☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

Ah crap! It's Monday. Doesn't that suck? Hmm, well what to do about that?…

How about mope about it for the rest of the day? Complaining would be a good idea. Seeing everything negatively around you sounds marvellous! Frowning followed by more pouting will definitely help. Hmm, what else?... Talking about how much life sucks and what sucky things are going on right now. Yup, that sounds like a good one. Feeling sorry for yourself perhaps? Definitely talk about how much you hate your job, I hear that one is super duper helpful. Getting frustrated and agitated also sounds like it could be fun. Oh wait, don't forget to complain that it's Monday!

We could do all of that or…  

☺ Prepare Yourself…  You never know what the day will hold but if you start off your day by dreading it then chances are you are going to have a tremendously terrible day. When you wake up in the morning, take a moment and arm yourself with positivity. Announce and thank the Universe (or God, or fairies, or whatever you feel like) for a fantastic day and feel as genuinely grateful as possible, as if your day has already ended and you are thanking the Universe for that amazing day you just had. You'll be surprised by what sneaky little wonders may magically pop into your day. 

☺ Choose Happy Motions… I hear that smiling is really helpful. And laughing. Oh yes indeed. You should do both of those as much as possible at all times. Even if people look at you weird, at least you'll be the one having fun. ;) 

☺ Enjoy the Moment! You will never get this moment of your life back ever again, so don't you think it's worth taking a step back and truly appreciating it instead of taking it for granted? 

☺ Count Your Rainbows, Not Your Thunderstorms! Stop complaining, stop complaining, stop complaining! Yes, life isn't always butterflies and rainbows, but do you know why? It's because of your stinky attitude and your choice not to acknowledge all the beauty that exists around you. It's far too automatic for us to complain about the things in our life rather than give thanks and see how truly blessed we are. So I'm going to say it again and again until it starts to stick in your head: give thanks instead of complaining! There is always always always things to be grateful for. Remember all the amazing things currently in your life and talk about those instead. (See "The Power of Gratitude" for more). 

☺ Be the Optimist! Be the one around the swarm of frowns that is smiling. Just because you may be surrounded by unpleasant people or be in a not particularly thrilling situation is no reason not to still be optimistic and smiling. You get a choice. Always. By choosing to be the one that is smiling and laughing and being happy then you will draw more positive people and experiences into your day. It all starts with a choice to smile! 

☺ Cue the Happy Tune! Decide on a fun little hum, phrase, or little song that you can start singing in your head (or out loud) whenever you start to feel the Monday blues creeping upon you. Let it be your reminder to smile. This tune or phrase in itself should invoke a smile, so choose something silly and positive that will automatically swell you up with happiness and cause that smile to return. 

☺ Be extra Silly! Just because! Also because it's fun, will make you smile, will make others smile, and will make your day far more interesting and pleasant. Make boring situations fun by any (positive) means necessary. Get creative, open your mind, choose to have Fun! 

Or you could go back to what I said at the beginning of today's post. The choice is yours. 

Me? I'm going to Create a Nice Day and I hope that you do too!  

p.s. sorry for the sarcasm. ;) 

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Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Avocado Super Smoothie! Ⓥ

This smoothie is absolutely dreamy and creamy and delicious! 

Avocados are great in smoothie because they add that lovely creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Some people avoid these super-healthy foods because of their high calorie and fat content, but make no mistake about it, they truly are super! Packed full of anti-oxidants, beta- and alpha-carotenes, vitamin e, high in folate (which combat heart disease, and birth defects if you're pregnant), and are a great source of fibre. Their fat content is also the super healthy kind which helps your body properly digest fats and lowers cholesterol--remember that not all fats are bad! They also help you get more of the nutrients from other food. Avocados also make you feel full (in a good way) so this smoothie is a great start to the day that will keep you satisfied for hours and hours! 

I also pack this smoothie full of goodness like Cocoa, Maca, and Hemp protein--though the maca and protein are absolutely optional but do add a lovely health boost.  

Avocado Super Smoothie

1/2 Banana

1/2 Avocado

2 pitted Dates, soaked

2 tsp Cocoa Powder

1-2 tsp Maca Powder (optional)

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup Coconut or Almond Milk

2 tbsp Hemp Protein powder (optional)

Soak the Dates in the 1/2 cup of water for at least 10 minutes--I prefer to do this overnight in the fridge. 

