Tasty Tuesday: Roasted Veggies

It is Tasty Tuesday with some delicious roasted veggies! It has been a while since I shared an easy and healthy recipe, so I thought I would do just that! I love veggies! I love salads, I eat one almost everyday, sometimes twice a day. Honestly, though, I prefer my veggies cooked, well roasted. It is so easy to do. All you need is your favorite vegetables and some seasoning and a little bit of olive oil. My favorites to roast are zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and sweet bell peppers. I also like to do yellow tomatoes and yellow squash, if I have them. As far as seasoning, anything goes. I always use garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Depending on what I am in the mood for, sometimes I will add either chili powder, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, basil, or oregano. Sky is the limit with this one! So on to the prep and cooking instructions!

Prep and Cook Roasted Veggies

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Clean and dry off all your veggies
• Cut up your veggies (I usually cut zucchini into small chunks, the tomatoes in half, and the peppers into about quaterish size pieces.) Keep in mind the veggies will shrink a little, so you don't want to cut them too small)
• Line baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil (makes for easy clean up) 
• Next you want to coat the paper or foil with a little olive oil (You just want enough so that the veggies don't stick, I usually use a spray oil for this)
• Spread the veggies out on the lined pan
• Drizzle a little bit of oil on top of the veggies or use the spray oil (Once again you don't need a lot of oil just enough to help the seasoning stick)
• Then choose your seasonings and sprinkle on top (I don't measure, I just eyeball it. I tend to use a lot of garlic, and very little salt.)
• Once you season them, pop them in the over for about 30-40 minutes or until tender, make sure to gift them a little stir on the pan about half way through. 

When they are done, you can eat them as is, or you can mix them into a pasta or some rice or use them to top off a grilled or baked chicken breast. However, you decide to eat them, they will be delicious! Also, I like to cook a bunch of these in advance for meals. They keep well in the refrigerator for about a week and they reheat pretty well too! 

Before Cooking: Zucchini, cherry tomatoes, sweet bell peppers seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, Italian seasoning, parsley, and chili powder. 

  

After Cooking: I added the roasted veggies to some brown rice. I also added some spinach to mix because I decided I needed some more greens. 

However you like your veggies, just try to get them in daily! I always say try to eat the rainbow every day. If you aren't a veggie lover like me, there are lots of ways to get them into your diet. You just have to hide them in your food. Try mixing them into a fruit smoothie, you won't even taste them. I am going to do a smoothie recipe blog soon! Make salsa, or make a wrap, just cut up the veggies into really small pieces, and you probably won't even notice them while you are eating the wrap. Vegetables and fruit are full of important nutrients your body needs to thrive and feel good, not to mention all of the antioxidants in them. Veggies and fruits help keep you healthy! And in my opinion, they are just delicious! Happy cooking everyone! 

Mani Monday: Memorial Day Mani

It is Mani Monday and today I am doing a Memorial Day Mani! For this manicure I used used four colors and a toothpick. I used Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby, Hot Spot, Snow Me White, and Star Blast Off. Ruby Ruby and Snow Me White are both a creme finish. Hot Spot is a shimmer finish and Star Blast Off is a chunky glitter. Today happens to be Memorial Day, so I decided to go with a patriotic theme this week!

Step 1: Apply a base coat. I used Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Strengthener.

Step 2: Apply a base color. I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White. In general, I hate using a plain white nail polish, they are always streaky no matter the brand and you almost always need three coats, which means a lot of polish.

Step 3: Apply your red nail polish down one side of the nail. Before it dries, apply the blue nail polish down the center of the nail, slightly overlapping the red polish. I used Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby for the red and Sinful Colors Hot Spot for the blue. Starting at the red polish, drag a toothpick from one side of the nail right though the blue and white to the other side of the nail. For this step, I would work one nail at a time, as you want to polish to be wet.

