Mouth watering Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

Mouth watering Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

Photo Credit:  Google Images

It's been pretty hot here on Vancouver Island this summer and you know those muggy days where you just don't feel like eating much. Lately I've been craving lighter vegetarian meals so I was thrilled when Caron (the other bloom and my sister) found this divine vegan recipe. We had it earlier this week and it is one of my new favourites.

Here is what you'll need for the noodle part:

• 2 zucchinis (spiralized see below)

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & sliced

• 4 green onions, sliced

• 2 cups bean sprouts

• 1/4 cup raw cashews (Reserve before serving)

• some lime wedges for serving (optional)

The sauce:

• 2 TBSP rice vinegar or white vinegar

• 1-2 TBSP fish sauce

• 2 TBSP ketchup

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) packed brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce

• 1 tsp Soy Sauce

• 1 TBSP toasted sesame seeds (add before serving)

   

  Directions:

• Get Your Zucchini and use a Spiralizer or veggie Peeler

• Put a TBSP of Olive in the pan and add heat to cook

• Add your garlic, pepper, green onions & bean sprouts and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until done

• While you are waiting prepare your sauce & toast your sesame seeds

• Once your veggies are cooked pour into bowl and add sauce

• Before serving add your toasted sesame seeds and cashews and serve

• We pan fried our noodles right before serving for 3 minutes but next time we'll use them raw, heating them made them a little mushy but still very good.

For other variations add:  meat, chicken or tofu.
You now have a recipe that will impress your family/guests. Let me know in the comments if you try it out.  Like what you've read? Keep with us at our blog.

Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

I'm All About That Butter, Bout That Butter

I’m All About that Butter, Bout That Butter

All images taken from Google Images.

Ghanaian women have used the wild Shea Butter fruit for years. They use it to protect themselves from the intense heat and hot dry winds coming from the Sahara. Their skin looks fantastic so it’s no wonder this fruit has gotten such a good reputation.  The shea butter we use is completely unrefined and wild crafted by the Wali women in Ghana.

Shea Butter is used for it’s emollient and moisturizing benefits. It’s rich in vitamins and penetrates deeply into the skin leaving a smooth, satiny finish.  The natural version has a slightly nutty smoky odour and is usually a golden yellow colour with darker spots in it.

Did you know that shea butter has been used for years to help heal scars, sores, burns, psoriasis, dandruff and stretch marks.  It contains cinnamic acid, a substance that helps protect against UV rays. It is high in Vitamin A which can help with blemishes and wrinkles.

While some people don’t like the smell of the natural unrefined shea butter I quite like the nutty smoky aroma. The type we use has a smoky scent as it’s heated over the fires in Ghana. With essential oils added you are left with a beautiful subtle scent.

Here are my top reasons to use Shea Butter:
1.     Works wonders on dry skin.
2.     Helps soothe rashes.
3.     Can be used on sunburns to soothe sun damaged skin
4.     Many use it on stretch marks
5.     Helps itchy skin
6.     Protect skin against sun and wind which is how the women in Ghana use it.
7.     It’s ultra moisturizing
8.     Helps dry dull lifeless hair

Here is a recipe I found: Use a small amount like a teaspoon and apply evenly all over your hair.  Wrap hair in warm towel and leave on for 20-30 minutes. Shampoo as usual and apply Shea Butter again if your hair is really dry or damaged.

I make no medical claims about Shea Butter. This information is based on my research.

Looking for shea butter products? May I suggest:

Our Organic Lotions:  Organic Bliss, Calm Coast, or Lemon Grove

P.S. I've made it easier to add comments for those having problems trying to post.

See our new blog.

Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

Hang on to August

Mystic Beach Vancouver Island, BC

Hang on to August

Enjoy the End of Summer

It happens every year. We anxiously wait for spring, then summer to appear when August hits all of the sudden it’s swept away into fall. But wait….it’s still August and there are just over 2 weeks left to enjoy the lovely weather (well at least in Canada and the USA). I know school starts in August in the USA but here in Canada it doesn’t start until early September and if you’re not in school it’s a moot point anyway.  So ignore all those people talking about prepping for Halloween, or those chatting about Fall and what to wear (maybe keep one ear open for fashion trends J) 

So why does August get lost? I really don’t know but I do know that the world rushes by at a dizzying pace so refuse to let that happen. When someone talks about an event after August just say you are trying to enjoy August.

