Don’t pass the persimmon at your local grocery store or farmers market. This persimmon chips recipe is calling your name!

Persimmons are in season, but many of us would hardly notice. The often-overlooked bright orange fruit gives off exotic vibes, leaving many of us wondering what to do with it?

Originally brought from Japan, today the persimmon is grown all over the U.S. It has truly become an American fruit! So, be a patriot and make these persimmon chips! They are just one of the many ways you can enjoy the fruit.

Nutritional Breakdown

The best way to get excited about any ingredient is to understand exactly the kind of health benefits it’s giving you. And the persimmon does not disappoint.

In one persimmon (3.5 ounces), there are 66 milligrams of vitamin C, which is almost as much as that in an orange and fulfills 110% of the RDA. Persimmon is also low in calories, full of fiber, and a great source of iron and calcium. The same persimmon serving contains 70 calories, 3.6 grams of dietary fiber, 14% of the RDA of iron, and 3% of the RDA of calcium.

How to Choose Persimmon

The persimmon comes in two varieties: Hachiya and Fuyu. Both bear the same sweet, lightly astringent, delightful taste, but appear and feel differently when ripe. The Hachiya is shaped like an acorn and should be completely soft in texture when ready to be eaten — think of the texture of a tomato way past its prime — that’s how soft you want the Hachiya. The Fuyu, on the other hand, is smaller and flatter, and it can be eaten when it is rock-hard — like an apple.

Regardless of the variety you’re choosing from, look for a persimmon that has a deep, rich orange color. While you can buy Hachiyas firm, make sure to keep them out at room temperature to soften over the course of a few days before consuming. Fuyus should be firm and without any blemishes.

What You’ll Need

To make these colorful chips that are a lot lighter (and sweeter) in flavor than regular store-bought chips, you’ll only need a few ingredients, a knife, a baking sheet, and an oven. That’s it! And because these persimmon chips are baked, not fried, as well as free of any added oil or butter, they are practically fat-free.

To accentuate the persimmon’s inherent sweetness, I add a bit of low-glycemic coconut palm sugar to them before baking. The coconut palm sugar’s caramel-like flavor is enhanced with the addition of some fall spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg. You’ll love every single bite and you don’t even have to share if you don’t want to. They go down easy.

Persimmon Chips Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 large Fuyu persimmons
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of sea salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray two baking sheets with coconut oil or line them with parchment paper.

Remove stems and slice the persimmons crosswise into thin, 1/4-inch thick pieces. Place the sliced persimmons into a bowl and toss them until evenly coated with the lemon juice, coconut palm sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt.

Arrange the persimmon slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. Pop the baking sheets into the oven and bake for one hour. After one hour, flip the persimmon chips and bake them for another hour and 15 minutes, or until they are golden-brown and crispy. Some of the persimmon chips that were cut thicker than the rest will be a bit more tender and moist, but they also taste delicious! If you desire more crisp, cook the chips for another ten minutes at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Let the chips cool at room temperature before storing them in airtight containers in your pantry. They have a shelf life of about one week.

Related on EcoSalon
Mustard and Dill Baked Potato Chips
Baked Rosemary Beet Chips with Vegan Mayonnaise Dip
Quinoa Salad with Pomegranates and Persimmons

The post Persimmon Chips are the Crispy Autumn Snack You Didn’t Know You Needed appeared first on EcoSalon.

Cherry recipes you won’t tire of…ever.

For most locations, cherry season is in full swing from late spring to early summer, or roughly May through July. Of course, this depends your local growing season (and then any variations to the season as a result of changes in the weather year to year). No matter where you live, cherries are often available for you-pick, meaning the limit to how much you can enjoy cherries is proportional to how much you can pick from a farm! And while we all love to eat sweet cherries right out of the basket (after washing them thoroughly), you just may want to make one or more of these cherry recipes with your haul once you get it home.