Step 5: You can do this to every nail, if you like, but I chose to just apply the glitter polish to my ring finger for an accent. This one takes patience. The glitter I used was Sinful Colors Star Blast Off. It is a glitter that has white starts and chunky red, white, and blue glitter in it. It took a few dips into the bottle to get a white star to stick to the brush. I wanted two stars on each ring finger. Once I got the stars I dipped the brush back in the bottle and applied a thin coat to each ring finger to get some of the red, white, and blue glitters on the nail.

Step 6: Apply a fast drying top coat. I used Sally Hansen Insta-dri top coat for this. After this clean up the cuticle and around the nail with a nail polish remover or acetone. Let the polish dry and finish off the manicure by applying a cuticle oil to the cuticle to moisturize.

Memorial Day Mani

This manicure does take a little bit of time and some patience. Happy painting and Happy Memorial Day everyone! Please have a safe and happy holiday and take a minute to remember all of the fallen hero's that fought for our freedom. Freedom isn't free! Say a prayer for all of the brave men and women who died fighting for our country and say a prayer for their families too.

**This manicure was done last week. I finally had time to finish writing this blog and share it with everyone! Sorry for the delay. I think I am almost all caught up.

Mani Monday: Easy Nail Art With A Toothpick

It's Mani Monday and here is an easy nail art manicure using a toothpick! I am loving Mani Monday, it definitely makes Mondays more bearable! This is an easy manicure and the only thing you need is two nail polish colors and a toothpick. I saw a video on YouTube quite some time ago by Cutepolish, using this technique. However, she used three colors and I am only using two. Check out her tutorial here! The colors I am using are Sinful Colors Daredevil and Sinful Colors Navy I Do. Both have a creme finish according to the Sinful Colors website, however, Daredevil does have a slight shimmer to it. I think these colors work perfectly together, but you can use any two colors you like.

Step 1: Apply a base coat. I used Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Strengthener.

Step 2: Apply a base color. I used Sinful Colors Daredevil.

Step 3: Pick another polish color and paint a stripe of it down one side of your nail. Then while it is still wet, drag a toothpick through the stripe of color and base color and stop just before reaching the other side of the nail. I used Sinful Colors Navy I Do for this step. I chose to only do an accent nail, but you can do all of your nails like this and it would look super cute! I would recommend working one nail at a time with the second color and toothpick though, as you don't want this color to dry before dragging the toothpick through it.

Step 4: Apply a fast drying top coat. I used Sally Hansen Insta-dri top coat. Then clean up the cuticles with acetone or nail polish remover, if necessary. Let the polish dry completely and then finish up the manicure by using a cuticle oil of your liking to moisturize the cuticle and around the nail. 

Toothpick Manicure using Sinful Colors Daredevil and Navy I Do.

There you have it! An easy manicure; and all you needed was a toothpick! Happy Monday and happy painting everyone!

**This manicure is from a few weeks ago. I finally had time to finish writing the blog and post it! Sorry for the delay!

Mani Monday: Swirls

It is Mani Monday with pretty swirls! I used three colors in this manicure. The base color is Sinful Colors Easy Going. This a very very light pink. It has a creme finish and is opaque in two coats. For the swirls and nail tips, I used Sinful Colors Navy I Do. This is also a creme finish, true navy color. It is a limited edition color from the Spring 2015 Collection. Over the Navy I Do, I used Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Ice Queen, a silver glitter with chunky blue glitters mixed in. I just wanted this manicure to have a little sparkle and Ice Queen was the perfect thing! Ok so onto the manicure!

Step 1: Apply a base coat. As usual, I used Sally Hansen Hard As Nail Strengthener for that.

Step 2: Apply a base color. You can use any color you like for this. I used Sinful Colors Easy Going.

Sinful Colors Easy Going

Step 3: Pick out the right nail art brush. The one I used was a little big, I didn't realize until after I started, but I was already committed and if I am being honest, I was just too lazy to start over! 

