Hearty Quinoa Salad

Quinoa - Pronounced "Keen-Wah" is native to South America and was considered the "Gold of the Inca's"; eaten by Warriors to increase their stamina. Although people consider it a grain, it's actually a seed that is relative to the spinach family. When it is cooked, Quinoa has is very fluffy, has a slight crunch (almost like caviar) and a light nutty flavour. Not only is Quinoa delicious but it is packed full of Protein, Magnesium, Fiber and Maganese and Copper (minerals that act as antioxidants in your body). I'm not a nutritionist, but you can trust when I say that Quinoa is a health food champ.

Quinoa is a major staple in our home so in this post I am going to explain how to cook Quinoa and will be sharing our favourite salad recipe with you.

To begin with, you can purchase Quinoa at in any health section of any grocer. I purchase mine at the Bulk Barn because I find that buying it in bulk is much cheaper than purchasing it from the grocery store, but where you purchase it is entirely up to you.

Some say that you should soak for up to 8 hours before cooking but the Quinoa that is purchased in North America doesn't generally require soaking. I just rinse mine thoroughly through a strainer and cook immediately.

To Cook:

1 Cup of Quinoa

1 1/2 Cups of Water

Note: Double the batch by using 2 cups of Quinoa to 3 cups of water.

After rinsing, place the Quinoa in a large pot (lid off) and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, stir, put a tight fitting lid on the pot and turn the heat down to low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes until all of the water is gone and you see little dimples on the top of the Quinoa much like you do when you cook rice. Remove from heat, fluff with a spoon and voila! It's that simple.

Hearty Quinoa Salad:

1 double batch of Quinoa (2 cups Quinoa to 3 cups water)

1 Can of Black Beans
2 Cups of Frozen Corn

2 Cups of Cherry Tomatoes

2 Limes
5 or 6 Green Onions (long stem)

1 Avocado

Cilantro to taste
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper (if you wish)

Place the Quinoa into a large bowl. Rinse and drain the Black Beans thoroughly and add to Quinoa.

Microwave the Corn for 1 minute (I cook mine for 1:11 mins because I am OCD like that) and place into bowl with Quinoa and Beans. Cut Cherry Tomatoes into quarters, slice Green Onions, dice Avocado and add to bowl. Chop as much Cilantro as you wish to use and add to bowl as well. Squeeze in the juice of two limes (or 1 lime if you prefer) and drizzle some EVOO over top. Mix well and serve.

This batch is going to make a helluvalot of salad but it will last you a few days in your fridge in an air tight container and is perfect for snacks, lunches, and dinner side dishes. Ours never goes to waste!

Again, super simple and delicious! C'est Bon!

Do you have a favourite Quinoa recipe that you could share?

xTx

Gain That Indomitable Will!

I didn't plan on writing this post at all especially right now given that I am in the middle of making quinoa salad but I wanted to share something with all of you.

If you know me personally, you know that I have been working out regularly; solo and with a personal trainer. I haven't drank any soda or juice since December 7th. I eat extremely healthy (although I had like, 12 french fries [because I refuse to deny myself of something if I want it] on Friday that made me really sick to my stomach; assumed from the grease since I do not eat any greasy foods). And I'm on a total fitness kick.

Since I started working out in January the only thing that I have gained is energy, strength, better sleeping habits, better eating habits and a whole lot of will power.

I have lost two things (in the absolute following order):

1. That guilty feeling.

2. Pounds.

The guilty feeling is no longer because I'm taking my butt to the gym and hitting the cardio and weight machines. I really hate cardio (a lot) but that's just too bad. I hate feeling guilty much more than I hate cardio. Once I'm done my work out, my body feels amazing and I can carry on with my day or evening knowing that I did my body good. Although cardio and I are enemies; weight training is my BFF. I have never weight trained before until this year, never thought that I would and definitely never thought that I would say that I love it. The last thing that I want to be is muscular (only toned) but training is a ridiculous amount of fun!!

Even when you don't want to work out and would rather sit down on your computer, watching a movie or even reading a book - Go work it out. I know way too many women who want to get fit and talk about it constantly but don't go out to do it. I was one of those women. Notice the past tense?

Maybe you don't want to lose weight, you just want to tone. Maybe you just want more energy. Is it that you do want to shed some inches? Or push your body into a healthier state? Whatever your goal, whatever your wish, put the negative aside that is stopping you and get to it.