So far, I haven’t yet seen cherries at my local farmers market, but I am planning on checking out the local orchard just down the street. And this year, I have a plan to use up all the juicy, sweet (or sour) cherries instead of just popping them into my mouth one after the other after the other…

Cherry Recipes to Savor the Cherry Goodness

1. Maraschino Cherries – Homemade maraschino cherries beat out the store bought versions hands down and make for a real showstopper in homemade cocktails or topping homemade  desserts. They are made with sour cherries, so be on the lookout for those.

2. Cherry Barbecue Sauce – Sweet cherries make for a wonderful addition to barbecue sauce. The sweetness of the cherries can add another layer of flavor and help temper the heat from any peppers or spices you add.

3. Cherry Hand Pies – Hand pies are way easier to make than regular pies–and they are just as tasty. No need to worry about making things look pretty. Hand pies are also way more portable, which makes them ideal for picnics and cookouts.

4. Cherry Galette – A galette is another pie alternative. A gallate is nothing more than a more rustic and less fussy pie. A serving also works as a wonderful vehicle for a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

5. Cherry Sangria – This sangria recipe calls for sweet cherries and Cherry Herring, which is a super sweet cherry-flavored liqueur. You could even add peaches for a super summery treat.

6. Roasted Cherry Coconut Ice Cream – Just when you though cherry ice cream couldn’t get any better. This recipe, which incorporates both coconut and fresh roasted cherries, is simply divine.

7. Cherry Preserves – Finally, to make your cherries last past the season consider making cherry preserves. Not only can you use it on toast but it works well on top of oatmeal, yogurt, and ice cream.

Related on EcoSalon

Sunday Recipe: Salted Cherry Cardamom Chocolate Bark
20 Foods to Help You Sleep Better
DIY Red Summer Sangria Recipe

Jar of Fresh Cherries, Cherry Hand Pie, Cherry Juice, and Cherry Jam  Images via Shutterstock

The post 7 Sensational Cherry Recipes for all the (Remaining) Days of Summer appeared first on EcoSalon.

That purpose: to be enjoyed and eaten.

The video below is a cute and, honestly, kind of sad representation of what happens when we leave food in our fridge. Let’s not deny strawberries their life purpose — or their apparent love for limes.

Related on EcoSalon

What’s So Wrong With Food Porn? Foodie Underground

John Oliver Brilliantly Schools Viewers on Food Waste [Video]

United Airlines To Use Food Scraps For Renewable Jet Fuel

The post Don’t Deny this Strawberry its Life’s Purpose [Video] appeared first on EcoSalon.

Dried fruit is waiting to be made in your oven.

Some people assume that you need a dehydrator to make dried fruit. Those people would be wrong. All you need to turn fresh fruit into tasty dried fruit is an oven and some patience.

Granted, if you’re planning on launching a dried fruit business, investing in a dehydrator may be worth your while, but if you just want to dabble, your oven is a cheaper, and space-saving way to make these delicious, naturally sweet treats.

Drying fruit is as simple as drying out the fruit at a very low temperature for a very long time. You’re removing the water from the fruit so that it will keep and you can preserve it far into the winter months. The other nice thing about drying your own fruit is that you can cut down on sweetener as many packaged dried fruits have sugar added to them.

You can dry pretty much any type of fruit that you want, but different fruits will take different amounts of time. Here is a great basic guide that will give you an idea of what to expect depending on what you’re drying.

What kinds of dried fruit can you make in your oven? So many. Here are 7 different ones you can make right now:

1. Apples

Doused in some cinnamon, don’t baked apple chips sounds like the best seasonal treat ever? Yes, yes they do, and they’re easy to make. The chips take a little less time than drying apples out, so is perfect for when you’re short on time.

2. Pears

Pears are something that you can buy up a lot of at the fall farmers market, and then dry big batches for use later in the winter when fresh fruit is but a distant memory.

3.  Cherries

If you have some cherries left over from summer, drying them is a great way to preserve them, and turns them into a great condiment for winter oatmeal and beyond.

