Thursday, January 31, 2013

☺ Photo-A-Day 30 Day Challenge! ☺


Tomorrow is the first day of february, and while I know there aren't 30 days in February I still thought this would be a fun idea to get rolling. I've seen a few of these before, and have admittedly "stolen" ideas from various ones that I liked and replaced others with things I felt were more upbeat or fitting or pushing on our creativity and imaginations. 
So! I introduce to you ReLove Planet.'s "Photo-A-Day" Challenge! :) 
I'll be taking part of course, and you can check out my photos in my instagram (username: reloveplanet) if you so desire. I would also love to see your photos, if you want to tag me or use the hashtags: #relovephotoaday



I challenge you to get creative with this, try new perspectives and ideas, try to see the world in the most positive light. That is really the point of me initiating this challenge, to open up your mind and get you looking at the positive or inspirational. I want your life to be full of beauty and new outlooks, so what better way to get you looking for beauty than with photography? Think outside the box, be as creative or uncreative as you like. There is no right or wrong! Have fun with it and get inspired and smiling! 
Can't wait to see your photos! :) 

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Monday, January 28, 2013

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺



We're taking back Mondays!!!
"Motivational Mondays" are fabulous tips to get you excited and pumped for the week! 
Feeling low? Moody? Down on life? Well, that's what these posts are for! Time to feel awesome again and get some Positivity rolling! Just because it's Monday doesn't mean you can't have fun, smile, and enjoy Today! Apply these tips to your week and try to tell me that you don't start to see an improvement in your life! ;)
It's all about You! Change your perception, change your attitude, love your life! xo

***********************


Appreciate your strengths and accept your limitations. Have them work For you instead of Against you. We all have things that we excel in and things that are harder for us. There's nothing wrong with this and there is nothing wrong with trying new things and/or giving things you're not good at a try. However, it is good to Accept your limitations so that you can use them to your advantage instead of having them debilitate you. We all have strengths and weaknesses and there is nothing wrong with that. The sooner we can accept that and stop beating ourselves up the better we will feel about ourselves and life, and the sooner we can excel in all other areas of our lives and activities. (I'll be writing more about this topic this week!)   
Have Faith… I know it's not always easy, but you must have faith in the Universe that everything will work out for the best. If you can keep your mind on the positive and have faith that everything happens for a reason then you will get through the tough times much faster and more easily. Remember it's like going With the waves instead of Against them; you can either enjoy the ride and have faith that the wave will carry you back to shore, or you can push against the massive crashing waves and get no where. All good will come to you if you simply allow it to.  
Add a new Memory! If you haven't yet, you really should get your 2013 Jar of Happiness going! This week, I want you to get out there and add a new fantastic note to your jar! Go on an adventure, try something new, make a new memory that you will cherish forever! Get Out There and Make Life Happen!  
Don't take Life so Seriously! Need a full refresher? Read up on This Post. Need a quick reminder? Well here it is! Stop taking life so seriously! Life is meant to be enjoyed, not frowned upon. Life isn't a serious matter, it is something to Live and Enjoy and make the most of. Laugh at everything and laugh at yourself. A frown and getting all fussy all the time does not serve you or your cause. Take the best and run with it. No positive changes ever came from negative minds. Look at things differently, loosen up, and smile!   
Forgive someone and Move Forward. I've talked before about cutting people out of your life if the relationship is damaging, and I still stand by this--it's very important for your happiness and personal growth. This is also important for the relationships around you. However, if you still hold onto negative feelings towards another person, if you still hold a grudge, then you're not healing, and it will Damage your current relationships or any future relationships you may have. Work through those relationships that may not be perfect by making a list of things you're grateful for because of that relationship. Do this every single day until there are no bad feelings left over. You still don't need to have that person in your life, but you should have better feelings once you at least forgive them.   
Attitude Matters! Life has bumps, "unfavourable" things can happen, and we all make mistakes. The difference between a happy person and a non-happy person is that no matter what happens they will look at things with a good attitude. When they make mistakes, the happy person will try again and learn from their mistakes. The happy person will always see the positive and they will always be persistent. So be persistent and keep smiling and have a kick-ass Attitude! ;) 
"Wherever you go, whoever you meet, and whatever you do, give love and appreciation, because that is your true nature. How do you know it is your true nature? You feel so good when you are giving it!" ~ Rhonda Byrne!  