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth--including the dates and water they've been soaking in. Add less or more water to get your desired consistency. 

Makes 1 smoothie. Enjoy! 

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❀ Question of the Week! ❀

What are "Question of the Week" posts?  

To get my lovely readers (yes that would be you! ;)) to feel a little more involved and get some fun interaction going. Therefor, "Question of the Week" is born. What are these questions? Absolutely anything and everything under the moon (or perhaps beyond) that I feel like asking and hearing your fun responses. ;) 

So, now, on to Saturday's Question of the Week...

Since I've been getting the tattoo itch lately, and have been seeing many others getting lovely new ink, this week's topic is... can you guess? Tattoos!!! ;) 

Do you have any tattoos? Do you want any tattoos? How many tattoos do you have? How old were you when you got your first tattoo? Which is your favourite? What do you want to get tattooed? Let's hear your tattoo stories! :)

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☆ 9 Reasons why Milk Sucks! ☆

Ditching the dairy is usually the hardest part about going vegan, hence why there are so many vegetarians and not enough vegans. But, really, if you are going to be vegetarian there is no reason why you shouldn't be vegan, unless you want to be a hypocrite (oh no I didn't just say that! *gasp* ;p). If you'd like to know why, and need the extra motivation to ditch the dairy, here are several reasons why… 

Milk is for Baby Cows!

The simplest, most basic point; Milk is for Baby Cows! Milk from cows was never meant for human bodies, it was meant for their own young, just as humans and every other animal produces milk for their young. But the dairy industry separates a mother cow from her baby at birth so that humans can have her milk instead. 

Cows do Not need Milking

Cows, just like every other animal, produce the right amount of milk for their young. They do not produce a huge excess of milk as people are led to believe, and they do Not need milking. The only reason cows produce so much milk on dairy farms is because they are pumped full of hormones and are intensively milked to produce ten times what they normally would, which, I'm sure you can imagine, is extremely hard on their bodies--and not at all natural.   

No Enzymes to Digest Milk

Milk is meant to make baby bodies grow quickly and healthily, but after a certain age our bodies stop producing the enzymes that digest dairy. Which is why most people are intolerant to dairy products. Our bodies do this because we are no longer meant to drink it, our bodies no longer need it. Our bodies are not meant to drink milk, plain and simple. Milk is for babies, not humans. 

You wouldn't drink the Milk from any other animal.

Drinking milk from another human being is way way way more natural than drinking it from cows, but chances are it totally grosses you out.  If you wouldn't drink the milk from another human, or from a gorilla, your dog, or any other animal then you shouldn't be drinking it from cows. If drinking the milk from any other animal grosses you out then you shouldn't feel any differently about drinking dairy because there is absolutely zero difference. 

Dairy = Calcium Loss! 

Despite the huge misconceptions of the billion-dollar advertising campaigns the dairy industry shoves in our faces every day, dairy is absolutely terribly bad for you. Your body will only absorb half the calcium and the other half gets left behind as deposits that build in your body and result in osteoporosis. Yes, you heard right, milk doesn't prevent osteoporosis, it creates it, because osteoporosis is caused by calcium Loss, not Deficiency. 

Dairy is Baaaad for you! 

This isn't news, it's common knowledge amongst the medical fields that dairy is bad for you. Dairy consumption has been linked to acne, anemia, arthritis, ADD, ADHD, fibromyalgia, headaches, heartburn, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, poor immune function, allergies, colic, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, autism, Crohn's disease, breast & prostate cancers, and ovarian cancer. Nasty Dioxin is also often found in dairy products, not to mention all the pesticides, hormones, chemicals, and pus and blood found in milk. Gross! 

Morphine! 

Morphine is naturally occurring in cow's milk so that their young are encouraged to drink it--but this has a much different effect on cows than humans. In dairy products, particularly cheese, this morphine is concentrated, which is why it's so darn addictive. Once you get over the druggy addiction, it's easy! 

Support Dairy, support Veal

Somehow people like to turn a blind eye to this truth, but if you consume dairy then you directly support the veal industry. Dairy cows have their young taken away from them so that humans can consume their milk instead. Those baby cows never get the nutrition they need so end up weak and their flesh tender so they are sold off as veal. So, again, I ask the question; how can vegetarians just be vegetarians and still support the killing of baby animals? 

