All posts by Stephanie Carrington

I'm passionate about the things that make me smile and all things GOODNESS related- from food, health and nutrition, to the places we travel to and last but not least, our inner and external beauty. I feel there are SPRINKLES OF GOODNESS all around us! So here on my blog, I'll be sharing my GOODNESS experiences and discoveries with you. So hope you like what I have for you and do keep coming back!
Lovin' for the Fur kids

Raw Munchies For Our Pooches!

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Fruits & Veggies for Dogs
We all know munching on fruits & veggies is the healthier and smarter choice when it comes to snacking. This doesn’t only go for us-our little furry companions benefit from snacking on fresh fruits and veggies as well! At the end of the day our pooches are an addition to our family so we should treat them with the same amount of love  and care. So why not start with adjusting their diet?! Like us, our pooches may take awhile to adjust to healthier snacking, but it’s definitely worth a try. Fruits & veggies are a great alternative to biscuits and rawhides and can be greatly beneficial to their health!
Let me start by introducing you to my little fur child-Cobey! Cobey is a happy, energetic boy that LOVES his fruits and veggies! As a puppy, Cobey had a lot of health problems and scares, which is one of the  reasons why I try to ensure his diet his healthy and that he obtains nutritional goodness foods. As a puppy, Cobey was quite the picky eater, which is quite common with puppies, but with persistence and several trials, Cobey slowly adjusted and now he loves his healthy goodness! 🙂
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Raw fruits and veggies make a great healthy snack, but note they should just be given as snacks and not in large quantities. Here are a list of fruits and veggies all Cobey tested and approved that your pooches may like as well:
Cobey’s favorite veggies:
  • Carrots-Contain healthy antioxidants; high in fiber; great source of beta carotene and vitamin A
  • Celery-A natural diuretic so it’s great aid for the kidneys; an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C; rich supplies of potassium, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and plenty essential amino acids; high in fiber
  • Cucumber-Good source of potassium, magnesium; high in fiber; rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D; due to the high water content, cucumbers help the kidneys
  • Broccoli-Is high in vitamin C and A; good source of calcium and folic acid; contains phytochemicals that help fight against some cancers; high in fiber
  • Daikon (unexpected but Cobey loves it so worth trying on your pooch)-High in vitamin C; natural diuretic so great for kidneys; contains antioxidants; high in fiber
Cobey’s favorite fruits…..
  • Apples (excluding pit, which is not good for dogs)-Contain phytonutrients which can help prevent cancers; great source of vitamins A and C; high in fibre
  • Watermelon-Very low in fat; high in electrolytes and water so great to keep him hydrated; great source of the antioxidant, lycopene and vitamin A
  • Pears (excluding pit/seeds)-Good source of vitamin C and K; high in antioxidants; high in fiber
  • Blueberries-Very high source of antioxidants and vitamin C

Now, not all fruits and veggies are good for our fur kids, as some can actually be toxic for their system. Here is a list of some that should be AVOIDED:

  • onion
  • garlic
  • grapes
  • tomatoes
  • avocados
  • mushrooms
  • pits of fruits

Like us, with a bit of effort and time our pets can live a healthy lifestyle as well. They may not be too keen at first but trust me….if you keep trying they may just give in and try it out. 

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Beauty Raves, Health Tips & Raves!

Pretty, CLEAN Nails!

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The other day I decided to treat myself to a nice mani and pedi. I couldn’t even remember the last time I got my nails professionally done. I know it’s been awhile but has it really been THAT long that I didn’t even realize the cool things that have come out in the market?! I was doing the usual, selecting the nail color before getting started, when I realized there was a whole row of nail colors from a brand that I had never seen or heard of before. Being the beauty junkie that I am, I just had to scope out the deets! So check this out-the brand is SPARITUAL and the range of nail colors they carry is not only organic but completely VEGAN! Pretty awesome right?! So society’s new found obsession with health and organic products have now reached our nail polish bottles!
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I tested ‘Last Tango’ on my toes. LOVE IT! The color is fun, vibrant and adds a great pop to any ensemble! The salon I went to carries around 10-12 different shades so there’s plenty to choose from. This may still be considered limited compared to the more known brands that have been out on the market for awhile, but hey…..at least now there is an option to organically beautify our nails! I asked around and apparently there are a few other brands that have organic nail polish-can’t wait to test them out! Once I do, will be sure to let ya guys know my thoughts! Organic (and vegan!) nail polish…..wonder what they’ll come up with next?! :p
Here’s what it looks like on my toes. The lighting isn’t that great, but you can still see how the color pops! 🙂
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Easy Healthy Recipes