Much Love from me to you! Now get out there and Create the Best Damn Day ever! 
Love Love! xo

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Sunday, January 27, 2013

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Cheezy Pumpkin Casserole Ⓥ



This lovely recipe is rich and creamy and packed full of goodness. With a lovely subtle squash taste and a cheesy flavour, it makes for perfect comfort food while still staying healthy!  
Use gluten-free pasta (like I do) to keep this recipe gluten free. :)

Cheezy Pumpkin Casserole

Sauce:
1 can Pumpkin Puree
1/3 cup Cashews, soaked for at least 10 minutes
1 cup Vegetable Broth
1/2 cup Coconut Milk (beverage kind, or other non-dairy milk)
4 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
dash of Black Pepper
1-2 cups water for consistency
1/3 cup Daiya, or other vegan cheese

1 350g pack of penne or other pasta
1 Large Sweet Potato
3-4 small potatoes
1/2 head of Cauliflower
1 can Chickpeas
1/2 cup Daiya (for top)

Chop the potatoes and cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. 
In a medium-sized pot, boil the potatoes and sweet potato in water until cooked and you can poke them with a fork.  


Blend the cashews in a food processor or blender, slowly adding the vegetable broth, until smooth. 
In a large pot, add the cashew mix along with the rest of the sauce ingredients (except the water) and cook on medium heat, whisking to get out any clumps and gradually adding the water as necessary. I never measure the exact amount of liquid I use, so you want it to be nice and creamy but not too runny or too thick. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. 
Add in the cauliflower and chickpeas, and cook for another 10 minutes. 
Add the potatoes, at which point you might want to add a bit more liquid. 
While everything else is cooking, boil your pasta to the directions on the package. Once the pasta is cooked, add it into the rest of your large pot with the cheese mixture. Again, you might want to add more liquid at this point. 
Preheat oven to 350° F. 
Pour your mixture into a large casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of daiya on top to evenly coat. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, broiling at the end to brown the top. 
Serve up and enjoy! 
Makes about 6 large servings. 
*If you want to make not quite as much then you can use less pasta and less veggies, therefor less water and less food. ;) 



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Thursday, January 24, 2013

☺ 5 Points to Live Happily ☺


Very quick post, but I felt it was worth sharing ;) xoxo



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Monday, January 21, 2013

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺



We're taking back Mondays!!!
"Motivational Mondays" are fabulous tips to get you excited and pumped for the week! 
Feeling low? Moody? Down on life? Well, that's what these posts are for! Time to feel awesome again and get some Positivity rolling! Just because it's Monday doesn't mean you can't have fun, smile, and enjoy Today! Apply these tips to your week and try to tell me that you don't start to see an improvement in your life! ;)
It's all about You! Change your perception, change your attitude, love your life! xo

***********************


It's that time of the year when a lot of people are feeling the effects of the lack of sun, the shorter days, and time spent outside in fresh air. So this Motivational Monday post is an extra push filled with tips on ways to stay on track with your mood!