4. Lemons and oranges

Dried citrus fruit can be a nice addition to a warm cup of tea, and also perfect for garnishing seasonal baked goods and desserts.

5. Plums

Let’s be real for a second: “dried plums” is just a fancy way of saying “prunes.” For some reason prunes have a bad reputation, but they can be used in cakes and breads, eaten on their own, or even thrown into a salad. And if prunes aren’t your thing, what about a plum fruit leather?

6. Persimmons

This bright orange fruit always confused people. “What do I do with this?” you ask yourself as you pick it up. Well now you know: you slice them, dry them and enjoy in everything from yogurt to trail mixes.

7. Cranberries

Dried cranberries are a popular ingredient in everything from cookies to salads, but you don’t have to buy them at the store. Round up a batch of fresh red berries, add some honey, and make your own sweet dried cranberries.

Related on EcoSalon

Is Fruit Sugar as Bad as Real Sugar?

How to Make Your Own Drinking Vinegar

10 Food Preservation Ideas to Keep Eating Summer Food All Year-Round

Image: storrebukkebruse, Benjamin Esha

The post All Kinds of Dried Fruit You Can Make in Your Oven (No Dehydrator Needed!) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Drinking vinegar: perfect for healthy sodas or creative cocktails. 

In the U.S., drinking vinegar, also known as a “shrub,” go back to colonial days, which makes sense: if you didn’t have a refrigerator and wanted to preserve fruit, mashing it up with sugar and adding a little vinegar was a great way to do so. Vinegar-based drinks go back even farther than that, all the way to Roman times in fact, when vinegar and water were mixed together for the drink called posca.

Tart and sweet all at the same time, drinking vinegars are good on their own and perfect as a base for a cocktail. Fortunately for you, they’re easy to make at home. Here’s a basic guide to getting you on drinking vinegar going at home.

Get the right equipment

Essential tools for making drinking vinegars include cheesecloth (or something to strain with), a glass jar to make your drinking vinegar in, and a nice bottle to store it in.

Pick your base

Making drinking vinegar is the perfect way to put end of season fruit and berries to use. Essentially you can use any fruit you want, and it doesn’t need to be pretty fruit; all those bruised pears you didn’t know what to do with now have a purpose. You can also go beyond fruits, for more savory tasting drinking vinegars. Think vegetables that have a sweetness to them, like beets and carrots. Even fennel can work paired with the right ingredients.

Choose your method

There are two main methods for making drinking vinegar: the hot process and the cold process. The hot process involves using the stove to make a syrup, while the cold process simply involves letting  fruit, vinegar and sugar sit and do their own thing. I’m personally a fan of combining the fruit and vinegar in a jar and shaking method.

As a general rule of thumb for drinking vinegars, go for a ratio of one part fruit, one part sugar and one part vinegar, like an apple cider vinegar. Some recipes call for macerating the fruit with sugar first and then adding in the vinegar about 24 hours later, and other ones combine the fruit and vinegar first and then add in the sugar.

Let it sit

If you’re making drinking vinegars with the cold process method, don’t expect instant gratification. The drinking vinegar has to sit and age a little, usually for about a week.

Get creative with ingredients

Don’t forget that beyond your base ingredients you add in herbs to change up the drinking vinegar. Everything from basil to vanilla bean to rose petals.

Mix and drink

Once you’ve got your drinking vinegar prepared, it’s time to drink it. Go for a 5 to 1 ratio of water to drinking vinegar, and then adjust from there depending on your tastes. You can use drinking vinegars and sparkling water to make a healthy soda, or add a bit of alcohol to create a fun cocktail.

Related on EcoSalon

Apple Cider Vinegar: Drink To Your Health

20 Common Fermented Foods

10 DIY Cocktail Syrups

Image: Iris

The post How to Make Your Own Drinking Vinegar appeared first on EcoSalon.

