Thought of the day body image

What is the ideal body image?

What body image do you consider to be healthy?

What is your ideal body image?

These questions are hard to answer because there is no straight answer.

We are all different with different body types. It all depends on what is healthy for you.

A smaller size in clothing doesnt mean that the person is healther then a person that wears a bigger clothing size.

Let me explain.....

One female for example may be a size 8 and she is healthy because that is her ideal weight. She eats 6 meals per day, exercises and is full of energy.

Another female for example may be healthy at size 10-12 but is self conscious so she goes down to a size 8.. The same as the first female. However she is now considered under weight and is starting to have symptoms of being underweight and is obsessed with being thin.

A third female is also a size 8 and she cant gain weight. Due to this she has a lot of take away and processed foods. She always feels sluggish and doesnt have any energy.... 

I hope this explains what I mean when I say size doesnt matter.  

Body image doesnt mean that you are healthy. Focus on what is healthy for you and embrace who you are, 

Life is too short to do otherwise. 

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Tip of the week by Nancy Clark and Gloria Averbuch – Pancakes soccer fuel!

 

Whether you want to recover from an early morning practice or an afternoon game, pancakes are a fun source of carbs to refuel your muscles.

To make pancakes into a balanced sports meal, enjoy them with a poached egg or a tub of Greek yogurt (for a protein boost) plus some fruit salad or glass of juice. 

Here’s a recipe for light and fluffy prizewinners.

Oatmeal Pancakes

1/2 cup uncooked oats (quick or old fashioned)

1/2 cup plain yogurt, buttermilk (or milk mixed with 1/2 tsp vinegar)

1/2 to 3/4 cup milk

1 egg or 2 egg whites, beaten

1 tablespoon oil, preferably canola

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, as desired

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup flour, preferably half whole-wheat and half white

Optional: dash cinnamon

1. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, yogurt, and milk. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to let the oatmeal soften.

2. When the oatmeal is through soaking, beat in the egg and oil and mix well. Add the sugar, salt (and cinnamon). Stir the baking powder into the flour; then add and stir until just moistened. For best results, let the batter stand for 5 minutes before cooking.

3. Heat a lightly oiled or nonstick griddle over medium-high heat.

4. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the griddle. Turn when the tops are covered with bubbles and the edges look cooked. Turn only once.

5. Serve with syrup, honey, applesauce, yogurt, or other topping of your choice.

Yield: six 6-inch pancakes                                         Total calories: 1,000

Calories/serving (2 pancakes): 330               57 g Carb; 10 g Pro; 7 g Fat

This is just one of many recipes in Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 4^th Edition

Manya Makoski’s Snickerdoodle Pancakes

This recipe is from soccer pro Manya Makoski. Manya’s addition of yogurt and strawberries makes this a complete and healthful meal.

2 eggs

¼ cup (35 g) sugar

2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon (1 g) salt

2 teaspoons (10 g) vanilla extract

2 teaspoons (2 g)  ground cinnamon

2 cups (250 g)flour (preferably half whole wheat)

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

1. Beat eggs and sugar together with a whisk.

2. Add in the baking powder, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Stir in the flour and milk until the batter is mixed well.

3. Heat the frying pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Pour batter into small circles on the frying pan.  Flip when small bubbles reach the surface of the batter and the edges of the pancakes are dry.

4. Enjoy with vanilla yogurt and strawberries.

Yield: 4 servings

Total Calories: 1,200 (without toppings)

Calories per serving: 300

60 g Carbohydrate

9 g Protein

3 g Fat

From: Food Guide for Soccer: Tips and Recipes from the Pros by Nancy Clark and Gloria Averbuch.

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Green Chile Pork Enchiladas

You all should know by now that NOTHING makes me happier than a QUICK, EASY, HEALTHY meal.  And todays recipe fits in all 3 of those categories.  I actually got this recipe from my mother and was AMAZED when she told me the ingredients.

Yep! Thats it! 

And honestly they are delicious! 

The meat is amazing and Ive made tacos and nachos with the meat which is also quick and easy.

