If you haven’t heard, fancy-shmancy cupcakes are stealing the hearts of America as we downsize our celebrations with treats that fill us up, not out.

For a growing number of sweet teeth, four bites and one candle do the trick as we replace the wasteful sheet cake of old with an indulgent Red Velvet vegan confection made to order at your chic neighborhood cupcake boutique.

Call it theater in the round for the bakery hound!

The new stars are the vegan assortments  introduced by bakers such as Yummy Cupcakes in Los Angeles, which sells from its healthy alternative menu three days a week at its shops in Burbank and Santa Monica.

Yummy’s flavors include Almond, Blood Orange, Chocolate Chili,  Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and my favorite, the Arnold Palmer – black iced tea and lemonade.  They sell for around $3.25 a pop for the classic size and $1.50 to $1.65 for the mini size. Of course, you can buy them by the dozen, as well.

Tiffani Soforenko, one of the three partners at Yummy, says the vegan menu was  inspired by an offer to prepare cupcakes for talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her crew. “We knew Ellen was a vegan and hadn’t done vegan recipes yet, and figured it was the perfect time to figure out how to do it,” she recalls. “We brought the red velvets for her and her staff and they were a huge hit.”

It took off from there. “We thought if we can make that, what else can we make? Our normal menu is 156 flavors and we do 43 as vegan,” says Soforenko.

What sets them apart? No animal-based products, eggs or butter or egg replacers. They are also topped with raw sugar instead of colored sprinkles. People with food and dairy allergies are gobbling them up!

Another gourmet vendor, Kara’s Cupcakes in San Francisco (with four Bay Area locations) proudly boasts it is “green” on its web page, from its sustainable local and organic ingredients to environmentally-friendly recyclable and compostable packaging to its bakeries built with green certification standards. It even uses green cleaning products and delivers its treats in ultra low emission vehicles. Plus, the cupcakes are to die for, from Kara’s Karrot on Halloween night to Raspberry Dazzle and Milk Chocolate Ganache.  They look good and are filled with good stuff. What else would you expect from the daughter of a dentist?

While pure ingredients are naturally in high demand in buff California, the notion of a greener cupcake is just now making its way to glitzy Miami, where the founders of Cupcake Nouveau – Cristina Valdes and Shayrin Badillo – are getting in the groove.

“We are in the process of developing new recipes that are sugar, gluten and dairy free,” shares Valdes, who says her South Beach clientele is all about glamor and chic. These skilled bakers are known for the artistic detail they add to their specialized cupcakes for weddings and fundraisers, such as pearls and roses adorning the Vanilla Bean Madagascar creations. You grow, girls!

Rather bake em yourself? Many of these gourmet cupcake companies offer cupcake party baking kits for around $42 that ensure hours of fun and a terrible mess for moms as the guests go crazy stirring, blending, frosting and decorating their visions. Either way, the naturally beautiful end result seems to be taking the cake.

Main Image: Cupcakes Nouveau

Image One: Yummy Cupcakes

Image Two: Cupcakes Nouveau

Image Three: Luanne Bradley

Years ago, when I was traveling in Peru, I became enamored with the way Andean women carried their babies – in blankets tied around their backs.

It made so much sense; after all, strollers are heavy, expensive and impossible to push up a mountain trail or crowded cobblestone mercado. The mamachas had their hands free and their young children were safe and secure, held so close to their mother’s body. I vowed then and there that if I ever had children, I’d wear them that way too.

And now that I’m a mom, that’s what I do; I wear my baby.

Easy and practical, babywearing is commonplace all over the world. The health benefits are many for both baby and mom.

Benefits for Baby:

Held babies cry much less than those kept in a crib or stroller.

Closeness to mom makes baby feel safe and secure.

Allows baby to see the world the way we do, rather than through the bars of a crib or at knee-level in a stroller.

Baby’s temperature, heart rate and breathing are better regulated when they’re close to another human body.

Proximity to mom makes it easier to get needs met.

Baby gets to bond with you, not toys and furniture!

Benefits for Mom:

Increased bonding and communication with baby.

With your hands free and your child happy, it’s easier to get things done!

Increase your core strength and get more exercise.

No need to struggle with heavy car seats or drag strollers out of the car.

Discreet and hands-free nursing.

It’s easier to play with your toddler while holding your baby close to you. Keeping both kids happy is priceless.

Your baby is closer to you, thereby easier to hug and kiss! (And isn’t that what it’s all about?)

And of course, it’s good for the environment!

Babywearing is stylish, too. Gone are the days of clunky baby backpacks. Now you can get downright sassy with the fashion, with slings coming in every kind of cloth, print and style imaginable. Mamas: wear your baby and show the world your eco-friendly, down-to-earth values, too.

The sling I use: Baby K’Tan

Highly recommended by friends: Moby Wrap and Maya Wrap

Great for dads: Baby K’Tan and Baby Bjorn

And for the crafty among you who’d prefer to make your own: DIY baby carrier links.

