Eco-Bathroom

This is a post in the Eco-Series~ posts giving tips and alternatives to the products and acts that can be environmental-harming in your home.

It may seem odd to start with the toilet room- so many environmental disasters happening; climate change, overflowing landfills, toxic waste, just to name a few, and I talk about the bathroom? But of course- little things build up to big things, and to upgrade supplies in your bathroom are a simple and easy place to start for environmental protection- let's hear for the eco-bathroom!


*UPDATE 1/9/10: I promise that no company or person paid me to promote their products on this post- these are my tried and true preferences and techniques*

Your bathroom cabinet......

Toothbrush
Razor
Razor refills [if you plan ahead that way]
Toothpick [do people still pick their teeth with those. I don't, but just wondering....]

For all of the above, I highly recommend purchasing from Preserve, a company that makes all their products out of consumer #5 plastic and recycled yogurt cups. Even the packaging is recycled materials! Even better, when you need to replace your Preserve product, just send it in to them and it will become a new product. Also, Preserve's methods of production are more efficient than traditional plastic production methods.

Dental floss- Eco-Dent make makes a vegan floss packaged in paper packaging, with the only plastic being the floss itself, a cover for the floss roll, and a sticker holding the box shut. The box may tear, but you can putt the roll into a normal plastic dental floss box. And yes, this one actually is vegan. Eco-dent marketed a "vegan" floss a while back, when in fact one of the ingredients was grown on a cow's milk derivative, and people were disappointed and upset. So, they made this vegan one for you and I!
Shaving cream- Since shaving cream is generally packaged in plastic and other wasteful packaging, you can use assorted oils to replicate it- do a quick search on the web for many options. However, if you do continue buying shaving cream, be kind to the animals and choose a vegan one without the use of animal testing, such as Alba Botanica.

Lotion- Many lotion packaging is plastic and can't even be reused [why the funny shaped packages? WHY?!], so I make my own. After a disastrous attempt at trying to replicate store-bought lotion, I settled on a simple, cheap, easy method that hasn't failed me yet. Mix one part vegetable glycerin with 2 parts water, and shake vigorously with a dash of your choice essential oil [my favorite scent is rose] and voila! In my experience, for best results rub the lotion into your skin after showering or bathing for soft, hydrated skin. It's works other times, too, but doesn't absorb as quickly and has a funny feeling on the skin- not bad, just weird.

Shampoo- If you know of a way to make shampoo yourself, let me know. My family currently buys bulk concentrated shampoo, where you can use your own bottle from home and you add water. My favorite is Ballard Organics grapefruit scented- organic, so less strain on the environment and eco-system, and not animal tested either. Ballard Organics also makes other products you may be interested in, though I haven't tried any of them.




Conditioner- I will reveal a secret: I don't use conditioner! Nope, I use something else, that might sound odd- but don't ditch it 'till you try it. Ever since I can remember, my family has used a mixture of vinegar and water to the same effect, making soft, tangle-free hair which has the added advantage of repelling head lice. Mix 1 part vinegar [any kind- we use apple cider vinegar, but you can also use white] with 2 parts water. To use, mix 3-4 tablespoon or so in a large cup of water and pour evenly over your hair. Don't rinse it off- or it will be gone and won't do anything! The best time to de-tangle your hair is when it's still wet.

Soap- Sappo Hill, hands down! My younger sister has very sensitive skin [certain makeup, soap, bees, polyester- she get a rash], so for all those people who can't use certain beauty care products- this may work for you, but try it first, just to be sure! Sappo Hill soaps are vegan, non-animal tested, and made with 100% vegetable oils. Some scents include lavender, aloe vera, jasmine [my families favorite], sandalwood, oatmeal [their most popular, but not good for us gluten-free people], and fragrance-free.

Whew! Tell me, did I miss anything? Anyway, keep watching for more Eco-series posts!

