Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

Let me just put this lightly...I LOVE anything cheesy. I mean who doesn't right?! 

But it probably has been at least 5 years since I've had anything really cheesy, especially Alfredo sauce. I used to love that stuff that came in a jar. It was pretty good. 

Since obviously I can't eat that anymore, I needed to figure out how to make Alfredo so I can enjoy it again. Trust me when I say this is the easiest and most cheesiest thing you'll eat...because it is! You only need THREE ingredients. Yes, only three. 

Daiya shredded mozzarella cheese, unsweetened almond milk, and earth balance buttery spread. 

I'll admit, I really didn't know how this would turn out. I haven't been sold on Daiya cheese yet because I'm so picky. So I was iffy on using it but the recipe I stumbled across used it and I didn't want the sauce to turn out so I followed the recipe exactly. Which is something I don't really do often. But I'm glad I followed it this time. (there are a few ingredients I didn't add because of personal preference) There's literally just a few steps to this process:

When I first added in the cheese I was really nervous because it was so clumpy, but the recipe I followed said to give it time and just keep stirring...

 And stirring..

Until finally it becomes smooth and creamy!! 

If you've been missing out on Alfredo Sauce, this is the recipe for you! 

Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce

1/4 Cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread

1 1/2 Cups Almond Milk-Unsweetened

1 Package Daiya Mozzarella Shreads

Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Melt buttery spread in skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add almond milk to butter and stir for a few minutes.

3. Add entire package of cheese. And stir

4. Keep stirring over medium heat until you get a thick, creamy cheese sauce. 

5. Serve warm. 

6. Keep in an air tight container in the fridge. Will heat up nicely in the microwave and become a gooey cheese once warm.

Enjoy!! 

Nature's Path Pumpkin Spice Waffle Review

Well hello October!! I can't believe that it's fall. I really do love fall, but not thrilled about colder weather. However I enjoy all the flavors and comfort of Fall. So I guess that makes up for it. I do go crazy over pumpkin things. I'll admit, but hey it's fun and I enjoy the colder temps when I can have everything pumpkin. I even created a board on Pinterest, labeled Everything Pumpkin. I'm very dedicated. 

Pumpkin flavor is EVERYWHERE. I seriously think every brand out there has their own pumpkin something. I do get pretty bummed when I can't try most pumpkin things because they aren't gluten free. But I stumbled upon these gems the other day...and I couldn't pass them up.

Soo I have to be honest. I didn't think highly of these before I tried them because some natural pumpkin stuff just tastes weird or doesn't have enough spice to it. I have to have the spice, the more spicy the better! I've had Nature's Path products before and I haven't been disappointed yet. But I wasn't getting my hopes up. 

I had them for breakfast this morning, and OH MY GOSH....it's seriously the best pumpkin spice waffles I've ever had from a box. They make you feel all warm and cozy and defiantly gives me a sense of fall. 

Even if you don't have to eat gluten free...you need to try these! Everyone needs to try these!! They are actually healthy and much better than any other regular frozen waffle out there.

Cheers! 

Avocado Rice with Grilled Cod

Lately I have been obsessed with avocado. I used to hate it, but I knew it had so many health benefits so I forced myself to eat it and eventually started to like it. And now I crave it. So any recipe that has avocado I want to try it. I was on Pinterest last week and stumbled across a super easy recipe that of course called for avocado. At first it does seem a little weird, but I don't see it being any different than putting cheese in rice. I present to you Avocado rice with Grilled Cod. 

Working full time and having life be pretty busy lately there's not much time to think about what to eat. And I refuse to eat anything that's fast food, in a can, or a box. So planning meals is defiantly a good solution. Planning meals is super easy especially now with Pinterest, just search easy weeknight meals and you'll find an endless list...I seriously haven't made it to the bottom of one, yet. 

That's how I stumbled across the recipe for avocado rice. You can pair the rice with probably anything you'd like. I chose fish for two reasons. 1. It calls for lime so it's a nice compliment to the fish and 2. I really don't eat much meat anymore. I never feel good after I eat it these days. I might have a little chicken but I could probably live without it since it does gross me out. 

Avocado Rice with Grilled Cod

Ingredients:

1 Cup of uncooked white rice(You could use brown) 

2 Cups Water

1 Avocado* 

3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice 

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cumin 

2 servings of Cod, thawed. 

