How to Veganize the Starbucks Drink 'Medicine Ball'

Photo: Starbucks 1912 Pike

If you haven't heard the news about the Starbucks secret menu, you may just live under a rock or something. Well, for all of you who do, in fact, live under said rocks, the secret menu is "off menu" stuff you can order and your barista knows what you are talking about 99.9% of the time. Secret menu items are really cool and fun. There's even a Razzle Dazzle frappuccino that you can order!

Practically any of Starbucks drinks can be veganized with only a few that are off limits to vegans. In fact, with the choice of soy milk, coconut milk or almond milk and lots of vegan-friendly syrups, being vegan at Starbucks is a breeze these days.

The latest secret menu item, the Medicine Ball, was so popular at the 'Bucks and is even rumored to cure the common cold, that Starbucks actually added it to their regular menu! One kink for us vegan folk, one of the ingredients isn't vegan. No fear! There's an alternative and I'm here to tell you how to veganize the drink with an easy substitution that Starbucks has right in store.

The Medicine Ball drink consists of:

• half steamed lemonade
• half hot water
• one Teavana Jade Citrus Mint tea bag (ingredients: Chun Mee green tea, spearmint leaves, lemon verbena, lemongrass, natural flavoring)
• one Teavanna Peach Tranquility tea bag (ingredients: apple pieces, candied pineapple pieces (pineapple, sugar, citric acid), rose hip peels, chamomile flowers, natural flavor, peach pieces, citric acid, lemon verbena)
• one packet of honey (<--- there's a substitute that is a million times better than this! Keep reading!)
• one pump of peppermint (optional)

The reason people are saying it cures colds is likely from all the soothing properties like lemon, mint, lots of great natural healing ingredients in both teas and the soothing warm beverage aspect of things. I'm really into natural healing, plus let's face it, when you feel better, you'll get better! Here's how to veganize it:

When you order an oatmeal at Starbucks, the available toppings include packets of agave nectar, so all you have to do to veganize this soothing drink is to ask for the Medicine Ball with agave instead of honey! If you don't want agave, you can just opt of of honey, or you can even add a different sweetener like Stevia or raw sugar.

All Starbucks locations that serve oatmeal with toppings should have agave. This is from their website:

"With a breakfast this good, your day is bound to be amazing. Our reinvented oatmeal features a hearty blend of rolled and whole grain steel-cut oats and a shorter steep time. Enjoy yours with blueberries, a medley of fruit, nuts and seeds, and a sweet touch of agave syrup. Or try our new Classic Whole-Grain Oatmeal."

It might even be comforting to try this with steamed soy milk in place of one or both liquids. I get my teas soy misto and have been for about 12 years now, maybe even longer. So maybe doing a Medicine Ball with half soy misto and half hot water might be something to check out. I always love a soy misto tea when I'm needing a little piece of peace. This new Medicine Ball drink seems like it will be good for that and not just when you are feeling ill. 

I think it'll be a nice beverage to enjoy on a rainy day, reading a book, sitting in a cozy chair by the window while listening to the sounds of the rain. I personally would order a Medicine Ball Venti sized, whether you want that much or not, just so the drink isn't too strong in taste or concentrated. When I try this one, I would want that 10 ounces of hot water to kind of dilute the lemonade and 2 tea bags, which seems like a lot for, say, a Tall sized drink. It sounds like an interesting drink and I'm planning on giving it a try for sure. As soon as I do, I'll tweet about it, okay?

Tell me, will you be ordering a Medicine Ball any time soon?

Natural Teeth Whitening

I was asked to try out this Black Is White vegan teeth whitening toothpaste by Curaprox...and here is my result after using it for a few weeks.

I didn't dive right into using this toothpaste the minute I received it. I was told before they sent it is vegan, but I had to do research to make sure - I know, I know...trust issues. I also researched the company to be certain that Curaprox does not test on animals. There's some old info confirming that they do not test, however there's not really anything about that fact on their website, which I think is important for them to include because a lot us animal lovers and activists care about that - and also base our decisions to purchase products on that knowledge.

