Month: February 2017

CHOCOLATE CHIP PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES [SUGAR FREE]

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Are you ready for a “healthier” take on the ever so loved and oh so classical peanut butter cookies? Well my friends, you’ve come to the right place! Today I will be sharing one of my secret homemade recipes which will HOPEFULLY have you going as nutty as I do when I indulge in such treats.

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One of my favourite things about this recipe is that it’s sugar free which is always a winner in my books and can  make a fabulous  snack not only for yourself, but for the kids too!  Alright, shall we get started?

INGREDIENTS: (enough to make about 12 cookies)

  • 1 happy chicken egg
  • 58g raw rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 tbsp agave nectar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
  • 4 tbsp peanut butter
  • ½ cup dark chocolate chips

WHAT TO DO:

Combine all dry ingredients and mix together.

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Next, add your happy chicken egg and agave nectar and mix together until combined.

I hope you have your arms prepared for the next bit because it requires some voluntary elbow grease. Yip, I bet you never thought that peanut butter cookies would cause some arm cardio! Add the peanut butter & chocolate chips and fold into the rest of the mixture until all is combined. Just a little FYI – this took me a while, but I found that a fork worked better than a spoon.

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Time to give your arms a break and set the mixture in the fridge to chill for 30 min.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius about 15 minutes before taking your mixture out of the fridge and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Scoop a cherry tomato sized amount of cookie dough out of your bowl, roll into a ball, and press down with a fork or spoon on the tray. Repeat this until your mixture is finished and pop in the oven to be baked for 12 minutes. The mixture will change to a golden brown colour when ready. Place your golden brown cookies on a rack to cool. Leave the biscuits in for a few extra minutes if you are wanting a good crunch.

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TOP SECRET: While your cookies are cooling down, stick a few chocolate chips on the tops for decoration.

Serve and enjoy with a cup of tea! YUMMMMMY!!

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Until next time

Mycaila-Jade

xxx

BLUEBERRY & BANANA FLAPJACKS

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Oh look! Another recipe to get you out of the bed in the mornings – YIPPEE!!

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The thought of breakfast seems to always make rolling out of bed less of a chore and knowing that flapjacks will be on this morning’s breakfast plate happens to be even more exciting to wake up to! If only you knew how excited food REALLY makes me – which brings me to my newly adapted flapjack recipe to get your weekend off to a fabulous start.

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Mixture: (enough to make 6 flapjacks – good for sharing)

  • 2 bananas
  • 2 happy chicken eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 1 handful of blueberries
  • Coconut oil for cooking

Toppings:

  • a couple raspberries
  • a handful blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon coconut cream
  • ½ a banana
  • a dollop of honey/agave nectar for sweetening

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What to do:

Making these flappers happens to be rather simple, and will have you feeling like you could be the next Jamie Oliver in the kitchen! Before we get started, get your pan ready on a low heat with a small teaspoon of coconut oil for cooking.

Mush your bananas and happy chicken eggs in a bowl, adding the vanilla extract. Once you have a semi thick consistency, place in a blender/ Nutribullet along with your handful of blueberries and almond flour and blitz for only a few seconds. The consistency of the mixture should still be thick, so the shorter, the better.

You may need to give the mixture a stir with a spoon before cooking your batter. Once all is mixed, spoon a desired amount of your super delicious mixture out and place in your heated pan. Cook as you would with normal flapjacks and flip until golden brown. YUMMY!

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Plate your flapjacks in a stack, placing cut banana pieces and blueberries between each layer. Add a dollop of coconut cream to the top with a few sprinkled raspberries on the plate for decoration, and of course, a delightfully good drizzle of honey for some sweetness.

If you manage to master the art of getting your stack to stand or if your breakfast seems to look more like the leaning tower of Pisa, then BROWNIE POINTS TO YOU!! You TOTALLY deserve to eat your fabulous flappers after all that effort!

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Serve and enjoy with a morning cup of coffee.

Happy Flapping, everybody!

Until next time,

Mycaila-Jade

xxx

 

LUSH SHOWER JELLIES [REVIEW]

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The 411 of every day/morning or evening should definitely be personal hygiene. If not, we might have to reconsider our friendship, otherwise, let me let you in on my latest secret of how to smell like the freshest daisy in town, all day long!

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One of my favourite shower products from Lush is STILL their ever so famous shower jellies. I recently found myself back at their store in Buchanan Street gravitating towards the jelly section. There’s no doubt that these are totally my favourite wobbly bits!