Directions: 

1. In a medium size microwave safe bowl, combine rice and water. I don't prefer to use the microwave but when making rice this is just the fastest and easiest for me. Cook the rice for about 15-20 min. Or use the rice sensor setting on you microwave. 

2. Cut avocado and mash it in a small bowl with the lime juice, salt, and cumin. 

3. Once rice is cooked, add avocado mixture and mix well. 

4. Grill cod on the grill until it flakes easily. Can be quite a mess so baking it in the oven works just as well. 

*I found that one avocado wasn't enough, but I wanted more flavor from the avocado. So try one. If not to your liking, add more. 

Cheers!! :) 

Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas

Ever have those stressful weeks when all you want to do is drown your emotions in whatever junk food you can get your hands on? 

Yupp, that's me this week. And my weakness is potatoes. For the sake of getting married in 5 months I have cut as much carbs and starchy foods as possible. 

So instead of diving into french fries or a baked potato, I decided to make baked chickpeas. I LOVE hummus and I know you can bake the whole chickpeas and they turn out with crunchy outside and soft on the inside. Just like a french fry! But chickpeas have more nutrition to them then potatoes. So they are a healthy, but very filling snack. 

Chickpeas are full of protein so they will fill you up and you won't feel guilty like you would if you indulged in a bag of potato chips that have no nutritional value at all. 

I wanted to add more flavor to them, and since I have tried Go Veggie's Grated Parmesan, I've wanted to find different uses for it. 

This snack is the perfect combination of texture and flavor. How can you not love something that is cheesy? Plus, it only takes a small handful to fill you up, so you won't be eating and eating. These defiantly cured my cravings for fries. 

Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (I used Go Veggie brand) 

2 Cans Chickpeas 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit   

Drain chickpeas and set aside. 

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine olive oil, salt, black pepper, and cheese until well combined. Add in chickpeas and stir until they are all coated. 

On a baking sheet, spread chickpeas out in a single layer. **Add more cheese on top if you want it even more cheesy. 

Bake for 45 min. 

Enjoy!! 

Earth Balance Vegan Aged White Cheddar Cheese Puffs

I can't even begin to explain how excited I was when I found these. The last time I had cheesy puffs, was probably when I was 13. It's been YEARS! 

I have used Earth Balance products before and was never disappointed. So my excitement when I saw these sitting on the shelf was probably like a little kids when they see their favorite candy. No shame here. I follow Earth Balance so I saw they were coming out with these cheese puffs, but they didn't come to my store as soon as they were released. So I have been patiently waiting. I really can't say enough good things about this brand because they live up to their name. Plant based products, but they are Non-GMO which is hard to find.

These cheesy puffs are defiantly cheesy. Where I live we have a local company that makes what everyone calls the best white cheddar cheese puffs. To compare, Caleb tried these along with the local brand. He said they were EXACTLY the same! Crazy! These puffs would defiantly be a hit for the younger kids and kids at heart who suffer from food allergies.  I do notice they kind of leave an after taste, but what cheese doesn't leave a weird after taste? 

I would recommend these puffs to anyone because they are gluten free and vegan. So no animal products are used!  

Ian's French Bread Pizza

At my local grocery store, there is a small gluten free section but it's nothing to go crazy over. A lot of times there's always the same stuff, but sometimes I'll stumble across something new. I've tried a few gluten and dairy free frozen pizzas before...but wasn't impressed at all. Also it's kind of rare to find a pizza that is free of both, let alone allergy friendly. 

I haven't had many products from Ian's, so I didn't know how their products were. But in a rush because Caleb and I had plans for a pizza and movie night I needed something quick. Spotted this and was so excited to try it. I've been careful about products containing soy since I don't want soy in my diet either. This was amazing to find! 

I don't have the best pictures because 1. I forgot to take pictures the first time I had it 2. Bought again, almost forgot and 3. Now I can't find it at the grocery store. So this is the best one I have. It doesn't look like the product on the box, but that's because all the cheese has melted. I actually think the cheese amount is perfect because I don't prefer a lot of cheese anymore. The french bread, is exactly what you would think french bread to be. A crunchy outside while the inside is soft. A box contains two pizzas, which is fantastic because I get two meals out of it! 

