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Thursday, November 17, 2011
Guilt-Free Pasta
Penne and Asparagus with Ricotta Cheese
1 box of fiber-enriched penne pasta (suggestion: Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Rigate)
1 pound trimmed asparagus, cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces
2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (suggestion: Precious)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, optional
Directions:1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting any oil or butter.
2. Two to four minutes before the pasta is done, add the asparagus to the water (two minutes for thin spears, four minutes for thick).
3. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water in a small bowl. Drain the pasta.
4. Meanwhile, add the garlic, ricotta, and olive oil to a large serving bowl. As soon as the pasta is
drained, mix in 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water.
5. Immediately add the pasta and asparagus and gently toss until the pasta and asparagus are coated with the cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss again.
6. If the mixture seems too dry, add more reserved pasta water, about 1/4 cup at a time, until no longer dry.
7. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the pasta. If desired, sprinkle with the red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings. Each (about 2-cup) serving has 318 cals, 15g protein, 60g carbohydrates, 7g fat, 2g saturated fat, 18mg cholesterol, 9g fiber, 183mg sodium.
Source: Food & Wine Magazine
Healthy Quick Tip of the Day: Olive Oil!
Make the Switch: Use olive oil instead of butter! Dip your bread in it, use it to marinate your meat, & drizzle it over fish & veggies. This will add healthy fats and reduce saturated fat. :)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Top 10 Fav Beauty Products (at the moment)
+++ Some of you ladies were asking what type of basic look I do when I go out & ^this^ would be it :) same with my hair! I'm going to do a post very soon listing my routine & all the products I use while getting ready! (PS - please excuse my silly "kissy" face..smh lol)
Top 10 Beauty Products (at the moment):
1. Avalon Organics Vitamin C Soothing Lip Balm - This is probably my favorite chapstick/balm I've used in a long time! It really helps keep my lips smooth especially with the cold weather coming plus it smells & taste like oranges! It's made with super antioxidants Vitamins C & E plus organic Coconut, Jojoba & Apricot kernel oils & nutrient-rich Aloe.
Top 10 Beauty Products (at the moment):
1. Avalon Organics Vitamin C Soothing Lip Balm - This is probably my favorite chapstick/balm I've used in a long time! It really helps keep my lips smooth especially with the cold weather coming plus it smells & taste like oranges! It's made with super antioxidants Vitamins C & E plus organic Coconut, Jojoba & Apricot kernel oils & nutrient-rich Aloe.
2. Victoria's Secret Sweet Tease Fragrance Mist - this product is from the VS Summer Beauty Rush collection so I'm not sure if it's still available. But this stuff smells SO amazing!! I love using this fragrance right after I get out of the shower..to me, it smells lke a mix of vanilla & sweet candy! YUM!
3. Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 (in tan) - I swear by this stuff!! When I'm in a rush or don't feel like putting on foundation I just reach for this tinted moisturizer & I'm good to go!
4. Jemma Kidd Show Stopper Water-Resistant Bronzer - BOMB bronzer right here lol! I'm obsessed with this stuff. I'm pretty sure it only comes in 1 or 2 shades but this one is perfect for my darker complexion. It comes in a hugee compact which I love, making it easy to swirl your brush in real quick & your done.
5. CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer - (I use shade 210) This concealer is awesome! It's a mix of undereye brightner + concealer. I love it for the fact that it's so creamy & doesn't leave any streaks or cracks under my eyes at all.
6. Lorac Little Black Palette - Let me just tell you, these colors are GORGEOUS! They're individual baked shadows consistenting of golds, bronze, & brown. Perfect for girls who love neutral colors, like myself :) The color pay off is amazing. Probably one of my fav palettes I've ever used!
7. No 7 Natural Blush in 12-Coral Flush - This blush would probably look great on any skintone! I love using coral colors instead of the everyday pinks & whatnot. This blush is hypo-allergenic so great for sensitive skin. It has just the right of sparkle to it & is gorgeous in the sunlight! Love! :)
8. Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight - This powder highlights your face beautifully!!! It's soo velvety & I feel like it really helps evenout my skintone as well. I use it over my cheekbones & for my browbone highlight too!
9. CoverGirl Line Exact Eyeliner - This liner makes creating a cat eye or winged eye look soo easy! It dries really fast but at the same time easy to fix mistakes! Def my fav liner at the moment :)
10. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Berry Haute (660) - I saved the best for last lol! I'm soo happy I discovered this color! It's honestly the perfect Fall shade. A mix of warm pink & purple..it's great for day to night looks. & I have found myself reaching for this lipstick almost everyday lol! I highly recommend this shade if you are wanting to try out something new but not too too drastic!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Rihanna’s London Tube Yigal Azrouel Navajo Cowl Neck Cropped Turtleneck
Instantly fell in love with this sweater Rihanna has been seen rocking! ($580 Yigal Azrouel Navajo Cowl Neck Cropped Turtleneck) Definitely a SPLURGE..soo I've been on the hunt to find something similar.
The knit top has two side slit pockets and a draped removable collar.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
One Love.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a HUGE Trey Songz fan. He's an incredible performer (especially live) with an amazinggg voice!!! & with his new albums Lemme Hold Dat Beat 2 & Anticipation II (highly recommend checking out both but Anticipation II is my fav so far) recently released...I have been listening to anything & everything Trey :) lol. Just thought I'd share a throwback song from his previous album 'Ready' that is honestly so meaningful to me. It's called "One Love" & def one of the best ballads he's done so far. Love it <3
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Happy November
Wow! I honestly can't believe it's November already. & you have no idea how EXCITED I am for the Holidays :) my favvv time of the year. I love everything about Christmas..from the music/movies, all the yummy food, to the warm comfy feeling of a fireplace w/ the one you love. I definitely get into the spirit lol :) !
That being said I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween!! I ended up being a (sexy) Nerd..hehehe. Which was a ton of fun & I admit I was a little TOO comfortable dressed as a nerd ;P lol. Here a few pics of my costume I put together myself:
That being said I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween!! I ended up being a (sexy) Nerd..hehehe. Which was a ton of fun & I admit I was a little TOO comfortable dressed as a nerd ;P lol. Here a few pics of my costume I put together myself:
xo, Natalie
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