Well, it was quite a treasure trove this month. I actually kept three things for myself instead of sharing because I’m v selfish. I’m keeping the Norabloom rose flower water wipes because I love face wipes when I’m too lazy to wash my face and these sound super. I’m also keeping Aubrey Organics chia seed hair spray because WOW CHIA SEED HAIRSPRAY?! Sign me up. And the last item I refused to share is the Being black clay and charcoal mask.
Other fancy items I got, but was kind enough to share: a cute bath bomb from Enfusia, hydrating night creme from Derma E and a pretty organic creme eyeshadow from Au Naturale.
Until next time!
I got this for free but if you want to try it, the box subscription is $19.95 a month, shipping included (for US addresses. International is more).
I know some people, the nut jobs that they are, hate this time of year, but I’m 100{ae720e0b436026f867bfa0c31185c2252a138f27e85f5f152ec5acc1c10a8cc9} team pumpkin! So I’ve compiled the ultimate pumpkin-lovers menu, for a day full of pumpkin deliciousness!
Breakfast
Hmm what should we start the day with? OMG I KNOW HOW ABOUT PUMPKIN! Yes, pumpkin french toast to be exact. This yummy looking recipe comes from Helyn’s Healthy Kitchen. I’m so ready to eat this!
Morning Snack
Oh boy it’s mid-morning and I’m feeling peckish, what to do?! Time to break out the pumpkin pie granola! This maple syrup-sweetened snack comes from Connoisseurus Veg! Love that name, btw. Veg dino pumpkin-lovers unite!
Lunch
What to have, what to have…how about southwestern pumpkin risotto quesadillas! Totes cray, totes fabulous! Get the recipe at Veggie Inspired.
Hey, let’s have some soup with those quesadillas! There’s always room for pumpkin soup, amirite?! Especially if it’s Thai peanut butter and pumpkin soup. Recipe at It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken (another dope blog name!).
Afternoon Snack
Pumpkin hummus?! Yes, even the perennial vegan favorite gets down with pumpkin! And what a nice afternoon snack this would be. Head over to Blissful Basil to find this recipe from Kathy Hester’s The Easy Vegan Cookbook.
Dinner
The meal you’ve all been waiting for! Well, this will knock your socks off: Pasta with creamy pumpkin sage sauce! Go to Food Porn, Vegan Style and translate that shiz into English and you’re ready to make some yummy pasta.
Dessert
What’s life without dessert? A MEANINGLESS VOID. So let’s finish off our pumpkin-party with some pumpkin creme brûlée by Feasting on Fruit!
Midnight Snack
Oh nooooooo I’m peckish again! I think I’ll have…some pumpkin! This time in the form of “nutella” swirled pumpkin bread from adorbs blog Faring Well. I try not to eat sweets in the middle of the night but but hey, it’s pumpkin season, throw out the rules!
That’s all for this pumpkin party! I hope you had a lovely pumpkin-filled fall day!
The LA Times this week highlighted the major shift away from cages occurring in the egg industry, sparked by McDonald’s recent cage-free announcement. In that wake, most recently, Starbucks announced that it too will end its use of eggs from caged hens within five years (including for eggs used as ingredients, such as in baked goods).
Yet Costco still has no timeline for going cage-free, leading actor Nikki Reed to call them out this week.
Evangelical Christians are starting to focus more on animal issues. Read more about it from evangelical Fox News commentator Kirsten Powers, whose new column in USA Today doesn’t mince words. She writes, “the brutal, torturous treatment of animals as they are raised to provide food is a real evil that demands confrontation.”
As we mention previously, Jay Astafa opened his own vegan restaurant at the end of July, and with our dear Laura coming to NYC last month, this was fate! So we rented a car and hightailed it to 3 Brothers Vegan Cafe in Long Island. I kept saying I was going on a roadtrip and apparently that was hilar to all my New York friends but whatevs it was a roadtrip adventure so stuff it.
Before we get into it, let’s cut to the chase: AMAZING. This place is next-level vegan Italian. It’s pretty much out of control and more-than-worth the trip.
