Candle Cafe Vegan

First of all I would like to give a huge thanks to everyone who stopped by here to check out my entry for the Virtual Vegan Potluck. I welcome and appreciate your comments. I’m still making my way through all the blogs!

Living in Colorado I am fortunate to be close to many great restaurants that feature vegan food. City O’ City, Watercourse, Hops and Pie, Root Down, Linger. I could go on but I doubt these names mean anything to those living outside of CO. I don’t think any of those restaurants are known on a national level. But I’m willing to bet that every vegan knows the name Candle Café. Internationally known as one of the best vegan restaurants in the world, Candle Café features farm-to-table cuisine that is created in the most eco-friendly ways possible. I am insanely jealous of those who live in New York City and can go visit any one of their 3 locations at their leisure. I hope I get to experience it one day.

Until that day comes I can live a little vicariously through their new line of frozen entrees. Available in Mac and Cheese, Ginger Miso Stir-Fry, Tofu Spinach Ravioli, and Seitan Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce, these meals give a small taste of the goodness that CC dishes out. I tried the Seitan Piccata as it was the only one available at Whole Foods. It was also the one I was most interested in due to the seitan. As far as I know it is the only frozen meal that features everyone’s favorite wheat meat and I was curious to see how it held up.

Before even heating it up I was a little disappointed by the amount of seitan. The seitan in the sauce contained only about four thumb-sized pieces and a bunch of much smaller peices. More than half of the dish was rice. Normally that wouldn’t bother me but the rice was seriously lacking flavor. There wasn’t enough sauce to go throughout the whole dish so it was on the dry side. However, the flavor of the sauce was great. It was distinctly lemony and though I didn’t actually see whole capers I could taste a slight brininess. The larger pieces of seitan were chewy and added just enough texture to keep the whole thing from feeling all around mushy. With 12 grams of protein it was more than enough to keep me full until dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do hope to be able to try the other versions soon and review those; hopefully they will be a little more balanced. Unfortunately these meals aren’t cheap; at nearly 5 bucks a pop they are an occasional buy to keep around for emergency use. Candle Café does support The Humane Society of the United States and Farm Sanctuary, two organizations that work tirelessly to better the lives of animals in our world, so I can justify the cost somewhat. If you are interested in trying their frozen fare you can print a coupon off their website to help save a little on the purchase. And if anyone out there has tried any of the varieties I’d love to hear what you think!

 

 

Virtual Vegan Potluck #3-Maple Brussels Sprouts Pizza with Serranos and Lemon

Hello and welcome to this, the third installment to the Virtual Vegan Potluck! I hope you are having a wonderful time making your way through all the amazing recipes. Each time we do this it gets bigger and bigger and I couldn’t be happier. A huge, huge amount of thanks goes out to Annie, Somer, and Jason for their hard work at putting this event together, not to mention Vegan Bloggers Unite! for serving as the host site and the myriad of sponsors who contribute prizes. It may take longer to get through each course but I personally love discovering new bloggers and fun recipes to try.  I certainly hope you enjoy my offering and I would love if you kept coming back!

My entry this year is a pizza inspired by a recipe from Meatless, by Martha Stewart Living. The book is full of wonderful vegetarian recipes, many that are vegan or can easily be veganized. One of those recipes is the Brussels Sprout and Lemon pizza, an easy dish that features crispy sprout leaves and tart slices of lemon on top of fresh mozzarella cheese. It’s cooked in a cast-iron skillet so there’s no stress about having a funny-shaped pizza. I liked the sound of it, minus the mozz, of course. The first time I made it the cheese was easily replaced with Teese and the result was a light, but filling meal. It paired wonderfully with a crisp white wine.

Then Robert and I wondered what could make it better. He was a little adverse to the slices of lemon, though I didn’t mind them. He suggested I toss the sprout leaves in maple syrup (maple roasted Brussels sprouts being one of his most favorite foods) to add a bit of sweetness. I concurred; a touch of sweetness can elevate a dish to a whole new level. Then I thought about adding some heat in the way of a jalapeno. The result was good, if not entirely what I was hoping for. The sprouts were perfectly flavored by the syrup, but the lemon became too assertive and the jalapeno was lost in it all.

