diy at home pampering

March 8, 2016

This spring weather has me itching to get rid of the old and freshen up the existing.. which includes my skin. Last night I was scouring the internet for a mask that I could try and then review. I found a few (that I would love to try), but then it dawned on me that I already had mask ready items in my kitchen. So no amazon shopping for me this day. (There’s always tomorrow!)

I often forget about some of the at home beauty treatments I have posted. It’s a shame because I really love a lot of these (especially the lemon scrub and grapefruit mask). If you have forgotten about them too let’s refresh together with some of the ones perfect for this time of year:

030816_pampering1Grapefruit Mask/2Lemon Facial Scrub/3Banana Oatmeal Mask/4Lemon & Green Tea Green Tea Face Mask/5Avocado Banana Hair Mask/6Blueberry Smoothie Face Mask

Have a favorite diy treatment or pre-made mask you are using? Would love to know all about them! Comment below!

xoxo,

brandyjsig

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it’s like spring, but still winter

March 7, 2016

Today was one of those days that was jammed packed with appointments and things to do…and the funny thing is, I loved every single second of it. I was having a “check what things I have done” sort of attitude instead of a “look at all the things I have to do” one. Whatever got into me hopefully sticks around for a long long time. [I wish I could say it was the hat but I wear them almost everyday so we can rule that out.]

Black Tee, Hat, Ankle Boots Black Tee, Hat, Ankle BootsThis winter has definitely been a strange one. Couple days of winter.. followed by 5 days to a week of early spring has been the pattern since the 1st of the year. I am certainly not complaining, especially now that spring is officially near. (Even though I have a pair of beautiful snow boots feeling neglected.) But it has been odd to romp around in a jacket as opposed to a parka for the past couple of months.

This is another go-to, nothing out of my comfort zone sort of look. That black tee guys… good golly is it fabulous. And those booties are crazy comfortable. Hats are obviously a favorite necessity of mine. Might be because I wash my hair like once a decade. If you think I look awful in them, please save my soul and keep that dreadful info to yourself. I have a deep routed relationship with my hats and I am not sure I would survive the heartbreak.

Black Tee, Hat, Ankle Boots Black Tee, Hat, Ankle Boots|WEARING| military jacket similar/H&M black tee/hat similar/jeans similar/boots similar

Cheers to busy Mondays that don’t suck!

xoxo,

brandyjsig

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avocado tuna salad

March 3, 2016

Avocado Tuna SaladTuna salad was one of my favorites as a child. Mix canned tuna with a little Miracle Whip and chopped celery and I would be ready with wheat bread in hand.

My palette has refined a bit since then, but I still love me some tuna salad… except now I swap out the salad dressing for plain yogurt, and the bread almost always has to be toasted. It’s an easy lunch that satisfies me 100%. Even though the recipe has changed it still takes me back to those simpler days.

This version is basically my go to tuna salad recipe except I add avocado because.. it’s avocado. And because it is excellent in my egg salad so why wouldn’t it be excellent here?

Avocado Tuna Salad Avocado Tuna SaladSandwiches are certainly one of the food world’s greatest inventions. Layers upon layers of flavors and textures in between soft, yet chewy bread. There’s nothing I don’t love about that. When it comes to tuna sandwiches I have to have the classic 3 toppings – lettuce, tomato and pickles. I know some people put relish in their tuna salad making the pickle topping not so necessary… but I much prefer my pickle to stand alone.

I also like bread with Mickey Mouse toasted into it like a branded cow. Can you find the hidden Mickey in any of these images? First one to find him gets nothing. (Sorry.)

Avocado Tuna SaladUnlike me, Jettie is not a fan of tuna salad. Her dad however thinks it’s fantastic. We have shared many a lunch devouring these sandwiches and I am sure will eat many more.

What is your favorite classic sandwich from childhood?

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

avocado tuna salad
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1 can tuna, drained
  • ¼cup mayo or plain yogurt
  • 1tsp dijon mustard
  • ¼tsp crushed red pepper flake
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • ¼ medium red onion, chopped
  • 2tbsp minced flat leaf parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place the avocado in a bowl and put lemon juice and sea salt on top. Mash with fork.
  2. Toss tuna, mayo or yogurt, mustard, red pepper flake, celery, red onion and parsley in the bowl with mashed avocado. Combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. I like it on toasted wheat bread with pickles, romaine lettuce and sliced tomato.

Avocado Tuna Salad
Posted in healthy eats, recipes, seafood | Tagged | 1 Comment

carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

March 2, 2016

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese FrostingThere are those people who are always going to go for the carrot cake over all other cakes.

I am one of those people.

Some of them even like their carrot cake laced with raisins.