Two dreams in one post

I hope that you are not sick of product reviews and me raving about GF vegan snacks and sweets. Are you? Well, I'm going to tell you about two GF vegan dreams in one post. What a (sweet) treat.

Dream #1:

A literal dream, made by one of my favorite companies- Taste The Dream. They manufacture my favorite rice and soy ice cream, a wide variety of non-dairy milks, and as I recently found out.... chocolate. Now, I have a special spot in me for chocolate. I love darker percent chocolates (85%-mmmmm...) and mixing chocolate with other similar flavors (chocolate and strawberries.... chocolate and almonds.... chocolate and garbage.... anything goes with chocolate) and when I was strolling up and down the candy isle at my local Co-op, I found my dream chocolate. I immediately bought it and the second I was strapped in the passenger seat, I shared a piece with everyone.

Heavenly. As my mother said- it taste like milk chocolate- only healthier. The second a bit of this chocolate pops into your mouth, smooth and pleasant flavor rolls in and coats your tongue, meanwhile turning on every happy button in your body. Taste The Dream chocolate comes in many flavors, including Rice Crunch, Raspberry, Almond, Pure Dark, and Creamy Sweet. Looking for a "milk" chocolate? This is your golden ticket.

Dream #2:



Marshmallows. It may seem like a vegan oxymoron, but the Chicago SoyDairy Dandies air-puffed marshmallow tastes exactly like marshmallows as I remember them. I wish I could tell you more, but they just taste like delicious marshmallows! Apparently they also melt for rice crispy treats and s'mores. I can't wait to try!

Happy sweet-snacking,
VEGirl

Nana's Nummy Cookies

Imagine a cookie- that is vegan, free of both wheat and gluten, contained only natural fruit sweeteners, no GMO foods (genetically modifies organisms) and also was dense, moist, and mouthwatering-ly delicious. Well, wake up, 'cause now it's a reality.



I cannot say enough about Nana's gluten free cookies, made by Nana's cookie company. Not all their products are gluten-free, but every baked good is vegan, GMO free, and contains no refined sugars. And they taste
DELICIOUS.
HEAVENLY.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

Yeah, I think you get it now. I have tried both the chocolate crunch and lemon cookies (because that was the gluten free ones that were available at my Co-op), but there are others, like ginger and plain chocolate, plus cookies bars and cookie bites. The chocolate crunch cookie had a wonderful cocoa flavor, that wasn't clouded by sugar, and then a nice little crunch from the puffed rice in it. The lemon is absolutely fantastic, with a tangy lemon scent and flavor, but not overly sweet. That is another great thing about them, you aren't left with that horrible taste in your mouth, that refined sugar gives you.

The cookies come individually wrapped in plastic, and are a bit spendy, so I don't get them often, just as an occasional treat. We used them for our Easter basket this past Easter.

I encourage you to try them, they are so yummy. They will give you a brand new view on healthy gluten-free vegan treats.

Happy munching,

VEGirl

Soy Whip

OMG I discovered the most delicious thing in my life.

Yes, it's Soy Whip from Soyatoo!®


This is straight from their website:

Soyatoo!® Soy Whip™:

• is 100 % vegan & free of cholesterol

• contains 40 % less fat than classic whipped cream

• is gluten free

• contains 0% trans fat and is heart-healthy

• is perfect with fruit, desserts & beverages

• has incredible flavor and texture and no soy bean taste

• comes in a practical spray can

YAY! And in addition to ALL that, it tastes fantastic. We had it on a chocolate zucchini cake that I made (gluten-free vegan, obviously!), and then the next day, in a homemade mocha. Just heavenly. It practically tastes like dairy whipped cream! No soy aftertaste, if you know what I mean. It was so good I did what my Grandpa used to do before I went vegan- I sprayed the stuff straight into my mouth. Please don't gross out and leave. It was delicious! I can't wait to use it for Thanksgiving....

Signing out-

VEGirl