As with any good experiment I went back to the drawing board. A spicier pepper was definitely needed and I wanted to tone down the lemon flavor without removing it all together. I used two Serrano chilies in place of the jalapeno and instead of lemon slices baked on the pizza I added a bit of lemon zest and juice right after taking the pizza out of the oven. The third time was the charm and I ended up with a truly unique pizza creation. The spice of the peppers matched the sweetness of the sprouts and the lemon zest and juice added brightness and acidity without being overpowering.  The subtle creaminess of the Teese rounded it all out.  You can certainly stick with jalapenos if you are not a fan of heat or increase the heat with a habanero if you are so inclined. I’m very proud of how this came out as it is the first time I’ve evolved a recipe to make something all my own. I’m usually scared to deviate from a recipe but in this case it really paid off.

Maple Brussels Sprout Pizza with Serrano and Lemon

Adapted from a recipe from Meatless by Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients:

6-8 large Brussels sprouts

2 Serrano chilies

Zest of 1 lemon plus 2 teaspoons of lemon juice

5oz Teese  or vegan mozzarella of your choice

1 tablespoon Maple syrup

1 can Pillsbury Whole Grain Artisan pizza dough, or dough of your choice (about 13oz)

Olive oil, for brushing

Directions:

Remove the dough and let it sit at room temp while you prepare everything else. This will make it easier to stretch and manipulate it in the pan.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Lightly oil the cast iron pan, making sure to brush it up along the sides.

Cut the stems off the sprouts and pull as many leaves off as you can. You should end up with roughly 2 cups of leaves. When done, rinse and dry the leaves thoroughly. It is imperative that the leaves are completely dry, or the syrup won’t stick and they won’t get crispy. A salad spinner works well to remove most of the moisture, but you will still need to dry them with paper towels after spinning to get them totally dry. Place dry leaves in a bowl and toss with the maple syrup. Use your hands to make sure every leaf gets coated! Set aside.

Clean the serranos and cut them in half.  Carefully remove the seeds and membrane, and then slice into thin half-moons. Remember to wash your hands after handling the peppers! Set aside.

If you use the Pillsbury crust I did, this part is a little tricky. The dough rolls out in a rectangle and of course the pan is round so you have to do a little cut and paste. Roll the dough out in the pan then trim the excess that hangs over either side. Use these pieces to fill in the gaps in the pan. This is where having pliable dough comes in handy. Pinch the pieces of dough together then pat it out evenly throughout the pan.

Cut off thin slices of Teese and layer them on the crust, leaving approximately a half inch edge of dough. I using shredded cheese just sprinkle it evenly around, again leaving a half inch edge. Evenly spread the Brussels sprouts on top of the cheese then sprinkle the chilies on top. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 10-12 minutes or until the leaves are crisp and the dough is cooked through.  Remove from the oven and evenly distribute the zest and juice on top.

Enjoy!

My entry will take you to The Road to Serendipity. Seriously, that’s the next blog in the potluck, but I think I might use it to close all my future blog entries; “Now to the Road to Serendipity with you.” It sounds very philosophical :)  Now off you go!

Poppy’s Patisserie

The Road to Serendipity

Counting down to an awesome event

 

The 3rd Virtual Vegan Potluck is quickly approaching! This time around there are over 170 blogs (including your truly ) participating. If you’re new to this event, one: what rock have you been hiding under? and two: the VVP is a collection of vegan recipes from bloggers all around the world. On May 11th, all the participating bloggers will post their unique recipe with links to the preceding and next blog in the potluck. The categories include appetizers and desserts, and everthing in between. The idea is that of a real potluck; start with the appetizers and make your way to dessert. But just like a real potluck you can skip around and go back to your favorites again and again. I will be in the main dish category.  Check out the entire list of participants here and make sure you come back on May 11th to see what deliciousness I’ve cooked up!

Oh, and don’t think I haven’t noticed that my posting has been lacking lately. I’ve had an unprecidented bout of laziness come over me that I blame on the schizophrenic Colorado weather. It’s hard to want to do anything when it’s spring and there’s six inches of snow outside my window. Thankfully that seems to be over and my mood and energy will perk right up when I see some consistant sun. I’ll have some great reviews coming up and I’ve got a Sunshine Award nomination from Epicurean Vegan to acknowledge. That I am purposely saving for after the potluck, as I suspect I’ll have a whole bunch of new blogs I want to mention!

