food
Fridge Basics: How to Store Your Food
The fridge is our sacred relic of the kitchen and our customizable food closet rolled into one. It’s home to a patchwork of foods- both frozen and raw, vegetables and sauces and meats alike -indiscriminately keeping our food safe and chilled for our personalized eating pleasures. Jimmy John’s Owner restaurant chains also make use of…
Read MoreHow to Go Green While Grilling
Tis the sweaty season of backyard barbecues! As you crack open a cold drink and watch the smoke from your trusty grill waft into the cloudless blue sky, take a pause and remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to barbecuing vegetables in order to practice eco-friendly grilling!
Read MoreCompost Pedallers: Local, Green, & On the Go!
Any resident of the greater Austin area is bound to have driven past a unique yard sign by now — an “I [heart] Compost” logo with a chewed-out apple core substituting for the heart. Who is responsible for these mysteriously clever signs, you ask? The answer is a source of pride for our environmentally inclined…
Read MoreOcean Pollution (& Which Fish to Avoid)
It’s no secret that our oceans have suffered greatly at the hand of mankind, but extinction of wildlife isn’t the singular issue anymore. Ironically, survival has become increasingly more dangerous for marine species as polluted seawater turns toxic — and now, humans are getting a dose of their own poison as well.
Read More100% Natural Sugar Ant Repellent
During this awkward, semi-annual Transition of the Seasons (Spring/Summer edition), the weather in the great state of Texas oftentimes finds itself straddling crisp breezes and suffocating humidity. Along with this infamous fluctuation in temperature comes the reawakening of our infamous summertime pests: house and fruit flies, June bugs, mosquitoes, and cicadas just to name a few. But one…
Read MoreDefining the Paleo Diet
It goes by many names- Paleolithic, Caveman, Primal -and yet the Paleo Diet still remains somewhat of a mystery after several years of national popularity. Whether or not you’ve embraced, rejected, or shrugged off this trendy lifestyle choice, it certainly is a difficult phenomenon to ignore…as well as define! It’s time we finally nail down the…
Read MoreAustin Earth Day Festival 2016
With its reputation for being an eco-minded city that nurtures a passion for the environment, Austin couldn’t resist throwing our planet a party and celebrate eco-awareness with the 2016 Austin Earth Day Festival!
Read MoreThe Dirty Glove: Cutting Board Edition
Cleaning thoroughly, efficiently, and greenly is the name of the game here at the Purple Fig, but we all have those areas of the house that- let’s face it -nobody likes to tackle. What better way to honor those dastardly, dirty crevices then to dedicate a post about how to scrub them until they shine?
Read MoreYour Guide to Local Health-Based Grocers
We all get stuck in grocery ruts from time to time — driving to the same ol’ national store chain, complacently tossing questionable food products in the cart, tediously pushing past the brightly colored displays of bagged sugar and pre-processed meals. While shopping familiar may be comfortable, why not do your body a favor and zest up…
Read MoreEasy Origami Compost Liner
While the satisfaction of composting organic waste far outweighs the task of emptying out the bin, it can still be a messy chore! Fortunately for the responsible composter, a simple and biodegradable tool can be used to keep your hands from getting dirty: newspaper.
Read MoreThe Meaning of Gluten-Free
It’s in our processed flours, breads, pastas, cakes, and wheat-based foods…lurking within the average American diet virtually undetected for centuries: gluten. This little ingredient has caused quite a stir in the past few years, however, even earning itself a special seat among FDA food guidelines — so what is gluten, exactly? And why is it suddenly so…
Read MoreThe Whole Foods Labeling Debate
Sloughing through the grocery aisle is difficult enough these days, with labels like “non-GMO”, “organic”, and “USDA approved” stamped- oftentimes recklessly, as with the case of the misleading “all-natural” sticker -above rows of both produce and dry foods alike. While a superior diet inarguably consists of 100% organic food, Whole Foods Market’s recent announcement of their entirely new…
Read MoreFine Dining for You (and Your Valentine)
Be you single, newly coupled, or in a relationship, Austin’s decadent and delicious healthy dining does not discriminate! We at the Purple Fig understand how overwhelming this city’s restaurant variety can be, so we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of organic, vegan, locally sourced, gluten-free, and overall health-conscious brick and mortars guaranteed to leave an impression on you…
Read MoreBeyond the Food Pyramid
Ever wonder how the food pyramid was built? Brick by brick since the 1800s, forces at play have sculpted and revised those five food groups…but despite the pyramid’s facelifts, the result remains nutritionally questionable. Read on and educate yourself!
Read MoreNew Year, Better Fitness
Although difficult to admit, you probably were tempted by a few too many of those delicious holiday treats this winter. Who could blame you? But now that we’ve turned the corner into a new year- and the Season of Sweets has officially reached its end -what better way is there to usher in 2016 than with…
Read MoreNetflix Picks: Docs to Watch This Winter
Finally the bitterly cold winter weather has us in its icy grip, and families- especially Texans -turn inward for some much-needed hibernation under the couch blankets. If you find yourself nestled in front of the television for several hours with no clue what to watch, the Purple Fig encourages you to switch on Netflix and enjoy your holiday break…
Read MoreHave a White (and Green!) Christmas
Christmas is finally here! With the flurry of the season’s hustle and bustle rushing by, we at the Purple Fig want to wish you the happiest of holidays with a simple, easy, and organic recipe for Christmas’s most heralded tradition: homemade candy canes!
