FLATBREAD WITH IRISH CHEDDAR, APPLES, AND BACON

Hello Lovely,

I'm so excited to share this new recipe with you. I was looking for ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day but I was tired of everything green and wanted something more original. Then I discovered this recipe from Kerrygold and I knew I had to try it.

This is hands down one of my favourite all time recipes! It's so simple, healthy and delicious I could eat this all the time! It's vegetarian and you can even make it vegan by swapping out the cheese for vegan cheese and using a vegan flatbread. I love naan bread and I love making flatbread pizzas with it (it's the only time thin crust is acceptable).

Naan bread is something you should always have on hand for party snacks and quick & easy meals. In this recipe, I piled Kerrygold Aged Cheddar, crisp, salty bacon and sweet apple slices high on the naan bread and pop it in the oven until the cheese becomes melty and gooey. A quick sprinkle of crunchy green onions is all this Flatbread with Irish Cheddar and Bacon needs before it’s ready to eat. Is your mouth watering yet? It should be. This recipe has all the great flavors you want in a flatbread without being overly rich. And who can say no to anything with bacon?

FLATBREAD WITH IRISH CHEDDAR, APPLES, AND BACON

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ounces grated Kerrygold
• Aged Cheddar Cheese
• 3 pieces of bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
• ¼ of an apple, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Top the naan crust with the grated cheese. Sprinkle the bacon on top of cheese and add the apple slices. Bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Sprinkle green onions on top of flatbread. Slice and serve.

THE FABLETICS #21DAYSOFME CHALLENGE

Hello Lovely,

I FINALLY got my Fabletics leggings about two weeks ago. I say finally because I ordered these in January. Fed Ex claimed it was delivered January 17 but we never got it until mid February. I was so angry I thought someone stole my package or it was never actually delivered. I immediately cancelled my Fabletics account because I honestly felt betrayed and was gearing up to write a negative review about it. But when my package finally magically showed up I was over the moon! I could wait to get them on!

They feel absolutely amazing! The ones I'm wearing are high waisted and the other pair I got have pockets so I'm super excited! They're made from a really high quality material. The thigh is thick and well insulated so moisture doesn't get out from sweating but the calves have a breathable mesh that prevents you from overheating! In honour of getting my Fabletics leggings, I decided to join the #21DaysofMe challenge and I thought you guys would want to do it with me.

So welcome to the #21DaysOfMe challenge. Get ready to try new workouts, recipes and routines that will get you in the best shape of your life. I'll be sharing updates of this challenge on my Instagram page and I can't wait to share the end results! Here's a message from the founder of Fabletics, Kate Hudson to give you a little more info on how this works!

Today’s Challenge: What are your intentions and goals for this #21DaysOfMe journey? Share them on Instagram or Twitter using #21DaysOfMe and tag a friend!

My goals for the 21 Days of Me Challenge are to lose 2-3 inches on my waist and to develop a sustainable, budget friendly diet. What's yours? Share your goals in the comment section below!

HOMEMADE NATURAL MAKEUP BRUSH CLEANER

Hello Lovely,

Do you clean your makeup brushes? 

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’d never thought about cleaning my makeup brushes. I mean, I knew I was supposed to clean them, I just never made the time to do it properly (often opting to just rinse it with soap and water). Big mistake.  As it turns out, cleaning makeup brushes is a pretty important task that can prevent bacteria from spreading on the skin.

Bacteria = breakouts.

Breakouts = makeup brush contamination.

Makeup brush contamination = more breakouts.

It’s a nasty cycle.

I had bought a bottle witch hazel during my last shopping trip in Miami because I heard about all of the amazing benefits of it with beauty products. I also knew that castille soap is like the coconut oil of bases (holy and highly revered). There are a number of store-bought brush cleaner options, and there are also a number of DIY tutorials on Pinterest. Most of the ingredients used in both the store-bought and “homemade” versions are far from natural, so I took what I learned and started experimenting. After all, how hard could it be, right? With a few basic ingredients, which I already had on hand for DIY beauty products, I was able to easily whip up a natural solution.

