I MADE IT!!!

I'm officially living in the Netherlands now, hence the lack of updates!  I did win 3rd place in the Halloween Costume, so that was super awesome!! Reks is loving the cold weather, me not so much, but I have a fancy new coat that keeps me warm so it's all good.  Still trying to get the hang of cooking here, things are the same yet work slightly different for instance apparently cookie sheets are not things that exist here...as in I can't find one in any store no matter what kind of store it is.  Certain  grocery items have been a little difficult to find but partly that's due to the fact that I've been really sick since I got here so that doesn't leave much room for wandering around the store trying to find things.

My new camera arrived today soooo after I get an SD card I'll be trying that thing out! Really excited to start using it!! I also have a brand new Pink Gold Samsung Galaxy S7 which apparently Lil Wayne lied about and you can't really pour champagne all over or put it in a fish tank unless you want to mess up the microphone and speaker...

Here are some pictures from our time here:

Happy Halloween!!

Reks and I have decided to be a Lion and Lion Tamer for Halloween this year!! Both costumes were purchased from Amazon! If you would be so kind as to vote for us in the contest we entered that would be great!!! Just click here and follow a couple quick steps:  http://bit.ly/2cKWWah

Maybelline SuperStay24 Lip Color

This lip color really is amazing and does really last 24 hours! YES EVEN THROUGH FOOD AND DRINKS!!! I'm super impressed, nothing usually lasts as long as it says it does but this one does and it comes in really fantastic colors, I received Constant Toast and Keep Up the Flame, pictured is Keep Up the Flame because that's the one I really tried out! It lasted through a high tea! My only complaint is if you don't carry the lipstick with you, so you can use the balm it does get a bit tacky, not horribly but enough to be noticeable and annoying. I did receive these products for free to test but all opinions are my own, Now to the pictures!!

Before, I applied this around 10:30 AM:

Right before tea about 3pm:

During Tea:

And Finally After Tea: 

Test it out for yourself and let me know what you think!!

"Spaghetti" and Meatballs

Okay so this one I totally made up just to see if I was okay with Spaghetti Squash and I didn't follow any real recipe so it's pretty much all approximation, feel free to modify and post your results.

"Spaghetti" and Meatballs

Serves 8 (if as pictured)

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 1/2lb of your favorite ground meat or a combination

1/2c Cheese

1 large Egg

3 tsp of dried Herbs of your choice

1tsp Garlic Powder

1/2c Bread Crumbs

Spaghetti

Preheat the oven to 375°F and halve squash lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard seeds from the middle of each half. 

Arrange squash in a 9x13-inch casserole dish, cut sides down. Pour 1/2 cup water into the dish and bake until just tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Rake a fork back and forth across the squash to remove its flesh in strands…like spaghetti!

Meatballs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine meat, cheese, egg, herbs, garlic powder, salt, and 1/4c bread crumbs. Using your hands mix until everything is well incorporated. This can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Place the remaining bread crumbs in a small bowl. Measure small meatballs, roll in breadcrumbs and place in mini muffin pan. Cook for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through!

I don't eat red tomato sauce so I just put a little olive oil on my squash you can totally serve it with red sauce for more traditional spaghetti and meatballs.

Frittata

A super versatile high protein meal is Frittata, you can always switch up the meats and vegetables to your preference plus add all kinds of different herbs

Frittata (serves 6)
This is a very basic Frittata feel free to play with it.

3 Tsp options, 5c of Green and Red options, 4 Red Boxes (eggs), 1 Red in Cheese (Remember this serves 6)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil, for sauteeing, plus more for greasing pan
5c Fresh Vegetables and/or Protein
8 Eggs beaten
1c Grated Cheese plus more for topping (I don't top mine)
Salt and Pepper

Heat 1 tbsp Olive oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat, Add the vegetables to the skillet saute for about 6 to 8 minutes, until tender but firm.