Here is the enchilada recipe!

Green Chile Pork Enchiladas

via

Ingredients:

1 package carnitas (precooked seasoned pork) can find this at Trader Joes or at *Frys

1 bottle of 505 green chile sauce (I use medium and it isnt too spicy) found at Frys

12 small white corn tortillas

Optional:

2 ounces Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Shredded)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Heat the pork according to package instructions

3. Shred meat in a medium sized bowl and add 1/2 bottle of the green chile sauce. Mix well

4. Warm tortillas 4 at a time in the microwave for 30 sec. - 1 min.  on a paper plate in between two damp paper towels.  This makes the tortillas pliable and easy to roll up without cracking. 

5. In a casserole dish or pan spray lightly with nonstick spray and coat bottom with a little bit of sauce.

6. Start filling enchiladas with shredded pork mixture and add a few sprinkles of cheese.  Fold and place in pan.

7.  Cover the enchiladas with the remainder of green chile sauce and top with a few sprinkles of cheese.

8. Cover with foil and bake for 30 min.

9. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve with rice and beans!

* The Carnitas at Frys are kinda hard to find so ask an employee if you cant find them! They are located near the deli but not in the typical meat section.

Nutritional Information: (includes the 2 oz of cheese)

Serving Size:  2 enchiladas

Calories:  318      Fat: 13.7 g     Carbs: 27.3 g      Protein: 23.5 g     Vitamin C 320%!

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The Plant Based Lifestyle Challenge my challenge buddy

As you all know I am now in week 2 of the challenge.

What I didnt tell you is I have a loved one doing the challenge with me. The interesting thing with my challenge buddy is he considers himself a carnivore. In the past he ate little vegetables and fruit and lots of meat, and chicken. He also has a sweet tooth which he would give in to the chocolate and ice cream.

The first few days he was missing the lifestyle that he once had. In the past he was very much a yo yo dieter. He would go strict on a diet, lose weight then put the weight back on.

He is trying out this challenge with me to try and change his way of eating and bring a stop to the yo yo dieting.

He is doing well considering his past. He wants to lose some weight and improve his overall health.

I will keep you updated on his progress..

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Thought of the day Is it possible to be too healthy

Healthy eating has been encouraged in this day and age more then ever due to the increasing rate of obesity world wide which leads to a number of health conditions. 

However not much is said about whether it is possible to eat too healthy. 

An article was released recently about this very topic. 

The article was writing about how too much of a healthy food can lead to more calories. The original article I have put a link in the further reading section of the blog. 

This article got me thinking, is it possible to be too healthy?? 

The answer isnt as simple as it seems, there are many factors to consider... 

• The diet in question: is the diet too restrictive or is it balanced
• Is the diet in question adaptable or is it strict? 
• Is the diet due to a health condition?? 
• Is the person a vegan or vegetarian and needs a increase of good fats in the diet
• Does the person have special needs (due to health condition) 

Some diets however are strict due to medical and health conditions and there is a reason why some diets are high in good fats etc .... 

Some reasons for having a special diet could include:

• diabetes or any kind of long term health condition
• high cholesterol or high blood pressure
• vegetarian or vegan 
• food intolerances or allergies

Calorie counting and healthy eating: 

Another topic mentioned in the article was some health foods are also high in calories and fat. When analysing a diet and calorie counting these things need to be considered:

• Are you consuming a high amount of both saturated and unsaturated fats? For example when eating a avocado is it in a healthy salad or with pasta that has heavy cream added
• Is the diet balanced or one sided? 
• the level of exercise done per week  

A rule of thumb that I always follow is when starting a healthy eating plan to lose weight you need to be careful of the level of calories consumed, however if the diet is balanced, healthy and full of vegetables, fruit, whole-grains and protein sources then calorie counting isnt necessary. 

For someone like a body builder or athlete, calorie counting becomes very important because if the calorie intake is too low it can affect the performance of the athlete. 

The conclusion is this:

Everyone is different and have different needs, what is healthy eating for one may not be the case for another following the same diet. 

