What Vegetarians Eat

Wondering what vegetarians eat? And no, it's not grass, nuts & beans! Check out my blog
What's Cookin' for some of my favourite meatless meals & recipes!

Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe that Christmas has come & gone already! Hope everyone had an amazing time with friends, family & great food! 

Just as fast as the holidays passed, 2013 is on it's way out too! I would like to propose a challenge for you all for 2014:

I challenge you to find one personal care item & one cleaning product in your cupboards and replace each with a cruelty free, eco-friendly version! Look for any of the following signs which designate the product as animal friendly:

Send me your photos or write-ups and I will feature them in my blog! If you're feeling really productive & ready for a new year of resolutions, replace all of your products with the cruelty free alternative :)

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10 Ways You Can Be An Angel for Animals

Imagine the changes we could make as a society if every single person chose one act of human kindness towards this amazing planet we call home.  Here is a list of 10 things you can do to help the planet and be an angel for animals!

1. Take the pledge to go veg! Whether you are vegan, vegetarian  or add Meatless Mondays to your weekly meal planning, not eating meat is  a great way to stand up for our feathered and furry friends. Adopt a meatless diet for a month and see how you feel - you may be pleasantly surprised!

2. Buy cruelty free! One of the easiest  ways to take a stand against animal abuse is to support companies that don't condone animal testing. All you have to do while you're browsing the shampoo isle is check the label! Most companies that do not test their products on animals are proud to announce themselves as cruelty free. For a complete list of companies that do and do not test on animals, visit www.leapingbunny.org

3. Adopt! There are so many animals in shelters waiting to find their forever homes. Sure, puppies are cute.. and unfortunately that is one of the biggest reasons animal shelters are so overcrowded and often have to resort to euthanasia. Not many people are in the market for a brand new teenager. But here's the reality: they don't stay little forever. After a few months, many animals are full grown and no longer have that same "baby face" their owners fell in love with. So why not give an adult dog a second chance and adopt from your local humane society. The bonus? Many adult dogs are already trained and you can skip the dreaded task of potty training!

4. Be comfortable in your own skin! Avoid leather, fur, wool, etc. There are sooooo many synthetic alternatives to animal skin & fur and they are soooo much cheaper! Enough said.

5. Recycle, reduce, reuse! By recycling items or finding a new use for something old, you can greatly decrease the amount of waste in landfills. Use proper waste and recycling recepticals instead of tossing your litter on the ground. You may not think that tossing a bottle cap into the river is harmful, but for the unsuspecting fish that comes along and gobbles it up, it could be lethal.

6. Spread the love! Why not host a fundraiser to raise money for your favourite animal charity? Or host a pet food drive or volunteer at your local animal shelter? Easy peasy and not only will you be making a huge difference in the life of an animal, but you will also feel the warm fuzzies :)

7. Boycott the zoo/animal theme parks! This is sometimes a heated topic for debate. Yes in most cases the animals are cared for, fed and have regular vet checkups. However, it is not natural for lions and tigers to have to adapt to cold climates of North America, not can any zoo provide enough space to truly mimic the African Savannah. Instead of supporting the zoo, try visiting an animal sanctuary. They provide refuge to endangered animals, medical care to the injured and prepare them to be released back into the wild where they belong. Plus, they are local animals native to the area and do not have to adjust to a new climate. 

8. Spread the word! Host a veggie party ad invite your friends, set up an information table at your school, start a blog - whatever you can do to help spread the word about any animal cause. You'd be surprised who else may join you in taking action!

9. Cut out dissection! There are so many alternatives to dissection and most schools have adopted this new technology, however, there are still many college and university professors who believe that a hands-on approach is still the most effective teaching method. Schools are obligated to honour your religious and cultural beliefs.. so talk to your teacher and see what alternative arrangements can be made.

10. Boycott animal circuses! Elephants, whales, dolphins and many other wild animals are put through rigourous and exhausting training to perform tricks that they are not meant to perform. In some cases the animals are kept in small cages behind the scenes and beaten if they do not comform to twit trainers expectations. If you want a real show, check out any of the Cirque de Soleil shows. Simply breathtaking and all of the shows participants are well paid and performing at their own will.

BE COMFORTABLE iN YOUR OWN SKiN

There are plenty of cruelty free fashions availible in every city.. and the best part? They are cheaper than buying real leather and fur! One of my favourite places to buy non-leather shoes is Ardène. Check out the boots I recently bought .. $40/each and Buy One, Get One 50% off! Plus I saved an additional 10% with my membership card (free online).

With all the money I saved buying non-leather, I was also able to snag a couple other sale items :)

Two other great shoe sources availible to my American friends are Forever21 & Charlotte Russe. They are inexpensive to begin with and both stores usually have wicked additional deals!

I know what some of you are probably thinking.. Cheaper the price, the cheaper the quality. My personal experience squashes that theory! A few years ago I purchased a pair of (ugh) real leather boots for (gasp!) $90. I took care of them, sprayed them and avoided getting them wet, but after only 2 months the leather on the toes all started peeling off! I was livid. By the end of the season I had to get rid of them because they were completely destroyed and falling apart. Lessons learned!

So the next time you're at the mall, please keep this post in mind. Be comfortable in your own skin, and let the animals keep theirs. ♡

BE AN ANGEL FOR THE ANiMALS THiS HOLiDAY SEASON

Hi friends! In the spirit of the holidays I will be making a donation to the Niagara Falls Humane Society. If you have any old towels/blankets, office supplies, kitty litter, Canadian Tire money, Lysol wipes, dog & cat food, etc.. Please let me know!! I can even come pick it up and will be sure to give you credit for your donation 🐾🎄

RECiPE: MEXiCAN RiCE

Ingredients

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup rice

1/3 cup salsa

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp taco seasoning

Fresh vegetables (I like mushrooms, green peppers, corn, black beans & spinach)

Mix ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately 25 minutes et voilá!

Great on its own with added protein (beans are my fav), as a side dish or wrapped in a tortilla with guacamole, beans and cheese! 3 great meals made in one saucepan :)