Favourites of 2014 - Part 3 (nom nom nom)

This is the last of my favourites for 2014 and it's a small selection of food related things. I debated on including beauty blogs, but it's so hard to pick which ones I enjoyed reading most because there are so many wonderful beauty blogs/bloggers.

I love food, like a lot, but love it even more when it's super easy to make. I always appreciate being able to find quick, simple, and easy to follow vegan/vegetarian/gluten free recipes. Although I'm not gluten free or vegan, I do try to eat that way as often as possible. What I love about the following books and blogs, is that the recipes are easily customizable.

Cook with Kindness by Chantal Coolen, Minimalist Baker, and The Simple Veganista are hands down some of my favourites for delicious, nutritious, and easy to make recipes. If you're vegan and like to challenge yourself a bit more when it comes to cooking, then Hot For Food is another fantastic one. I, personally, find HFF recipes (not all) require more steps than I'd like and ingredients that I don't usually buy. My goal is to make these damn delicious looking Cauliflower Buffalo Wings this year.

This is truly a random favourite but, I love the SEN CHA Green Tea Leaf Mints in Moroccan Mint. They're the perfect kick of mint, freshen your breath, and don't leave a gross sugary coating on your teeth. 2014 was the year of tea experimentation, I branched out from my well loved Pukka teas and decided to try different brands and flavours. Roasted Dandelion Root and Peppermint tea came out on top. Both are incredible for your digestive system, are comforting, and taste delicious.
That's it for my 2014 favourites, let me know what you loved last year!

Faves Friday!

Hellllooo!! I feel like I should call this series Faves Saturday or Sunday with the way it's been going. Better late than never though, right? ...yeaaaah...let's just get started.

I have been absolutely loving: Andalou Naturals Apricot Probiotic Cleansing Milk - review here - I didn't realize how deep my love for this product was, until I began using it again. It works so well at calming and reducing any redness on my face, smells delicious, and is super affordable. *Blissoma Clay Renewal Treatment -  review to come - What a bomb mask! It helps dry up and get rid of acne, reduces redness, exfoliates, and leaves my skin feeling soft and radiant. Corpa Flora Eclat Citrouille - review here - My original review holds true! Whenever I apply this oil at night, I wake up with radiant, even toned, and glowing skin. I'm also obsessed with the mild patchouli scent. Ilia Bang Bang - review here - I've been loving a wearable red lip lately, mainly because Spring is kinda here! Dr. Tung's Toothbrush Sanitizer - When I saw these little gems, I knew they had to be mine. They use natural essential oils like tea tree and thyme to keep the brush germ free. I ordered it from Well.ca and didn't get to choose to the scent, so I ended up with lemon (aka smells like thyme oil). Regardless of scent, it doesn't flavour my toothbrush at all. Overnight Oats (not pictured) - When it comes to sleeping in a few extra minutes or eating breakfast, I choose sleep. That's why I've been obsessed with overnight oats this whole month. You basically take oats, milk of choice, and whatever else you like, mix together and pop in the fridge. In the morning, you can top it off with fresh fruit and eat. SO simple, quick, and perfect for those lazy people...ahem..me. I'll likely have a recipe up at some point in April. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites - recipe here - oh-my-goodness! I made a batch last night actually. This time I left out the baking powder and kept them raw, delicious. Banana Ice Cream - Frozen bananas in a high powered blender with peanut butter and chocolate chips. Drool. Anyone else see my addiction to peanut butter? It's a problem. *PR SAMPLE

Maple Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe

If you follow me on Instagram, then you may have already seen my salad pictures. I've been obsessed with this homemade salad dressing and therefore have been eating more salad than usual, not that that's a bad thing. Plus, I don't have a microwave at work so that limits me a tad. This is not my recipe, I actually got it from the Nature's Emporium Youtube Chanel, which you must follow because they have some amazing recipes on there!

Here's what you'll need:

• 4 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard 
• 1 clove of garlic
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

I haven't tried switching out olive oil for a different oil or apple cider vinegar for lemon juice, I'm sure you could though. I also don't always measure when making this dressing. Sometimes I'll add more maple syrup, sometimes more acv or dijon, play with it.

