Ashley

An Extra Hand in the Kitchen: A Guide to Using Your Food Processor [Infographic]

July 16, 2015July 28, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Vegan Life

#Repost from eReplacementParts

A food processor is a crucial kitchen tool for many recipes. You can usually achieve similar results using individual tools, but why not eliminate the clutter, effort, and confusion by having one appliance that can chop, dice, grind, and whip like a champion? In order to start to discover the extraordinary culinary options at your fingertips with your food processor, read our guide to learn some tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your appliance.

The first lesson in food processing is learning what all the different attachments can do. The S-shaped blade is one of the most common, and can be used to achieve a variety of different consistencies in your food! Other less-used but equally handy attachments include the dough blade, the citrus juicer, and even a French fry disc! Foods you never thought you’d make at home suddenly become possible when you own a food processor.

Although the processor is a handy gadget with many uses, it does have limitations as well. Certain foods just aren’t meant to be prepared using a food processor, and these include mashed potato, which will become gummy and sticky if over-processed. If you identify these foods, you will never end up with a food processor snafu! For cleanup, consult our guide below, which will teach you how best to clean your beloved new kitchen treasure!

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5 Travel Essentials for Your Natural Hair Emergency Kit

July 14, 2015July 20, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Natural Hair

As you read in my last post about natural hair, I’m always on a plane and traveling while curly can be a daunting task. Considering I’m on a plane every other week, I think I have the travel essentials down to a science. Check out these 5 items that you need for perfect hair days on vacation.

Satin/Silk Headscarf– It’s one thing to have good 1st day hair but in order for your ‘do to last all weekend or week, you need to protect it. Satin/Silk fabric is closest to the fibers of our hair, and will help you retain moisture. Cotton fabric which is typically on hotel bed sheets will absorb all the moisture.
Satin/Silk Pillow Case– I always bring one satin pillow case. As a little germophobe this makes me feel better than sleeping on a pillow case that’s been slept on by thousands of people and it’s a good to use as a back-up in case your scarf comes off, or if you want to sleep without a scarf.
Leave-In Conditioner– Leave-In conditioner is a curly’s best friend. It will help detangle, clean, and style your hair. You can use it as a co-wash and follow it up as a styler. To save on space, I typically mix a little oil into my leave-in conditioner, therefore I don’t have to carry oil separately.
Styling Tools– Be sure to bring a wide tooth comb or denman brush if you’re planning to detangle (I’m a 5 finger kind of girl, myself). Consider the styles you want to use and bring the proper items including; soft-bristle brush, rollers, bobby pins, and headbands. My go-to is always the scrunchie. When all else fails, my hair goes directly in a bun.
Empty spray bottle.
You’ll definitely need to refresh your curls while on vacation and the spray bottle is the best way to do so.

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5 Fruits and Vegetables to Never Refrigerate

July 9, 2015July 19, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Vegan Life

Being a vegan, I’m used to buying a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. I’m pretty good at buying just what I need for the week, but sometimes I find a challenge with extending the life of these fresh foods. Often times we think that cooling or freezing foods will keep it fresher longer, but that’s not always the case. Check out the fruits and vegetables below that you should leave out of the refrigerator.

BananasIf your bananas are green, you’ll want to separate them and leave them out to ripen. If they’re yellow, and you want them to last, you can refrigerate them to prevent over-ripening.

MelonsKeep melons at room temperature when they are whole and store cut melon pieces in the refrigerator.

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5 Tips for Traveling While Curly

July 7, 2015July 17, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Natural Hair

I’m constantly on a plane traveling one place or another and I’ll admit that the idea of traveling while natural is daunting, particular for trips longer than a weekend. Between the TSA guidelines, luggage weight requirements and the need for amazing hair for your vacation Instagram photo, TWN (traveling while natural) can be stressful. But armed with the right tips, you can have a great experience. Below are some essential things to remember prior to and while traveling with natural hair:

Call Al Roker

It’s important to check the weather conditions, of your destination before you pack. Particularly you want to check the level of humidity and dryness in the new environment. For example, a shift from very hot and humid weather to cold dry weather would call for a reduction of humectants like glycerin that can strip moisture from the hair and leave you with the lion king effect.

Keep it Simple

Now that my hair is a little longer, I’m good with 2 pigtails for the plane or a long road trip. When I get to my destination, all I have to do is take the braids out and I have a great braid-out for the weekend. You can also do any simple twists or other hairstyles and cover your hair with a cute beanie, hat or headscarf. TSA has never asked me to take off a beanie but with headscarfs be sure to tie it in an easily removable style, just in case.

