Elevate Difference

Reviews tagged vegan

Bluestocking Bonbons

I'm already picky enough as a dedicated omnivore. Attempts at vegetarianism, let alone veganism, resulted in such extreme fatigue I had to give up after a month. However, for those dedicated enough to a peaceable kingdom to live without omelets, ice cream, and steak, and are capable of pursuing the benefits of avoiding animal proteins, I am delighted to report that there are delicious vegan chocolates available.

Marimekko Iloinen Change Purse / Red Flashlight Pendant

To an outsider in search of a good meal, what is perhaps most striking about Helsinki are the vegan options. In every restaurant, you will find lactose- and meat-free meals without requesting special treatment. As this aspect of Finnish life becomes more greatly incorporated into the wider culture, it isn’t uncommon to find vegan designers like Pinkkis. Dainty donuts, plastic veggie brooches, and soft cloth pouches are all made from reused, recycled, and all vegan materials in her smoke-free, Helsinki home.

Permaculture Magazine (No. 60 Summer 2009)

Permaculture Magazine seemed like an interesting concept that you don’t hear about in too much detail. I hate the ‘Go Green!’ trend and was interested in learning actual tips on sustainable living. On this front, the magazine was definitely able to deliver. In this issue, I learned (theoretically) how to build an outdoor wood fire oven, how to care for chickens, tips for inexpensive and green day trips out with the family, and DIY recipes for beauty products, among other things.

Vegan Brunch: Homestyle Recipes Worth Waking Up For - From Asparagus Omelets to Pumpkin Pancakes

Vegan = tofu = dreadlocks = body odor = weird. This review is not about debunking the vegan stereotype equation, and all its variations, but rather about introducing the equal opportunity indulgence: brunch. In a first read through, Isa Chandra Moskowitz's cookbook Vegan Brunch is nearly perfect.

Vegan Rustic Cooking: Through The Seasons

I thought Vegan Rustic Cooking sounded like the grounded, salt-of-the-earth read I needed on my shelf. Lately, I seem to be searching online for recipes as I crave on-demand inspiration. I live in root vegetable country, and I thought this might be just the book for me and my potato-loving self.

Organic Original Rice Nectar

A gift box arrived at my home several weeks ago, origin unknown until my partner came staggering through the door, trying to balance the behemoth shipment he’d fetched from the post office. “It’s from Jaimie and Sabrina!” My kind, thoughtful acupuncturist and psychiatrist back in Boston—who share an office space, an affinity for holistic treatment, and unending support for my international move—had sent a care package after receiving a card from us.

This Crazy Vegan Life: A Prescription for an Endangered Species

I love meat. I love cheese. I love all things animal, and I've always believed that these foods are part of a healthy, balanced diet. I couldn't imagine becoming vegan, giving up all animal products completely. Veganism seemed like a quick road to malnutrition (how could you possibly get enough protein and calcium?), boredom (spinach again?), and overall weirdness.

Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food

Among radicals and vegan activists, farm sanctuaries are well known as safe havens for animals escaping the cruelties of factory farms and slaughterhouses. Having previously volunteered at a small farm sanctuary in Massachusetts, I am convinced that face time with our four-legged friends is the single most effective way to inform other humans about the individual personalities of animals and convince people of our responsibility to overcome the habits of our speciesist culture.

Tour Tote

Is it possible to have a bag that’s cooler than you are? My street cred increased substantially when I started carrying around the Tour Tote by SNAP design. You see, I live in New York City, but I’m a Southern girl (Athens, GA, baby!) at my core, so I constantly have to negotiate the internal tug-of-war between my current persona (Big City Trendsetting Fashionista) and the persona of my upbringing (Small Town Working Class Thrifter).

Peanut Butter Shortbread

Can something that’s made without wheat or gluten, is egg and dairy free, and has no refined sugar or cholesterol taste good? It absolutely can if it’s Sun Flour Baking Co.’s Peanut Butter Shortbread. These tasty cookies are hard to resist. They are light, but filling, although I did have to resist easting the entire box in one sitting.

Chocolate Hazelnut Massage Candle

Babeland—a top sex toy retailer—offers plenty of bedroom additions perfect for making that next romantic night more memorable. The company prides itself on being female-friendly and encourages women to explore all areas of their sexuality. Customers can privately shop from their home computers or venture into one of their stores in New York, Seattle, or Los Angeles. Their aromatic massage candle is one of their more traditional yet intriguing products. As the candle melts, luxuriously scented massage oil forms.

Premium Cinnamon Cookies

Vegans, those who cannot have gluten, and other health-conscious consumers will be happy to hear about Sun Flour Baking Company (based in Sacramento, California), which offers a variety of products that, like these cinnamon cookies, are wheat and gluten-free, contain no cholesterol or refined sugar, and are egg and dairy free. In addition, this particular variety has no trans fat or hydrogenated oil, and twenty-two percent of the ingredients used are organic.

Premium Chocolate Chip Cookies & Brownie Babies

Like pizza or sex, chocolate chip cookies are good no matter how bad they are. Considering these cookies are devoid of most everything that makes cookies so delicious, they’re not too bad at all. These are wheat, gluten, cholesterol and dairy free, as well as twenty-one percent organic. All of this translates into a snack that is both healthy and vegan. This box contains ten soft little cookies. Each one is about 1.5 times as wide as a Famous Amos cookie and twice as thick.