Whether it’s winter, spring, summer, or fall, fresh food art is always in season. From juicy fruits to earthy acorns, we’ve got you covered with five delectable pieces to incorporate into your closet this season.

1. Lemon Print Pointed Hem Skort by Topshop, $68

A little sweet, a little bit tart, this adorable skort (pictured above) is the perfect addition to any wardrobe. Its color palette harmoniously complements any season with pops of sprightly-hued yellow and muted shades of green. Edgy  but tasteful, the chic pointed faux-wrap hemline gives the wearer all the sass and none of the worry that can come from a gusty breeze. When life gives you lemons, wear them.

2. Apple of Abundance Charm Bangle by Alex and Ani, $28

Fruit charms on jewelry never seem to go out of style. Year after year, we see these cute, little fresh foods dangling from earrings and necklaces, adding just the right amount of sweetness to an ensemble. This Alex and Ani bangle is no different. It’s simple and versatile enough to be worn with any outfit either alone or stacked with multiple bracelets. It has a super easy adjustable clasp that slides for the perfect fit and is available in a silver or gold tone. Be sure to rock this bangle on a trip to the apple orchards this fall!

3. After 5 Clutch by Mary Frances, $285

Grapes are inherently fancy. They were fed from the vine to gods and goddesses of millenia past and they’re the main ingredients in most bottles of wine today. So it’s only appropriate that they would be highlighted in a food art design on this most lavish clutch by Mary Frances. Embroidered with floral accents and heavily embellished with prestigious, three dimensional bead-work, this clutch is the absolute perfect accessory to take out on the town á la Carrie Bradshaw. It features a clasp closure, is fully lined inside, and also comes with a beaded shoulder chain for hands-free comfort.

4. Cold Shoulder Print Dress by Jean Paul Gaultier, $550

This sleek, sophisticated dress has all the makings of nature’s bounty: fresh foods and florals. Made in Italy, it’s graceful silhouette is balanced nicely with the modern shoulder cut-out detail and sheer overlay. It’s fully lined and slips right on which is ideal if you need to look sharp and are in a rush to get out the door. The flashy yellow of the lemons and roses accompanied with deep tones of red and slate-blue make this dress an amazing transitional piece to have in any closet.

5. Cable Collectibles Acorn Charm with Pearl by David Yurman, $150

Nothing says fall quite like this stylish acorn necklace charm. Wear it and bring on the nostalgia of total coziness and pumpkin spice everything. The humble acorn has been given a major makeover in this charm featuring a bleached white cultured freshwater pearl set in sterling silver. With great adaptability, this charm is a clip-on and can be worn on any chain to complement any style or outfit choice.

Browse and shop all of the foodie inspired pieces here:

What’s your favorite way to incorporate food art into your wardrobe? 

Related on EcoSalon

Qmilk’s Milk Fiber Fabric: Turning Food into Fashion Using Renewable Resources

Fall Trending: Mad for Plaid and Tartan

Color Blocking in Natural Tones: Gorgeous Must-Wear 2014 Fall Trend

Top image via Nordstrom

The post 5 Food Art Inspired Stylish Wardrobe Ideas to Bring the Table to Your Closet appeared first on EcoSalon.

21 delicious pomegranate recipes that display this vibrant fruit in all its glory.

Originating in the Middle East, the pomegranate has been cultivated since ancient times. Today this glorious red fruit finds its way into cuisines around the world, from Afghanistan to the United States. It’s found in cocktails, soups and more which is good news for our health. Full of vitamin B, folic acid and potassium, the pomegranate is a versatile superfood.

Having trouble seeding your pomegranates? The trick is to do it a bowl of water. Now, onto a collection of recipes so you can eat as much pomegranate as possible.

21 Glorious Pomegranate Recipes

1. Āsh ‘eh Anar – Pomegranate Soup

Let’s kick this list of pomegranate recipes off with something exotic, shall we? A popular Persian soup made with pomegranate syrup, yellow split peas, mint and spices, this dish can be made vegetarian or with homemade meatballs.

