Commitment To Health: 1st 5k of the year!

Bright and early on a Sunday!  Running the Hot Chocolate 5k with my bestie and some of my good friends tomorrow.  I should be sleeping since I am waking up at 5 AM! 

Hydro Flask - Hydrate Your Life!

My sneaky GF Lyna sent me one in the mail.  I have had this bottle on my Amazon Wishlist for awhile and was happy to finally have one of my own!  

40 oz wide mouth

She purchased this from the yoga studio she practices at and can't wait to take a class when I visit!

This thing is HUGE!  I put my arm next to it for comparison.  Not the smallest thing to tote around, but its great to have a large bottle with cold, good tasting water.  I am thinking of getting a smaller one for outdoor activities like short day hikes.

Nails Did: Nails By Catia - Pink Nude, Gold Bling & Negative Space

Another post about my nails!  My gal who did my nails. Catia, sent me the photos she took.  This was my first time getting the stiletto shaped nails.  They're a bit long, but I love them!  Thinking though for my fill, I will have her file these down to a more rounded, almond shape.  I had to have these a bit longer since she did have to apply tips before the gel.  You can kind of see my natural nail, which isn't that long.  My nails are thin and peel which makes it impossible to grow out, so when I do want length, I have to get them added.  No shame, because I'm not trying to front like these are natural.  LOL!

We did add 1 black rhinestone to the ring finger.  I liked the negative space look, but it needed just a little something extra.  The diamond glitter is so pretty and sparkly!  I did have some fall out, but that is expected with this type of glitter.  I might have to add some other glitter if it gets too sparse before my fill .  I'm still getting used to typing and I am so clickity clack on the keyboard!  

Voodoo Tattoo Contest - Congrats Sassy Shears!

We have a winner, a single contestant entry from the Voodoo Tattoo Giveaway!  LOL!  Congratulations Jess aka Sassy Shears!

Ozeri Fresko Duo

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Ozeri was kind to send me a Fresko Duo Salt & Pepper Grinder to test out.  Andrea reached out to me and offered a few items to test out.  Since I needed an upgrade to my current salt & pepper grinders, this was top of my list.  

These were my old grinders.  While they did the job, they weren't great and definitely did not have table appeal.  Haha!  

 The Duo Fresko is definitely more sleek than the TJ's!  This grinder has good weight since it is stainless steel.  Having the chamber made of acrylic instead of glass, I don't have to worry about potential dangerous breakage.

The middle portion that holds the 2 chambers together is secure once you connect them.  I didn't think that each held enough product, but with how fine the grind is, there is plenty.  I had filled these up about 3 weeks ago and use them regularly.  I think if you did change to coarse, it may use more product.  The Fresko Duo is easy and comfortable to use, not to mention it saves space and time with both S&P together in one unit.  This isn't too big either like some grinders that are awkward to use.  Overall, I am pleased with the Fresko Duo and would recommend this if you;'re looking for a nicer looking grinder that is affordable.

Cost: $17.95 via Amazon and Prime is available

#Ozeri

This product was obtained through sent to me for review by Ozeri.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review.

Blue Apron Review - Week 12

I have been so busy the last few weeks that I have had to cancel out on Blue Apron.  This was one of the last ones I ordered and I even missed out on making one dish because I waited too long to cook it.  I really hate wasting food!

So happy to use banana leaf to steam!  Filipino cuisine uses banana leaves often for cooking and baking.  As my Mom calls it, "Nature's Foil."  I love the way rice cakes taste when baked in banana leaf.  This cod dish also had a great taste with a hint of banana leaf.  The rice had great flavors, but I would have liked to use a more sticky rice.  

This was my favorite dish, because I love gnocchi!  It was very rich and could have used a glass of wine with it.  Hee hee!  I made this for dinner one night for one of my besties and she enjoyed it as well!

Again, with how busy my schedule is, I have been taking a break from ordering.  I'll pick this back up again maybe in a few weeks, but for now, this will be it for Blue Apron at the moment!

Quorn Foods

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Another great brand that I had the opportunity to try out through Tomoson.  I had actually already tried the last product featured, but definitely wanted to include it in this review.  Quorn is a meat alternative that is soy free.  I was happy to finally see something that wasn't soy based because my GI can't handle a lot of soy products.  Even with a sensitivity to dairy, I still choose milk over soy milk in some of my coffee drinks since most of the bigger chains don't carry non-soy milk choices.  

Here is some info on Quorn that they provided in their product description.

Quorn Foods is the premier producer of meat alternative products worldwide. Based in the UK, our products have been sold in the US for about 12 years now. Quorn's products are made from a naturally occurring protein in the fungi family. The protein is harvested in the fermentation process similar to brewing beer. Because our products are soy-free, they're naturally non-GMO and have a superior taste and texture to other meat alternatives. Compared to meat, Quorn has about half the calories and fat yet is very high in fiber and protein. All products are frozen make a wonderfully easy, healthy substitution in all your favorite recipes. We're certain you'll love Quorn!

Emily from Quorn kindly sent me 3 coupons to choose the product of my liking.  I conveniently bought all the Quorn items at Target.

