Category: Blog

What is Your Morning Beauty Routine?

Megan2 Comments
Many of us have our morning rituals and if that schedule somehow is affected it ruins our entire day. Okay, well maybe that’s a little dramatic but I think you all can relate to me. Simply put, we are creatures of habit.About a year ago I was searching for a shampoo that was safe and effective. I knew I wanted a product that would moisturize and add volume, a product that did not have harsh and toxic chemicals, and a product that would not further damage my hair and leave it flat and frizzy.

Was that too much to ask?!?!k here to edit.

At last, I found Alba Botanica. This shampoo met all of my criteria. I can not say enough GREAT things about Alba Botanical Hawaiian Shampoo.First of all who doesn’t LOVE coconut let’s just get that out there, well unless you don’t, then I apologize!

​My hair felt better after about a week of using my amazing new find. I could physically see that my hair looked nourished. I was delighted, my hair didn’t go flat by the afternoon nor did it get frizzy half way through the day.

Naturally, if I like one product from a company and I feel like it has helped me then I will have a strong affinity toward the companies’ other products; the halo effect.

I have tried two variations of the microbead body wash; Grapefruit and Expresso & Coffee Bean. Aside from the distinct differences in smells, both are amazing at noticeably removing the dried skin from my body.
I have noticed that my legs and back have really benefited from the use of my Alba Botanical. When I apply lotion after my shower, the lotion actually absorbs into my skin rather than just lying on the surface and not actually penetrating.
These Alba Botanical products have been a wonderful find and swear by them for my morning routine!
For me, the Acne Dote face and body scrub are also a wonderful product. I only use it for my face, but love that the little micro beads (yes they are safe for the environment) leave my face feeling cleaner, smoother and less dry. The beads sweep the dry skin and make-up off my face. I noticed that when I am applying my daily face cream it absorbs even better. 

When I use Alba Botanical Acne Dote to take my makeup off, I really feel that the makeup is off my skin and my face can breathe again.

Let me know if you have tried these products and are equally as obsessed with this company as I am!!  Cheers!

 

Cilantro Beef Nachos

MeganLeave a comment

PictureCilantro! I can NOT say enough great things about this AMAZING herb! Besides, Basil and Italian Flat-Leafed Parsley, Cilantro ranks right up there as a top favorite. So you might be asking yourself ‘What exactly is cilantro?’

Cilantro and Coriander are names to two different parts of the same plant. Cilantro is the citrusy leaves and Coriander are the light brown seeds used for spices in cooking. Cilantro (green leaves) gives your food that extra pizzazz by enhancing the flavor of your food without adding extra calories!

Cilantro has many healthy benefits including high amount of antioxidants, Vitamins A, C, K, and Manganese. One of the beneficial properties of consuming Cilantro is its’ ability to help cleanse the body of toxic metals. Toxic chemicals are literally all around us but if there is something as simple as adding cilantro to a meal to help aid in the detoxification process that will help cleanse our bodies of those toxic metals, you better believe that I am all for it. However, I always like to note, that the build up of these toxic metals takes years to build up and consuming foods like cilantro sporadically, won’t automatically cleanse you, BUT it’s a start in the right direction. In some of my blog posts, I like to include nutritional information to help you to learn and for you to be aware of what foods, or in this case herbs, you eat that have the potential, to make an impact in your life.

Well, enough chit chat on to the recipe! This is Nachos…healthified! My version of nachos I use lean organic meat, corn, fresh tomatoes with hot green chilies, organic black beans, and plenty of hot sauce to add a punch and many tears…of flavor!!! Plus, this version of nachos is naturally gluten-free which for me is a HUGE plus!! =)

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe!
Cheers!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. of lean ground beef (organic lean ground beef is optional)
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 cans of tomato and green chilies
  • 1-2 cans of black beans
  • 2 cups frozen corn
  • 1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup of hot sauce of your choice I prefer Arizona Pepper Products Jalapeno Sauce

Directions:

  1. Sauté in a pan 1 small onion chopped and cook until translucent
  2. Add the ground beef and stir until cooked.  Turn down the stove temperature to low heat.
  3. I usually add the hot sauce to the cooked ground beef to start flavoring the meat.
  4. I then drain my canned tomatoes and green chilies and add to them to the meat 
  5. Thoroughly drain and rinse the black beans and add to the pot
  6. Add your frozen corn and stir.
  7. Add the rest of the hot sauce and then some if you like it really spicy!
  8. The add your amazing Cilantro and stir it so everything is blended.

Valentine’s Day Craft!

MeganLeave a comment
Hello friends!

Hope you all are doing well! As you all know Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I wanted to share this fun and really easy craft project that you can do in literally less than an hour. Unless, you have little ones then it may be a bit longer.

This craft project was less than $5 to make!

So I had a few picture frames in my craft room box and really wanted to make something cute and functional that can be displayed beyond say Valentine’s Day. Using a few bags of river rock left over from our wedding and thought this might be the look I’m trying to get. So here it is!

Picture

 
Supplies:
  1. 1 bag of river rock
  2. 1 bottle of mod podge
  3. 1 picture frame
  4. White paint (optional)

Directions:

  1. I removed the glass from the picture frame, (I hope to use this for a later project,) and painted the hard cardboard in the frame a distressed white. I let it dry completely. Now, paint the bakround white or any color (you could even paint the background of the heart a different color too it depends on the look you are going for). I wanted my heart picture to look rustic.
  2. I lightly traced a heart shape so that I was about to get the heart shape I wanted. I actually dipped each one of the rocks in the mod podge because I really wanted the rocks to stick to the paint and not fall off…like ever. In this step if you go outside of the lightly traced line that is fine. The rocks edges can give the heart edge a rugged look that doesn’t look like a perfect heart.
  3. Once I completed the heart with the river rocks I lightly brushed mod podge over the entire heart because it will keep everything in place. Plus, mod podge will dry clear!
  4. I finally placed the dried cardboard with the heart river rock back in the picture frame and viola!

I hope you have fun making this heart that can be placed in your home for Valentine’s Day and beyond!