If you are not sure, consult a health professional for a program tailored for your needs.

Further Reading:

• http://m.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/its-possible-to-have-too-much-healthy-food-20140512-zra27.html

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Winter Warmers Hot chocolate Recipe

Yes I did say hot chocolate .... 

On a cold winters night there is nothing better then wrapped up in a warm blanket reading your favourite novel and drinking a mug of hot chocolate.

You can still have the warmth and taste of hot chocolate without the fat, calories and sugar...

This recipe is for 2 servings

• 2 cups low fat milk (any kind of milk will work in this recipe)
• 1/4 cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup honey (you can use stevia instead if you are a diabetic or dont want any kind of sugar, adjust to taste)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 

Method: 

Add all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir until everything is dissolved and the milk mixture is warm to your liking .... 

You can also use your coffee machine if you have one, dissolve the cocoa powder before using by mixing it really well or place in a microwave for 30 seconds just enough to stir the cocoa in the milk

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Six Week Body Makeover Blueprint Quiz Healthy Snack Recipes For Children

Click Here to Try the 6 Week Body Makeover System!

Tips and advice about healthy eating, nutrition information, diets, exercise programs, body pregnancy week-by-week preparing boards videos food recipes. Diet and fitness - ivillage - health, beauty type and body types diet - take the body type quiz to get rid of cravings in the first week as your body having the correct plan for your body type is a much. Six week body makeover blueprint quiz healthy snack recipes for children these simple, healthy recipes are fun, quick, and dinner to do other things or plan for healthy recipes for a diabetic diet my food advisor this site has extensive. Spooky treats and seasonal eats babycenter find out about food, diet and healthy eating advice on food pregnancy and children cancer drugs and vaccines recipes to make healthy eating simple bmi healthy weight. Get healthy to lose weight - find your body type diet find your makeover moms on this week s podcast, we share farro cooking tips as well as two healthy new recipes recipes created for six to 23-month old children food safety quiz.

Click Here to Try the 6 Week Body Makeover System!

Nutrition for children - about pediatrics - pediatric parenting  peanut butter oatmeal snack bars healthy and homemade peanut butter oatmeal snack bars that your children two-week sample vegan menus cookbooks and recipes abound for. Trim kids - a weight loss plan for kids no more fast food no the proven 12-week plan that has helped thousands of children and starting in week 2, you will get weekly menu tips and recipes to help plan. Vegetarian living - people for the ethical treatment of i would like to have a 5 meal plan for my body type which is when i was younger i was always a healthy little of jazzercise once or twice a day 5 to 6 times a week and. Endomorph: endomorph body type - health and fitness blog- mens we know you have great family recipes so share them your pregnancy, week by week how to get your child to eat more healthy food.

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Quote of the day what you think is right

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Thought of the day the definition of beauty

When you hear the word beauty what do you think of? Many may think of the following:

• model
• beautiful 
• body image 
• superstars 

When I hear the word beauty I think of the following:

• Nature
• kind nature 
• beautiful soul
• helping others
• loving yourself

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.... 

Beauty is accepting who you are, having a pretty mind and a beautiful soul... 

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My Favorite Artist

Im a little bias on this one but my sister has been doing artwork since she was in high school and I was the first one to purchase one of her paintings. The one above I personally own and I always enjoyed her technique. Shes currently an art major and a mommy to be so I thought Id welcome her to the club with a little post about her work.

This is another piece I own and another personal favorite of mine. They are very simple which I love as she has always been good at cartoon style drawing but is actually very good at detailed and very realistic sketches as well. These pieces are perfect for my decor but also my daughters room. 

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Enlightening Article Of the Day

Today I received my daily email from Body Ecology and decided to share with you my favorite points from the article I read.

The article was all about BREAKFAST, which we all know is the "most important meal of the day".

When I think back to before I was married my weekly breakfast menu looked something like this:

cinnamon sugar poptart, frosted flakes, 2 pieces of white toast, etc.