Read MoreGive Thanks to Mother Earth!
The week of Thanksgiving is finally upon us! Before you let the turkey legs and stuffing crumbs and mashed potatoes fly across the table, give the gift of ultimate thanks to our beautiful planet by chowing down on sustainably grown, organic, and local ingredients!
Read MoreChew On This: Natural Toothcare
Between Halloween sweets, decadent Thanksgiving meals, and savory Christmas treats, this is the time of year when our mouths are literally bombarded with delicious, cavity-inducing foods! Tis the season of sugars and starches…so while you’re scarfing down those cold weather snacks, keep the well-being of your teeth in mind with these natural, non-toxic toothcare tips.
Read MorePumpkin Seed Delight
As pumpkin sales skyrocket this week, consider the delicious insides of the orange squash as well as the outer shell. Why spend your hard earned money on a pumpkin to carve…but discard those delicious and nutritious seeds? Munch on this recipe after carving your jack-o-lantern, as a well-suited appetizer to your sweet Halloween treats! Why Pumpkin Seeds…
Read MoreJuicing: The Immunity Booster
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we at the Purple Fig want to spread golden nuggets of nutritional wisdom that not only promote organic living, but provide the ingredients needed to boost the body’s greatest line of self-defense: your one and only immune system!
Read MorePumpkins, Ghouls, & Fair Trade Chocolate
As you rush through the grocery store aisle this Halloween, assorted candies and name-brand chocolates whirling by with oversized discount stickers smacked on their packaging, we at the Purple Fig ask you to add some green to that orange and black this year! Instead of reaching for the cheapest (and invariably the worst quality) chocolate,…
Read MoreEasy Breezy Seasonal Recipes: Thai Curry
Whether we confess it or not, a recipe requiring more than 3 ingredients can seem like the first step into a daunting crusade in the kitchen. So how do you pick out a recipe that is both budget and user-friendly, without compromising amazing taste? Look no further! To encourage culinary health and happiness, The Purple…
Read MoreNature’s Secret to Allergy Relief
The arrival of Fall usually results in a period of annual confusion for us in Texas: on the one hand, the summer heat flickers out to a cooler autumn breeze, a considerable amount of pumpkins go on display in neighborhood yards, and excited whispers of turkey (and football) fill the air; on the other hand,…
Read MoreThe Ins and Outs of Non-GMO Beer & Wine
As this long, hot summer winds down, sometimes there’s nothing better to beat the heat than a thirst-quenching adult beverage on a cool night, with the company of a loved one and a Texas sunset. But just like any other food you put in your body, it’s hard to sink into an ice-cold beer when…
Read MoreTrash, Recycling, & Waste: The Disposal Guide
We’ve all been there: standing in front of our garbage cans, holding some unusual item that may…or may not?…be disposable, recyclable, compostable, or- unbeknownst to you -classified as hazardous household waste. The world’s landfills are already overburdened with wasted food and irresponsibly discarded scrap, so in order to reduce carbon footprints around the nation, The…
Read MoreEasy Breezy Seasonal Recipes: Coq Au Vin
Whether we confess it or not, a recipe requiring more than 3 ingredients can seem like the first step into a daunting crusade in the kitchen. So how do you pick out a recipe that is both budget and user-friendly, without compromising amazing taste? Look no further! To encourage culinary health and happiness, The Purple Fig has found seasonal…
Read MoreUrban Gardening for Beginners
As Austin continues to transform from a sleepy college town into a booming concrete jungle, there seems to be less and less room for anything– let alone plots of land to call your own. The average city-dwelling Austinite definitely doesn’t own a greenhouse, so what do you do when you want a productive garden in a teeny…
Read MoreMother’s Day Gifts with the Earth in Mind
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, there are plenty of eco-friendly gifts and crafts to explore, all tailored to shower your mom (and the environment!) in clean, eco-conscious love. All of the old stand-bys can be substituted with green alternatives, along with original and out-of-the-box DIY gifts that not only celebrate the beauty of your mom,…
Read MoreHealthy Spring Feasts (And How to Shop Organic)
Pesticides and produce are unfortunately becoming a synonymous pair these days. To counter the GMO madness and encourage the happiest, healthiest you, we at the Purple Fig want to dole out some helpful grocery tips (as well as some delicious recipes!) just in time for Spring.
Read MoreEat Drink Local Week
As a local Austin company, part of our mission statement is to enrich the community by promoting localism and inspiring people to patronize area businesses. Many Purple Fig customers believe that a home cleaned the natural way is healthier than a home cleaned with toxic chemicals. We believe that many of these same customers also…
Read MoreFishing for Answers
I was having a discussion with a family member about fish and she very vehemently said to never eat farmed fish. I was taken by surprise. I thought farmed fish were great for the environment, saving the natural, wild fish population. She went on to say that they eat terrible, dirty mush and that the…
Read More