No one can help you do it. Sure, people can support you and work with you but you are the only person that can achieve it.

Gain the willpower to change your habits. Gain control over your thoughts. Gain the confidence in yourself.

I have decided that my goal for the Month of March will be to work out every single day and lose 11 more pounds. Why don't you set a goal for yourself and join me?

You can do it if you really want it and, girl, you know you want it.

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." 

 Mahatma Gandhi

xTx

Healthy Mexican Fiesta Chicken Wraps

Tonight we had a little Mexican Fiesta. Chili spiced chicken, creamy guacamole, sauteed veggies and salsa. It was almost as spicy as a party during Cinco de Mayo in Detroit's Mexican Town. Well, not quite but the food was good. And healthy!

So sorry but I didn't take pictures so you will have to use your imagination for this recipe.

If you don't have all of the ingredients that I list, get creative and use what you have. I will give you some substitution ideas at the end of this post but in the meantime, I will list exactly what I used.

Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts Diced
4 Large Mushrooms Sliced
1 Red Pepper Diced
1 Green Baby Zucchini Sliced
5 Stems of long Green Onions
2 Avocados
3 Tablespoons of No Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
4 tablespoons (divided into two) of no fat Balsamic Vinaigrette
Garlic Powder (as much as you'd like)
Thyme or Basil (if you'd like)
Chili Powder (as much as you'd like)
Sea Salt and Pepper
Salsa (Mild El Paso is our fav)
Whole Wheat Tortilla's
Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese (optional)

Place 2 tablespoons of the dressing into pan with chicken, shake on some garlic powder (I use a lot), thyme or basil, a bit of pepper and cook thoroughly on medium-high with lid on to sweat all of the juices out. I can't stand juicy meat so I always over-cook the bird. I'm sure you know how to cook chicken, so do yo thang and cook it how you like. Just before it's done (I prefer golden brown edges) add the chili powder, a couple tablespoons of water, stir and cook until all of the water is gonzo.

In another pan, or pot, or wok, or whatever add the other 2 tablespoons of dressing and the red peppers. Cook on medium until they start to soften. Once the peppers are slightly soft, toss in the mushrooms and put a lid on the pan so that the juices from the mushrooms sweat out. Once they are close to being done, add the zucchini (lid still on), sweat them out and then add the green onions. Cook until veggies are soft.

While the Chicken and Veggies are cooking, de-pot (which is what I call it) the avocado's and place in a bowl. Mash them up with a fork and add in the plain Greek yogurt. Stir, stir, mash, mash. Sprinkle in a bit of sea salt and pepper and you're done.

Place a tortilla on a plate, add some guacamole for glue, chicken, veggies, salsa and a bit of cheese, wrap it up and eat!!

Healthy and soooooo Yummy!!

Substitutions:

If you don't have balsamic vinaigrette, use some Italian dressing or mix up some EVOO, a bit of vinegar and spices.

If you don't have any Greek yogurt, mix equal parts of no/low fat mayonnaise and no/low fat sour cream with your avocado. You could even dice up some tomatoes and sprinkle in some fresh lemon juice for a more authentic guacamole.

Cook up whatever veggies you have - Onions, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, eggplant, or even spinach!

No chicken in your freezer? Use beef or shrimp!

No tortilla's? Use pitas or flat bread!

I find that people tend to follow recipes the same way that they follow directions to an unknown destination. They often become afraid that if they fall of the recipe track that what they are cooking won't turn out. I can honestly say that getting lost in my recipe kitchen has always ended up in a delicious adventure. I personally think that I suck at baking because I have a really hard time following the directions of a recipe. I like to break the rules and improvise when I cook and unfortunately there is no improvisation in baking. Hence the reason that I am a terrible baker but a (self-proclaimed) amazing cook.

So get creative and fiesta, my lovelies!

xTx

President's Choice Greek Yogurt

Before I go to bed I wanted to share a product with you that I am absolutely in love with. When I say I'm in love, I mean, literally - I love this product so much that if it put a ring on my finger, I would have to say "YES"! It's so, so, so good. 

President's Choice Greek Yogurt.

Three syllables.

OH - EM - GEE!

As I mentioned, I started training a bit ago and my Trainer (who I refer to as Momma Joe) insists that I eat carbs during the day before I head to the gym for my hour long training session and a whole lot of protein after. Normally I eat chicken after I train but after a suggestion from Momma Joe I have discovered the beauty of Greek Yogurt.

