HEALTH

Some can get away without

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Many can get away with not wearing a deodorant, I for one can not, not blessed in that aspect  and stink from a mile away.  I certainly tried going without…… but simply the fact that I could not bare my own scent was not a good sign .

That being established, then the question was what deodorant to use ?. Remember in one of my previous articles on how skin absorbs all that we apply on it. Well I surely didn’t want my body absorbing anything toxic. I gear towards natural, vegan and cruelty free.

I can suggest the one I use, but do shop around as everyone has their preferences in scents  and other.

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I love the light scent of the grapefruit and lavender !

I use a few of Cocooning Love’s products: www.cocooninglove.com  They are a local Company,  this way I am also supporting and giving a small local business a chance.

Cristina for Peas and Peace

 

 

HEALTH

The shape of me

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Having recently celebrated a birthday, I realised I am in the later part of the 50’s… and heading towards 60.

Know what,  I like the shape of me !

Society, via ads and other mediums dictates how we should or could look. I am of the generation of abnormally thin models and the frenzy was to possibly fit into a size 0. The fact that a size 0 even exists is actually worrisome. I do see a shift and models look healthier where their weight is concerned. I do see that some fashion creators have also broken the mould in terms of diversifying, they will have all ethnicities, heights, shapes and genders represented, thumbs up to them.

Then comes the topic of what should a 60 year look like. Well, like somebody that is comfortable in their skin, and does exactly as they wish regardless of what others think ! you no longer want to dye your hair, then don’t, that is actually my next step.

Should also let you know that wrinkles are beautiful, they tell a story. Those stories enrich you.

Last but not least, your Mind ! at 60 you know BETTER ! you trust your Gut, the same one that was there all along but that we sometimes chose to defy.

 

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Hopefully this will inspire anyone that sometimes has doubts and please pass on the message to all the beautiful women in your lives

Cristina for peas and peace

TRAVELS

Share the wealth

Cristina Carlos-Supino

 

 

fullsizeoutput_977It is holiday season !, a time of gathering and often gift exchanging whether at a family holiday reunion, at the office or as a token of appreciation towards a teacher, a service provider or other.

We also receive  at this time of year messages via e-mail, Instagram, Facebook, flyers, billboards from large companies wanting us to keep them in mind when shopping.

I for one do shop in different venues including large surfaces but I simply wanted to put it out there to also support the local artisans. They often do not have a budget that will allow for massive advertising. Look up your local paper, often there will be a fair or other during the holidays, visit it ! often you will find that unique hand crafted item for a special someone and on the other hand it will support and encourage all the talented artisans in continuing their beautiful creations.

*Try to buy items that are environment friendly and cruelty free as well 🙂

Happy Holidays !!!

Cristina Supino for Peas and Peace

 

FASHION

Cultured or not

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Define cultured. This article is simply to put a twist on whom you might think you’re not. Do you love ballet, opera or Magritte ?.  Not quite, well you don’t have to.

Attend a rock opera, modern dance performance or non-traditional exposition at an arts center or museum instead. If you love sports, attend the championships held in a different city or country and discover that destination in question. It’s all culture.

Marrying a passion to an enriching  experience is what I’m suggesting. One of my many passions is fashion, I see it as art in motion, not the  prêt a porter aspect but the Haute Couture facet,  when a creator puts together a garment and you wonder wich  techniques, the amount of  fabric, precious stones, gold thread and hours that seamstresses and artisans took to execute it

While visiting Vancouver I discovered a new designer via the Vancouver Art Gallery,

GUO PEI,  some might be familiar with her name as she designed the gown worn by Rihanna at  the MET Gala 2015 (last image below).

I left the museum immensely happy, enriched and somewhere more cultivated…

Enjoy the images !

Cristina for Peas & Peace

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HEALTH

Nutritional YEAST !!!

Cristina Carlos-Supino

 

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It is common knowledge that Vegans run the risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency if they aren’t careful in sourcing it from the foods they consume, which should absolutely be taken seriously, as it can lead to anemia!.

 I have to however say that in the 20 years that I have been Vegan I have never had this problem, this without supplements and simply making sure that all meals include essential vitamins and minerals.

Fortunately, a vitamin B12 deficiency can easily be prevented, as it can be found in such food items as nutritional yeast ! 