That would be me.

Nuts?

Give me the nuts.

Anything other than cream cheese frosting?

Well, then it wouldn’t be carrot cake now would it?

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese FrostingWithout a doubt I am some sort of carrot cake addict. It started very early in life and has continued to take over as the years pass. For this very reason I have only attempted to make my own official, double layer carrot cake once before. And it was dreadful. Dry, bland, yuck. Not my idea of good cake in any way, shape or form.

Now that I have more baking experience under my belt I thought why not. The worst that could happen would be dry cake and hey, at least I’d save the calories.

The results? The bad news is my waistline is going to get the brunt of this recipe. The good news is this cake is AMAZING!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese FrostingThis version was adapted ever so slightly from one of my favorite blogs, Two Peas and Their Pod. I added a touch of ginger because where there is carrot there should be ginger, at least in my world. I also cut the oil in half and replaced it with unsweetened applesauce. Much to my delight this cake still came out soft like pillow and incredibly moist. And the cream cheese frosting with a touch of lemon….. to. die. for.

It may be called carrot cake but let’s be real…it is sinful with all that sugar and cream cheese. But it’s so so so good, and even better the next day. I am more than alright with a little extra treadmill time just so I can devour my favorite cake.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
 
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Prep time
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Total time
 
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • For the cake:
  • 2cups all purpose flour
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp baking soda
  • 1tsp kosher salt
  • 2tsp cinnamon
  • ¼tsp nutmeg
  • ¼tsp ground ginger
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2cups granulated sugar
  • 1tsp vanilla
  • ½cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½cup vegetable oil
  • 2cups shredded carrots (I used 3 medium carrots)
  • ¼cup chopped pecans (optional)
  • ¼cup raisins
  • For the frosting:
  • ½cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 8oz cream cheese room temperature
  • 5cups powdered sugar
  • 1tbsp lemon
  • ½tsp vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven 350ºF. Butter and flour 2 9" round cake pans.
  2. Put flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
  3. Place eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until combined. Add sugar and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add vanilla and combine. In a slow steady stream on low speed add the applesauce and then the oil until well incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. You will want to stop mixing just before all the flour is incorporated. Very important not to overmix.
  4. Fold in the carrots, nuts and raisins. Divide evenly between the cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans on wire rack for 15 mintues. Run knife along the side before removing cakes from pan. Allow cakes to continue to cool completely on wire rack.
  5. While cake is cooling place butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until well incorporated. About 2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar (switching between low and medium as to not make a giant mess) and beat until well combined and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and vanilla, beat until incorporated.
  6. Place on cake flat side up on a cake stand. Spoon half the frosting on top and spread evenly. Place the other cake flat side up on top of that. Spoon the remaining frosting on top and spread evenly.
  7. Store in a cake stand fitted with dome for 2 to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

 recipe very slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Posted in Easter, recipes, something sweet | Tagged | Leave a comment

foundation and brush review

March 1, 2016

I’ve got 2 products that I have been using for a couple of weeks now and my results (thus far) are extremely positive…

Tarte Amazonian Clay ReviewLet’s start with Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation.

First off, this stuff breathes like a dream. This is absolutely no exaggeration either guys. Yes, it is full coverage, and by every sense of the meaning of the phrase “full coverage” it should feel like there’s a little something on your face. But it doesn’t… and that’s magic.

What about that full coverage? On me it is true to it’s statement. Lasting coverage on my somewhat combination skin (although this time of year it’s far more tame if not on the dry side). It’s a very buildable blend as well. A small pea size goes a long way, a larger pea will get you through an evening on the town done up right. It also happens to have SPF15. [Sunscreen always gets a plus in my book]

As far as applying above dream foundation I am crushing on this guy:

Real Techniques Foundation Brush ReviewReal Techniques Foundation Brush.

If you get one, you will be out a whopping $6.44. Thank you makeup gods.

I have seen beauty bloggers talk, and use, and basically crush allover this brush so I had to give it a go. [Especially at that price!] There are recommended tutorials on how exactly to apply your foundation with this tool, ones that I am sure are incredibly helpful and more than likely something I will watch someday. But for now I squeeze that pea size of Tarte on my hand, dip the brush in and start swirling all over my face.

The brush is super soft and feels amazing on the skin. I love the way it distributes the foundation, especially in tough blending areas. While I cannot report on the long haul of this brush I can say for now I am canning my other foundation tools and solely using this guy. He’s a steal of a keeper.

Do you have a favorite foundation and/or foundation brush? Please share as I am sure my skin will change in the next 6 months and I will once again be on the foundation hunt.

xoxo,

brandyjsig

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