Tag: lifestyle

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Recycle Plastic Packaging

veganlivingbydanielle
How to Recycle Plastic Packaging
Plastic wrapping and packaging that I consumed in 30 days.

There are many societal benefits to adopting a vegan lifestyle besides the most commonly known animal rights. These are environmental conservation, health, and human rights. Therefore, many vegans are concerned with environmental issues, such as the excessive use of plastic and pollution.

If environmental protection and conservation are something you care about as many vegans do, the sight of plastic packaging and other waste will make you groan. You CANNOT recycle these plastics in regular recycling with materials like cardboard, glass, and aluminum as it clogs the processing machinery and causes many headaches for the facility’s workers. Plastic is over-used in retail and therefore can be difficult to avoid as a consumer. When plastic is thrown in landfill, it does not often stay there. It is light, gets blown around, and can end up causing harm to animals and polluting our water. When plastic is in the water, it can look like marine life and is eaten. This is killing marine life and causing a major shift in the ecosystem.2

What you can do is decrease plastic consumption as much as possible and recycle as much as you can.

To decrease consumption, you can bring reusable bags with me for every shopping trip (repurpose an old t-shirt), use reusable produce bags, reusable “ziploc” bags (find some here and here), reusable sandwich wrap, silicone lids, biodegradable bags for pets and for trash bags, and buy with less plastic packaging when possible. You might still find yourself so upset by the amount of plastic with which you end up. You may have noticed boxes at certain retail locations, like Target or chain grocery stores, for collecting used plastic shopping bags. Most places with these receptacles also recycle similar plastic materials. Target is a location that definitely accepts plastic wrapping other than plastic bags. You can go to http://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org, type in your zip code to find locations with these recycle bins near you.

Please recycle only clean, dry plastic bags and film. Remove receipts or any other items from bags.

Here are some examples of plastics that can be recycled in these bins3:

  • Retail, carryout, produce, newspaper, bread, and dry cleaning bags (clean, dry and free of receipts and clothes hangers)
  • Zip-top food storage bags (clean and dry)
  • Plastic shipping envelopes (remove labels), bubble wrap and air pillows (deflate)
  • Product wrap on cases of water/soda bottles, paper towels, napkins, disposable cups, bathroom tissue, diapers, and female sanitary products
  • Furniture and electronic wrap
  • Plastic cereal box liners (but if it tears like paper, do not include)
  • Any film packaging or bag that has the How2Recycle Label shown at right

Do not include3:

  • Degradable/compostable bags or film packaging
  • Pre-washed salad mix bags
  • Frozen food bags
  • Candy bar wrappers
  • Chip bags
  • Six-pack rings

Please consider taking these steps to decrease plastic

I hope this helps you with decreasing and recycling of plastic packaging!

 

Sources:
1 – https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-plastic-bag-ban-recycling-0731-biz-20150730-story.html
2 – https://ntepa.nt.gov.au/waste-pollution/plastic-bag-ban/environmental-impacts
3 – https://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/recycling-bags-and-wraps/plastic-film-education-individuals/learn-whats-recyclable/
Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Tips for Cooking Beans

veganlivingbydanielle

Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit…

It’s a topic we don’t talk about enough, but there are ways to cook or consume beans to reduce uncomfortable gas. Beans cause gas because they are complex carbs and have sugars (healthy sugars) that cause gas as they break down in our digestive tract.

**Note: This post is not intended to replace a visit to a medical specialist. I am not licensed or certified to give medical advice. This list contains suggestions that I have personally found useful.**

  1. Progressively add beans into your diet so your body can get used to digesting them.
  2. Avoid eating fruit or other sugary foods at least two hours before or after consuming beans. Adding different types of sugars makes digestion harder and produces more gas.
  3. Don’t just drain canned beans, but rinse them thoroughly.
  4. Chew your food slowly. The process of digesting foods begins in your mouth. The more the food is broken down before entering your digestive tract, the less work has to be done by your stomach and intestines, where gas produces.
  5. Don’t have a meal that combines beans and potatoes. Potatoes also have sugars that conflict with the sugars in beans that makes digestion more difficult.
  6. Avoid cooking meals that combine beans with other proteins. Each type of protein requires different enzymes and they don’t play nicely together.
  7. Make sure your meal is made up by 75% veggies to aid digestion.
  8. Be aware of the types of beans you consume. Mung beans, lentils, and peas have high protein, and produce less gas.
  9. Drink herbal tea after your meal. Certain herbs can reduce uncomfortableness associated with gas. Teas with ginger, peppermint, and/or fennel work best. (Try these: Simply Balanced by Target and Traditional Medicinals.)
  10. Consider seeing a specialist.

 

sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/diana-herrington/pass-on-the-gas-7-ways-to_b_3080786.html 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3228670/

 

Recipes, Uncategorized

Wheat-Free Banana Bread

veganlivingbydanielle

Vegan Living by Danielle | Wheat-Free Banana Bread

These banana bread muffins are so satisfying and delicious! I don’t feel guilty eating them either because all the ingredients are healthy (in moderation).