To say that I’m now a brush cleaning advocate is an understatement.  Trust me, just try it once–dip your makeup brush in a few simple ingredients–your beauty routine will forever be changed. From what I’ve read, most makeup professionals recommend cleaning brushes daily, particularly the ones used for foundation and blush. But considering I don't wear makeup every day (special occasions only) I'll stick to cleaning them after every use.

My homemade brush cleaner recipe works for any cleaning schedule since it makes enough solution for soaking sessions (my preferred method of cleaning) or daily spraying. Whichever method you choose, go with something that’s doable for you.

Homemade Natural Makeup Brush Cleaner

 Servings 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup witch hazel
• 2 tsp baby mild castile soap
• 1 tsp skin-nourishing oil like olive oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil., optional
• 1 cup distilled water

Instructions

1. In a bottle or mason jar, combine all the ingredients in the order listed (the recipe). Shake the bottle.

2. Swirl makeup brushes in the mixture to clean.

3. Carefully blot brushes to remove excess dirt and oils.

DIY KID’S RIBBON RAINBOW WALL HANGING

Hello Lovely,

Ever since my niece was born, I've been obsessed with finding the cutest DIYs for her. She wasn't the friendliest at first, making it really hard to get a good photo of her, but around 2 months she really started to open up, smile more and even light up for the camera! It's been a joy creating things for her the past three months. One of those is this whimsical rainbow ribbon wall hanging! Kid stuff always feels like it can be more playful and fun and you can do just about whatever you want! 

Supplies:
-60 white cotton balls
-8 x 11 white cloud printout
-8 x 11 cardboard
-hot glue gun
-ribbons or tissue paper in rainbow colours (ribbon will hold up more to a grabby baby)

Optional supplies: -glue on jewelry bails, jump rings, gold chain, and jewelry kit

1. First print out a white cloud, cut it out then glue it to your cardboard. Cut around the shape of the cloud. This will serve as your base. 
2. Glue cotton balls onto cloud filling up all of the white space. For an 8 x 11 cloud, I used 40 cotton balls and for an 11 x 17 cloud, I used 60 cotton balls.
3. You can either glue a string to the back of the cardboard cloud or use your jewellery pliers to attach jump rings to each bail. Cut a length of chain with your jewellery cutters to attach to the jump rings (mine was about 8″ long) and connect your jump rings with the chain.
4. Decide how long you want your ribbons to hang down from your cloud and cut 3 of each colour ribbon a few inches longer than that measurement (I made mine 20″ long). 
5. In colour order, glue the colours across the bottom back of your cloud and make sure to reverse the order from how you want it to appear when hanging.
6. Hang your rainbow in the spot you want it to go and then use fabric scissors to trim the ribbons at an angle with the longest ribbon in each set being the one at the back and the shortest ones being the ones hanging in the front. That’s it! You’re done! 

So sweet! I love how the ribbons hang down and the cotton balls above look so puffy—I just want to poke them! The cotton ball clouds would be a great item to add a few drops of essential oils onto to keep a delicious scent in a kid’s room as well (just keep in mind that peppermint oil should not be used around children under the age of 6 and eucalyptus oil should not be used around children under the age of 10).

Baked Eggs and Potatoes

Hello Lovely,

Who would have ever thought you could have mashed potatoes for breakfast? I haven't had mashed potatoes since high school. I ate them a lot after getting my braces tightened so I've grown to despise mashed potatoes. I'm not kidding. I HATE mashed potatoes! But after seeing this recipe on PureWow, I felt totally inspired to try it. I'm always looking for something new to try for breakfast so I figured this would be just the right recipe.

It was super quick and easy (one of those set it and forget it kind of recipes) and it was actually delicious! It's a filling breakfast, loaded with nutrition! You have got to try it!

Baked Eggs and Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 servings
• 4 cups mashed potatoes
• 6 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use lightly greased individual baking dishes).