Read Up! Sometimes being happy takes more effort and when that happens it's good to keep your mind on positive ways of thinking, so books and articles can be wonderfully beneficial. Dig up your favourite self-help books or blogs and embed those lessons into your brain. You can't read too much. Rewire that brain and give yourself the inspiration you need to follow through with the lessons you've learned and to stay positive.   
Get Outside! I know, chances are it's cold where you live… I'm a baby when it comes to the cold, I like to be inside like a cat where it's warm… but the lack of fresh air and direct sunlight can be devastating! Do what you can to get outside every day. Try a new winter sport, or even just going for a walk to your mailbox can help greatly! 
Get some Light Therapy! Use those lovely greenhouse lights that emit vitamin D or buy a special lamp to imitate the lovely benefits of the sun! Most of us feel the effects of the lack of sun, and these lamps can do wonders if you've been having a hard time smiling lately--these are especially recommended for anyone who suffers from SAD.  
Don't get down, Be Happy! It's easy to feel negative about the winter, and it's even easier to get yourself in a funk because of it. Remember that, at the end of the day, your attitude will determine everything. Make the most of whatever situation you're in, and of whatever activity you're doing. Balance is everything and if the winter means that we spend a bit more time vegging out indoors, then that's okay too, but just make sure that you really Enjoy that time, don't waste it away with negative mopey feelings. Get cozy, get a book, drink some tea, and relax.  
Get Motivated with Challenges! I know, I've already said it, but I've been redoing "The Magic" (the lovely 28 days of gratitude practices) and it feels great! Giving yourself something to do every day that uplifts your mood is super beneficial. I'm also going to be redoing my "30-Day Self Challenge" and highly recommend that you do too, or any other fun challenges you can find to keep you on track and thinking positive.  
Yoga Time! If you can't be outside as much then yoga is another great place to turn to to get some physical activity and to keep your mind centred. Yoga also teaches us to Breathe, which is so vital in maintaining a happy and clear mind free of frustrations. So get on that mat and give your body and mind something to be thankful for! 
Love Thy Self!!! When we start to feel down then usually the first thing to go is our self-esteem. And when our self-esteem dwindles it continues the cycle of miserable feelings. Boost your self esteem by writing out all the things you Love about your Self in your "Happy Diary." Write every single day! Writing is an incredibly powerful exercise for our moods so my recommendation is to start each day with five things your gratitude about your life and five things you love about your Self, and then finish your day with the same exercise. Your mood and attitude about your life and your self will change almost instantly! :)  


Much Love from me to you! I hope you can feel me giving you each a big happy hug from the coldness of Canada. ;)
Create a Nice Day, a Nice Week, and keep a smile on your face! Love Love! xo


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Sunday, January 20, 2013

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: "Cheezy" Kale Chips! Ⓥ


This is my second kale chip recipe I'm posting, and I know I went off about how amazing the last recipe was, but for real, this recipe is the best damn thing ever created!! ;) 
We make a batch every couple weeks and eat most of them entirely too quickly. Well, at least they're super healthy! 
These are packed full of flavour with a rich "cheesy" flavour. The trick with these is to dehydrate or cook them just the right amount, so be sure to keep an eye on them. You want them to be perfectly crispy but not too dry, but you don't want them to be soggy either. Practice means perfection! ;)

We make these in our kick-ass Excalibur dehydrator, but I've included general baking instructions to bake these in the oven as well--I just haven't personally made them in the oven, so keep an eye on them and let me know how they turn out. ;)  


"Cheezy" Kale Chips

*2 large bunches of Kale, chopped up (larger stems removed)
1 cup raw Cashews, soaked for at least 10 minutes. 
4 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Hemp Oil (or other healthy oil)
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
a little water for consistency

Recipe Variation:
If you have a cashew sensitivity then replace the 1 cup of cashews for about 3/4 cup of sunflower seeds. Soak them for about 10 minutes and follow the rest of the recipe as usual. 

*we don't really measure the kale, we generally buy two bunches from the farmer's market or co-op grocery store and chop it up so that it fills a large bowl as pictured. ;) 

Chop up your kale into larger "chip"-sized pieces--don't go too small as they will shrink up a lot--and remove the larger stems. 
In a food processor, blend up all your ingredients, adding a little water until you get a nice creamy consistency. 
Toss your kale into a large mixing bowl and pour your mixture over, thoroughly mixing so that all the kale is evenly coated. 