Dairy is Rape, Heart-breaking, and Cruel

I want you to take a moment to consider the sacred bond between a mother and child, the unconditional love that nothing else can match. Now, can you imagine your child being ripped from your arms within a day of birth. Then imagine being raped, giving birth again, and have the process repeat itself over and over again. Make no mistake, mother cows get extremely upset when their young are taken from them, they kick stall walls in rage and frustration and literally cry with grief. They feel exactly as humans do.  

Touching the surface of what happens to dairy cows… To produce milk, mother cows must have a baby--like every other animal--in order to lactate. Therefore, dairy cows are artificially impregnated with a machine every year (simply put: raped) and are kept pregnant their entire lives which is extremely hard on their bodies. They are hooked up to machines where they are intensively milked several times a day. And their babies are taken away from them within a day so that milk can go to you instead. 

Like I said, this is really just touching the surface of the cruelty involved as I didn't want to get too much into the cruelty in this post. If you'd like to know more please check my other in-depth post article here: http://www.reloveplanet.com/2009/07/dark-secrets-of-meat-dairy-industries.html

Vegan = Love!  Make the Switch! 

Any kind of change can be made positively. I try to share information in a light-hearted and positive way because that's what being vegan is truly about-- Love! And extending that love beyond ourselves and on to animal lives. :)

Ditching dairy isn't as hard as you'd think it is either, it's just a matter of getting into new habits. Once you get over the addiction bump and get into those new habits it's really not so hard, in fact, I thoroughly enjoy it. Plus, there's a weight off your conscious and you get to feel good about your decision and know that you are not responsible for the unnecessary suffering of another animal. Most people also feel a million times better with their health after cutting out dairy products-- say hello to happy tummy, healthy skin, vitality and energy! ;)

There are far more (and healthier) sources to get calcium from as well (in case you're still concerned) such as leafy greens like spinach, collards, mustard greens, and kale, as well as broccoli and most other veggies, chickpeas, and soy products. Even nuts and grains and fruit have calcium, just not as much as those good leafy greens.

Being vegan has never been easier either, with soooo many delicious dairy alternatives to replace all your old ones. I write about them all the time right here at ReLove Plan.et with recommendations. Exploring your local grocery store is also exciting, as alternatives are becoming more and more available with a ton of options as well. 

[myself and a happy rescue cow at Farm Sanctuary]

So make a cow happy, make yourself happy, make your life happy, and ditch the dairy! ;) 

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☺ WINNER of the Go Max Go Foods Giveaway! ☺

After tallying up all the entries a number has been selected as the winner through a random number generator. 

Congratulations to Elmo!! (Please respond here with your email as you forgot to provide it!) ;)

**You have a four days to respond, at which time a new winner will be chosen, so get back to me ;p*  

A big huge thank you to everyone who entered! And another big huge Thank You to Go Max Go Foods for hosting this amazing Giveaway! xo

And for all those who didn't win, you deserve to indulge yourselves with these amazing chocolate bars anyway, so if you haven't yet, hop over to Go Max Go Foods and buy yourself a treat. ;)  

Thanks again! 

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☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

Gooooo Monday! Hope you've all had a beautiful weekend and are continuing the magic throughout the rest of the week! Hope you all had a fun Earth Day as well and keep that going through the week! Remember how you treat the Earth is how you should treat yourself--which is awesome, all the time! Ah wait, hold on now...

☺ Treat Everything with Respect! You should treat yourself with absolute love and respect at all times, no self put-downs, no negative thoughts towards yourself, just pure love. If you treat yourself with love then you will find that love flowing over into all other aspects of your life. You will start to treat the Earth with love and respect. You will start to treat animals with love and respect. You will start to treat other People with love and respect. In this sense your own attitude towards all other things around you is usually a pretty good representation of how you truly feel about yourself. So welcome love into your life, starting by loving You!      

☺ Make all month Earth Month! Hoping you all had a lovely Earth Day yesterday, and just like with Earth Hour, let's keep the momentum going all month long! See how many things in your life you can change to more eco-friendly options--there are always new things to do so have fun with it! And inspire others to do the same!     

