10/28/2014

Nourish Nature Cleaning | The Honest Company

"Why would I want to 'clean' my home with chemicals that can literally kill me if ingested!?" This question has been on my mind for a while now and I still do not understand how company's have managed to brainwash so many intelligent people into buying chemicals to 'clean' their homes. Things on these products come with warnings such as: "May irritate eyes; Do not get in eyes or on clothing; Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling; Avoid contact with food; Keep out of reach of children; If swallowed call a Poison Control Centre or doctor immediately" (btw, all of this was from ONE bottle of disinfectant wipes!!). It is pretty scary to think people clean countertops with this type of  product and then prepare food on the same surface! (blek!)

Too bad there isn't a company that sells actual safe cleaning products that are organic, plant-based, cruelty-free, contain no harsh chemicals, smells great, and is affordable...oh wait..there is!

 
The Honest Company was founded by Jessica Alba and her husband who were frustrated trying to find the perfect products for their babies and home. They developed a company that sells cleaning products, body & bath products, and baby products that are safe for you, your family, and the environment! They have all of their products and product information online so you can view it before purchasing!

 Essential Bundle
 
The way The Honest Company works is by bundles. A bundle contains five items from either cleaning supplies, body products, or baby needs. It is shipped out every month, or up to 3 months. It is such a pleasant surprise when it comes in the mail, the packaging is so pretty and everything is compostable (way to go Alba!!)

Dryer Cloths. Laundry Detergent. 
 
Oh, and did I mention they send a free trial gift set for all those interested in the company! No obligations! I will leave the link below so you can get yours today!

Glass and Window Cleaner. Dishwasher pods.
 
I have ordered the Essentials Bundle, which has cleaning supplies and body & bath. So, here is what I ordered!

Foaming Hand Soap: Lavender. Face+Body Lotion: Scent Free
 
I have to say, everything I have ordered from this company I have been impressed with! Each product has its own scent that is both clean and fresh. The foaming hand soaps are by far my favourite! The scents are amazing and, unlike most organic/chemical-free soaps, it lathers! The Face+Body lotion is also a favourite, all you need is a little dab and it spreads like melted butter!-only not gross and greasy, light a fresh! So, please, do yourself  a favour and order you trial today!!


 
❤️
 
 

10/21/2014

The Clean Fifteen | Quick Tip

 
I know sometimes it is hard to constantly buy organic produce, whether it is because it is too expensive, or you simply just cannot find it at you grocery store. It is very important for our wellbeing to avoid as many toxins as possible, so following guides like 'The Dirty Dozen' as I posted earlier in September, will help you make the right choices to avoid toxins. The Clean Fifteen shows us which produce items can be safely purchased non-organic, as they have little to no pesticides sprayed on them.
 
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapples
Mangos
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Sweet Onion
Sweet Potato
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Cabbage
 
These items have a different type of skin, which is generally thicker than the Dirty Dozen, which is why the spray do not penetrate the inside flesh.
 
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10/15/2014

5 Ways to Use Pumpkins | Fall Recipes

 
Here are 5 ways to make the most out of your pumpkins!
 
1. Cruelty Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
I made this recipe over the Holiday weekend, and it was delicious! It was tasty, light, and didn't leave that feeling of 'I weigh more than a whale' feeling after eating it.
 
Crust Ingredients:
1 Cup Raw Cashews (soaked for 1 hour)
1/2 Cup Medjool Dates (pitted)
1 Tsp Cinnamon
 
Blend in food processer until fully mixed. Form in the pan.
 
Filling Ingredients:
5 oz. Firm Tofu
2.5 Cups of Raw Cashews (soaked for 1 hour)
1/2 Cup Agave Syrup (can use Maple syrup)
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (Epicure)
Water for desired consistency
 
Blend in a food processer until smooth. Pour onto crust. Let sit overnight (or an hour) in the fridge, then bake for 20 minutes. Serve as desired.
 
2. Pumpkin Bliss Balls
Make these quick and easy Bliss Ball in the evening for a delicious, energy filled, morning snack the next day.
 
Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Puree
1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (Epicure)
4-6 Medjool Dates (pitted)
1 Tsp Cacao Powder
 
Crush Pumpkin Seeds in food processer, then add medjool dates and other ingredients. Blend until smooth and sticky. Form into balls and place in fridge, or freezer overnight.
 
 
 
3. Add to a Smoothie
There are many reason to love pumpkin, it is filled with antioxidants, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and is low in calories. So why not add this beauty to your smoothie to make it even healthier for you!
 
Ingredients:
2 Cups of Almond Milk
3/4 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Scoop of protein powder (I use Vega Sport Vanilla)
1/2 Cup Ice
1 Tsp Cinnamon
 
Blend and Enjoy!
 
4. Carve a Pumpkin!
Since Halloween is well on its way it is time for making scary, or not-so-scary, Jack-O-Lantern's. Halloween is by far my most favorite day of the year, my sister and I usually make it a month long celebration by watching Halloween movies all month and creating ideas for our annual Halloween party! But if you aren't as crazy as us, carving a pumpkin a few days before Halloween (so it is still fresh for the big day!) can be a great way to ignite the Halloween spirit within you! 
 
 
 
5. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Such an easy way to use the seeds (or pumpkin guts, if you will) after you have carved your pumpkin!
 
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Clean out seeds from pumpkin
Toss in a bowl and add a small about of oil (I use Safflower Oil)
Then add your choice of spice (Cinnamon, pumpkin pie, chipotle, dill, etc)
Spread out on a pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown
 
Don't forget to use ORGANIC ingredients where you can!!
 
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10/08/2014

My New Routine | Fitness



Lately I have been skipping my workouts, missing yoga, and just being all around LAZY-we have all been here before, so get off my back! So I have decided I need to step up my gym game and get back into a routine! (and shape, I need to get back into shape..). I used to go to the gym 5-6 times a week and work my, excuse my French, derrière off. Since I have started my new job I am lucky if I get there twice a week. So I am putting a stop to this mini-gym-vacay I went on and making time for myself (the struggle is real, I get it, but find what works and go with it) I have decided to start going to the gym before work instead of after (yes, it is as dark out as midnight on a moonless night), that way I can make time for all the yoga classes I have been missing. There really are no excuses not to wake up early and go, and it makes the day better knowing you have already accomplished something.


It is so important to take time for ourselves to work on our health. Getting your heart rate up for at least an hour everyday is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. A holistic life should include some sort of daily exercise, whether it is from yoga, going to the gym, or simply taking a walk in nature. All of these will better our minds and bodies, and even prevent illnesses.



By going to the gym early, I'll be able make more time for yoga. Yoga is one of my favourite hobbies to practice. The way it makes the body and mind feel is like magic, the more and more I practice the better and better I feel. I can finally deal with stress and anxiety the right way. I know a lot of people who want to start yoga but are held back because they are afraid of 'looking stupid'. You don't have to worry about being judged. There may be some people doing handstands in the corner while you are trying your hardest to just to touch your feet in a forward fold. Everyone's practice is different. Go as slow as you need. Use the blocks. Use the straps. Seriously, all of this helps. If someone is judging you in class then they're the ones who shouldn't be there.

Ok, rant over.


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10/07/2014

Tea Benefits | Fall Mornings



With the mornings getting colder and colder as the days fly by I am often tempted to go to the comforts of my local Starbucks and pick up some sort of Mocha-jocha-filled-with-GMO-latte-concoction to warm up before work. Thankfully, I avoid this temptation by preparing my cupboards in advance (fail to prepare, prepare to fail) with delicious herbal teas that warm my body and keep me happy all morning! There is nothing better than having a warm cup of tea with breakfast on a cold day. It is relaxing, comforting, and beneficial for our health. Here is a list of some of my favourite teas with their health benefits!
 