2. Pomegranate Guacamole

The bright green of a ripe avocado pairs perfectly with the deep red of the pomegranate seeds in this fresh appetizer.

3. Pomegranate Glazed Green Beans & Portobellos

If you’re in need of a creative side dish for the upcoming holiday season, this could be it. Forget the standard green bean casserole and fix this pomegranate-glazed marvel instead.

4. Pomegranate Molasses

Pomegranate-flavored molasses can be used for a variety of things (hello pancakes!), and it’s easy to make yourself.

5. Pomegranate Yogurt Bowl

Light and fresh, this is one of the easiest pomegranate recipes you’ll find. Use it to make a tasty breakfast that you can top off with some raw seeds or granola.

6. Sparkling Pomegranate and Prosecco Cocktail

Need a good festive drink for the holiday season? Make your own pomegranate syrup with pomegranate juice and sugar and add it to a flute of Prosecco or other sparkling wine.

7. No-Bake Chocolate Pomegranate Tart

A thick and creamy chocolate tart topped with pomegranate seeds, what’s not to love?

8. Beet, Orange and Pomegranate Salad

Doused in a chipotle dressing, this is one of my favorite pomegranate recipes, packed with antioxidants and good flavors.

9. Toast with Peanut Butter and Pomegranate Seeds

Forget jelly, why not pair your favorite nut butter with actual fruit? This is a simple and healthy snack that can be created in minutes.

10. Pomegranate and Ginger Spritzer

No list of pomegranate recipes would be complete without a beverage. This is a refreshing drink that can be spruced up with local liquor, or enjoyed as a non-alcoholic alternative.

11. Cauliflower-Feta Fritters with Pomegranate

These savory fritters are the perfect vegetarian comfort food, spiced with a little bit of lemon zest and pepper flakes.

12. Pomegranate Walnut Relish

This relish goes well as a side to fish, on top of quinoa,or served as an appetizer with crackers.

13. Creamy Barley with Coconut and Pomegranate Seeds

Made with coconut milk, this vegan dish is a warm breakfast for a cold autumn morning.

14. Chopped Kale Salad with Pomegranate and Avocado

Kale and pomegranate are an excellent base for a simple, healthy salad. With the addition of avocado, you’ll want two portions.

15. Pomegranate Orange Muffins

Made with oats, these dense muffins are destined to be enjoyed with your morning coffee.

16. Moroccan Roasted Beets with Pomegranate Seeds

With a balsamic glaze, you’ll want to make a double batch of this recipe just so that you’ll have leftovers.

17. Raw Vegan Chocolate Pomegranate “Cheese” Cake

Made completely free of dairy, this is a flavorful and decadent dessert you can feel good about indulging in.

18. Grilled Eggplant with Pomegranate Seeds, Mint, and Feta

Pomegranate seeds top off a smoky grilled eggplant in this dish that works great as a side or a main.

19. Cocoa Nib & Pomegranate Overnight Oats

These overnight oats are made with almond milk and flaxseeds. Prep it overnight and have a healthy breakfast ready when you wake up.

20. Pomegranate, Basil and Queso Fresco Salsa

Tomato salsa is so yesterday. Serve this delicious blend with chips or crackers instead.

21. Pomegranate Chutney

Need one more thing to do with those pomegranate seeds? Make your own chutney.

Related on EcoSalon: 

21 Fig Recipes to Make Right Now

21 Apple Recipes

Images: David Goehring, Chaundra, Amelia Crook, chany crystal

The post 21 Glorious Pomegranate Recipes to Make Right Now appeared first on EcoSalon.

Amp up your summer ice cubes with these 10 cool ideas.