Step 4: Pick out a color that complements the base color. I used Sinful Colors Navy I do. Decide which nails you want to have a french tip on and which nails you want to have swirls on. I decided to put swirls on my middle and ring fingers. If painting a french tip is hard for you, like it is for me, I find the easiest way to do it is to hold the brush steady at the tip of the nail and rotate the finger in the opposite direction. So, if you are working on the right hand, you would hold the brush steady at the tip of the nail and starting at the the left side of the nail you rotate your finger until the brush reaches the right side of the nail. You would reverse this for the left hand. The swirls you just free hand and anything goes with those. I find it best to use small strokes with the brush for the swirls. 

Sinful Colors Navy I Do for Swirls and French Tip

Step 5: This step is optional. I wanted a little sparkle in this manicure. For the sparkle, I used Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Ice Queen. I just applied it over the Navy I Do for a little pop.

Sally Hansen Ice Queen over Navy I Do

Step 6: Apply a fast drying top coat to seal the polish for a long lasting manicure! As always, I used Sally Hansen Insta-dri top coat. After you apply the top coat clean up the cuticles, if necessary. I do this using acetone. I find it works better than regular nail polish remover. Just keep in mind that acetone is extremely drying! So I always use a cuticle oil after I am done painting my nails and cleaning up the edges. I like Sally Hansen's Vitamin E Cuticle Oil. I like this because it has the vitamin E in it, however, if you have coconut oil handy, it is a million times better! I tend to switch between the two. Once I finish this Sally Hansen cuticle oil, I will stick to coconut oil only.  

Finished Manicure

Well there you have it! A really pretty manicure. This one does take some time and patience, but the end result is worth it! Happy Monday and happy painting!

**I did this manicure about a month ago, and haven't had time to finish writing the blog post about it until now! Sorry for the delay everyone!

Mani Monday: Sinful Colors Nirvana

It is Mani Monday! And this week is a basic polish change using Sinful Colors Nirvana. I am absolutely in love with this color. It is part of the Sinful Colors permanent line and I just purchased it recently along with a bunch of other polishes that you can see in a haul video here. I see it every time I go to the store and every time I ignore it. It was on sale and so I decided to buy it. I don't know why I waited so long to get it. I have no other colors in my collection that are like this one and it is so much prettier than I expected it to be! It is this taupe color that tends more towards a brown with cool blue/purple grey undertones. When you see it in the bottle it definitely looks like a muddy brown, but on the nails you can see more of those cool blue/purple grey undertones that make it more taupe in color. Nirvana has a creme finish and is opaque in two coats. If you are looking for a color that is unexpectedly different, definitely give this one a try. While I got it on sale for $.99, at $1.99 regularly, you can't beat the price and the quality is amazing! Happy Monday and happy painting everyone!

Sinful Colors Nirvana with flash you can see
those cool undertones.

Sinful Colors Nirvana with no flash this is what you see
when you look at in the bottle as is.

Foodie Friday: Protein Pancake

It's Foodie Friday again!! I love pancakes! However, as delicious as pancakes are, they aren't the most healthy option, but they can be. A protein pancake is a healthy alternative to a regular pancake, and a great way to start your morning! Did you know you starting your day with a protein rich breakfast can help you stay feeling fuller longer? Carbs are fuel for the body, but protein is too. So start your day off right and get a good mix of both! There are so many different variations for protein pancakes, but the one I found and like the best so far, mostly because I can tweak it when I want to, is Joy Bauer's recipe. The serving size is one large pancake, which is exactly what this recipe makes! Now the only thing with protein pancakes, they can are nowhere near as moist as regular pancakes. However, you can cover it with a lid while it is cooking, as Joy Bauer suggests, and this does help. I have gotten used to the texture of this type of pancake, so it actually doesn't bother me that it is a little bit dry. I am more concerned with hoe it tastes anyway, and it is delicious!!

What You Will Need

Protein Pancakes(original recipe)

1/2 Cup Quick Cooking Rolled Oats

4 Egg Whites

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon(optional)

To this I also add 2 Tablespoons of ground flax-seed, I also like to add blueberries into the mix, and I like to top the pancake with a banana and just a little bit of all natural maple syrup. Sometimes I will substitute the sugar with honey. I also use 2 whole eggs, instead of 4 egg whites, I just prefer the whole egg. I have also tried mashing the banana up and adding it to the mix, which is also very tastey! Sometimes I substitute orange extract for the vanilla, just depends on what flavor I am going for.

