Spicy Tofu Surprise

Happy February everyone!  To start February off I thought I'd post a recipe since it's been awhile.  So one day it was dinner time and I was hungry...(haha) there wasn't much in the fridge or pantry so I had to get creative.  I chopped, mixed, sprinkled, and sauteed to my inner chef's desire and came up with something I will call Spicy Tofu Surprise!  I took my first bite, gave myself a pat on the back and shoveled the rest in my mouth promptly!  To make sure I wasn't imagining the goodness of my dish, I made it again another night for my husband and he confirmed that it was worthy of a blog post.  SO here it is!

What you'll need (makes about 2 to 3 servings):

-1/2 a medium onion, chopped
-1/2 cup brown rice, cooked as instructed on box
-1 1/2 cups frozen carrots, thawed out
-3 slices of tofu (extra firm), about half inch each, then cubbed
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 oregano (I used dried but I suggest using fresh if you have it on hand)
-1/2 tsp parsley (again fresh would be better)
-1/2 tsp cumin
-2 pinches of garlic powder
-2 pinches of cayenne pepper (more or less if you like)
- salt
-pepper
-3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
-Red or White wine

(Sauteed mushrooms would also be good added into this as well)

Step 1:  Pour yourself a glass of wine and take a sip, cooking is much more fun this way!

Step 2: Pour olive oil in pan and turn stove to medium-high heat.

Step 3:  Add your onions and saute for about 2 minutes

Step 4:  Add tofu and saute for another 2 minutes

Step 5:  Add carrots, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, cayenne, and cumin.  Stir and saute for another 2 minutes.

Step 6:  Add cooked rice and spaghetti sauce and stir to mix everything together.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 7:  Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.

This is what your end product will look like, a little like mush, but GOOD mush!  Enjoy!

Lip Product Love

Hi Everyone!  So my only two New Years Resolution this year was to be less stressed and be a better blogger and I'm already failing miserably at both!  To be quite honest I just haven't been very inspired by much as of late.  I've gone on a no makeup buy until I use up some of my old products.  My cooking has been very unadventurous.  Hubby and I haven't gotten much QT (quality time) together recently and another semester of school has arrived! UGH!  I also blame my slump on the cold-ish weather, it really does make me unmotivated.  BUT enough with the whining...I was going through some of my stuff trying to get some ideas of a post and came across some oldie but goodie lip products.  Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains.

(L-R) 001 Honey, 025 Sweetheart, 040 Rendezvous, 030 Smitten

I picked one of these up probably six months or so ago and immediately went back to get more.  I'm a big fan of a bright lip but sometimes I feel like full on lipstick during the day can be a little too much which is why these are so perfect.  There marketed as a balm which I agree with as they are very moisturizing and a much lighter consistency than lipstick.  Another good thing about these is that they stain your lips so the color lasts  much longer without having to retouch every hour. 

There are 12 shades total,  ranging from light to dark colors.  As you can see they are fairly sheer but with a good color payoff.  I definitely recommend these if your curious about wearing a bright lip but are hesitant to make the leap.  As soon as my no makeup buy is other I will be purchasing more of these myself!

The A-Team

Makeup junkies get excited because this one is all about what I think is the MOST important part of any makeup routine, foundation!  I am always on the lookout for the perfect base and I have tried A LOT!  Of course I wish I was born with pore less skin with no discoloration and had no idea what a post pimple mark looked like but that's just not fair...or so that's what I tell myself.  Longevity is my number one requirement when it comes to foundation.  I'm not a touch up girl, if I put it on it better stay on.  I also don't want to feel like I'm wearing a mask, foundation mask look is scary ladies!  Through my quest I have found some stand out foundations that have stuck with me.

Here they are!

(Left to Right) Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation ($13.99),  Clinique Even Better Foundation SPF 15 ($27),  Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup ($35),  NARS Sheer Glow Foundation ($42), Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua ($45)

Revlon Colorstay Whipped is the foundation I use most on a daily basis.  The texture of this really freaked me out when I first got it because it's fairly thick but I learned that a little goes a long way.  I would say that this is medium coverage and the lasting power is amazing.  The other interesting thing about this foundation is when you first put it on it's not that impressive but I notice that after about an hour of wear it started to really melt into my skin and make my skin look smooth and pore less.  I would say the finish of this is a semi-matte but still looks very natural.  The few cons I have for this is the chunky glass bottle it comes in, it's just not practical.   The other is the color selection, I find that Revlon foundations just don't cater to yellow undertones all that well.

Clinique Even Better Foundation is the newest addition to my collection.  I picked this up after seeing it on someone else who's skin looked so gorgeous and glowing, I had to have it of course!  I love the finish of this foundation the most.  It's just slightly dewy without making me look oily.  I find a little of this goes a long way as well and it does really well at cover any spots or redness.  If your skin is a little on the drier side and looking dull I think this foundation would work best for you.  The only con I have on this one is that it's too dark for me to where right now!

Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid  is my go to foundation for the summer.  This foundation is so light weight and when it's hot outside it's perfect.  Nothing worse than feeling like a pound of makeup is sliding off your face in the summer heat!  Even though it's light weight the coverage still manages to be pretty decent.  This foundation blends really well into the skin, giving a your skin but better finish.  I would say this works best for someone with pretty good skin already that's just looking to even their skintone.  Con for this one is coverage, I wish it had just a tiny bit more.