If you want the bread to be gluten-free, make sure that the oats are certified gluten-free. Sometimes oats are mixed with other, non-wheat, grains.

Some people are, but I’m not a huge fan of the hint of coconut flavor, so I love to use butter flavored coconut oil in the batter and to grease the pan too! Vegetable oil is another oil you could substitute for coconut oil.

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium-size ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 and 3/4 + 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, divided
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or line muffin tin or pan.
  2. In a mixing bowl, mash the 2 bananas.
  3. Mix in peanut butter, nut milk, syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. (Highly recommend adding the peanut butter first. I dropped it in after the milk and syrup…things got messy.)
  4. Use a blender or food processor to grind the 1 and 3/4 cup oats to a very coarse flour as shown below. (Finer flour will yield a final product with a gummy texture.)

Vegan Living by Danielle | Oats for Banana Bread

  1. Mix the coarse oat flour, the 1/2 cup whole oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the batter.
  2. Once you have a relatively smooth batter, mix in chocolate chips!
  3. Scoop into your pan or muffin tin.
  4. Use a spatula or knife to spread the batter across the pan. (It doesn’t need to be perfect, just get it into all the corners.)
  5. Cook the bread for 30 minutes, muffins for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the muffins. (I cooked my 6 large muffins for 20 minutes.)
  6. Check if the middle of the bread is cooked with a toothpick or fork.
  7. Set bread to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
  8. If you greased the pan instead of using a liner, use a fork or knife to carefully remove the bread from the pan.

Enjoy!

Recipes, Uncategorized

Corn Chowder

veganlivingbydanielle

I have missed chowder so much! A perfect mix between the New England and Rhode Island style chowders. Feel free to substitute more non-dairy milk for water and add extra cornstarch for a chowder that is more creamy.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter flavored coconut oil
  • 1 cup white onion, diced (about 1 small onion)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup celery, chopped (about 4-5 stalks)
  • 1 cup carrots, chopped (about 4-5 carrots)
  • 2 cups unsweetened, original non-dairy milk
  • 4 1/2 cups of canned sweet corn (about 28oz)
  • 2 cups potato, diced (about 1 medium potato. Peel potatoes if you prefer, I leave them on because a lot of the nutrients are there.)
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Chowder Ingredients | Vegan Living by Danielle

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, over medium heat, sauté the onions in oil until soft.
  2. Once the onions are soft, add the water, celery, and carrots. Cook for 12 minutes.
  3. Add non-dairy milk, corn, potatoes, and spices. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over medium-low heat.
  4. Serve warm. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Enjoy!

Meal Prep Tip: Let the chowder cool, stir, and portion into 8oz – 12oz Tupperware to take with you for lunch! I can normally eat the same thing for lunch for the whole week and not get tired of it, but if you like more variety, throw a couple of the Tupperwares in the freezer. Just be sure to leave about an inch or more of space because liquid expands when it is frozen and you don’t want to crack the Tupperware. Also, I have found that soup can look a little strange as it defrosts, so don’t be alarmed if it does. Stir it up and thoroughly heat in the microwave or on the stove.

Corn Chowder | Vegan Living by Danielle

Recipes, Uncategorized

Auntie’s Apple Casserole

veganlivingbydanielle

I have had this recipe for a while and make it every week. I have had a hard time choosing a name, which delayed my post.

I originally made it as a dessert, but it’s so healthy that I started having it for breakfast too. The first time I made this for a family gathering – Christmas 2017. My Auntie Diane kept raving how delicious it was and got several helpings! I love when my family enjoys what I bake, and her praises mean so much to me. Every week since then, when I make the casserole, I think of her. Cancer took Auntie Diane from us a few months ago, but I continue to think of her whenever I bake it. It’s for this reason, I decided to title this dish “Auntie’s Apple Casserole.”

Auntie's Apple Casserole | Vegan Living by Danielle

Ingredients:

  • 3 large apples; peeled, cored & sliced (best apples for baking: Cortland, Empire, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith…I used Crispin and I loved it)
  • 8 oz of fresh cranberries (alternatively, you can use 1 cup of craisins and/or raisins, or any combo of the 3! Be creative! Fresh cranberries are tart, raisins and craisins will be sweet)
  • 1 cup Old Fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 cup syrup

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300F.
  2. Prep the apples.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the apple slices with cranberries, craisins, and/or raisins.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients.
  5. Pour the mixed dry ingredients into the bowl of fruit and lightly toss to coat the fruit evenly. If this is difficult, put all the fruit and dry ingredients in a container with a lid, seal the lid, and shake it!
  6. Dump the fruit mixture into a casserole dish.
  7. Drizzle the syrup evenly over the top.
  8. Place the lid on the casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
  9. Before serving, allow to cool for about 5 – 10 minutes with the lid on.
  10. Serve warm alone, with non-dairy ice cream or non-dairy whipped cream, or allow to completely cool and serve it cooled.

Enjoy!

3 Apples | Vegan Living by Danielle

Apple Ingredients | Vegan Living by Danielle

Mixed Up | Vegan Living by Danielle