November Favorites | Food, Beauty, Gadget

How was your thanksgiving celebration? ours was pretty simple, I prepared and cooked all-vegan food which was a hit, so to speak! I did subway-style with green fixings, choice of vegan cheddar or swiss cheese, plain vegenaise (vegan mayo) or vegenaise with fresh dill and chives, choice of vegan ham or vegan salami deli and choice of rosemary or plain baguette. I bought all these fancy-sounding vegan deli and cheese at our local whole foods. I also made stuffing made from organic croutons, vegetable broth, goji berries, green apple, carrots, and onions; I also cooked gravy using only three ingredients: wheat flour, vegetable broth and soy sauce; my classic mashed potatoes with vegan butter and spices; lastly, the surprisingly good vegan roast. Here's my plate, eat with me!

Here are my greens and delis (not in photo: avocado slices, spinach, mushrooms)

And my stuffing...

of course a photo of the vegan mama chef as my husband calls me...

photo taken using iPhone

If you follow me on Youtube, I vlog my vegan recipes mixed with my daily shenanigans, you get to see me at work, where I shop, what I do on the side, my wacky side, everything and anything in between.

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Did I just make you hungry? honestly I am now so I better finish this post quick! Okay, for my November favorites, I'd like to start with this Canon G7x camera which I have been using to film videos for Youtube and take photos for the blog or Instagram. This has actually replaced my Canon EOS Rebel DSLR because it really takes amazing photos and stellar video quality. It has a flip screen and as you can see from the size, it is very handy to carry around! I bought this as a birthday present for myself last July based from fellow vloggers' recommendations as well as rave reviews online.

From the website "The PowerShot G7 X Mark II camera combines exhilarating speed and performance with a smart, compact design. It features a high-performance 1.0-inch 20.1 Megapixel1 CMOS sensor as well as a bright f/1.8–2.8 lens to help capture impressive images whenever your creativity sparks, even in low-light conditions. The DIGIC 7 Image Processor delivers improved auto focus tracking, enhanced IS and superb image clarity even when shooting with a high ISO. For increased flexibility, the camera offers high-speed continuous shooting up to 8 fps in RAW2, JPEG and RAW+JPEG2 modes, and is equipped with Full HD capability, built-in Wi-Fi3 and NFC4 and in-camera RAW conversion".

In the name of beauty, I have two favorites that are really worth buying. First is Hourglass Metallic Strobe Lighting Palette which I featured in my Sephora haul video. I have been wearing all three shades interchangeably almost everyday either as highlighter or eyeshadow. 

From the brand "A limited edition palette formulated with intensely concentrated, multifaceted pearl particles in varying sizes and refraction levels to give the most reflective glow to the high points of the face. The velvety texture ensures a smooth application as it glides across skin to reveal your most intense, amplified highlight, while the concentrated formula utilizes photoluminescent technology to intensify the way light reflects on the skin".  Hourglass is cruelty-free and this particular palette is vegan.

This is your friendly makeup junkie wearing lucent shade from the above mentioned palette. This was my Thanksgiving FOTD pre-cooking look!

Next favorite is this Rejuvenating Sage and Lavender Face Oil from Derma-E. I have combination skin and at this time of the year, I do have dry spots that look obvious under makeup. I have been using this after I apply moisturizer (night and day). It doesn't feel heavy or greasy at all. Unless you have certain sensitivities to the ingredients (listed below), it's a nice beauty oil under $15!

From the brand "The Rejuvenating Sage & Lavender Face Oil provides a concentrated boost of intense hydration for soft, smooth skin. Powerful anti-aging antioxidants and essential fatty acids work to improve elasticity, support healthy collagen, promote healthy cell renewal and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a healthy, youthful glow ". Derma-E is vegan and cruelty-free.

Ingredients: Organic Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Oil, Organic Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn) Fruit Oil*, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Lavandula Hybrida (Lavandin) Oil, Natural Fragrance Oils.

In my recent Q & A video, I mentioned my favorite breakfast, either a mixture of granola from my local whole foods or muesli like this toasted muesli which I purchase on a regular basis at Amazon. I just pour almond milk, add a teaspoon of hemp or chia seeds and voila, healthy breakfast for this busy lady. This brand is vegan, organic and GMO-free.

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