2. In a medium bowl, add the bacon to the potatoes and mix to combine.

3. Scoop 4 even portions of mashed potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet. Brush each potato mound with melted butter.

4. Use a spoon to create a well in the center of each potato mound, then crack an egg into each one. Top each egg with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper.

5. Bake until the potatoes are golden brown and the eggs are set but still slightly jiggly in the center, 12 to 15 minutes.

6. Serve immediately while warm. 

Nutrition:

• 539 calories
• 36g fat
• 37g carbs
• 18g protein
• 2g sugars

DIY No Sew Baby Headband

Hello Lovely,

Ever since my niece was born I've been obsessed with her and finding ways to make her smile and laugh. It was rough at first because she really didn't want anyone to hold her other than her mother, but since she started nursery, she's not afraid to go to anyone and I now have more freedom to take photos of her and do fun things. One of the things I couldn't wait to do for her was this cute DIY from A Beautiful Mess. I made a version of the Daisy Trim using a Sunflower trim. Instead of cutting it and applying it to an elastic trim, I added snaps on the ends to hold it together and the headband simply slides on her head comfortably. But I still included the steps for how to make three versions of the no sew baby headband.

Supplies:
–ruched elastic
–daisy trim
-stretch knit fabric (medium weight)
–star trim
–1/4″ elastic trim
–rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat
-fabric scissors
–quick dry fabric glue or glue gun

Instructions:

1. Daisy Trim: Cut a strip of ruched elastic that is 1/2″ longer than your baby’s head circumference. Use a flowered trim (like that daisy trim) and cut each flower apart to make a quick appliqué pattern. Attach 3-4 flowers together in a cluster a few inches to the right or left of the centre of your ruched elastic and space another single flower an inch or so in both directions. Use a generous amount of your fabric glue (or use a hot glue gun) to stack and attach the elastic ends together in the back to complete the headband loop. Let the glue set and you’re ready to try it on!
2. Head Wrap: For this headband, use your rotary cutter to cut a strip of fabric that is 5″ wide and 1/2″ longer than your baby’s head circumference. Fold your long edges in towards the middle and use your fabric glue or hot glue gun to attach one edge over the other, creating a long flattened tube.Stuff one end of your tube into the opening at the other end and glue them together. Cut a small strip of fabric that’s 3/4″ wide and 3″ long and fold and glue the long edges inwards like you did with the larger headband. Fold your smaller tube around the enter front of your headband (seam side inward on both pieces) and trim the smaller piece shorter, depending on how much of a gather you like in your headband. Repeat the process of stuffing one end of your small tube into the other end and gluing together like you did with the bigger piece and your headband is ready to wear!
3. Starry Eyed: For this headband, cut a piece of decorative trim that is 2″ shorter than your baby’s head circumference. Cut a piece of 1/4″ elastic that is 1.5″ long and generously glue the elastic to both ends of the trim to complete the loop. That’s it! This one really showcases a pretty piece of trim as the star (no pun intended), so you can really use any trim you like and you may be able to find a coloured elastic that matches to help it look seamless as well.

Notes: Just keep in mind that you may have to do a little glue/fabric testing to make a no-sew headband that won’t fall apart as soon as you put it on your baby. There are definitely fabrics that glue really well and strongly to each other and some that don’t, so I would do a little test gluing with scraps to make sure your fabrics create a tight seal. Hot glue tends to work on a larger variety of supplies, so try that if the fabric glue doesn’t hold. If you use fabric glue, you should be able to wash the headbands in cold water, although if you have a really delicate trim I may just spot treat as needed. And as always, make sure your headband isn’t too tight! I know it sucks to remake something if it’s too small, but everyone will be happier if baby’s headband isn’t squeezing them uncomfortably.

