secret society of vegans

Pants, Shoes, Denim Jacket & Purse- Thrifted; Bowtie- Shop of Worldly Delights; Tee & Buttons- Lava Vegan  

My health food challenge is now complete and I have been eating and living as a vegan for just over a month now, thanks to the support and expertise of Ottawa's own Wellness Warrior! The transition from vegetarian to vegan was easier than I thought, having previously coated everything with excessive amounts of cheese! I've had a slight intolerance to dairy products since I was a child, so I noticed that my stomach felt much better these past 30 days and I was able to digest food more easily.  I am very excited to continue with this whole foods, plant based diet as not only is it super healthy (when done properly), it also removes a dependency on factory farming and is kinder to the environment & animals (my original motive for becoming a vegetarian a few years ago was for animal rights reasons). 

Everyone always asks "what does a vegan eat" and assume it's mostly boring salads but I can assure you it's anything but.  Here are just a few of the dishes I created during the challenge (oh yeah, another great thing about this diet change was having to be more creative in the kitchen so I now enjoy cooking and eating food that is homemade, healthy and tastes great!)

{Lemon & raspberry cupcakes}

{Homemade pizza crust with baked veggies & nutritional yeast 'cheese' sauce}

{Cornmeal crusted spicy tofu & a fresh garden salad}

{Homemade black bean guacamole with veggie chips}

{Protein salad with marinated tofu & homemade orange juice, hemp hearts and miso dressing}

{Maple marinated tempeh soft tacos with Laura's homemade mango pico de gallo}

{Bananas, dark chocolate chips and hemp hearts muffins}

{Smoky tempeh baguette with edamame hummus, served with organic veggies & fruits}

"The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." -Darwin

hot & spicy like the mustard

"I'll be your tour guide today and my name is Dijon, and I'm hot and spicy like the mustard!" The people of St. Kitts are humorous, laid back, vivacious and hospitable and it's no surprise when you look at the beautiful landscape that they wake up to everyday.  Sure there was poverty (including the mangy cats I took to feeding on our resort) but overall it was a lovely place full of intriguing history (discovered by explorer Christopher Columbus, hence the island's name of St. Christopher, nicknamed St. Kitts), exciting adventures (including our 5 hour hike to Mount Liamuiga to see the inactive volcano) and local hot-spots (like Sunshine's Bar & Grill where I had some of the freshest veggie food imaginable!)

I kept my cell phone and laptop turned off all week, read two books, ran (and napped) on the beach and slow danced to live music (on a different beach), all while having fun with fashion.  Here are my vacation outfits, which all somehow managed to fit into one suitcase.

Left: Jumpsuit- Marshalls; Belt, Scarf & Heels- Thrifted; Purse- Aldo; Accessories- Macy's        Right: Dress- Marshalls; Vest- Gap; Sandals- Thrifted; Accessories- Sears & Joe Fresh

Left: Dress- Swapped; Blouse, Belt & Sandals- Thrifted; Necklace & Sunglasses- Aldo & Middle: Dress- Swapped; Belt, Blouse, Clutch, Earrings & Sandals- Thrifted & Right: Top- Marshalls; Skirt, Accessories & Sandals- Thrifted              

Left: Dress- Marshalls; Necklace & Purse- Aldo; Belt & Sandals- Thrifted; Hat- Marriott St. Kitts & Middle: Exercise Top & Pants- One Tooth Activewear & Right: Blouse, Necklace & Shorts- Thrifted

 

Left: Bathing Suit & Hat- Marshalls & Right: Hat- Marriott St. Kitts

Left: Top, Belt & Pants- Thrifted; Necklace- Local Vendor in St. Kitts & Middle: Vest- Gap; Skirt- Spoof; Necklace & Sandals- Thrifted & Right: Blouse, Belt, Shorts & Sandals- Thrifted & Necklace- Sears

Left: Top- Marshalls; Skirt- Spoof; Heels- Thrifted; Accessories- Macy's & Right: Dress, Belt & Heels- Thrifted; Flower- Blue Eyes Bridal

I may take my time (just like the people of St. Kitts), but I'll be coming by to say hi soon!

P.S. Thanks to everyone for your flying tips and positive thoughts, the turbulence was choppy but I kept calm and carried on! 

black bean & avocado salad

I'm not a cook and even microwaving a bag of popcorn used to cause me kitchen anxiety but after taking a few vegetarian cooking classes at Credible Edibles (Green Cuisine; Vegan Easter Feast & Cooking with Chocolate), I'm starting to relax and realize that cooking is less about perfection and more about creativity.  Here is a fresh and easy black bean & avocado salad recipe I found in a thrifted cookbook that would be perfect with a pitcher of sangria and a good book on a hot summer's day!

{Adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook}

Prep time: 15 mins + overnight soaking

Total cooking time: 1.5 hours

Serves: 4

Salad 

250g (8oz) dried black beans

1 red onion, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

375g (12oz) canned corn kernels, drained

90g (3oz) fresh coriander (I used cilantro instead), roughly chopped

2 avocados, peeled and chopped

1 mango, peeled and chopped

150g (4.75oz) rocket leaves

Dressing

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 small red chili, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil 
Salt and pepper to taste

(I also added approx 1/2 cup of salsa for more colour and flavour)

1. Soak the beans in cold water overnight.  Rinse; drain.  Place the beans into a large heavy-based pan, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours, or until tender.  Drain and cool slightly.

2. Place the beans, onion, tomatoes, pepper, corn, coriander/cilantro, avocado, mango and rocket into a large bowl and toss to combine.

3. To make dressing- place all ingredients in a bowl, whisk, pour over the salad and serve.  (I poured salsa over the salad afterwards for some added zestiness!)

You know what else black beans are delicious in? Black bean brownies! I know what you're thinking but honestly this sugar free, vegan dessert (that I learned how to bake at Credible Edibles) is divine- I will share this recipe with you soon!

Jeans, Jacket, Jeans, Shoes, Ring, Belt & Scarf- Thrifted; Top- Swapped; Nail Polish- Flirt by Revlon

And even though I'm well on my way to becoming a domestic goddess (ha!) I forgo the apron for a coral jacket and flight attendant-esque scarf when I'm cooking up a storm!

from tours to tapas

Pants & Blouse- Gap (Thrifted); Shoes- DIY; Necklaces- Gifted & Macy's

 This is what I wore on Thursday to work- I was giving tours of the Dress for Success boutique and presenting our programs to interested agencies.   

Remember my DIY glitter flats? Unfortunately the surface has started to crack, and that's only after a few wears and with a sealant that claims to act as a top coat!

 Do you see something furry in the background? That would be Mama Sita at her water bowl-where she often falls asleep mid-drink!

Pants- Gap (Thrifted); Blazer- Marshalls; Top- Gifted (from my Dad); Shoes- Swapped; Rings- Thrifted & Vintage; Nail Polish- Minted & Whimsical by Revlon

I wore my new Marshalls blazer on Thursday night for dinner and drinks with Kat & Nissa, two lovely bloggers who also live in Ottawa.  We have a lot in common- specifically the 3 F's- food, fashion and fitness! 

I'm ready to retire these pants (worn previously on the blog like this) as they're a bit too short and they gather in a most unflattering manner in the crotch area (which isn't a selling point to say the least!)

Has anyone else switched to Google +? It took me a good 10 minutes to figure out how to write a new post and I'm not a fan of the new template.  I've also been having trouble commenting on other blogger.com blogs recently- an error keeps popping up.  I'm seriously contemplating buying a URL- have you bought a .com or .ca for your blog? Do you have any suggestions?

J'adore Marshalls

{Photo Credit: Marcia B. Linking up to Trending Through the Decades: Brights}


Yesterday I attended the sneak peek media launch at Marshalls in Ottawa Trainyards, a day before the department store opened to the public. The door was unlocked for me (à la Kim Kardashian) and I was ushered inside to a fashionable fairytale complete with live models, private tours, delicious snacks, upbeat music and a red carpet (ok I may or may not have imagined that part).  Oh and the clothes- let's not forget about the vêtements! Stripes, plaid, brights, pastels, chiffon, leather, colour blocking & neutrals...you name it and Marshalls sells it (at surprisingly low prices!)

The whole experience was somewhat surreal, almost like a scene out of Willy Wonka (if candy bars were fabulous shoes, oompa loompas were the attentive staff and I was Charlie!) How often do you get to be one of the first shoppers in a brand new store- it's a fashionista/bargainista's dream!

{Two of the adorable models rocking their Marshalls ensembles}

{Highlighter brights as far as the eye can see!}

{Stripes galore- I added a couple new pieces to my collection!}

{The dress selection is expansive and exquisite}

{These are called 'cubes' a section for tweens and teens to shop all the latest trends in a fun environment- even the music selection is different! I may be twenty-something but I'm a teen at heart so I couldn't resist and picked up a hot pink and orange top, people already think I'm under age so might as well dress the part!}

{The teenage boy cubes. I loved the amount of floor space that was allocated to menwear- almost as much square footage as the ladies wear which is rare in most retail settings!}

{Playful scarves, perfect for springtime.}

{I visited on my lunch break so had to be very strategic with my hour of shopping.  The manic shopper rushing around with her cart overflowing with goodies? Yeah that would have been me!}

{You would light up the gym in these bright coloured exercise pieces- stand out in a sea of yogi black!}