To make this pancake, mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Spray a skillet with some non stick spray or coat the pan with a little bit of butter or oil. Poor the pancake mix onto the skillet and cook over a medium heat, when the top of the pancake stops making those little bubbles, flip it over. It only takes a couple of minutes to cook, when it is golden brown, it is done! Top it with your favorite fruit or eat it as is! I hope you enjoy this heart healthy breakfast!

Happy Friday and happy eating!

Delicious Protein Pancake

Mani Monday: Metallic Mani

Sinful Colors Mesmerize

Sinful Colors Supernova

It's Mani Monday!! I love nail polish! This is no secret! I think, however, the manicure I gave myself this week, could be my go to favorite. I am loving the color combo and the contrast between the metallic and creme finishes! I love how metallic nail polishes look! Funny thing is, when I see them in the store, I never buy them. So the other day I was in Target and I was perusing the Sinful Colors display and I picked up this metallic nail polish and decided to buy it! It is Sinful Colors Supernova. I was drawn to it because it is a rose gold color and I just think rose gold is so pretty. It also has a silver shimmer to it that gives it the metallic, tin foil looking effect. The picture of the bottle to the left is accurate, the pictures of it on my nails look more gold, but when I used a flash, you can see the silver shimmer. Anyway, I thought it looked familiar, so I did some digging and found out it was originally released in 2012 as part of the Fall Collection Hot Flash Metallics. Sinful Colors will sometimes re-release limited edition colors on their own or as part of a new collection. I am glad I spotted this one because there were only a few bottles left! I paired it with Sinful Colors Mesmerize. This is also a limited edition color. It was first released in 2012, also in the Fall in the Enchanted/Muse Collection. It was re-released again in the Spring of 2013 as part of the Haute Rebel Collection, which is when I picked it up. Mesmerize is a deep purple color with blue undertones that has a creme finish. When you see the picture of it on my nails, the camera makes it look more blue than it actually is. the picture of it in the bottle at the top to the right is more accurate. Now, on to how to get this manicure!

Step 1: As always start with a base coat to help prevent any staining. As usual, I used Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Strengthener.

Step 2: Apply your base color. I used Sinful Colors Supernova. This is other tape mani, so let that base color dry completely before going onto the next step!

With Flash

No flash

Step 3: Apply the straightest edge of the tape to the nail.

Creating the Nail Design

Step 4: Paint the nail below the tape, the part of the nail closest to the cuticle. Then, before that polish dries, remove the tape. It should leave you with a nice, crisp line! Repeat this on all of your nails!

Paint the Color and then remove the tape

Step 5: Let that second color dry a little bit, to prevent streaking. Then apply a fast drying top coat. Once again, as usual, I used Sally Hansen Insta Dry Top Coat. Clean up the cuticle and around the nail bed with some acetone or nail polish remover, if necessary and voila, an easy to create and pretty new manicure! 

Finished Manicure

Happy Monday and happy painting everyone!