 

 

Not-So Budget Buy-MyChelle Fruit Fiesta Peel

I truly believe that every once in a while you have to splurge on something that makes you feel good. Whether that’s a new pair of shoes, a massage, or a meal at a fancy restaurant, treating yourself can go a long way to improving your confidence and self-image. My splurges are usually on skincare products, as evidenced here. Most of the time I try to be frugal when I comes to buying skincare items, especially if it is something I use every day. I know there are moisturizers and cleansers out there that cost an arm and a leg and that’s just not a cost I can justify if I will be using the product every day and thus buying it often.

A few of the exceptions I make to this are with eye creams and masks/peels.  I don’t mind spending a bit more for an eye cream because they tend to last longer since such small amounts are used. With masks/peels I’m definitely willing to spend more because I want to get the most out of the once or twice weekly applications. I have used a lot of different masks and peels in the past, but none are quite as intense as MyChelle’s Fruit Fiesta Peel.

MyChelle, a company created here in Colorado, creates skincare products that are made with the highest quality and most effective plant-based ingredients. Their face care products are geared towards specific skin types: All/Combo, Youth blemish control, Oily/blemish control, Dry, Age spot/UV recovery, Age defense, and Sensitive. Based on your particular skin type and needs you can create an entire regimen of products that cleanse, tone, moisturize, protect, and treat. I decided to splurge on the Fruit Fiesta Peel because it targets wrinkles. The formula features Lactic Acid, an anti-aging ingredient that cleanses and moisturizes, and various fruit extracts that work together to nourish and moisturize skin. What I love about this peel is that you can actually see the fruit in it. One of the ingredients is raspberry (which provided soothing, anti-oxidant skin protection) and you can see the pulp and seeds right there. It almost looks like jam. How often do you use a product where you can actually identify a specific ingredient just by looking at it?

When I say this peel is intense, I am not kidding around. Almost immediately after applying it your skin will start to tingle and itch. You only have to leave it on for 1-3 minutes but those will be the longest minutes of your life. Nothing will feel quite as good as splashing cool water on your face to wash it off. But once it’s off your skin will feel amazing. Fresh, tight but not dry, and still slightly tingly. I can honestly say I haven’t noticed a reduction in wrinkles, but then mine aren’t that bad. Someone with more pronounced wrinkles might have more effective results. I just love how my skin looks and feels after using it. It’s a great way to wake your skin up in the morning. This is definitely not for sensitive skin types and even those who have tough skin may want to limit the use of this to once a week, which is how often I use it. Whole Foods locations often have a MyChelle representative who is more than happy to offer a sample of any of their products and this is a great way to try this peel before dropping $30 on a 1.2oz bottle.  You can also purchase the Dry/Mature trial kit which contains a sample size of the peel.

All of MyChelle’s products are vegetarian and most are vegan; a complete list of their vegan products can be found here. The website also offers a lot of info on how to get the most out of your skincare regimen, how each ingredient works, and which products to use for your skin type. None of their products are exactly cheap but you are getting what you pay for: quality skincare that is tailored to achieving the most effective results. I can’t think of anything better I’d want to splurge on

 

Doggone It!

We’re just one day away from spring! Although that doesn’t mean much in these parts (Colorado is notorious for having some wicked spring blizzards) it does mean we are one day closer to summer and I am so ready! So to get everyone in a summery mood, I present a review of Tofurkey’s vegan hot dogs.

Vegan chili cheese dog!

Before I get to the review, let me clarify a few things, mostly to do with the lame picture above. I’m not the world’s best planner when it comes to my posts (hence my sporadic posting schedule) so although I knew I wanted to review these, I didn’t get around to taking the picture until I had already thrown out the package and was out of hot dog buns. I actually took the picture at work, thus the paper plate. Thankfully my blog isn’t about pretty pictures but honest reviews, right?

My go-to for vegan hot dogs has been Lightlife Smart Dogs. I’ve tried Field Roast’s Frankfurters and thought they were better than Lightlife’s in both texture and flavor, but they are more expensive and each dog contains 8 grams of fat compared to the Smart Dogs, which have just 2 grams.  I’ve stayed away from Tofurkey because honestly it is my least favorite mock-meat products. I’ve only tried the deli-style slices once and was horribly put off by them. I occasionally use the Italian sausage or Kielbasa in a jambalaya recipe, but can only use a very small about. I just don’t like the texture or taste. I always assumed that I wouldn’t like the hot dogs based my dislike of their other products but they just happened to be on sale so I threw caution to the wind and picked up a package. I figured even if they were awful I would be adding copious amounts of Daiya and vegan chili so it wouldn’t really matter.

