Food for Thought : Buddha bowls

Autumn Bounty Bowl

Super food Bowls via The Vintage Mixer

Chickpea and Crispy Polenta Bowl via Half Baked Harvest

The Big Vegan Bowl via Oh She Glows

Rice Noodle Bowl

My new years resolution was to try Veganism for a month. I made this decision for many reasons, one being I always seem to eat the same foods and I think it is about time I got more adventurous. Although there are hundreds of wonderful recipes out there sometimes I just want to use up what is in my cupboards but cant think of how to throw it all together to ensure i have a balanced meal....

One solution is the Buddha Bowl, a dish I keep seeing on Pinterest and food blogs . A bowl full of a yummy nutritionally balanced foods.... Usually containing , quinoa, chickpeas, butternut squash or sweet potato and avocado..... Heaven!!!

If you fancy giving it a go.... here are the Basics of making a Buddha bowl.... enjoy!!

.1) Starch:
Roasted sweet potato cubes; Cooked quinoa, buckwheat, millet, rice, amaranth, barley, couscous, etc…; Cooked or raw corn kernels; Roasted white potato slices; Cooked winter squash, noodles or pasta

2.  Protein:
Cooked beans or lentils; Cooked tofu, tempeh or seitan; Peas; Edamame; Leftover Chili; Cooked, crumbled or sliced veggie burgers or cutlets

3.  Extras:
Any nut or seed; Grated coconut; Apple slices; Raisins or dried cranberries; A sprinkle of granola; Olives; Sun-dried tomatoes; Nutritional Yeast; Roasted Red Peppers; Pickles

4.  Veggies
(cooked, or raw, or a combo of both): Lettuce, Kale, Spinach, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Mushrooms, Carrots, Zucchini, Peppers, Onions, Sprouts…

5.  Dressings:

Tahina + Apple Cider Vinegar + Stevia + Paprika

Tahina + Lemon + Garlic + Water

Peanut Sauce (peanut butter, vinegar or lime, maple syrup, soy sauce, water)

Salsa + Hummus

Olive Oil + Lemon Juice or Balsamic Vinegar

Recipe Source

Houseboat Reflections of North America's Floating Homes...

Houseboat Reflections of North America's Floating Homes... History architecture, and Lifestyles. By Ben Dennis and Betsy Case

As regular readers may know I have a long time obsession with house boats having stayed in a few as a child. The images above are all from the book "Houseboat Reflections of North America's Floating Homes... History architecture, and Lifestyles. By Ben Dennis and Betsy Case".

I have published images from this book before but as I have finally treated myself to a copy decided
to re-share these beautiful images, with a few I had not previously seen. Fabulous arent they?

Conscious Living: Fat and The Moon

 Part of my 2015 resolution, the reason for my month trial of a Vegan diet is that I would really like to start living more consciously and choosing natural products that I know have been made ethically. One such company that I have a number of products from is Fat and the Moon.
 
Fat and the Moon specializes in handcrafted, herbal body care products. Like a witch over a cauldron, founder Rachel Budde experiments with age­ old ingredients and recipes passed down from various healing traditions to craft innovatively simple products that are good for the body and the earth. 

Many of the herbs used in Fat and the Moon have been home grown on the organic farm inhabited by the Fat and the Moon team. Everything is made in small batches from organic ingredients. Started as an alternative to the toxic, mass­ production body care industry, Fat and the Moon products remain extremely close to their source. 

Budde also carefully considers what her potions live in. Plastic is used sparingly, and all of the packaging is set up to be a joy to reuse and a breeze to recycle. We should take as much care selecting the things we put on our bodies as we do in shopping for the foods we put in them. The goal of Fat and the Moon is to make that a pleasure! 

I have personally sampled a number of Fat and The Moon products and my favorites are: the Dream Weaver Mist (always in my baby changing bag), the deodorant cream and the fabulous face oil.

Next on my to try list is the Calm Kid mist and the Natural toothpaste!!

Do you guys have any favourite ethical products that you would like to share? I would love to hear your opinions

xx Gabi xx