First off, unlike all of your regular shower creams and products, these ones tend to live in the fridge, for extra freshness, and it makes sense when use them too. The sensation of a cold handful of jelly on your skin under hot water is super soothing & unimaginably refreshing!

Although there are a few different scented bits of wobblies, today I will be sharing my two favourites with you – The Whoosh & The Refresher.

THE WHOOSH

This jelly has a whimsical selection of the freshest ingredients being lemon, lime and rosemary all mixed with honey water – sounds good enough to have in your morning smoothie, right? Well, you can only imagine how delicious it smells!

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Whoosh appears to be a see-through darkish blue and lifts to a beautifully lighter colour in the sunshine. It’s like a little tub of the ocean – all magical and relaxing.

One thing that I love about Lush, is their sense of humour when it comes to their descriptions of their beautifully handcrafted products. The name “WHOOSH” comes from the sound of deadliness whizzing by for times when you feel like an alien on your own planet. A shower jelly with a bit of personality? We don’t seem to come across those very often.

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THE REFRESHER  

With this jelly, you’ll feel like a queen (or king) that has found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. With its rose oil & lemony scent, this jelly is a MUST when rethinking your morning routine. It will give you the ultimate blast to a good day and leave you feeling refreshed – just like the name says! And let’s not forget that the goldie colouring will make you look and feel like a winner all around! Fancy that!

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HOW TO USE

Firstly, we know that these creations live in the fridge. Secondly, these babies are super easy to use. Literally pop them out of the pot, and rub over your body for a squeaky clean experience. Pop them back in their pots & place in the fridge again.

These products are 100% vegan and are made out of a solid seaweed gel which is super moisturising for the skin.

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You can find these 100g jelly pots at your local lush stacked on the crushed ice display with all their other differently scented friends.

Happy showering!!

Until next time,

Mycaila-Jade

xxx

RIMMEL #INSTA FIX & GO SPRAY [REVIEW]

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I seem to have found myself a 2 for 1 bargain, YET AGAIN!

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Last time, this was my Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1 and this time it’s the 2 in 1 Primer & Setting Spray from Rimmel. And with “#INSTA” being a part of it’s name, it’s just as fabulous as it sounds!  I hardly used to use anything of this nature last year, 2017 has brought on a whole new adventure and love for such products!

Ever gone out and had your make up vanish off your face half way through the day, leaving you questioning where Cinderella was with her magic tricks to fix you up? YUP, ME TOO, and let’s be honest, those moments are not very fun when you don’t have any makeup on standby!

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Since then, I have come to realise the importance of priming your face, and sprinkling some magical mist once all finishing touches have been made before heading out the door.

If you’re a watermelon kinda girl and love a fruity fragrance, then this FIX & GO spray is perfect for you – it smells fabulous and is super refreshing!

Being water based, this product is absolutely amazing if you’re a tad bit worried about developing an oily looking complexion throughout the day, because let’s face it (pun intended) – we all hate finding ourselves in situations like that!

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My favourite thing about this spray is that it’s quick drying and locks in makeup, just in case you thought your makeup was talented enough to escape your face. Although, apparently it is, which is Rimmel have invented such a fabulous solution.

How to use:

Spray onto a clean face before applying makeup to help prime the skin for a dewy effect.

Once makeup has been applied, hold the bottle a few inches away from yourself and spray towards your face, walking into the mist. And there you go, the “setting” has been done.

(Sometimes I find myself flapping about for a few seconds afterwards with my hands to dry off my face a little quicker)

And there you have it, it’s as simple and 1,2,3 spray and that’s you, ready for your day!

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Until next time,

Mycaila-Jade

xxx

GARNIER PURE ACTIVE 3 IN 1 [VALENTINES SKIN]

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There’s no doubt that us girls LOVE a 2 for 1 special when it comes to all things beauty related, right? I don’t know about you, but I seriously question my life decisions when I even CONTEMPLATE saying “no” to bargains of that kind.

Since it is Valentines day, why not show your skin some love before trying any special make-up looks for your dinner date tonight? Happy skin means a happy YOU and after all, 3 for 1 is the new thing! Yes, 2 for 1 is so last season!

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The Garnier Pure Active range boasts a fabulous little invention that is bound to knock your socks off and put all those little blemishes to bed.

This is not your average face product – think ONE product and THREE different ways to use it. Basically, it can be used as a face wash, scrub or mask – take your pick, Fancy Nancy! In my opinion, this is the absolute HOLIEST of holy grails when it comes to a “multiple use” product!

I don’t know if you can tell, but my personal favourite is the mask!