Here’s where you learn an important lesson, kids—never assume that you will dislike everything a company makes until you try it all. I was so prepared for a bland, mushy offering that I was afraid I had accidentally served myself one of Robert’s beef dogs when I took my first bite. It had spice and texture. It didn’t taste like an extension of the bread, but rather an ingredient all its own. I grilled mine on an indoor grill and it actually developed a nice crispness to the outside, providing that satisfactory ‘snap’ when I bit into it. The flavor is almost exactly how I remember non-vegan dogs tasting; a perfect balance of salt, garlic, and smokiness, and it stood up well to the chili, cheese, and red onion I adorned it with. I do believe that Tofurkey has made a perfect vegan hot dog, and I almost let my own narrow-mindedness pass it up.

I make sure to label leftover dogs to aviod any unwanted meat consumption.

Nutritionally speaking they fall right in the middle of the pack between Field Roast and Lightlife. Lightlife dogs are 50 calories each, with 2 grams of fat, no saturated fat, and 330mg of sodium. Tofurkey comes in at 100 cals per dog, 4.5g fat, no saturated fat, and 330mg of sodium (Keep in mind these are for the regular dogs, not the jumbo ones). Field Roast’s dogs will set you back 180 cals each, 8g of fat with 2g saturated fat, and 690mg of sodium.

Definitely check the puppies out (no pun intended) if you haven’t already and keep thinking happy, summery thoughts; it will be here before you know it!

Snack Attack

I’m going to apologize in advance for the lack of pictures in this post. I’ve been trying to make sure I post my own pics and not just those from a website, but I occasionally get lazy and don’t feel like dragging out the camera, taking pics, uploading them to my computer, then to the post. But that’s not why pictures are lacking for this post. I have no pictures because the product in question doesn’t last long enough for a picture. I’m totally serious.

So, just what is so amazing that it practically disappears as soon as it crosses the threshold of the apartment? Only Earth Balance’s new vegan Aged White Cheddar Popcorn and White Cheddar Puffs.

I love Smart Foods White Cheddar popcorn. I can eat an entire bag. Not one of those ‘snack’ size bags but the big, this-should-last-you-at-least-a week size bag.  I haven’t eaten it nearly as much as I would in the past due to its un-vegan-ness but that hasn’t stopped me from indulging.  So imagine my delight when I saw that EB had created a vegan version of one of my all-time favorite junk foods.  I won’t lie and say that I didn’t have my doubts.  Could it possibly live up to the taste of the original?

I was fortunate enough to get the last bag on the shelf of my local Whole Foods a few weeks back. I raced home and opened the bag in eager anticipation. I threw a few pieces in my mouth and for a moment I thought I might cry. I tasted almost exactly like the Smart Foods version. In fact I found that I liked it more because the cheese flavor was not as overpowering.  I had Robert try some and he loved it too. I also noticed that it was a lot less powdery so I didn’t get a thick coating of ingredients on my fingers. But perhaps the best thing is the nutritional comparison. I always managed to fool myself into thinking that the Smart Foods version wasn’t that bad considering it was made with popcorn but  I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

Earth Balance Vegan Aged White Cheddar Popcorn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nutritional Information for Smart Foods White Cheddar Popcorn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With EB you get almost double the serving size with fewer calories, less saturated fat and more healthy fats, and less sodium. That’s not to say that eating an entire bag of EB popcorn is recommended, but if you do it certainly won’t be as bad.

Do you ever miss Cheetos Puffs since going vegan? EB has an answer for that as well-Aged White Cheddar Curls. These big, airy puffs of deliciousness are made with corn and…navy beans? That’s right. It sounds weird but after your first one you won’t be able to stop.  It’s almost like the beans add creaminess to the puffs.  That might not be the right way to describe it but you’ll know what I mean when you try them. Their nutritional content is even better than the popcorn, again making it less of a guilty pleasure.

Earth Balance White Cheddar Puffs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since trying both these products the first time a few weeks ago we have gone through 2 bags of the popcorn and 2 bags of the puffs. Neither bag has lasted through more than one sitting. They are just that damn good. We probably would have gone through more bags but more often than not they’re sold out, so I get them whenever I can. They also have a plain, buttered popcorn flavor that I haven’t tried but I imagine it’s equally delicious.  I highly suggest you snag a bag of either if you come across them and see for yourself how the evolution of vegan junk food is coming along.

