The Friendly Vegan

Not to toot my own horn, but this stuff SERIOUSLY works. I have had such a hard time in the past finding a natural, aluminum-free deodorant that actually works and doesn't make my armpits hurt. I tried many different plastic tube types, and they all just weren't strong enough. I found myself re-applying way too often. Then I tried a waste free one from lush and it was too rough and had way too much baking soda which really irritated my armpits. This recipe does have baking soda, but not a lot of it, and if you use the all-natural stuff (make sure it is aluminum free) it should be great for sensitive pits like mine! I will admit that the first couple days of using it was an adjustment. My armpits did not really like the baking soda at first, but after 2 or 3 days, they got used to it and I was back on track. Before I get started with the recipe, I also want to point out that many aluminum free deodorants that you find on shelves have "fragrance" which is an umbr

I recently got into essential oils, and I have slowly been incorporating them more and more into my life. Store bought bug spray has something called "deet" in it, which is very hard on the human liver. This recipe was actually inspired by my mom who asked me to make it for someone in my family who is suffering from liver problems. This bug spray is all natural, chemical free, and works wonders against all kinda of pesky critters. The importance of using trust worthy brands is critical, read more about it under my perfume post. I go into much more detail about what to look for, why you need to find a brand that you trust, and why it is so important to choose a specific brand. What you will need: 1/2 cup of Distilled or Filtered water 1 tsp fractioned coconut oil (or just melted as long as its warm when you use it) 5 drops of lemon essential oil 10 drops of repellent oil blend (You can opt out of this and just add more of the other oils)  3 drops peppermint 5

I have been on the lookout for an organic, reef and water safe sunscreen for so long now, and I have FINALLY found a homemade recipe that works for me and that is not too expensive! I can make it zero-waste, with the exception that I ordered the Zinc Oxide from Amazon but at least it came in a recyclable bag. I can't say 100% for sure that the bag is actually going to be recycled, but the good news is that you really don't need a lot of this stuff, so it will last a really long time at least. As for the base, I just used some body lotion that I was gifted for Christmas, but next time I am going to my local refill store and getting some organic, all natural lotion. They let you bring your own jar and fill it up! I personally tried this recipe thinking that I could omit the cocoa powder, but trust me, you want at least a little bit in there. The Zinc Oxide leaves a slight white tint to your skin, and the cocoa power just helps make it look more skin colored rather than pas

I made these a while ago with some red and yellow peppers, and let me tell you, it doesn't matter what color pepper you've got on hand (or was on sale at the grocery store) it will be BOMB either way. Like, the best thing you will ever put in your mouth (except for maybe minimalist baker's jalapenos cheese dip). Seriously though, this recipe is a must try, its packed with protein, fiber, iron and is so filling! It's cruelty free, and very low waste. The only waste I created for this meal was the packaging for the vegan cheese, which I always use very minimally and consciously. Ingredients: 4 peppers that can sit upright (red is my preference) 1/2 cup of quinoa  1/4 cup of dry black beans or kidney beans  2/3 cup of tomato sauce (you can totally add more if you like it saucy) 1 1/2 cups of mixed vegetables (I did mushrooms, zucchini and onions) Salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder. Hot sauce (optional) *Be creative! Feel free to mix and match di

With today's lactose intolerance craze and veganism on the rise, I felt it was really important to share how to make vegan feta. Feta was one of the things I missed the most. Although the texture is not the exact same, it's pretty darn close. I find that the longer I stay vegan for, the less I remember what animal products taste like. I tend to compare the vegan alternatives less to the animal product which makes me enjoy them much more. The longer I stay vegan, the easier it becomes to enjoy all the food I eat, and it feels so much better to eat too because it's so much healthier, and there is no guilt attached. This tofu feta has a few steps, so you will want to make it a day in advance from when you actually want it, but it stores in the fridge for about a week as well. Ingredients: 4 oz of extra firm tofu 4 tbsp salt  1 tbsp white wine vinegar 2 cups water Directions:  Drain and squeeze the tofu in a tofu press for about an hour. If you don't h

Lentil soup is my favorite quick and easy meal. You just chop up some veggies, throw it in a pot with some veggie broth and lentils and you're golden. But I decided that I wanted to add some carbs to this recipe, and make it more filling. So along with my mock beef broth, some veggies, lentils and rice, you've got yourself quite the treat. Not to mention, as someone who has been vegan for over a year now, I am still finding ways to replace things that I used to love, and with carrots and celery, this recipe reminds me a lot of chicken and rice soup (which I used to love).   Serves: 3 Ingredients: 4 cups of veggie broth 2 tbsp of soy sauce (I prefer low sodium) 1/2 cup of rice  1/4 to 1/2 cup or lentils (however much you want) 2 large carrots 2 stalks of celery 1 small clove of chopped garlic 1 tsp parsley 1 tsp pepper Directions: Mix all the ingredients into a pot except for the rice.  Bring this to a boil, then add the rice and cook covered on medi