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It is packed with all sorts of terrific ingredients that help unclog your pores and even out your skin tone.The 3 in 1 is formulated with pumice beads which is a natural exfoliant as well as white clay which softens and mattifys the skin.

I’d suggest adding this product to your daily skincare regime by using it as a face wash or scrub, or as a mask 2-3 times a week.

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My favourite thing about using this as a mask is that it’s super quick and easy.

Follow my 4 easy steps for a face mask quickie:

Step 1: Apply onto your face (while dry),

Step 2: Leave for 3 minutes

Step 3: Rinse off!

Step 4: And VWWWAALLAAAAH!!! You are now ready to frolic about like a Fresh Faced Fiona!

If the face mask doesn’t tickle your pickle, use it as a gentle face wash in the mornings for an extra fresh kickstart or in the evenings as a scrub to eliminate all grimy oils from the day, but always remember to use a good moisturiser! Moisturising is key, ladies!

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Be sure to get your hands on this at Clicks for R101.95.  I guarantee you’ll be left feeling like a minty fresh daisy!

Always remember to use a good moisturizer after any face cleansing. My favourite one at the moment is the Garnier Matte Control Anti Shine Moisturiser (What a mouthful!).

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Have you tried this product before? Which way is your favourite way to use it?

Until next time,

Mycaila-Jade

xxx

ROASTED ALMOND & COCONUT COCAO ENERGY BALLS

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It’s TREAT TIME!

Although, I should probably rephrase; It’s GUILT FREE TREAT TIME!

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If you’re anything like myself, and 90% of the rest of the world when it comes to the love you might have for chocolate, then you should totally try this recipe, especially if you’re on the health waggon and like to keep your calorie intake on the down low (literally).

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • 1 cup almonds
  • 20 pitted medjool dates
  • 3 table spoons of cocao powder (I used Cadbury cocoa powder)
  • 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
  • 50g grated 80% dark chocolate (I used Lindt)
  • 2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut
  • 2 tablespoons water

WHAT TO DO:

Before we get started, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lay your cup of almonds out on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, once your oven is ready.

After your almonds have been roasted, place in a blender/ NutriBullet and blits until you appear to have almond flour. Pour flour into a mixing bowl.

Place medjool dates in your blender and blend with 2 tablespoons water. Add the remaining ingredients and blitz. Scoop your mixture into the mixing bowl with the almond flour. Melt the coconut oil and add to the mixture. Mix and fold by hand to make a beautiful chunky mix of chocolatey goodness! The consistency should be thick.

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Grab about a tablespoon (rough amount) of the mixture, squeeze the mixture tightly before rolling into a ball.  You should have enough to make about 20 energy balls. Once you have used all the mixture, refrigerate for an hour to all the balls to set.

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And it’s THAT EASY! All that’s left to do is serve and enjoy!

Until next time,

Mycaila-Jade

xxx

SCHWARZKOPF REPAIR & RESCUE SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

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All girls love FABULOUS hair, don’t we? Well if you agree, then you’re TOTALLY reading the right post!

I’m not sure about any of the other Hairy Harriet’s out there, but when you’ve been torturing your hair for years with dyes and peroxides, you tend to be left with unhappy noggin strands. If you’ve experienced this, keep reading!

I am so excited to share my ultimate “go to” Repair and Rescue from Schwarzkopf, which I have been a loyal user of between my other hair cleansing routines. This shampoo and conditioner is a cell perfector for damaged hair. Yes, you guessed it, it helps perfect damaged hair follicles. Basically, it will turn the most furious of fur into the lushest of locks!

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Both the shampoo and conditioner are thick and creamy and lather super easily. Not much is needed as it spreads easily and fairly over your hair.

The squeezy bottle design is mighty fine. Product waste? Minimal to none – WINNING!  Literally flip the cap open, turn upside down, and SQUEEEEZE…

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BC Bonacure Repair & Rescue Shampoo

Besides being super easy to use, this range smells absolutely amazing! It pretty much makes you feel as if you’re in the salon having your hair washed professionally. We all know that the salon shampoos smell out of this world – just like this one!

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BC Bonacure Repair & Rescue Conditioner

You can pick these up at your local hair dresser , or online store. Prices range from £4.50 – £12.00 in the U.K and R290.00 – R350.00 in South Africa)

Your hair will thank you, Schwarzkopf will thank you, and I most certainly will thank you for trying this hair therapy. You’ll understand why once you’ve tried it!

Until next time,

Mycaila-Jade

xxx