A scorching Summer calls for cool beverages – preferably iced. But where’s the fun in run-of-the-mill ice cubes? Sure, they cool things down, but they also dilute many an iced coffee or a cocktail, which is not okay. This is where flavored ice cubes enter the scene – they’re easy on the eyes and add more taste than water ever did. Impress guests (and yourself) with these 10 flavored ice cube ideas.

Coffee

Cool down your coffee without diluting it! Freeze coffee that you would normally drink hot and throughout a sizzling week, use the cubes in your daily cup or blend them into a smoothie for some extra coolness and caffeine.

Herbs

Wow a crowd by adding chopped herbs to an ice-cube tray. Cool water with cubes infused with chopped mint leaves and dried ginger and bring extra taste and sophistication to the table.

Coconut Water

Coconut water has an electrolyte balance similar to human blood, so it’s super nourishing. Add coconut water ice cubes to an smoothie or glass of water in place of regular water ice cubes for a refreshing energy kick.

Colorful Fruit

For a beautiful presentation, add raspberries and blueberries or slices of pineapple, mango, and other sweet fruit to an ice-cube tray. They not only make a glass of water look festive but also leave it with a fruity hint that intensifies with each sip.

Edible Flowers

This one is mostly for show. The summer is all about outdoor barbecues, pool-side treats, and nature. Ice cubes with colorful edible flowers sprinkled in simply fits the bill.

Lemon Juice

Save the slice. Freeze lemon juice, and cool down on a blistering Summer afternoon with a tall glass of water with lemon ice cubes.

Old Wine

Old wine can be salvaged! Freeze remaining wine into cubes and melt them on the stove top into recipes that call for wine. And don’t dilute that sangria with water ice cubes, use red wine ice cubes instead to retain the alcohol level (very important) and taste.

Wheat Grass

It may be one of the healthiest juices on earth, but it sure doesn’t have a shelf life. Wheatgrass in its liquid state goes rotten quite quickly. Freeze the juice into cubes and use them in smoothies or use them to cool fruit and vegetable juice, all the while offering you some blood-cleansing benefits.

Milk

Milk ice cubes can be added to a hot cup of coffee or tea to cool it down but bring up the richness of the drink.

Chocolate

Melt dark chocolate, let cool to room temperature, and freeze into cubes. Toss the frozen chocolate cubes into a glass of milk. As the chocolate melts, you have yourself an increasingly richer chocolate milk that is as fresh and cooling as it is decadent and delicious.

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post 10 Things to Turn into Ice Cubes appeared first on EcoSalon.

Feeling bored by the Internet? Want to see something fun & useful that will truly rock your socks off and might just make your day?

Let us begin.

Sustainable Energy – Without The Hot Air – David JC MacKay

Described by Boing Boing editor Cory Doctorow as “the Freakonomics of conservation, climate and energy”, this is a book you shouldn’t miss, not least because it’s available entirely for free. You can buy the book on Amazon (note the thirty-nine 5-star reviews) – but you can also read the entire contents online or download them in PDF form, free of charge.

Author MacKay is an English Physics professor, so he really knows his stuff. What is remarkable is how elegantly and breezily he conveys it. (This is no ponderous high school textbook). Want to know what it would really take to balance the energy budget? Want to know the real numbers behind renewable energy? This is the book for you.

The Brain Pickings of Maria Popova

Since 2005, Wired and The Atlantic writer Maria Popova has been reading more books than most people get through in a lifetime. If that wasn’t enough, she only reads good books – the most fascinating, quirky, inspiring and thought-filled reading material lining our shelves today. And if that wasn’t enough, she blogs about them too. Her website, Brain Pickings, now gets more traffic than the New York Review of Books, and no wonder – it’s a treasure-trove of suggested reads that may very well make you a better human being.

(Check out an interview with Maria here).

Read The Best Journalism On The Internet

Love good writing? Love reading? Love knowing what’s really going on in the world? Check out our reading list or our recent post on 10 sources of quality journalism – but if you don’t want to have to trawl for the good stuff yourself, there are websites that curate and archive the most fearless, insightful and beautifully-written journalism out there.

