What's Trending at Expo West 2013

Non-GMO were the trending words of this year's Expo West!!

As it should be ... this year's big push was for new labeling laws reflecting full transparency of foods in the marketplace that contain GMO ingredients.

We are not a science experiment - GMO, no thanks! Visually depicted by GMO expert and bestselling author Jeffrey M. Smith (Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods) and his lab rat. Jeffrey was there sharing his knowledge and promoting his brilliantly educational documentary, Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives (watch film online), which connects the dots between GMO's cancer, birth defects, infertility, allergies and autism. The documentary is narrated by Lisa Oz. A must see film!! To learn more visit www.GMOinside.org or www.nongmoproject.org

And while the adults were engaged in conversation about the potential health consequences of GMO's, the kids were enjoying a day at the (make-shift) beach contemplating what new foods they were going to try next (or secretly hoping for a surprise visit to Disneyland).

In The Press Room ...

Chef - John Mitchell & Lyfe Kitchen
Founder Stephen Sidwell

On March 8th the kinetic energy in the Press Room at this year's Natural Products Expo was wild. One could say it was twitter may-ham at Expo West (#ExpoWest). The words, 'members of the press' have changed dramatically over the last five years ... bloggers, bloggers and more bloggers.

This year's main Press Room sponsor was LyfeKitchen.com, however, when I saw their packaging my first thought was, oh no, not another frozen dinner in a plastic pouch ready for the microwave ... But wait, after speaking with one of the company's executive chefs, John Mitchell and founder Stephen Sidwell, I realized there is a lot more to Lyfe Kitchen's new grocery line than meets the eye. To start, there's no plastic pouch or container, but rather an exclusive paper pouch utilizing innovative steam technology - preserving nutrients similar to the classic French en papillote technique. The ingredients feature whole grains, antibiotic-free meats, fresh vegetables, herbs and spices - many featuring locally sourced and seasonal items. And for the weight conscious individual, each meal contains less than 600 calories, with fewer than 500 milligrams of sodium.

I couldn't think of a better way to start the weekend than sitting down to a hearty breakfast in the Press Room and being served a wide variety of gourmet meals listening to an educational conversation between Dr. Alan Greene (pictured left), Olympian - Janet Evans, Lyfe's founder - Stephen and moderator, New Hope’s Carlotta Mast.

Many attending the press briefing seated at my table were a friendly bunch who all ended up sharing samples of every menu item, giving each of us a delightful sensory experience. My favorite was the Farmer's Market Frittata with mushrooms, goat cheese and sweet potato hash ... Yum ... that sums it up, amazingly YUMMY. Lyfe Kitchen has two actual restaurants in California - one in Paulo Alto, and their new location in Culver City. Their new frozen grocery line is available in the frozen sections at many natural and select grocery stores.

Lyfe Kitchen Ambassadors include medical doctors, Olympians (Janet Evans) and celebrities such as Jennifer Garner. My review ... Simply a taste and meal worth checking out!

Expo West – Product Reviews – Part I ...

I found so many wonderful new products this year at Expo West that  I thought I'd break some of my first favorites into specific categories, and will be writing a Part II as I have a chance to personally review additional products (those I feel worthy of sharing with you).

My First Foodie Favorites:

Lily and Mesa Pinto

Don't Go Nuts: Lily Pinto is a 12 year old with a severe allergy to nuts and a mind for business. This lovely young tween dazzled me when she offered up a sample of her Organic Soy Nut Butter to ‘live’ for - with a smile. I too have an allergy to most nuts, but can tolerate soy nut butter. However, finding a soy butter that is not sweetened with cane juice/sugar (or anything else), non-GMO and organic, has always been a bit of challenge. The company offers 5 flavors, two of which don’t contain cane sugar – Organic lightly sea salted and Organic pure unsalted.

Lily’s family, including her twin sister Mesa, have supported her vision 100%, even creating a field-to-fingers nut-free environment by building a plant from scratch to be sure that no nut will ever touch their butters, or soon to be launched – protein nutrition bars. (The company's no nut policy is so strict that no food items are allowed onsite, and all workers wash their hands before entering the facility.) These two flavors have nothing on fresh peanut butter, they are simply rich and creamy delicious. You can read all about this interesting, loving family at www.DontGoNuts.com. (Editor's note: okay so I'm officially and totally addicted to this - I've gone soy nuts!)

Quinn Popcorn - Reinventing microwave popcorn - Okay, so I'm not a microwave person at all (I know, I'm in the minority). However, most families today do make microwave popcorn. So it's really lucky that Kristy and Coulter Lewis decided to clean up microwave popcorn. Quinn Popcorn doesn't have all the toxic elements of mainstream microwave popcorn such as chemical coatings (PFOA, PFCs, Poly, etc.) in the bag, or pesticides and GMO's in the ingredients. The bag itself is so clean it's compostable and all ingredients are non-GMO, and the popcorn is organic.

The truth be known, I did have to go to the neighbors and get a lesson in how to efficiently make microwave popcorn, as I burned my first try in the (long ago retired) microwave that was buried deep in my garage ... lol. I have to admit the end result was very tasty ... my favorite flavor is the Lemon and Sea Salt. Once you've popped the corn in your compostable bag you add the two separate packets of ingredients (the oil and seasoning).

I think these two entrepreneurs are on to something as they have already been featured on the Today Show and won the Best New Food Product at Expo East 2012. www.quinnpopcorn.com

Meal and Protein Beverages: One of the reasons I enjoy what I do so much are the stories behind the products ... and there is always a story. Kate's Farm is one of those beautiful stories that brought tears to my eyes.