In a medium bowl, beat together, the eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium-low and scramble the eggs for 1 minute or just until the eggs start to set around the edges. Drizzle olive oil around the edge of the pan to ensure easy removal.

Finish cooking in the oven for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the eggs have completely set in the center.Server straight out of the skillet or flip onto a serving plate. Garnish with more shredded cheese.

All Green Salad

This is pretty much the only salad I eat besides Cesar...there's tons of different textures and flavors.

All Green Salad (serves 8)
2 Orange Boxes, 6 Green Boxes (remember it's modified and estimated, plus serves 8)

Kosher salt
2 bunches asparagus (about 1 1/2 pounds), ends trimmed and cut on a diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 romaine heart, roughly chopped
1 English hothouse cucumber, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
15 basil leaves, torn
1/3 cup torn fresh dill fronds
Freshly ground black pepper

1. 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; prepare a large bowl of ice water and a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook until crisp tender, 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and immediately plunge into the ice water until chilled, then use slotted spoon to transfer asparagus to baking sheet to drain.
   2. In a large bowl, combine romaine, cucumber, avocado, basil, dill, and blanched asparagus. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine. Serve salad with remaining dressing on the side.

DO AHEAD:

Asparagus can be blanched up to 2 days in advance; store in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Citrus Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Whisk shallot, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, and honey in a medium bowl until combined. Add oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until combined. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

You can add chicken for protein or even avocado depending on your preferences plus the Vinaigrette is pretty much delicious on anything!!

 

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

This is one of my all time favorite recipes, so delicious and pretty healthy!!  This recipe serves 4.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup
(This is a general modification for the 21 day fix, it's not 100% as some ingredients aren't in the book, keep in mind it serves 4)
4 Yellow, 3 Green, 2 Red

4oz Cellophane Noodles
6c Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1-2 Thai (or jalapeno) peppers
1 additional pepper in slices for ganish
Bag of Mini Peppers (that has red, orange and yellow)
1 1/2c sliced Carrots
3 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp grated Ginger
2tsps grated Lemon Zest
1tsp grated Lime Zest
1/4c lemon or lime juice
4tbsp Thai fish sauce, divided
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
1c Coconut Milk
2c Baby Spinach
2tbsp chopped Cilantro (plus sprigs for garnish)

Place Noodles in a bowl; add enough warm water to cover and let sit until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain. Combine broth, peppers, garlic, ginger, lemon zest, lime zest, lemon juice, and 4 tbsp fish sauce in a medium saucepan.  Season with salt.  Bring to a simmer, add noodles and cook 3 minutes more.  Using tongs, transfer noodles to a bowl and cover with foil to keep war.  Add Chicken and coconut mil and simmer, stirring, until chicken is just cooked, about 3 minutes.  Stir in spinach until it begins to wilt, about 1 miunte, Add chopped cilantro and season with remaining 1 tbsp fish sauce. Using tongs, divide noodles among 4 bowls.  Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sprigs of cilantro and slices of pepper.

This is another recipe that's totally modifiable, don't like spinach but like Kale, substitute Kale, want to add extra vegetables, Go For It.  Don't want to use noodles, don't. Like it super spicy use habenero!

I've started a new adventure...

This time geared towards getting healthy, with my newest diagnosis of Fibromylagia I've been encouraged to eat less processed foods and start working out, moving more often to get myself to experience less pain and feel better overall. I've joined a 30 day Health and Fitness challenge ran by Stephani Rhodes (who happens to be my aunt and is a great at nutrition and working out, highly encourage clicking the link and checking it out, I've done the Ultimate Reset and the 21 day fix and both are great programs) to help me do this. So to start this challenge out, I've decided to put some recipes into 21 day fix format for both my benefit and other people in the group! I'm starting with a recipe that is in the Ultimate Reset Kit that is delicious and can also be modified to have extra vegetables.

