Physicians Formula Makeup Review

I love makeup! When I first started my gluten free journey, I never realized that makeup and skin care products contained gluten! Go figure! I am always on the look out for good gluten free makeup that won't make me break out or make my skin oily.

Physicians Formula kindly sent me these 3 makeup products to review! I was super excited because I have never tried these 3 products before.
They sent me the Organic Wear BB Cream in shade Light/Medium. I love a good BB Cream. It's what I use most days because it's so easy and provides great coverage. The Organic Wear BB Cream has 100% natural origin and contains SPF 20. On the package it claims to have 70% organic ingredients. It is made of coconut water and extracts, willow bark extract, plus natural minerals. It claims to hydrate, smooth, nourish, conceal, repair, even out, prep & prime, and protect in one simple step. It is free of harsh chemicals and GMOs, preservative free, color and fragrance free, 100% paraben free, and 100% cruelty free. Non-comedogenic, gluten free, hypoallergenic, and dermatologist approved. It retails for $14.95 and is available in two shades: Light and Light/Medium. Not a bad price for a BB cream that claims to be organic and healthy for your skin! The first thing I noticed when applying the BB Cream is that it is really thick and creamy. You only need a dime size amount to apply to your whole face. It blends nicely and provides medium coverage. It is really smooth and not oily at all. It has a hint of coconut scent to it, which I loved! I really, really loved this! I have been using it every day for the past 2 weeks and will definitely be purchasing it again. It is great for every day wear and it stays pretty nicely throughout the day. This is my new go to drugstore BB Cream for sure! I loved everything about it.

The next product they sent me is the Bronze Booster in the shade Medium/Dark. The Bronze Booster is a 24k Gold Highlighter and 24 Hr. Wear Bronzer. It is formulated with exclusive Glow Activator Technology, which is a custom infusion of vitamins, moisturizers, and antioxidants that will help enhance and extend the life of your tan glow. The Bronze Booster claims to give you a sun kissed glow that lasts up to 24 hours. It is stain free, streak free, orange free, odor free, gluten free, paraben free oil free, dermatologist approved, and hypoallergenic. When I opened up the package, I noticed the bronzer was so pretty! It has a little sun in gold, which is the highlighter, and the rest is the darker shade bronzer. I used the highlighter around my under eyes, on the middle of my forehead and on my chin. I then filled the bronzer in on my cheeks and around my hair line and jaw line, and blended it all in together. I really loved this product! It provided a nice sun-kissed glow and wasn't orange looking at all. I'm always so worried about looking orange, you know like you have a "fake" tan! I hate that! This product really is amazing and is a great bronzer. I'll definitely buy it again.

The last product they sent me was the Organic Wear Curl & Care Mascara. You know me, I am always looking for a great mascara! This products claims to curl your lashes without needing a lash curler. And it claims to lengthen and thicken your lashes as well. And it says it will last up to 24 hours! The brush is rubbery and curved, it kind of looks like a banana shape. It also has a hint of green tea scent, because it is made with green tea. I kind of liked the scent, it was very fresh smelling and nice. Let me just tell you, this mascara is AMAZING! It made my lashes so long and it was so easy to apply. I like to apply 2 coats to give it a nice, full look; but even with 1 coat it did the job! This is definitely a mascara I will be purchasing often at the drug store.

Overall, I truly LOVE Physicians Formula! I have used many of their products before and never had a complaint yet. These 3 products that I received worked so well together and it makes me happy knowing they are all gluten free and healthy for my skin! It is definitely a challenge finding gluten free makeup in the drugstore, but Physicians Formula is definitely the way to go! If you haven't tried these 3 products yet, I definitely recommend you do. You won't be disappointed! To see all of their available products and shop online go to www.physiciansformula.com. You can purchase these products in any drugstore as well, such as Walmart or Rite Aid. What Physicians Formula products are your favorite? I'd love to hear from you!

Xo
Melanie

Banana Apple Oat Bread

There's nothing I love more than baking! I'm sure those of you who have been following me for awhile know that. There's just something peaceful about combining different ingredients and tasting the final results. I love it!