 You can  sprinkle it onto your salads, your soups, or  any of your dishes for that matter. It has a nutty, cheesy  flavour that I melt over.

Look up my PARMESAN recipe, EASY and delicious !!! Let me know what you think

 

Cristina

 

 

 

Continue reading “Nutritional YEAST !!!” →

RECIPES, Soups

DAL

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Hmmmm, nothing like a Dal soup to warm us in cold autumn and winter months. We often will have a bowl for lunch or supper accompanied of a slice of bread. Here is one of my favorites; red gentil dal

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2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 yellow onion finely diced
1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
Sea salt
1 x 28 oz can diced tomatoes (drained)
7 cups of vegetable stock
2 cups dry red lentils
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp of fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp agave

Heat oil in a large pot at medium heat, then add cumin & mustard seeds and saute until they begin to crackle. Add onion, ginger, turmeric cumin, and a pinch of salt only if you wish. Stir and saute until union is soft. Add diced tomatoes and saute for one minute. Add stock, lentils and cinnamon. and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Your kitchen will be filled with a beautiful aroma, that of the many different spices !

Final step, remove cinnamon stick, add lime and agave….. to sweeten the pot 🙂

Blend or purée to your liking

Ready to serve, Enjoy !

Cristina

Cheeses, RECIPES

PARMESAN

Cristina Carlos-Supino
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Simply put all 4 ingredients in a small blender, if you prefer it grainier than mine, then just prolong the grinding to make a finer Parmesan

3/4 cup raw cashews
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp sea salt (up to 3/4 if you prefer saltier)
3/4 stp garlic powder

Voila ! the entire process literally takes no more than 5 minutes, it is healthier as it does not have all the store bought preservatives and you save quite a bit of $

Keep refrigerated, although mine never lasts long as we use it as a pasta topping, salads, and my husband’s famous lasagna mmmmm

Enjoy !

Cristina

JADE, WILLOW, SKYE & VALENTINA

Body Image

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Hi! I’m Jade, and I am a Maine Coon cat. Interesting fact: Maine Coons are one of the largest breeds of domestic cats. That being said, not everyone knows that, and when we have visitors at our home, many of them look at me and say things like “wow he’s huge!”, or,  “oh my, he’s fat!”.

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I just wanted to say that no matter how different you may feel you are from others, and no matter who you are, receiving comments, such as “huge”, “fat”, etc. is hurtful, inappropriate, and unjustifiable. Of course, if medical advice is administered in a polite, controlled way by a physician for health purposes, that’s a different story. But the fact of the matter is that we need to build each other up, understand each other, and work to make the world a more positive place to be.

That being said, I am glad that we are living in a time where body image and body positivity are things that are being adressed more and more, and that the molds we tirelessly try to fit ourselves into are being broken down one by one.

There is beauty in shapes, wrinkles & white hair !!! Never change !!!

-Jade

TRAVELS

Montreal Vegan Festival October 2018

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Hello everyone! I had the pleasure of attending the Montreal Vegan Festival.  I was actually told that attendence has tripled since the event first started 5 years back! From this fact, one can draw the conclusion that more and more individuals are becoming curious about veganism and want to know/understand more about all of the wonderful benefits it has to offer. One can also ascertain that there has been an increase in people leading a plant-based lifestyle, for whom the festival is a great opportunity to see what new products, food items, etc. are currently out there!

Interesting data supporting this idea of an incline in plant-based diets comes from recent research conducted by Dalhousie University as conveyed by an article on ctvnews.ca, which asserts that “there are 2.3 million vegetarians in Canada, up from 900,000 15 years ago. Another 850,000 people consider themselves vegan. Those two numbers add up to 9.4 per cent of the Canadian population”.

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More about the festival now… There were many new and not so new companies (of the beauty, shoe, apparel variety), as well as bakeries, food item producers, etc. selling/displaying their wonderful offerings. I remember 20 years ago there weren’t nearly as many options!

Speaking of bakeries at the festival… special shoutout to Audacieuse Vanille, a Montreal-based bakery from which I bought the BEST pumpkin muffin ever!  And my husband couldn’t resist trying the banana bread with chocolate chips, which he says was divine.

