This new product is the most unlikely thing I can imagine being organic. It looks like a can of artificial whipped cream and works the same way but is filled with organic pancake batter so you can make breakfast in a jiffy. I haven't tried it, but a friend swears by it saying it is so easy to make fun animal shaped pancakes for her kids. It can be found in mainstream grocery stores.

A stop by Whole Foods market today prompted me to try some packaged raw food for lunch. Los Angeles's raw, vegan Leaf Restaurant is now packaging their food and delivering it via bio-diesel powered trucks to the greater Southern California area. It was hard to decide between the Rawsagna and the Bedouin Burrito Wrap. I opted for the wrap thinking it would be more filling. It was a raw hummus surrounded by collard greens and sliced into paper covered rounds, served with a garlicky tahini dipping sauce. When looking through the biodegradable container I foolishly thought the paper was some sort of tortilla (tough to make raw tortillas), luckily I did not eat it. I gave up on finishing my lunch after chewing through so many collard greens. Leaf is an apt name for this brand of food. I felt like a cow chewing cud just to get to the yummy filling. What I really wanted was some freshly baked bread to go with it! At least it was 100% organic and very fresh. Next time I'll try their approach to raw lasagna.

The New York Times is running an article about the rising costs of organic food. I have noticed it myself while shopping the isles of my local organic grocery store. At the same time they also have an article about kitchen gardens which remembers a time when Americans grew 40% of their own vegetables in the yard. Back then the example was set by the President. For example, Woodrow Wilson had sheep grazing on the lawn of the White House and Eleanor Roosevelt grew carrots and peas on that lawn. John Adams planted a vegetable garden there too to feed his family. So maybe it is time to offset your grocery store bill and carbon emissions by tearing up your lawn and planting food. Not only will your pocket book thank you, but you will be wowed by how good and fresh your fruits and vegetables taste. If you have a vision of what the next president should plant at the White House you can write about it here.

When you are expecting a baby your body's transformation is astounding and one can feel discouraged by the available maternity fashions. Now there is no need to fret because Schone Maternity has some classy organic fashion options for soon to be moms. The Lucy Herringbone Pant will be a staple for your newly expanding wardrobe. Pair it with the organic cotton Samantha Top a sweet, pintucked tee and you are ready to go. Pregnant and styling!

Before traveling to Lisbon I was expecting atmospheric streets, haunting fados and smelly cod, but not a lot in the way of organic, vegan food. To my surprise Lisbon turned out to be one of the best food destinations imaginable. From restaurants to food stores, organic-loving vegans will have no saudades.

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Terra Restaurante Natural in Bairro Alto is a beautiful, cozy restaurant with wooden floors, and furnishings. It is mostly organic, fully vegetarian and I'd estimate about 90% vegan. Terra Natural doesn't have a dinner menu as they feature a buffet at lunch and dinner. But this is not a school cafeteria style buffet: it is beautifully presented and must have about 30 different creative and fresh options. Items on the buffet change daily but when we were there there were several green salads with nuts and mango and strawberries, a veg take on traditonal Portuguese food, several delicious stews, pumpkin stuffed philo pastry, curry, soup, rice. Drinks and desserts are ordered separately. We enjoyed organic Port, of course, and were then presented with a choice from half-a-dozen heavenly looking vegan cakes. We loved this restaurant and would say not to miss out on it. Well known vegan-restaurateur Moby (who runs Teany in New York) agrees according to a press clipping we spotted on the wall.

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Os Tibetanos just off Avenida Liberdade is also very cozy with a friendly staff. I'm not sure exactly how much organic food they use but they also offer organic wines, beers and juices. This vegetarian restaurant's menu includes a lot of dairy but they do have two main courses labeled as vegan and appetizers as well. We tried the vegetable curry with seitan and the staff whipped up a special order of rice, tofu and leeks for my children. And they had organic vinho do porto here too!