☺ Ditch Paper! Speaking of Earth Day, let's start with this… The average U.S. household receives 6 pieces of junk mail every day, 44% of that usually ends up in the landfill unopened! Take the steps to reduce your paper where you can. Get your bills sent through email instead of on paper in the mail. Make sure your providers and services don't send you letters in the mail. Place a "no junk mail" sign on your mailbox. Reduce reduce… and recycle of course! ;)

☺ Do something absolutely spontaneous! Every day this week! I'm talking absolutely silly, ridiculous, fun spontaneity. Anything goes! And tell me about what you did! I want to know! ;) 

☺ Clear out your closet! I love doing this every so often and spring is the perfect time to do it! For some reason I find it cleansing, it's nice to clear out old things, especially when you realize when things have been sitting in your wardrobe not being worn. Go through your things and see what you think it worth keeping, donating, or selling! Some thrift stores will give you money for your items so why not find out! Better yet, plan a clothes swap with some friends and anything that doesn't get claimed donate to your local thrift stores.    

☺ "I will not waste my days, Making up all kinds of ways, To worry about some things, That will not happen to me" ~ Jason Mraz.

☺ Join the Pink Fluffy Unicorns Dancing on Rainbows!!! I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. This video totally made my day when I first saw it and continues to put a smile on my face any time I watch it. Although, warning, you may get the song stuck in your head and start prancing around in your day to day activities. ;) 

Have a beautiful day, week, life! Much Love from me to you! 

Create a Nice Day! xo

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Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Curry Almond Broccoli Stir Fry! Ⓥ

A new recipe I tried and played with recently that is super easy, quick to make, and absolutely splendid! :)

Curry Almond Broccoli Stir Fry:

Stir Fry Sauce:

1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

2 tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce)

1 tbsp sesame or other oil

2 tsp ground Ginger

1-2 tbsp Olive Oil

1/4 cup Almonds, chopped

1 tbsp Green Curry Paste*

2 cups Broccoli

Other veggies of your choice (I like this recipe with chopped Zucchini and Asparagus) 

*depending on what curry paste you are using may depend on how much you want to add. The one I use is super strong so I usually use under a tbsp. Adjust it to your desired liking. 

In a bowl, combine the rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, and ginger. 

In a wok or saucepan, toast the almonds in the heated oil on medium-high heat. Stir frequently for one to two minutes, or until lightly browned. Add curry paste to taste and stir. Add the broccoli and veggies and stir fry for a couple minutes until the veggies are tender. Toss in the stir sauce for a minute and then serve! 

Goes great over Quinoa or Brown Rice.  

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❀ Question of the Week! ❀

I'm so excited to be continuing with these posts! Last week's post on stinky underarms was well received and it was great to see you all commented and interacting. Mwhaha, my evil plan to get you all interacting is working. ;) 

What are "Question of the Week" posts?  

To get my lovely readers (yes that would be you! ;)) to feel a little more involved and get some fun interaction going. Therefor, "Question of the Week" is born. What are these questions? Absolutely anything and everything under the moon (or perhaps beyond) that I feel like asking and hearing your fun responses. ;) 

So, now, on to Saturday's Question of the Week...

Have you ever had an imaginary friend? Details details! If not, who would you like your imaginary friend to be now? 

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☆ 5 (Cute!) Reasons to Stop Global Warming! ☆

If our own survival on Earth isn't important enough for you to want to make more earth-conscious lifestyle choices, here are 5 more reasons…

Polar Bears:

Estimated 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the wild. Polar Bears International says two-thirds of these numbers could disappear by the middle of this century if carbon dioxide emissions are not cut. Polar Bears depend on sea ice to survive, and the rapid loss of sea ice is their major threat; meaning they are losing land habitat, drowning, and even resulting to cannibalism and eating their young as they can no longer make the swim to reach prey. Other threats include pollution, poaching, and industrial impact. Hunting will become a threat if not well regulated.

Pandas:

Less than 1,600 left in the wild (2004 statistic)! Threats: China's growing economy. Forest habitat fragmented by roads and railroads. Habitat loss, poaching. Access to the giant panda’s primary source of food, bamboo, may become restricted as the basin of China’s Yangtze River is increasingly affected by climate change. 

