Instagram Roundup October

As some of you know, I'm mostly active on Instagram and many of these photos never end up on the blog! I want to start doing these monthly Instagram roundups to show my favorite moments and meals every month. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Here are my favorites from October:

SUPERB "Phish" tacos from Tucos Tacos. Beer battered avocado and crema. Thanks to my friend Jessica Nadel from Cupcakes and Kale and hubby for bringing vegan food to Sudbury!

Happy thanksgiving! I'm celebrating with the Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe from The Vegan Zombie cookbook.

Can't wait to try these goodies from Saaboon! Himalayan soap and Fire candle. All #vegan, local to Ottawa and handmade.

Love & beauty is everywhere. Choose to see it ✌

Happy Halloween! I'm celebrating with Strawberry Blonde Bakery sweet treats, no tricks! #vegan

Broccoli soup & Tofu sandwich from Clover Food and Drink #vegan

Hope you enjoyed! See the rest of my Instagram photos here.

6 Must-Have Vegan Fashion Items for Fall

Baby, it's cold outside! This weather has me changing up my routine and these are my new favorites.


1) Deep Red Lips - Red Apple Lipstick in Ravishing

This is probably my favorite lipstick shade of all time. A bold burgundy-red lip with a slight blue undertone and satin finish. It happens to be very appropriate for fall!

Don't forget to prep your lips: exfoliate with the Rallye Balm to make your lips smooth and moisturized. Line with the Zuzu Luxe Hazelnut Lipliner for extra lasting power.

2) Dark Purple Nails - Pure Anada Eggplant

A rich purple shade that is still fun but also perfect to transition with fall colors. I love topping this with the Pacifica Matte TopCoat for an added touch of vamp-glam!


3) Strong Brows - Pure Anada Brow Powder (I use the Sand color)

Keep up a strong brow game with this soft-finish brow powder. I find that some brow pencils can look harsh and obvious. I started using this brow powder (in the Sand color) with an angle brush to fill in my brows. It fills in my brows while still looking natural.


4) Cinnamon Flavored Lip Balm - Bare English & Co. Chai Tea Latte Lip Balm

Fall is usually when I start drinking lots of Chai Tea. I can have it anytime with Bare English & Co. Tea Infused Lip Balm. They infuse real tea into the lip balms for authentic flavors and antioxidant properties! Their Chai Tea Latte Lip Balm has a hint of sweetness and the warmth of cinnamon and spices.

Check out my full review of the Bare English Lip Balms!

5) Wide-Brim Hats - Vegan Floppy Hat from askidas on Etsy

This hat is just adorable. Bring out your inner Carmen Sandiego with this handmade, wide-brimmed red hat made from eco & vegan friendly acrylic felt.

6) Insulated Bottle - ''Dark Hearted'' Swell Bottle

Keep your beverages warm and full of love. I have this bottle in the ''Sweet Mint'' color, but this one is just too cute. These bottles are the best I've tried. They are versatile because you can use it for both hot or cold drinks, and it really does keep its temperature for HOURS. It's also great for travelling!


That's all I have for today, keep warm and happy! :D

Cauliflower Overload & Healthy Shepherd's Pie Recipe

This recipe was inspired by one of those last-minute improvisation meals. I had some leftover meatless ground beef and a head of cauliflower in the fridge. Ok I'll admit that I bought three heads of cauliflower at the grocery store that week because they were on sale. I'm a sucker for a deal on produce!

What did a gal do with all that cauliflower? As per usual, I cut some up and froze it. I also made Cauliflower Buffalo Wings from the PETA website, which were fantastic by the way.

I had some similar "wings" at a local Ottawa restaurant and was inspired to make some at home. They turned out really good, even omnis approved!

I still had lots of cauliflower left so I made a Cauliflower-cream mac and cheese dish.  This is my favorite homemade mac and cheese sauce to make, comparatively to cashew or non-dairy cheese based recipes. I'm still tweaking my recipe for this, so stay tuned!

After this, I STILL had more cauliflower! What's a girl to do? Cauliflower mash. And then I put it in a shepherd's pie. How very French-Canadian of me ;)

I made them in individual servings because it's easy to serve and keep extras for lunches. And of course, because they are so much cuter!

