First Ever HASCON - SO AWESOME!

I was invited to the first ever Hasbro HASCON in Providence, Rhode Island this month... and it was AWESOME! I love my job! So HASCON was three days, a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and I attended all three days. It was crazy fun between celebrity appearances, panels of comic writers, movie voices, creators, producers and more, as well as so many amazing booths, props, interactive experiences, activities, food, and even a Flo Rida concert! 

Here are some pictures, but honestly pictures just don't do it justice because there was just so much going on at all times, everywhere that you looked; in order to get the full effect, you'll have to get tickets for next year and attend HASCON yourself - you won't be disappointed! And if you were one of the lucky ones to catch my LIVE Periscope broadcasts and were seeing my tweets, you were probably wishing you were there too, but I tried to do a decent job of showing you all everything that was going on and taking you along with me via social media (I covered so much of this event on my social media accounts, so if you missed it, please check them out!).

There were panels going on each day. My favorite was the Transformers panel and watching the real voice of Optimus Prime!

So many models and props, it was outrageous in a good way!

Transformers car.

Transformers car.

Toys and props.

I loved all of the Guardians of the Galaxy stuff! If you were watching my LIVE broadcast, you saw the actual Star Lord costume prop from the movie, which was so wild so see, and saw me dancing with these baby Groot toys. They are so cute and made by Hasbro, available where toys are sold.

So much fun!

I also freaked out with all of the Star Wars stuff! So cool. My buddy BB-8, pictured above.

And ALL the other Disney stuff; I was in my glory!

Had to stop and take a picture with my robot buddy, BB-8. I have such a soft spot in my heart for cute  little AIs.

All the My Little Pony stuff was so awesome.

Yep, I'm just a big nerd kid at heart, really I am.

I think Spider Man fell in love with me a little that day... I think I fell for him too.

I had such a blast at HASCON and they did such a beautiful job with everything. Every tiny detail was so beautiful and thought out. For their first year hosting this event, Hasbro and partners did such a wonderful job that had you not known it was the first annual HASCON, you would think they've been doing this particular event for years. I bet next year will be even better, if that is even possible, and I can't wait to go again!

Big thanks to Hasbro for sponsoring my three days at HASCON and providing the tickets.

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - I hope your day is filled with smiles, sunshine and  Rainbow Dashes!

Grilling with Lightlife and Stuffed Chili Bacon Cheese Dog Recipe!

Lightlife has always been one of my favorite companies for their vegan stuff. I have always loved their tempeh and was excited when they rolled our their tempeh bacon, which tastes absolutely amazing. They have been adding some awesome new plant-based products to their line, but I'm still so hooked on their vegan hot dogs, Smart Dogs.

Lightlife's Smart Dogs come in two sizes, their regular (7g protein) size or their jumbo (14g protein) size. These awesome veggie hot dogs are Non-GMO Project Verified, in addition to being vegan they are also Kosher, and they are a great price, usually retailing at 3 to 4 bucks at most stores.

I have been using these Smart Dogs for grilling for years now, so I wanted to share a recipe that was really fun and not just "throw the veggie dog on the grill", although that's fun too! Here I decided to stuff them with cheese using a method I thought up, that ended up working pretty perfectly. Also, some sides when grilling with these awesome Smart Dogs are grilled vegetables, like corn on the cob; that is what I enjoyed on the side with my chili bacon cheese dogs. Lightlife Smart Dogs are the perfect addition (or star, in my opinion) to any vegan cookout. Let's get to this crazy-delicious recipe!

Stuffed Chili Bacon Cheese Dogs

makes 5 servings

What you will need:

-1 package Lightlife jumbo Smart Dogs

-1 package Lightlife tempeh bacon

-about 5 vegan cheddar cheese pieces, cut into "matchsticks"

-1 cup prepared vegan chili 

-your favorite condiments or additional toppings (like ketchup, mustard, sauerkraut, relish, etc.)

 -a hard plastic straw for stuffing them with cheese (a hard plastic or stainless steel smoothie straw will work great!)

