Tuesday, October 26, 2010

GreenFest in DC

Greenfest

Washington, DC, full of suits and big wigs, definitely has some hidden flair when it comes to the greenies. Last weekend we were at GreenFest DC, a big show where "green" companies set up booths and sample and sell their products to a hopefully eco-centric and eager crowd. We've been coming to this show as a company for a while, but this year was different... it was busy! Hopefully the sign of a flourishing trend towards environmental and social awareness throughout our nation's capitol.

We set up our Sambazon tent (as purple as possible), right next to our friends at Manitoba Harvest and Dr. Bronners, and made açaí bowls for every curious (and hungry) passerby. And it was certainly fun to see all our friends, including a surprise visit by the legendary Brasilian musician Gilberto Gil.

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Next year Greenfest moves to NYC. Sad to leave our friends and fans in DC, but hope you'll all make the trip to see us next year in the Big Apple.

Keep it Purple,
Kaia Lai

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Kassia Meador and Keep A Breast



Keep A Breast casts molds of women’s busts and partners with incredible artists to make them into beautiful pieces of art. Not only is this a great visual way to raise awareness about breast cancer, but KAB auctions the pieces off at events around the year to raise funds for projects. This is a glimpse into their 10 year anniversary event:




Acai Cheesecake

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We all crave just a tiny bit of decadence here and there… So here’s the cure. Açaí cheesecake combines the creaminess of homemade cheesecake with a hint of açaí. Its delish, easy to make (although make it on your weekend as it needs to bake for a long time), and sure to impress.

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

3 packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Sambazon Original Açaí Smoothie Pack, thawed in a bowl of water till liquid

Preheat oven to 350F, with rack in the center.

Stir graham crackers and butter. Press into 8-or9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes or until golden, then let cool completely.

Reduce oven temperature to 200F.

Mix cream cheese and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer using paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until lightened, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and egg yolk, 1 at a time, sour cream and then vanilla extract and mix till smooth. Pour over crust in pan.

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Drop acai puree over filling in a random pattern. Using a skewer, swirl decoratively.

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Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes. Turn off the oven; let cheesecake remain in oven another 1 hour. Remove cheesecake from oven. Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a rack. Chill cake, loosely covered for at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate.

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Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Cardiff goes Green

Cardiff

Here at Sambazon we are all about creating positive change so any chance we get to inspire and empower others to do the same we don’t hesitate to participate. This weekend our San Diego team setup shop at the Cardiff Surf Classic and Green Beach Fair to help support a great community that is inspiring their town to create positive change everyday. Along with our friends and family at Guayaki, Clif Bar, Ocean Minded, Surfrider Foundation, Bamboo SK8 and Bull Taco, dozens of other vendors and businesses set up their booths to help show the community of Cardiff how everyday activities can easily be made green and sustainable to positively affect their environment and surroundings.

Surfrider and Ocean Minded teamed up to do a beach cleanup: all attendees who picked up 50 pieces of trash with the provided hardware were entered to win a prize and at the end of the event the trash was turned into an amazing recycled sculpture. It was great to see the community come together and show their love for the beach, the environment and help promote their sustainable business practices. Well done Cardiff – way to show your true colors and help others to Warrior Up! and create positive change.

Warrior Up,
Cameron Faist - Sambazon Event Manager