In the dehydrator:
Line up your kale in your dehydrator trays and dehydrate for approximately 6-8 hours. Like I said, keep an eye on them, the time will vary by how much coating is on your kale and what kind of kale you used. 
Why I love the dehydrator method? Because you're keeping them raw (depending on your ingredients) and therefor packed full of all their beneficial nutrients. :)


In the Oven:
Spread the kale evenly on a large cooking sheet. Now, there are two ways of doing them in the oven…
One, is the attempt to keep more of the nutrients by cooking at a lower temperature: Preheat oven to 200° F and bake for 2-3 hours. 
Two, is if you're impatient but you'll kill a large portion of the nutrient value: Preheat oven to 350° F and bake for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
Either way, cook until the kale chips are crispy and the edges are lightly browned--not burnt! 


Enjoy! ;) 

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Thursday, January 17, 2013

☆ The Truth about Quinoa... and a side note to the Article Floating around... ☆



You may or may not have seen an article floating around in regards to the truth about Quinoa. I wanted to share it for a few reasons, so I'll go bit by bit. 

The Truth about Quinoa: 
I think it's important to know where our food comes from, unfortunately when we eat so many different types of foods coming in from all over the world it's difficult to always know what's bad and what's good. We don't always give it much thought. Personally, my rule of thumb is organic, fair-trade, and as much local as possible. I think these are steps that are, at the very least, in the right direction. However, when truths do come out about things like this quinoa reality, it's good to know instead of staying ignorant. Ignorance is not bliss. So, it turns out quinoa isn't doing the world a whole lot of good. That's the first reason I am sharing this article, to share the information. 


The "Steaming Pile of Ignorance" the rest of the Article is:
I read this article yesterday, and let me tell you, as much as I think that it's good that the information about quinoa is being revealed, the rest of this article I was appalled by. Before I jump into my own words, a good friend of mine passed this on which words it better than I could (and quite frankly saves me the time of repeating it). So…

"The points about quinoa are valid, as far as I know. However, the whole rest of this article is a steaming pile of ignorance. A few examples:

"all those pesky, yet essential, amino acids needed for good health...can prove so elusive to vegetarians who prefer not to pop food supplements."

Um, no. Essential amino acids are not the least bit 'elusive' in plant foods. They are present in abundance, particularly in legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc., but also in many vegetables. Most vegans have no issues meeting or exceeding their daily protein requirements. (http://www.eatright.org/about/content.aspx?id=8357)

The author keeps referring to quinoa as a grain throughout the article, which it is not. It's a seed.

I'm kind of appalled that she decided to rail against the environmental effects of soy production, but failed to mention that 80% of the world's soybeans (including 98% of those grown in the US) are fed to livestock animals. It's incredibly disingenuous to slam vegans and vegetarians for consuming soy products when in fact people who eat animal products are responsible for most of the world's soy consumption (albeit indirectly - the soy cycles inefficiently through the animals first).

Blythman promotes a 'locavore' diet centered around meat and dairy products as the most environmentally-friendly way of eating, which is the final nail in the coffin for this article's credibility. There is ample evidence that avoiding animal products altogether is far more effective at mitigating climate change and conserving resources than eating locally-sourced animal products. It's not that eating local is bad - not at all - it's just well-established that a person's carbon footprint and water footprint are going to be astronomically higher if they eat animal products, regardless of where those products come from."
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jun/02/un-report-meat-free-diet)


Perfectly worded, so I thank the person who wrote that. 
A few other things I'd like to add as well…
First off, this article seems like a shameless way of trying to make vegans and vegetarians look bad. This is the second time I've seen such an article in the past couple days, so it leads me to wonder who keeps pumping out these ignorant rambles targeting vegans and vegetarians when they don't need to. There is good cause to raise awareness when things are bad in the world, however it is pointless and ignorant to try and blame vegans/vegetarians when there is no cause. 
Quinoa has been considered a "health food," meaning anyone looking to eat healthily, likely organic, and do good for their health. It is a "fad" food which has grown in popularity amongst All eaters. Quinoa has never been targeted as a "vegan food" and I know plenty of non-vegans that also eat it. Therefore, why is the article trying to blame the wrong community? To try and make themselves feel better about eating meat? Or to try to promote eating more meat? Either way, it's discrediting.
The article also fails to mention the footprint of a meat-eating diet, the workers that have to work in those factories who often have no where else to turn, and the mass amounts of pollution, waste, and the impact of crops that need to be grown just to feed factory farmed animals for meat consumption. 
The article vaguely touches on soy, which has already been discussed above so I won't repeat, but I just wanted to mention, what was the point? Another attempt to bash the vegan community? 