Foodie Friday

It's Foodie Friday! Food is amazing! And I think most people would agree with me on that statement! In the last month, I have started on this food journey of sorts. I have been trying to eat more healthy and focus on whole foods that are "clean". While I have my off days, as many people do, I have been pretty successful sticking to this new diet, well I guess lifestyle change is more fitting. It isn't always easy, but I can tell you on the days that I eat well and manage to stick to it for the whole day, I feel great! I feel like I have more energy and I don't feel so weighed down. Don't get me wrong, I have my cravings and I do  end up giving into them sometimes no matter how hard I try to ignore them. I don't think there is anything wrong with giving into them once in a while and I am not going to beat myself up over it. I just tell myself tomorrow is another day! Anyway, I have been loving this so much because I have been trying new things and cooking way more than I ever have before! And I am having fun with it, cooking is fun! Now if you had asked me if I liked to cook when I was 20, it would have been a resounding NO!!! In my thirties, I have come to love it! So I thought, maybe other people might like to try some of the things I have tried. And here begins a new series to this blog, Foodie Friday. I am going to share one recipe a week every Friday, well at least try to anyway. They will range from recipes I have kind of just come up with to recipes that I have found in cookbooks and other sources. If it is a recipe I found, but made changes to, I will include the original recipe, as some people may prefer the original. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I figured I would start it off with something that will give you a good start to your day! It is an easy one and takes all of maybe 10 minutes to make, so it is perfect for those days you feel rushed to get out of the house on time! This is my own recipe and I call it my Banana Bread Oatmeal, mostly because it smells just like banana bread while it is cooking, and it tastes pretty darn good too!

Banana Bread Oatmeal

1 Banana (mashed or sliced)

1/4 -1/2 cup quick oats (Depends on how hungry you are!)

3/4 cup milk or water (either one works, milk makes it a little more creamy though and water is the healthier option) 

About 1 Tbsp honey (I usually just squeeze a dollop into the pot)

About 1 Tbsp Cinnamon (The amount of this will vary, depending on how much you like cinnamon, I prefer more some days and other days less)

Raisins (I only add these when I want it really sweet)

In a medium sauce pan, over low heat, combine the oats, milk/water, and banana. Stir occasionally. As it starts to thicken, stir in the honey and cinnamon until well combined. If you notice that your oatmeal is too thick, add a little more milk or water until it is the consistency you prefer. Once it is fully heated, pour into a bowl. Add some raisins as a topper, if you'd like, and enjoy!

Banana Bread Oatmeal

I love this oatmeal! It is so satisfying and the best part is the banana and honey act as a sweetener, so you don't need to add any brown sugar or other sugars to it. This recipe is also heart healthy, so for any of you trying to stick to a heart healthy diet, this is a good one for you! This is also vegetarian and vegan friendly, so for all my veggie friends out there, this is a good one for you too!

If you find yourself wondering what is so healthy about this breakfast, then I will tell you! However, before I tell you, I will add a disclaimer, I am not a nutritionist or a doctor, so don't take my word as gold here. Do your own research on these things too! The oats by themselves are a good source of soluble fiber that can actually help lower cholesterol. The fiber content of the oats actually helps to slow down digestion and can help to stabilize blood glucose levels, which is why eating oatmeal in the morning is so great. It will keep you feeling fuller longer. Now add to that a banana, which has virtually no saturated fats or cholesterol and is another good source of fiber, further adding to that staying fuller longer feeling. Bananas are generally know as a good source of potassium, but did you know they are also and good source of Vitamin C? Why, hello antioxidants, yes I will enjoy you today!! Bananas are also a really good source of Vitamin B6, which helps metabolize amino acids, glucose, and lipids. Essentially, a banana is a good helper in breaking down the proteins, sugars(carbs), and fats that you ingest into, well the things you need to fuel your body and make it run, so to speak. Now there are a lot are arguments out there about why cow's milk is bad for you and why dairy products in general are bad for you, however, I love milk! It is a good way to get in some Vitamin D, and living in Buffalo, where we don't always get a lot of sunlight, I will gladly have a glass of milk to get in that Vitamin D. Honey is a natural sweetener, which in my opinion is better than using other sugars or artificial sugar substitutes. Just make sure you are using 100% raw honey, because if you aren't more than likely you aren't eating real honey. Honey is great because it is a carbohydrate made up of Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, and Maltose. These are basically fuel for your body, making honey a natural energy booster. This is kind of perfect when used in the morning with breakfast, because it will help you wake up and get going! And what is so great about cinnamon? Well, cinnamon has been shown to help lower blood glucose levels, so if you are considered pre-diabetic and you are trying your hardest to stave of diabetes, then adding cinnamon to your diet might help, this is not a guarantee, but it is worth trying. Feeling bloated? Cinnamon can help with that too. Cinnamon is also known to be a great antioxidant. Cinnamon can also help boost your metabolism. It has a tendency to act as a natural blood thinner, therefore increasing blood circulation. Increased blow flow could mean a boost to your metabolism, which in turn could help with weight loss. I could go on with the science of it all mostly because it fascinates the hell out of me, but others may find it boring to read, so I will end this here. Now what are you waiting for? Go enjoy a delicious breakfast!         