You basically combine all of the ingredients in a mason jar, or whatever other container you have, and shake it up. Difficult huh? ;)

TA-DA! So easy. Serve over greens, quinoa, pasta, whatever you like. I love how this dressing is sweet and tangy all at the same time. For the record, I've also tried the sweet potato recipe (minus the cheese curds), from the video, and it was spectacular.
Let me know what your favourite homemade salad dressing recipes are below and/or if you give this one a try.

December 2013 Empties - Food Edition

It's the last month of the year, felt like being Captain Obvious, and time for empties! I decided to split my empties into skin care and food because I've used up quite a bit of stuff this month. Come January 2014, I won't be including food items in empties posts anymore. Rather, I'll be dedicating one post a week (not sure what day yet) to food such as specific ingredients, recipes, tea, etc. 

Pukka Tea in Relax - This is now one of my favourite teas in the Pukka range. Chamomile, fennel and marshmallow root are all fantastic for soothing and aiding in digestion (which I need help with). It tasted really good and my tummy loved it. Will be repurchasing as soon as I find it in stores again.

Pukka Tea in Harmonise - I've already gone through a box and wasn't a fan of the taste, so imagine my surprise when I realized I picked it up again (meant to try Love). Won't be repurchasing.

Pukka Three Green - I love the mild and slightly sweet taste of this Three Green and have already repurchased.

Kumsi Tea in Boost & Be Cool - These two individual packs were given to me by Monique from Anise Apothecary. Boost is a blend of mate and green tea with cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. I love the scent as it reminds me of Ground Soap Backbone but, hate the taste. Be Cool, on the other hand, is delicious. It's a mild peppermint and liquorice blend that's so soothing from first to last sip. It reminds me a lot of the Cleanse tea from Pukka. Will the picking up other flavours of the single use packs to try.

Precision All Natural Rice Protein in Vanilla - I like to add protein powder to smoothies and certain foods. I prefer vegan protein and am having the hardest time finding something that actually tastes alright. My attempt at hemp and split pea proteins have failed, so I thought why not try rice?! Yah....it was pretty stale tasting. What I love about this particular brand is that it's 100% organic sprouted brown rice and it's free of soy, gluten, corn and dairy. My journey for a decent tasting protein powder continues. I'm open to suggestions!

Love Crunch Dark Chocolate Macaroon - Damn this stuff was so delicious! It tasted exactly like the name suggests...NOM NOM NOM! While it contains soy, it's non GMO verified and fair trade. I liked eating this as a snack, when I was craving something sweet, or mixed with yogurt. I also have the Dark Chocolate and Red Berries and it's equally as delicious. Will likely repurchase at some point.

Flora Udo's Choice Ultimate Digestive Enzyme - Picked these up after hearing people rave about how much it's helped their digestion and bloating. I already take probiotics and find they work well for me. These just didn't help, in fact they made my stomach hurt. Won't be repurchasing.

I'd love to hear what sort of food items you've finished and get suggestions on things to try. Let me know below!

October and November 2013 Favourites!

I totally forgot to do an October favourites. Luckily, I've been loving the same things for the last 2 months. 

REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask - review here - This mask has been a staple with the weather getting so cold. I've been using it twice a week to remove any dead skin and find it revives my skin. It's really helped brighten my complexion and reduce breakouts. Love!

Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner - review here - mmm, smells soooo good. Aside from the scent, it works great as a toner, cleanser on no makeup days, makeup setter, and skin refresher. It doesn't irritate or dry out my skin. Both my mom and I love it!

Corpa Flora Éclat Citrouille Antioxidant Night Cocktail - review here - This oil is magical. It transforms my skin over night. I wake up with brighter, softer, more even toned and radiant skin. I even find it calms any redness or irritation that I may have. I haven't been this excited about an oil since I discovered tamanu and sea buckthorn.

*Sappho Liquid Foundation + BeautyBlender - review here - The combo here is a match made in beauty heaven. The foundation is great but, it's even better (for my skin) when applied with the beautyblender. Provides the perfect amount of coverage while giving a luminous and very natural finish. Anytime I wear makeup, this is my go to.

Alima Pure Mauna Loa Bronzer (not pictured) - review here - Bronzer has been a staple since my vacation in October. It has helped darken my foundation to match my body. Even though I've lost most of my tan, I love how it warms up my face without looking like I rubbed dirt all over. Hands down my favourite bronzer.