Tigers:

As few as 3,200 left in the wild, and one of the most threatened species on Earth. Threatened by growing human populations, loss of habitat, illegal hunting, and expanding trade in tiger parts. A huge threat is the loss of their habitat due to deforestation; for products like palm oil, pulpwood for paper products, and coffee. Which is why buying recycled paper products (including toilet paper!), and knowing where your coffee and palm oil products are sourced, is so important. Be careful of the products you buy and the corporations you support that may be contributing to their habitat loss. 

Cheetahs:

Approx. 12, 000 left in the wild. Global Warming has been affecting the Cheetah's ability to reproduce, resulting in defects in their sperm and low testosterone. Another concern is the decline in population of the Thomson's gazelle, their main prey. Cheetah's are also being killed by poachers (yet another reason to never purchase fur!).

Orangutans:

Estimated 40, 000 left in the wild with rapidly decreasing numbers; they could be gone within a few decades. Threatened by the growing Palm Oil plantations taking over their habitat. Because orangutans live in only a few places, and because they are so dependent upon trees, they are particularly susceptible to logging. Aside from deforestation, logging roads also make them more vulnerable to hunting and poaching for illegal pet trade in Asia, placing the orangutan in danger of extinction.

What you can do: 

Buy sustainable forest products (choose recycled first!), sustainable palm oil, and other sustainable products. 

Reduce your carbon footprint in any way possible to reduce the effects of climate change. 

Get involved and sign petitions! There are lots you can find at change.org and thepetitionsite.com (I post them all the time on my twitter).

Support efforts by organizations making a difference (my favourite? World Wildlife Fund).

A little conscious thinking goes a long way. Making lifestyle changes and decisions that support a greener planet are not only good for the planet, but they are vital to the diminishing habitats and welfare of animals. Their climates are changing at alarming rates and we can all play a part in making it a brighter future, for Earth, for ourselves, and for the amazing (and cute!) animals of the world. 

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♥ "The Secret" & "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne ♥

I talk about the Law of Attraction all the time. Yet somehow I have not written up a review about the amazing book that taught me all about this Universal Law and began my deeper manifestation journey. Well, today I am going to briefly talk about two books; "The Secret" and "The Magic" both written by Rhonda Byrne. 

"The Secret" I highly recommend if you are unfamiliar with the Law of Attraction. It is a beautifully written and informative book that goes through all the things we do, don't do, and accidentally do that manifest things into our lives. It gives you the knowledge and information you need to properly and efficiently use the Law of Attraction to your advantage--because whether you believe it or not, you are manifesting the things present in your life, even when you're not meaning to. 

"The Secret" is also available as a movie with mostly the same information. However, I highly highly recommend reading the book as well if you are going to watch the movie. I just feel that you absorb a lot more with the book and it goes a little more in-depth. So pick up this book and make your life all that you want it to be with the power of the Law of Attraction! 

Next, you should read "The Magic." What this book is is 28 days of "Magical practices" that help you to use the power of gratitude to manifest everything you want in your life. Gratitude is the greatest key in using the Law of Attraction, and let me tell you, this book will teach you all about gratitude and make you realize just how much we take for granted. The practices will have you saying "thank you" for everything and bring a happiness about that you cannot imagine. Saying "thank you" is one of the easiest and fastest ways to bring happiness into your life because it will make you realize just how much you have instead of complaining about the things you don't have that simply aren't worth your time. This book will make you grateful for everything, no matter what state your life is in, and help you to bring more things to be grateful for. I'm raving about "The Magic" because it works! Yes, I'm a positive person, but even so, I didn't realize how much gratitude I was missing out on giving and just how powerful gratitude is. This book will change your entire outlook on life, in a beautiful, magical way. ;)

I say it time and time again, if you want your life to be beautiful and happy then you have to take the right steps towards that happiness. Don't repeat the same routine and wonder why nothing is changing. Change the way you look, think, and experience life. I certainly wonder if my life could have become better faster if I'd known about the Law of Attraction sooner, but hey, things happen at the right time for a reason. Now is your time to learn about the Universal Law that governs us whether we like it (you should!) or not. So get reading, get happy, and change your life! :) 

If you feel like it I've also got podcasts talking about both these books and I've also written up other articles regarding the Law of Attraction and Gratitude. 