I love window shopping but bringing out the plastic is much more fun! Check out my new purchases from Marshalls which I plan on incorporating into my spring/summer wardrobe, starting with next week's trip to St.Kitts!

it's not all glamour

Pants, Top, Ring & Shoes- Thrifted; Cardigan- Swapped; Necklace & Bracelets- Gifted; Nail Polish-Minted & Whimsical by Revlon

 

 

And the award for the most boring outfit goes to Tinfoil Tiaras! I almost didn't post today's ensemble because it was lacking personality and excitement but hey they can't all be winners can they? And part of our responsibility as a fashion blogger is to show off both the hits & misses! This is what happens when I don't plan my outfit the night before- in the morning I'm scrambling around trying to put something together that looks semi-decent and then after working an 11 hour day I'm ready to snap the pictures and change into my pjs!

Had to show off these adorable pointy-toed flats I thrifted for $4.99 -which by the end of the day had my toes screaming for mercy! (Please ignore the cat hair, it's inevitable with two cats, that's why I have a lint brush in my purse, at work, at home and in the car!)

The outfit may be a dud but I love my sparkly Easter egg nails! (These bracelets are actually the colour of my cardigan but for some reason they're showing up as bright red- just wanted to point out that I did go to the trouble of ensuring they matched!)

If you don't love your outfit do you just continue on with your day or do you feel blah and uninspired? (I'm the latter).

outdoorsy? not so much...

Pants (worn like this and this),Trench, Shoes, Tee, Scarf & Belt- Thrifted; Bracelets- Mingei Museum (San Diego) & Gifted; Earrings- Sears; Nail Polish- Sew Psyched by Essie


My family and I used to go camping every summer in Prince Edward Island (a beautiful island on the East Coast of Canada that Rebecca calls home).  If my memory serves me correctly, it rained almost every summer and as luck would have it, we had a leaky tent.  I loved the long walks, the exploring and the wildlife but when it was bedtime I did not look forward to sleeping in the tent (which, unless you're equipped with air matresses and deluxe sleeping bags, feels like you're lying on the ground).  Now as an adult, when someone says camping, I say hotel (or cabin, really anything that's elevated off the ground with a solid door and comfortable bed works for me). My idea of hiking in Mont Tremblant was wearing a maxi dress & heels on the snowy mountains so I'm not the most outdoorsy person to say the least (but I hugged a tree for this photoshoot, that counts for something right?)

I may look like a savvy camper but my friend's caption of this photo (taken in High School-where is this lovely tan coming from?) reads 'Emily pretending to light a fire, who are we kidding we don't know how to camp!' (My friend -aka Molly from the grownup diaries- reminded me in the comment section that we eventually got the fire going...by flirting with the men in the adjoining camp site and that all we ate all weekend was McDonalds and watermelon candy ...I think that proves my point quite nicely!)

Are you someone who is at one with nature or are you more in your element at the W? (my personal fave!)

from body-pump to birthday-dinner

Skirt- Thrifted; Blouse & Necklace- Smart Set; Shoes & Tank- Swapped; Ring- H&M; Nail Polish- Plummy by Revlon

I've now entered my mid 20s- yesterday was my 24th birthday which I started with an intense Body Pump class, followed by office work, a social media workshop, dinner at Zen Kitchen (where I also went for my 23rd birthday- the food and service can't be beat!) and  phone coversations and brief visits with family and friends. I'm not someone who likes to make a big deal out of birthday celebrations (in fact I probably only have a birthday 'party' every five years or so) but it's still fun to be treated like a princess for the day.

I transitioned this black & white skirt (linking up to Super Stripes week) from day to evening by changing the accessories, top & hairstyle.

Skirt- Thrifted; Dress (worn as top)- Forever 21 (Gifted); Necklace- Swarvoski (Gifted); Boots- Aldo; Clutch- Gifted & Brooch- Vintage; Cat- Marley

One of my friends brought me this adorable balloon, in reference to my Minnie Mouse outfit post.  I was also spoiled with lovely cards and beautiful flowers:

Can anyone identify this flower? Whatever it is, it's very elegant and was waiting for me on my desk along with streamers galore, a surprise banner and card from the Board of Directors at work.

My best friend had this gorgeous pink bouquet of flowers delivered to me at work.

My man was holding this bouquet of flowers when I got home from work yesterday with a goofy smile on his face....because he's taking me to St.Kitts for a week in Easter! I can't wait, it's a place I've always been intrigued by after reading about it in a fashion/celeb magazine years ago.  We're staying at the Marriott Beach Resort and I can't wait to read and relax both pool & beachside (and not do much of else to be completely honest!)

And of course a birthday isn't complete without a cake! I have yet to try this (I was so stuffed from the 4 course chef's tasting menu at Zen Kitchen) but it's a chocolate cake with buttercream frosting topped with a peanut-butter filled egg-mmm!