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Vegan Hack: Buttermilk

July 2, 2015July 15, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Recipes, Vegan Life

Did You Know that you can make vegan buttermilk by simply adding vinegar to any non-dairy milk?

I had to use buttermilk as a marinade to a dish I tried out this week. To my knowledge there isn’t any commercial sold buttermilk but with a little help from Google, I found that all I need to do was add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to my soy milk. Some also add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and lime juice as well and you can substitute for any non-dairy milk. Happy Cooking!

Coloring Curly Hair

June 30, 2015July 14, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Natural Hair

It’s summer and you may be out and about more often, so you may be thinking of changing your style a bit. I get the urge every few years to change up my hair color. Fortunately, there are a ton of ways to change up your hair color. Remember, dyeing any type of hair may involve a chemical process that should be taken seriously. Check out a few options for coloring your curls below:

Permanent Hair Color

There are 3 main types of color—permanent, semi or demi permanent, and temporary. Permanent color requires the hair cuticle to be lifted and alters the proteins that give us our natural hair color. If you’re doing a permanent color, you may only want to go 2-3 shades lighter or darker to avoid some risk of permanent damage. However, if your hair is naturally dark, coloring hair very light is always a risk.

With permanent color, hair must be bleached, usually with ammonia to “decolorize” the hair, then add the lighter color to the “blank slate.” Hair that is dark typically bleaches to an orange or yellow stage and the colorist must have a grasp of color theory to know what colors to deposit on hair to remove the unwanted yellow or orange tone. This is pure chemistry and a good reason why it’s advised to get permanent color done by a professional.

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6 Minute Vegan “Chicken” and Broccoli

June 25, 2015August 1, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Recipes, Vegan Life

I had a bag of frozen broccoli in my freezer that I was determine to do something with. I simply typed in the word “broccoli” into pinterest and a non-vegan version of this recipe appeared. I swapped out the ingredients to make it more vegan friendly and added brown rice. It was quick, simple, and delicious – my favorite kind of dish!

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #VeggieCurls. I’d love to see what you created!

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5 Tips to Moisturize Low Porosity Hair

June 23, 2015July 11, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Natural Hair

Porosity is a measure of how easily water and other substances can enter and exit the hair strand. Low porosity hair is hydrophobic, which means it repels water from the surface. This type of hair results in flat, tightly sealed cuticles that is more resistant to moisture loss and absorption. Knowing your hair’s porosity will help you make better product purchasing decisions and adjust your regimen accordingly.

To determine your porosity, gently pull a strand of your hair (maybe more strands if you have multiple textures) and drop it in a glass of water. If it floats to the top then you have low porosity curls, if it sinks to the bottom of the glass then you have high porosity hair and if it stays in the middle then your hair is considered regular.

If you have low porosity hair, check out these techniques for getting moisture into your strands:

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Grilled Portobello Burgers for the 4th of July

June 18, 2015July 2, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Recipes, Vegan Life

The summer is here and the 4th of July is vast approaching. Summer BBQ’s can be an awkward time for a vegan, so to ease the stress of party goers and party throwers it may be best to come prepared with some recipes.

I found this grilled portobello burger recipe and it is definitely something I want to try for the 4th and future BBQs.

Grilling really brings out the juicy best in these portobellos, so I use the bare minimum of ingredients to let them really flaunt their flavor. A little (cheap!) chardonnay for depth of flavor, tamari for a bit of saltiness, baslamic for a touch of zest, and garlic for, well, it’s garlic! Choose firm, light colored mushrooms with fresh, healthy looking gills that spring back when you gently rub your finger across them. Don’t remove the gills, they are loaded with flavor and texture, not to mention they soak up garlic and marinade beautifully. Gently wash your caps before marinading and you are A-ok. Skip that anemic hamburger bun and go for a bready focaccia that can stand up to the portobello juices that are bound to make you lick your fingers.

Tip: Save your portobello stems for gravy or broth.

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5 Tips for Long Healthy Hair

June 16, 2015July 2, 2015 by Ashley, posted in Natural Hair

To achieve healthy natural hair it takes consistent, diligent, and purposeful care. Average hair growth across all races is approximately ½ inch per month, totaling six inches a year.

Most people tend to fry, dye, weave up and blow dry their hair, which ultimately causes damage. This can cause hair to break off at the same rate as its grows. The difference between hair that doesn’t go past one’s shoulder and hair down one’s back is length retention. Here are 5 tried and true tips for optimal length retention.

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