Mini Healthy Shepherd's Pies

Ingredients:

For the cauliflower mash: Roughly 2 cups of chopped cauliflower
1/4 - 1/3 cup of potato starch or potato flour (depending on how thick you like your mash)
1/2 cup of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon of vegan butter or oil (optional)
1 teaspoon of onion powder
A dash of garlic powder
A dash of salt

For the shepherd's pie: 3-4 small ramekins
1 batch of cauliflower mash (above)
1 cup of meatless ground beef
1/2 cup of canned corn (I used creamed corn but you can use regular corn if you like)
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds (also called flaxseed meal)
2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
Ketchup, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Boil the chopped cauliflower in a saucepan for 15-20 minutes until it is soft. A fork should slide easily through the pieces. Drain out most of the water. You want it to be damp, but not so wet that you have a soup at the bottom. Add in the potato starch, nutritional yeast, vegan butter or oil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and mix thoroughly. It should have a thick consistency like mashed potatoes.

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Divide your meatless ground beef between your ramekins and pat down to make a somewhat smooth surface. Spread the corn on top the same way. Scoop out some cauliflower mash and fill the ramekin to the top. I like to smooth out the top again but that's totally optional. Sprinkle the flaxseeds and nutritional yeast on top of the mash. This will make a kind of crust and will turn golden in the oven.

Place the ramekins in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the mash starts to brown slightly. Wait 10 minutes to serve, they will be very hot. Serve with ketchup if that's your thing. Enjoy!

Restaurant: A Thing for Chocolate

I have a thing for A Thing for Chocolate. That's right, I've been there many times and I won't stop! There's buzz going on about this hidden gem in the Hintonburg neighbourhood of Ottawa. They even received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor! The French-themed restaurant has an extensive menu of sweet and savory crepes, coffee and mocha drinks. 

The owner, Omar, has developped a seperate vegan crepe menu and keeps

Sensory Deprivation Tanks... Experience Absolutely Nothing!

Tank Action is Ottawa's first and only flotation spa and I had the wonderful opportunity to try out a session. Their location is a beautiful and clean space with a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of clean towels to go around. Their services, however, are completely unique. They have sensory deprivation tanks that block out all sensation, creating an environment to bring you to the deepest relaxation level while still being conscious.

Inside the 5x8 feet tanks, there is no sound, no light, and no sense of feeling at all. The water in the tank contains thousands of pounds of Epsom salts, causing your body to float completely, and is heated to the same temperature as your body. This type of therapy has helped people who deal with stress, chronic pain, mental and physical illnesses. Learn more about floating here.

An inside look at Green Beaver Company

Note: This is a repost of my original article written for the terra20 blog.

Green beaver is a family-owned natural products company that has been around for 13 years. They prioritize using local, organic and natural ingredients which reduce harmful chemical exposure to humans as well as reducing environmental impact on the planet.

Before starting the business, Alain and his wife Karen were working in the chemical industry. It wasn't until they were starting a family that they really became concerned about the dangers of harsh chemicals. To create more choices for those looking to make a change, they started Green Beaver.

When developing the products, they made sure everything was in line with their ethical standards. They do not test on animals, nor do they use animal ingredients in the products (with the exception of the local organic beeswax in the sunscreens and lip balms). They also do not use any palm oil in any of their products for ecological and ethical reasons. They want everyone to be able to safely use the products, which is why they chose to have a gluten-free facility and the majority of the products are nut-free as well. Green Beaver has an open-door policy; they have nothing to hide and encourage visits to their factory.

Book Launch: Will Travel For Vegan Food

My friend Kristin wrote a book! And it’s officially out in the world as of today!! If you enjoy REAL life stories about adventure, following your dreams, travel, and inspiration definitely get your hands on a copy of... Will Travel for Vegan Food : A Young Woman’s Solo Van-Dwelling Mission to Break Free, Find Food, & Make Love 
http://amzn.to/1HxkI0l


Watch the trailer:

I’m absolutely in love with this memoir! Talk about inspiration and following your dreams!!
Get your copy here: http://amzn.to/1HxkI0l

The Matcha Series: Green Milk In My Cereal

I've been relying on cereal bowls the past couple of weeks. It's a quick breakfast fix that can be just as healthy (or not!) as you make it. 

This is my favorite combo right now: organic puffed rice cereal, coconut shreds, hemp seeds, walnut pieces and green milk. Green milk, you say? That's my secret to adding an extra boost of nutrition and flavor. Oh and let's not forget the healthy levels of caffeine to kickstart the day ;) See the recipe below.