Many moons ago I wrote about an eco-conscious baby product company by the name of ZoLi. Now that I have a little baby of my own I’ve had a chance to try out some of ZoLi’s products and promises, and let me tell you, they deliver.

Health-conscious parents will be happy to know that all ZoLi products are BPA and phthalate-free.  (No endocrine disruptors leaching out of the plastic and into your baby’s body.) And their philosophy extends to their recycled paper and soy ink packaging.

But beyond all that, ZoLi’s products are just plain good.

The Baby Ohm ($20, above) is a light, portable, easy-to-clean diaper-changing mat that’s like a little yoga mat for baby. It’s more attractive than any of the other diaper mats I’ve seen and best of all there’s no off-gassing plastic smell to make diaper changing any stinkier than it needs to be.

For teething babies, the Munch teether ($5) is just lovely. The soft, textured silicone seems so much more pleasant to chew on than hard plastic, and it’s non-toxic (free of nitrosamine and PVC).

Parents looking for safe plastic bottles, ZoLi’s BPA and phthalate-free bottles and silicone anti-colic nipples are just what you need. And although my baby is many months away from eating solid foods, I’ve already used the pretty colored stackable snack dispenser ($15) to stow away nuts, sliced strawberries and other little snacks for myself.

Three cheers to ZoLi, a company created by eco-conscious parents, making our world a better place for babies, one product at a time.

Move over, melamine; your infamy as a contaminant in Chinese infant formula is being pushed aside by one that’s made in the USA. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found some samples of American brands of infant formula (although they won’t divulge which) are contaminated with perchlorates – which come from rocket fuel.

How, one has to wonder, are perchlorates getting into the formula many people are feeding to their newborn babies? Improper disposal on military bases, rocket test sites and chemical plants can allow perchlorates, which affect the thyroid, to leach into drinking water. That means these chemicals may be harming you, too. So far, the EPA hasn’t set a “safe” limit for perchlorates in drinking water, but I hope this issue will force the agency to take a closer look and regulate.

Image: Alessandro Perilli

The past year has been a bad one for toxic kid’s products, what with lead paint on imported toys and phthalates in plastic toys. For once, Congress has been quick to act.

A new law is set to go in effect on February 10th that will require all products such as toys, backpacks, clothing and other kids’ gear be tested for lead and phthalates in order to be legally sold.

This is a major step towards ensuring non-toxic products for little ones, but there was also a little scare for children’s thrift and consignment shops and DIY resellers like those found on Etsy (many of them being work-at-home-moms). Had they been required to pay for the expensive testing, most of them would have immediately been put out of business. And it would have dealt a financial blow to the large number of families in an economic crunch who depend on thrift and consignment shops to clothe their fast-growing children.

After hearing a huge consumer response, Congress quickly added a notice that vendors of second-hand children’s goods would be exempt from testing for lead or phthalates.

So what does this mean for thrifty, recycling-minded shoppers? When buying second-hand, use good judgment. Most clothing is safe enough, but avoid metal buttons that may contain lead or parts that can easily break and leach chemicals if a child puts it in their mouth. And when it comes to used toys, cribs and other children’s items, it would probably be best to avoid any imported or plastic products altogether.

Do your research, be smart, and rest assured that as this law goes into effect, safer products will be entering the second-hand product stream, and that’ll make the eco-friendly option of buying gently-used just that much better.

Image: notic

Have a bun in the oven? Maybe some friends who are expecting? Well, it’s never too early to get that baby started on the path to a green lifestyle. Kistner Supply recently launched three brand new eco-friendly product lines that are sure to make you the sustainable star at any upcoming showers (even your own)! Before that tiny bundle of love enters the world, apply your impeccable taste in decor to the nursery. From the pages of their 100th anniversary edition of Mother Stork’s Baby Book, their beautiful baby art includes seven charming prints and three Victorian frames to delicately adorn walls and tabletops. As safe as they are soft, the recycled cashmere chime balls and baby blankets make for 100% natural sleep and play time.

A friend of mine wants to keep it hush-hush when her daughter is gifted a hand-me-down dress, as if wearing used garb signifies poverty or shame that might not fly in her affluent social circle.

My friend is a European whose family often struggled to make ends meet. And although she keeps it all in the closet, she accepts these offerings for all of the right reasons: they are clean and usually in perfectly good condition; It’s wasteful to go out and buy a new outfit when you can recycle; people who snub second hand goods are snobs. She may aspire to the don’t ask, don’t tell policy, but she knows better.

In fact, there’s a entire culture of thrifty moms who surf newspaper classified ads, Craigslist and Ebay to locate gently-used clothing and objects for their children. Seizing on this trend, an emerging site called handmedowns provides a one-stop destination condensing all of the shopping sites into one.  It combines the listings from the top five classified sites with original postings from trusted hand-me-down users.