Their website does state that their fluoride is not of animal origin and is a naturally derived fluoride, unlike many of their competitors. They also state that their ingredients are free of harmful chemicals or anything that can be dangerous to you. So I like that a lot.

So without the chemicals, how does the whitening happen, you ask? Active carbon. So as you guessed it, the toothpaste is black, but ultimately leaves your teeth whiter. My teeth were pretty white to begin with, so this is not a dramatic reveal, and I do think my teeth appear whiter after using the product, so it does seem to work nicely. I would say that although this is not a professional whitening treatment (like getting laser teeth whitening at a doctor's office or something), this is a great solution for coffee or tea drinkers in order to maintain those pearly whites.

My teeth felt cleaner after using Curaprox, Black is White...they look whiter as well. 

So that's all for now, Folks! And the Dirty Vegan is signing off - I hope your day sparkles like my teeth.

The Most Rad Vegan Soap, EVER!

So I got this package in the mail. You could smell it from a mile away - not a bad smell at all - it smelled like there was a giant godzilla made entirely out of natural soap lurking around. I checked every corner, nothing. Then I looked down and realized the delicious smell of cleanliness was coming from the box within my hands. Rad Soap Co. I should have known.

Upon opening the box, I noticed the beautiful and thoughtful packaging. Oh, who am I kidding - I noticed the photograph. Pictured is Rad Soap Co. founder Sue Kerber and her hot sons. I'm a marketing expert and I'd like to commend you, Sue; smart move putting those handsome boys in the box.

Then I got distracted and I forgot what I was reviewing here. Oh, yes, of course, the soap. 

This soap smells good, like really truly heavenly. Then I found myself going back to the photo...those are really good looking humans you made there, Sue. Oh, gosh, yes, the soap, let's get back to the soap.

How do you insert the heart eyes emoji into your blog post?

The kind folks at Rad Soap were so kind to send me their Kryptonite and Chaga soap, as well as their Project Hemp Cream. I was so excited by the smells of these soaps, I couldn't wait to try them out!

Chaga has a beautiful sweet smell. It is an antioxidant soap, which I absolutely love, and it is made with wild chaga mushroom. There's also scents of primrose, sweet orange, tangerine, clementine and patchouli. I can see this becoming my go-to soap and it is a perfect way to start the day. This soap reminds me of the way we should all be waking up and getting the day started. Now I'm wondering how anyone ever lived without starting the day with Chaga soap.

Kryptonite is also a skin detox soap with matcha tea, reishi mushroom and tea tree. Amazing ingredients for healing the skin! This is why Sue started the company, to heal her son's eczema, which is really a beautiful and amazing thing. I love companies that have a purpose that's not driven solely by making money - companies fueled by love. I dig it. 

This soap instantly brings me back to childhood. It brought back memories I thought I'd forgotten about. Being outside all day, exploring nature. I smell the trees, grass and leaves in this soap. I slightly smell mushrooms but the kind that you smell among nature on a warm foggy day after the rain has stopped. I smell camping and I smell the times my father would make furniture out of wood and when my grandfather would be cutting wood for the fireplace, while I was a kid outside playing with my brother and cousins. I was suddenly brought back to the home I grew up in, in a small town in Connecticut, by a smell. This was so unexpected. Now I'm wondering what my family would feel smelling this soap, if they'd recall the same memories and feelings that I had. I'll buy them all a bar, it is certainly worth a shot. Beautiful soap - very well done, Rad Co.

Next I rushed to trying the Project Hemp Cream which is the company's first product. My hands are really dry right now because I've been working on my vegan cookbook, doing tons of cooking and food styling, and lots of hand washing; my hands have been dry and uncomfortable. I used a few other creams and they always left my hands burning and getting red afterwards. I was so eager to try Project Hemp Cream because these products are designed specifically to heal and nourish your skin. This package couldn't have arrived at a better time!

WOW! I haven't seen my hands this moisturized in a while! I thought I had to wait for summer for them to get back to normal, I didn't think it would take one application of this scent-free wonder cream! I should have taken before and after pictures.