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☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺

Monday is a beautiful day, just like every other day of the week. I love Mondays, particularly because I get to share these posts with you and spread a little extra motivation and hopefully some brightness to your day. Motivational Mondays are here to get your week started off right and keep that momentum rolling throughout the rest of the week. So come back to this post every day and use it; re-reading today's tips will be like new motivation all over again and remind you to love life! Because life is worth loving! …and so are Mondays. ;) 

☺ Gratitude pick-me-up! Whenever you're feeling low in your day, whether it's a low mood, low energy, or negative thoughts, start saying thank you for everything around you as you continue with whatever it is you're doing. Yes, I mentioned this last week as well, but this practice has so many benefits! I'm in the lovely new habit of doing this and let me tell you how quickly this practice turns your mood around! Say thank you to all the things around you, for your body that allows you to do things, your health that allows you to live, your desk that allows you to work, the sunshine, a pen, your food, whatever is around you! You'll quickly fill up with joy and then it becomes hard to be brought back down! Read more in my recent article on Gratitude: http://www.reloveplanet.com/2012/04/power-of-gratitude.html 

☺ If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. We make it so easy to talk behind people's backs, to say mean things when they are not there to listen. Usually when we do this it's not even a problem we have with the other person but a problem of our own we are just deflecting onto others. Stop, catch yourself, and if you're going to talk about someone behind their back then say something nice. Speak joy, receive joy, it all goes round and round.    

☺ Play in the Dirt! Get your hands dirty, grow a garden, play with the soil, connect yourself with the life-force of the planet. Stop reaching for gloves to disconnect yourself. A little dirt never hurt anyone, in fact, it may help you get a little extra B12! :)

☺ Smile! Again?! You can never get enough smiling exercises, nope sir! Take five minutes the next chance you get to look at yourself in the mirror and just smile. Smile until your cheeks hurt. Smile until you brim with joy. Smile until it's so contagious you can't stop. Smiling is the best medicine for a bad mood. ;)

☺ Put the Phone Down. We live in the technology age where we bring our phones with us everywhere we go. We text while driving, while walking, while talking and socializing with friends. Remember the time when all we had were landlines? When you Couldn't bring a phone with you? Or at least when most of us didn't have a phone on us 24/7? Okay, so we can't go back to that time, but the least you can do is turn the volume off and put away your phone when you are socializing with others. Whatever texts are being send to you can wait. It's called respect yo!  

☺ Get moving! Get in your 30 minutes a day of activity, whether it's walking to work, going to the gym, dancing around your home, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or anything else. Try to get your body moving this week for at least 30 minutes a day! Check out the benefits of exercise here: http://www.reloveplanet.com/2012/04/fantabulous-and-many-benefits-of.html   

☺ "Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive" – Howard Thurman.

Have a beautiful day, week, life! Much Love from me to you! 

Create a Nice Day! xo

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Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Root Vegetable Roast! Ⓥ

This is one of my favourite meals to make, it's the perfect holiday dinner replacement and perfect on a cold cozy evening. It's also not that hard to make, just takes a little preparation chopping up all the veggies. I almost felt a little silly posting this recipe it's so simple, but totally worth sharing, so here we go! ;) 

Root Vegatable Roast

Root Vegetables (I usually like to do any combination of; 1 large Sweet Potato, 1 large Yam, 1 Kuri squash, 4 medium Carrots, 1 large Parsnip)--enough to fill a large casserole dish.

2 tbsp Olive Oil 

Seasoning: 

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin 

1/2 tsp Mustard Seed

1/2 tsp Oregano

2 tsp Thyme

Preheat oven to 400℉.

Chop up all your vegetables and place them in a large casserole dish. Sprinkle the seasoning and oil over top and cover with foil, if you don't have a lid. Cook in the oven for about 1 hour, gently stirring about every 20 minutes. 

Makes 4 large, or 6 small servings (depending on the size of your casserole dish). 

I love to make this with Vegan Gravy and Rice "stuffing." Tofu Balls are also a lovely way to complete a Holiday Feast with this recipe. Perfect comfort food and healthy at that! :) 

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Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Rice "Stuffing" Ⓥ

A lovely, easy gluten-free alternative to tradition stuffing but still packed full of lovely flavour. 

