food & drink-
Hong Kong’s Raw, Organic & Eco Foodie Scene – An Update
139 days ago by greenqueenHappy New Year to all Green Hong Kongers! May your 2013 be filled with joy, good health and as a green as possible!
Just a quick update on some fantastic new additions to the locavore, raw and organic Hong Kong foodie scene.
If you haven’t been to Grassroots Pantry, it’s time to pencil it in. They serve delicious vegetarian fare with a focus on vegan options and even a couple of raw dessert choices like the blueberry cheesecake.
Another brand new options for veggies is The Herbivores, an innovative scene-setter on Hong Kong’s green dining scene brought to you by a chef team previously a Roka, so expect a Japanese twist to the menu.
Pushing boundaries in the wild food movement is Wild Grass. Their whole raison d’etre is organic, sustainable fresh ingredients done perfectly. Even the furniture is recycled. This is fine dining with a conscience. Perfect for a an eco-date, get booking now!
Want more raw and superfood ingredient options? Try Culture Organics, a brand new online store with some very interesting prices for speciality ingredients like cacao butter and coconut palm sugar. They also have the usual selection raw kitchen equipment, supplements, nuts & seeds, beans, grains, superfoods and much more.
On the raw front, another exciting discovery: Anything but Salads. Imagine, Hong Kong’s very own first raw vegan prepared food service. They have raw breads, crackers, dips, cheeses, milks, granola…Green Queen’s mouth is watering as she writes this! Plus they offer catering services (from raw vegan to intelligent vegetarian) and host a private kitchen. Absolutely raw-tastic!
Green Queen also came by Spicebox Organics, a fairly recent addition to Sai Ying Pun’s funky neighourhood. They stock some great organic brands from India, choose from Tulsi tea, speciality oils, raw energy bars and granola and cute gifts like thali sets and diyas. For those of you who want to cook Indian at home, finally here is your one-stop shop for organic Indian ingredients!
For those of us who want to detox this January, check out The Genie Concept. They provide hand-delivered, freshly made raw, organic fruit and vegetable juices in special packs and with detailed instructions so you don’t have to think! Plus, the staff is so lovely you can’t help but have a crush on the whole team!
With all this thrilling innovation and experimentation, there is absolutely NO reason not to green your eating!
photo credit: emilychang via photopin cc
Green Queen HK Favourites: Just Green Organic Convenience Store
259 days ago by greenqueenWhen it comes to the green grocery shopping scene in Hong Kong, we eco-warriors are getting more and more spoiled. New stores are opening all over the place and we all benefit from a larger variety of green choices, not to mention better pricing as competition intensifies.
Of all the eco stores in town, Just Green stole Green Queen’s Heart long ago. It is literally her happy place; she often gets lost in the Soho location for hours and that is saying something in a 500 sq.ft shop.
Founder Helen Sung’s aim is to be the Green 7-11 and as far as Green Queen is concerned, she and her burgeoning team are well on her way. The clean and bright store is well-laid out and has everything you need to live a healthy, green life. From groceries to dairy and meat to cleaning products to bath & body potions to snack to supplements, there is nothing you can’t find. Just Green has a variety of brands and options that boggles the mind. They are always experimenting with new products and companies from all over the globe, even if it means stocking small quantities. The other big plus is that the staff knows every product like the bag of their hand. Green Queen has tested them- they are a knowledgeable bunch.
While Green Queen would happily take home the entire inventory, here are a few of her favorite Just Green things:
- Ecolution PFOA Free Hydrolon Cookware: eco-friendly pots and pans with water-based non stick solution. Ecolution is safe, reasonably priced and offers a lifetime warranty. Just Green can order the models they don’t stock for you- just take your pick on the Ecolution website.
%20Pkg.jpg "Ecolution Artistry Griddle Pan")
- Woolly Pocket Living Wall Pocket Planter: Want to grow your own tomatoes and chillies? Hang a Woolly on your kitchen wall. Made from recycled plastic bottles, the planter allows you to cultivate flowers, herbs, lettuces, peppers and much more. It even boasts a built-in irrigation system so no mess to worry about.
- Freshly Grown Wheatgrass: a firm favourite amongst health gurus everywhere, no one can dispute wheatgrass’s detoxing superpowers. Buy it fresh at Just Green- they also stock the special juicer you will need to extract the green nectar.
Other highlights:
-Just Green offers what is Hong Kong’s best selection of chemical-free, unprocessed power/energy bars with dozens of brands such as Raw Revolution, Pro Bar, Go Raw, GNU foods, Nakd and a host of dietary requirement options be it gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, raw or dairy-free.