I have tried a couple of different types but the President's Choice Greek Yogurt is by far my favourite. It's about $3.99 per tub and can be purchased at the Independent Grocer or (I'm sure) any other store that sells President's Choice products.

It's so thick and creamy and so delicious! Not overly sweet, bitter or thin like most yogurt's. Not only does it taste wonderful but 3/4 of a cup of the vanilla flavoured yogurt is packed full of 18 grams of protein (that is almost as much protein as a steak and a perfect after-training snack!!), only 160 calories, 23 carbs and ZERO fat. That's right! ZEEEEROOOO FAT!

The vanilla and honey flavours are my favourite and quite frankly, I don't think that I will ever eat another type of yogurt again.

You must try some! Guilt free!

xTx

Chicken & Broccoli 1 Pot Meal

I stopped drinking soda's and juice on December 7th, 2011 and haven't looked back. This was a huge step for me given that most of the fluids that I used to take in on a daily basis were juices and ginger ale. Now I only drink water, herbal tea and coffee (normally one or two a day with milk). 

I started training with a Personal Trainer a few weeks ago and since doing so, we have been creating really great low fat recipes. If I told you that we didn't use anything white I would be lying because along with brown sugar we do use white sugar in our coffee and tea; but we don't use anything else that is "white".

Our staples consist of whole wheat pastas and rice which we only eat a couple times a week (that is as starchy as we get), rye bread, chicken, turkey, lean beef, a ton of veggies, fruits, regular mustard, dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and pepper.

Since my training began I have managed to drop 15lbs - Which I am very excited about!!

We eat a lot which is nice lol. We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and snack in between breakfast/lunch and lunch/dinner, trying not to eat anything after dinner. Eating a low fat small meal or hearty snack every couple of hours helps to keep your metabolism up which in turn helps to burn more calories and fat. Trust me, I'm not a nutrition expert or Personal Trainer but I'm very fortunate to train with a woman who is a Registered Nurse and fitness guru. She is my amazing source of information regarding all things healthy.

Tonight we threw together a really good meal in a matter of about 20 minutes and we only used 1 pot. I would say that this pot of goodness made about 8 portions (maybe more) because we have a ton left over for lunches and probably dinner tomorrow. 

3 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts - Diced
2 Bunches (6 stems) of Broccoli (we always use extra broccoli because Baby Girl loves it so much)

1 Red Bell Pepper - diced

1 1/2 Cups of Sprouts
1/4 Cup Fat Free Italian Dressing
2 Cups Instant Brown Rice
2-3 Cups of Water

As much Garlic Powder or Fresh Garlic that you choose

1/4 Cup of Cashews (Clearly not low fat but optional)

Pour Italian Dressing and diced Chicken Breast into large pot and cook on medium-high until done.

Add Garlic Powder or freshly chopped Garlic, Water and boil on high.

Add the Brown Rice, Sprouts, Bell Pepper, Broccoli and optional Cashews.

Cook on medium-low with lid on until all water is absorbed.

Serve! (You could sprinkle on a bit of sea salt and pepper to taste if you'd like)

We had this meal with a Baby Spinach Salad topped with thinly sliced apples, mushrooms and a few rye croutons. As per normal, I made the dressing from olive oil, dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar. Delish!

I <3 1 pot meals!

I hope you all have a great week!

xTx

Five ★ Sunday - Malibu C Scalp Wellness Shampoo and Conditioner

When I think of Malibu, California I let my mind take me away with thoughts of crystal blue water, rolling white waves, warm sand between my toes, the smell of salty sweet air with hints of coconut tanning oil, pineapple rum drinks with little pink umbrellas and my hair blowing on a warm beachy breeze. Although I have never been to Malibu I have had the opportunity to travel to California quite a few times in my life and I must admit, I absolutely love it there. Cali sounds so dreamy right now given the crisp white snow and slick ice that I can see from my office window. Cheers to our Canadian winters - *sigh*.

With our Canadian winters comes dry, itchy skin that requires a lot of attention. Keeping my skin fresh and hydrated is something that I ensure to do all year long. Not only do I care for my hands, arms, legs and feet but I also care about my scalp. Fortunately I don't suffer from a scalp condition but it's really important to me that I keep my scalp healthy for the growth and life of my hair. For this, from Malibu, California comes the Malibu C Scalp Wellness System Kit of Shampoo and Conditioner.