I'm loving these Rad products, truly! Everything is Vegan, Plant-based, Cruelty-free, Pet-friendly (YES! So when my dog gets sprayed by the same skunk for the millionth time, I can use this soap on her too!), and made by a wonderful (and good-looking) family company. 

When this stash runs out, I will be replenishing my soap and skin care needs with Rad Soap Co. for sure. Thanks so much for sending this to me!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. I didn't frame the photo of Sue's sons, what are you talking about... *whistles*

Hellooooo, Ink Nurse!

Lots of us vegans have tattoos. It just is. So whether you are looking for aftercare directly after getting your fresh tattoo, a cream to keep it hydrated and nourished or just a daily moisturizing cream, I think I've found the product for you!

Cruelty-free (that's right, NEVER tested on animals, just on humans), vegan, organic and earth-friendly ingredients, Ink Nurse is a fantastic remedy cream for tattoos and for the skin in general...and I am mad that this was not available when I got my tattoos! Especially since it is only $20 for a 100ml jar! Sweeeet.

So I wanted to try this cream out for a while before writing about it, and I'm glad that I did because it has been proving great on my skin. Here I chose to photograph one of my tattoos. This one is the oldest and my first tattoo and is located on my ankle. This one could appear the most faded, that's why I chose to use the cream on this one for test purposes.

There's a funny little story about this tattoo. I was 13 years old and my older cousin had gotten a bottle of India Ink. He gave it to me, and I did a homemade tattoo on myself...of a boy's initials who I was seeing at the time. Yes, I know...DUMB, DUMB, DUMB. So, when my mom finally found out, she flipped out and was mad about it every single day. Then when I was 15 years old, we went on vacation to a beach town in Maine. There was this really cool tattoo parlor and I had convinced my mom that if she signed for me for a tattoo to cover this boy's initials (who I was now no longer seeing), that she wouldn't be so mad anymore. She agreed. I got this rose tattoo with my name, "Katie" on it and it is still my favorite. The tattoo artist was awesome, this cool old guy, he reminded me of Steven Tyler, and knew everything there was about tattoos.

Here is the "before" putting Ink Nurse on my rose tattoo...

Here is the "after" and as you can see, visible difference and improvement. It doesn't look brand new, because it is like a 20 year old ink, but it looks pretty decent right? Imagine what this cream can do on a fresh tat.

And I love the philosophy over at Ink Nurse. This is how they describe their company and brand:

"Anti-authoritarian, untamed and reckless, we exist to disrupt the industry that has been plagued by products without integrity and quality. Besides, we love animals, human beings (most of them) and Mother Nature. So we put it all together and created Ink Nurse. A badass, ethical, cruelty-free, product that no one else compares to when it comes to tattoo skin care. Our core ingredients are special because they revitalize and rejuvenate existing faded ink pigmentation, eliminate itching, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, free radical reduction, rich source of vitamins A, C & D, softens skin and restores elasticity and has wonderful healing properties for just about any skin irritation under the sun! Our brand and product are second-to-none. It's not cool to harm your bodies, Mother Nature and its inhabitants. Now you have a choice of a high-end product with a positive ethos!"

Very cool! So check them out at InkNurse.com...

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. I hope your day smells like roses...just NOT 20 year old roses, those wouldn't smell nice at all after all that time! Byeeee!

Read This If You Have a Baby!

If you have a baby, they will teethe, it is inevitable. Teething can be no picnic, but luckily there are products out there that make this whole nightmare milestone more tolerable.

Tommee Tippee is one of my absolute favorite baby brands. They make a lot of natural baby products which are safe and effective. Two of their products in particular, have been favorites of Baby's, the Chewther and the Milk Feeding Bib.

The Chewther is one neat little teether. All of Tommee Tippee's BPA-free Chewthers feature a cool surface that is soothing to Little One's mouth and gums. They offer Chewthers for each stage of teething, which is helpful for targeting the areas that are causing the discomfort, at the stage that they are experiencing it. Pictured, is the Stage 2 Dual Ended Chewther in pink/ purple and is intended for baby's 4 months plus. What is unique about this teether is that it is designed to also aid with the baby's oral development in preparation for speech and feeding. It does this by supporting the lip seal, jaw development, and muscle coordination.