Dandelion Root for a liver/kidney cleanse
Green for antioxidants
Ginger for colds
Oolong for detoxifying
Peppermint for stomach issues
Chamomile for sleep
 
My go to tea in the morning is Green Tea due to its natural occurring caffeine that wakes me up in the morning. Green tea is rich in antioxidants which promotes healthy skin and eliminates free radicals from the body. It is also believed that green tea is powerful enough to prevent heart disease and cancer (with health benefits like that, you'd be crazy not to drink it!). Another benefit is: it tastes great! -so clean and refreshing. It is such an easy way to stay healthy with cold and flu season just around the corner! Seriously. It's amazing. Go buy some. Now. You won't regret it.

❤️

10/02/2014

Fall Movie Night In | Recipe


 
With the warm weather coming to an end, it's time to put away our bonfire gear and cozy up on the couch with a warm tea and a blanket. This time of year is the time for movie nights, snacks, and anything warm and fluffy (insert Agnes from Despicable Me, here!) but how do we avoid eating those chips that are filled with Maltodextrin, Modified Corn Starch, Hydrogenated oils, Castoreum, etc., etc. Rule of thumb: If you can't pronounce it, DON'T eat it! (Unless its Quinoa, always eat Quinoa!)
 
Grabbing for that microwavable popcorn may be convenient, but the thing about popcorn is it comes from corn which, unless organic, is not GMO free and therefore filled with questionable chemicals that are not listed on the label. Nuking the microwavable popcorn can create carcinogens. And let's not forget the horrors that lurk in the 'bag' it comes in (I'm looking at you BPA!) Companies can get away with adding BPA to the bag because it's 'technically' not an ingredient in the product, but the product, being so close to the bag, absorbs the BPA and other chemicals in the bag in order to keep it from spoiling.
 
 
 
My favourite snack to nibble on while watching a movie is, in fact, popcorn! -it's actually my favourite snack anytime. The benefit of eating such a delicious treat is it is full of fiber, making it an excellent choice for an evening snack. When selecting your popcorn make sure it is organic! This may be hard to find because GMO free corn is almost impossible to find these days. If you can't find any at your grocery store (which, I know I can't) check your local health food stores or even an organic farmers market. Places I have found it in my city are Simply For Life and Kredl's Farmers Market, you can also order it online from iHerb (http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Real-Food-Certified-Organic-Popcorn-24-oz-680-g/9715#p=1&oos=1&disc=0&lc=en-US&w=popcorn&rc=48&sr=null&ic=6) where it is super inexpensive! Sharing a bowl of popcorn with you family and friends (or solo!) while watching a movie will curb the cravings for those salty, chemical filled, chips and other snacks!
 
What You'll Need:
Air-Pop Popcorn Maker (mine is the Salton Cinema Popper)
1/2 Cup of Organic, GMO free, Popcorn Kernels
1 Teaspoon of Coconut or Safflower Oil (used on air-popper to oil the base)
1 Tablespoon of Organic Vegan Butter (or Organic Unsalted Butter)
 
TIP: if you are the kind of person who LOVES putting popcorn seasoning on you popcorn, a good substitute is any Simply Organic spice! Mrs Dash is also an option but it is not organic, still a better choice from those movie-style popcorn seasonings (filled with garbage and the salt content is outrageous!)


❤️


10/01/2014

Fall Caramel Sauce | Recipe



Last night I made a delicious, and fun, caramel sauce! And guess what?...it's healthy! As I have mentioned before, I am done with ingredients like butter and sugar, I'm into more wholesome ingredients that nourish my body and are Earth friendly. 

I wanted to make something I could enjoy this Fall, and Thanksgiving, with all of the apples I picked this past weekend. So I decided a yummy caramel sauce for dipping, spreading, and drizzling was the perfect choice! 

Without further ado, my Fall Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:
13-16 Organic Medjool Dates (the plumper the better, soak for 30 minutes if needed)
~ 1 Cup Organic Almond Milk
1 Tbsp Cinnamon 

Directions:
Place all of the dates, pitted, into your food processor.
Sprinkle cinnamon on top, then blend until dates are mashed together. 
Add almond milk, and blend again.
Add more milk for desired consistency.
Blend until fully mixed
Store in mason jar, and enjoy for the week! 



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