Sometimes I would even have donuts or PUMPKIN PIE! My mom would justify it by saying pumpkin is a vegetable :)

What we need to remember is that the breakfast FOODS we eat are the important part of this necessary meal.

From Body Ecology:

 What do you eat for breakfast?
Some of the most popular breakfast foods are cereals, energy bars, bagels, fruit, yogurt, fruit juice, and coffee. If you drink your coffee black, what do all the other foods have in common? Sugar.

These foods are quick and energizing.
Keep in mind while most processed foods make squeezing in breakfast more possible, it also means that these foods are more likely to contain additives that your body does not need, including high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). In fact, all of the foods listed above except coffee, if purchased at a supermarket, likely contain fructose.
While juice, yogurt, cereal, and energy bars seem healthy, the amount of sugar in these foods makes them extremely unhealthy.

• Pasteurized fruit juice contains large amounts of sugar, and oftentimes, manufacturers will add even more before selling the product.
• Cereals, baked goods, and energy bars all have added sugar, even when they claim extra fiber content and to be “heart healthy”.
• Unless you are eating homemade yogurt from raw grass-fed dairy, chances are that the yogurt has added sugar, typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Reading labels helps the consumer discern the best product available.

To read the full article click here:

Surprise! These Popular Breakfast Foods Arent As Healthy As You Think

What breakfast foods are cleanER choices?

My personal favorites are:

Scrambled eggs (1 egg + 2 egg whites) and ham (nitrate free) 

Smoothie: 1/4 c. oj, 1/4 c. soymilk + frozen fruit and ground flax

BEST OATMEAL EVER 

"Champion Juice" aka apple carrot celery juice :) makes you feel like a champ!

Start today by making one cleanER breakfast choice this week.

Your body will thank you! 

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T J Maxx Haul

Im a total sucker for T.J. Maxx especially their clearance!

 This Bliss toner sells for $26 at Sephora which Id never give but I do like this toner and it normally sells for $12.99 at T.J. Maxx. Today it was on clearance for $7! Thats a win in my book.

This buy here actually makes me wish I had internet on my phone. It was clearanced from $5.99 to $4.50. Come to find out its only $3.00 of elfs website. I guess when you figure in shipping its a steal but still a bit of a bummer to see T.J. Maxx selling above the retailers price. 

These under-eye patches sell for $9 at Ulta so I thought for $4.99 Id give them a try. You get 5 sets so that works out to about $1 a treatment. The reviews are pretty good and Im looking forward to trying them.

The Cala sponges come in a set of two for $2.99 and retail for $6. I used them as soon as I got home with my cleanser and really like them. They are very gentle on my face.

This is a sparkling pomegranate juice that I got for my husband. Im not a huge fan of pomegranate but he loves it so for $3.99 I thought Id let him try it out. 

This little facial brush is by Spa Sister and is cruelty free retailing at $8.00. T.J. Maxx sells it for $3.99 and it was on clearance for $3. I tried this before using the Cala sponge and it was harsh. Very harsh. I use the PMD every week but wanted a brush for my cleanser...bad idea. It hurt my face and felt like it was scratching the skin. I think this would work for anyone not using microderm as my preschooler said it was very soft.

This was my final item and made me very happy. Its a dress for my daughters birthday as she will be turning 4 very soon. I love the colors and the material is so light and airy. I got it for $14.99.

Then at Bath & Body Works I was able to get some candles with a 20% coupon. The Lavender Vanilla is a 4 oz which they no longer stock but the cashier said they had testers in the back, for smelling, that she could sell me. So not only was I able to get some small ones for my daughter, yes i know it sounds weird but shes an old soul who likes taking baths by candle light with my supervision lol, and my 4 oz candle. I love their 4 oz candles because they burn so evenly. 

