In celebration of Earth Day 2009, we challenged our readers to make a simple green resolution, and boy did you deliver. Your overwhelming response was truly inspiring; thousands of you shared both green resolutions and tips on how to lead a cleaner, greener, more sustainable lifestyle. Your responses covered everything from biking to work to reducing water waste to composting to reusing shopping bags to teaching children and co-workers the importance of recycling. All of these simple changes added together can and will go a long way towards greening our planet.

As promised, we randomly selected one of you as the winner of a FEED100 Bag and $25 gift card. And the winner is:

Kim Taylor Knight:
I have been riding my bike to work for the past month, and I will continue, but my real earth day resolution, is to waste less and to compost all organic scaps for my garden this year. I am planting arugula, tomatoes and herbs for a start at becoming a more sustainable me!

Now that Earth Month is over, we’d love to hear your ideas on how to keep these green resolutions growing throughout the year. How could your resolutions help inspire and challenge other Whole Foods Market customers to make simple green changes in their own lives?

Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. In celebration of our planet’s big day, why not take a moment to make a simple green resolution for the coming year?

Here’s mine: Bike to work at least once a week.
Full disclosure: The last time I owned a bike, it was a blue Schwinn with a hot pink basket and I was 10. Sadly, I’ve outgrown that bike. But now, after months of bugging my friends for bike recommendations and visiting all of the bike shops around town, I’ve narrowed down my choices and am finally ready to invest in an “adult” bike at last. By this Earth Day, I am determined to be a proud bike owner/commuter/road warrior at least once a week. Why not every day? After years of making (and always breaking) grandiose New Year’s resolutions, I’ve learned that the simple, realistic changes are the ones that really last.

Now it’s your turn. Tell us one simple green change you’re planning to make for Earth Day. Everyone who enters a comment on this post between now and April 30th will be entered to win a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card and a FEED 100 bag. The winner will be announced the first week of May in our Whole Story blog, so stay tuned!

And even if you don’t win the prizes, your green resolution efforts will be rewarded with a cleaner, greener, healthier planet for many Earth Days to come. Here’s to wishing you and yours a Merry Earth Day and a Happy Earth Year!

Check out more green ideas on our Whole Story blog. Visit our website for more Earth Month tips, trivia, contests and more.

Send this Earth Day Greeting to your friends! Share through Facebook. Digg It.

This Sunday’s Big Game is likely to offer a little something for nearly everyone – serious football for the sports enthusiast, a star-studded halftime show for the drama queen and outlandishly high-budget commercials for anyone who doesn’t want to be left out of the all-important water-cooler discussions on Monday.   But what Game Day gatherings don’t typically offer, however, are decent food options, especially for those with special dietary needs.

But this year, have no fear.  Along with a couple of food blogging friends, we’ve put together a tasty Big Game spread sure to please any fan of good football and/or good food:

Appetizers

Spicy Cheddar-Jack Cauliflower Dip (Vegetarian, Gluten-Free) and
Eight-Layer Mediterranean Dip (Vegetarian) from Whole Foods Market

Vegan Pita Chips, Caramelized Onion Dip (Gluten-Free), and
Cheesy Straws from Bittersweet (all Vegan)

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Chicken soup may be the “Jewish penicillin,” but latkes are the “Jewish soul food.”  And there’s nothing I’m craving more this Hanukkah than a plateful of earthy, humble, pan-fried potato pancakes – warm and crispy on the outside, soft and savory on the inside – shared with friends and loved ones, with a little sour cream on the side.

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We know you’ve all been eagerly awaiting the results of our Food Blogger Budget Recipe Challenge and we’re pleased to announce that the winner, by overwhelming audience voting is….

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas from Karina Allrich of Karina’s Kitchen

Here’s what she’s got to say about her victory:

Thank you, Whole Foods! It was an honor to participate in Budget Recipe Challenge. I am thrilled to receive the Whole Foods gift cards. I plan on giving away several gift cards at my blog- Karina’s Kitchen. I’ll be sharing the rest with my two sons- both on their own, cooking on a budget, fans of Whole Foods.

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Each of our six of our finalists for the Food Blogger Budget Recipe Challenge will be featured in a blog post here. Read about them and check out their featured recipe. By posting a comment on their recipe page, you help determine the winner in our Challenge AND you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $500 gift card!

Jaden Hair is a self taught cooking teacher, food writer and food photographer. Her blog specializes in modern Asian cooking, and is designed to teach people how easy it is to cook Asian meals at home. Started in February 2007, Steamy Kitchen launched Jaden’s cooking career; she now has monthly guest appearances on local television and she writes a weekly food column for the Tampa Tribune.