I get that quinoa appears to be not so great but this article is coming at it from all the wrong places. Sharing the information about quinoa I think is important, trying to put the blame on vegans and vegetarians is just plain ignorant and stupid and discrediting to the original article. 
For now, I am on the hunt for a better article regarding the quinoa problem instead of turning people onto this "steaming pile of ignorance" that everyone has recently been turning to.
I also want to find out if there is such thing as ethical quinoa instead of leaving readers stranded. I will post when I find out more. 
Let's share information the right way, shall we?

**UPDATE: ** 
Found another really interesting article today that may go to show that this whole quinoa problem isn't real after all:

Either way, worth a read, and a new perspective on it all!



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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

♥ Advertise at ReLove Plan.et! ♥


Okay, so advertising at ReLove isn't new but since the traffic coming to the blog has been increasing every month by leaps and bounds I wanted to write a quick post just to do a mention. 

Firstly, I am very grateful for all of those that have and are advertising on the blog, you keep me inspired and give me more time to actually blog because I don't feel guilty sneaking away from work to do so. ;) 
This New Year I really want to be blogging more; every day would be ideal and is what I am reaching for and there are some weeks that I do. So! If you want to support my work and you have a business you want to promote then I would love to have you on the blog! 
Weekly posts include my popular "Motivational Mondays" posts every Monday to get people inspired and pumped for the week. I write inspirational posts the most, passing on life lessons and tips and advice on how to be happy and live life to the fullest. I also blog about products and shops (with a large focus on handmade and vegan), as well as matters going on in the world, (including tips for being more earth-conscious), I post new recipes every Sunday, and write about anything and everything else I feel. The main part of ReLove Plan.et is focussing on Positivity though, it is a place people come to feel inspired and happy and reflect on how beautiful life can be. 

About the ads:  
The ads run along the right-side and are 300x300. 
You can try it out monthly or you can commit to as many months as your heart desires. 
Traffic is currently over 14,000 page views per month, which has over doubled since last year, and, as I said, increasing every month. :) 
Also, my readers are Awesome, you should really Want them to see your sites. ;)

My only requirements are that no animal-cruelty is involved due to the nature of this blog. ;)   

If you're interested in having your ad on the site please send me an email with your request! 
alter_eco@hotmail.com
(Please include "ReLove Planet Ad Spot" in the title so I know it's not spam)

Thank You!

Lastly, if you have gained something from this blog, whether it was useful information, a great big smile on your face, extra positivity for the day, or an amazing life-changing moment, then please consider a donation and showing your support so that I can spend the attention on this blog that it deserves. This little eco engine keeps on puttin' along thanks to all of your amazing support after all! 
ReLove Plan.et exists because of You! So give yourself a great big hug! ;)

Hope you're all having an amazing New Year!! xoxo


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Monday, January 14, 2013

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺



We're taking back Mondays!!!
"Motivational Mondays" are fabulous tips to get you excited and pumped for the week! 
Feeling low? Moody? Down on life? Well, that's what these posts are for! Time to feel awesome again and get some Positivity rolling! Just because it's Monday doesn't mean you can't have fun, smile, and enjoy Today! Apply these tips to your week and try to tell me that you don't start to see an improvement in your life! ;)
It's all about You! Change your perception, change your attitude, love your life! xo