-5 hot dog buns

What to do:

Carefully light and prep your grill using all the proper safety precautions for grill use. Take each Smart Dog and gently push the straw through the middle, about halfway, twist then remove. Do the same to the other side of the veggie dog. You will now have a small well; push the vegan cheese sticks into it (use the straw to help push them in if you are using softer cheese instead of hard cheese - hard cheese works best). When your grill is ready for food, place the stuffed Smart Dogs directly on the grill. Place the tempeh bacon on the top basket that you warm buns, if you don't have that, place on a spot on the grill that isn't directly near the flame and cook for less time. Grill veggie dogs and tempeh bacon for 2-4 minutes on each side, or adjust to your liking/ grill type. In a small saucepan, warm up your prepared chili then transfer to a bowl. Now it is time to construct your chili bacon cheese dogs! Place your hot dog in a bun and top with chili, then take some tempeh bacon and crumble it on top. Add additional toppings, if desired. Do the same for all five stuffed chili bacon cheese dogs.

What I love most about Lightlife Smart Dogs is that they taste just like classic, juicy hot dogs, but without the animal products or cholesterol. They are perfect for tailgating, camping, grilling, or any other recipe that calls for hot dogs.

These came out amazing! They were easy because the melted cheese is already inside the veggie dogs and it also gave you just enough cheese amount in each bite

Mouthwatering! You can follow Lightlife on social. They are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest and they are always posting delicious pictures!

Big shout out to Lightlife for sending me a portable grill that doubles as a cooler, grilling tools, condiments and for sponsoring this post. You rock!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - hope your day is relaxing like a cookout day!

This blog post was sponsored by Lightlife Foods.

The Dirty Vegan for Kweder Fashion!

When I found out about the vegan fashion company, Kweder, I was so excited because not only is their stuff, like their handbags and shoes, totally chic, they are also animal and people friendly! There is just so much I love about this company! But before we get into the details, and look at the hot new items that they sent to me to try and enjoy, let me talk about how beautiful the package arrived to me!

This box managed to travel all the way from Italy to me here in Boston, USA and it arrived looking gorgeous!

Such a pretty retro looking hat box style and it is sturdy! I am going to use this box for years to come! This box reminds me of when my grandmother would have her old hat boxes up in her closet from the mid-century and they still looked absolutely amazing decades later. This is that same type of box. Ok, enough about the box - but you know me, I love gorgeous packaging!

Actually, one more thing about the box - love that it says animal-free and vegan on it! So cool.

And then I opened this beautiful chocolate brown box with gold lettering and angels began to sing...just kidding! But in my mind it did happen.

I present to you, the Cassatella Sandal and the Cassatella Boston Bag (how appropriate that this Boston girl has a perfectly fitting bag now!).

These sandals are absolutely stunning! They are comfortable, they fit so perfectly and true to size. They have such a nice feel to them and that is due to the weatherproof and luxurious Alcantara® suede with waterproof Softan® embossed microfiber vegan leather. They are padded, so again, majorly comfy for a heel, I must say. And I love the chic gold buckle. The print on this shoe is so artsy and fabulous; I am so in love with this item and I'm already showing off these sandals every where that I go.

Foot Cam!

As you can see, the Cassatella sandal is a lovely and versatile shoe that can be dressed up or down. I'm seen here wearing them with skinny jean jeggings and a semi-casual but chic blouse. I also suggest wearing them with a little black dress, a red dress, a maxi dress or skirt with a cute crop top or peasant blouse, pleather shorts and tight tank top with a fitted suit jacket over it all, and with jeans or pants. As you can see, you can wear them with ANYTHING. What I especially love about this shoe is that the colorful print offers many different style options as well. So not only can you wear these sandals with a black or red styled outfit, you can choose any color in the print, so basically any color will go with this fabulous style! And as you can see I am sporting the matching Cassatella Boston Bag! Look at that golden hardware sparkle and shine!

LOVE this purse!!!

I really love that you get the art on the bag which is so chic and unique, so you get the style, but also durability in this bag. It can sit on your shoulder, forearm or hand. The size is great because it isn't teeny tiny but it's not over-sized or gaudy either - its the right size for a girl living the city life. They definitely nailed the Boston bag and what a boston bag means. You have two good sized inner pockets which can handle your small tablet or your cell phone with no problem. It has enough room for your daily needs and is a wonderful day to night purse, taking you from your work day to nightlife easily and fabulously! I love the shiny gold details on the zipper hardware, buckles and feet, and the zipper pulls are hearty with universal sized holes for a pretty lock (awesome for travel and carry-on bag comes to mind for me for sure). I know for certain that this bag will catch a lot of attention - it already has! Everyone who sees it has asked about it!

