Month: August 2019

Toronto Vegandale 2019

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TorontoVegandale2019

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Hi Savvys!

I was so happy to attend this year’s Vegandale in Toronto.   I had attended last year and was so excited to see the different vendors this year.  Entry this year was $10 for early birds and $15 at the door.  There were lots of brands that had booths such as Daiya, Silk, Yves and Magnum offering full sized free samples – you definitely got your money’s worth.

 

 

Like last year, we brought our own reusable bags, containers, cutlery and water bottles to ensure we were reducing the amount of waste that tends to be produced at these types of food festivals.  And like last year, Vegandale came equipped with a refillable water bottle station with cold water for both you and your furry friend!

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I also enjoyed seeing so many restaurants having their own booths as well, such as Fresh and Planta Burger.   It was great to see so many local restaurants offering their specialties off their menus.  We had ordered the Southwest Burger from Planta burger with their truffle fries – my absolute favourite and served crispy with ketchup!

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I also made my annual trip to the Good Rebel to stock up on some vegan staples like soy curls and TVP.  I love that they now offer shipping across Canada so I can stock up all year round.  Definitely check out their website!  They offer a wide variety of vegan products, from pantry staples to frozen products, such as Beyond Meat sausages.

Last year the event was held on both Saturday and Sunday but this year it was only held on Saturday, which did make the line ups a bit lengthy.  We waited especially long at Ital Vital for about 15 minutes, but it was well worth it.  We enjoyed their Jerk with rice and sides.  Luckily we brought our own containers because we packed it up and ate it for dinner at home!

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I look forward every year to Toronto Vegandale where I can explore and be inspired by all of the loca vendors.  It seems like this festival is getting bigger and bigger every year and I can’t wait to see what it has in store for years to come.  Don’t forget to check out my video to see the experience.

Now set forth and be savvy!

Pixi’s Vitamin-C Collection Skincare Routine + Review

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Pixi Vitamin-C Collecton Review - Logo

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Hi Savvys!

I was so excited to have received my first ever Pixi products!  I love that Pixi is cruelty free, paraben free and uses natural ingredients.  I received this Vitamin-C Collection which consisted of 5 products for a full skin care routine.  Continue reading below to see the order of which I used the products and my review!

Logo-Vitamin C Juice Cleanser

This was the first time I ever saw a cleanser pump like this.  To be honest, I was a bit confused on how to use it because when you pump, the cleanser goes all over the place since it’s very thin and liquidy. I ended up just pouring it into my palm before applying it to my face.  I found the cleanser to be quite refreshing, light smelling and more importantly made my face feel fresh and clean.

Logo-Vitamin C Tonic Toner

I’ve said this before about toners, but I really wish companies would put their toners in spray bottles.  Not only is it easier to apply but you are also using less since when you pour it onto a cotton pad, most of it is absorbed into the pad rather than applied onto your face.  Much like the cleanser, this toner made my face feel immediately refreshed.  I also really liked how well it went following the cleanser.

Logo-Vitamin C Serum

I loved how cute this serum bottle was.  It reminded me of when I was a child going through my mother’s beauty products.  A little goes a long way and I loved how cooling it was on my face.  I used this right after I applied the toner.

Logo-Vitamin C Caviar Balm

I tried to search online to see in which order I needed to apply this caviar balm in but couldn’t find the information so I assume it needs to be applied after the serum but before the lotion.  This caviar balm was so thick that you only need a little dollop. I loved the feeling on my face and my neck.

Logo-Vitamin C Lotion

I find it so hard to find a daytime lotion because I usually like to use SPF for added protection.  However I did love this as a night time cream.  It is so thick and made my skin feel so fresh and plumped in the morning.  Perfect for my night time routine.

Overall I love this line not only because Pixi in general is cruelty free, but I loved how natural and non-synthetic all of the products were.  They had a subtle citrus smell and made my face feel so fresh.

Hope you guys found this review helpful.  I am looking forward to the next Pixi products that I try.

Now set forth and be Savvy!

Cauliflower Wings and Fiesta Bean Dip | Frank’s Red Hot VoxBox

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Califlower Wings and Fiesta Bean Dip

TheSavvyPantry-FranksRedHotCauliflowerWingsandDip_Pin

Hi Savvys!

I received Influenster’s VoxBox for Frank’s Red Hot Seasoning and Fiesta Bean Dip complimentary for review purposes.  I know right away that I wanted to make recipes that would serve a crowd.  I am so excited to finally be posting my buffalo cauliflower wings, with a twist using the Frank’s Red Hot Seasoning.  The Fiesta Bean Dip goes perfectly alongside this and can be easily made into tacos!  Of course, drizzle over top with my ranch dressing and you can surely please a crowd!

Let me know how you like these recipes.

Now set forth and be Savvy!