Do Everything at the Level of Awesome! No matter what it is you are doing, make sure you do it with all your heart! Going to work? Make it the best damn work day ever! Reading a book? Give it your full attention! Hanging out with a friend or loved one? Give them all of your energy (meaning put down the cell phone). We get so easily distracted and allow our minds to wander so easily that we rarely actually spend quality time in the present moment. So, whatever it is you're doing, give it your full attention and love. 
No Act is too small! As a vegan and an "activist" you often hear people give you the "it's a waste of time" or "it doesn't make a difference" remarks. Well, no act is too small. I've talked about this before, but it's always a good reminder. Every small act accounts for something bigger. If everyone thought small acts were pointless then nothing would ever change. One thing that you Should remember though, is that acts done out of negativity are counter-productive, while acts done from positivity and love have a huge impact. For instance, when speaking about veganism or earth-consciousness, I spread the word to others as positively as possible instead of preaching or focussing on the negative. Yes, I'll tell someone Why something is ethically wrong, but most of my time and efforts are placed on the positive side of how much good and fun being vegan is, or the benefits of being eco-friendly are--which is why I think I've had more success with turning people onto the lifestyle. So! No act is too small, but do it with positivity! :)  
Dish out Compliments! We all have to deal with negative people at some point or another, or at the very least, we witness negativity in other people on a daily basis… Facebook and social networking sites come to mind. Your goal this week is to find any negativity and instead of taking part, pay the person a compliment, no matter how negative they are being. Negativity does not serve anyone and seeing it can sometimes make us feel not-so-great ourselves, so turn it around. There needs to be more love in the world so take part in dishing it out. :) 
Get inspired by this story: http://www.care2.com/causes/the-antidote-to-cyberbullying-teens-sending-compliments-to-their-peers.html
Love your Self just the way you Are! Insecurities run thick with most of us at some level, so it's a topic I like to address as often as I can. Love yourself!!! Much more time needs to be spent focussing on how beautiful and amazing you are Just the Way You Are. There's nothing wrong with working on yourself and improving upon your self, but there needs to be a basis of love for who you are in this moment right now. There is still the basis of Who You Are that you need to love and appreciate, that is the way you will grow and improve because you are nurturing what is already there. So this week, I want you to spend a moment each day and write down all the things you love about yourself!
Pay it Forward! Find a way to pay it forward this week. Do acts of kindness, help someone out, give someone a gift, but leave the lasting impression to encourage that person to also pass it forward. It's a beautiful chain of events and you can never do too much good. Remember, kindness is contagious! :)  
Cut out Sugar! I'm challenging you this week to cut out refined sugars. Fruit sugars are great and lovely, but cane sugar or white sugar or anything like that you should try to avoid. I'm challenging you to this because I almost guarantee that you will feel better by the end of the week if you truly stay away from it. And who doesn't need a mood booster in the middle of the winter months? ;) Just give it a try, you have nothing to lose and you may discover some new things that you like in place of sugar. Expand your food repertoire! ;)
“Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” Rumi It is so easy to raise our voices when we get into an argument, but it is important to learn not to. There is never an appropriate time to raise your voice to someone, simply having an amicable conversation is what brings out any changes or resolve. I'm lucky because my husband and I have spent eight years together with never raising our voices to one another. If we have a problem, we Talk through it, we don't yell of shout or put each other down. It works! So catch yourself and learn to Talk and not Yell. 

Much Love from me to you! 
Create a Nice Day, a Nice Week, and keep a smile on your face! xo 

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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Ⓥ Black Bean Brownies with Peanut Butter Pumpkin Swirl Ⓥ


I've shared a black bean brownie recipe before, but here's a new delicious spin on the simpler recipe that is now my favourite. These are lovely and perfectly rich, packed with flavour, and actually healthy, yayy! 
These are vegan (as always), gluten-free, refined-sugar free--and can even be completely sugar free by sweetening with just stevia, which has been my preference.  

