A Visit To Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary
This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the annual open house at Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary.
This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the annual open house at Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary. From their website-
Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary is a 400 acre non-profit refuge in Poolesville, Maryland for farm animals and wildlife that relies entirely on public donations for support. Our mission is to offer care, rehabilitation, and permanent sanctuary for neglected, abused or abandoned farm animals, as well as providing a protected habitat for wildlife. We promote compassion and the humane treatment of all animals by educating the public on farm animal and wildlife issues.
For the past 21 years they have invited the community to tour the farm, meet the animals, and try delicious vegan food. I had it noted on my calendar as a reminder, but hadn’t firmly committed to going until the morning of the event. Chris, my husband, and I decided it was a beautiful day to be outside and we were not disappointed. When we arrived, we tried a few of the vegan food options and gratefully grabbed a cup of coffee from Brewing Good Coffee Company (delicious!).
Then we made the rounds to visit the animals which was so heartwarming. All of the staff were patient and kind which made for an inviting environment. Here are a few photos of some of the fuzzy and feathery individuals we met-
This is Mason, the rooster. He was found on the Shenandoah Trail by a hiker and brought to Poplar Springs.
Edward the peacock
Everyone loves a good scratch.
Having fun in the sun.
Beautiful Lily getting a nose rub.
Taking an afternoon snooze in the barn.
Gave this sleepy pig some ear scratches.
If you ever get the chance, I recommend visiting an animal sanctuary to really make a connection with these beautiful creatures. If you have been following Living Well and Wild, you know that I advocate a vegan lifestyle. It is because I can’t imagine consciously harming another living being or paying to have it done. If you are interested in finding more about making the transition to a vegan lifestyle, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love to support you! You can also sign up to try veganism with Challenge 22.
What is your favorite plant-based meal?
3 Meal Planning Tips for Beginners
As a wellness coach, meal planning is something that comes up quite often with my coaching clients. Most people want to make healthier choices and figure out how to set themselves up for success. Planning and its big sister prepping are intended to be strategies to help streamline the decision making process and cut down on time spent on meals during busier days.
As a wellness coach, meal planning is something that comes up quite often with my coaching clients. Most people want to make healthier choices and figure out how to set themselves up for success. Planning and its big sister prepping are intended to be strategies to help streamline the decision making process and cut down on time spent on meals during busier days.
That being said, there is an incredible amount of information on this topic out there and as with anything else, too much information, or strategies that are too complicated can lead to an effect known as "analysis paralysis"- there is so much information that you don't know where to begin...so you don't.
Meal planning has many benefits and for me, the most important one is saving time in the evenings. If I have a busy day, I don't like having to decide what to have for dinner at the last minute. Chris, my husband, is really talented at throwing ingredients together, but I don't have as much practice. (Did I mention how lucky I am to have a partner who cooks amazing vegan food?!) It makes it much easier to have a plan and be prepared with all of the ingredients I'll need. In addition to saving time, I believe that meal planning saves money. Cooking at home is usually much less expensive than eating out. If I have a meal plan and the ingredients, I am much less likely to go out to eat. (And see Tip #2 below if you find yourself running out of time to cook due to a varied schedule)
The three tips I'm sharing with today are extremely basic- and this is the point. To give you a place to start if meal planning is something you're curious about.
Tip #1- Break Up The Week
In my experience, it has always been easier to meal plan for a few days at a time, rather than try to look at the whole entire week all at once. If I'm meal planning on a Sunday, I will usually meal plan through Wednesday evening. Then Wednesday, I will plan through the weekend. Fridays are usually the "takeout" night in our house (with delicious vegan Chinese food as the default) so that helps break up the planning even more. Breaking up the week into 2 sets of "mini-planning" makes the process a lot less overwhelming. It does require a potential second trip to the grocery store, but you aren't buying as many things, so hopefully you're out more quickly.