What can you do in 2 weeks? A lot, actually so here’s a handy dandy list to soak up the last days of summer. If you are in BC the nice weather goes well into September and sometimes can creep into early October.

1.     Head to a local coffee shop, sit outside, enjoy every sip of that coffee/tea/cold drink.  Relish the beautiful day, people watch or chat with a friend about anything.

2.     Walk, bike or drive to an ocean and listen to the waves, walk along the shore.

3.     Pick a new area of town to explore and just enjoy all the sights and sounds.

4.     Read a good book or magazine and make a nice tea or coffee at home.

5.     Hike with a friend up a mountain or trail.

6.     Sit with a candle outside and watch the sunset

7.     Make a picnic and head to the beach.

How do you spend the last days of summer where you live?

See our delightful blog here.

About Michelle:  Hi, I'm Michelle the artist, visionary, creator and designer of Two Blooms Design Studio. I moved from a big city to Vancouver Island and fell in love with the west coast. My world is surrounded by beautiful scents, on trend design and endless possibilities.

What is the Dealeo with Colourants?

    Various Colourants

What is the Dealeo with Colourants?

 

All Photos Shown are via Google Images

Another topic with so many views out there. So I’ll explain briefly the various colourants and what we use in our products.

There are FD & C colourants usually indicated on the label by D&C Red 7 or sometimes just Red 7 etc.  These are cosmetic dyes that are synthetic and there is much controversy surrounding these.  In the USA these are certified by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that controls the specifications and use for all food, drug, and cosmetic colors.  In Canada this falls under Health Canada. Most makers use the approved varieties of these colours.  The most controversial of these colours is the Red Dye 40. Remember a lot of these dyes are found in the foods we eat.

FD&C Dye Colourants

The next group of colourants are the Oxides and Ultramarines. These are commonly used in makeup and mineral makeup.  They are bright colours.  The majority of sellers use cosmetic grade. This type is skin safe.  They can be found in raw form but they are not safe due to lead and heavy metals.  In order for them to be skin safe  these colours are synthetic and created in labs.  These are usually labelled oxides, ultramarines or CI77289

 Oxides and Ultramarines

Micas are commonly used in soaps and beauty products. These exist in raw form as well but again contain harmful metals. They are produced in a lab as well in order for them to be skin safe.  Most of these contain FD&C dyes and these are not considered natural but there are exceptions out there that only contain tin oxide and titanium dioxide and these are considered natural along with labeling of just mica.

 Mica Colourants

The last group of colourants are those that many classify as natural. Natural is a very difficult term because it can mean so many things. The FDA looks at colourants as those that need certification and those that don’t.  These colourants are usually Clays, Seaweed Extract, Indigo, Charcoal, Annatto, Paprika, Alkanet Root, Rattanjot and the list goes on.  These are usually labelled like they sound except for Kaolin which is a clay and a few others.

 Natural Colourants

The only place we use these colourants is in our soaps and nail polish. Half of our soaps fall into the last group of colourants that are considered natural and half  fall into the mica oxides and ultramarines category. Why you ask? We love the natural colourants but they tend to be more muted and can fade over time. We love colour so half of our soaps are made with more vibrant stable colours that don’t fade.  Keep in mind colourants usually make up about 1% of a soap recipe and sometimes less,  and soap is a wash off product.

There isn’t a right or wrong here but you have to decide which type of colour you prefer or if it even matters at all.

Are colourants important to you? Let us know.

See all your bloom worthy news here.

About Michelle
Michelle is one of the blooms and founder of Two Blooms Design Studio Est. 2002. She is in charge of production, designing all of our labels in house, photography, customer service, alchemist behind all of our scent blends, designer, creator and pretty much whatever else needs to be done.