I cannot say enough good things about Better Batter All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix! It's just amazing and makes baking so easy. Of course, I used Better Batter in this recipe- would you expect anything less?! To order from Better Batter visit www.betterbatter.org

I love the combination of bananas and apples in this bread, and the oats make it nice and hearty!  I love enjoying this bread for breakfast with a cup of coffee. It's also delish just as a snack! This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread. I like to freeze one when I make this, or I keep one loaf and give the other to a friend. I hope you love it!

Banana Apple Oat Bread 

2 Sticks of Salted, Organic Butter- softened at room temperature
3/4 Cup of Organic Cane Sugar
2 Organic, Cage Free Eggs
4 Ripe Bananas, mashed
2 Macintosh Apples, peeled and diced into small pieces
3/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
3 1/2 Cups Better Batter All Purpose GF Flour Mix
1 Tbsp.  Baking Powder
1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans with butter and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs in, one at a time until smooth. Next, add in the mashed bananas and milk and mix until fully combined.
3. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. Next fold in the apples with a rubber spatula, just until combined.
4. Distribute the bread mix evenly into both loaf pans. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Enjoy!

*This recipe makes 2 loaves of bread and they freeze nicely.

Xo
Melanie

Hello Fresh Unboxing and Review

Check out my video review of Hello Fresh! I definitely love this idea and will be purchasing soon. The meals were all absolutely delish and it's so convenient for busy families.

https://youtu.be/FoRUeUjDrHI

Crab Cakes with Spicy Mayo

I absolutely LOVE Crab Cakes! I would usually only have them once in a while whenever my husband and I went out to dinner. Now that I've created a gluten free version, I may have to make them more! These are so easy to make and they are packed with so much flavor! They're surprisingly filling too and make a great weeknight meal paired with a salad. The spicy mayo gives it a nice little kick too! I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.








Gluten Free Crab Cakes with Spicy Mayo

Spicy Mayo:

1/2 Cup Mayo
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Crab Cakes:

1 16 oz. Container of Lump Crab Meat
2 Tbsp. Mayo
1 Tbsp. Mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 Tbsp. Freshly chopped Parsley
1/2 Red Pepper, Diced
2 Sprigs of Green Onion, chopped
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/2 Cup Italian Style GF Breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil


1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl until fully combined.
2. Cover and Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the bowl from refrigerator. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 2 tbsp. olive oil to the pan.
4. Using a large spoon, scoop about a palm full of the crab mixture and form into a patty. Add the patties to the skillet and fry on each side about 4 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve with the spicy mayo drizzled over and enjoy!
* This recipe makes about 8-10 small crab cakes. They will keep in the refrigerator about 4 days.

Xo
Melanie

The BEST Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookies, right?! They're probably one of my absolute favorite sweet treats! Give me a glass of milk to dunk them in and I'm set. When I first became gluten free, one of the first things I wanted to make was, of course, a good chocolate chip cookie. Not just any chocolate chip cookie, but one that tasted like those I've been eating for years. My friends, I have found a winner! After months and months of trial recipes, I believe I have perfected the gluten free chocolate chip cookie! It's chewy and sweet and just delicious. I add oats to mine and dark chocolate chips, but you can certainly leave the oats out or replace the dark chocolate chips with milk chocolate. Whatever works for you! I just love oats and dark chocolate! I use my stand mixer for these, because it's super easy. If you don't have one you can just use a regular hand mixer. I hope you enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 Cups Better Batter All Purpose GF Flour Mix
2 Cups GF Quick Cooking Oats
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips
1 tsp. GF Baking Powder
1 tsp. GF Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Organic Cane Sugar
2 Sticks Salted Butter, Softened
2 Organic Eggs
1 tsp. GF Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:


1. Grease 2 large cookie sheets and set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add the two sticks of softened butter and mix until creamy. Then, add in the sugars and mix until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix until smooth. Then add in the vanilla extract and mix for a few seconds.
4. Add in all the remaining dry ingredients, except chocolate chips and oats. Mix until fully combined, about 1 minute.
4. Lastly, add in the oats and chocolate chips and mix until fully combined. The mix will be pretty thick.
5. Take a small ice cream scoop, and scoop up the batter and roll in your hand to make a ball. Add each ball to the cookie sheet, placing them about 1 inch apart and slightly flatten each one. Do this until all of the mix is gone.
6. Bake for 13 minutes in the pre-heated oven until golden brown.
7. Serve warm with a side of milk and enjoy!