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Diet with boiling water

This diet is a continuing debate among nutritionists. Boiling water gives amazing results in a diet, but boiling lead to lack of calcium and minerals, which causes cardiovascular disease, according to surveys conducted in Japan and the U.S..
pa boiled detoxify and cleanse the body. To start a diet with distilled water should you drink on an empty stomach at least 2 cups per day. You should not do this "treatment" more than two weeks. Boil evening more than half a liter of water (2-3 boiled) and leave the pot boil, until the next morning.
Meanwhile in the detoxified your body, you have to consider replacing fat with vegetable products, namely, butter, margarine, fat with oil.
Scenario in which you will use distilled water for a long time is this, purified water will cause mineral deficiencies multiple, even if you supplement with minerals.
However, more than 95% of the bodys minerals from foods, not from the water, so this practice can have a significant effect on fitness.

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Why I Stopped Withholding Sex in My Marriage

For a few weeks now my husband and I have been fighting on and off, sex was obviously off the table. Dont get me wrong it crossed my mind but this was no time for a celebration. So the other night when he suggested sex I thought hed lost his mind. How ludicrous? How presumptuous of him to believe that I had forgiven him yet. "If I have sex with you youll think everything is back to normal and nothing will change." I said. "No I promise it will, Im trying and I havent forgotten." he said. So I did something crazy... I gave in...TWICE! I know, I know, crazy me having sex with the man I married, but this is why I did and its shocking even me.

Before I said yes he went to freshen up, cocky little thing isnt he? ha ha, and I actually Googled "Should you sleep with your husband if your fighting". I was so worried I would send the wrong message and lose my ground but then I ran across this blog The Forgiven Wife and she really spelled it out for me. Granted, sexual refusal has been a two way street in this house, but I felt awful about what I was doing. So I gave in without having to be badgered and boy was I conflicted. Dont get me wrong the sex was mind blowing, but I felt like I was saying "You Win." Then I thought long and hard about something: Why would my husband believe he was forgiven or that he won an argument by me giving him sex? I paused to think and then BAM! My husband thinks that way because I put in place the system that reinforces those values. When things are going well I "reward" him and when they arent I "punish"him.

Its an odd thing for women to do. We march through the streets admonishing men for treating us like pieces of meat but treat our own bodies like "treats" to be doled out and taken away when it suits us. When they behave badly we treat them like children who have broken the rules, so we take the toy and place it on a high shelf. Or worse we treat them like dogs who need training and swat them with newspapers for bad behavior and then give them rewards to reinforce the good behavior. Then we wonder why men are so angry about sex deprivation. Im not saying it cant be the other way around, look around on my blog and youll see I went through months of it myself. Which begs the question as to why I would do it knowing how it feels.

To be honest I set the tone and relied on what I had been taught by women around me, society, etc. I couldnt have imagined that you could have sex without losing control and its a feeling Ill have to continue to fight until this becomes the new norm. Its a hard mentality to break and I can imagine that my husband will also have to come around to the idea of sex when things are off kilter between us. Although I cant imagine it will take him very long. The sad part is is that I was punishing myself as well. I, like many women, can forget how amazing sex is. I get busy with research, the little one, or I get in the mindset that its just too much work. Though I have to confess that my husband already knows a few chic flicks that will get him action and he still refuses to watch them, ha ha.

Like everyone else Ill have to take it one day at a time and ask myself the next time I want to withhold sex, why that is? If its simply to prove a point or assert control then its simply not something I want to be doing anymore.

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Clean Cauldron Review

 I was lucky enough to receive products from Clean Cauldron to review for you guys. I was sent a trove of beauty products to try for myself. Clean Cauldron is an Etsy shop run by Viv and Ive known about her products for a while now after hearing about them from Leti (xoLoveLeti). Her products are cruelty free and vegan. As I pointed out I did receive these for free, but as youll see some products were a huge hit for me, while others didnt match my particular needs/preferences. You can find Clean Cauldron on Etsy or follow this link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CleanCauldron. The current coupon code for 10% off is CAULDRON. If youre interesting in Clean Cauldrons response to my questions regarding their policy on animal testing it will be at the end of the review.

I love the packaging. Its very rustic and its not every day your order comes with a wax seal on it! That added touch, for me, was very nice and made me feel like the package was extra special. Everything inside was in its own individual zip baggie, so had any item broken open the rest would be safe. 