-They stock a great selection of dairy-free milks such as quinoa, cashew, hazelnut, coconut and chocolate coconut as well as many nut butters like sunflower butter, cashew new butter, almond butter, hazelnut butter and pumpkin seed butter.
-They have some great chocolate bars such as the raw superfood line Ombar, and the gourmet organic Dagoba; they also have various raw cacao powders, nibs and butters for those who want to make their own chocolate. For those sensitive to cacao, Just Green has Carob options.
-For the athletes among us, the store has several protein powder options that are whey and soy free. To complete the protein smoothie option, they sell every superfood powder you can imagine from maca to pomegranate.
Just Green is now in 3 current locations: Lamma Island; St Francis Street, Wanchai and Graham Street, Soho with more outlets planned in the near future.
NB: Just Green had no knowledge of this post prior to its publishing. Green Queen strongly values her editorial integrity and all the site’s posts reflect her personal opinions and assessments.
Greenspiration: What to Do with Leftovers
476 days ago by greenqueenStuck with a bunch of veggies going bad? Got a full fridge but no inspiration? Get a weekly greens delivery but have no idea what to do with the extra watercress and beetroot you keep receiving?
Many of us don’t buy fresh fruits and vegetables enough. The short expiration dates can seem inconvenient and frustrating, requiring careful planning and complicated recipes. With our lives so busy, who has time to compete in the Nigella/Jamie home chef awards? The TV cooking wizards make it look easy but after a long day at work and dealing with the pressures of daily city life and/or raising kids, following a recipe sounds almost scary.
Green Queen gives you quick and easy ideas that will save you wasting as well as money, and keep you full and happy. read more
Green Reads – Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller
480 days ago by greenqueenOlive oil has become a staple in most kitchens. With the fat brigade poo-pooing butter, many of us use olive oil to cook. Even more of us use olive oils to make salad dressings, pastes, dips and more. But how much do we really know about the golden oil that we regularly put into our bodies?
In his incredibly informative and politically important book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, author-researcher Tom Muller tells the whole story of the oil we extract from the unique olive. It is a scary read but a must-read. It is a wise reminder of the importance of knowing where consumer products, particularly foodstuff, come from. Long Story Short? Do Your Homework! Advertisers, marketers, the media and businesses can easily fool you. Here are some of the most worry-inducing points from the book: read more
Hong Kong’s Raw, Organic & Eco Foodie Scene – An Update
139 days ago by greenqueenHappy New Year to all Green Hong Kongers! May your 2013 be filled with joy, good health and as a green as possible!
Just a quick update on some fantastic new additions to the locavore, raw and organic Hong Kong foodie scene.
If you haven’t been to Grassroots Pantry, it’s time to pencil it in. They serve delicious vegetarian fare with a focus on vegan options and even a couple of raw dessert choices like the blueberry cheesecake.
Another brand new options for veggies is The Herbivores, an innovative scene-setter on Hong Kong’s green dining scene brought to you by a chef team previously a Roka, so expect a Japanese twist to the menu.
Pushing boundaries in the wild food movement is Wild Grass. Their whole raison d’etre is organic, sustainable fresh ingredients done perfectly. Even the furniture is recycled. This is fine dining with a conscience. Perfect for a an eco-date, get booking now!
Want more raw and superfood ingredient options? Try Culture Organics, a brand new online store with some very interesting prices for speciality ingredients like cacao butter and coconut palm sugar. They also have the usual selection raw kitchen equipment, supplements, nuts & seeds, beans, grains, superfoods and much more.
On the raw front, another exciting discovery: Anything but Salads. Imagine, Hong Kong’s very own first raw vegan prepared food service. They have raw breads, crackers, dips, cheeses, milks, granola…Green Queen’s mouth is watering as she writes this! Plus they offer catering services (from raw vegan to intelligent vegetarian) and host a private kitchen. Absolutely raw-tastic!
Green Queen also came by Spicebox Organics, a fairly recent addition to Sai Ying Pun’s funky neighourhood. They stock some great organic brands from India, choose from Tulsi tea, speciality oils, raw energy bars and granola and cute gifts like thali sets and diyas. For those of you who want to cook Indian at home, finally here is your one-stop shop for organic Indian ingredients!
For those of us who want to detox this January, check out The Genie Concept. They provide hand-delivered, freshly made raw, organic fruit and vegetable juices in special packs and with detailed instructions so you don’t have to think! Plus, the staff is so lovely you can’t help but have a crush on the whole team!