Victory!

This little guy applauds the EU ban.

It’s been a long time coming, but it has finally happened- The European Union has banned the import and sale of all animal-tested cosmetics! From the Opposing Views article:

 

After over 20 years of effort and delays, animals will no longer be used to test makeup, skin care products and other products in the European Union. The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments has succeeded in banning the use of animals in cosmetics testing in all member countries of the EU. We all celebrate with them!

 

As of March 11, 2013, the EU will ban the import and sale of animal-tested cosmetic products (including ingredients) for all member states. From this date forward, anyone selling new cosmetic products and ingredients in the European Union will not be allowed to test them on animals anywhere in the world, the Nydailynews.com reports.

 

Under the new rules, all personal care products, from high-end to drugstore brands, not only cannot be tested on animals, but neither can any of a given products’ ingredients, according to mnn.com. All toiletries and beauty products, from skin cream to toothpaste, will be affected.

 

Cosmetics will still be tested for safety by the companies that produce them, but using agreed-upon methods that do not involve animals.

 

Chief Executive of Cruelty Free International Michelle Thew said: “This is truly an historic event and the culmination of over 20 years of campaigning. Now we will apply our determination and vision on a global stage to ensure that the rest of the world follows this lead.”

 

This victory was largely due to the support of the new European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy Tonio Borg. The ECEAU states, “The former European Commissioner in charge of the EU’s cosmetics regulations had been considering recommendations to delay or weaken the ban, allowing the cosmetics industry to continue testing cosmetic products and ingredients on animals until they could find alternative methods, but it went through, thanks to Borg’s urging.”

 

The ban has been planned since 2009, but animal-testing campaigners feared a delay to the decision. EU Commissioner Tonio Borg wrote an open letter informing them that the ban is due to go ahead as proposed, and stating that he was “not planning to propose a postponement or derogation to the ban.”

 

The European Coalition to End Animal Experiments announced that its next goal is to end the use of animals in scientific experiments, stating that 12 million animals a year are used in Europe for this purpose, according to mnn.com.

 

OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD

 

ISRAEL

 

On January 1, 2013, Israel banned the import, sale, and marketing of animal-tested cosmetics, toiletries, and household cleaners. In 2007, the Israeli government had banned the use of animals to test personal-care and household products within the country. In the new law, which came into effect January 1, 2013, lawmakers have blocked products that have been tested on animals in other countries from even crossing Israel’s border,

 

INDIA

 

At the urging of Maneka Gandhi and Indian activists, India is currently revising its method of safety testing for cosmetics and it is hoped all animal testing will be banned. Indian Drug Control General Dr. Singh recently stated, “If animal testing of cosmetics isn’t mandatory by either the US FDA or the EU, it seems unnecessary for India to have them at all.”

 

Ms. Gandhi explained that India would lose tremendous revenue if the European countries are unable to purchase cosmetics from India because of its failure to comply with the new EU anti-cruelty laws, which prohibit subjecting innocent animals to unnecessary pain and suffering to test products.

 

CHINA

 

One of the world’s largest markets, China still demands animal testing as a safety precaution, according to mnn.com. PETA states that Chinese companies are required by law to pay for testing before some cosmetics can be marketed to the public. PETA is working in Beijing, training scientists to test cosmetics with alternative methods.

 

This is such a huge leap forward in animal welfare and I can only hope that other countries follow suit.

 

Don’t go running out to buy that favorite European brand you abandoned years ago just yet. Despite laws against testing in the EU, some companies will still sell their products in countries like China, which require animal testing. And since the testing is conducted in China it falls outside the jurisdiction of the EU law. And to make matters worse the company has to pay for their own animal testing. That’s why companies like Avon, May Kay and Estee Lauder fell out of favor with PETA last year. Late last year Urban Decay, a popular cruelty-free company with many vegan cosmetic options, experienced first-hand the disappointment from consumers when they announced they were going to sell in China. After the backlash they quickly backed off from that decision and said they would not sell in China until the mandatory animal testing policies were outlawed. Hopefully countries like China will take a page from India and realize that they could suffer a huge blow in revenue if they fail to comply with the new laws and can’t sell in any EU country. Thankfully they are amenable to learning about alternatives to animal-testing. If you are in doubt as to whether a brand is or isn’t tested on animals, refer to Leaping Bunny.org. You can trust them to list only companies that do not test products on animals in any country.