  

   

Painting On The Go

Sally Hansen Ice Queen

Sinful Colors Endless Blue

My best friend Julia, from Enchanted Fantasy here on blogger, came to visit me at my second job last night, and she decided to do a little painting on the go. So while I was pouring drinks, she sat and painted her nails. I loved the color she was using so much, that I needed to share it with all of you! And surprisingly, it isn't a color I have in my collection. She used Sinful Colors Endless Blue. It is a beautiful cobalt blue shade, that I am now going to go out and buy so I can have it in my collection too! And on her ring finger she added Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Ice Queen as an accent. The Sally Hansen is one she borrowed from me! And it is one I don't reach for enough! I definitely love how it pairs with Endless Blue!

Finished Manicure

I hope everyone is having a fabulous Wednesday and happy painting!

Hugs and Kisses

Hugs and kisses are fun, especially the kisses, unless your lips are feeling dry or chapped! And well, it's the time of year for that exact thing to happen. Perfect timing right? Valentine's Day is just around the corner and you don't have kissable soft lips! Now, whether you celebrate or don't are coupled up or are single, you should always have kissable lips! I mean you just never know when someone might want to plant one on you! You should be prepared! Exfoliate those lips! There are lots of ways to do this. You can use a soft bristled tooth brush or a damp wash cloth. Just gently rub either one across your lips dry them off and apply your favorite chap stick to lock in moisture. If you are anything like me, these two options might be a little harsh on your sensitive skin. You can always buy a lip scrub, but they can get pretty expensive. So do what I do, make your own! And most likely it won't cost you a dime, because you probably have all of the ingredients you need right in your kitchen! What you need: a regular spoon, a teaspoon, a tablespoon, a small container with a lid, honey, olive oil, and sugar. What you do: Pour a tablespoon of sugar into the container, pour a teaspoon of olive oil into the container, then add about a teaspoon of honey, mix it with a spoon so that it becomes a paste-like consistency. You may need to add more honey. I usually just eyeball the ingredients. Once its all mixed use your finger to gently massage it onto your lips, let it sit for a minute and then wipe off with a damp cloth. Apply your favorite chap stick to lock in that moisture. What are the benefits of these ingredients? Well the sugar acts as an exfoliater. As you massage this rub onto your lips, the sugar particles slough away the dry skin on your lips leaving them super smooth. Honey is full of vitamins and antioxidants that actually help nourish the skin. It also has the added ability and benefit of absorbing and retaining moisture. That's why there are so many lip products out there that have honey or bees wax in them, for instance Burt's Bees Lip Balms or Zambeezi Beeswax Lip Balms. The olive oil is there for an extra boost of moisture. Not only that, but olive oil has vitamins in it that help repair damaged skin. It also has antioxidants in it that actually stimulate skin cells and helping to make them healthier and smoother. With all these moisturizing agents, why the need for chap stick? Well, whenever you exfoliate anything, you are basically wiping away a layer of old skin and the new layer of skin that is now showing can be super vulnerable to the elements and a little more sensitive. Have you ever noticed that whenever you exfoliate anything and then apply lotion after, your skin kind of sucks up the moisturizer? Exfoliating can actually be drying to the skin, so your skin is basically craving that moisture. So use that chap stick to help protect the new layer of skin that you have showing from drying out too quickly. The best part about this rub is that it will hold up in the fridge for a couple weeks, so don't forget to make it in a container that can be easily stored in your refrigerator. Happy smooching everyone!

Oh and this scrub is good for exfoliating your face too! Just make a larger batch!