Category: Lifestyle Tips

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Vegan Lifestyle Apps

veganlivingbydanielle

Going vegan can be tough at times, but we live in an age where information is readily available at your fingertips! Here are some apps that can make the transition easier:

  • Is It Vegan?: This app is my favorite so far! You scan the barcode of the product you’re looking to buy and it will tell you if it’s vegan or not and if it’s not, it tells you the ingredients that make it not vegan. Super handy and easy! The one downfall is that it can be difficult to work sometimes. The first time I used it I had to scan the bar code a few times before it read it correctly, but definitely worth it!
  • Animal-Free: This app I haven’t used too much yet because the scanner on “Is It Vegan?” is so dang handy. However, it is super useful for research on different ingredients that are derived from animals. It has the option to view all non-vegan ingredients, ingredients that are always derived from animals, and ingredients that sometimes come from animals but could also be vegan and derived from plants or other sources. There’s a little V in the bottom corner and it changes your view to show vegan ingredients!

More advanced vegan apps:

  • Bunny Free: I like this app for finding if products I’m interested in buying are cruelty-free. It has a barcode scanner and you can also search by brand. However, it’s not as in-depth as I like to go when purchasing beauty products. For example, Pureology is listed as cruelty-free but it’s owned by L’Oreal. L’Oreal tests on animals, so personally I wouldn’t buy from Pureology, but it has the PETA leaping bunny approval.
  • peta2: I LOVE this app!!! By simply sharing photos or posts, changing your phone wallpaper, or clicking a button to email companies to offer vegan options or stop animal abuse you accumulate points. You can then use those points to get free stuff! I earned a water bottle and a t-shirt through this app and am almost able to get another tee! If you love how this app allows you to help animals from your phone, also consider the PETA app. This app has different campaigns from the peta2 app, but you don’t earn points toward free PETA gear.

Vegan SuperHero App:

  • buycott: This app is amazing because there are a bunch of causes you can “support” on the app. When you scan the barcode of a product, the app tells you if the company supports your cause or goes against it. You can click the causes the brand you scanned supports and the ones that conflict and find out more. For example, I support to end animal testing and pro-right to know for GMO labelling; I scanned a can of Progresso Vegetable soup and it says they support to end animal testing (yay!) but conflicts with the GMO labeling. The details actually showed that Progresso donated millions of dollars against GMO labeling and buycott provides a link to source their claims. With this app I decided to put the soup back on the shelf and opt for a brand that didn’t conflict with my views.

These are just a few apps I’ve tried and like. If you have any apps that I didn’t list please share them in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading!

xo,

Danielle

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Protein Powders

veganlivingbydanielle

Hey there! If you’re looking to lead a vegan life and love fitness like me, I have some tips for you about vegan protein! Many people think vegan protein powder has to cost a fortune and is gross, well it absolutely does not have to be either of those things! Here are my ratings on just a few vegan protein powders I’ve tried that you can find at most any Target, and sometimes Marshalls/TJMaxx has it which is nice because they generally have lower prices. I included links to these all in the vanilla flavor because I think it’s the best flavor to have on it’s own, plus you can add some coffee to it in the morning for breakfast, or mix it into a fruit smoothie!

Vega Sport Performance Protein: By far my favorite! It has the most protein of their line and also has things like BCAAs, probiotics (which is good for digestion) and superfoods like turmeric. It’s also pretty low cal!

Vega Protein and Greens: Very good flavor, texture can be a little weird because of the “greens” part.

Olly Nourishing Smoothie: This vanilla protein powder is super yummy! I didn’t like it at first because I mixed it with vegan milk, but is too think. I really suggest mixing this powder with water. This is probably the yummiest of the powders but doesn’t have as much protein and nutrients as the Vega powders.

If you’re not necessarily looking for a protein shake on it’s own, but a protein powder to add to smoothies or foods try the Manitoba Harvest brand. Some Targets and grocery stores carry it, but it’s organic and the non-flavored proteins don’t have much taste, which I like when you’re adding it to food or smoothies.

Please comment below for any yummy, wallet-friendly vegan protein powders!

***Stay away from soy based protein powders if you’re consuming daily! It is not recommended to consume soy products daily and I found out the hard way. I was consuming GNC’s soy protein powder once and sometimes twice a day and got more chunky! I lost about 5 lbs when I switched to non-soy protein powder and that was the only variable I changed at the time in my diet/exercise.***

Thanks for reading!

xo,

Danielle

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Vegan Documentaries

veganlivingbydanielle

Hey everyone! I wanted to learn more about meat and dairy industries and why going vegan is good for the environment, but most of these documentaries are too graphic and unbearably sad.

For anyone looking to educate themselves more about the vegan lifestyle without the sad parts, I highly recommend watching the documentary, Live and Let Live! It’s a great film that doesn’t show photos or footage of animals being killed or abused like a lot of vegan documentaries do. It is a compilation of stories from many people who you might not expect to go vegan and lots of reasons to go vegan! There are stories of witnessed abuse that is very sad, but not as bad as the footage normally included.

So if you’re considering a vegan lifestyle, looking to get more facts about your existing vegan lifestyle, or know someone who is thinking of going vegan, watch this documentary! It’s available on Netflix streaming.

UPDATE: Also check out Game Changers to learn more about health benefits of veganism!

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Quinoa: Faux Fancy

veganlivingbydanielle

Quinoa (keen-wah) certainly sounds very fancy, which makes it seem like a rare delicacy. Contrary to how the name makes the food sound, it is super easy to cook and very accessible! If you’re going vegan, it’s time to get cozy with quinoa! It is an excellent source of lean, vegan protein (about 8 grams of protein per 1 cooked cup; as stated by the USDA), it goes with pretty much anything you want to cook, and it’s tasty served cold or warm. Quinoa barely takes any time to prep and takes 15 minutes to cook thoroughly.

Here’s how easy it is:

  1. Measure your desired serving of quinoa and put that in a pot.
    • One cup of dry quinoa fits well in a standard small sauce pan. It makes for about 4 servings once cooked depending on the recipe and your appetite!
  2. Double the size of your first serving for the amount of water.
    • If you used 1 cup quinoa, that’s 2 cups of water.
  3. Cook on high until the water comes to a boil.
    • Start a timer for 15 minutes from when you turn the stove on.
  4. Once it comes to a boil, cover and put the burner on low or low-medium for the remainder of the time.

Quinoa makes a good base for many dishes, and its flavor compliments so many different meals. It is also pretty delicious cooked without spices and served as a side!

*Vegan Pro Tip: If plain quinoa is too bland for your liking, try substituting the water in the recipe for vegetable broth! Super easy and super yummy. 😉

Where do I find quinoa, you ask? You can find quinoa in major grocery stores (also at Target and Walmart) in the same aisle as rice or in the natural foods section if they have one. Also, if you have a membership at a wholesale club like Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s, this might be an ingredient to save for your trip. It’s definitely better to buy grains in bulk!

Quinoa varies in color: white (or “traditional”), red, and black. These different grain colors don’t affect the taste noticeably, but some claim that the texture of the traditional quinoa is more fluffy and red or black grains can be more crunchy. Personally, I haven’t noticed much of a difference other than the colors!

Stay tuned for some quinoa based, protein packed recipes!

xo,

Danielle