To start with, this shampoo is absolutely divine. Like most people (I'm sure?) I always wash my hair two times when I am in the shower. The first time is what I like to refer to as the surface clean. The second wash is the deep clean. If you're like me, you will find that no matter what shampoo you use, the lather during the surface clean is never as thick and foamy as you like. Shampoo's always seem to lather thicker during the second wash once you have cleaned the surface of your hair and scalp. That's definitely not the case with this shampoo. The Scalp Wellness Shampoo is so thick and creamy, even during the surface clean. The deep clean is a whole other story! The super clean feeling that my scalp and hair is left with immediately after washing is simply out of this world.

Now, the conditioner - So, so cashmere creamy. It doesn't weigh my hair down and all I am left with is silky soft and smooth, shiny, shiny (did I mention shiny?) locks from root to tip! After I use this conditioner, I can literally run my fingers through my hair to comb it out while it is still wet, which is not something that I am usually able to do unless I deep condition.

Not only does the Scalp Wellness shampoo and conditioner define all things good for my scalp and hair but it smells like spearmint gum which I love!

The Malibu C Scalp Wellness shampoo and conditioner are not only specially designed to control and prevent many scalp issues but they are 100% vegan. They aren't 99.9% vegan, they are 100% vegan.

They are sulfate-free and full of vitamin E, plant based proteins, aloe and many other delicious ingredients that our scalp and hair require for health and longevity. 

If that isn't enough, my two other favourite perks about the Scalp Wellness system is that it's so gentle it is perfect to use on babies (assisting with cradle cap) and the shampoo can also double as a body wash to help prevent dry skin. 

Having said that the shampoo can be used as a body wash, I will confess that I used the conditioner to shave my legs. When I got out of the shower, my legs were so soft that I didn't bother putting cream on them. I love that!

So, if you're craving a trip to Malibu but aren't able to make it there, I suggest that you take your hair on a minty trip to Malibu instead. Lounge back in the warm sun, watch the waves, sip on your umbrella drink and feel your pretty hair blow in the salty sweet breeze. But don't forget to pack your Malibu C Scalp Wellness shampoo and conditioner!

xTx

A special thanks to Malibu C for taking such great care of my hair! Not only are the products amazing but the very dedicated people behind the products are too!

DIY - Re-vamped Melamine Bookshelves

My first Chalk Paint bookshelf is complete. Below are some pictures of my new beauty!

Here you have the ugliest melamine "wood" in the world. Disgusting. But not for long!

To begin, I painted two thin layers of my fancy DIY Chalk Paint over the entire shelf.

After the two coats of white were dry and complete I went in with an aqua (that looks way brighter in photo's than it does in real life) and distressed the white edges and sides with sand paper.

Below you can see the finished product empty and with a couple shelves of books. Chalk Paint sticks to melamine like glue!! I can only imagine how well it works on real wood!! Clearly, this makes my painting opportunities endless!!

Happy Monday!!

xTx

Sunday Night Lesson: Never Give Up!

Last Sunday I hurt my back really bad when I was trying to lift one of the bookcases that I am working on. I don't know technical terms, but I popped some sort of muscle on the left side of my back behind my lung. I couldn't sit, stand or lay down without being in a whole lotta pain. This pain honestly hurt more than anything that I endured during my 18 hours (without an epidural) of labour when I had my daughter. No joke.

My back injury kept me from going to the gym all week long which was really upsetting. Even though I was unable to work out, I felt so guilty that I couldn't be active.

My back is better now but I felt so down about missing a week of working out that I wanted to give up and I was trying to come up with any excuse possible so that I didn't have to meet with my trainer today. Given that I was excuse-less, I fought off the negativity and hit the gym for two hours.

I did 35 mins of cardio and trained the rest of the time. Getting on the weight machines made my body feel so good! It felt great to be back sweating my ass off! It also feels great that my trainer is so impressed with my lower body strength. I can lift 160lbs to 175lbs with my lower body. Although my lower body is strong, I am a weakling when it comes to my arms - I can't even curl 12 reps of 40lbs! Ha Ha Ha! I definitely need to work on that.

I am so glad that I pushed myself and didn't give up today. The feeling of success is very powerful.

If you feel like you want to give up, don't. No matter what your goal may be; stay focused, stay strong and stay in control. Your mind, body and soul will thank you.