With all this thrilling innovation and experimentation, there is absolutely NO reason not to green your eating!
photo credit: emilychang via photopin cc
Green Queen HK Favourites: Just Green Organic Convenience Store
259 days ago by greenqueenWhen it comes to the green grocery shopping scene in Hong Kong, we eco-warriors are getting more and more spoiled. New stores are opening all over the place and we all benefit from a larger variety of green choices, not to mention better pricing as competition intensifies.
Of all the eco stores in town, Just Green stole Green Queen’s Heart long ago. It is literally her happy place; she often gets lost in the Soho location for hours and that is saying something in a 500 sq.ft shop.
Founder Helen Sung’s aim is to be the Green 7-11 and as far as Green Queen is concerned, she and her burgeoning team are well on her way. The clean and bright store is well-laid out and has everything you need to live a healthy, green life. From groceries to dairy and meat to cleaning products to bath & body potions to snack to supplements, there is nothing you can’t find. Just Green has a variety of brands and options that boggles the mind. They are always experimenting with new products and companies from all over the globe, even if it means stocking small quantities. The other big plus is that the staff knows every product like the bag of their hand. Green Queen has tested them- they are a knowledgeable bunch.
While Green Queen would happily take home the entire inventory, here are a few of her favorite Just Green things:
- Ecolution PFOA Free Hydrolon Cookware: eco-friendly pots and pans with water-based non stick solution. Ecolution is safe, reasonably priced and offers a lifetime warranty. Just Green can order the models they don’t stock for you- just take your pick on the Ecolution website.
- Woolly Pocket Living Wall Pocket Planter: Want to grow your own tomatoes and chillies? Hang a Woolly on your kitchen wall. Made from recycled plastic bottles, the planter allows you to cultivate flowers, herbs, lettuces, peppers and much more. It even boasts a built-in irrigation system so no mess to worry about.
- Freshly Grown Wheatgrass: a firm favourite amongst health gurus everywhere, no one can dispute wheatgrass’s detoxing superpowers. Buy it fresh at Just Green- they also stock the special juicer you will need to extract the green nectar.
Other highlights:
-Just Green offers what is Hong Kong’s best selection of chemical-free, unprocessed power/energy bars with dozens of brands such as Raw Revolution, Pro Bar, Go Raw, GNU foods, Nakd and a host of dietary requirement options be it gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, raw or dairy-free.
-They stock a great selection of dairy-free milks such as quinoa, cashew, hazelnut, coconut and chocolate coconut as well as many nut butters like sunflower butter, cashew new butter, almond butter, hazelnut butter and pumpkin seed butter.
-They have some great chocolate bars such as the raw superfood line Ombar, and the gourmet organic Dagoba; they also have various raw cacao powders, nibs and butters for those who want to make their own chocolate. For those sensitive to cacao, Just Green has Carob options.
-For the athletes among us, the store has several protein powder options that are whey and soy free. To complete the protein smoothie option, they sell every superfood powder you can imagine from maca to pomegranate.
Just Green is now in 3 current locations: Lamma Island; St Francis Street, Wanchai and Graham Street, Soho with more outlets planned in the near future.
NB: Just Green had no knowledge of this post prior to its publishing. Green Queen strongly values her editorial integrity and all the site’s posts reflect her personal opinions and assessments.
Greenspiration: What to Do with Leftovers
476 days ago by greenqueenStuck with a bunch of veggies going bad? Got a full fridge but no inspiration? Get a weekly greens delivery but have no idea what to do with the extra watercress and beetroot you keep receiving?
Many of us don’t buy fresh fruits and vegetables enough. The short expiration dates can seem inconvenient and frustrating, requiring careful planning and complicated recipes. With our lives so busy, who has time to compete in the Nigella/Jamie home chef awards? The TV cooking wizards make it look easy but after a long day at work and dealing with the pressures of daily city life and/or raising kids, following a recipe sounds almost scary.
Green Queen gives you quick and easy ideas that will save you wasting as well as money, and keep you full and happy. read more
Green Reads – Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller
480 days ago by greenqueenOlive oil has become a staple in most kitchens. With the fat brigade poo-pooing butter, many of us use olive oil to cook. Even more of us use olive oils to make salad dressings, pastes, dips and more. But how much do we really know about the golden oil that we regularly put into our bodies?
In his incredibly informative and politically important book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, author-researcher Tom Muller tells the whole story of the oil we extract from the unique olive. It is a scary read but a must-read. It is a wise reminder of the importance of knowing where consumer products, particularly foodstuff, come from. Long Story Short? Do Your Homework! Advertisers, marketers, the media and businesses can easily fool you. Here are some of the most worry-inducing points from the book: read more