Also, while at the festival, I discovered a new company that I truly believe to be my “coup de coeur,” or my newfound love. I plan on featuring it in an upcoming blog post! I’m not going into further detail right now, as I was only able to order some of their products online, as opposed to purchasing them at the festival (they had their complete line on display, however no stock to sell) and I’m 100% committed to ALWAYS testing items personally before writing about them. Stay tuned for that!

To conclude, in exiting the festival, I was left with this wonderful feeling that a collective interest in protecting animals and the environment is alive and growing here in Canada, which is great news!

Bye for now,

-Cristina

BEAUTY

Essential

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Now that winter is winking at us, it is important to hydrate our skin, hair and nails more frequently, seeing as we are more susceptible to higher levels of dryness due to the heating of our homes, offices, cars, etc.

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You can’t go wrong with an essential oil to combat the frigid, drying conditions of winter. *Caveat: while most essential oil products are free of chemicals, it’s important to always read the label before opting to purchase one. If when doing so you notice terms, such as; fragrance or aroma, it’s best to stay away from the product. Your skin, being the largest organ in your body, will absorb what you put on it via your bloodstream, so be sure to feed it the nutrients it deserves!

That being said, I like to lather my skin, nails and hair (wet or dry) with Argan oil ! Pictured above is the one I use from Cocooning Love, which is a Montreal-based brand that doesn’t use any chemicals, or alcohol in their products, and does not test on animals. If you’re interested, look up their site, as they offer other products, such as all-natural deodorant, toothpaste, and more.

All in all, let’s try to curb our susceptibility to chemicals whenever we can ! There are so many chemicals, toxins, pollutants in our environment already and that we don’t always have control over.  Let’s look at what we can control, which is what we choose to ingest, wear, apply to our skin, etc. and start from there !

-Cristina

 

HEALTH

Find Your Passion (s)

Cristina Carlos-Supino

In today’s times, we all have more duties, responsibilities, chores, and obligations than one can possibly imagine. This is why establishing and nourishing a passion is essential to counterbalancing the volatility, and craziness that is LIFE.

Some of my personal passions include photography and tennis. With regards to photography, I recently put the time aside to develop my photo taking skills and truly dedicate myself to honing the craft. In fact, each and every picture posted on this blog has been taken by me! I often carry my camera with me everywhere I go, as I never know when that special moment will present itself.

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With respect to tennis, whenever I engage in a match, or a practice session, I spend that two hours strategizing and running. In doing so, I always get the reassuring sense that not only am I taking care of my body (my physical health), I’m also expanding my Circle of friends, as I’m constantly meeting up with old partners, or getting to know new ones.

A passion is something that will remain true and present regardless of whatever else is going on. Through exhaustion, sadness, or other, the passion you undertake can bring a smile to yourself, and maybe even others.

Go out there, explore, and try to identify one that peaks your interests, no matter how long it takes. It is the key to establishing longstanding balance in your life !

-Cristina

 

 

JADE, WILLOW, SKYE & VALENTINA

Thankful

Cristina Carlos-Supino

Hi everyone! My name is Willow, I am an 8 year old Boston Terrier. In my family, we share and take turns in posting on the Peas & Peace blog.

Speaking of my family, let me introduce them to you!

Firstly, there’s Jade, he’s my older brother. He’s a ten year old Maine Coon cat, and needless to say, he’s huge (weighs more than I do)! Visitors often comment on his size, but it’s just common of the breed, so usually, after a comment’s made, we clarify that he’s just big boned (not chubby), so as not to hurt his feelings.

Then, there’s Skye, my  little sister, she’s a two year old Yorkshire Terrier. I love her, although at my age I realllyyy enjoy my afternoon naps, and Skye always comes to sit on me while I’m resting, then nudges me until I play with her.

Next, there’s Cristina, she’s a human… interesting species! She feeds me, takes me for walks, cuddles me and sometimes has to discipline me, like when I wander off and don’t necessarily come back as soon as I’m called. I understand where she is coming from and know that she will always protect me no matter what.

After Cristina, there’s Maurice, human as well. He’s super great, I can do what I want when he’s around!

And lastly, there is Arielle, she is my human mama. I dont live with her because she is away for her studies and I miss her very much.

On this Thanksgiving weekend, I am very thankful for my family, and all families that have opted for a plant based lifestyle.

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-WILLOW