My package also included a hand written note which I really enjoyed. I find that more companies are going toward this approach and its nice to see companies putting in this effort, especially when its only one person doing everything. Its one of the reasons I love shopping on Etsy! Etsy sellers always seem to go the extra mile. 

Clean Cauldron Whipped Body Butter $10 for 2.5 oz

Ingredients: Shea Butter Fruit, Virgin Coconut Oil,  Jojoba Oil, Tamanu Oil, Sea buckthorn Seed Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Rosemary Essential Oil, Grapefruit Essential Oil. (Also contains for fragrance essential oils or Fragrance oil blends).

 I have been looking for a good whipped body butter ever since I tried flo+theo Body Butter but at $7 an ounce its hard to justify. Plus they only have four scents and for some that might be an issue when paying out $28 for 4 ounces. The reason I gravitated toward flo+theo was because it was so light but because its so light, and they are measuring by volume not weight, your 4 ounces from them is not the same as 4 ounces from someone else. And when youre looking at a product that only has 5 ingredients that anyone could get, $28 is a bit rich for my blood. So I was very happy to get so many different samples of Clean Cauldrons Whipped Body Butter. You can get 2.5 ounces for $10 or 4.5 ounces for $18 making it only $4 an ounce. It isnt as airy so you are getting more for your money and the amount of scents available is insane. Some include fragrance oil blends while most contain only essential oils for scents. My only issue is id like to see a list in the description that tells which ones have fragrance blends and which ones have essential oils. Otherwise I was happy with the application, the level of hydration, and the variety of scents. After trying Nourish Organics body butter I know what too heavy is! So I felt this hit the mark.

Clean Cauldron Beauty Elixir $36.00 for 30 ml/1 oz

Ingredients: Carrot infused jojoba oil, Red Raspberry Seed Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil, Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Essential Oils of Jasmine, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Rosemary, Myrrh, and Lavender.

 I am a serum junkie and love trying new ones. This absorbs into the skin beautifully and is so hydrating. The thickness reminds me a bit of Caru or MUN No. 1. It feels that luxurious! At first glance it looks more expensive than Caru; but if you take into account the current discount code, and the shipping, Caru comes out to $37 while Clean Cauldron come out to $35.40. Its always difficult to judge how well a serum works unless youve used it for a month or more but Id say this is definitely one worth giving a try. First impressions puts this in my top 2!

Clean Cauldron Lip Cream Set $12 (or $6 each) 

Left to right: Forest, Firedust, Unity, and Clay. 

It appears that Forrest and Unity are being discontinued once these sets sell out.

These are great lip tints! I was not disappointed. I just wish there were more colors to chose from. The price is incredible and the texture is so smooth and hydrating. I dont see Forest as a stand alone color. I tried wearing it by itself and it is not flattering. However, over top the right color or just as a highlight on the lip, its great. Clay is by far the richest in pigment and is very smooth. Its too dark for me so I will be gifting it to my grandmother. Firedust is a little easier to wear on its own than Forest but I think it depends on your skin tone. I love Unity but Im not sure she will continue carrying it as it is only available in the four pack which will soon be discontinued. Overall these were great but Id like to see a few more practical/traditional colors for everyday use.  

Clean Cauldron Aloe & Shea Facial Moisturizer $24 for 2 oz

Ingredients: Organic Green Tea Infused Aloe Vera Juice, Shea Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Jasmine Essential Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Arrowroot Powder, Xanthan Gum, Essential Oils of Lavender, Tea Tree, Vetiver.

 Im not a huge fan of Aloe on my face because I dont like how it dries but this product does exactly what it claims. It is very light while moisturizing and for a moment if reminded me of Clean & Clear Morning Burst Hydrating Gel without the silicone feel and matte finish. It feels a little more like a serum to me which she also recommends it as for those with really dry skin. I think this is great for anyone looking for a light moisturizer who likes Aloe.

