Follow Your Heart Cheese Review, Vegan Cheese and Gluten Free!!!

When picking vegan cheese it can be very tricky, there are so many to choose from.
Also if you live in an area with not much choice, it is nice to see what other people think about them,
it may save you some money.
The store that I purchased it at, had a large variety of flavors even shredded cheese:)
When you look at the cheese, it looks very moist and when you give it a light squeeze,
it has a firm spongy texture.
I purchased the cheddar flavor.
I was excited to try it, so when I arrived home I opened it right away:)
I opened the package,and it slid right on the plate, it cuts like butter!
The flavor is on the sweeter side of cheddar, "real" cheddar usually has a sharper flavor.
The cheese is moist texture but still has the dryness like cheddar.
When I gave a sample around my house, there were very different comments!
"It taste like a firm wet sponge",  "it has a very moist feeling on the tongue."
I do agree it has a firm wet sponge feeling, but the flavor is really good:)
If you get over the texture, it is a great cheese, I was even eating it plain, because the flavor is really good.
I cut a piece so you can see the texture when it is sliced!

The one thing I miss is melted cheese, yum.
There is something almost magical about melted cheese:)
The true test for us vegans is does it melt?
When it melts is it a gross mess?
Let me tell you it melts beautifully!!!!
I melted it on a plate, so you can see what it looks like.

 smooth and creamy:)

You can see when I melted the cheese, it became smooth and creamy! Yummy!
I did eat it off the plate after I took the picture;)
My suggestion is when melting it, make sure whatever you are topping it with is slightly warmed,
it lasts longer, melted, and it doesn't get hard to fast.
If you are going to melt it on corn chips or something like that, it may get slightly hard by the time you finish
eating it.
But it is still good!!!!!!!!!!!!
I truly recommend this cheese, it has a great flavor, need to give it a try!!!
It melts, the most important reason of all;)
Follow Your Heart Cheddar here is a link to there website followyourheart.com
If the store you shop at doesn't stock it, tell them about it so they can get it in!!!!
The most important thing for me is that it is vegan, and gluten free!!!!!!
Happy cheese melting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                                                     Birch life

Smooth Vegan Chocolate Pudding with layered Sweet Peaches

This recipe is very fun to make.
There is something special about eating a smooth velvety cool pudding:)
I have eaten this for breakfast even!
The addition of peaches brings it to a different level.
You really never see peaches and chocolate, but it is a good combo!
If you don't have peaches or you don't like them, try a different fruit
you like.
Anything works for this recipe, even a different flavor of milk.
This recipe makes a good amount, the pan I used was 25 1/2 cm by 16 1/2 cm or
10 in by 6 1/2 inches


Smooth Vegan Chocolate Pudding with layered Sweet Peaches
serves 6 to 8 large portions or 10 to 12 smaller

5 ripe peaches
1 liter milk (I used oat milk, chocolate)
6 Tablespoons potato starch
4 Tablespoons raw sugar( you can leave out if you don't want it too sweet)
3 crisp cookies (I used gluten free)

Small stock pan pour 3/4 of the liter of milk, with the rest pour in small bowl
and mix in starch and sugar, stir until well combined.
On medium heat, heat milk until it is warm to touch and add in starch and sugar mixture.
Stir until thickened 5-7 minutes. Every stove top is different, so stir until thickened.
Remove from heat and put in bowl to cool. It should be room temperature, before assembly.
Wash peaches and slice, remove stone.
Layer the pan with half of the peach slices

Then pour the cooled pudding on top, add the rest of the peaches, and
crumble the cookies with your hands all over the top:)

Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving!

                                                                           Birch Life

Smooth Mango Peach Frozen Strawberry Smoothie The last one of The Smoothie Series

The final recipe in the smoothie series!
Thank you, to all of you that have really enjoyed the series.
I love to create in recipes, so don't think I won't be working hard on new ones:)
If you have a idea or suggestion, email me or write me on Facebook.
The final recipe is a delicious smoothie, it combines mango, peaches with
frozen strawberry's, you get a smooth and creamy texture, and the frozen
berry's give you a nice cool down when it is hot outside:)
Peaches are a great treat, there is something special when you eat a
juicy, sweet peach, it gives my a big smile:)
They have a nice amount of liquid, so you don't have to add a extra liquid!
I like adding mango to smoothies it just gives it a thickness, without
adding cream!
Even a whole mango and a few Tablespoons of yogurt blended together
is really a great treat!
Start experimenting with mango and you will find a new Love:)
                                                                    Birch Life

Smooth Mango Peach Frozen Strawberry Smoothie
Makes 2 cups +

1 mango
2 peaches
1 cup frozen strawberries
3 Tablespoons of yogurt (I used vanilla, vegan)
1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

Wash fruit, peel mango, take stone out of peaches, and
add everything to blender.
If you need more liquid, add a little vegan milk(whatever kind you like)
but you shouldn't have too:)

Daiya Vegan Key Lime Cheezecake Review:)

I love Daiya products so much:) There products really have great flavor and are a wonderful alternative for us vegans, or people who cannot have dairy.
 When I saw it in the freezer section, um interesting!
I am not a cheesecake fan, it is heavy and sooooooo rich, I never really would eat it
before I became vegan.
I read the ingredients, and I was like this sound so good.  
The bonus, it was also gluten free!!!!