Earthy Bean Dip

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IMG_3481Beans are high in fibre and protein and are a great piece of goodness to add to our diets! Here’s an incredibly easy bean dip recipe that you can whip up in less than 15min. Its so earthy and creamy that it’s almost evil. It goes great with carrots, celery, cucumber….you name it! Such a great way to include more veggies in your diet as well! So here it is….

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Cooked Beans (Any kind will do. I used a mix of 3 different beans for this recipe)
  • 3 Tbsp Tahini
  • 2 Tbsp Orange Juice
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2-1 Tbsp Garlic Powder (can adjust depending on how ‘garlicky’ you want it)
  • 1 tsp Lemon Pepper (optional)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

What to do:

  1. Blend (puree) all ingredients above in a food processor (blender) thoroughly until you get a thick, creamy texture 
  2. Dish up and serve with any veggies or even rice crackers

That’s it! So easy right? Easy, but a totally yummy and guilt-free way to satisfy the munchies! 🙂

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Easy Healthy Recipes

Yogurt 2 Ways

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Yogurt is an awesome snack just in itself! It is loaded with good bacteria (probiotics) which offers many health benefits especially for your belly! It’s packed with calcium, potassium and magnesium, just to name a few. Nowadays there are so many different flavours and types that we can choose from. We can even find an entire aisle at the supermarket dedicated to just these yummy goodies.

I for one am a HUGE fan of yogurt! Sweet, creamy AND healthy….whats not to love?! One of my vices is that I love snacking as such, I am always on the lookout for healthy alternatives. So I thought I’d share with you two incredibly easy Goodness snacks that you can make from yogurt. Use flavoured yogurt or if you have a that extra bit of time, you can whip up your own concoctions by blending plain yogurt with different fruits. Using the same yogurt, the same preparation, but two different methods….you get completely different snacks! The difference in the turn out and taste is amazing! One is a creamy, ice-cold treat and the other is a sweet, chewy delight (almost evil to the palate!).

FROZEN YOGURT DROPS

What you’ll need:

  • yogurt
  • parchment paper
  • sandwich bag or teaspoon
  • cookie tray (you can use a plate if you don’t have enough room in the freezer)
  • freezer
  1. Stir yogurt thoroughly (If you are making your own flavoured yogurt, make sure to blend the plain yogurt with your fruit(s) of choice thoroughly. Both methods work perfectly however for this blog I’m using flavoured yogurt)
  2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie tray
  3. Scoop yogurt into the sandwich bag and cut a small bit off the corner (a teaspoon works great as well) and place rows of droplets on the sheetIMG_3441
  4. Place cookie tray in the freezer for several hours  (usually takes around 3-4hrs, depending on how big your drops are and how cold your freezer is)IMG_3357
  5. Once the drops are frozen, peel off from the parchment paper and place in a container

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They usually don’t last long in my house, but you can easily store them in an airtight container in the freezer for days! You can even make multiple batches of different flavours and just mix and match when you feel like a cooling treat! 😉

DEHYDRATED YOGURT DROPS/ ROLLS

What you’ll need:

  • yogurt
  • sandwich bag or teaspoon
  • parchment paper
  • dehydrator (If you don’t have a dehydrator, your oven will do just fine)
  1.  Stir yogurt thoroughly
  2. Place parchment paper on dehydrator tray **Depending on your dehydrator you may need to cut the parchment paper to fit accordingly** (If you are using your oven you can spread the parchment paper on a cookie tray )
  3. Scoop yogurt into the sandwich bag and cut a small bit off the corner (a teaspoon works great as well) and place rows of droplets on the sheet IMG_3432
  4. Or you can spread the yogurt onto the parchment paper into a thin layer
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  5. Dehydrate for around 5-6hrs. All dehydrators are different so probably best to check after several hours. If you are using an oven, just set the oven at the lowest temperature (~70-90C) and bake for the same amount of time but be sure to keep checking back. IMG_3437
  6. Once done, just peel off and enjoy! If you spread the yoghurt into a sheet you can roll it up for easy storing and to add a bit of fun when you snack. 🙂

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Easy Healthy Recipes

Fresh Daikon Salad

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I’ve shared in a previous post the awesomeness of daikon (Japanese white radish) and here is an easy recipe you can whip up at home using this amazing veggie. For the busy bees out there you can even prepare it the night before and take it to lunch the next day!

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Ingredients for the salad:

  • 1 Daikon radish
  • 2 Carrots
  • 2 Celery stalks
  • 1 Punnet of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Green apple
  • 2 Firm Tofu
  • 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1tsp Coconut oil or grapeseed oil

Ingredients for the dressing:

  • 2 tbsp Tahini
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp minced ginger
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • dash of ground pepper

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1) Mix all ingredients for the dressing and keep chilled in the fridge whilst prepping the salad

2) Wash all veggies thoroughly

3) Chop up celery into thin slivers and set aside

4) Peel and shred carrots and daikon and set aside (I used a spiralizer but a mandolin will do just fine)

5) Halve the cherry tomatoes and set aside

3) Chop green apple into slivers toss with lemon juice and set aside. You can shred it as well but I chopped it to add different textures to the salad

4) Toss all veggies together in a large bowl with the lemon juice. The lemon juice slows the oxidising process (preventing nutrient loss and from turning brown) especially important if you are prepping the salad for the next day.

5) Slice tofu into around 1cm thickness (can be thicker or thinner if you’d like). Sprinkle a bit of sea salt and pepper. Add the coconut oil or grapeseed oil to the pan and lightly fry each side of the tofu until golden brown. Then transfer the tofu slices onto a chopping board and chop into smaller pieces.  You can opt for a full raw salad by skipping the frying and going straight to the chopping.

6) Add tofu to salad mixture and drizzle dressing and toss all together until the salad is thoroughly covered with the dressing

7) Dish up and serve! Easy, fresh, and super yummy!

**This makes about 4 decent servings

Health Tips & Raves!

The Awesomeness of Daikon!

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Daikon radish

Whenever we go to a Japanese Restaurant and order a plate of sashimi it will most likely come on a bed of  beautifully shredded white Daikon (Japanese radish). Sure it may be to make the dish look ‘prettier’, but the reason goes beyond aesthetics. There’s an incredibly smart, scientific, and healthy reason behind it!

Daikon radish has LOADS of health benefits!! Oh gosh, where to begin? How bout I list the awesomeness out for you….

  • First of all, it’s super low in calories so you can eat as much as you want without a worry.
  • It’s super high in antioxidants and vitamin C.
  • It helps in preventing cancer by fighting free radical damage
  • Aids the liver in eliminating toxins
  • It combats bacterial and viral infections (which is probably a reason why it comes with sashimi)
  • It is an anti-inflammatory
  • It is a natural diuretic (awesome for the kidneys)
  • It has enzymes that help our bodies digest proteins, fats, oils, and carbohydrates

Pretty cool right? The Japanese aren’t the longest living people in the world for no reason. They eat smart! So next time you order that sushi or sashimi plate why not nibble on that bed of shredded daikon? Your body will thank you for it! 🙂

Now daikon isn’t just to have whenever you’re satisfying your Japanese food craving. Here’s a quick recipe you can whip up easily at home!

Daikon salad