Tomato Cucumber Salad with Balsamic Vinegar
3 Green Box 1 Freebie or 1 Orange Box (Balsamic Vinaigrette)
(I believe a green box is 1 1/2 cups, this recipe is mostly a guideline as I'm writing it from memory and modifying it)
1 Green Box of Tomatoes
1 Green Box of Cucumbers
1 Green Box of Onions (I prefer red but white or yellow will do)

I use cherry tomoatoes and chop them in half but you can also use any tomato you like and dice it up. Then I cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice cut the small pieces. Then dice your onion. Mix the 3 veggies together. If you don't want to use a Orange Box (dressing recipe to follow) then you can just toss in Balsamic Vinegar, if making for lunches just bring the vinegar with you, if you don't want the hassle of carrying a liquid at all you can chop your onion first then pop it into the vinegar and they will pickle soaking up the vinegar, you can also add herbs and spices, then when you finish chopping you can throw them in and Voila no dressing needed!

 Balsamic Vinaigrette
One Orange Box
6 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 tsp raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
6tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Combine Vinegar, lemon juice and honey in a medium bowl, whisk to blend. Stir in mustard, mix well. Slowly add oil while whisking, mix well.

 Now keep in mind this is just a template you can add any extra green boxes you want, some that I personally would add are Shaved Carrots (use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons of carrot), Peppers, Sprouts and/or Spinach. Other things that would be good are squash, kale, and radishes. Add any of those and you have a fuller salad and you got another (or several more) green container taken care of! You can also add all kinds of spices to help it be to your taste if you find it bland.

Not super exciting for a first post butttt....

I received the Bloom Vox Box from Influenster to review some super awesome products, even though I received the products free these are my honest opinons!! Here is a picture of everything in the box then I'll hit on some of the highs and lows of the box.

First up we have the nail oil from Nuxe Paris which you can purchase from Ulta.com check my twitter (midnighteskye) for 20% off! I did really like this product and it came just in time for summer! It does have a scent but it's not bad, it's super moisturizing and comes in a great little glass bottle, so it looks pretty on your vanity!

Even though I don't really like granola type bars (minus Kind bars, those things are AWESOME) I tried the Sunbelt Bakery bar because it was Dark Chocolate. I wanted to give it a chance because they're so convenient to throw in a purse on the go. I did not like it unfortunately, most granola bars with chocolate (and even some that don't) have this odd taste to me, I ate about a quarter of the bar and then tossed it. If you don't have weird taste issues like me, it could be enjoyable and seemed like it would be filling.

The Sinful Colors nail polish is Teal Midnight and it's a blue glitter in a blue gel, it's a slightly smaller glitter then I have so that's awesome!! It's really pretty! The Not Your Mother's Plump for Joy didn't really seem to do anything for my hair. Not sure if I used too much or not enough. I only used it in damp hair to try and do waves, it might work better if I flat iron. The product felt like a high quality product in my hand as I was putting it in my hair but just didn't do anything. The Secret Outlast is amazing!! I'm so happy I got a mini version because I often forget to apply while I'm at home so I can just take it with me and be great. It keeps you dry and fresh all day, plus doesn't get on your clothes! Lastly is the Cutex Nail Polish Removal Pads. I absolutely loved them!! They worked great, I loved the simplicity of it just being a simple sheet to get polish off 10 fingers, it even worked on glitter! They are handy to throw in your purse or cosmetics bag just in case you need to remove your polish on the go! They worked great for cleaning up too since the pad is very flexible!

My client Lucy approves this produc. Plus she just likes photobombing me...

Required mumbo Jumbo: I received these products free to test and review, all opinions contained in this blog are my own honest opinions after I have used the products. @cutex @influenster #SoCutex #HealthyNails #contest

Hello!!

Hi Everyone!! I'm Ms Tory and this is going to be a collection of my adventures, including reviews of products, food, restaurants and whatever else I feel like posting!! Hope you join me on this wonderful ride called life!