Tip #2- Have an Easy Backup Plan on Hand
Sometimes I will plan on these awesome dinners where I am trying a new recipe that might take a bit longer than usual to prepare. I also know that there are days where plans go awry, schedules get changed, and suddenly you don't have the hour you had set aside to make dinner. This is why I always have easy meal ingredients like pasta*, veggie burgers**, and salad fixings on hand. As I mentioned above, this will help to prevent an unplanned trip out to eat.
* I like the Organic Black Bean Spaghetti from Explore Cuisine- 25 grams of protein/serving!
** Another household favorite is the Morningstar Roasted Garlic and Quinoa burgers
Tip #3- Leftovers are Your Friends
99% of the time I plan on leftovers for lunch. It's so much easier to make a little extra of dinner the night before and pack it up in a container to grab the next day. Whether you work from home, in an office, or out in the field, it's really helpful to not have to worry about cobbling something together for lunch. Sometimes Chris will also take leftover quinoa, rice, and/or veggies from a previous meal to make a nice stir-fry with tofu. Using what you have in your fridge also reduces food waste and saves money.
Do you have any meal planning tips that have helped you to be successful?
Three Fall Drinks (Vegan)
Fall is finally here in Virginia and as long as it doesn't get too cold too soon, I am going to love the opportunity to break out my hoodies and light jackets. It's also the time where I make the switch from iced to hot drinks, especially in the morning and late evening when temperatures are lower.
Today wanted to share three vegan, cold weather beverages to keep you warm and cozy as we transition into Fall. Grab your biggest mugs and check them out!
London Fog
Earl Grey Tea
Lavender
Coconut Sugar
Steamed/Frothed Almond or Soy Milk
1. Brew a cup of Earl Grey tea with 1/2 -1 tsp of lavender (I actually used a Green Earl Grey from Fortnum and Mason that I picked up in London)
2. Strain lavender and loose tea or remove tea bag
3. Add steamed frothed milk topped off with a little foam. (I don't have a milk steamer but I was able to get the same effect with an immersion blender, after heating almond milk on the stove)
4. Sprinkle coconut sugar on top of foam.
Golden Milk
1 cup of Almond or Soy Milk
1/2 teaspoon Tumeric Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ginger Powder
Dash of Cardamom Powder
1 cinnamon stick
Cracked Black Pepper
Coconut Sugar to taste
1. Warm vegan milk on low heat with the tumeric powder and cinnamon stick.
2. Once warmed, add ginger, cardamom, fresh cracked black pepper, and coconut sugar.
3. Remove cinnamon stick and enjoy
Hot Cocoa with Vegan Carmel Drizzle and Sea Salt
1 cup of Almond or Soy Milk
1 tablespoon vegan Hot Cocoa mix (I use the Lake Champlain organic hot cocoa mix. You can also make your own with cocoa powder and sugar.)
Vegan Marshmallows (I have been using Dandies but I heard recently that Trader Joe's has a house brand bag of marshmallows that has no gelatin and is super affordable. I need to make a trip out there soon!)
Vegan Caramel Drizzle (I made a batch using this recipe from Jessica in the Kitchen. Check out her website for more vegan recipes!)
Sea Salt Flakes (I use Maldon which you can get at most grocery stores and Amazon)
1. Warm vegan milk on low heat.
2. Add hot cocoa mix and whisk together
3. Pour hot cocoa into mug and top with 2-3 large marshmallows
4. Drizzle caramel sauce on top
5. Sprinkle sea salt flakes to finish
Leave a comment below telling me your favorite thing about fall!
A Week of Vegan Groceries
This week I thought it might be fun to share what we picked up at the grocery store to stock our vegan fridge and pantry. I'm hoping this will give you some inspiration if you are interested in trying a plant-based diet and wondering what kinds of foods you should have on hand.
The Staples
We had a small staple restock this week as we still had a lot of things like grains and frozen veg on hand. These are things that we like to always have in our fridge/pantry because they get used quite often in meals.