I would defiantly recommend this to anyone. Especially if you're in a hurry for a quick meal or just can't get rid of that pizza craving. Caleb confirmed that it was pretty close to a "normal" french bread pizza. Ian's has more products on their site which I defiantly want to try since this pizza was really good. 

10 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Restricted Diet

It is possible to eat unhealthy, even if you're on a diet that restricts foods. Just a few years ago, people who had to eat gluten, dairy, sugar, peanut, and etc free were pretty limited to what they could eat. But now, there is so many options! Don't get me wrong, I love being able to feel like I can enjoy foods again. But does that make them healthy? Some yes are healthy. But others, not so much. It's all about reading the labels and what the ingredients are. A lot of products that are gluten and dairy free can contain extra sugars and other ingredients to make them, taste "normal" and those are things you want to avoid.  Even though I have been eating very healthy, I was adding more starches because I didn't have any actual wheat and my body and I was feeling deprived. So I loaded up on rice and potatoes to fill that gap. Since I couldn't have dairy, I was eating more of the products that were dairy free, just would go overboard a little. Once I realized what I was doing, I knew there had to more changes made. After making these changes, I can tell I do have more energy and I also don't feel as bloated. A lot of those special diets foods still contain salt, and you are consuming more of it when you feel deprived. 

Recently, I've decided to not eat as much meat, like chicken, turkey, and beef. I completely eliminated any pork and pork products just because I hate pork and it contains a higher number of viruses that could get me sick. I've added more fish into my diet instead.

So here are my 10 tips for eating healthy on a restricted diet. 

1. Swap white & brown rice for quinoa.

2. Limit your intake on gluten free breads and pastas.

3. Avoid prepackaged meals, even if they say they are organic.

4. Limit any processed foods. 

5. Fill up on vegetables

6. Make dinner your smallest meal of the day

7. Drink a cup of water before a meal

8. Buy local and fresh

9. Allow a treat meal or snack once in awhile. 

10. Avoid processed sugars. 

Eating healthy is easy. But don't get caught up in all the speciality foods or you'll be eating processed foods all over again. Just stick to the basics for most days, and allow a treat or two here and there. 

Cheers! 

Seven Day Detoxifying Cleanse

This week Caleb and I are doing a cleanse. Most likely if you have internet, you've heard of the cleanses that are out there. They all have good and bad reviews. 99% of the time I eat very healthy, because I really don't have a choice. BUT I have found foods that aren't healthy that I can have. I've added a lot of starch and sugars back into my diet without really noticing it. I've just been feeling pretty crappy again and I know it's because of those little sneaky sugars. I recently had my first anxiety attack in months a couple weeks ago. And I know it's because I'm not fueling my body like I should be. 

Both Caleb and I want to be healthier, especially for our BIG day :) 

So a cleanse just made sense for the both of us. I'm really into those juice cleanses that for a few days all you consume is juice. But Caleb isn't to thrilled. (Guess I'll do that one by myself later one) I seriously wish we lived in California because they have little shops of juices EVERYWHERE! 
Anyways...

So I found a cleanse that has two meals are smoothies and one is a salad or soup. If you look up cleanses you'll find SO many. Just go with what you feel comfortable with. Some people can tolerate full harsh cleanses that only allow liquids. While some can not. That's why I think a cleanse that provides both keeps your body feeling strong and not deprived. 

Most cleanses do make you lose weight. But what they aren't telling you that it is water weight. Especially for females since we hold more water than males. (Yay us!) 

I am not doing the cleanse to lose weight, I'm doing it to feel healthier and get myself back on track since I've been really slacking lately. 

My goals for this cleanse: 

1. Cut out sugar. Again. 

2. Cut out carbs and cravings for them.

3. Gain energy.

4. Glowing skin (hopefully!) 

5. Feel overall healthier again

Calebs goals:

1. Feel healthier

2. Cut out junk food and cravings

3. Eat better

4. Build muscle

Our cleanse is going to be similar. The only difference is he will have more protein than me because his body needs it since at the gym he does more strength training than what I do. Yes, we will be still working out while on the cleanse. People say not to, but I don't agree. I think you should keep your gym habit while cleansing. 

My house already has a lot of healthy foods so doing this cleanse for us is about $20.00. But if you don't have most ingredients and have to buy everything, then yes it's going to be pricy. I won't lie. But isn't your health worth it? 

The cleanse we are doing is something that I actually came up with. It's combining a lot of different things because after researching cleanses, I felt that if I took things from each it would be beneficial. 