First up, the Chik'n Nuggets.  If you know me, my go to junk meal is a McD's Happy Meal with nuggets.  Aka Franken-nuggets.  

Take note that these products do contain eggs and wheat.  Not for those who are vegan and/or gluten-free.

I'm about heat and eat sometimes, especially if its a snack.  One serving is 4 nuggets.  That is a snack size to me!

Not the best to nuke your food, but its about convenience sometimes!

Not too bad looking.  The coloring is presentable and these tasted pretty good.  Mind you I did dip these in some ranch for flavor.  I would definitely purchase these again.

Next up, the Chik'n Cutlets.  I was so hungry when I prepared this, I decided to go the quick route again.  I think I would have had much better luck if I seasoned these and cooked them on the stove.

The coloring wasn't great after microwaving.  They had a cutlet appearance, but lacked a good brown coloring after.  The texture of these was a bit more spongier than the nuggets, maybe because of its larger size  

I added this to a salad mix and it was pretty good.  Gave me the protein I was looking for and to have a meat product to the plain salad.  I still have the other half of the package and will be testing this out again.

Last up, the Grounds.  Similar to ground meat, these can be used in a variety of ways.  Like I noted earlier, I had used these before in almost the same recipe.  Pasta with alfredo sauce.  I wanted something hearty to eat for lunch yesterday and now have leftovers for the week.

I did saute the grounds with some garlic prior to adding them to the sauce.  This gave the grounds a bit more flavor.

I also added 1/4 C of mozzarella cheese to make this creamier and it was delicious!  

Overall, I am definitely pleased with the Quorn products I tried.  I would like to see how these would work in some Filipino dishes and have my parents taste test to see if they like it.  While I do still eat red meat, poultry and seafood, this is a great product to include in mix.  Especially for my parents who should be eating less meat and be more plant based.  One drawback is the texture.  I don't mind it, but it may be something acquired to others.  Also, these products may not be easily found.  All the Targets around me carry these items and I have access to one 5 minutes away from me.  If you are having any issues or just want to check where you can find it in our area, take a look at their website http://www.quorn.com/.

#MyQuorn

This product was obtained through Tomoson.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review. 

They have returned...

Clawz baby!

No kids, no Crossfit, no partner mean I can have my nails back for a bit. At least a few months until I decide I want to go back to crossfit and start liftin heavy, then back to short they go.  For now, RAWR!

Oopsy! Ipsy February Glam Bag - Emite Make Up Professional Eye Lash Curler

Thankfully I didn't have any issues with mine.  I actually really like it compared to my Kevyn Aucoin curler.

Hello, We’re reaching out because you received the Emite Make Up Professional Eye Lash Curler in your February Glam Bag. Some curlers appear to be damaged and the clamp may be broken or misaligned. Most subscribers have not experienced this issue but we wanted to reach out to all ipsters who received this item so you’re aware and can exercise care when using the curler. Please check that your curler aligns properly prior to use. If the red rubber strip is missing, or if the red rubber strip is misaligned causing the two metal clamps to touch each other, the curler could potentially hurt your lashes and you should not use it. We’re sharing photos below so you can identify whether your curler is correctly aligned vs. misaligned. And remember to apply mascara after curling your lashes to avoid unnecessary tugging of those delicate hairs!

If you believe your curler is damaged or if you have any questions or concerns about your curler, please contact ipsyCare. We’re always happy to take care of you!

Beauty Mail: Memebox

Soothingsista x Memebox quad is here! 

BakeItFun Baking Mat

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I was excited to finally try a silicone baking mat.  Through Tomoson, I was given the chance to try one out from Bakeit Fun.  This non-stick silicone coated fiberglass mat is oven, microwave and frezer safe.  You can also clean this off in the dishwasher.  This half mat size, 11"x16.5" fits a 13"x18" pan. 

I wanted to try out a homemade cookie recipe and a pre-made recipe.  I did two batches one morning.  The homemade recipe was a sugar cookie and the other was a pre-made pack was one I picked up from Grocery Outlet. The Target OneSpot had this cute sugar set and it was only $3!  I also grabbed a cute double heart cookie cutter.  

The mat fit perfectly in a standard baking sheet.  The circles on the mat are for measuring circumference to detail, especially if you are making French macarons.  The numbered marks on each side are helpful for specific measurements.

First up to bake were these.  And let me say, these cookies are hella good.  I kept this to just two cookies after I baked.  Haha! 

What I really liked about this mat was the cookies just slid right off!  Some cookie recipes call for baking on an ungreased sheet, but then they're stuck.  There's so much waste when it comes to using foil and parchment paper.  With the Bakeit Fun mat, you bake and just wash and dry when you're done.  

The next batch were cute and fun Vday sugar cookies!  I think I made them too thick, but they turned out delicious.  No stuck cookies again, I was able to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack easily and these were perfect!

Another plus to the Bakeit Fun silicone baking mats is that they are BPA-Free.  I'm all about finding items that are safe!  

You can find this mat and other sizes on Amazon and Prime is available!

#siliconebakingmat

This product was obtained through Tomoson.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review.