Our basics for this week
- almond milk
- tofu
- pasta
- pasta sauce
- lentils
- cannellini beans
- black beans
The Fresh Fruit + Veg
This week we purchased
- sweet potatoes
- raspberries
- baby spinach
- cherry tomatoes
- cantaloupe melon
- mushrooms
Much of this category is supplemented with the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that we bought into at the beginning of the summer. We get mostly vegetables with the occasional selection of seasonal fruit. It's been so nice having farm fresh veg, specifically tomatoes that actually taste like something other than "wet.
This week's CSA haul included
- various melons
- onions
- various squash
- zucchini
- potatoes
- tomatoes
- various peppers
The Extras
I consider this category the "wants" as opposed to the "needs." (Although I really should have included the coffee with the rest of the staples.) This includes all of our snacks, faux meat products, sauces, iced coffee, and my precious yerba mate drinks.
Extras for this week were
- Stubbs BBQ sauce in Original
- Starbucks Iced Coffee in Unsweetened Medium Roast
- MorningStar Roasted Garlic and Quinoa Veggie Burgers
- Gardein Meatless Meatballs
- Gardein The Ultimate Beefless Ground
- Gardein 7 Grain Crispy Tenders
- Skinny Pop Salt and Black Pepper Popcorn
- Garden of Eatin' Sesame Blues Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
- Van's Power Grains Frozen Waffles
- Lenny and Larry Perfect Cookies in Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate
- NuGo Bars in Mint Chocolate and Chocolate Pretzel
- Wegmans Hummus
- Guayaki Yerba Mate in Bluephoria
The Budget + Actual Cost
For our household (the 2 humans anyway), we try to stick to a budget of no more than $150/week. This includes cleaning supplies that we don't get from Amazon.com and things like toilet paper and paper towels. I know some readers may spend less and some may spend more. I just wanted to give you an idea of how much we spent on this particular shopping trip if you are trying to budget for similar foods. The actual cost for everything on this trip was $106.
What are your grocery staples?
Favorite Vegan and Cruelty Free Skincare
A big part of my self-care routine lately has been really trying to look after my skin. I am quite fair-skinned with a mild case of rosacea that is always threatening to flare up. I am prone to redness, blotchiness, and the occasional hormonal breakout. My rosacea has been especially active lately, so I try not to go to bed without removing my makeup (hence the makeup wipes on this list).
Of course it almost goes without saying that lots of water and a diet fueled by plants will go a long way in supporting your skin!
Apple Picking and a Vegan Apple Crisp
Apple picking is one of my favorite fall activities. I love being outside in the fresh air, spending time with my family, and, of course, bringing home freshly picked apples. I live in Virginia and am so grateful that we have a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities with beautiful scenery. This is our second time in a row visiting Hartland Orchard in Markham, Virginia and we could not have asked for a better day.
When we arrived at home with our apple haul, I only had one thing on my mind- DESSERT. I started scouring Pinterest for a pie, crumble, or crisp recipe. I stopped when I came across "The Best Vegan Apple Crisp" by the Minimalist Baker. I actually had most of the ingredients on hand with the exception of a lemon and pecans, so it wasn't very expensive to put together. It also made quite a large pan if you're thinking of preparing something for a party or for a family gathering. I paired it with the So Delicious cashew-milk ice cream in Very Vanilla and it was a match made in delicious vegan heaven. (Writing this post now is making me sad because the entire pan of apple crisp has already been devoured. IT WAS THAT AMAZING.)
*As a note, I used regular cane sugar instead of coconut sugar, water instead of apple juice, and coconut oil when it calls for coconut or olive.
**I did a little bit of searching and found this coupon for $1.00 off any 2 So Delicious Dairy Free Products at Whole Foods if you want to check out the cashew-milk ice cream. I also highly recommend their French Vanilla and Hazelnut Coconut Milk Coffee Creamer.
What are your favorite fall-inspired vegan treats?