Black Bean Brownies:
1 can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
2 very ripe Bananas
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
2 heaped Tbsp Coconut Oil
Stevia or 1/3 cup Agave Nectar (add more or less to your desired sweetness)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 cup instant Oats (choose gluten free ones for gluten-intolerance)
1/4 cup vegan Chocolate Chips (optional)

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Swirl:
1/3 cup Peanut Butter, smooth
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
approx. 1/4 cup Almond Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 Tbsp Agave or Stevia to sweeten

Preheat oven to 350 F. 
First, make the Brownie part by combining all of your ingredients, except the oats and chocolate chips, in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the oats and pulse another couple minutes to mix. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spoon or by pulsing on the food processor. 
Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish. Evenly spread the batter into the dish. 
Now, using your food processor again, combine the peanut butter pumpkin swirl ingredients and blend until smooth, slowly adding the Almond Milk to get a smooth consistency (add more or less to reach that smooth consistency). 
Evenly dollop the mixture on top of the batter. Pull a knife back and forth lightly through the top of the batter to create your swirls.
Place in oven and bake for approx. 45-50 minutes, until you can poke it with a fork or toothpick and it comes out clean. 
Remove from oven and let set for at least 10 minutes. 
Gently cut your brownies, serve, and enjoy! 



[apologies for bad iPhone photos ;p]


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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

☆ Cancer: What are Cancer Cells and how to Prevent it. ☆



Hi Loves, this is a post not written by myself but a subject I have long been wanting to address. I came across this on Facebook yesterday and wanted to share. This is a really interesting, informative, and helpful article regarding cancer and what you can do to prevent it. The reason I am sharing this particular article is because, really, it addresses everything that you need to know, including why alternative treatment is important, and how and why preventative measures are the best thing you can do in the first place. It places the importance on diet and lifestyle changes, which will always be the most important thing you can do. Let's make the world cancer free with proper education, shall we? :) 


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LATEST CANCER INFORMATION
from Johns Hopkins

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY …


1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.


11. An effective way to battle cancer is to STARVE the cancer cells by not feeding it with foods it needs to multiple.

What cancer cells feed on:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Note: Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.


b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells will starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes t o nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.

To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).



e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water--best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines will become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.

Anger, unforgiving and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

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Monday, January 7, 2013

☺ Motivational Mondays! ☺



We're taking back Mondays!!!
"Motivational Mondays" are fabulous tips to get you excited and pumped for the week! 
Feeling low? Moody? Down on life? Well, that's what these posts are for! Time to feel awesome again and get some Positivity rolling! Just because it's Monday doesn't mean you can't have fun, smile, and enjoy Today! Apply these tips to your week and try to tell me that you don't start to see an improvement in your life! ;)
It's all about You! Change your perception, change your attitude, love your life! xo


Declare Your Awesome Day! When you first wake up in the morning declare "I am going to have an Awesome Day!!!" Before you go to bed at night, give thanks for the awesome day that you just had, even if it wasn't perfect, give thanks for what went well and imagine that it Was perfect. Then start over again. Before you even open your eyes in the morning, before you get out of bed, announce to yourself that you are going to have an awesome, magical, loving, joyful day! And watch the magic happen! ;)   
Set your Intentions! Okay, let's start the New Year off right, shall we? I love revisiting this exercise because it's incredibly powerful and motivating, and sets you on the right track. Get out a big piece of paper, or several pieces of paper, and write down what you want your life to be like, and what you want your Self to be like. Write it out in the present tense, as if this is the life you Do have right Now. Get very specific and clear, and write down as much as you'd like--better to go too big than too small. Revisit this list as often as you'd like, adding things to it as you please and saying to yourself this is Now.  
Foody Food Helpful, or not? People worry so much about all the food they eat over the holidays, but what they really need to worry about is what they eat the rest of the year. I cannot emphasize how much food affects your mood. I cannot cannot cannot. Because it's something you will not realize until you stop eating crap or things that your body has a hard time with. For myself, I cannot eat refined sugars, cane sugar, wheat, or spelt without feeling tired, irritable, and unsettled in my stomach. These are subtle, and I used to eat these things all the time. It is not until you cut them out that you realize what a huge effect they have on our bodies and minds. Figure out what you can and can't eat, what should be eaten in extreme moderation, and so forth. Trust me! It is one of the best things you can do for your Happiness! 
Watch "Sick, Fat, and Nearly Dead" My mom has been telling me to watch this documentary for forever. I finally did. Now I will tell you what she told me; You Must watch this movie! It is incredibly inspiring and insightful and makes you Want to do something good for your health and eat right. It will motivate you and realize why food is so important. So watch it… immediately! ;)  
Waking up feeling not so great? At least Try to alter your mood. I get it, sometimes it's difficult, but trying means you're climbing back out instead of spiralling out of control so that the whole rest of your day is horrid. Do whatever it is that you need to do to uplift your mood. For me, if I wake up feeling kind of tense and super tired, I haul my ass out of bed and jump on my elliptical for a hardcore workout. I almost always wake right up and feel better. Sometimes I still need to pay attention and work on things throughout the day if it's "one of those days." But like I said, trying means you're doing a better job than spiralling and moping and complaining. So climb dammit! Climb!!! 
Make Someone Smile! It is your goal this week to make someone smile, or even better, laugh, every single day. Do whatever you need to do, but do it. I'll start… by sharing this absolutely adorable and silly photo of this kitty below. ;)
There is a saying by Virginia Satir, a respected family therapist, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” Have you gotten in your hugs today? Put in a conscious effort to get in more hugs, both to receive and give. Everyone could use more hugs after all. :) 