For seven days we will replace two meals with smoothies and have one meal. Most cleanses I found they tell you the meal that you could have was for dinner, but I feel like dinner should be the smallest so I changed that and the meal will be lunch. Gives your body time to burn off calories. 

For this cleanse you'll be able to eat:

Each day I'll post recipes of the smoothies and lunch. Also how we are feeling and more tips on cleansing! 

So stay tuned!! More information coming! 

:) 

Peanut Butter Granola

If you have never made granola before. Put down your computer and go make it NOW. 

Seriously, homemade granola is so much better than any store bought brand...

And it's so simple!

I have a love for granola. There is so many different flavor combinations and the possibilities are endless. Plus, it's healthy. In moderation of course. 

I have had all different kinds of granola. But peanut butter...I haven't tried yet. You're going to think I'm crazy once I say this, but I am not a person who is crazy about peanut butter. I think it is good. But you won't find me going crazy over it. Also, sometimes I really can't stand peanut butter. It just depends on the day. But today I was really wanting peanut butter. I came across this recipe that she only needed 4 ingredients. I was sold. I love trying new recipes and this is something I wish I would have thought of. Even though I can't the credit for this recipe. I wanted to make it and share it because it's something that I'll make over and over again. This is perfect for on top of yogurt, in cereal, or just by itself. 

*Your house will smell amazing after baking this

Peanut Butter Granola

Ingredients: 

2 Cups Gluten Free Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill gluten free oats)

1/2 Cup Honey 

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

4 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Dark Chocolate Chips (Optional) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Prepare baking sheet by covering with parchment paper.

3. Measure out oats and place in a large mixing bowl. 

4. Combine peanut butter, honey, and brown sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Heat until mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Mix all together.

5. Pour mixture over oats, and mix until oats are evenly covered. 

6. Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet in an even layer. 

7. Bake 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Make sure you stir mixture half way through baking. 

8. Let cool. It will start to get crunchy the more it cools. Once cool, add in chocolate chips if preferred. 

Store in an airtight container. 

Enjoy! 

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10 Things I'm Thankful For

It's that time of year again!

The most wonderful time of year! 

The holidays are quickly approaching. Thanksgiving is THIS week. I'm beyond excited for the holidays this year. Last year, I was quite down during the holidays because I just learned I couldn't eat "anything".  Well that's what I thought.  So I was pretty upset that I wouldn't be able to fully enjoy all the wonderful food. Since I had to cut out sugar, seeing all the christmas goodies was really hard. My family tried hard to make dishes I could have, but since we were all new to gluten and dairy free cooking & baking. It was quite hard and things just didn't taste the same. And then I gave in, and had some sweets...which just back fired on me and I ended up feeling worse. Changing your lifestyle is a roller coaster battle. It's constantly changing. 

So this year is going to be different. I've grown to except that I won't be able enjoy the same foods again. I'm okay with that. Now I want to recreate those dishes that I thought I never would have again. Last year, I will be honest, I was a pretty negative person through the holidays...It's hard to admit, but I just didn't let myself enjoy the season. Since I can't change the past, I'm making sure that from now on, no matter what day it is. To have a more positive outlook on life. I have so much to be thankful for. I know the whole month of November people will put what they are thankful for each day on Facebook.  I really think it is a cool thing to do. I love seeing what people are thankful for. But I believe that's something you should do everyday. But I know we are all humans and get caught up in life that we forget to think about those things. I'm just as guilty. 

With the holidays quickly approaching, I know I'm going to get caught up in the craziness and I'll forget to write what I'm thankful for. So I'm taking a little time before everything starts to list what I'm thankful for.  I honestly could name so many things I'm thankful for, but I put my limit to 10. They are long, but I am just thankful for so much. It's hard to limit them. 

1. I'm thankful for my amazing Fiancé, he's my best friend and biggest supporter in everything. We've been through so much together. I really don't know where I would be without him. When I feel sick or not having a good day, he knows exactly what to do. I love the life we are creating together, and I'm so excited to marry him! 

2. I'm thankful for my mom. Even though we seem to butt heads a lot. I always know she wants the very best for me. And she will drop everything she's doing just to be there. She is the one who taught me how to bake. And now she's mastering baking gluten free. It's pretty cool to share that with her.  And no matter what, whether she realizes it or not, I always look for her approval and I listen to what she has to say. 