Rice "Stuffing"

1 cup Brown Rice

1 cup Water

1 cup Vegetable Broth

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp dried Parsley

1 tsp Thyme

Optional: add in chopped celery or onion. 

In a medium pot, add all the ingredients together, bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour--until the rice is fully cooked. 

Serve! Super easy! 

Makes approximately 4 servings. 

Goes great with Root Vegetable Roast, Tofu Balls, and Vegan Gravy for a lovely holiday feast! 

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❀ Question of the Week! ❀

I decided I'm starting something new for my Saturday posts as I haven't had a set theme for this day of the week yet. I also have been wanting to get my lovely readers (yes that would be you!) to feel a little more involved and get some fun interaction going. Therefore, say hello to Saturday's "Question of the Week." What are these questions? Absolutely anything and everything under the moon (beyond even!) that I feel like asking and hearing your fun responses about. ;) 

So, let's get straight to it… 

Question of the Week... *drum roll please*

The topic? Armpits! 

What do you naturals do to keep your armpits smelling lovely and fresh? What deodorant do you use? Any tips to keeping the smell and sweat at bay? Or do you simply not care about using a natural deodorant? Or not care if you smell a little? 

Do you shave your armpits? Why or why not? Ever thought about it? 

Tell me the story to your armpits. ;)

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☆ "The Secret Life of Garbage" ☆

Another info graph I felt worth sharing, because this information is valuable and may encourage greater action. 

I am personally very proud to say that we go through a single almost full black garbage bag a year--that's between two people (and two cats). Even so we're working to reduce that to next to nothing. I'm aware it will take some practice but for now I'm still pretty proud that we have reduced our waste by this much. It is absolutely possible for anyone to do so with a little effort and conscious thinking. We make this possible by…

• Paying attention to packaging and buying things with less or no packaging. 
• Buying in Bulk and reusing our bulk bags. 
• Recycling anything and everything that we can. 
• Composting all our food remains (which, proudly, is usually just veggie and fruit cores and peels). 
• And not over-consuming in general. 

Created by: Business Degree

How much garbage do you go through? Do you recycle? Have a compost? Please consider making some changes, they are really not much work and can make such a huge difference for the world. 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

☺ The Power of Gratitude! ☺

Gratitude will change your life. No joke. It will change your attitude about everything, bring you more things to be grateful for, heal your body, mend your soul, fix broken relationships, and bring you all that you could ever ask for in life. No joke. 

It's sad that it is so easy to complain about life and we do it without a second thought. We complain when our health is bad. We complain about our relationships, talk behind people's back and badmouth people. We complain that we're tired. We complain when we're not feeling well. We complain, complain, complain. All that negativity (because that's what it is) makes our lives fall apart. Not only is all our attention drenched on the negative, but it is also drawing more and more things into our lives to complain about. Simple Law of Attraction at work; like attracts like, complaining attracts more things to complain about. The good news is that the power of gratitude can change all of that around. Gratitude is perhaps one of the simplest and fastest ways that you can start loving your life and see the biggest changes in all aspects of your life. Simply by giving thanks. It's just as easy to give thanks as it is to complain so turn your bad habits around into gratitude instead of complaining. 

Don't think you have anything to be grateful for? Let's start with that you are alive. You can open your eyes, feel your body, your organs are working. Maybe you're blessed with the ability to walk. Maybe you're blessed with the invention of a wheelchair or cane to help you walk if you can't. What about food? Food keeps you alive, sustains you, gives you energy. What about your immune system that fights off infection and heals your body from harm? Do you have a roof over your head? Running water? Heat? Do you have people in your life you can rely on? People to talk to? Is there a big beautiful world full or opportunities outside your window? Do you have a job that provides you money? A car? A bicycle? Do you have clothes? It's so easy to overlook all the beautiful things in our lives, but when we overlook these things and forget to give thanks for them, well, that's when our lives usually spiral or it invites things to go wrong. Just take a look at our world today and you'll see the reality. How many people are depressed? Don't have money? Stress out all the time? Have relationships that fall apart? You'll probably notice that there are certain people you know that are always complaining about something, and these people seem to always have something going wrong. Now think about how much gratitude you are actually giving in your life. You are probably going to see that the amount of gratitude you are giving is the amount you are getting back. The areas of your life where you give thanks are the stronger areas of your life, the areas where you don't give thanks are the areas that suffer. 