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After these two great restaurants I didn't think there could be something even better. But what do you know, right in the main shopping district of Chiado is Restaurante Orientale Chiado, the fully vegan restaurant of Lisbon. Yes, that's right, 100% vegan, serving an all you can eat buffet. Could Lisbon be heaven? When I asked if the food was organic they told me yes, just how much I'm not sure, but the waitress was very enthusiastic in her response. On the buffet were raw green salads, cabbage salads, carrot salads, pasta salad, olives, four hot dishes, black bean soup with seitan, absolutely delicious fried puff balls that were a huge hit with my kids. I'm not sure what they were and had to keep reminding myself it was ok, it's all vegan. Very impressive were the pastries, a corn tart and a "pizza" with a cracker-like, flaky crust topped with tomato spread, olives, etc. The drink menu is extensive, featuring teas, beer and wine, and freshly juiced juices. I went with carrot-ginger. The staff was very friendly and welcoming and even the kitchen staff came out to chat with my daughter. We felt truly overjoyed as we dined in this peaceful restaurant that felt 100% committed to making the world a better place. I give it 5 stars! And guess what… Moby came here too.

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Celeira Dieta is the natural foods store chain in Lisbon. It has everything you need for organic picnicking: we visited the one near Rossio station right in the center of the city every day. There are baked goods including traditional Portuguese breads, vegetable and soy or seitan filled pastries as well as our favorite: whole-grain, vegan croissants. As well as carrying Portuguese produced items, this three level shop carries items from Germany, France, and England so there is a fun variety. We tried Cheesly, a vegan cheese alternative made in England. The cheddar variety actually resembles Cheshire in texture and was delicious coupled with fresh bread. In the basement is a large cafeteria and a couple of doors down is another similar cafeteria style eatery featuring organic and veg options. We didn't have a chance to try these but they looked like a fab yet economical option. If Moby was peckish while doing some shopping, he could pop in here.

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In conclusion: Get yourself to Lisbon!

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Emily Horne, Paris Correspondent

Lagusta's Luscious is a homegrown company that makes vegan truffles that are so good it's crazy. These chocolates rank right up there with the best truffles I've had, including those with loads of cream, so the fact that they are vegan is a tribute to the chocolatier whose talent really shows in these confections. She uses organic Callebaut which is a Belgian chocolate known for it's balanced intensity and refined character, making the truffles rich and well-rounded. But it is the flavors Lagusta creates that make these chocolates extraordinary.

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The first one I tasted was the cardamom, which was smooth and welcoming, the exotic spice warmed by a touch of cinnamon that was enchanting and delicious. Next I tried the almond. Instead of an outer chocolate shell, it was coated in chopped almonds and I figured the center would be plain chocolate, but no! As the creamy truffle melts on the tongue you slowly sense the extraction of pure almond flavor permeating this divine confection. The pomegranate is a popular flavor that I found to be bright with high, fruity tones, with an almost sour essence. I was most excited to taste the lemon truffle, being a lover of the rare combination of dark chocolate and lemon. Lagusta, herself claims this one as her favorite and I could instantly see why. The lemon adds a complexity to the chocolate that creates many layers of flavor. It is citrusy as well as tangy and has the hint of bitterness you would expect from lemon rind even though it is completely smooth, with the semi-sweet taste of pure chocolate lingering at the end.

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Not only does Lagusta make chocolates, she also has an organic, vegan home meal delivery service and her menus look truly inspired. If I lived in the greater New York area I would definitely sign up for these delicious sounding dinners and I would add a box of truffles to my order whenever possible. Lagusta makes the truffles in small batches and ships them every couple of weeks on specified dates, so they are always fresh. You must order in advance before she sells out. Hurry, the next shipment leaves New York on March 21, 2008, so reserve yours today! They are some of the best chocolates you will ever taste.

Lilli Bulle, 3 rue de la Forge Royal, is a small shop packed with beautiful clothes and toys for children. It's hidden away on a side street waiting to be discovered in the 11th arrondissment of Paris.

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Lilli Bulle carries a selection of organic and fair trade items including bags, backpacks, dolls, toys, shoes and clothes. If you can't make it to the shop there's an excellent online boutique.

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Lou Doillon, daughter of Jane Birkin and Jacques Doillon, says when she goes there, she feels like having lots of children. "C'est magique, ludique, tout y est beau."

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When I go there I am so impressed by the beauty and quality of the items. You're sure to find unique, charming and environmentally friendly gifts for the little ones in your life. And there are a few things for adults too!