3. I'm thankful for my dad. I'm such a daddy's girl. I guess being the only girl out of 4 boys just makes sense. He has such a good heart and loves people. Everyone that meets my dad always says that he's such a great person, and I just nod because I already knew that. He works very hard to provide for his family and he does everything he can for his kids, well both him and my mom work together to make sure they take care of us. They always put everyone else before them. 

4. I'm thankful for my soon to be in laws. My (almost) mother-in-law tries so hard to make meals for me when we visit. After a year of trial and error, she has created some amazing dishes as well! Also, I am so excited to officially be a part of their family. Even though they already make me feel a part of it. I just need the last name ;)  I'm blessed to have such a caring family that I'm marrying into. 

5. I'm thankful for my brothers. All four of them. I call them my crazy brothers, not because they are actually loopy.....okay...they kind of are ;) But it's just my way of saying we have one big family and there is never a dull moment. They are all married and have kids now..well almost, there is one with his first on the way. But it's actually fun being the youngest and watching my brothers fall in love, get married, and have kids. Also, they are pretty protective over me. I guess being the youngest and only girl...they had to be. With having four older brothers, now all married. I now have four sisters!  I have such a big family, and it keeps growing. But I love all of them. I love all of my brothers the same. Even though they have their differences with each other at times. They need to realize how blessed they are to be apart of an amazing (and crazy) family. I wouldn't trade any of them. No matter what. 

6. I'm thankful for the rest of my family. Close and far. I have family all over the U.S. We all keep in contact through Facebook. I don't get see my extended family to often. But I truly love all of them, and it's cool to see what goes on in their lives as well. 

7. I'm thankful for my best friends. I have only a few, but they know who they are. Two of them are friends I met in high school, one is from kindergarten, and the other I've known pretty much my whole life. If a friendship last longer then 7 years, psychologists say it'll last a lifetime.  I believe I have found my lifelong best friends. I'm beyond blessed to have such amazing true friends in my life. I rather have a few very close friends, then a lot of "just friends". They mean so much to me, and I hope I am just as good of a friend to them, as they are to me. 

8. I'm thankful for all of the other supporters. Through my journey, I've been able to reach out to people and help them. Growing up, I've always had dreams in making a difference in people's lives and reaching out to others and offering them help and support.  I just never knew what I could do.  I now think I'm finding that "thing" and I'm trying to follow that dream.  

9. I'm thankful for all of the other gluten free and allergy friendly companies out there that have made my lifestyle change easier. Seriously. I used to walk into the grocery store lost because there wasn't to many options, but now. I'm excited to go because there is way more options and it's actually fun finding new products! So to all of you companies dedicated gluten free and allergy friendly, keep up all the good and hard work! You really make a difference in people's lives. 

10.  Lastly, but not the very last. I'm really thankful for my life. I never knew that I would have health issues or ever worry about what I have to eat. But life throws curve balls and you have to adapt. I'm just so thankful that I caught my stomach issues early on before anything really serious happened. 

Have you taken time to think about what you are thankful for? Maybe take a few minutes to think about the things you are thankful for. It'll really make you realize how beautiful life really is. 

Cheers!! 

Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels Review

You know what makes my day?

Receiving this in the mail...

This box always makes me so excited because I love Enjoy Life and all of their products! 

It feels like Christmas every time this comes to my door. And I always open up the box right away. So what's in this box? 

Chocolate!

Enjoy Life already came out with mini chips and mega chunks. But their newest addition is there regular size morsels. Yes they look exactly like normal chocolate chips! 

Here's what the "normal" chocolate chips look like:

Not much of a difference at all!! 

If I put these chocolate chips next to ones that have dairy in them, you wouldn't be able to tell, They look exactly the same. The only difference? The ingredients. Take a look at Enjoy Life's ingredients in their morsels:

Compared to the well known Hershey's Dark Chocolate Morsels:

I don't see why those added ingredients are necessary. Enjoy Life has clearly shown that those extra ingredients aren't needed at all. 

The flavor of Enjoy Life Morsels taste like a high quality dark chocolate. I'm excited to use these in my holiday baking! I have already made chocolate chip pancakes with them. They turned out amazing of course. 

I would HIGHLY recommend this product to anyone!! These are not only a good choice for people who can't have dairy, but for everyone else since they are a much healthier option for chocolate. 