As you can see, this Chewther is the perfect size and shape for Baby to hold, allowing her to self soothe. The texture is flexible and soft, so this teether is safe for those fragile little teeth. And we all know that some teethers can be extremely hard and just aren't right for Baby. I love the thoughtful design and engineering behind the Chewther. It not only soothes your fussy little teething baby, but also prepares her for speech and eating thicker foods by strengthening the jaw. I haven't seen a teether like this before!

Here is a closeup of the Tommee Tippee Chewther!

Another must-have Tommee Tippee product is their Closer to Nature, Milk Feeding Bib. This bib grows with Baby very nicely. It can be used from birth and up until the child outgrows the bib. The cool thing is, the soft closure in back of the bib has a great range for adjust-ability. Some other bibs only have that closure in one spot, making them either too big or too small at some point. The Milk Feeding Bib adjusts to your child's neck size. And it is super soft (as you can probably see in the picture)! This bib has a soft plush dribble catcher that prevents milk, juice, or drool from getting under the chin and causing irritation or rash. That is why I adore this bib for teething! With teething comes lots drool! This is the absolute perfect bib for breastfeeding, spit-up, when baby begins to use a sippy cup, teething, and drooling. It really is the softest bib that will protect Baby's skin from irritation. The Closer to Nature, Milk Feeding Bib is super cute and comes in colors like cream and pink, cream and blue, and cream and beige. You don't just get one bib either, they are sold in a pack of two! This is also a wonderful baby shower gift as any new parent would love to receive this for their baby. I'm a huge fan of this bib and so is my little angel. You can tell how comfy she is wearing it since it is one of the only bibs that she doesn't try to pull or take off.

You can find these and other fabulous Tommee Tippee baby products at retailers like Babies-R-Us, Target, and Maijer. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Googoo, gaga!

How I Cured My Baby's Cradle Cap Naturally!

If you have a baby, chances are you've heard of or experienced Cradle Cap. There are lots of theories or reasons behind Cradle Cap. Some experts say it can be from overactive oil glands, fungus or yeast, and a number of reasons for different types of Cradle Cap cases. Each baby is different and if you suspect your child has Cradle Cap, it is advised to have your child treated by his/her pediatrician. This is just what worked for me as a natural remedy to remove my baby's Cradle Cap on her head. I waited until she was 10 months old and it did not clear up on it's own. Since she has already consumed a number of foods that were in this, I ensured she was not allergic to the ingredients before I treated her with this natural remedy. Her Cradle Cap was gone after just one treatment! I treated her again 2 days later to be sure I got it all, and she had absolutely no more cradle cap. Her hair and scalp look fabulous! Here is what I did:

• Spread a little Earth Balance vegan butter on her head and let it sit for a minute or two
• Gently brushed her head with a soft, fine plastic baby comb
• Washed her head and hair with California Baby Calming Shampoo & Bodywash (Lavender and smells amazing!)

Please note: I was careful to ensure my baby was not allergic to the ingredients in the butter. I was careful not to get any in her eyes as the butter melts right in on contact. I used a soft and gentle brush and method. If you suspect your child has a skin condition, you should consult with their doctor prior to trying any remedies as you do not want to misdiagnose the problem and not treat the issue properly. If your doctor has confirmed that your child truly does have Cradle Cap, you should ask him/her about using a natural remedy such as this one.

Voila! I actually did not expect this to work as well as it did and was pleasantly surprised! All of the Cradle Cap came right off as soon as the butter melted in, in the baby comb, and when I washed her hair. No more cradle cap; I cannot believe it! If it does end up coming back, I will do this again, but so far it seems to be gone forever. It was a gentle, easy, and natural remedy of clearing this up. Some babies have to be treated with prescription creams, ointments, or medications that sometimes don't work. I'm so happy that we were able to cure this naturally. Baby's hair and scalp look healthy and her hair even looks thicker now. I think her hair is able to grow much more easily without the dry patches blocking it's way. What a great remedy! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. French Lavender smelling babies forever!