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The thing is, no matter how frugal and conscientious I strive to be, I am unfortunate enough to have consumerism deeply ingrained in me. I will always want something and it will continue to be a struggle between wants vs needs. So if I must really and absolutely give in and make a purchase, I figured the next best thing is to try to be a more ethical, conscious and conscientious consumerist.  This involves supporting fair trade, buying local and buying from brands/ companies that give back. If you must shop, here are a few clothing/accessories brands with a cause and commitment to social responsibility:

Toms . This is one of the first brands that got me to really re-think how I’m using my money. Toms, if you don’t already know, started off as a buy one give one shoe company, promising to give a child in need a new pair of shoes for every pair purchased. They have recently started making Toms eyeglasses. Read more about their movement.

Ten Tree. A clothing company that helps you make an environmental difference by promising to plant 10 trees for every item purchased and by socially responsible manufacturing.

FEED. A company that later on started the FEED Foundation, is passionate about the fight against hunger and malnutrition in impoverished areas around the world. Each environmentally friendly, fair labor produced produced product bought from FEED supports a humanitarian program .

Warby Parker. Aside from its commitment to high quality prescription eyewear for less, it has also committed itself to partnering with non-profit organizations like VisionSpring to provide glasses to those who can’t afford them.

Epic Timepieces. Determined to help make a difference, Epic will provide a year’s worth of clean, drinking water (by distributing water filters) to those in less fortunate  areas for every timepiece they sell.

Peace Bomb. Article 22’s peaceBOMB jewelry have not just a meaningful history, but also a great mission. Made with war metal scraps from, each bracelet purchased helps clear bombs (that have yet to explode) off 3 meters of land in Laos. Read more about it’s history here.

If we’re going to spend money on clothes and accessories anyway, why not make it count? Buy from companies and organizations that promise to give back to a cause you believe in.  You get your shopping fix without the buyer’s remorse. I don’t know about you, but it think it’s win-win.

What’s your take on social businesses? And do you know of any similar companies with a great cause at its core?

We’ve been eating a lot of granola lately, which is really great because for a vegetarian, I feel like I still don’t come close to reaching the recommended daily fiber intake. Which is bad because, well, saying that fiber is good is an understatement (click here to learn more about fiber). But to be perfectly honest, granola (except for a few granola bars every time there is ABSOLUTELY nothing else to eat) was never part of my diet. No, actually, I didn’t know granola cereal existed until almost a year ago. So it’s a bit weird how I’m sharing a homemade granola recipe, inspired by Martha Stewart and A Beautiful Mess. Being able to make it from scratch and add whatever dried fruit, nuts and seeds I want just made it a lot more appetizing.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups  Old Fashioned Oats (large flakes
• 1 cup             Sliced Almonds
• 1/2 cup        Sunflower Seeds
• 1/3 cup        Pumpkin Seeds
• 2 Tbsp           Olive Oil
• 1 tsp               Vanilla Bean Paste
• 1/4 tsp           Salt
• 1/3 cup         Honey/ Maple/ Agave**

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. (I find that they burn easily at 350 F or higher and you’ll have to mix it more frequently.
2. Combine the old fashioned oats, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Mix evenly.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, vanilla bean paste, salt and the syrupy sweetener of your choice. Blend well. Pour this mixture over your dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated. NOTE: If you’re lazy like me, you might be tempted to just toss everything together in one bowl and stir. Good news! That’d be alright. That’s how I made it the first time *One bowl less to wash! Yeah!* But you run the risk of an uneven flavor.
4. Spread the raw granola mix onto a rimmed baking sheet (to about half an inch thick so it bakes evenly) lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. To make sure it cooks evenly, mix every 10 minutes. Watch the edges because they tend to cook (and may burn) quickly.
5. Once it’s out of the oven, stir in the dried fruit mix.
6. Once it has completely cooled, store in a dry airtight container. I’ve stored mine for up to a little over a week and they haven’t gone stale.

Variations: Feel free to add whatever nuts, seeds and dried fruit you like. Examples: walnuts, filberts, coconut flakes, dried mango, dried papaya. Be adventurous. Feel free to try other spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom.

** If you’re wondering which syrup or sweetener to use, it really boils down to the flavor your like. Although many literature argue the benefits of using a particular sweetener over the other, in the end, added sugar is still added sugar and should be taken in moderation just like anything else. I’m listing a couple of sources below if you’re interested to learn more about the nutritional differences between these sweeteners.

 Honey, Maple Syrup or Agave –All Sugars are Pretty Much the Same || The Truth About Agave

I like my granola with sugar free yogurt. How do you like yours?