NARS Sheer Glow is always the foundation I reach for on a night out or special occasion.  NARS brand of makeup is hands down my favorite and this foundation is no exception to that.  It's glowing, with the right amount of coverage, and manages to blur out imperfections.  When I want a really perfected base this never lets me down.  I rarely have to spot conceal on blemishes if I wear this, which is a big plus for me too.  They also have a Sheer Matte version of this if you are on the oily side or just like a matte finish.  The con I have with this is that sometimes I feel like it can be too heavy for the daytime.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua....hello CHANEL!  Almost every beauty blogger and makeup guru as raved about this foundation and rightfully so.  I actually don't wear this foundation too often but I am in love.  This is very similar to the Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid because they are both extremely light weight on the skin.  I don't even know how to describe the finish it gives...  It just gives your skin this really flawless but natural look.  I was blown away by the effect it gave.  Unfortunately the cons I have for this foundation are what keeps me from wearing it more often.  The first is the smell...all Chanel foundations have this floral like scent, it's not unpleasant but I personally just hate when foundations have a fragrance, I don't get it. Because my skin does not respond well to fragranced products I breakout if I use this too often.  BIG BUMMER!

A couple weeks of life in pictures

Pic 1:  I buckled down and finally cleaned out and organized my closet.  There is no telling how long it will stay this way.  Pic 2:  Finals week, so glad it's over.  Pic 3:  I've been helping my husband out with candied pecans he is selling.  I would buy these just for the way they make your house smell. YUM.   Pic 4:  Zoya Nail Polish in FeiFei, LOVE this!  Pic 5:  Our Christmas Tree was looking a little sad this year, thank goodness for cell phone picture apps!  Pic 6:  I discovered soy lattes, where have you been all my life?!  Pic 7:  I will NEVER be without these shoes, I have 2 pairs of the same ones and they were only $15!  Pic 8:  It's rare to find Penny Lane not running around looking for trouble, let alone napping in the middle of the day BUT lookey lookey here! haha.  Pic 9:  Got a haircut, went short...again.

Candy Cane Nails

Since Christmas is just 26 days away why not post a Christmas inspired nail art.  Enjoy!

What you will need:

Nail Polish Remover, Cotton Balls or Swabs, Clear Coat Nail Polish, Light Pink or White Nail Polish, Red Nail Polish, Tape, and Scissors.

1st Step:  Coat your nails with a the clear coat polish, I find this helps a little with the lasting power of nail polish.

2nd Step:  After clear coat is dry take your red polish and paint all of your fingers EXCEPT your ring finger on each hand.  Use has many coats as you prefer.  Then take light pink or white polish and paint ring finger on each hand.  Let them dry COMPLETELY!

3rd Step:  Take a piece of tape and cut 3 small strips, don't stress if they are no all exactly alike..  Place these strips at a diagonal as evenly passed as you can across your ring finger.  Repeat this on the other side as well.  Make sure these are taped on securely so they don't slip or move.

 

4th Step:   Take your red polish and paint over your taped ring fingers, try to use very thin coats.  

 

5th Step:  Let them dry for a good 20 minutes and then slowly peel off each strip of tape.  Clear coat over your nails (if you like) and you should have a candy cane effect!

 

If you really have the time and patience this would look even more festive on all of your fingernails!  Or maybe with green and red for more Christmas effect! 

Quick Update

Life update...I'm not sure why I do updates because I've come to realize that I am a creature of habit and routine.  Not much changes = keeps me a happy girl.  So a few months back I posted a blog about me trying out a vegetarian diet, here's a run down of how it's been going.

There are a lot of positive things that vegetarianism has brought.  I have been much less bloated, less tired, have discovered some really good recipes, grocery bills have been a little bit cheaper, and I haven't contributed to killing innocent animals.  BUT there are also some downfalls to it as well.  The first I noticed was my skin, I have had more breakouts in the last 3 months than I have in a really long time.  Although I have felt much healthier, I have also noticed that even with 3 meals a day I never feel full which leads to the 3rd downfall.  I have put on 6 pounds in 3 months.  UGH.  So...I had a "girl" moment and it went a little like this in my head, " OH MY GOD, am I really going to sacrifice my figure to make a point, what is my butt going to look like if I keep this up another 3 months?...Amber don't be such a girl about it, it's just the exterior, Bambi doesn't care what your butt looks like, it's only 6 pounds anyways!"  (Yea I know you've had one of those moments too.)  So to make me and my internal animal rights activist happy I'm going to make a compromise.  I'm going to continue to stick to a mostly vegetarian diet but I'm not going to torture myself if I decide to have a turkey sandwich.

On to the next...my husband and I took a little trip to Gatlinburg, TN last weekend and met his sister who drove up from Alabama.  We had a really good time, lots of relaxing and catching up.  Every time my husband and I make a trip to Alabama or Tennessee to see family I love the mountains and the people and I always wonder if I could live in the country.  It's not until we get home that I realize that I prefer the noise over the quiet and maybe I even sort of like the fact that I'm not always going to run into the same people at the grocery store every week. Our weekend in Gatlinburg also made me realize that if I were stranded on a deserted island with only 2 people, my husband and sister in law would have to be my best choices.  There is never a shortage of laughing around both of them.

Well that's really about it since my last post... Hope everyone has a good week!

Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!  I really do love Halloween.  This apparently wasn't always the case.  My mom says that when I was little I would get all dressed up in my costume to go trick or treating and then want to go back home after visiting just a few houses.  Too tired and probably too cold, I was a smart girl, lol.  While I've long passed the appropriate age for trick or treating, dressing up and creating a character is my favorite.  Last year for Halloween my husband and I had no real plans until the last minute so we searched through our closets and threw some face paint on.  This year we decided to go to this thing in Columbus called Halloween Highball with a group of friends, so I wanted to go all out.  I was a Mad Hatter and PJ was Beetlejuice. 

We saw so many amazing costumes while we were out!  So many ideas for next year!  Happy Halloween!