Kate Laver

Kate's Farm – Komplete Meal Replacement Shake (Vanilla Bliss): I met Richard Laver in the Fresh Ideas tent where the noise level is so loud that all I heard him say was, "We (him and his wife Michelle) developed this product for our daughter Kate." It wasn't until writing my review that I went to the website and learned their story. Kate Laver was born with Cerebral Palsy. At four years of age, Kate was failing to “thrive,” faced with feeding tubes, hospitals and numerous pharmaceutical drugs.

The meal replacement beverage the doctors were feeding her were laden with sugar and dairy for calorie enhancement. As a result, she had many complications, including bottle rot, sleep apnea and digestive problems.

Then one night when a friend was over the three of them creatively formulated a winning recipe for Kate. This truly ‘complete’ food replacement beverage has so many wonderful ingredients in it, I decided to overlook the fact that it has a little agave in it and gave it a thumb’s up. It tastes great! So if you are in need of a healthy meal replacement for a family member, or loved one with special needs, or just need a creative way to get the kids to eat veggies and fruits, this product is a super solution (and reasonably priced). Read Kate's Story - www.katefarms.com

Growing Naturals - Rice and Pea Protein Isolate Powder (Vanilla Blast) - This is one of the best tasting vegan and gluten free protein powders I've tasted, and it's even sweetened with whole grain brown rice syrup and stevia, yay. I put it in rice milk and wanted to drink the whole thing ... dinner will have to wait. www.growingnaturals.com

Later that day at Expo West there was a press conference announcing the results of the first double blind study done, comparing plant-based rice protein to dairy-based whey proteins. The verdict is in ... and for vegans it's good news. Read the study now. http://www.growingnaturals.com/news.php (Whey vs. Rice article titled Axiom CEO: 'Whey now shares the sports nutrition trophy with rice protein')

Hair and Skin Care Products: Nothing is more disappointing than receiving a new product where you have to be a scientist to understand the ingredients, so I was quite delighted to receive gifts from the following two companies ... they both have great organic ingredients:

Emtage Beauty was founded by hair stylist and make-up artist (to the stars) Robin Emtage. The first product I tried was the Rejuvenating Styling Serum, which I applied after I washed my hair ... lovely. I usually have one unmanageable hair day after a wash and this time, I liked my hair's behavior right away. Robin also explained that as a woman matures, her eye lashes can become dry and brittle from years of wearing make up and washing, and suggested using her Silktage cleansing oil formula for taking off make-up and nourishing eye lashes. After using it for just one week, I've noticed a healthier look already. Thanks Robin I love your products! www.emtagebeauty.com

Acure, is a family owned company - I didn't have much time to talk to these folks as I saw them at the Fresh Ideas Organic tent as well, way too loud in there ... lol, but I'll definitely be doing follow up to learn more about their products. I used their shampoo and conditioner and really enjoyed the results of full-bodied hair. As we all know, trying a new hair routine is always risky ... no worries with this one.

Skin Care - where a little scientific knowledge is required ... okay maybe a lot.

Derma Earth - Natural Skin Science: While you do need to be somewhat of a scientist to read this label, it actually makes sense as the creator Kelly Stern does have a scientific/chemistry background - which was quickly revealed in our conversation. The before and after picture draped across the back of her booth showed pretty remarkable results, engaging my curious nature.

I was told that Peptides were the key to unlocking, or locking cells for youthful skin. (Kelly explains this really well.) Silly me, I had no idea what a peptide was, but quickly found out they are amino acids in the skin that perform multifunctional activities and are the essential building blocks to maintain and restore an unwrinkled, even toned, glowing complexion ... SOLD, I'll take some of that youthful resilience.

Being a more mature woman skin type, I'm always looking for a natural way to nourish and tighten the skin around the eyes and neck areas, so after looking up some of the ingredients I couldn't pronounce (on the EWG.org's skin deep website), I decided to give this three component program a test run. I even started the program by taking a before picture of myself. While it's hard to tell what these little peptides are doing in my derma cells, I do feel and see some nice changes already. I'll keep you posted on this 30-day trial of mine - maybe even post my before and after pictures so you can be the judge. You’ll find lots of fun scientific stuff about their products on their website at www.dermaearth.com.

Pet Products: While my only pet these days is a California Desert Tortoise - Myrtle, I was still happy to find the following natural pet products:

Himalayan Dog Chew and Treats - Based on an ancient Himalayan recipe for a hard cheese snack, the company offers a variety of 100% all natural dog chews and treats made from a combination of ingredients - yak and cow milk (which through a slow smoked cooking process, leaves the product lactose free), vegetables, fruits, flax seeds, brown rice, some treats contain chicken broth or powder and garbanzo flour. The chews and treats come in different shapes and sizes and are even gluten free. All of their traditional preparation techniques are quite fascinating and you can read all about them at www.himalayandogchew.com.

TrueBlue Pet Products - This line of pet grooming products includes dental, eye and ear swipes, shampoos, conditioners, detangling spray, and are made with pure botanical ingredients including essential oils. They are tear-free, pH balanced, biodegradable, cruelty-free and made in America. www.truebluepets.com

Earth Friendly Pet Products - While this company also offers a full line of basic natural needs animal hygiene products such as shampoo and conditioners, what caught my eye was the survival items like Skunk Oder removal, Pet Training Aid and Litter Treatment. This company is a tried-and-true company for all natural, gentle, biodegradable (human and animal) products, which are also scented with essential oils. The company's entire operations are conducted in a completely sustainably run facility on solar power - right here in California. http://www.ecos.com/pets.html

That's my reviews for now, but there were many other products to review so check back frequently for Part II ... who knows, many even a Part III ... to be continued soon.