Restaurant Review: Veggie Grill's New Winter Menu

Harvest Bowl from Veggie Grill

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

Veggie Grill introduced their new winter menu items this week, which include several new bowls, mini-wraps, regular fries, salads, nachos and more! I was excited to try their new items, so I got together with a few friends to have a family-style tasting! We ordered the Bombay Bowl, Harvest Bowl, BBQ “Steak” Sandwich, Mondo Nachos, Buffalo Mini Wraps, Mexi Mini Wraps and Yukon Gold Fries. We each sampled a bit of everything and were overall pretty pleased with everything we ordered. Below you’ll find a breakdown of each dish that we tried!

Beauty Review: Acure Organics Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

Written by Sarah E. Jahier

I am constantly putting my hair through hell – dying, drying, and straightening all leave my already naturally-coarse, thick hair dry and damaged. So, I am always on the lookout for new cruelty-free, vegan shampoos and conditioners that will gently cleanse and repair my hair without too much of a fuss.

I have had my eye on Acure Organics' Moroccan Argan Oil and Argan Stem Cell shampoo and conditioner for a while now, and when I found them on sale at my local health food store I snatched them right up! I have used argan oil for my hair in the past (when I used harsher dyes on my hair) and always thought it did an awesome job of conditioning my hair, so I couldn't wait to try a shampoo/conditioner combo with argan oil!

My Visit to The Gentle Barn and Vegan Bake Sale Fundraiser

November's visit to The Gentle Barn - 

(from left to right, clockwise) Vegan Bake Sale, vegan baked goodies, 

a cute piggie, me grinning (I was so happy to be able to buy so many vegan 

sweets and support The Gentle Barn at the same time!), and a turkey friend!

Last weekend I had the pleasure to visit The Gentle Barn, an animal rescue and sanctuary located in the hills of Santa Clarita, California, to participate in a vegan bake sale that raised money for the sanctuary. This was my second time to this magical place, and it was so amazing to spend time with the loving animals, be around like-minded individuals, and help raise money for a worthwhile cause.

Beauty Review: Mystical House Organic Skin Care

I am always thrilled to find new vegan options for skin care. It is always great to see more companies who believe in offering cruelty-free and compassionate products, and while there are a lot of larger companies doing this, I still love supporting the smaller, independent companies who offer vegan products. Companies like Mystical House, who specializes in handmade, organic, and good-for-you skin care!

Vegan Bake Sale to Benefit The Gentle Barn this Sunday in Santa Clarita, CA

Hi Boils and Ghouls! It is time for another vegan bake sale at The Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA!

What: Vegan bake sale to benefit The Gentle Barn
When: Sunday, November 10th, 2013 from 10AM - 2PM
Where: The Gentle Barn, 15825 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, California 91390
Tips: A $10 donation is required for entry into The Gentle Barn. I also recommend bringing cash for the vegan bake sale (plus a container if you plan on buying several items), The Gentle Barn's own snack bar and gift shop, and vegan hot dog stand Frankens, who will be vending this Sunday! Spend your money on a good cause and local business! More info after the jump!

31 Days of Halloween: Happy Halloween and Checking Off My Halloween Bucket List!

Wow, is it just me or did October really fly by this year? I cannot believe today is the day I have been counting down to for months and months and months! This was definitely a whirlwind month, and I wish I had more time to do more Halloween-y events! Alas, I did not complete all the items on my Halloween Bucket List for this year, but the good news is I was able to enjoy a fair amount of them! Let's review what I got around to doing this year, shall we?

31 Days of Halloween: The Halloween Kid Short Film

Only six more days until Halloween! And today I have quite a treat for you...The Halloween Kid, a short by filmmaker Axelle Carolyn!

I first heard about this short last year, but this year is the first time I was finally able to watch it! I think it is a really well-done, nostalgic short about a lonely boy and the joy he finds on Halloween. I love all the autumn and Halloween set pieces in this short and the rhyming narration adds a whimsical touch!

Check it out for yourself after the jump:

31 Days of Halloween: Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

One of my favorite things to do during the Halloween season is to bake pumpkin EVERYTHING, and these delectably fluffy cake-like cookies are always a big hit with vegans and non-vegans alike!

Check out the recipe after the jump!

Restaurant Review: Seabirds Kitchen in Costa Mesa, CA

Seabirds Kitchen at The Lab is now open!

I have been a long-time fan of Seabirds and their vegan food truck as year after year they have continued to impress me with their quality vegan food in Orange County! From delicious staples like their beer-battered avocado tacos to their other seasonal options and specials, I have always felt so lucky to have them in my community offering such amazing vegan food!

31 Days of Halloween: Apple Festival in Julian, CA

Cute roadside pumpkin patch!

This past weekend I finally got to cross something off my bucket list...a trip to Julian, California to visit their world-famous apple orchards and attend their 100+ year-old apple festival! I have always wanted to visit Julian during the fall, when the colors on the leaves are changing, temperatures are cooler and the apples are ripe for picking!

Mister Spooky and I were actually visiting San Diego for a concert, and so did a little sight-seeing / food-eating there before heading up into the mountains to Julian. Our first stop on the way down was at Stone Brewing Company, a craft brewery that makes Arrogant Bastard and other awesome beers (that also happen to be vegan, huzzah!). When we arrived, we grabbed a few beers from their awesome bar and strolled their beautiful grounds. I got an Autumn Maple brew from The Bruery and sat in a shady spot overlooking their turtle pond - it was bliss! We then took a tour of their brewery where we learned all about their production and even had a beer tasting! So fun! For lunch, we dined at their restaurant since they had vegan options (huzzah again!)! I had the vegan tempeh shepard's pie and it was delicious!