Compassionate Women

  • Home
  • About
    • Jillian
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Dinner
    • Confection
    • Beverages
  • Health & Beauty
  • Bits & Pieces
    • Animals
    • Travel
    • Tidbits
  • Resources
    • Goodies
    • Compassionate Women Store

Be Beautiful Inside and Out, Part 2

October 6, 2014 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Face cream and calendula flower

This is part 2 of my series about the little known toxins lurking in your everyday beauty products, and the safer alternatives to buying the cheap, big brands that are harmful to your body. If you missed it, here’s Be Beautiful Inside & Out, Part 1.

And here’s a quick reminder of why it’s important to buy cruelty-free products.

Natural Toothpaste

Toothpaste – Most people use toothpaste multiple times every day and never think there may be some serious toxins in a paste this is supposed to keep teeth healthy. Unfortunately, all the big brands contains a plethora of chemicals that do harm to the body. For years fluoride was touted as the end-all-be-all for strong pearly whites. I remember getting the fluoride foam treatment every time I went for a check up at the dentist. New studies show that sodium fluoride may be a possible neurotoxin, and the Food & Drug Administration now requires all toothpaste containing fluoride to label this warning on their product:

WARNING: Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional help or contact a poison control center immediately.”

Ummm, great. So glad I swallowed so much of that foam treatment when I was a kid. In fact, it takes a very small amount of sodium fluoride to cause symptoms of acute fluoride toxicity. If there’s a warning label on something as simple as toothpaste, I’m going to assume I probably should find a better option. Aside from that, big brands also contain sodium hydroxide (the chemical name for lye and a toxic drain cleaner), titanium dioxide (a possible carcinogen), and PVM.MA copolymer (a highly irritating binding agent). Don’t forget about 2 chemicals I discussed in part 1 – triclosan (classified as a pesticide) and sodium lauryl sulfate or SLS (used in products like garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers). Oh, and those pesky dyes and additives, like FD & C Blue Dyes 1 & 2 are made from coal tar oil and synthesized from petroleum, and can still be absorbed into your body even if you don’t swallow your toothpaste. Scary! I currently use Xyli-White from Now Solutions. It’s free of fluoride, SLS, gluten, parabens, and all the other chemicals we just discussed.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Health & Beauty Tagged With: acne, baby wipes, beautiful, beauty, calendula, chemicals, compassionate, cruelty free, face wash, facial wipes, fluroide, health, homemade, humane, make up brushes, mouthwash, natural, non-GMO, oatmeal, olive oil, organic, plant power, plant-based, pyrithione zinc, rosacea, shea butter, skin, skincare, toothpaste, toxins, vegan

Why Shelter Dogs are the Best!

October 1, 2014 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Catherine

Look at those eyes. Soulful, huh? And those cropped ears. Both features tell the tale of a hard life full of pain and sadness. Yet this sweet girl, Catherine, was always so sweet and outgoing. She didn’t let the fact that she was passed around from owner to owner, dumped at the shelter, unable to find her forever home, and goodness knows what else stop her from giving up. This is why shelter dogs are the best. They are resilient. They endure terrible, heartbreaking circumstances and yet they continue to overcome. And they never stop sharing their love. Most humans I know are incapable of doing this. For me, shelter dogs represent and embody true love. I never grew up with dogs or spent time near them, and honestly, at times I preferred not to be near them. I mean, the drooling and barking and jumping on me – no thanks. But after working at shelters and observing these dogs firsthand, I immediately fell deep into love with their personalities and their stories. I saw them as furry little people, each with their own quirks, likes, dislikes, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. And the fact that they were shelter dogs as opposed to coming from a puppy mill or breeder, just amplified these endearing qualities and made me love them even more.

