Tag: Vegan Cruelty Free

Favorites, Friday Favorites, Vegan Cruelty Free

VCF: 5 Friday Favorites

Samantha

Who doesn’t love a little sneak peek into what people are loving these days? Just like the weather, my mood and interests change all the time, much to my husband’s demise. Right now, I’m really into a lot of random things instead of being hyper-focused on one thing, which is quite unlike me. Anyways, I hope you enjoy a peek into my favorites at the moment and I’m curious to know what you’re all loving!

Our New Mini Goldendoodle

Vegan Orange Cranberry Scones

If you want a breakfast that will keep you full for hours, like literally you don’t think about food for hours, then try this decadent vegan treat. Here is the recipe if you want to give it a shot: vegan orange cranberry scones.

Vegan Loafers

If you love some of Gucci’s looks but don’t want to shell out nearly $1,000 for trendy loafers that you maybe won’t love forever, especially if you’re fickle like me, head to Target. I got these red loafers for <$20 on clearance. They’re the perfect pop to a basic outfit and not to mention, it was the perfect hint to red, blue, and white at work the day before the 4th. Being fashionable on a vegan lifestyle is not that hard, and tbh, I’m still transitioning away from my love for luxury to more vegan fashion options.

Avocado Toast

I’ve literally had avocado toast every morning since I first tried it and I am obsessed with it. I made it for the hubs for the first time this past weekend and even he loved it. Eat this and you’re pretty much vegan 😉

Panda Planner

I did buy an iPad Pro and I love it for many things, but I just haven’t figured out a way to substitute it for a good ol’ fashioned planner. The cover of the Panda Planner feels supple to the touch and according to the Panda Planner site, it’s made of pu/vegan leather (and I bet even a cowboy couldn’t tell). Not spon but you can use the code JULY20 for 20% off in the month of July! Or you can buy Panda Planner on Amazon here.

Question of the Day

What are you loving this week?

Vegan Cruelty Free, Vegan Food, weight loss

An Easy (Healthy) Vegan Meal – Avocado Toast

Samantha

Eating out as a vegan usually isn’t hard, but it can be boring, especially in your run-of-the-mill brunch places. My husband and I are fancy, yes, but we aren’t brunch fancy. Don’t get me wrong, I still drink my Evian with my pinky up 😉

I digress. We went to brunch with our lovely neighbors to switch it up (hi neighbors!) and it was a great time! Especially since I had more options than just oatmeal or a side of potatoes. On the menu was (drum roll please) avocado toast! Sorry for the spoiler.

Now believe it or not, but I may be the only vegan on the planet who has never eaten avocado toast. I can hear your gasp, I know. Well, I dove right into the millennial hype and had some and I gotta say, it was ah-may-zing. So I set out to recreate it. Here my friends, is my gift to you: healthy avocado toast.

Healthy Vegan Avocado Toast – What You Need

  • 1 slice of bread (toasted to your preference)
  • 1 tsp of vegan butter
  • 1/2 to 1/4 (depending on the size) of a soft avocado
  • 3-5 grape or cherry tomatoes
  • Everything But the Bagel (EBTB) Seasoning
  • 1/4 of a lemon
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • A handful of arugula (optional)

Directions

  1. Toast your bread
  2. As your bread toasts:
    1. Cut your avocado in half and save the other half or the other quarter (depending on how big your avocado is)
    2. Cut your lemon into a quarter (you’ll only need a pinch, so you’ll end up saving the whole lemon)
    3. Half your cherry or grape tomatoes
  3. Once your bread pops up, spread a bit of your favorite vegan butter (you only need a bit)
  4. Dice your avocado and smush it onto the toast and press down throughout with a fork (really smash it in there)
  5. Top with a handful of arugula and also press that in with your fork.
  6. Top with your grape tomatoes (cut side up for artistic effect and to impress your friends)
  7. Sprinkle EBTB Seasoning on top
  8. Sprinkle with some red pepper flakes (if you like if spicy)
  9. Squeeze a bit of your lemon across the top of your avocado toast
  10. Enjoy!

Question of the Day

Have you tried avocado toast? If so, do you top it with balsamic vinaigrette? What are your favorite toppings?

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
Vegan Cruelty Free, vegan lifestyle, weight loss

One Small (and easy) Step for Quick (and healthy) Weight Losses

Samantha
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or health professional. Please seek advise from your general practitioner before starting a new routine or healthy lifestyle. 

Happy New Year’s Eve Eve! You may be one of the 45% of Americans going into 2019 who resolve to lose weight, and I don’t blame you. While it’s not at the top of my list every year, I can certainly say that it’s been kind of a priority since I was in middle school, and more so when I wanted to join the Varsity Tennis Team in High School. However, I lost weight in both healthy and unhealthy ways. But unlike the majority of New Year’s resolvers who start every year with gumption that fizzles into Netflix and Chillin’ come February 1, I’ve cracked the code to healthy weight loss.  

With that said, look out for a weekly Weight Loss Wednesday series where you can follow along my weight loss journey as a vegan, where I also give you some tips on how to adopt a healthy lifestyle that believe it or not, is not completely about omitting the things you love.

This week, I’m going to share one tip that may help loads of you. 

HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS TIP: Eat Fat, Get Fat 

This is by far the simplest thing you can do. Intaking pure fat is the quickest way to gain actual fat (or add to your adipose tissue). I say pure fat because there’s a difference between pure fat and healthy fats as you probably already know:

Pure Fats – Oil, in any form:

  • Olive oil – reducing the intake of oil is the easiest thing you can do for your weight loss journey 
  • Coconut oil
  • Butter (dairy or vegan)
  • Cheese – reducing the intake of cheese and dairy is probably one of the healthiest things you can do for your body 

Healthy Fats 

  • Avocados
  • Nuts (be aware of serving sizes. A handful can easily be between 300-800 calories). 
  • Chia seeds
  • Cacao nibs
  • Soy beans (keep daily intake low)

If I can’t have oil, what do I cook with? 
When you sauté, cook with water or vegetable stock. Another alternative is cooking spray. 

The rule of thumb is to intake up to 8-10 grams of fat per day at most…

…but more than anything and as with any healthy lifestyle–moderation is key. AND don’t let the scale dictate your day! 

Your changes should not be a diet. They should be a part of a healthy routine that fit your lifestyle. Not the lives of someone you see on Instagram or even your co-worker or friend who’s schedule and day-to-day is completely different from yours. 

I was going back and forth about starting this kind of series. Is this something y’all are interested in?

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