Wedderspoon 100% Raw Manuka Honey - no review - Manuka honey is so delicious and I'm not sure how I've lived so long without it. In the last couple of weeks, I've also used it as a mask and what a difference it's made!! This just might be a new staple in my skin care routine. DIY Body Butter - no review/not pictured - The beautiful Shauna, from Natural Beauty Junkie, actually made this body butter and I've been wanting to try it since. I've already made it twice, exactly as the recipe says, and am going to make it again because I just ran out. It smells like chocolate and moisturizes like no other! I've actually seen it lighten the stretch marks behind my knees as well. Kale Pesto - no review/not pictured - SO good! I add more lemon than the recipe calls and sometimes add a little parm to make it taste more like pesto.  Banana Protein Bake - no review/not pictured - This is my new favourite breakfast food. I make it Sunday night and it lasts all week. It keeps me full for several hours and, if I'm super lazy, I'll eat it for lunch or dinner because it's packed with goodness. I have made some substitutions to the recipe though; 4 mashed bananas in place of maple syrup and eggs, quinoa instead of rice, and chopped walnuts instead of almond flour. The mashed bananas keep the bake moist and it also masks the awful taste of the vanilla rice protein that I use. I top it with plain greek yogurt, berries, a drizzle of manuka honey and I'm good to go! Bam! *PR sample.

October 2013 Empties!

I love this time of the month. It's a time of unloading and letting go of trash. I finished up a bunch of stuff this month, so grab a cup of something and a snack as this is going to be rather lengthy.

In no particular order....

 

*Delizioso Passion Fruit Organic Body Oil - review here - This was an absolutely lovely body oil. Very nourishing and moisturizing, and absorbed into the skin easily. Took it on vacation and my skin drank it up! I would definitely repurchase, just not in this scent or right now.

Badger Aloe SPF 15 Sunscreen - review here - This little bottle came in handy for reapplying on the beach and was great for travelling with as it never leaked. I loved the hydrating ingredients, but didn't enjoy the white cast that it left behind. Won't be repurchasing this particular one.

DeVita SPF 30 Body Block - review here - For the price, this was a fantastic sized sunscreen. I liked that it didn't smell weird (or have the "unscented" scent) and absorbed for the most part. My biggest issue was that it flaked/balled/pilled within a couple of hours. For that reason, I don't think I will be repurchasing.

Weleda Baby Calendula Face Cream - review here - Favourite cream ever. Already repurchased.

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Cocktail Body Wash (sample) - no review - Smelled great but it left my skin feeling a bit dry, too much foaming action perhaps. I also wasn't too fond of the ingredients. Won't be purchasing the full size.

Consonant Ultra Moisturizing Face Cream for Dry Skin (sample) - Super moisturizing for sure. My skin soaked it up and it worked great under makeup. Debating on picking up the full size.

Consonant Moisturizing Face Cream (sample) - Wasn't moisturizing enough for my parched skin. Won't be purchasing the full size.

Consonant Citrus Bergamot Organic Body Lotion (sample) - Lovely scent but wasn't moisturizing enough for my parched skin. Won't be purchasing the full size.

Dr. Mist Unscented Spray Deo (sample) - review here - Great for travelling with, but too drying for the colder months. I also finished up a full size, which you'll see below.

Weleda Pomegranate Body Oil (sample) - review here - Loved this oil so much and have gone through a few bottles. Will likely purchase the full size again at some point but, I'd like to try other body oils.

*SBT Seabuckthorn Hand, Skin, Berry, Day, & Night Cream - review here - My absolutely favourite was the day cream. I found it to be the only one hydrating/moisturizing enough for my skin. Debating on purchasing the full size.

Badger Highland Mint Lip & Body Balm - review here - I ended up using this as a foot balm and it worked great! It lasted me several months, a little goes a long way, and the minty scent is refreshing. I have a few balms to use up, so I won't be repurchasing right now.

Earth Lilly Moroccan Rhassoul Clay Scalp & Hair Wash - no review - I have a love/hate relationship with this product. It helped soothe my itchy scalp dermatitis, but left my hair feeling gritty and greasy. My first bottle developed a weird smell, which Earth Lilly was quick to replace. The replacement bottle never set foot in the shower, yet developed the same scent (think vomit). I don't think the product lasts long after being opened, which is disappointing because it's about $20 CAN for a small bottle. You have to use quite a bit and the effort is just too much for me to keep up with. Will not be repurchasing.