Clean Cauldron Pimple Potion Spot Treatment $6.50 5ml

Ingredients: Carrot and Sea Buckthorn Infused Jojoba Oil, Essential Oils of Lavender, Tea Tree, Clary Sage

 This is a win for me. Im a big proponent of using oils to treat breakouts and the essential oils give it an added punch. I did notice a reduction in size the next morning. Now I just have to stop myself from popping them, a bad habit I know, and let this do all the work. At that price its a steal!

Clean Cauldron Quench Dry Skin Moisturizer $7.50 2 oz

Ingredients: Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Pumpkin seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin E Oil, Essential Oils of Jasmine, Tee Tree, Sandalwood, and Frankincense, Carrot Seed Oil.

 I will actually be letting my husband test this one out for me as he has severe (needs shots) dermatitis and his hands are horrible. I like the consistency much better than Lushs Ultrabalm and at $3.75 an ounce compared to Lushs $9.96 and ounce its a steal worth trying! As simple as Lushs 3 ingredient Ultrabalm is youd think youd pay less whereas Clean Cauldron really packs this moisturizer full of the good stuff. I have no doubt itll do the job.

Clean Cauldron Bath Fizz $2.75 (Discontinued once supplies are gone)

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Dried Flowers, Essential Oils, Purified Water

I used this as soon as I received it, even though Im not a fan of dried flowers in my bath fizzs/bombs. Everything else about it was great and you could really tell there were essential oils in it. I think it would be great for someone who enjoys flowers floating in their bathtub, Im just not one of them. 

Clean Cauldron Aquamarine Eye shadow $5 for 5 g

Ingredients: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Ultramarines, chromium Oxide, Magnesium Stearate.

Clean Caudron Eye Shadow Samples $1.50

Colors: Mercury, Full Moon, Pluto, Ice

Diamond, Amethyst, Disguise, Hunted

Garnet, Lantern, Venus

I was very pleased with the quality of the eye shadows. I dont work with loose pigments very often and the ones Ive tried in the past have been a big disappointment. Case and point, when I tried Honeybee Gardens eye shadow samples they swatched very sheer and all I had to do was sneeze and they were gone. I was actually able to wipe all the pigment off my arm with my hand. This was not the case for Clean Cauldron. My pictures do not do them justice and they are highly pigmented. I had to remove them with a makeup wipe and a few took a little extra work. When I applied them today, on my eyelids, the applications was easy, smooth, very bendable, and minimal if any fallout. I can imagine using the right base would make these pop even more. I was worried at first they would be too shimmery after swatching them, but the shimmer is so tiny that it looks elegant not gaudy. Even better if you want pressed shadows you can buy a quad for $30 with your choice of colors or 12 shadow pallete for $85. 

Cruelty Free and Vegan

Here is Vivs response to my questions regarding their policies and ingredients in Clean Cauldrons products:

"Hello Liz,

Thank you for your question. Non of the ingredients I use are tested on animals. My suppliers do not test any of the ingredients I use on animals. I do not sell or distribute products in china. I do not commission testing on animals. These are no animal or animal byproducts in the products I make for clean cauldron.  I hope I answered the questions satisfactory  please dont hesitate to ask if you have any concerns"

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Million Dollar Brownies

Ingredients

Caramel Sheets

Pecans (1 1/2 Cups or more)

Brownie Mix (I prefer Duncan Hines Fudge)

 

Mix your brownie mix as you normally would an only add half to a 9 x 13 pan. The Caramel Sheets come in circles so youll have to cut them to fit the pan. Word to the wise leave the paper on to cut, learned the hard way a long time ago. Anyways then you sprinkle the pecans on top, cover with batter, and add more pecans.

However, like all things, practice teaches you how wrong youve been doing something so I think it would be best to mix the pecans with the batter and then top. 

You can use caramel pieces, which I have, but Ive found that they sink to the bottom and do not melt evenly or at all. So you can find the Caramel Apple Wraps around Halloween time. I wait until they go on sale/clearance after the holidays and buy them for $1 a piece. You do not need a whole package so they really last. 

Bake per your boxes directions and ta da! I could not get a good enough picture to capture the awesomeness that are these brownies. They are so good! I make them for everything. Enjoy!

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