Recipes, projects & products that don’t suck.

I know, I know… ANOTHER recipe with pumpkin. Enough already! I hear ya. BUT, I had to use up my leftover canned pumpkin from the Pumpkin Spice Turnovers (which you must try, btw). So, I made up my own vegan, gluten-free Pumpkin Pie Smoothie recipe and I have to say, it’s blog-worthy. Since yesterday’s post was lengthy with photo overload, I’ll keep it nice and light today ;) YIELDS 2 SERVINGS *** INGREDIENTS: 1 cup coconut milk (in the carton, not the can)* about ¾ cup (give or take) canned or pureed pumpkin* 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 Tbsp. agave nectar 1 Tbsp. chia seeds ¼ cup unsweetened flaked coconut ¼ cup pecans 2 frozen bananas (peeled and cut into thirds) 1 cup ice…

Heavenly. That’s what these are. Flaky pockets of phyllo filled with sweet, creamy pumpkin filling. I do my best to limit my refined sugar and gluten intake, however a girl’s gotta live now ‘n then. I say if you’re gonna cheat, make it worth your while – and these are DEFINITELY worth the occasional splurge. In last week’s Harvest Vegetable Stew post, I asked you to stay tuned for Pumpkin Spice Turnovers from the same cookbook, Big Vegan by Robin Asbell. I am really, really loving this cookbook so far. There are just SO MANY recipes that I can’t wait to try – like Marsala-Mushroom Crepes and Three-Nut “Cheese” Quesadillas with Fresh Mango Salsa and, and, and – the list goes on. Vegan or not,…

Mom! Are you out there?! Are you reading this? Cuz this one’s for you. My mom makes a mean Spicy Rice & Beans dish that my dad absolutely loves (I think he could probably live on it for the rest of his life). Today, I’ve got a new twist on an old favorite for her and for all of you, too. I discovered this recipe from an old post on Naturally Ella, a blog written by a lovely, über talented gal named Erin. I don’t know what’s better, her recipes or her photography. Both are outstanding. In fact, just browsing her site makes me both depressed (by my lack of photography skills) and motivated (by my lack of photography skills). I know my photos aren’t…

As I’ve mentioned a time or two before, I am a Stella & Dot Stylist. If you’re not familiar with Stella & Dot, well where have you been?! It’s the stylish, fashion-forward accessories line that is taking the direct sales world by storm. As a Stylist, I get to help my Hostesses earn $100s in free jewelry and half price items when they get their girlfriends together to shop and chat at a trunk show (in their home or elsewhere). It’s a pretty good gig ;) When I first started with Stella & Dot three and a half years ago, our only product was jewelry. Fast forward to today. Now, we also have gorgeous handbags and wallets, beautiful scarves, designer tech cases and more. In fact,…

You had me at chocolate. And peanut butter. And the no-bake factor is always a plus. And they are gluten-free, to boot. When I found this recipe on Vegan Heartland, I couldn’t wait to try it. I was surprised to find that I had all of the ingredients on hand (if you’re vegan, you probably do, too). As Matthew (Vegan Heartland author) notes in his recipe post, these crunchy, sweet bars are rich in protein, fiber, antioxidants + omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. But don’t think that means you can eat the whole pan, cuz short on calories they are not. Nor are they short on flavor or texture. I LOVE ‘em!!! These are super easy and quick to make. The hard part is waiting…