Now, getting into our meals: up top you see some of the appetizers we got. The appetizers include many items Jay Astafa catering fans will be familiar with, and it’s just so nice to be able to pick and choose and order as many as you want! Instead of fighting with party-goers for pass hors d’oeuvres, amirite?
So we got the polenta fries (top left), the caprese with cashew milk mozzarella (top right), fried mac and cheese balls (below), buffalo cauliflower (below below) and tofu crab cakes (not pictured). Like, CAN YOU STAND IT?! I mean, I cannot, and I was there. My favorite was the caprese–how long as it been since you’ve had that?? The cashew mozzarella was so soft and delicious. My second favorite, the mac and cheese balls duh. Topped with truffle aioli and coconut bacon, these are delicious bites of awesomeness.
To cleanse our palate between apps and entrees, we got the jackfruit pizza: bbq pulled jackfruit, fresh cashew milk mozzarella and cheddar, and red onions. I had to take a break at this point in anticipation of my spaghetti but these pizza slices went like hotcakes. Or like you’d image bbq pulled jackfruit pizza would.
Above is my spaghetti and meatballs! I know, not very exotic but I just heart spaghetti and meatballs heheh. It’s spaghetti with housemade seitan meatballs, tomato sauce, and cashew parmesan. It was…wonderful. The meatballs were perfect. I will say the sauce wasn’t as fresh tasting as I’d like but the meatballs and parm more than made up for it.
In the back of that pic, you’ll see Laura’s orecchiette with housemade seitan sausage, broccoli rabe, garlic, white wine, extra virgin olive oil, and cashew parmesan. Now this…THIS right here was sent from heaven. So creamy and the sausage was delicious.
We got some of the entrees like seitan piccata but I was so full at this point I didn’t get to try. But they were beautiful and came with mashed potatoes and other yummy fixings.
Now according to Meave, they have an in-house dessert chef, but that person must have been on vacay because the desserts when we were there were all from Abby Bean favorite Vegan Treats. We got the chocolate covered cannolis OBVI WE HAD TO and this glorious brownie-topped cheesecake. Delish and the perfect ending to the perfect vegan Italian feast.
Jay Astafa, you’ve done it this time! We’re coming back to eat everything! Hope you can fit some Vegansaurus-sized cots in the back cause we’re moving in!
Extra, extra! Your favorite vegan design label Vaute is opening a temporary Manhattan store! And the opening party is THIS WEEKEND! There will be vegan cookie sandwiches by PonyCakes until 5pm, Leanne herself will make an appearance, and 30{ae720e0b436026f867bfa0c31185c2252a138f27e85f5f152ec5acc1c10a8cc9} off EVERYTHING Vaute for the whole weekend! Holy cannoli! I’m so excited.
And the space promises to be v awesome:
VAUTE NYC Autumn-Winter Shop is an inside job – being designed and built by Leanne and the VAUTE team. Leanne and her team sourced vintage pieces online, including a Victorian yellow velvet couch, and salvaged materials from Build it Green/Big Reuse in Gowanus, Brooklyn.
Plus the store will have some other exciting items:
In addition to VAUTE’s exclusive fall collection ethically made from recycled fabrics and organic materials, the New York-based label also features a curated selection of one-of-a-kind accessories like Insecta shoes made from deadstock vintage material in Brazil and LA designer Hipsters for Sisters’ fringed fanny packs, made in LA.
I’ve been following Insecta shoes on Instagram ever since Vaute put me on to them and boy, they look so cool! And the fanny packs are super adorbs as well.
I’m so excited! I’m recovering from surgery but my mom said I could totally go! Just have to take a cab…twist my arm, mom!
The party is Saturday and Sunday, the 19th and 20th, from 12-7pm. Shop is located at 250 Mott Street (between Prince & Houston). Basically the ONLY Manhattan neighborhood I frequent! Yaaaay!
AND LA FOLK! Don’t forget you have your own Vaute pop-up! Lucky usssss!
