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

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.

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.

Whole Foods opens in Ottawa!

Brace yourself for the visual feast you're about to enjoy. Whole Foods has just opened in Ottawa at the new Landsdowne Park/TD Place. With a plethora of amazing vegan and organic choices, the grand opening was a big success.

I could't resist this sale on organic bananas

Beauty Review: Lush Cosmetics

A little while ago I did a beauty haul post of many Lush Cosmetics products. Now that I've had time to use them and really experience them, I'm spilling all the beans in this review.

Vegan Cuts Tea Lovers Box Video

I jumped on the opportunity to get a sweet special edition box from Vegan Cuts... Tea Lovers! This was such a cool idea, and I'm sharing my findings with you in this video.

Products in this special edition tea box:

Simply Straws - Special Vegan Cuts Engraved Straw

Fried Bananas

Sushi is one of those things that you either love it or hate it. For me, it's an incredible love that sometimes turns abusive (all-you-can-eat is dangerous). One of the highlights of a sushi outing is the fried bananas for dessert, so I set out to re-create them in the simplest way possible.

Repost: There's Bacon in my Cupcake!

As some of you may know, I have recently teamed up with some fabulous ladies to form a blog called The Mindful Mavens. It was started as a way to share various vegan lifestyle options available in Ottawa, including food, businesses, events, etc. Click here to learn more about who we are. I recently wrote this post, which is about cupcakes. Look how gorgeous they are!

The two ladies at The Compassionate Rabbit know how to make a good vegan cupcake. Inspired by their pet rabbits, they aim to share love and compassion through delicious vegan treats. Willing to take on a new challenge, they went to their Facebook fans to decide on a new flavor. It just so happens that they chose mine! What was this winning flavor? Well, Maple Bacon of course.

Not only did they succeed on the flavor notes and a great coconut bacon recipe, but they went above

5 Ingredient Recipe: Miso Soup For One

It's February and it's still cold outside, not a big surprise. Here in Ottawa, we do plenty of crazy things to keep warm, but nothing warms me up like a nice big bowl of soup. Not only is it delicious, but miso soup is really like the holy grail of soup. It's got the perfect mix of salty broth, sweet onions and tofu protein. And I happen to love Asian food. This recipe was incredibly easy and fast, you'll love it!

Beauty Review: Bare English Co. Lip Balms

Lip products and winter go together like peanut butter and jelly. We all know that finding a suitable lip balm is a harder task than it may initially seem. It needs the right scent, flavor, packaging etc.. but the right texture is one of its most important components. Achieving a smooth “non-sticky” application can be pretty tricky for producers of such products, especially without using any animal products or harmful chemicals (petroleum jelly, parabens, etc). Since the average woman consumes 2 kilograms (yep, that's kilos my friends) of lip products in her lifetime, it’s important to avoid nasty dangerous chemicals.  [Source: Terra20]

Like most women, I have a huge stash of lip products. They are hidden in every coat, every purse, hidden in drawers and pant pockets all around me. Also, vegans are always on the hunt for really good vegan lip balms, since they are sometimes hard to find. This is why I was so excited to have won a pack of 3 Bare English Lip Balms from Andrea Tomkins’ blog, A Peek Inside The Fishbowl. I put them to the test, and January is one of the best times to do this, in full blown Canadian winter. 

5 Ways To Like Salad More

We've all made resolutions to eat healthier. You start off great and then you realize all you've been eating is quinoa and lettuce. Let's talk salad... urgh. If vegans got pennies for every time they got offered a salad, they would be rich. *daydreaming*... But let's not get carried away here, the real issue today is salad's bad rep. In general, people don't love salad. We might enjoy it after a week of winter comfort foods (guilty), as a nice light lunch, etc. But we don't LOVE it, we don't lust after it. We seem to lack the excitement and enthusiasm that other foods give us, such as pancakes on a weekend morning. Here, I give you my tips to bring back that love for a big bowl of crunchy freshness.

Photo from www.care2.com : Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes

5 Ingredient Recipe: Spiced Apple Pie Oatmeal

It's that time of year again! We start taking out our cozy scarves, hats and mitts. We crave warm and comforting meals... We've had our first real snowfall here in Ottawa, and now the holiday cheer is fully present everywhere. That's the only thing getting me through the cold weather. Well, that and my nights in, knitting and listening to jazzy holiday tunes.
This oatmeal recipe is perfect for this time of year. Yes, I know this is just another oatmeal recipe, but it's my go-to when I want something easy, warm and hearty. With only 5 ingredients, you have no excuses! And, who wouldn't want to eat apple pie for breakfast?

Beauty Review: Purple Urchin

You need soap. P.U.

Probably one of the best slogans I've ever heard. Why? The "P.U." not only stands for "pee-you" (you stink), it also stands for the brand Purple Urchin. Genius! This is an Ottawa-based homemade soap and body product company that was originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (shout out to my Northern Ontario peeps!).