Why My 28th Birthday is so Significant

Hello Lovely,

I can't believe that today is my 28th birthday! I never had any expectations for turning 28. This number never registered on my radar as important for any reason. Little did I know that this would be one of the most important birthday's of my life! It's my first birthday with my Master's Degree, it's my first birthday as an aunt, my first birthday after my huge break up last year (take a shot) and my first birthday after the loss of both my step dad (Dec. 16) and my uncle (Feb. 14). I've been dealing with A LOT since my last birthday. But what made this birthday so special is the amazing outpouring of love from my friends.

My best friend Doran randomly told me he was coming for my birthday. He came for the weekend and it was just what I needed. I was able to grieve my losses while celebrating life. We spent the first night watching one of my best friend's Gary play at Palm Cay where I surprised Gary because I didn't tell anyone Doran was coming. I was still struggling with my emotions at the time so we called an early night. But the next day I felt much better. 

We started our Saturday by buying tickets to see Black Panther before heading downtown for a new Gelato shop opening. The gelato was delicious. There were so many people there I could snap a photo of anything, but if any locals want to go there it's in the arcade where Bambu nightclub is across from Twisted Lime. In addition to gelato they also serve various desserts like tiramisu, tres leches and berry tarts. A small cone with one scoop is $6.95 while for only $1 more you can get two scoops with two different flavours. The gelato is freshly made every morning and you can try before you buy. I had the goat cheese flavour and hazelnut. I know that sounds weird, but it tasted sooooooo good together! Yes I know I'm lactose intolerant, but it's my birthday, so don't judge me!

Then Doran and I went on a photo walk. We had no real aim or purpose. We just set out to cover as much ground on foot as we could and take photos of anything we found interesting, until it was time to leave for the movie.

While wandering around Graycliff, a gentleman randomly approached us in the street and asked if we wanted to attend their wine tasting (he thought we were tourists, bless his heart). Of course we agreed! We sat in a nicely decorated room with a few tourists from Canada. The dialogue was great and we had fun catching up to them with the wine. The wine wasn't great, but all of their wine is personally made and costs less than $20. So we got a bottle of Malbec (deemed the lesser of all the evils) to drink later. We grabbed lunch at Da Bush Cook before watching Black Panther. Don't worry, no spoilers, you can keep reading.

Of course I expected a few people to find issues with Black Panther, but overall I would give the movie an 8.7/10! I found the technology incredible similar to that of Star Wars (which isn't a bad thing) but I did feel like some things could've been better explained. My favourite part of the movie was the incredible representation of strong black women without sexualising them. For once, a woman could be powerful and an activist for positive change without being subjected to being a sex symbol.

Afterwards, we went by my best friend Krista to see her. She was getting ready to see Black Panther with her boyfriend when we had to break the horrible news to her that the showing she wanted to see was sold out. So we decided to go for sushi instead.

I got the birthday roll at Sakura Sushi with a Mango Mingle while Doran and Krista's boyfriend had a pad thai with a Black Russian and Krista had two sushi rolls with whiskey. I loved my complimentary tempura ice cream. I loved even more that no one sang that embarrassing happy birthday song to me. We drove around for awhile and enjoyed listening to the music from a Soca party at Arawak Cay.

On Sunday I slept in and it felt great! Doran made French toast for breakfast for us as we enjoyed steaming cups of coffee (we're really like an old married couple sometimes). In the afternoon, I went by my best friends' Dara and Richard for Dara to give me a facial. I had never had a facial before but it was the best experience ever! I also got a shoulder and neck massage and I could feel all of the negative energy and feelings immediately leave my body! My skin looked amazing afterwards with a bright even tone and SUPER smooth skin! Then Gary and his girlfriend, Paulette came over and we had a lovely dinner and several glasses of wine to celebrate National Wine Day (and my birthday of course).

This was an amazing birthday! My friends really came together to ensure I stayed happy and enjoyed my birthday. We created magical memories that honestly mean so much to me. I appreciate each and every person who worked so hard to make this day special! I've made a lot of amazing friends over the past year and even my dating life has seen a positive turn. I can't wait to see what this year brings me.

XoX,