Horatio

This is Horatio, one of the shelter dogs that I fostered for a couple weeks. He was so skinny when I first saw him. And as the weeks went by, I noticed that he wasn’t gaining any weight. In fact, it didn’t look like he was eating at all. I decided to bring him home and see if he gained weight. And he did! And my two female pitties absolutely adored him. The first night I brought him home, I had to lift him onto the bed because he was too terrified to move, and my other foster dog, Pretty Girl, started rolling around and stretching out next to him to try to impress him. It was amazing to see her react that way because Pretty Girl came from a bad situation too and was very introverted, yet she connected with Horatio and he brought out the best in her. Poor Horatio was probably the most scared dog I’ve ever met. He was scared to go into my yard to use the bathroom. I’d have to walk him out on a leash, and then he’d be scared to come back in. I don’t know anything about his history, except that my shelter rescued him off the kill list at the city shelter. I’ve always wondered what horrendous things must have happened to him to make him so petrified. He flinched every time I came near him, even to pet him. And yet Horatio was always a gentle creature.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Animals, Bits & Pieces Tagged With: adopt, adopt don't shop, adoption, animal shelter, animals, compassionate women, dog shelter, dogs, horatio, love, no-kill, pajama sam, pit bull, pit bulls, pitties, rescue, rescue animals, rescue dogs, roman, shelter, tater, taylor swift, vegan, women

Vegan & Gluten Free Banana Nut Scones

September 23, 2014 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Banana Nut Scones

Who doesn’t love a good scone? That’s one thing I missed when I switched over to a gluten free, vegan lifestyle. There was a bakery in Austin that had the most amazing chocolate chip scones and I miss them, but now that I have a foundation for plant-based scones, the possibilities are endless! I originally found this amazing recipe on CookieandKate.com and it was so delicious looking (and easy) that I had to try it. The scones came out great! I’ve tweaked the recipe so that’s it gluten free and vegan (original is not gluten free), added one minor ingredient, a couple of other small changes and bam! – scones that are yummy, healthy, and cruelty-free. I’ve made this recipe so many times – I’ve tried it in scone form, muffin form, and full on cake form. I have to say the scones are still my favorite.

Coconut Oil Spray Pan of Toasted Pecans Toasted Pecans

First things first, toasting the pecans. It calls to toast them in the oven on parchment paper, but of course I never have parchment paper (sigh…) so instead I used coconut oil spray on the baking sheet and it worked perfectly. After 3 minutes, pull them out of the oven and chop them up. I don’t get too focused on chopping them finely, otherwise my OCD will kick in and it will take me an hour just to chop the pecans.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Confection, Recipes Tagged With: almond meal, almond milk, baking, banana, breakfast, brown rice flour, coconut oil, compassion, compassionate women, cruelty free, earth balance, flax milk, glaze, gluten free, health, healthy, humane, love, maple glaze, maple syrup, muffins, non-GMO, nut, nutrition, nutritious, organic, peace, pecans, plant-based, recipe, recipes, scone, scones, vegan, vegetarian, women

Be Beautiful Inside and Out, Part 1

September 12, 2014 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Natural Beauty Products

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about what humane beauty products are, why it’s important to choose them, and some ideas on how to go about that. I decided to do a three part series so I can go into a bit more detail about the everyday products that most of us use, include some homemade substitutes, and remind everyone how easy it is to make the switch over to humane. I mean, if it’s so easy, why wouldn’t you?!

Nail polish – I love to paint my nails. I’ve been doing my own nails since I was a small child and I always get compliments on them. However, I never stopped to think that toxic chemicals could be in my nail polish. But, oh, they are. The majority of nail polishes contain the following: toluene (which is neurotoxic), formaldehyde (cancer-causing preservative), & dibutyl phthalate (or DPT, which interferes with reproductive hormones). Yuck, right? And just like your skin, your nails absorb whatever is put on them. Plus, many nail polish brands test on animals. Yuck again. Check this link out for a list of vegan nail polishes, it contains a lot of well known, easy-to-find brands on it. However, it’s important to find out if any of the brands contain the toxic trio (I’m very happy to report that OPI does not, which is great news, because I love them!) Best way to find out? Do your research. It’s so easy these days to find information on the internet, just make sure it’s a legitimate resource. I wouldn’t necessarily go to a product’s website, because products that claim they are chemical free, actually are not. I would check out websites like EWG’s Skin Deep as well as search for studies that have been done on products outside of the company. Your nails can look fabulous without harming your health or harming animals!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Health & Beauty Tagged With: animal testing, beauty, body wash, chemicals, compassionate, compassionate women, conditioner, cruelty free, deoderant, fragrance, health, homemade, humane, nail polish, natural, perfume, plant power, plant-based, plants, poo free, shampoo, shaving gel, skin, skincare, toxins, vegan, women