Once again, Enjoy Life has created an amazing product that I will use very often! 

So go buy these and try for yourself to see the difference! 

Cheers! 

So Delicious Pumpkin Spice Coconut Milk Review

I have been waiting to try this ever since it came out, but my grocery store never seemed to carry it, or they would always be sold out.

FINALLY I got my hands on one! This is just one of the three holiday flavors that So Delicious has. The others are Mint Chocolate and Nog. I'm curious to try the others, but so far the Pumpkin Spice is the only one I have tried. 

I really didn't know what to expect from this. I had no idea how it would taste, or what the texture would be like. It says it's smooth and creamy, but for some reason I wasn't expecting a thick texture. It has a really thick texture, which caught me off guard. It's spice with a hint of pumpkin. It's actually not overwhelmingly sweet. Which is a good thing. But since it's so thick, I can only usually drink about 1/4 of a cup. But it's plenty! 

The only thing that I don't really care for is in the ingredients there is "natural flavors" and carrrageenan. To me these are two things that really aren't needed. That's my only complaint with this company and product, so if they take those things out, it would make me love it even more! 

I do recommend this, but only limited quantities just because of some questionable ingredients. But for those who have to be dairy free and want to enjoy this holiday seasons flavors, its a great choice. 

I haven't put this into any recipes or made anything with it yet. But I will warn you, don't try it in coffee...I made this mistake. It sounded like a good idea, but it is not at all. 

Once I successfully make some recipes, I'll post them! 

Here are some of my ideas:

A milkshake

Pancakes or waffles

Cupcakes

Those are it for now. 

Cheers!

Gluten Free Makeup: Bare Minerals

I've gotten asked countless times what type of makeup I use. Well I have been a religious Bare Minerals user for about 5 years now. This is going to sound really funny but when I was in school, I would watch those silly infomercials in the mornings and they always had bare minerals on some channel. I constantly begged my mom to buy it for me, but you had to sign up to receive in monthly, which means you pay monthly and there was no way she would do that. Back then I didn't understand, but now I see her point. They used to charge about $60 a month! When I got my first job, that was my first purchase. Unfortunately I was paying that fee every single month.  I have been using it ever since. Thank goodness stores are starting to carry it because I wouldn't pay that much a month for makeup. I have tried other mineral based foundations, but they just aren't the same to me. And I will NEVER put liquid foundation on my face. Ever. I hate, hate, HATE the feeling of makeup. When I wear makeup, I put the least amount on just because I never want a cakey look. 

Sooo what does this have to do with health? Since I'm all about my food....

Well I have been doing a lot of thinking lately and I really want my blog to be full of information. Maybe that's to overwhelming? But health isn't just about what you eat. It's about every single thing you use daily and what you surround yourself with. So why not. Besides, I am an extreme girly girl and I love makeup, hair, clothes, and just everything girly....guess it's a good thing I am a girl ;)

Most likely any guy readers won't read my beauty/girly posts, and that's okay. I have guy beauty information as well. Yes I did say guy beauty. It doesn't hurt to be in the know. I love to learn and I'm a good learner, unless it's math. You can keep that x and y and bob has 1,000 watermelons etc. to yourself.

I'm pretty sure I got off topic.......

Back to my makeup.

If you look at my vanity you will see I have everything bare minerals, if it's not bare minerals it'll most likely be benefit & smashbox. I do have a taste for expensive makeup...but I don't just like putting random stuff on my face without knowing what is in it. 

Is Bare Minerals gluten free?

Kind of.

I know their foundation, eyeliner, mascara, and eyeshadow is. But their lipstick and lip glosses I'm not 100% positive on that. And they aren't to clear on whether it is either. They do say that they don't prevent cross contamination. So people with Celiac I would say to stay away because you never know. Bare minerals is pretty natural. So they are good at trying to keep their products paraben free, and only use all natural minerals. 

I rarely use any makeup that isn't bare minerals. I am allergic to cover girl, maybelline, and l'orel. I have tried each brands eye makeup. And ended up with very red, sore, and irritated eyes. So I am sensitive to products and can only use higher quality and natural products. So that's why I feel that bare minerals is pretty natural. Maybe some will have other opinions, but this is just based off of my own experience in cosmetics.

