Compassionate Women

Creamy Peppermint Hot Chocolate

February 9, 2018 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Today it was over 80 degrees in South Texas, so I figured I better hurry up and post this cozy recipe before temperatures start warming up too much! 🔥

During these past couple of winter months, I would crave something warm to drink in the evenings but I didn’t want coffee because of the caffeine, and tea just wasn’t hitting the spot. Then I remembered I had peppermint essential oil lying around that I never used for anything. I threw together what I thought would be good… and it turned out amazing! Creamy, rich, not too sweet or chocolatey, with a kick of peppermint and a frothy top.

This recipe is very easy to make and perfect for cold weather, rainy days, watching movies, dessert, or just all around coziness 🕯🛌📺

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Homemade Vegan Dog Food

January 12, 2018 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Homemade pinto beans and cooked sweet potato pureed in a blender, with dry steel cut oats stirred in.

My adorable, sweet foster dog Opal has made some vast improvements over the past five months that she’s been with me. Especially in these past couple of months. When I first rescued Opal, her fur was patchy and coarse from fleas and mange. Now she’s getting compliments about how shiny her coat is. She used to be scared of everything, including me, and she didn’t like to run around and play. Now she loves to snuggle, go on walks, and do zoomies around the yard. I attribute a lot of this to being in a stable home instead of living on the streets. But I also think her most recent improvements are due to a change in her diet.

About two months ago, I decided to try giving Opal homemade vegan meals for a week or two to see how it went. It was so easy to do and Opal loved the meals so much, we just made it a permanent change! I had done research in the past about feeding dogs vegan food. I hate processed dog food, there’s so many icky things in it, even in many of the natural brands. Plus, as a vegan myself, I didn’t like buying dog food products made with meat.

I wanted to share how I made the seamless transition to a plant based diet for Opal. It doesn’t take a lot of effort or money, and the effects are noticeable. I’ve also included the recipes to some of Opal’s favorite vegan meals! 🐕🐾🍽

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Red Lentil & Kale Stew

January 3, 2018 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Y’all, it’s actually cold in South Texas! ❄️🌨☃️

It’s been cold and rainy off and on these past couple of weeks, and we even got snow one morning! I’ve been drinking lots of homemade hot chocolate and snuggling with my foster dog, Opal. Then I remembered this warm, hearty soup I made not too long ago and thought it would be the perfect recipe to post.

This delish soup is my version of Kimberly Snyder’s Red Lentil and Carrot Stew. When it comes to soups and stews, I like to keep it simple, and I’m not a big fan of cooked carrots, so I changed things up just slightly. Make this savory soup for your friends and family, or store in the fridge and have ready made meals! Full of nutrients, fiber, and protein, this Red Lentil & Kale Stew is the perfect cold weather meal!

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Forgotten Small Towns in South Texas

November 25, 2017 by Jillian 2 Comments

A year ago today I moved from Beaumont, Texas to the southernmost tip of the Lone Star state in a region called the Lower Rio Grande Valley. About a couple weeks into the new move, my friend asked me to tag-along with him when he went location scouting to some of the nearby small towns. He was trying to get a film produced in the area, and found a local retired teacher to give him a tour. Since I had my Nikon, my friend asked if I would take photos of the locations on the tour.

I remember I had to wake up super early, which made me really grumpy. Plus, it was cloudy and humid outside. But I love small towns, so I was excited to see what the day had in store for us. The teacher giving us the tour knew the history of each town we visited, and since he grew up in the area, he knew most of the local families that had lived there for generations.

We met up with the teacher, climbed into his pick up truck, and set off on a maze of small towns in the Rio Grande Valley. We mainly focused on the towns of Delmita, McCook, and San Isidro, but saw a lot of cool places in between. Many of these towns were so tiny that you’d miss them if you blinked. Some felt like ghost towns. Others were a mixture of historic and modern. But all the towns contained beautiful, old, abandoned buildings. Here are my favorite photos from our tour 📸

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Activated Charcoal Nice Cream

November 16, 2017 by Jillian 1 Comment

I’ve only made this recipe twice, but I’m already obsessed with it! If you follow my blog, then you already know that I’m addicted to nice cream (aka ice cream made with bananas). I’ve experimented with several different varieties, and maybe it’s just the idea of eating charcoal colored ice cream, but I love it 🍦🐘

What is Activated Charcoal? It’s a fine black powder that is made by burning organic materials such as wood, coconut shells, peat, olive pits, etc. This process “activates” the substances once they reach a certain temperature and changes their internal structure. The health benefit of activated charcoal is that it latches onto toxins and chemicals in the gut and keeps them from being absorbed. That’s why hospitals have been known to use it in treating poison victims.

Activated Charcoal can be found in numerous beauty products, supplements, and even as a homemade tooth whitener and face mask. But have you tried it as a natural food dye? When added to banana nice cream, it becomes a gorgeous slate color and doesn’t add any weird flavors. Just creamy, delicious, healthy ice cream 😋

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Compassionate Women

Creamy Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Homemade Vegan Dog Food

Red Lentil & Kale Stew

Forgotten Small Towns in South Texas

Activated Charcoal Nice Cream

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