Vegan Mexican Taco Salad

September 3, 2014 by Jillian 3 Comments

Vegan Mexican Taco Salad

So I was going to write a post about something else this week but I’ve been thinking about food so much lately, that I couldn’t help but post another recipe! Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. When I walked into my kitchen the other night, starving, there was barely anything decent to be found. I had some leftover black beans in the fridge and that got me thinking about what I could whip up with them. I ended up creating a tofu crumble reminiscent of ground beef or turkey, with sauteed onions, the black beans, and salad fixings. And it was so, so good! It took twenty minutes at the most and filled me up without leaving me feeling heavy. Ready for this super simple, quick, nutritious meal?!

Tofu and Onions

This recipe starts out very white, but don’t fear, it ends up very colorful! I cut up some thick slices of white onion and put them in a pan with a splash of olive oil on medium heat. I let those sizzle for a couple of minutes. Take any kind of tofu you like. I used the Trader Joe’s Organic Sprouted Tofu Extra Firm, it works the best for crumbling and having a ground meat consistency. This particular brand is in the refrigerated section. Use your hands to crumble it into the pan and give everything a quick stir. You can turn the heat down to low or med-low.

Tofu Crumble, Onions, and Spices

Next I added seasonings: Cumin, chili powder, and paprika. I wait to add the salt and pepper until all the ingredients are in the pan. It’s easier for me to see how much S&P I need when everything is mixed together, but do whatever works for you.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Quick & Easy, Recipes Tagged With: black beans, compassionate, compassionate women, cruelty free, fiber, gluten free, healthy, heath, humane, meal, mexican, nutritional yeast, onions, paprika, plant power, plant-based, recipe, recipes, taco salad, tofu, vegan, vegan taco salad, vegetarian, veggie, women

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • Next Page »

HEY THERE! I’M JILLIAN.

I live along the border of Mexico in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and create cruelty-free recipes that are delicious! I'm here to show you that it's easy to follow a plant based lifestyle. Not only are the health and beauty benefits noticeable, but it creates a more sustainable planet and keeps our animal friends safe & happy. I also love books, music, dark chocolate, and the great outdoors. LEARN MORE…

Subscribe to my mailing list and receive a FREE RECIPE E-BOOK as a thank you!

* indicates required
Follow on Instagram
The Detox Market Banner 300x250px
Healthy Snacks Delivered Monthly

Recent Posts

  • Apple Pie Muffins
  • Old Hidalgo Pumphouse & World Birding Center
  • “Spicy” Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Adventures of a First-Time Lobbyist in Washington, D.C.
  • Homemade Almond Butter

Recipes

Recipes

Animals

Animals

Travel

Travel
Learn how to start and grow your food blog with Food Blogger Pro.

STAY CONNECTED

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Apple Pie Muffins
  • Old Hidalgo Pumphouse & World Birding Center
  • “Spicy” Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Adventures of a First-Time Lobbyist in Washington, D.C.
  • Homemade Almond Butter
Compassionate Women ©2015 Jillian Glantz. All rights reserved. No portion of this blog, including any text, photographs, and artwork, may be reproduced or copied without written permission.

Tags

animals austin beauty breakfast coconut oil compassion compassionate compassionate women confection cruelty free dessert dinner dinner recipe dogs food gluten free gluten free recipe health healthy healthy eating healthy food healthy recipe love nature non-GMO nutritional yeast nutritious organic peace plant-based plant power plant protein recipe south texas Texas travel turmeric vegan vegan cheese vegan food vegan recipe vegetarian veggie veggies women

Archives

  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014

Copyright © 2019 · Genesis Sample Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in