I wonder how this will affect US companies. Johnson and Johnson, Unilever, and SC Johnson are some of the biggest companies that still conduct animal testing and I can only imagine that they will take a huge financial hit if they can no longer sell in Europe. I hope this will be the catalyst that causes them to reconsider their stance on animal testing.

Budget Buy-Kiss My Face Olive Oil Soap

 

When it comes to incredibly cheap bath and beauty items, you can’t beat good old bar soap. Honestly I didn’t know it was still made. I had stopped using it long ago when I went cruelty-free because no brands at the store were CF. Plus I always found bar soaps to be too drying and harsh on my skin. While out of work I needed a cheap cleanser to use in the shower and came across Kiss My Face Olive Oil Soaps. My initial interest was due to the price–$3.99 for an 8oz bar! When I read the ingredients I was even more intrigued; olive oil is the main ingredient and is combined with other ingredients to create a moisturizing, nourishing, and cleansing product.

I chose the Olive Oil and Aloe version because I thought that would be the least likely to dry my skin. I shouldn’t have worried though; it has nothing in common with other bar soaps besides its shape. Olive oil has long been lauded for it moisturizing properties and it’s a great idea to put it in soap. While it doesn’t lather like a traditional soap, it washes off completely and leaves the skin soft.  The Aloe version has a very mild scent that shouldn’t bother those who are sensitive to smells. And it will last forever. Okay, probably not that long, but I’ve been using the same bar for over 4 months. That’s only a dollar per month! I can’t even make shower gel last more than a few weeks and those cost more than twice as much. This is a great bargain, especially if you go with the 8oz bar, which retails for $3.99, as opposed to the 4oz bar which is $2.99. I suck at math and even I know that’s a good deal.

I love that none of the 6 varieties (Pure Olive Oil, O.O and Aloe, O.O. and Honey, O.O. and Chamomile, O.O. and Lavender, and O.O. and Green Tea) contain more than 5 ingredients. Each variety has its own benefits, like the antiseptic properties of lavender, antioxidant power of green tea, or the calming ability of chamomile. Olive Oil is the number one ingredient in every one so you get the maximum benefit from it. All are vegan except the honey, obviously.

The one issue I do have with it is its size—the 8oz bar is big and can be difficult to handle, especially when wet.  It took a few weeks of use to wear it down enough to hold comfortably in my hand.  However the size is not a big enough problem to keep me from buying it again. If you like to buy in bulk you might consider buying directly from Kiss My Face’s website as they offer 3-packs that are a steal at either $5.99 for 3 4oz bars or $7.98 for 3 8oz bars.

Budget Buy-Earth Science Almond-Aloe Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15

 

Keeping with the kind-of theme of budget-friendly CF buys, I present you Earth Science Almond-Aloe Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15. I am vigilant about applying moisturizer with SPF but often feel like many of them leave behind a greasy residue. For someone with temperamental skin, this can result in random breakouts and a perpetually shiny forehead. Not a great look. Up until a few months ago I had been using The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Moisturizer with SPF 30 and I loooved it. However, at $36 a pop for a 1.7oz container, it was not a viable option during unemployment. Thankfully Earth Science offers a quality, affordable, and vegan alternative.

For starters, this moisturizer is silky smooth. It says that right on the label but of course one can’t always believe a label. However I will attest that this is not false advertising. It is very light and for a product that contains sunscreen, it absorbs remarkably well. I have never noticed a greasy residue and I think it achieves a prefect level of moisturization.  Applying makeup on top of this lotion won’t make it feel caked on either. The scent is very mild with just a hint of almond but it does come in a fragrance-free version.   In addition to the aloe and almond oil it contains jojoba oil, Vitamin E, ginseng and green tea extract, Sodium hylauronate (remember that from this post?),  and retinyl palmitate.  Retinyl palmitate is a form of Vitamin A that has shown to have antioxidant and skin-cell regenerator properties; great stuff to use on your face!

I do wish the SPF level was higher so if I plan on being in the sun for an extended period of time, I apply sunscreen on top of this. I also have an issue with the dispenser getting clogged with hardened pieces occasionally, so in order to dislodge it I have to squeeze the bottle harder and often end up with a big blob in my hand. Still, for only $9.95 for a 5oz bottle I really can’t complain.

