Tag: vegetarian

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Veganize Your Holiday!

veganlivingbydanielle

Hi everyone!

With Easter around the corner, I’m here to share some tips on how to make lots of dishes vegan! Lots of holiday recipes call for milk or butter, but lucky us! We live in an era where vegan substitutes for non-vegan items are becoming more accessible and taste better than in the past.

Here are some tips to a vegan or dairy-free holiday:

You can create a vegan form of a recipe by swapping out dairy milk for unsweetened, original soy milk!

You can also do this with butter by using Earth Balance spread or stick instead. Also, check the ingredients of some margarines for “Contains Milk,” because some margarines are made with milk, but some use olive oil or soy ingredients instead, like Country Crock Calcium plus Vitamin D spread.

Vegan candy for Easter baskets! Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, Air Heads, Dots, Mike and Ikes, Smarties, Dum Dums, Fireball, Jolly Ranchers, and Blow Pop! Most dark chocolates don’t contain milk, but always double check the label. Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter cups are vegan and Target’s vegan chocolate selection has been expanding!

Hoppy Easter!

 

xo,

Danielle

 

Recipes, Uncategorized

Power Packed Quinoa

veganlivingbydanielle

Power Packed Quinoa | Vegan Living by Danielle

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch kale (sub spinach if desired)
  • 1 lg sweet potato
  • 1/2 cup dry quinoa
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 sm yellow onion
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 cloves garlic (sub 1 tsp powdered garlic)
  • 1 sm zucchini
  • 1 can of garbanzo beans
  • 1 cup of pine nuts
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp of plain hummus per serving as topping (optional)

Directions:

  1. Cut all leafy greens of kale from stems into pieces roughly the size of a playing card. (The best way to cut kale is to slice directly along the stem, on both sides of the stem, removing the leafy green from the stem entirely. Then cut the greens into desired size. The stems are edible, so feel free to add them to the meal if desired. I like to put the greens into a colander after cutting to rinse.) Set greens aside for later.
  2. Cube the sweet potato and put in a pot with the dry quinoa.
  3. Add 1/4 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp chili powder to the pot.
  4. Add water and put the pot on high heat.
  5. Cover pot and set a timer for 20 minutes, but reduce heat to medium-low once it reaches a boil. (No stirring is necessary while quinoa is cooking.)
  6. Chop onion and place in pan over medium heat with olive oil. **If using garlic cloves, mince garlic and add to the pan now as well. Add powdered garlic later with the other spices.**
  7. Slice zucchini, then cut slices into quarters. Add zucchini, kale, garbanzos, pine nuts, and remainder of the spices (add powdered garlic here).
  8. Cook until all veggies are tender, stirring occasionally.
  9. Serve veggies on a small bed of the quinoa and top with a tablespoon of hummus and a sprinkle of cumin or chili powder if desired.
  10. Enjoy!

Makes approximately 4 servings.

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Fighting Animal Testing

veganlivingbydanielle

Lush Cosmetics | Vegan Living by Danielle

If you’re looking to support a company that makes efforts to end animal testing, I highly recommend checking out Lush Cosmetics. Lush marks their vegan products to make shopping easy. You can put your mind at ease shopping with them because you know you’re supporting a company that is fighting to end animal testing and treating yourself.

I purchased these two items, the Kiss and Charity Pot, a few months ago and love both!

The Kiss smoothed my lips so nicely and left a little tint on my lips. You can just lick it off when you’re done scrubbing too and it surprisingly tastes good! I’ve found this product useful to keep lipsticks from flaking off my lips throughout the day. (My favorite lipstick comes from Kat Von D, Everlasting Liquid Lipstick. It’s also vegan and cruelty free!)

But my favorite is the Charity Pot lotion. I’ve always suffered from extremely dry, sensitive skin, especially in the winter. Over 20+ years I have tried numerous tricks and lotions and nothing stands up to this lotion. I only use a dime sized dollop on my hands right before bed and my skin has never been more soft! Plus all profit from the purchase goes to charity.

Lifestyle Tips, Uncategorized

Cruelty-Free Beauty Products

veganlivingbydanielle

 

Cruelty-Free Brands | Vegan Living by Danielle

Have you ever gotten shampoo, face wash, or soap in your eye in the shower?

Didn’t it burn terribly?

Weren’t you relieved to finally rinse it out completely, even though it still burned?

 

In 2012, an article by the Humane Society International stated that over 100 million animals around the world will die in one year in animal testing laboratories.

You can help end animal testing by purchasing products from companies that don’t test on animals and stop buying products from companies that do test on animals. You can also help by signing this petition with PETA.

To me, being vegan is much more to me than a diet, it’s a lifestyle. It deeply upsets me to think about animals being hurt, mistreated, or killed because of something I want to eat or put on my skin! Whenever I reach for a product that I know is tested on animals, I can’t stop myself from thinking of all the bunnies, dogs, cats, and mice that were tortured in laboratories just so I could use this product for reasons of vanity! Why do we continue to use the same brands that test on animals when there are so many products available that don’t test on animals?!

Cruelty-free brands are much more attainable and affordable than people think, but make sure to do your research. Many companies print on their label that they don’t test on animals, but frequently are owned by companies that do test on animals, which in the long run you are supporting by purchasing from them. Some examples are Maybelline, NYX, Lancome, and Pureology, which are owned by L’Oreal who admitted that their company tests on animals.

Here’s a short list of some cruelty-free beauty product brands you can find at Target, Wal-Mart, and most drug stores!

To aid in your own research, check out my blog post, Vegan Lifestyle Apps, for apps that will help you shop vegan! Also, find an entire list of companies and if they’re certified by Leaping Bunny certified.

Don’t forget, cleaning products like Lysol, Windex, and Febreze are also tested on animals. Look for cruelty free options of these as well, Target carries a lot! Method, Mrs. Meyer’s, Citrus Magic, biokleen, 365 (Whole Foods), Trader Joe’s, Earth Friendly Products (or ECOS), and most DIY cleaners! (My family swears by the mixture of 1 part vinegar to 1 part dish soap and add any essential oils for desired fragrance. Take an old spray bottle, or buy one at the dollar store or Target!)

Companies-That-Do-Test-On-Animals-PETA-new

Recipes, Uncategorized

Easy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

veganlivingbydanielle

Easy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Living by Danielle

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 unsweetened, unflavored soy, hemp, rice, or flax milk
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp garlic
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower
  • at least 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce (Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo)
  • celery sticks (optional)
  • vegan ranch dressing (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
  3. Whisk vegan milk, flour, garlic, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Avoid clumping at the bottom of the bowl by adding the vegan milk first. If you need more batter to coat the cauliflower, add equal parts vegan milk and flour to keep batter consistent. 
  4. Dip the cauliflower in the batter, coating completely.
  5. Shake the cauliflower lightly to remove excess batter before placing on cookie sheet.
  6. Bake 15 minutes until batter is a light gold color.
  7. Remove cookie sheet from oven and use spatula to move cauliflower to a mixing bowl.
  8. Pour buffalo sauce over the cauliflower in the mixing bowl and shake or lightly stir until evenly covered.
  9. Move cauliflower to a serving platter.
  10. Optional: drizzle remaining buffalo sauce from bowl over cauliflower bites. 
  11. Suggested serving with celery sticks and vegan ranch dipping sauce.

Enjoy!