Compassionate Women - Page 15 of 34 -

Kid Friendly Vegan Goulash

October 19, 2016 by Jillian 2 Comments

Before I made this recipe, I had heard of goulash before but honestly had no clue what it actually was. It wasn’t until my roommate at the time made a non-vegan version of it and told me how easy it was, that I decided to do a little investigating. Traditional goulash originates from Hungary and consists of a soup or stew with meat and vegetables, seasoned with paprika and other spices.

American goulash, on the other hand, is more of a spaghettios-on-crack-type-situation. It usually includes elbow macaroni, ground beef, onions & garlic, tomato sauce and the option of cheese. My roommate gave me the recipe for the latter and it sounded super easy to veganize, so I gave it a try. This vegan goulash is a very savory, filling comfort food with plant based protein and only takes about half an hour to make a huge pot. Kids will love it because it’s a simple, tasty dish! Oh, and it’s gluten free too!

Let’s get cooking 🔪🍝🍴🍅

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Beaumont Botanical Gardens

October 10, 2016 by Jillian 2 Comments

I spent most afternoons this past summer walking barefoot through the botanical gardens in Beaumont, Texas 👣🌺🐝🌴 It was never crowded and many times I was the only person there. The botanical gardens are tucked away in the expansive Tyrrell Park in southern Beaumont. The outside gardens, pictured here, are free and open from daylight till dark every day.

What are some perks of traversing these lovely grounds? For starters, there are wild bunnies hopping around 🐇🐰 I’ve also seen a raccoon on the trail as well as a pretty ginormous snake 🐍 There’s lots of cute lizards and butterflies and bees, and of course brightly colored flowers and fragrant roses.

I brought my camera along for my last couple of visits to the Beaumont Botanical Gardens. Here are my favorite pictures 📷

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Protein Packed Breakfast Tostadas

September 26, 2016 by Jillian Leave a Comment

I’m one of those people that must eat a hearty breakfast with hot coffee every single morning NO. MATTER. WHAT. ☕️ But as as a vegan, sometimes it can feel like my breakfast choices are limited. I can only handle so much oatmeal. I can’t cook up eggs and bacon. I’m also gluten free, so pancakes and bagels and waffles can be tricky. What’s a vegan girl to do?…

Whip up some healthy breakfast tostadas filled with creamy refried black beans, crispy potatoes, sliced avocado, crunchy red onion, and hot sauce & vegan ranch of course! So much yes. I want them right now and it’s no where near breakfast time as I write this but it doesn’t matter because tostadas can be consumed any time of day 🍽

If you’re looking for something new to throw into the breakfast mix, or want something filling and healthy, or just a mega breakfast of champions, try these Protein Packed Breakfast Tostadas🏋💪 They’re pretty addictive.

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10 Secret Facts About Cats

September 18, 2016 by Jillian Leave a Comment

Looking through my blog you might get the impression that I’m more of a dog person, which may be the teeniest bit true 😮 but only because I worked so closely with dogs during my time at numerous animal shelters and volunteering with dog rescue groups.

However, I grew up with lots of cats that my family rescued and I have only respect and admiration for the feline persuasion. I’ll never forget bottle feeding my kitten Petey. My landlord’s neighbor found him abandoned in a barn when he was only about a week old. He fit in the palm of my hand and he had big blue eyes and I would bring him to work in a big canister lined with a fuzzy blanket so I could feed him every couple of hours. My dogs loved him, especially my pit mix Josie. She would give him lots of tongue baths and was very protective. It was adorable.

I love all of the cats in my life, past and current. I know there will be many more to come. And considering that cats are the most popular pet in the United States, here are some little known facts that I put together about these independent, intelligent and oftentimes sassy creatures 🐱

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Peanut Butter Macadamia Chocolate Fudge Cake

September 8, 2016 by Jillian Leave a Comment

This fudgetastic recipe came about when I was bored one day and decided to go in the kitchen and create something with whatever ingredients I had on hand. Ever since going vegan, I hardly crave sweets anymore, but I do like baking on a fairly regular basis and being able to use healthier sugar alternatives like maple syrup and coconut sugar, and just enough to sweeten it without it being sugary. That’s one of the many reasons this recipe works so well. Plus, the whole chocolate fudge, hint of peanut butter + rich macadamia flavor doesn’t hurt either 😋

This cake is really easy to make, gluten free and a healthier alternative when you want something sweet and chocolatey!

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