It’s a brilliant idea because recycling clothes is good for us and for the shaky economy. The credit goes to two Hollywood dynamos: Norah Weinstein, a lawyer and mom who also founded The Hollywood Reporter, ESQ, and Jane Buckingham, who authored the bestselling Modern Girls Guide to Life.

“The sites that were out there had some great listings, but were simply not designed with a parent in mind,”  remembers Weinstein, who tired of sifting through torn, stained cast-a-ways on the web. “Our goal is to raise the bar for children’s classifieds and create a more family-friendly atmosphere.”

Buckingham adds they are saving parents time and money by pulling together safe, user-friendly products. Safety, they say, is heavily promoted to stay on top of government product recalls.

When you visit the site, you can click on your location and what you are shopping for (clothing for girls, boys, toys) and the age range. In terms of clothing, from layette to child sizes, you will find everything from shoes to winter outerwear and cute little legging outfits. There also are categories for selling, donating or giving your items away for free.

As the founders put it: “Once you start shopping at handmedowns, it may be hard to buy at retail prices again.”

It’s great news for kids who don’t have older siblings or cousins. I never met a kid who didn’t smile when I handed them something one of my girls had worn, from party dresses to ski parkas. For some, it’s even more special knowing your new posession was loved so well.

Image: manuel

After a morning spent watching National Geographic Carnivore with my 9-year-old future vet (lions preying upon a limping, unsuspecting buffalo), I was happy to encounter this gentle Jungle Friends Mobile in which the only thing eaten is the blankie by the little thumb sucker inhabiting the crib.

I love the laser-cut bamboo plywood figures, which are assembled by a non-profit agency that employs adults with disabilities. $76 at Branch Home. The artwork can enjoy a circle of life after baby. Let it migrate to another space for an exotic conversation piece.

I’m tickled pink that the Bay Area company Serena & Lily – which names its collections with offbeat girl and boy names (Maggie, Hazel, Rye, Lulu) -  has now introduced a new organic line, climbing on the green bandwagon and responding to what customers want in the nursery.

“It’s about making healthy, responsible choices for us, our children, for our families, and for the planet,” says the growing home design company. “People need to know the story behind each product – where it comes from, how it’s made and why it’s made that way.”

The highly successful duo promises that the organic options will contain the same signature quality and style, which really is unparalleled in the baby decor market. That’s why the company that began selling out of  a small warehouse has moved into major department stores, including Bloomies, where it caters to the grownup bedding market.

The certified organic cotton products thrown into the lovely variety of kids’ bedding include a quilted innerspring crib mattress $425, a spring shaded Maggie Collection of crib linens ($569 for 3p set), an ultra chic, hand-embroidered, Market Sling, $129, in earthy shades of grass, cloud and flax; and a 5′x7′ Potholder rug, $589, made from 100% recycled clothing and other textiles, available in grass or oatmeal.

If these organics are too green for your nursery, check out the other new organic collections, including Hazel (orchid and brown florentine-pattern) or Rye (blue bandanna print), at the site. All of the collections have coordinating low-VOC paint in 20 shades, as well as matching rugs, slipcovered gliders, and lamps with fabric shades. It’s basically one-stop shopping for the nursery, and now shopping that is sustainable for the price.

There’s nothing more fetching than a ruggedly handsome man in a little tartan kilt. The original 007, Sean Connery, is a grand example. Great Scot! May I fasten that giant safety pin for you, Mr. Bond?

I’m personally mad about plaid, probably because I wore so many wool jumpers as a young lass. Home design, too, is pointed towards Great Glen as the patterns we adore take the high road. Here’s a peak:

Nomad Cube from the eco-furniture collection at Crate and Barrel, $199, available in orange, green and gold colorways. Great for propping your feet or for storing your bagpipes.

   
An assortment of plaid rugs from Tuvalu Home, $28 to $195, sizes go up to 6″x9″. Use to warm up the study.

Snuggle up to Track’s Plaid Blanket (shown at top) found at Branch Home, a contemporary play on plaid with a modern orange grid on white; and it also comes in an optional black weave, $498.

Dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair on this cozy 100% wool plaid pillow from Urban Outfitters, $38. Freestyle Plaid cotton sheeting from Pottery Barn is Oeko-Tex approved, $28 to $119. More mellow, the Coyuchi Birch cotton plaid weave sham and duvet, $25 to $300, at Dax Stores.

It’s time for tea and shorbread bisquits. Serve it all in this assortment of Scottish-inspired colletible vintage china from Railey Creek Collectibles. Includes:

Normany Plaid Sugar Bowl

Blair’s Pottery Gay Plaid plate and mug

Vernons Killns China plaid yellow and brown plate and mug

Vintage yellow plaid floral napkins to cheer up your table, $52, at Rickrack.

For the shoe-free green home, let little ones pad around in these adorable plaid Weebit slippers from Ecowise. $25. They’re so sweet, I’d even use them as a prop!