Put your feet up when you are wearing Kweder heels, because you won't be able to stop staring at them and how amazing they make your feet and your wardrobe look! Kweder shoes and handbags definitely take your style to another level. I feel so sophisticated using these products. This is the first vegan company where the quality not only matches those fancy other non-vegan designers, but in my opinion, Kweder is far superior to those brands. You get the quality and luxury Italian made shoe and handbag but in a vegan product. I am so impressed.

Kweder is a family owned business that was founded in Sicily, and their merchandise continues to be manufactured there and in Italy as well, to this day (but they have launched in the US and as you can see by their website in English, they are available in the states too). I love this following statement from their website:

"A similar fashion production enhances beauty, quality, craftsmanship and ethics, highlighting how to create a fashion item according to the preservation of the world we live in."

As an Italian-American with family roots in Italy and Sicily myself, I feel a deep connection to Kweder and to what these ladies are doing by changing the fashion game and providing a products that doesn't harm animals, people, or the environment. I am absolutely grateful to the company for introducing their fashion philosophies to me and for their generosity of sending me this strikingly beautiful shoe and handbag set. I am a huge fan of Kweder now, and this is exactly the type of fashion staple that I have been searching for for quite some time.

I love fellow women who are changing the world; the Kweder sisters are doing it, and in style, might I add.

You can follow Kweder on social: facebook, twitter, google+, pinterest and instagram! I really enjoy following their accounts for the cool posts and style inspiration.

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - stay beautiful, fabulous, but above all else cruelty-free!

This blog post was sponsored by Kweder.

3 Postum Party Cocktails (Even a Virgin One)!

Today's post is going to be some cocktail ideas for any upcoming cookouts or parties you plan on hosting. Two of the three recipes are alcoholic, however one is non-alcoholic, so I think you'll have something for everyone serving these drinks the next time you entertain guests.

In these recipes I use all three Postum flavors: Natural Coffee Flavor, Postum Cocoa Blend, and the original Postum flavor. Feel free to substitute one for the other to suit your preference. Postum is the perfect product to swap around flavors in recipes because doing so won't ruin the recipe whatsoever. The flavors will change slightly but in such an enjoyable way, that is really what I love about using this products in my recipes: the versatility of the product as well as how tasty it is in everything that I have made so far!

Let's get to these boozy recipe! The next cookout holiday that we have here in America, will be Independence Day next month, so if you are having a party and want to serve something different and fun, you should give these cocktail recipes a try!

Postum Martinis for a Crowd (makes 4 martinis)

2 teaspoons Postum (in original flavor)
6 ounces boiling water
6 ounces vodka
Simple syrup to taste (optional)
ice

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water and set aside for a few moments to cool. In a cocktail shaker, place ice, prepared Postum and give it a shake. Serve by pouring into martini glasses (without ice using the strainer lid), and enjoy!

There is this drink called a Tootsie Roll, that is made with coffee flavored liqueur and orange juice. It is a really tasty drink and almost does taste like a candy lolly pop. I thought that this would be the absolute best drink to make non-alcoholic, and I was right! So tasty and fun. You wouldn't have thought to mix Postum with orange juice, now would you?

Virgin Tootsie Roll (makes 2 drinks)

2 teaspoons Postum (in Natural Coffee flavor)
6 ounces boiling water
8 ounces orange juice
ice

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water and set aside for a few moments to cool. In a cocktail shaker, place ice, prepared Postum, orange juice and give it a shake. Serve in glass of choice (fun with a paper umbrella for garnish) and enjoy!

Out of this World - Banana Split Cocktail (makes 1 drink)

1 teaspoon Postum (in Cocoa Blend flavor)
4 ounces boiling water
ice
1 ounce banana liqueur
2 tablespoon vanilla soy coffee creamer
splash of pineapple juice
maraschino cherries to garnish on top (optional)

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water and set aside for a few moments to cool. Fill a tall glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, place more ice, prepared Postum, banana liqueur and give it a shake. Pour contents of shaker strained into glass, then add coffee creamer and top with pineapple juice. You can garnish with cherries or whipped topping or just enjoy it the way it is!

I hope you get a chance to try these recipes. They came out awesome! And big thanks to the folks at Postum for sponsoring this recipe post and for generously supplying the product. Stay tuned for a Postum giveaway coming soon where I'll be giving away a jar of each fabulous flavor!

*As always, drink responsibly and the recipes that have alcohol in them are intended to be prepared and enjoyed by people who are 21+ and older*

This blog post was sponsored by Postum