Earth Science offers a huge line of affordable face, body, and hair care products and almost all are vegan, with the exception of these ones:

Azulene Eye Treatment contains beeswax

Men’s Face & Body Skin Care Balm contains lanolin oil

Hair Treatment Shampoo contains hydrolyzed silk protein

Hair Treatment Conditioner contains hydrolyzed silk protein

Deep Conditioning Shampoo and Hair Masque contain hydrolyzed silk protein

They are readily found in health food stores and also have an online store to purchase from.

 

Spiked Hot Chocolate

 

I hope everyone had a Merry/Happy Whatever! Our Christmas was a bit eventful—after brunch we had to rush our kitty Loki to the emergency vet due to a blocked urethra. This is a very dangerous condition in male cats which causes them to be unable to urinate. The wastes from the urine build up, distending the bladder and causing extreme pain, sickness, and death if not treated quickly. Thankfully we got him in before he became too sick and he is already on the mend and will hopefully be coming home tomorrow. I am so thankful that we live only 20 minutes from a 24-hour vet hospital and that the caring individuals got him in right away to begin taking care of him. We visited him yesterday and all the vet techs and the vet taking care of him just love how friendly he is. He really loves going to the vet so he made friends easily once he got to feeling better. Of course, this little trip wasn’t cheap but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t wait to get my boy home tomorrow!

On a happier note, this post is for my Spiked Hot Chocolate! With winter in full swing, we could all use a little extra something in our drinks to keep us warm and this recipe is perfect for that.

A bit of back story—Robert works with some truck drivers from Russia who are always bringing him bottles of liquor. I don’t know why; he’s not even sure except that they are just really giving, friendly guys. We often get various kinds of Armenian brandy and champagne as well as the occasional bottle of vodka or tequila. For Thanksgiving, they brought him a gift set of Patron XO Café and XO Café Dark Cocoa, which are chocolate/coffee flavored liquors. I had an entire container of Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder that needed to be used so I figured they would go great together.  From the Patron website, here are the descriptions for each flavor:

Patron XO Café: Patrón XO Cafe is an extraordinary blend of ultra-premium Patrón Silver tequila and the pure, natural essence of fine coffee. The taste is dry, not sweet as with most low-proof coffee liqueurs with notes of chocolate and vanilla. Patrón XO Cafe is excellent for sipping, as a premium cocktail ingredient, or as a unique and delicious dessert topping.

Patron XO Café Dark Cocoa: Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa combines high-quality Patrón Silver tequila with the extraordinary essence of fine coffee and Criollo chocolate from Mexico to create a unique and enjoyable ultra-premium coffee liqueur. Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa marries the smooth, dry taste of Patrón XO Cafe with the decadence of rich chocolate and light tequila.

I don’t know about sipping either of these but then again I really am not a fan of drinking any liquor straight. So I decided to mix them with hot chocolate. You could use Kahlua (also vegan) or even Fragelico if you aren’t a fan of coffee flavor. Whatever floats your boat, really. And if you aren’t sure what liquors are vegan, check out Barnivore.com.

For this recipe I used the XO Dark because it is sweeter than the regular XO. I did not add any sugar as the recipe on the Ghirardelli container called for because the sugar in the liquor made it just sweet enough while still retaining a little bit of earthy bitterness from the cocoa powder.  Again, you can add it if you feel necessary. I certainly would add some when using the XO because it has little sweetness to it, making for a stronger coffee flavor. You can also adjust the amount of liquor you add; neither of these is overwhelmingly strong alcohol-wise when mixed with the milk and cocoa but some people might prefer a less intense taste.

Spiked Hot Chocolate (makes 2 large mugs)

3 cups non-dairy milk of your choice—experiment if you want; I used plain old soy milk but I bet vanilla soy milk, almond, or even coconut would take equally delicious!

4 tablespoons Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder

Approx 2 ounces (2 shotglasses) Patron XO Café Dark Cocoa

Sugar, optional

Pour milk into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk constantly until milk is hot (approximately 5-7 minutes) and cocoa is completely incorporated. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan with the whisk or else you will end up with a layer of cooked cocoa that is a pain to wash out. Remove pan from the heat. Pour a generous shots’ worth of the liquor into each mug and carefully pour an even amount of cocoa mixture into each mug. Stir and enjoy!