May Favorites 2016
1. Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream
I have a confession to make. I have heard of Jane Iredale over the last few years, in passing, but I made the weird assumption that it was a brand marketed towards older women. (Ugh, I know, such a weird thought!) Of course, to my surprise, Jane Iredale is a mineral based makeup line free of perfume, alcohol, artificial dyes, and nasty chemicals. Luckily for pale people like myself, most of her products also have SPF. During my research, I found a ton of great reviews for the Glow Time BB Cream and decided to give it a go. I was really looking for something that was full coverage to replace my Estee Lauder DoubleWear Foundation (which is, sadly, not cruelty free) and after checking out some color swatches I decided on the color BB 3. I am in LOVE with this BB Cream! It does, indeed, provide a full coverage and great finish. For reference, I am very fair, with a slight case of rosacea/redness, and normal skin. The BB cream retails on the Jane Iredale website for $48.00 US but I actually got mine on Overstock.com for $35.49 US which is comparable to most other mid-priced foundations.
2. Evolvh Leave- In Conditioner
I have recently become a huge fan of the "green" beauty movement and was perusing Credo Beauty when I came across the Evolvh hair care line. I decided to try the Smart Start Leave-In Conditioner as an introduction to brand. For reference, my hair is colored, a little dry, and prone to tangles, and this product delivered on it's claims to detangle and soften. I love that there are no harsh ingredients and my hair is left silky, shiny, and lightly scented. I bought the full sized (8.5 oz) bottle which may be a little pricey for some at $27.00 US, but I feel like it will last a while. If you want to try it before committing, Credo Beauty does have a 2 oz bottle for $10.00 US.
3. Pacifica Dream Big Mascara
I had some extra time before meeting a friend one day and so what else is a girl to do but check out the local Target? I was browsing the beauty aisles when I came across some new Pacifica products. I was familiar with their perfumes and candles, but recently they have built up their line of beauty products and cosmetics. Let me rave about Pacifica here for a moment. All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, marketed at a great price point, and can be found at Target and Ulta. I purchased the Dream Big Lash Extending 7 in 1 mascara at Target that day and (full disclosure) perhaps it was partly due to the fact that there were stars and unicorns on the packaging. (It was basically calling my name.) I think this is a fantastic mascara and reasonably priced at $15.99.
I've also been working hard on my personal health and fitness goals so I'd thought I share some of my recent favorites from that category.
4. NuGo Bars
Of course whole foods are best, but when I'm traveling or out for a day, I really like a snack that I can toss in my bag or leave in my car for emergencies. Also, I have a sweet tooth and the fact that these have really nice ingredients (especially considering this is a packaged, grab-and-go snack) and are vegan gives these bars a lot of bonus points! They even passed my husband's taste test and he does not like very many bars.They come in lots of different flavors but my personal favorites are the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip and the NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt. You can find them by the box on Nugo Nutrition Website for $19.00 or (as with most things) for slightly cheaper on Amazon.com. I also buy them individually at my local Whole Foods.
5. New Rules of Lifting for Women Workout
I bought this book years ago after it started getting raves in some of the fitness forums I frequented. I tried it for a while and started seeing results so I have no idea why I stopped. I think it's because I didn't belong to the gym at the time and didn't have enough equipment to do the workouts at home. I've tried many other workouts since then, with varying degrees of success, but decided to dust this book off about 2 months ago. I had not lifted in a while so starting this workout program definitely left me struggling to get up the two flights of stairs in my house. As the weeks go by I can definitely feel myself getting stronger and leaning out. Bonus- the Stage 1 workouts are about 30 minutes if you do them at home with the "home workout alternative exercises" that they provide. This book can be purchased on Amazon for $14.00. (I also encourage you to check out your local library.)
6. Vega One Sport Performance Protein Powder
After transitioning to the vegan lifestyle about a month or so ago, I was on the lookout for a tasty plant-based protein powder that I could use in smoothies. The Chocolate flavor tastes like chocolate caramel and I love it! I also like the extra calorie boost that it gives me, especially on days when I'm weight lifting. I usually add this to almond milk, bananas, and spinach for a delicious snack that tastes like a milkshake. I purchased mine at Whole Foods but it is also available at Amazon for $41.00 and comes in Berry, Vanilla, and Chocolate.