They make 4 flavors Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, and Key Lime:)
I picked Key Lime, because when you eat vegan and gluten free, Key Lime is very
rarely an option:(
The main ingredient is coconut, so you know it is going to be very creamy!
When arriving home I read the directions, they say to thaw in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.
I left it in over night, it worked perfectly:)
Important to eat it 48 hours after thawing, no problem, it will be gone;)
When I opened the box I could smell the Key Lime already!

How does it taste? I know you are thinking!
AMAZING, totally creamy, the right amount of key lime!
The crust is light and tastes just like a regular graham cracker crust!
It tastes like the best cream, rich, thick, smooth, flavorful piece of "regular" cheesecake you have every had.
You can't tell it is vegan, and gluten free!!!!!
I served smaller pieces the first time, and then we wanted seconds, but then the richness
of the second piece came out, and we had to save the rest for the next day.
I would definitely purchase this again!
Cheesecake is a difficult cake to make, so why do you have too, just buy this one,
and in 3 hours you could be eating this creamy, rich, smooth delectable cheezecake:)

 You can see when I cut the piece, it was very smooth and creamy!

   Enjoy, remember if your store doesn't sell it, tell them you WANT IT!!!
                                                                           Birch Life

Smooth Avocado Tangy Kiwi Smoothie

Smoothie series continues:) Kiwi's are a fun fruit!
People are always puzzled, what to do with them?
I have once seen someone eat the whole kiwi like an apple, even the fuzzy skin!
I like to add them when I need something a little tangy in a dish!
They make a perfect addition to a smoothie!
I like the tiny seeds in the kiwi, the way they pop when you eat them.
This smoothie has a smooth rich texture because of the avocado, and when you add the
kiwi it gives it a tang.
When you add fresh lemon juice it is a burst of sunshine!


Smooth Avocado Tangy Kiwi Smoothie

2 avocado's
1 1/2 cup of milk ( I used almond milk)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (vegan) You can use any flavor you like to compliment the smoothie
2 kiwi's
3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Wash the avocados and scoop out flesh, wash and peel the kiwi's, then add ingredients
and blend until smooth and rich!!!!
   
                                                                Birch Life

Sunny Mango Blueberry Smoothie

Mango's are like little sunshine's, the perfect smoothie ingredient! It gives the smoothie a great body:)
When I make smoothie's, I like to have a thicker consistency, so I look for
fruit or vegetables that will give me that. I don't like to add ice or protein
powder to get a thick consistency. When buying mango's, I look for healthy, and
unblemished, with a slight give. The secret is to let them ripen on the counter until very ripe!
What do I mean? I have found that leaving them to ripen, and getting very soft to the
touch, you get more flesh from the middle seed. When I let them "soften" I
don't get as much of the seed:( So watch them, and let them get very soft
without going bad!

Sunny Mango Blueberry Smoothie
makes 1 1/2 cups plus

1 mango
1/2 cup milk ( I used oat milk)
1/4 cup blueberries
2 T blueberry yogurt

Wash and peel the mango, cut into chunks, add everything to blender
and mix until very smooth.
                                                      Birch Life

Savory Creamy Avocado Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie

Second smoothie in the series. Everybody thinks smoothie's have to be sweet. Some people don't like sweet things, even if they are fruit. So I came up with a savory smoothie. The high note is avocado with
back round hint of strawberry and blueberry. I like this one if you are adding it to a meal,
because it really fills you up. Avocados have that creamy texture almost like you added a heavy cream.
This one is a go to for a savory treat!!!


Savory Creamy Avocado Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie
Makes about 2 cups

1 avocado
15 strawberries
1/2 cup of blueberries
1 1/2 cup of milk (I used oats milk)
1 Tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice

Wash all fruit and cut the avocado in half, take the seed out, and scoop
out the flesh. Blend all ingredients very well until thick and creamy:)
                                                                     Birch Life

Dr Organic Rose Otto skin lotion, most divine sweet smelling velvety lotion review:)

I love the smell of rose, but there is a lot of fake smelling rose products out there.

So the dilemma is do I even buy rose products at all.

My first thought is the ingredients, they have to be natural, and the scent has to be

100% natural. 

I have tried many 100% natural rose scented lotions, they are either so light 

or the scent disappears within minutes of putting it on.

I don't want to smell of a rose bush, but I would like it to stay a while,

maybe linger on my clothes, would be nice. So I saw this product at a natural health store.

Dr. Organic Rose Otto skin lotion.

I opened the tester, and to my delight, the sweet warm smell of rose came out of the tube.

I was hooked I am going to buy it, my first thought was YES, then NO.

Then reading the ingredients I thought ok I will try it.

I usually am a coconut oil user after my shower, for moisturizer.

I was kind of excited for my first use, I had it waiting by the shower for immediate

use after.

WOW, I love this product, it glided on my skin like butter, it was not to thick or to thin 

it has a perfect absorption into the skin. The smell was soooo divine.

The smell is truly perfect for us rose scent lovers. The scent is a true rose smell.

When you are smelling a rose in the garden,  it is so sweet and velvety you can't 

stop smelling it:) Even lingered on my clothes:)

I used it everyday and the tube lasted a little over a month, which is perfect.

Sorry, I even cut the tube when I was done, I had to get every last drop!!!

                                                             Birch Life