Try Longform (above)…

…and Longreads, and Byliner.

For a one-stop bookmarking of the good stuff, check out Conor Friedersdorf’s list of nearly 100 pieces of superb journalism. And if you have a Kindle – why not use Klip.me to send these articles to it, and do your reading offline?

Browse the Open Culture Language List

Being bilingual gives your brain a good workout – we all know this, but there’s increasing amounts of scientific evidence to back it up. So why not take 10 minutes out of your day and start a new language? Problem: those courses can be pricey. Solution: this colossal archive of  free resources (ebooks, audio, video) for learning 40 languages from Arabic to Yiddish. (Thank you kindly, Open Culture).

Sloth Yourself Silly 

To keep your smile topped up, watch this trailer for Animal Planet’s Meet The Sloths every day. And if that doesn’t work, scroll through these 111 adorable pictures of them at Buzzfeed. Sloths – they bring the happy. (More cuteness at Slothville).

See The World Up Close

Earlier this year the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite orbited our planet six times and took a series of staggeringly detailed images that NASA stitched together and released on Flickr. The above image is one; this is the other. Incredibly beautiful, yes – but we’re not done yet. Under the “View All Sizes” buttons on each page you’ll find the original high-resolution image…and they will blow your mind: (Hi-Res Image 1)  (Hi-Res Image 2)

Know At A Glance When Your Edible Garden Is In Season

As you may have guessed by now, we love infographics – but we were particularly taken with this set from the good folk at Chasing Delicious. Work out when your fruit, vegetables and herbs are in season, and plan your meals accordingly.

Listen To Neil Gaiman Talk About Doing What You Love

A few months ago author Neil Gaiman was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and was asked to give the Keynote Address to the 2012 graduating class. The speech he gave has become an internet phenomenon, and is a must-watch for anyone doing anything creative (read: everyone).

For those on a tight schedule, the transcript is here.

Explore An Idea a Day With The Change This Manifestos

Running since 2004 and born of an idea by Seth Godin, the Change This manifestos are short, succinct and above all fun downloadable books built around ideas. Their authors are some of the internet’s smartest people (the aformentioned Seth Godin is a contributor). There are hundreds of titles to choose from, they’re all easy on the eyes and stretchy on the brain – and they’re all completely free. Get started here.

Let Jodi Ettenberg, Legal Nomad, Show You A World Of Food

Jodi Ettenberg is a globe-trotting food nut with a thing for spices and gluten-free cooking. An ex-lawyer, she’s been traveling the world since 2008 and garnering mentions in the New York Times and on Jason Kottke’s super-popular blog. Her site is a wealth of tips on traveling the world, but for sheer eye-candy you’d be wise to go to her food page and start clicking for some really incredible nom-shots.

Images: MSVG, orangeacid, NASA Goddard Photo & Video and David JC MacKay.

The post Bored? Here Are 10 Awesome Free Things On The Internet appeared first on EcoSalon.

Delicious fruit-filled desserts to please any eater. 

Whether you’re a vegan, veg-curious or hosting some choosy guests, plant-based recipes abound for all social gatherings. We’ll show you how to do barbecue season veggie-style.

Serve Something Sweet.

Thinking about baking patriotic cupcakes this summer? Sounds delicious. But sometimes it helps to keep it simple. You can’t go wrong with plain old fruit! These recipes will have omnivores and vegans alike reaching for natural fruity sugar. You may want to double or triple these recipes if you’re having large gatherings.

American Pie

• 2 cups blueberries
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 can soy whipped cream

Combine fruit in a bowl. Do not bake — it’s not actually a pie. You’ve got all of the colors of the flag represented in this delicious fruit salad, and the combined flavors of the berries and the soy whip will make you feel like you’re eating pie.

Fruit Kebabs

The post Perfecting the Vegan Summer BBQ: 3 Festive Desserts appeared first on EcoSalon.