Never, never, never, give up.

- Winston Churchill

xTx

Squash Soup for the Soul

I have had two butternut squash sitting on my kitchen counter for weeks waiting to be cooked. I love that squash have such hearty lives - They seem to last forever!? I also love squash soup. Especially on a cool winter's day.

I cook a lot but I have never made squash soup before. Normally I would have Google'd a recipe for it but today I decided to try my hand at making it sans Google search.

It turned out so delish, I thought that I would share the recipe with you!

8 Cups of Chicken Broth (I had the broth saved in our freezer from a roast chicken that we cooked in the crock pot last week)

4 Cups of Water

2 Butternut Squash (peeled and cut into cubes)

3 Large Carrots

5 Stalks of Celery

2 Medium Yellow Onions

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring the broth and water to a boil, add all of the veggies, continue to boil until veggies are very soft (approximately 20-25 mins) and then remove from heat.

Fill your blender jug with 3/4 veggies and enough broth until it sits at the half way mark.

Puree on high until smooth.

Pour the soup into a large bowl or another pot and repeat the process until you have used all of the veggies up. You may have some broth left over which you can either freeze or toss out.

I'm not sure how much soup this recipe made but it made a lot! It was a huge hit with Babygirl.

C'est bon!

xTx

DIY Chalk Paint

After I discovered that the only Chalk Paint supplier in Ontario (Bath, Ontario to be exact) sold Chalk Paint for about $45/can I resorted to figuring out another way to satisfy my Chalk Paint craving. What does a girl do in a time of obsessive need? She finds a way to do it herself! DIY, ladies, DIY!!

So, clearly I have never had the blessed opportunity of experiencing Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint, therefore I have no idea if my creative paint making skills are mastered but my Google searching definitely makes me believe that my paint is just as grand (sorry, Annie Sloan).

The piece that I am working on is one of two large bookshelves (the Ikea Billy bookcase type) that I scored on Freecycle (for FREE) some time ago for my home office. They are a super ugly! Super melamine! A disgusting reddish-brown colour! And both are in definite re-vamp need.

My DIY Chalk Paint consists of 2 ingredients. Wall paint and baking soda. That's it. That's all.

I mixed 5 cups of white paint (C.I.L. Dulux Interior Semi Gloss in white) in a plastic container and added approximately 2 cups of Arm & Hammer baking soda. Be sure to sprinkle the baking soda in a bit at a time and stir like cray-cray to ensure a smooth consistency.

The great thing about Chalk Paint is that there is absolutely no prepping to be completed before the paint process. You just slap it on! No sanding or priming is a bonus in my books.

The paint is fairly thick and dries quick so you want to work semi-fast. After the first coat you may see some lines but once the second coat is complete and dry, the lines will disappear.

After it's dry, the paint may feel a bit gritty to the touch but a light sanding will smooth everything out. The paint turns to dust when you sand so don't over do it unless you are going for an extremely distressed look.

Apply the wax of your choice, Minwax, Beeswax, what ever you wish and voila!

Simple, super cheap and easy!

I'm loving my chalk paint! This week I found a beautiful old desk on Kijiji (for FREE) that I am going to distress to match my shelves.

Happy Painting and Happy Friday!

xTx

Chalk Paint

Although I have a terrible habit of starting another before I finish the first, second and third; I love DIY projects! Lately I have been getting into a lot of furniture/accessory painting. Not only is it fun to take items from drab to fab, it's super cheap and exciting to see the ways that such ugly items can be transformed.

Through my Google sessions in search of products to refinish a coffee table (that I scored for $8.00 at a thrift store) I came across Chalk Paint. Chalk Paint is not to be mistaken for Chalkboard Paint - They are completely different.

Chalk Paint is extremely thick, almost gritty, wonderfully matte and beautiful. Of course through further investigative research, I decided that I just had to have it. Well, it turns out that there are only two suppliers in Canada that carry Chalk Paint. One in British Columbia and one in Ontario. The store in Ontario sells it for about $45/can. I just couldn't justify paying so much money for paint so I resulted back to Google in search of Chalk Paint dupes. I came up with nothing. I called designers, paint stores, hardware stores and department stores. Funny enough, no one that I spoke to knew what the hell I was talking about. No one had heard of Chalk Paint.

So what do I do when I can't find something that I want? I make my own...

