Vegan Living
December 29th, 2013
100% Pure Pink Box Cosmetic Review!
Hey Everyone! So my mother in law was sweet enough to give me the Pink Box Gift Set from 100 Percent Pure for Christmas so I thought we would do a quick review! Enjoy!
Part 1 of the fun!
Part 2 of the fun!
December 24th, 2013
VeganCuts Review of December 2013 Snack Box!
We hope everyone is having a fantastic Holiday season and our gift to you is a in depth review for the December 2013 Snack Box from Vegan Cuts!
As you can see from the videos, we are kind of....well...dorky so we hope you enjoy the review and get a kick out of it.
If you like the idea of vegan cuts, you should visit there site! www.vegancuts.com
Love,
Allie & Ian
December 10th, 2013
Quick Review of 100 Percent Pure Skincare Gift Set- Super Fruit, Age Correction
I'm just heading to bed but thought I would do a quick review on the skincare line I am trying out! Sweet Dreams!
December 8th, 2013
November’s VeganCuts Review!!
About a month ago, my husband and I came across an awesome monthly subscription service called VeganCuts that sends you a box of vegan goodies each month! They offer a snack box option and/or a beauty box option but as Ian is not big into cosmetics (lol) we decided the snack box would be a lot of fun to try and review for everyone! They send out the box on the 20th of each month and, depending where you are, it can take 1-3 weeks to reach you. You can visit their site for more details!
We thought giving both of our opinions would be a great idea as I love some things he dislikes and vice versa.
If you are curious about one of the products, just click on the picture and it will bring you to their information page. (How helpful are we??!!)
Snap peas
Allie- They had a definite peppery smell, which would usually be a negative for me as I am not big into pepper BUT the flavor was not over the top at all. I really enjoyed them! They reminded me of the texture of a cheezie. I could definitely see me buying these as a snack. I gave it a 7.
Ian- Says there is not much flavor at first but the pepper comes through more right after you eat them. He liked how the pepper flavor lingered. He really liked the textures and would buy them again he gave them a 7 as well.
Pumpkin Cookie
Allie – I thought it had a very strong pumpkin seasoning smell which was alright. The cookie was soft but certainly did not have the consistency of a fresh baked Cookie. The flavor was strong. This was not a favorite at all. I gave it a 4.
Ian –The cookie had a strong nutmeg taste and was not delicate in the spices. He thought the cookie was soft but crumbled easily. I was surprised but he actually liked this. He gave it a 6.
Caramel bite
Allie - I thought the caramel inside was nice but the chocolate was nothing special. It was good but not as good as I was hoping. I was hoping for more flavor in the caramel. I gave them a solid 6.
Ian - He thought the chocolate was nicer than the caramel and thought the caramel lacked flavor. It was not a big fan over all. He gave it a 4.
Snackimals
Allie – I really liked these and would order them in a heartbeat! I thought they were light and crispy with a great cinnamon flavor. The shapes are adorable and when we have kids I would happily give these as a treat. I gave it a solid 10.
Ian – He was also a fan and thought the cinnamon had a delicate flavor & the texture gave a great crunch. He said it was Delicious. He gave it an 8.
Multi seed cracker
Allie – These smelled like Peanut butter to me which is funny since there are no peanuts in them, lol! I liked the salty flavor and it had a big crunch to it. It would be great with hummus. Some people might find the salt flavor overpowering but I think these would be great when I am craving salt. I gave them an 8
.
Ian – Found these to be very salty and would need hummus. He thought they would be great with Salsa too, gave them a 6.
Chickpeas
Allie –I really wanted to like these but they were just not nice to me. There was a powdery texture when chewing and a very underwhelming aroma since they are supposed to be cinnamon flavored. I also found they left a coating in my mouth that wasn`t pleasant. I did notice a nice aftertaste. Overall, just no.. I gave them a 2.
Ian –He thought they had a horrible texture and no real flavor. He did notice the nice aftertaste though. He gave it a 3.
Mixtbag
Allie – I loved the smell actually, they smelled like good tortilla chips! They had a great crunch and had salt which was not overwhelming. I would eat these just as is but they would be great with Dip! I have them an 8.
Ian – He felt the same way and said everything I did and suggested Nachos would be great for these. He gave them an 8 as well.
Raw snack
Allie – This has a strong date smell and flavor, which I don`t mind at all. They reminded me of the dehydrated fruit bars you can get, but much thicker and with nuts. I thought the flavor was nice and I would like this very much for hiking, but not as a snack for around the house. I`d give it a 6 as a general snack but a 9 for a trail snack.
Ian – This bar reminded Ian of a Christmas fruit cake, but much nicer. He thought it was very tasty and had a great crunch with the nuts. He said he would love to eat one of these with a square of chocolate. He gave it a 10 followed by a YUM!
Raw rev
Allie – This smells like Cocoa and the texture was not appealing to me. Cocoa and Coconut are the dominant flavors but it’s not something I would eat again. It wasn`t that it was horrible, just not good enough for me to rebuy. I gave it a 5.
Ian - He said it had a weird taste in the background and thought the date and coconut conflicted together. He also thought the texture was odd, gooey then crunch, then soft. He would not rebuy either. He gave it a 4.
Rescue chocolate
Allie – OMG this is my favorite by far! So frigging tasty! I loved the smell so much and the peanut butter filling is sensational! The chocolate coating is excellent & I wanted more! I would give this little gem an 11 if I could!!
Ian - He said he 1000% agreed with my assessment and said this chocolate was way better than the caramel bite bar in the box. He would give this an 11 too!
So all in all we had a great time reviewing the items and, for the most part, loved trying them! If you want to try VeganCuts (and we suggest you do) visit Vegancuts.com
Love,
Allie & ian
December 2nd, 2013
What Keeps Me Motivated - Listen to Podcasts by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
So the second thing I do that keeps me motivated and passionate about living a joyful vegan life in a very non-vegan world is tuning into Vegetarian Food For Thought podcasts by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.
I have mentioned these podcasts previously but I can't stress enough how helpful & comforting they have been. It's a great feeling to know there are others out there working toward the same things and who do so compassionately.
She addresses everything from how to handle the reactions of others toward veganism, to information & advice about all aspects of living a joyful vegan life and how to speak your truth compassionately.
You can find her podcasts on iTunes, Youtube (compassionatecook) or through her website: http://www.compassionatecook.com/publications/food-for-thought-podcast
Trust me, it's well worth a look and it can give you the support and information you need :)
You might also want to consider supporting her work if you get the benefits that I have from them!
Much Love,
Allie
November 24th, 2013
What Keeps Me Motivated - Finding Commuity
I saw a recent Thread in a forum asking people what keeps them motivated with vegetarian/vegan ways of living & it got me to thinking!
So what keeps me a joyful vegan in a world that seems to think I am extreme or crazy or just plain wrong? Well it's not just one thing but many things I have incorporated in my life. I think I will do separate entries on this theme, so today's is.......
Finding a community of like minded people is incredibly important.
It can be very trying to deal with all the questions, comments, remarks or just plain insults on a regular basis from non-vegetarians/vegans, it can wear you down & you need to have a "safe haven" to go to when you want to feel a community, understanding, a bit of " normalcy" and to just recharge your batteries. It can help keep things in perspective that there are, in fact, MANY people out there who share your beliefs and way of living, not just the sometimes difficult folks you encounter on a day to day basis.
You can find these places online or in person. There are many online forums, such as Veggieboards.com that are a community of people dealing with the same things you are. There are also community groups for vegetarians/vegans in many larger areas. They meet up on a monthly basis (or more often) for dinner or a potluck with it's members. It can be a great place to meet friends so check it out! I also would suggest checking to see if your city or town has a vegetarian/vegan society as they are a wealth of information and upcoming events.
I have met friends at vegan or vegetarian restaurants, so check out The Happy Cow website for any places in your area you may not have known about. I have found new places just recently in my area that were added to the site.
Also, when I get to travel, I meet up with people from the online forums at restaurants for dinner! It's great to put a face to the people who are on these supportive sites and have been there for me :)
There are also annual events you can research and plan to go to! There are many cities that have "vegFest" type events that are lots of fun!
The most important thing is to feel that you are not alone, that certainly helps me keep things in perspective on a daily basis. I am blessed to have married a man who has recently gone vegan (after 5 years of vegetarian ) so my support is right at home but for many people, and my self years ago, it's not that ideal.
I hope I have given some good suggestions on this way to keep motivated in a very non veggie friendly world and I will post other ways soon on how I stay motivated as a joyful vegan!
Much Love,
Allie
November 16th, 2013
Amazing Podcast - Vegetarian Food For Thought
Do you know who Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is? We didn`t either until just recently but we (and you!) were missing out. This woman is an incredible advocate and speaker for animals, while being articulate and informative in a compassionate way.
She does a podcast called Vegetarian Food For Thought that has been a blessing for me and my husband. It is so wonderful to hear from someone who has such passion and pairs that with information and humor. She has helped my husband & I handle difficult social situations that we otherwise may have handled in a less compassionate or comfortable way. We are so grateful for her work and we wanted to share!
http://www.compassionatecook.com/publications/food-for-thought-podcast
I also unknowingly had a baking book by her called The Joy of Vegan Baking which is phenomenal so you should really look at getting it if you love to bake or want to learn to do it in a compassionate way.
Are you still here? Why? Go listen! No, seriously, go listen now!
November 16th, 2013
Shampoos & Body Washes & Facial Cleansers OH MY!
So I thought I would share a few of my favorite vegan products I use every day and one I just found, which I am liking a lot.
Live Clean is a company that I found out about a few years ago and have been using ever since. They are completely vegan with certified organic botanicals, and the bottles are recyclable. They are also free from parabens, sulfates, phosphates & petroleum so that’s also great. They are widely available where I am in Shoppers Drugmart, Walmart, Save-on-Foods and tons of other stores. The price is really low and I am happy to see something that works well and is affordable.
I recently also tried Live Clean’s body wash (they have tons of personal care products) and although it’s nice, I am not a huge fan of the scents available. I like things that smell like baking or sweets so this is probably why.
I also stumbled across this face wash from Earth Science in Save-On-Foods this week. It is 100% vegan and I thought I might as well give it a go. It’s been 3 days of use and I am really enjoying it. The scent isn’t bad and it really does clean my face well.
Another company I want to try but haven’t yet is 100% pure. I have heard good things so I am hoping Santa (A.K.A Ian) will bring me some!
When I find more items I will post them and my thoughts on them! It’s always good to know about new vegan products so of course I’ll share!
November 16th, 2013
Meet the Bailey's!
See these people,this completely average looking couple? Well, be warned my friends, they’re vegan! *waits for the audible gasps to subside*
Now that we got that out of the way, hello and welcome to my first blog post! The picture is of me and my husband, Ian & we have been happily married for 5 1/2 years and together for over 8. The story of our meeting is long and completely awkward so let's skip all that and just say that we are made for one another and I am truly blessed to have him in my life.
Now as for the vegan part, neither of us were raised vegans or even vegetarian. We both ate meat for many years and our choice to become vegetarian and then ultimately vegan, were at different times.
I went vegetarian in my early 20s, after trying for a year. I have always felt a connection to animals but it wasn't until then that I made the choice to stop eating animals. I then spent 5 years eating vegetarian and then after our wedding, made the decision to go vegan. (YAY!)
Ian had a different journey where he even used to say he would never date a vegetarian, lol! He moved to Canada to be with me from England (so amazing!) and after a short while decided to eat vegetarian in the house and it was up until our wedding that he ate fish outside.
When I went vegan, he decided to try it himself. He struggled with it more than myself, as I had been eating vegetarian for 5 years and he had just went vegetarian. After 6 months he decided to switch back to vegetarian while still eating 99% vegan at the house. It wasn't until August 2013 that we went to see Blackfish and something clicked in his mind and he came out of the theatre a determined man. As we were traveling home he said “I am going to go vegan, I can't justify it anymore". I was shocked because we have seen many documentaries about the exploitation of animals without a change in him so it took me completely by surprise. I can't recall a time where I have been prouder of him.
It would take me 100000 blogs to even scratch the surface on "who we are" but this is a start.
We are pleased to meet you and hope you enjoy our blog! (We are really nice, I swear! LOL!)