Hope your New Year is off to a beautiful and positive start! :) 
Much Love from me to you! 
Create a Nice Day and Create a Nice Year! xo


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Sunday, January 6, 2013

☺ 2013 Goals and News ☺



Alright, so I'm going to be a little self-contradictory here and share my list of goals… but not for "2013" so to speak, just things I'd like to be getting more into now. ;)

Blogging more. It seems to come in waves for me and while I always commit to the "Motivational Mondays" posts, I certainly want to be blogging more about other topics again as well. My goal is to have ReLove Plan.et a place you can turn to on an almost daily basis for new information and inspiration. :) Recipes have also been lacking so I will be making sure to have new ones every Sunday again as I did before. 
On the up note, the blog has been growing every single month by leaps and bounds, with the highest traffic in December reaching 12,000 views. :) Very exciting stuff! I'll be writing up another post in regards to advertising on the blog so you can expose yourselves and support my work in the process. ;) 

With the ReLove Plan.et shop, it will always be my goal to continue making it grow. I genuinely love what I do and I am very excited to see the growing progress and success of my work. I'll be jumping fully into the summer markets again this year so do please keep that in mind for any custom work you may be after, as a lot of my summer time becomes wrapped up in the markets and contributing to my local community… and enjoying beaches and sunshine and adventures of course. ;) 


Another area that I haven't been placing as much time into for a while now is the video blogging world. You lovelies bug me all the time to put out more videos so it's going to be one of my goals to get more on that and try to put out new videos every week.

I mentioned the "Happiness Guide" that will be coming out by the end of the month, and I will also be creating a "Happiness Boot-Camp" zine shortly after that. The two will be filled with useful, positive, life-changing information and tips and will sort of go together. I am very excited about these! 

And, of course, I will continue to be putting out more and more artwork and creations. It's been very fun to expand my work into various items and projects. I recently opened up my RedBubble shop, which was another exciting step and I may be trying out zazzle soon as well so my artwork can be available on even more fun items. I also finally opened up my deviant art account so you can check out more of my artwork on there, including art for the "anime" fantasy series I've been writing over the last couple years. :) 

For starting out my New Year right, I'm redoing "The Magic" because it is just such a magical thing, with gratitude practices that will change your life! I am also planning on redoing ReLove Plan.et's "30 Day Self Challenge." Remember that one? If you don't, it's fun and definitely gets you on the right track, so check it out... :)

30 Day Self-Challenge







Lastly, I want to thank everyone for all their love and support over the years! You guys are amazing and I am so incredibly grateful to all of you for everything! 
If there are any suggestions, things you want to see more of or less of, than please leave me a comment and let me know!


Much Love! Create a Nice Day! 


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