I will be starting on one of my office book shelves today. Wish me luck that the paint I am making works!

xTx

My Top 27 Beauty Products Picks of 2011

As we wave adieu to 2011 and shake hands with 2012 I look forward to trying out some of the new and upcoming products that will be hitting the shelves this year. Although there are a ton of new beauty products on the horizon, below are my top 27 picks of 2011 in no particular order...

Urban Decay
Naked Palette

Naked is definitely my go-to palette each morning before work. I like a natural look for work, so my daily shadow routine includes Virgin for my highlight, Naked for my brow and Buck for my crease. Sometimes I add in a bit of Toasted or Hustle in to mix things up but I try to stay away from frosty colours during the day.

pürminerals

Pür Polish & Correcting Primer 

Pür Polish has done wonders for my skin. I started using this exfoliator late September/early October and have been using it ever since. You can read more on my 30-Something Skin here. The Correcting Primer is better than any other primer I have ever used, it works great with all concealers and foundations that I have tried it with and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. I use the neutral primer but there is also a Colour Balancer and a Redness Reducer that both serve different priming purposes. 

Sephora

Sephora Makeup Palette and Makeup Brush Shampoo

The top of the palette has 33 different eye shadows and 3 eyeliners. On the left side there are 12 different lip glosses/lipsticks and the right side has 4 blushes and 2 bronzers. I really like that this palette includes 10 matte shadows. I also like that the colour pay-off on my skin is great. I had never tried Sephora's brand of makeup prior to this so I like that this cutsie little palette has given me the opportunity to try many colours at once and is absolutely perfect for travelling. This exact palette is Limited Edition so if you're looking to grab one you should purchase it quickly here. The Sephora brand Makeup Brush Shampoo is definitely a fav of mine. I find that many brush shampoos are heavy and I don't like washing my brushes with olive oil and soap because I feel that the oils hold bacteria. This shampoo is anti-bacterial, weightless and leaves my brushes with a squeaky clean brand new feeling.

L'Oreal Visible Lift

Smooth Absolute Foundation & Concealer

Honestly, when I hit 30 my skin started doing crazy things. I have never suffered from breakout's or anything of that nature but it seemed like the year leading up to my 30th birthday my skin started to change. I never wore foundation in my teens or 20's because I always felt that it was heavy on my face and looked completely un-natural. Foundations can be nice and flawless in photo's and on video but in person, I find that many look cakey, crumbly and just plain gross. I much prefer a natural look which is why I have fallen in love with L'Oreal's Visible Lift Foundation and Concealer. They are both soft and smooth, have amazing coverage and are both still in place at the end of the day when I am done work regardless of the temperature or weather outside. If you try them out, don't be alarmed when you look like you're 19 again!!

Maybelline

Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundation & Concealer and Express Finish Nail Polish

Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind is almost an exact dupe to L'Oreal's Visibal Lift products except I find the Age Rewind to be a bit thinner. Although I love both of these foundations and concealer's, if I had to choose between the two I would go with L'Oreal's Visible Lift Foundation and Maybelline's Age Rewind Concealer. The Age Rewind Concealer is amazing! Babygirl and I are always trying out new brands of nail polish and I must say that Maybelline's Express Finish polishes are my absolute favourite. I much prefer them over any other high end brand. Not only are they cheaper than other high end polishes, the Express Finish polishes provide perfect coverage with 2 light coats, are quick to dry and can last me over a week without chipping. My favourite colour to wear is Sheer Pink #90 - It looks great all year long, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. A definite must-have in my polish collection.

M.A.C.

Mineralize Skin Finish & Blush and Satin Lipstick

MAC's Mineral makeup makes me so happy! I use the Skinfinish (the larger of the two pods in the colour of Soft and Gentle) for highlighting after I bronze. I often shy away from blushes because much like foundations I sometimes feel that they look un-natural but MAC's Mineralize Blushes are gorgeous giving off the perfect amount of colour. My favourite lipstick colour has been Spirit in Satin Finish since I was about 18 years old. I can't even tell you how many of these lip sticks I have gone through. Not only are the satin finishes hydrating but they last for hours even after countless lip gloss applications.