Lemon Shortbread

When I saw there were cookies available to be reviewed—COOKIES—I jumped at the opportunity! I didn't do extensive research on the Sun Flour Baking Co. that makes the cookies. I just saw the words "Lemon Shortbread" and then went a little nuts. When the box of cookies came in the mail, I did read it more closely. Since I had no background information on the baking company, it came as a surprise to read such phrases as "No refined sugar," "Egg & Dairy Free" and "40% organic." I noticed that the Sun Flour Baking Co.

Vanilla Shortbread

The Sun Flour Baking Company has been making vegan cookies since 1993. The founder continued to experiment with the ingredients until he believe he’d found the best combination of natural, egg- and dairy-free ingredients needed to make stellar vegan cookies. I generally don’t mind vegan products, and I absolutely love shortbread, so I was excited to try Sun Flour’s Vanilla Shortbread cookies. However, the cookies were a disappointment. I opened the box hoping for solid pieces of shortbread and instead found small jagged pieces of cookie jumbled together in a box.

Living with the Living

In a day where so many previously non-political artists are taking a stance to assure themselves a Grammy nod, Ted Leo’s refreshingly authentic social commentary shines through in his music just as much as it has for the past decade. The strict vegan, along with his band The Pharmacists, released his fifth full length studio album, [Living with the Living](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MQ55DO?ie=UTF8&tag=feminrevie-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000MQ55DO).

White Willow Facial Toner & Lip Repair Butter

Who would have thought that facial toner would be the next new application for aroma therapy? The fresh scent of this toner will have both you and your skin feeling divinely invigorated. Suki says white willow is the holistic anti-inflammatory for every type of skin. Simply mist the toner onto your face after cleansing. It’s also been proven to treat poison ivy. Imagine that. Rose petal, chamomile, calendula and tea tree infusion, extracts of white willow, comfrey and rose...

Skinny Bitch

Skinny Bitch is a book that promises to tell the truth about dieting, diets and the reasons for the fat that puts the junk in your trunk.

Transformative Facial Clay

It’s green tea infusion and earthy aroma make the Transformative Facial Clay by Suki a wonderful addition to your regular regimen. If you have never tried a clay mask, try this one! What is really appreciable about this product is its simplicity. The texture is smooth and, because the consistency is very thin, a few drops go a long way. Don’t be fooled by the term “clay.” The Transformative Facial Clay is not heavy, or sticky, and it’s easy to wash away. It’s cool going on and dries fast, but retains a nice flexibility.

Velvet Facial Creme

I am on a constant quest for new and improved beauty products. To me, a new lipstick or hand lotion are one of life's little pleasures. Not only do I enjoy using them, but it's a small fantasy fulfillment as well. Realistically, I know that a new hair product will not make me a supermodel, but I humor myself anyway; and the end result is that I feel glamorous, so it's a moot point. One frequently used tool in my beauty arsenal is facial moisturizer, so I was looking forward to testing out this product.

Facial Moisture Serum with Blue Chamomile

Although I am blessed with a complexion that is normally clear, in the past few months I've had some trouble with blemishing. I've tried anti-pimple potions before, though I steer away from most of them due to the harsh chemical content, as my skin is somewhat sensitive. I was interested to try Suki's facial serum, since it's made from all-natural ingredients and would, theoretically, be gentler on my skin. The primary ingredient is Jojoba oil, so it has a somewhat greasy consistency.

Delicate Moisture Body Oil

At first sniff from the bottle, the scent is not the best. However, the Delicate Moisture Body Oil from Suki has one of those scents that are best in application. It has a wonderful, earthy scent that is not overpowering, but light and relaxing, especially when applied to the skin. As well it is perfect in the bathtub. Though it says only a few drops are needed for the bath, I found that it was a much better experience with a little bit more than a few drops. What makes this oil so great is that it isn’t just some chemically-induced scent made in some factory.

Sexual Chocolate Lava Gloss

There has always been a certain dilemma around buying flavored lip gloss. On one hand, who doesn’t want their lips to taste like dessert, but on the other, who wants to seem like a pre-teen Bonne Bell fan? Kristine’s Shower has solved that dilemma with their delectable Lava Gloss. The flavor I tried was Sexual Chocolate, a somewhat silly name for a wonderful product. The gloss comes out through a roller top, but unlike most other roller glosses, Lava Gloss doesn’t leave your lips excessively shiny or sticky.

Pom-Pom Makeup Bag

Michelle Kline (aka SNAP design) is a master of minimalist design. She takes an ordinary object (in this case a makeup bag) and makes it fabulous by adding a little hint of detail while also relying on the color palate to speak to one's aesthetic preference. And you know what?

Smoy Photocuffs

I live in Brooklyn, NY and about a year ago I started seeing these postcards stapled on light posts and the sides of buildings for Photocuffs. Being a lover of most all things crafty, I said the web address twelve times in my head every time I passed one of these cards, but being a crazy busy activisty gal, I consistently forgot to check out the website.
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