Thursday, December 23, 2010

Acai Caramel (i.e. purple butter)

Mmmmm, purple butter for utter holiday indulgence. Because if Coca Cola can make Santa red, why can't I make happiness purple?

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1 Cup Sambazon Original Açaí Juice
2/3 heaping cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2.5 Tbsp butter

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, heat acai juice and let boil till reduced to 1/3. Reduce heat to medium and add sugar, salt, cream, butter and stir till everything is melted and mixed thoroughly. It will boil a bit ferociously, but don’t be scared, keep mixing occasionally.

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After about 10 minutes or so, you should notice that the liquid is starting to congeal when stirred. Turn off heat and let it cool completely (if you’re rushed, put it in the fridge or freezer).

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Once cool, pour caramel onto plastic wrap and form into a long stick bout ½ inch in diameter. Wrap up and place in freezer for another 15 minutes or until hard enough to cut. Cut into small candy sized pieces about ½ inch long, and wrap individually in plastic wrap, but not before you sneak one yourself.

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Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Water Warriors

Pro surfer Jon Rose was on a surf trip headed to Bali in 2009 when the tragic quake hit. A couple years prior, his dad Jack Rose had started Rain Catcher, a non-profit to distribute easy and economical water catchment and filtration systems in Africa. So Jon had a few water filters on him and promptly gave them out to aid workers in Sumatra. Seeing the devastation and the need for clean water inspired Jon to create Waves4Water and grow this concept of surf community distributed clean water systems.

“The mission is simple: To get clean water to every single person who needs it.”



Since then, Waves4Water has worked on the front line to provide clean water to communities in need around the world. They have worked on a community level, making simple filtration systems available to traveling surfers to give out to people in need at their destinations, and they have worked with strategic partners such as UN forces to distribute filters in earthquake crises areas.
Here are just some of the results:

Sumatra: Earthquake relief – 250 (community & family) filters distributed = 7000 people with access to clean water.
Bali: 37 villages on impoverished East side now stabilized and drinking clean water.
Haiti: Earthquake relief – 31,000 (community & family) filters distributed = 2,100,000 people with access to clean water.
Chile: Earthquake relief – 1000 (family) filters distributed = 10,000 people with access to clean water.

Today, Jack and Jon Rose are Sambazon warriors, and continue to Warrior Up by making positive change on a massive level across the world. Learn more about how Jack and Jon Warrior Up! Or stock up on water filters to become a clean water courier on your next trip to a developing nation.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Açaí Cookie Sandwiches

A little sweet, a lot creamy, a hint of purple goodness. These cookies are delish, made fresh and compiled right before you munch.

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1 1/2 Cup flour
1 Tbsp cream of tartar
1/2 Tsp baking soda
1/4 Tsp salt

1 Stick (8 Tbsp) of butter, softened
3/4 Cup sugar
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp whole milk

1/2 package of cream cheese
1/2 original açaí smoothie pack

In a standup mixer or by hand with a whisk, mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl. In another bowl mix butter and sugar till creamy, then add vanilla and milk and mix till fully incorporated. Add the flour mix to the butter mix and blend till mixed.

Flour a cutting board and roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick, then place in the fridge for 30 minutes or longer.

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When dough is cooled, use circular cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Make a smaller circle cut into half of the cookies.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees, and bake cookies for 10 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges, then let cool completely.

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Right before serving, blend cream cheese with açaí until fully mixed and schmear a tablespoon or so in between two cookies.

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