Diva Wash - review here - Was great for washing my Diva Cup, face, body, etc. I've started using Dr. Bronner's for my Diva Cup, therefore, I won't be repurchasing.

Dr. Mist - review here - Works well but dries out my underarms in the colder months. Won't be repurchasing right now.

Hugo Naturals Sweet Eucalyptus - review here - I have loved these soaps for years, but this scent just didn't do it for me and I found the soap a little too slimy. Perhaps my love for Hugo is dwindling after trying out some amazing Canadian brands. Won't be repurchasing.

PF Fake Out Mascara - review here - Loved this mascara but, this tube dried out within about a month and a half, which is sad. Unless I find this on sale, I'm going to try some other mascaras.

Alima Pura Satin Matte Foundation in Warm 2 - review here - I really loved this foundation even though the colour match wasn't perfect. It's lasted me a year and a half or so, and  it was great value for money. I've since discovered my love for liquid foundations and the beautyblender. Won't be repurchasing right now.

Pukka Relax Tea, Pukka Chamomile & Vanilla Tea, & Pukka Three Variety Pack - no review - I love tea soooo much and these Pukka ones are my faves. I'm making it my mission to try as many as possible. Relax contains fennel and marshmallow root which are really great for the digestive system and (marshmallow in particular) for rebuilding the intestinal walls. I notice such a difference when I drink this tea; belly soothing, no bloating, and better digestion if you will. Chamomile & Vanilla is also very soothing and tastes delicious. I've gone through several boxes of this stuff. Three Variety Pack contained five different types of tea; Three Mint, Three Fennel, Three Green, Three Ginger, and Three Tulsi. The fennel and tulsi ones were hard to drink, they didn't taste that great (to me). I've repurchased Relax and Three Green, but will definitely pick up CV again.

Organic Pumpkin Seed Butter - no review - This was surprisingly delicious and I enjoyed it on toast and in raw protein bars I made (recipe to come..one day lol). Would repurchase, just not right now.

Freshly Ground Peanut Butter - no review - PB is one of my favourite things ever and freshly ground PB is just phenomenal. I tried making the raw protein bars with this, just to see how it tasted, and there were mixed reviews. See why I don't want to put up a recipe? I want to master it first :P. Would repurchase, just not right now.

New Chapter Probiotic - no review - I take probiotics daily and enjoy rotating brands. This one is less expensive than Udo's and works well. Will repurchase, but currently using Udo's.

Ruth's Chia Goodness in Chocolate - no review - SO GOOD!!! I mix this in everything; oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream (dairy free or not), baked goods, smoothies, etc. It contains chia, hemp, and buckwheat which makes it a powerhouse source of nutrients. I always have a backup, which means that I've already repurchased.

Pangea Japanese Matcha Mask - review here - I purchased this mask on sale and it was well worth it. It's lasted a long while and I found it to actually brighten up my skin. After 5 months of use, I'm ready to try something new. Won't be repurchasing.

*Corpa Flora Beaute Divine Oil Cleanser  - review here - Just wrote the review, love it. I still have another 30ml bottle.

*Olie Biologique 006 Calming Oil - review here - This is a strongly chamomile scented oil that really did help to calm the skin. It absorbed beautifully and reduced redness within minutes. I enjoyed mixing it into clay masks for the extra soothing properties. Won't be repurchasing right now.

Zuzu Luxe Brow Pencil in Russet - review here - I honestly didn't think this pencil was going to last as long as it did. It's the perfect shade match for my brows and lasts all day. Already repurchased.

I'm tossing these three products and here's why..

The All Natural Face "Magic" Eye Primer - review here - It didn't work for me and it seems it might be getting old as there are oil bits separating in the tube.

TANF Vegan Eye Shadow Primer in Buff  - review here - Worked even less than the "magic" primer and I can't even use it as a concealer because it's too cakey.

Dr. Alkaitis Eye Creme - review here - Really enjoyed this eye creme. I thought I lost it, but recently found it again and it smells weird. Probably went bad.

Phew, I'm done! I managed to use up a lot of stuff this month, proud moment for me. Let me know in the comments below what you finished up or link to your blog post/YT video :)

*PR samples