Here is a list of safe products from Bare Minerals:

Free of Wheat, Oat, Rye, and Barely ingredients

All-Over Face Colors - all shades
bareEyes Eye Makeup Remover
Blush - All shades
Blush (SPF 20) - all shades
Brushless Mascara
Body Minerals - all shades
Eyecolor - all shades
Extreme Glimmers - all shades
Faux Tan
Faux Tan Body Moisturizer
First Base Lip Balm
Flawless Definition Mascara - all shades
Foundation (SPF 15 Original) - all shades
Foundation (SPF 15 Matte) - all shades
Gossamers - all shades
High Shine Eyecolors - all shades
Hydrating Blush - all shades
Liner Shadow - all shades
Lip Rev-er Upper
Makeup Remover Wipes
Mineral Veil - all shades
Mineral Veil (SPF 25) - all shades
MultiTasking Minerals - all shades
On the Spot Swabs
Prime Time Eyelid Primer
Prime Time Foundation Primer
Prime Time Oil Control Foundation Primer
Quick Change Brush Cleaner
Radiance Rocks - all shades
Soft Focus Colors - all shades
SPF 15 Lipgloss - Fiji
SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen - all shades
Weather Everything Liner Sealer
Well Cared For Brush Shampoo

Another nice thing about Bare Minerals is they give you a list of their ingredients for each product under the product description. 

I'm also currently searching for completely gluten free, all natural products. So suggestions are welcome!

Cheers! 

Source: http://www.bareescentuals.com

Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake Muffins

I have a love hate relationship with Fall. I hate it because it is to cold for me, and it brings winter. I love it because the Fall colors are so pretty and I love the flavors of Fall. Fall is the time of year that you start making comfort foods and baked goods that are baked with spices that just make your heart warm.

Oh yes. I love pumpkin spice. I am one of  "those people" that loves pumpkin everything. Pumpkin pie though...I could live without. It has to be a very spiced pumpkin pie in order for me to like it. I have had so much pumpkin spice coffee already...and I'm not even ashamed. Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice Coffee K-cups are just one of the best pumpkin spice coffees. Plus I can add pumpkin spice creamer. Tastes amazing.

What a better way to kick off the Fall season, then with a Pumpkin Spice Muffin?

With a crumbly top?

How about a closer look? You want one?

The pumpkin makes these muffins extra moist.

Now that I might have you drooling over your computer. I'll get to the recipe. I can't take credit for this recipe though. It was put together by my mom. Which actually, if it wasn't for my mom, I wouldn't know how to bake. She is the one who taught me. I would always watch her bake...and play in the flour when I was little ;) But I always look to her for advice. She can throw things together without even measuring and they turn out amazing. I have inherited some of that. But I still will measure things out. Everything that I make I want her to try, just to make sure it meets her standards. So today I thought it would be a good idea to share one of her own recipes. She took a regular muffin mix and made fall inspired muffins.

Baking doesn't have to be complicated or so involved that you feel like you're losing your mind ( and yes I have been there) and you shouldn't feel like you HAVE to make things from scratch. Yes, it is always nice to share something that is fully homemade, but mixes that give you the right amount of dry ingredients just eliminates a few steps. I think mixes that are gluten free are truly a lifesaver. Especially for someone who is just starting out gluten free. I do make a lot of things from scratch, but that is because I now know what works, and doesn't work. Even though I do make things from scratch, once in awhile it's nice to use a box mix.

In this recipe, King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Muffin Mix is featured. 

Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake Muffins

Ingredients:

1 Box King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Muffin Mix

6 Tbsp Melted Shortening or Dairy free butter ( or butter if you can tolerate it)

3 Large Eggs

1/2 Cup Water

1 Can Organic Pumpkin

1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Crumb Topping:

1 Cup G/F Bisquick mix

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup Shortening 

Combine all ingredients until a crumb mixture forms

Directions:

Taken from the back of the muffin box

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease muffin pan or fill with paper muffin cups

Stir together the shortening, eggs, and water. Add in the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and mix until well combined.

Fill the muffin cups almost full. Let batter sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Crumb Topping.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. Test with a cake tester or toothpick, if it comes out clean it's done.

Cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes: 15-18 muffins

Enjoy these fall inspired muffins.

I know I did, I already had 1....

Okay I had 2....

Actually it was 3 in one day

Judge me

You won't be able to resist them either. So try them!

Cheers!