Again, the good news is that giving thanks can almost instantly change your life. Make it a habit, it's easy enough to do, I promise. I've talked about gratitude a lot lately and the reason for that is I am realizing just how powerful the magic of gratitude truly is. The book "The Magic" (which I am going to talk more about soon) is a great way to start using the power of gratitude to instantly change your life and teach you how to use the magic of giving thanks in your everyday life in an effortless and fun manner. It has honestly opened up my world that much more and I am seeing things that I have been trying to manifest happen so quickly. It's rewarding and positively inspiring. 

Simple Law of Attraction: giving Gratitude = more things for you to be Grateful for. 

Giving thanks is always the fastest way to turn your mood around as well. Admittedly, sometimes I wake up in a not so great mood for one reason or another, but as soon as I sit down and start writing down the things I am grateful for and saying the words "thank you" while feeling as grateful as possible, I instantly feel better. Like Magic! ;) I've made it a new habit that whenever I feel my mood is waning, I stop whatever it is I'm doing, take a moment with myself and starting listing all the things that I am grateful for in my head, whether it's some big news or a glass of water. It always always makes me feel better and grateful for my life and all the things around me, so that I truly appreciate the things and people I am surrounded by. It is just so easy to give thanks, and, again, the more thanks you give, the more you'll have to be grateful for. 

Even if you have one dollar to your name, say "thank you" and feel as much gratitude as you can for that one dollar. If you have a bad relationship, start focussing your attention on all the things you are grateful for in the other person. Even if you don't particularly like where you live, say "thank you" for the roof over you head and be grateful you are not living on the streets. Give thanks for the air you breathe, your body for functioning, your heart for beating, your food, water, a piece of paper, your desk, your computer, your fingers, your eyes, your clothes, the sun, the moon, the soil, your waiter or waitress, the bus driver, a knife and fork, your shoes, absolutely everything. You'll quickly realize just how fortunate and blessed you are to have all that you have and how those things enhance your every day life. 

Gratitude will change your life in an instant. So no more complaining. If you catch yourself complaining about anything at all, stop, and take a moment to start listing off at least ten things that you are grateful for instead. And be sure to say a big "thank you, thank you, thank you." 

I've also been in the habit for a while now of giving thanks at the end of each day for all the good things that happened that day or in your life in general. It's a great practice to do in the morning as well--or, again, whenever you need a pick-me-up. Feel the power of gratitude and change your life!

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

♥ Pure Citizen! ♥

Today is a quick post but I felt that it was time I shared this wonderful company. I have mentioned Pure Citizen a couple times previously, but today I will elaborate. 

Pure Citizen is a flash sale website with a heart, dedicated to giving back. It's a daily email featuring a carefully curated selection of the best in cruelty free beauty, organic fashion, fair trade accessories and more! They put items on sale every week by a couple different companies, usually with a 72 hour sale. The savings are huge, which is always lovely, but they also have a special donation feature that gives the customer the choice to save a little less and give the difference to their featured non-profit cause. From the companies they feature to the non-profit organization every week, thought and care have gone into the decision of each one. The companies featured are committed to making the world a better place, whether it's by earth-conscious practices, vegan lifestyles, building communities, or so much more, these companies put the planet first and make it more affordable for customers to get their hands on eco merchandise.

How it works: Every weekday members receive an email (called their Daily Love) filled with the inspiring stories of their featured company with the exclusive access on Pure Citizen to purchase their hand-picked selection of items that are 30-90% off. 

They also have a really easy symbol system on each item so you can see which items are vegan, organic, fairly produced, handmade, recycled, eco-conscious, cruelty free, made in the USA, and/or one of a kind. 

"These companies have heart - they are providing employment and job training for the underprivileged, building wells, reducing global pesticide use, saving children from slavery, rescuing women from prostitution, creating healthier products, and are overall committed to making the world a better place.

I wanted more than anything to share these stories, and make it easier for you to support these amazing companies.  We are a small team - committed more than anything to running a company with love, putting people and the planet first." ~Pure Citizen

So check them out and sign up for their newsletter so you too can take advantage of their lovely deals. :)

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.