NYX

Eye/Eyebrow Pencil, Jumbo Eye Pencil and Felt Tip Liner

I'm new to the world of NYX. One night when I was browsing the makeup aisles at a Rexall drugstore I stumbled across their little NYX display. The NYX makeup was ridiculously cheap, I'm talking cheap as in all three of the above cost me less than $20. I have to admit, the prices scared me lol. I couldn't help but wonder if I would be wasting my money. WELL!! Was I terribly mistaken!! Where did this NYX stuff come from?! It's amazing! The white eye liner glides on so smooth, the jumbo pencil is so creamy and perfect for blending and the felt tip eye liner is brilliant! The tip is perfect, the colour is perfect and the lasting power is more than perfect. I don't go anywhere without eyeliner. Ever. So you can imagine how many liners I have gone through in my life. I have to say that these three NYX liners are the best I have ever used over any brand I have ever purchased, and I have used every liner made by every company that you can imagine. Amazing.
Givenchy
Hot Couture

Hot Couture by Givenchy. To me it has soft scents of vanilla, magnolia

and I have no idea what else. It smells so good. It's sophisticated. It's sexy. And it lasts for hours and hours and hours. Nuff said.

eos

Lip Balm Smooth Sphere

eos lippies are hard to find but I came across the two that I purchased at the same Rexall that I found my NYX cosmetics at. The lippy above is in the scent of Honeysuckle Honeydew. I also purchased the Sweet Mint lippy at the same time. Love! eos lip balms are 95% organic and 100% natural. I love that they glide on completely smooth and have absolutely no shine. Oh and they smell and taste so yummy. My lips need a lot of hydration in the winter so along side my 800 little pots of blue blistex you will now find my eos lippies.

Bourjois Paris

Effet 3D MAX

Bourjois's Effet 3D MAX lip gloss is very pretty. I love applying it over my MAC Spirit lipstick when I'm going out at night. I have colour #62 in Rose Gold which is a translucent soft pink with tiny little flecks of gold in it. I like it because it's not sticky. I can't stand it when my lips feel like they are covered in sticky goop. Not only does this lippy smell lovely but the shine is gorgeous and long lasting. A definite must-have if you love a shiny lip.

Rimmel London

Glam Eyes Mascara, Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Pencil and Natural Bronzer

I don't have a lot of Rimmel products but I love these three. Glam Eyes Mascara is by far my favourite mascara. The wand bristles are all plastic and spaced perfectly. My lashes aren't very long but with this mascara they double in length. The 1000 Kisses lip pencil is colour #47 in Cappuccino and it lasts all day long. I am a chronic lippy applier so that fact that I can apply this pencil in the morning and still see it after all of my gazillion balm applications throughout the day is saying something. I love the Natural Bronzer because it isn't powdery and it's completely matte which means no fakey mcfakerson sparkly tanned nonsense. #21 in Sun Light is beautiful. I use it all year long to set my foundation and for a pretty sun kissed glow. 

ZINN Beauty Collection

Argan Oil

I mentioned ZINN's Argan Oil in my 30-Something Skin post back in October. This oil is truly phenomenal. I apply it at night and when I wake up in the morning my skin is completely hydrated and looks so fresh and alive. It's like a little bottle of youth. Not only is Argan Oil good for your skin but it is excellent for your hair as well providing immediate shine, frizz control, colour protection and a plethora of nutrients. Love this stuff!

So, these are the top beauty products that I fell in love with in 2011 (minus my Spirit lipstick which I have used for years). I love each of these products and if I don't use them every single day I use them at least 2-3 times a week.

Do you have any favourites? Tell me about them!

xTx

Full Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

Happy 2012!!

I hope that everyone had a fantastic holiday and that you are all welcoming 2012 with open arms! I know I am!

I've been off of the bloggy radar for a little bit due to a whirl wind of events that have occurred in my life over the last couple of months. I haven't had time sit down and blog my heart out. With the new year settling in nicely and my resolution to blog much more, I am back! I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a good year.

Regardless of what it is that I am currently using; because everyone seems to make note of the products that I love, I will be back later this weekend with a blog strictly dedicated to my absolute favourite products of 2011 and possibly a Christmas show and tell.

Until then, I hope that you all have a fantastic weekend!

El mucho love-o from the snowy white Canadian north,

Tawns

P.S. I was nominated for Ninjamatics 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards in two separate categories - The first nomination is for Best New Weblog and Best Written Weblog. So I want to just take a minute to thank all of you for stopping by to read my rants and raves and for all of your kind words. Even though 99% of you don't have a clue how to comment on my blog, that's okay - Your messages via email and off line mean the world to me! I love you all! XO