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Emily Horne, Paris Correspondent

If you are looking for one-stop online shopping for great, organic fashion head on over to Beklina.com where you'll find favorites such as Linda Loudermilk and Stewart + Brown not to mention many other top designers. She also offers paper goods and beautiful eco accents for the home like these Vincent Van Duysen ceramic containers complete with wooden lids.

In 1861 Cadbury created the first heart shaped box filled with chocolates for Valentines Day. The history of chocolate tells a story of cacao worship that started thousands of years ago in the Mayan culture and which still lives on with chocolate being a classic gift for your lover. Today is the day to order those chocolates in time for Valentine's Day and here are some excellent organic options.

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Bre's chocolates have an appearance that brings elegance next to quirkiness. She uses fun decorations like stars, paisley hearts, and dried rose petals on her classy truffles. The Earl Grey flavor had a smooth filling that was creamy without being too heavy. The taste was lightly decadent, the Earl Grey doesn't knock you out but leaves you wanting more. The Honey Orange dark chocolate starts out vivid with bright orange flavor and a zingy finish... many layers to this one and the truffle filling is wonderfully velvety. A chewy candied orange peel decorates the top of this perfect piece of candy. Bre's Vanilla Carmel Sea Salt has a lovely appearance with a dried rose petal on top. The flavor hits your tongue with a strong rose oil explosion, intense carmel middle and a nice, mild, salt finish. Even with all that carmel, it doesn't taste sweet but seems a little masculine. To one of our tasters it was like a salty piece of turkish delight due to rose oil, making it almost soapy. The Raspberry Zinfandel is rich, sexy and perfectly balanced with the raspberry and wine flavors blending beautifully with the dark chocolate. Shaped like a heart this one is perfect for your Valentine.

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Sjaak's chocolates have a basic look to them, not as elegant or feminine as Bre's, just straight forward and good. We tried a box of vegan nuts and chews which is one of their best sellers. The Chocolate Caramel was wonderfully chewy and the flavor reminiscent of a tootise roll. The Coconut Caramel was also very chewy and the coconut flavor is subtle, not too overwhelming and not overly sweet. My favorite was the pistachio carmel with the nuts finely ground adding texture with a lovely, whole, green nut on top. Handmade in Petaluma, California Sjaak's can often be found during the holidays at co-ops and natural food stores. Last year we tried their tuffle filled chocolate heart.

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The Tea Room organic truffles were a bit jostled during shipment so upon opening they were a little disheveled. They have a classic truffle look with a round plumpness and outer chocolate shell juxtaposed with a soft truffle center. The dark Earl Grey bergamot truffle was delicious, the bergamot flavor lending a citrus high note to the rich chocolate. The Jasmine milk chocolate truffle was nicely balanced, not too sweet with a lingering perfume of Jasmine left on the palate. The white chocolate truffles are far too sweet and without the real taste of brown chocolate what is the point? These chocolates are hand made in Napa, California and are a great organic option.

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Overall, the best in show of this year's tasting goes to Bre's Chocolates! She makes them in small batches in Oakland, California and there are also organic, vegan varieties available. They would be the perfect sweet treat to make your Valentine adore you. Check out Organic Note's Valentine chocolate review from last year if you are looking for even more delectable options.

Mercer Island children were tested for pesticide levels in a yearlong study that found biological markers of organophosphates, (the family of pesticides born from the creation of nerve gas agents in World War II) in children eating conventional produce. As soon as they switched to eating organic foods the pesticide levels in saliva and urine disappeared within 36 hours.

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"There's a large underpinning of animal research for organophosphate pesticides, and particularly for chlorpyrifos, that points to bad outcomes in terms of effects on brain development and behavior," Dr. Theodore Slotkin, a professor of pharmacology and cancer biology at Duke University in North Carolina, said in the April 2006 Environmental Health Perspectives.

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Chensheng Lu conducted the study and says another one will be done in Georgia. ""It is appropriate to assume that if we -- human beings -- are exposed to (this class of) pesticides, even though it's a low-level exposure on a daily basis, there are going to be some health concerns down the road," said Lu, who is on the Environmental Protection Agency's pesticide advisory panel."