 65% of Vitamin E which is essential to heart health, lower cholesterol levels and mental acuity.

GOOD SOURCE OF B VITAMINS AND FOLATE

They're a great source of B vitamins and folate which are key components in digestion and preventing heart disease.

PHYTOCHEMICALS

Phytochemicals protect the sunflower seed from environmental damage. When we consume these plant substances they protect our bodies as well. Lignan is one particular phytoestrogen found in sunflower seeds that protects against certain cancers such as breast, prostate and ovarian.

PHENOLIC ACIDS

Other plant substances that protect both the plant and our bodies are phenolic acids which contribute to anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing benefits.

ARGININE

Sunflower seeds are rich in the amino acid arginine. Some of its primary roles are to boost immune function, heal wounds and help the release of hormones.

Have you tried our Sunflower Butter Banana Truffle? It's a delicious bite size snack that is power packed with nutrient-dense sunflower seeds, which we grind into sunflower seed butter. Combined with super antioxidant 70% dark chocolate and pre-biotic rich bananas, you will be left feeling alive and energized after eating this tasty treat.

This week, to celebrate this wholesome seed we are offering a 6-piece box of sunflower butter banana truffles for only $9 (while supplies last!)

We want to help make your chocolate-shopping experience easy and fun, so here are some suggestions for your friends, family, and loved ones.  Just find the description that matches the best, and you’re on your way to the perfect chocolate holiday gift.

Our healthy and tasty chocolates make great gifts for awesome teachers, friendly co-workers, cool bosses, loyal clients, sweet moms, healthy dads, loving spouses, crazy (in a good way) aunts, caring grandparents, the list goes on….

Also, we haven’t forgotten about our furry little friends. As always, a portion of our holiday sales will go to great causes, such as the Humane Society of the United States and Noah’s Ark of Locust Grove, GA.

To make your gift-giving even more stress free, we will wrap your Nicobella gift in our fun chocolate mesh brown bag and add a gift note when you complete our gift message option.

Let us know if you have any questions! We look forward to sharing our chocolates with you and your recipients this holiday season.

Here is the scoop on the health benefits of this lovely seed:

• •power packed with antioxidants
• •high in fiber, helping with digestion
• •rich in B vitamins, folate, and vitamin E
• •abundance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids (improves concentration)
• •great source of the mineral zinc (enhances immune system)
• •high in tryptophan (increases seratonin which elevates mood)
• •natural aphrodisiac
• •rich in healthy fats and protein with moderate amounts of carbohydrate making it a perfect snack!

Wishing you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving.

We thank YOU for your support over the past two years. This Cyber Monday you can enjoy Free Shipping on all orders. Plus we will add a sample of our Naked Maple Nut Munch with every order over $50. AND we will add an additional 25% off orders over $100.

With peace and gratitude,

Nichole

EVENTS

This summer was busy busy despite a typically slow chocolate season during the summer months. We worked with True Colors in Seattle, providing truffles for seven of their beautifully organized events. It was great fun and here is a photo of the 4-piece boxes that were given to each guest at the table. (Email us if you're interested in this cute box for your event!)

We were also having a good time traveling around with EcoStiletto and Kimpton Hotels sampling nicobella truffles for Green Girl's Night Out. It's an eight-city tour with only two cities left! Come see us in Scottsdale, AZ October 12th or Los Angeles, CA November 16th. Thank you so very much to all of the amazing friends who represented nicobella in each city.

NEW RETAIL PARTNERS

We are super excited to be working with some fantastic new retail partners: Beacon Hill Chocolates in Boston, MA; Sun Life Organics in Malibu, CA; Get Waxed in Venice, CA;  Cannon Beach Chocolate Cafe in Cannon Beach, OR; and TSPOT in Manzanita, OR. Go get your healthy nicobella chocolates if you live in these areas!

NEW PACKAGING AND PRODUCTS

This holiday season stay tuned for new new new! New packaging for nicobella truffles (we can't wait for you to see), new labels for nicobella munch and new products to add to our shop. Naked Maple Nut Munch and Naked Mama Munch are so yum! And our new and improved Peanut Butter Squares will melt in your mouth. We can't wait to share with you once we finalize some last minute packaging details.

NICOBELLA ON THE SCREEN

Check out a preview of the very cool film, Liquorice,  that features a story around the organic and mysterious drink, Absinthe. The goal of the producers is to make this film 100% sustainable and eco-friendly. We are honored to be a part of it! It's scheduled to release in Sept/Oct 2012.

KALLARI CHOCOLATE & NICOBELLA MUNCH

Starting this week we will be using Kallari chocolate for all of our Munch products. It is delicious! But that is just an added bonus on top of everything this fabulous company represents. Be sure to read more about their story. And expect to get even more amazing flavor with your next Munch purchase. We are excited to work with them!

ANIMAL NEWS

Finally, and most importantly in our book, we are happy to continue our involvement with animals. We are very excited to donate chocolate this week to the Dash for Desserts event which supports The Chimp Sanctuary Northwest. Next week we will be auctioning our chocolates at the Oak Mountain Winery Woofs & Purrs in the Vines Fundraiser that supports dogs and cats with diabetes. And on November 5th we will be walking for Farm Animals in Pasadena, CA. We want a BIG TEAM!!! Please please if you are in the area come join us! We will be giving a box of chocolates and nicobella t-shirt to everyone who signs up to walk with us. It's for a great cause and our support will show in numbers.

We hope you have a fabulous weekend!

And don't forget to come visit us tonight for First Friday if you're in the area...

Walnuts are the only nut that has a day's worth of omega-3 fatty acids providing a whopping 2.5 grams per ounce! (Pecans are second runner up next to walnuts.) There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) , and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Walnuts contain ALA which is partially converted by the body to EPA and DHA (these are the two omega-3 fatty acids found in fish). Women who are expecting, vegetarians, vegans and anyone who wants a plant-based source of healthy omega-3's can easily get their daily amount from a handful of walnuts (equal to about 3.5 ounces of salmon). Walnuts are also a great source of antioxidants including selenium, melatonin, vitamin E and polyphenols.

Not pregnant? Don't let the Mama Munch name fool you! This tasty and super food treat is great for everyone (even you, guys!). Here are some other potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acids :

• *lower triglycerides
• *lower risk of heart disease
• *decrease blood pressure
• *reduce symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis
• *reduce symptoms of mentrual pain
• *improve cognitive skills
• *improve bone health
• *improve cold tolerance
• *help with weight loss
• *lower risk of stroke
• *lower risk of certain types of cancer
• *help with inflammatory bowel disease

Mama Munch is now sold at Beacon Hill Chocolates in Boston, MA and T-SPOT in Manzanita, OR, as well as these stores and the nicobella website.

Mama Munch