Here's a little bit about their products: (excerpt taken from their About Us page)

Our goal in making this soap was to make a wide variety of soap that contained only vegetable oils and delicious fragrances, while avoiding the use of unnecessary chemicals. We wanted to make soap that felt luxurious and would not strip the skin of moisture, and that was as natural as possible while still offering a wide range of scents...

Purple Urchin soap is not tested on animals, nor do we use lard or tallow in our soap. Most of our products are 100% vegan-friendly, and all are 100% vegetarian-friendly, and biodegradable. We refrain from using palm oil in our soaps since the demand is extremely high...

Being environmentally-friendly is also extremely important to us in our everyday business operations, and we try to reduce waste and to use as many recyclable and/or recycled products as possible. We also use local, Ontarian, and Canadian suppliers whenever possible...

Coco-Berry Oatmeal

My last post was about pancakes. This one is about oatmeal. You can tell I like breakfast foods! Just like pancakes, oatmeal can be customized in limitless ways. Every once in a while I do something crazy with my add-ins and it actually turns out pretty delicious. I've had this huge jug of coconut oil that I've had for months, so I'm always trying to find ways to use it up. When I bought it, I didn't realize it was unrefined. I got a big surprise when I opened it and found out it smells and tastes very coconut-y. It's a good thing I like that flavor!

I've also been playing around with cranberries and goji berries lately, putting them in salads, cereal, trail mix, and most recently oatmeal. I came up with this recipe for some tasty tropical oatmeal. This mix packs a solid blend of nutrients to kick-start your day with protein, carbs, antioxidants, fats, and of course the deliciousness... That counts as a nutrient, right? The best part about this recipe is that the measurements are totally up to you. You can mix and match and add more mix-ins all you want with this, just make sure the oats/water ratio stays proportional.

Pancakes with Red Wine Peaches

I looooove pancakes!

This little plate of heaven is all from improvising in the kitchen! There's something so exciting about starting to cook and having no idea what will come out of it. One day, I woke up at my usual weekday alarm time on my day off. What do you do when that happens? Make pancakes. Always make pancakes if you're up early on a day off. Why? Because by the time they are done it's a decent hour and pancakes are a classic weekend breakfast food. Queue the nostalgia.

The Green Diet?

I'm sorry for my recent absence lately, busy busy! Today is actually my graduation day! I'm so excited, it's finally here! Here's what I've been up to: this blog post came about pretty unexpectedly... What kind of diet is the Green Diet?

Okay, so it's not actually a diet per say, but I've noticed a trend in my diet lately. Most of my meals are mainly composed of... green! The staples have been green smoothies, and then just about anything green tends to make its way onto my plate. Here are some examples of my recent foods;

*The Works veggie burger with avocados, spinach and sundried tomatoes

5 Ingredient Recipe: Kale and Carrot Stir-Fry

Wow, April already! Time sure flies by when you've got exams to study for, a school club to run and an apartment to pack up. Here's another 5 Ingredient Recipe.

This was one of those leftover madness dishes that happen to turn out really, really good. After making this batch of fabulous carrot and cucumber sushi rolls, I had lots of shredded carrots and rice leftover.

I'm always trying to fit more greens into my diet. Kale is my go-to green because not only does it taste fabulous, but it's also a nutrient superstar. There is a great business in Sudbury, ON called Adoro that sells this amazing selection of infused and flavoured olive oils and balsamic vinegars. I had purchased a great sampler pack from them at a women's show a few months ago, and I've been incredibly impressed with the quality of their products. Today, I'm using the Wild Mushroom & Sage flavoured olive oil because I think the flavours work really well with the other ingredients.

5 Ingredient Recipe: Grilled Apples with Hazelnut-Maple Caramel

There I go again, another 5 Ingredient Recipe for my lovely readers, and it's a sugar-free desert this time! This one was a very spur-of-the-moment post, here's why:
If you have ever had supper with me, you would know that when I finish supper, I usually want to have a little something sweet to finish it off. It turns out, I'm the queen of throwing random ingredients together after dinner and making up a desert as I go. While I'm still working on emptying pantry items, I had a huge bag of apples that were starting to go bad. So I cut them up and grilled them, of course! I already had our George Foreman Grill (our awesome yard sale find!) set up from supper, so I used it again for desert. Why not! I wanted some sort of dip for them, and to the pantry I went. Maple syrup, hazelnut butter and cinnamon answered my call. This sweet yummy dish turned out to be extremely easy and sugar-free too!
I have to warn you, it doesn't photograph very well, and neither do I. It would seem that I need to do more collaborations with Myriam from Beauteoptic. And by collaborations, I mean using her photography skills for my blog. So, I'm sorry about the awful photo, but here is the turn out: