Vegan Eggnog

Believe it or not I was never really much of a fan of eggnog. I always thought it was gross. The BF however loves it and would probably drink it by the gallon from November through February. In an effort to keep crap consumption down I found a healthier more peaceful version of eggnog that I thought many of you might appreciate. I will admit I haven’t tried it yet but after perusing many-a-recipe this seems to be the best.

Ingredients:

•21 oz extra-firm silken tofu
•2 cups soymilk (almond,rice or any other milk you prefer)
•2/3 cup light brown sugar or organic honey
•1/4 tsp salt
•1 cup cold water
•1 cup rum or brandy
•4 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
•20 ice cubes
• organic cinnamon
• organic nutmeg

Preparation:

1. Place the crumbled tofu and soymilk in a blender with the sugar and salt.
2. Blend until very smooth.
3. Scrape this into a large bowl or pitcher, and whisk in the water, rum or brandy, and vanilla.
4. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate until serving time.
5. To serve, blend half of the mixture in the blender with 10 of the ice cubes until frothy.
6. Repeat with the other half.
7. Serve in glasses with nutmeg and cinnamon sprinkled on top.

Green Halloween

Every year I like to do a list of things you can do to help make your Halloween a bit greener for everyone. Here are some trends I noticed last year that I thought would be great to make traditions! I also did some research on other green articles that had excellent tips for this years green Halloween attempts.

1. Make your own costumes! You know you have most of the supplies at home so get on with it. Yes, it can be time consuming and maybe it won’t always look as amazing as a store bought one but DIY will save you money and probably force you to be more creative if you lack sewing skills. I know I have said it before but do you want to spend a ton of money on something you might get one use out of?

2. Buy only organic or vegan candy. Make sure you know where your candy is coming from and what is in it. You might inspire someone else to go green as well. Generally kids don’t know or care as long as they see candy. On holiday’s like this it is about quantity for them not quality so sneak in some good stuff and who knows it might become their new favorite kind.

3. Yeah I’m going to say it…REUSABLE BAGS! I know the pumpkins are traditional but they are crap! Places like Nubius Organics have reusable Halloween bags or make your own! You need things to keep your children occupied in the colder months right! Have them do some work and get creative. You can again save some money.

4. Have a neighborhood Halloween party. Help keep your children save and coordinate with other neighbors on food, costumes and activities. This way you can make sure everyone does their part and most importantly trick or treaters can stay safe. I have notice around me many of the schools host the parties or parents will have one to keep children off of the streets. This cuts down on litter and destruction that generally happens on Halloween not to mention on transportation.

5. Make your own decorations. You know you have ones that you are considering throwing out or some creepy things you have in your attic or basement. Get to using them! You can save money (see a theme here) and reuse stuff you were probably going to throw away. If you have kids you know you have stuff around the house that is “crafty”. Make it a game for your children and get a little cleaning done at the same time. Take time to fix up old or broken decorations.

6. Go local when you need your pumpkins, gourds and produce. This is a great time of year to go to farm stands and local stores. They have amazing produce now! I know in some areas the weather hit pretty hard but you can get your corn stalks and hay from a farm near you. You know a house with real decorations opposed to fake plastic ones is way creepier! Plus you are helping out your local community.

These are all simple and possibly repetitive ways to keep it green. If you follow these simple steps for the years to come you can really impact your children, home and neighborhood! You know that will make you feel down right special so do it!

At Veggie Date you pay a one time fee of $49.95 and you are set to go meeting single veggies of all sorts. Veggie Date isn’t only for dating but meeting other people that share your same values about our environment and animals.
I ready many of the testimonials and must say that most people seem to have gotten married and those who haven’t do not seem disappointed in the least. I love sites like this! Please check out Veggie Date for yourself and let me know what you think.

Anti-Aging, Anti-Blemish Foursome

Natural body care, cosmetics, skin care & more! Shop Ecco Bella today.

Kit Contains:

Discover the skin care with VitaminCells that’s both Anti-Aging & Anti-Blemish

•Age Antidote Day Cream
•Deep Cleansing Gel
•Mist On Toner
•Leave on Exfoliant & Blemish Remedy

Each is enriched with powerful Vitamin Cells. These anti-aging vitamins naturally protect and rejuvenate your skin from stress, sun, environmental aging and blemishes. And all are 70% organic, plus preservative-free, water-free, gluten-free and vegan.

About Ecco Bella:

Besides speaking out for animals and the environment, our products help you conserve money. Why? Each Ecco Bella product multi-tasks. For example, all the skin care products are so rich in beneficial ingredients they claim both anti-aging and anti-blemish benefits combined! That means fewer products to buy, and they really work!

We show our caring for you with extra care for the ingredients. You’ll be pleased to learn that the nutraceuticals in our skin care products are first encapsulated in trillions of microspheres called Vitamin Cells. That means they remain pure and potent until you need them.

Since 1992, Ecco Bella has been known as a pioneer in the natural beauty field. Back then, it was virtually impossible to find organic materials for our products… but I persisted. Why? Because by using organics we not only purify our bodies, we also support ethical farmers who need and appreciate our business. Ecco Bella products are 50%-70% organic! They not only benefit you, but feel amazing on.

Almond & Coconut Smoothie

I am not sure if you have tried LUSH products but besides smelling awesome it is a great company that respects the end user as much as it does the environment. LUSH’s Creamed Almond & Coconut Shower Smoothie wash not only smells amazing but is incredibly soothing to the skin. Here are some interesting facts about why the Creamed Almond & Coconut Shower Smoothieis great for your skin. Oh, and did I mention this is a vegan product?? Have you ever tried LUSH’s Creamed Almond and Coconut Shower Smoothie or any of their other products? Let us know how you feel about LUSH.

About the Ingredients:

Vanilla pods are made up of sugars, vanillin, fats and mineral salts. When applied topically, the sugars in vanilla act as a humectant. The humectant action also forms a barrier on skin, which prevents moisture loss. Vanilla extract adds the beautiful vanilla scent to the product.
Creamed Almond and Coconut Shower Smoothie is for days when your skin is in need of care and attention. We like it best for the shower, but if you haven’t got one, you can stand up in the bath to smooth the fluffy, moisturizing and creamy soap all over you.
This Smoothie will scent your skin with jasmine, ylang and vanilla, and the moisturizing coconut and almond oils make your body silky soft.
Almond oil is unscented and excellent for the skin. It is emollient, demulcent and nutritious with a high vitamin E content. It is smooth to apply and leaves a silky feel to the skin

Some of Lush’s Green Feelings:

We take our commitment to this seriously. Since LUSH began, our founders have been conscious of how our products interact with the environment. We have always used creative and innovative solutions to make a positive impact on the planet. Our invention of the first-ever solid shampoo bar is testament to this practice.

Vegan Wine Trio

When I drink I always try to use organic or vegan alcohol and at the very least I research which companies I purchase from to make sure they are at the very least responsible. This Vegan Wine Trio can make a great gift for a New Years party, to any dinner party or event. This wine trio contains a 2006 Cabernet-Carmenere, Nuevo Mundo (Chile), a 2008 Côtes-du-Rhône, Domaine des Cèdres, and a 2007 Entre-Deux-Mers Château Laubarit. You can bring this set with you on a picnic or to an evening bbq when weather permits.

For those of you that are unsure what a vegan wine was here is a small definition:
Many wines are made using animal-derived ingredients to help during the processing of the wine. These ingredients are filtered out of the wine before it is sold, the use of animal ingredients in the processing of the wine makes them unfit for consumption by vegans. This filtration or fining is done to end up with a clearer, brighter, better tasting and more presentable wine.

Have you tried vegan or organic wine or liquor before? Do you notice a difference? Fill us in on how you feel about organic alcohol we would love to hear from you!!

Ginger & Liz

If you haven’t tried Ginger + Liz’s polish now is your chance!!

December 14th will be Ginger + Liz’s first annual “Polished Pals Price Cut” day on www.gingerandliz.com!  From 11am to 11pm EST on December 14th, customers will get 40% OFF purchases made on our website with the special discount code POLISHED – spread the word! From

**excluding new limited edition holiday + winter colours

Here is a little bit about their company:

Ginger + Liz Colour Collection™ is the new buzzworthy brand of vegan-friendly and toxin-free nail lacquer with a growing legion of fashionista and celebrity fans alike. Ginger + Liz was created by model/author S. Liz Pickett and entrepreneur H. Ginger Johnson. Ginger and Liz have a decade of individually unique experiences in the fashion, beauty, and marketing industries that coupled with their insatiable love for fashion and beauty led to the development of the Ginger + Liz Colour Collection™.

Laroux Clutch

Oh how I love Matt & Nat! I know I always tell you greenies about how much I love my handbags so here is yet another! The holidays are here and this means holiday parties!! This absolutely adorable piece would be the perfect accoutrement to any holiday outfit! This bag is completely animal free and best part at least 21 plastic bottles were used in making the lining for this bag. Matt & Natother bags and accessories are just as essential to your eco-closet as this one!! Check them out! Now if you have never heard of Matt & Nat here is a little intro from their very own website!

WHO IS MATT & NAT?

In 1995, MATT & NAT Founder and Creative Director Inder Bedi was challenged by a Mahatma to become a Vegetarian for 30 days. It was during this time that MATT & NAT was conceived. A brand and movement shaped by the power of duality. Fifteen years later, he is continuously working towards this goal – exceeding norms to offer cutting edge products that are fashionable and beautiful and yet made in a socially responsible way, or as we like to say, with Compassion. MATT & NAT products have never used animal by-products. That said, the brand is more than just vegan. It has always been a trailblazer in the environmental movement. Each product contains at least one recycled element and on average 21 plastic bottles are recycled to make linings for our bags. MATT & NAT has always been a Pioneer in Eco-Fashion.

LUSH Cosmetics is one of my favorite cosmetic companies. Their items are handmade, some are vegan, they use recycled content packaging, if they use packaging at all and their products are Made in the USA. If you have ever seen their products you will notice how amazing they look, feel and smell. They are quite creative, I think. Here is a list of beliefs LUSH Cosmetics stands by:

We believe in making effective products from fresh, organic* fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils and safe synthetics.

We invent our own products and fragrances. We make them fresh by hand using little or no preservative or packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients, and tell you when they were made.

We believe in buying ingredients only from companies that do not commission tests on animals and in testing our products on humans.

We believe in happy people making happy soap, putting our faces on our products and making our mums proud.

We believe in long candlelit baths, sharing showers, massage, filling the world with perfume and in the right to make mistakes, lose everything and start again.

We believe our products are good value, that we should make a profit and that the customer is always right.

We also believe words like fresh and organic have honest meaning beyond marketing

If you enjoy high quality and socially responsible companies you should try LUSH Cosmetics too!! Let us know how you like them!

Lush Shampoos

Thanks to a very good friend of mine I have come across this super fun company called LUSH. Apparently I am a little slow on the take and have never even heard of this incredibly popular cosmetic/bath company. I am extremely excited to be able to share this super fab vegan product that really just interested me more than anything! I have seen dry shampoo before but this is a whole new take on washing you hair.

Product Description:
If you can’t get enough of our signature Karma fragrance, wash with this solid shampoo bar to perfume your locks so you can smell it all day long. Along with scalp-pleasing patchouli and elemi, we add orange and lemon oils to cleanse hair and increase shine. This one is great for detangling messy hair, so use it if you are the type that gets your hair all caught up in knots (use Jungle afterwards for extra detangling and conditioning action).

Ingredient Listing:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate,Cocamide DEA,Perfume,Patchouli Oil (Pogostemon cablin),Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis),Lavender Oil (Lavandula hybrida),Pine Oil (Pinus),Lemongrass Oil (Cymbopogan flexuosus),Elemi Oil (Canarium commune),Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides),*Citral,*Geraniol,*Citronellol,*Limonene,*Linalool,FD&C Blue No. 1,Roman Chamomile Flower (Anthemis nobilis).