Don’t lie: what did you have for dinner last night?

Last night I was LAZY! I turned leftover rice into fried rice. I had shrimp and frozen peas/carrots in the freezer, cold jasmine rice in the fridge. 15 minutes later, a one-wok dinner was ready, plopped the entire wok right on the dinner table and chowed down.

Remember: Don’t comment here if you want to support Jaden in our contest. You have to comment on her recipe page. We turned comments off to help you remember!

Read the rest of this entry »

Each of our six of our finalists for the Food Blogger Budget Recipe Challenge will be featured in a blog post here. Read about them and check out their featured recipe. By posting a comment on their recipe page, you help determine the winner in our Challenge AND you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $500 gift card!

Katy Zandy is a 26-year-old full time attorney and part time food blogger.  Her blog focuses on healthy, fresh, seasonal recipes with elegant presentations — all from a tiny Manhattan kitchen!  Having now posted over a hundred recipes, Katy spends a good portion of her nights, weekends, gym time, and lying-in-bed-trying-to-fall-asleep time filled with imagining new recipes, thinking of twists for classic dishes, or listing the traditionally “challenging” recipes that she can’t wait to try.

Don’t lie: what did you have for dinner last night?

Miso Soup, edamame, and vegetable sushi rolls (plus a few pieces of spicy tuna roll off my fiance’s plate).  And frozen yogurt with crushed peanut butter cups on top for dessert!

Remember: Don’t comment here if you want to support Katy in our contest. You have to comment on her recipe page. We turned comments off to help you remember!

Read the rest of this entry »

Each of our six of our finalists for the Food Blogger Budget Recipe Challenge will be featured in a blog post here. Read about them and check out their featured recipe. By posting a comment on their recipe page, you help determine the winner in our Challenge AND you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $500 gift card!

Karina Allrich is a creative cook who enjoys developing easy rustic recipes featuring seasonal ingredients and Mediterranean inspired flavors.  Her illustrated blog, Karina’s Kitchen: Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess showcases delicious family recipes for the gluten-free lifestyle with Mediterranean diet, casein-free, vegetarian and vegan recipes galore. She is the author of two cookbooks- Recipes from a Vegetarian Goddess (reprinted as Cooking By The Seasons) and Cooking By Moonlight.

Don’t lie: what did you have for dinner last night?

A bowl of pumpkin-apple soup with a slice of homemade gluten-free multi-grain bread (testing a new recipe) grilled in a dab of extra virgin olive oil. Yum!

Remember: Don’t comment here if you want to support Karina in our contest. You have to comment on her recipe page. We turned comments off to help you remember!

Read the rest of this entry »

Each of our six of our finalists for the Food Blogger Budget Recipe Challenge will be featured in a blog post here. Read about them and check out their featured recipe. By posting a comment on their recipe page, you help determine the winner in our Challenge AND you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $500 gift card!

Rachel Rappaport is a food writer, recipe developer, cooking instructor and commentator on all matters relating to food and cooking.  Her blog, originally started in 2004 as a place for Rachel to share recipes with her friends.  It now features hundreds of original recipes and easy home cooking tips covering a wide range of international cuisines from authentic Indian curries to traditional American favorites to vegan, Korean and Japanese food.

Don’t lie: what did you have for dinner last night?

Last night we were in NYC to attend a taping of a blog focused episode of Martha Stewart’s show so for once I didn’t cook! We went out for Thai with some friends and I had a great shrimp & glass noodle dish.

Remember: Don’t comment here if you want to support Rachel in our contest. You have to comment on her recipe page. We turned comments off to help you remember!
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Each of our six of our finalists for the Food Blogger Budget Recipe Challenge will be featured in a blog post here. Read about them and check out their featured recipe. By posting a comment on their recipe page, you help determine the winner in our Challenge AND you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a $500 gift card!

Often referred to as the “sweet vegan,” Hannah Kaminsky’s love of desserts compelled her to start experimenting in the kitchen at a young age to create incredible, cruelty-free treats.  A crafter at heart, her blog features creative crafts, funny stories, and delicious treats with the occasional free recipe or pattern thrown in.  Having already released one delicious cookbook, My Sweet Vegan, she is now hard at work on a second, equally sweet publication.

Don’t lie: what did you have for dinner last night?

I had some baked falafel and grain-less tabbouleh that I made at work- Easy and very satisfying after a full day in the kitchen.

Remember: Don’t comment here if you want to support Hannah in our contest. You have to comment on her recipe page. We turned comments off to help you remember!

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