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Ingredients

  • 1 package medium-firm tofu, drained (454 g)
  • 1 can red kidney beans (about 2 cups)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 package Frank’s Red Hot Fiesta Bean Dip

Directions

  1. Drain the extra firm tofu and crumble into a food processor
  2. Add the kidney beans , salt, lime juice nutritional yeast and Fran’s Red Hot Fiesta Dip seasoning to the food processor with the tofu
  3. Blend in the food processor until smooth.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
  5. Let cool before serving tortilla chips and veggies

FranksRedCauliflowerWingswithRanch-Logo

Ingredients

~makes 4 portions

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bit sized pieces
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup potato starch
  • 1 tsp parsley
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp Frank’s Red Hot Seasoning
  • ¾ cup of water
  • 1 tbsp oil

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix flour, potato starch and spices together
  2. Add in the water and oil and mix until well combined
  3. Throw in your cauliflower pieces into the batter and mix until well coated
  4. Lay out a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and lay out the coated cauliflower
  5. We will be baking the wings this twice.
  6. For the first bake, bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through
  7. For the second bake, remove the cauliflower from the tray and dump back into the remaining batter
  8. Stir to coat and bake again at 400 degrees for 15 minutes

VeganRanchDressing-Logo

~makes about 1 cup of dressing

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup raw hemp heart seeds (you can also use pumpkin seeds as a substitute)
  • 2/3 cup boiled water (still hot!)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried ground mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp non-dairy milk
  • 2 tbsp grape seed/avocado oil
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon dried chives
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast
  • ¼ tsp celery seed
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup mayo

Directions

  1. To make the dressing, mix all of the ingredients in a blender on high for 30 seconds
  2. Serve alongside the cauliflower wings
  3. Can be stored for up to a week

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Vegan Meal Prep | Sushi and Korean BBQ Bowls

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TheSavvyPantry-VeganMealPrepTasteofKnorr-Pin

Meal Prep Sushi and Korean BBQ bowls

Hi Savvys,

I received Knorr’s “Taste of Knorr” new seasoning blends for review purposes from Chickadvisor and wanted to share the recipes I created.   I’m bringing you 2 new rice bowl recipes featuring Taste of Japan and Taste of Korea new seasoning blends!  These recipes are so easy to make and perfect for meal prep, which is what I used them for.  I made a big batch of the quinoa and rice blend and used half for the sushi rice and half for the Korean BBQ bowl.

Enjoy! Now set forth and be Savvy!

Ingredients

Both recipes below make 4 portions of each recipe

Rice

~Makes 8 servings – 1/2 cup each

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup short grain (sushi) rice
  • 2 cups water

Taste of Knorr Korean BBQ Bowls

BBQ Marinade and Soy Curls

  • 2 cups soy curls, soaked in hot water
  • 1 tbsp reserved water from soaking the soy curls
  • 1 tbsp Taste of Knorr Korean BBQ seasoning blend
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Topping Ideas for BBQ Bowl

  • Kimchi
  • Cucumber
  • Kale
  • Fried Shishito peppers
  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Green onion

Rice

  • 1/2 of the prepared rice (from above), about 2 cups

Directions

  1. Soak the soy curls in hot water for 30 minutes
  2. Combine the rest of the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and mix to combine
  3. Reserve 1 tbsp of the water from the soy curls and add it to the rest of the marinade
  4. Drain the soy curls and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible
  5. Place the drained rehydrated soy curls into a dish. Pour the marinade over and coat till they’re all covered.
  6. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium-high and cook the soy curls until all of the liquid has been reduced, about 3-5 minutes.
  7. To assemble the bowls, prepare 4 bowls (or containers for meal prep) and place 1/2 cup of the quinoa and rice mixture at the bottom of the bowl. Top with 1/2  cup of the cooked soy curls.  Top with all of your favourite toppings

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Taste of Knorr Japanese Sushi Bowls

Sushi Rice

  • Remaining 1/2 of the prepared rice (from above), about 1 cup
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Togarashi Tofu

  • 1 block of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed (tofu package around 400g)
  • 1 tbsp Taste of Knorr Japan Togarashi seasoning blend
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp water

Topping Ideas for BBQ Bowl

  • Radish
  • Cucumber
  • Microgreens
  • Vegan roe
  • Soy sauce
  • Diced mango
  • Pickled ginger
  • Sesame seeds

Directions

  1. To make the sushi rice, mix in sugar and rice wine vinegar into the remaining rice and quinoa mix. Set aside.
  2. Remove the block of tofu from packaging and place at the bottom of a strainer. Place a plate on top of the tofu.  Place a heavy pot on top of the plate and let sit and press for 30 minutes
  3. Combine the rest of the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and mix to combine
  4. After 30 minutes, remove the tofu from the strainer and cut into cubes (I like to cut the tofu into 4 pieces length and width wise, then cut into 4 again so each portion gets 16 pieces of tofu)
  5. Cover the tofu with the marinade.
  6. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium-high and cook the tofu for about 3-5 minutes.
  7. To assemble the bowls, prepare 4 bowls (or containers for meal prep) and place 1/2 cup of the quinoa and rice sushi mixture at the bottom of the bowl. Top each bowl with ¼ of the tofu (about 16 pieces if you cut it like me).  Top with all of your favourite toppings.  Drizzle with soy sauce

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