Xo
Melanie

* To order Better Batter Flour Mix, go to www.betterbatter.org

Fun Family Day Trip and My Baby Turns 12!

Today was a gorgeous day in New Hampshire! It was around 85 degrees, but there was a nice, cool breeze, which always helps. My son, Cam, turns 12 today! I cannot even believe my baby is getting so much older. Where did the time go!? I remember when he was born, like it was yesterday.
I wanted to do something fun with him and my daughter, Talina, so we decided to take a day trip to Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves. I haven't been for years, and the this was the kids first time going, so I knew it would be great!









Lost River Gorge is a huge tourist attraction in New Hampshire! The land surrounding it was naturally formed from massive glaciers. There are over 1,300 steps over the mountainous terrain, rivers, and breathtaking waterfalls! There are also a handful of caves for the kids to explore (or even Adults if you're daring enough!). There are so many bridges and steps to walk on, the kids had such a blast! Of course, my 2 year old wanted me to carry her half way through. The trail is really long, but there is a lot to explore. I think it took us around 2 1/2 hours to get through, from start to finish.

 Luckily, the area is all wooded so it stayed really cool, despite the temperature! Cam had a blast exploring all the caves and trying to crawl through them. Talina, on the other hand, was fine just walking with me. She wanted nothing to do with the caves. They're pretty dark and a tight squeeze, so definitely not for kids under 3 I'd say- unless you have a fearless one on your hands!

After you complete the trails, you can either stop and have lunch at the designated picnic areas, or you can browse the gift shop! We stopped and ate lunch and then the kids each got to pick something from the gift shop. It's a beautiful scenic drive on the way there and back also, and after walking so much in the heat, it's almost certain the kids will nap on the ride home! In my book, that's a WIN! If you're planning a trip to New Hampshire I definitely recommend visiting the Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves. You won't be disappointed!

After we got home, the kids just relaxed and napped for a bit. I made spaghetti and meatballs for Cam's birthday dinner and then we celebrated again with CAKE of course! None for me though, being a celiac and all- Booooo!

All in all, I'd say it was a pretty perfect day with my loves. I'm so glad we got the spend the day together and celebrate Cam's birthday. I cherish every moment I can with my two loves. Cam is 12 already and Talina will be 3 in a few short months! Before I know it, they will both be off to college. I wish they could just stay little forever. That is what makes these moments so much more special! Live each and every day like it's your last and make every moment count. I'm trying to live by these words every single day. 

Happiest Birthday to my first love, my best friend, my little man, my everything!!!!!! Wishing you many more years of joy and laughter <3

Xo
Melanie

Cheesy Zucchini Bites

       My husband brought home some garden fresh zucchini from a co-worker's garden. Let me tell you, I was so excited! We chose not to have a garden this year because ours did not do too well last year for some reason. I just love being able to go outside and pick fresh veggies right from my own garden! I'm the only one in my household that loves zucchini. My husband doesn't care for it, my 12 year old son refuses to try it, and my almost 3 year old daughter, well, let's just say I'm still working on her! I knew that I wanted to make something different with the zucchini. I always make it the same way, either sauteed in a pan with some olive oil, or out on the grill. I looked around the kitchen to see what ingredients I had on hand, and what would go well with zucchini and it hit me- Cheesy Zucchini Bites! I don't know about you, but I think that everything is better with CHEESE! 
       For this recipe, I use Better Batter All-Purpose Flour Mix. This brand is by far my favorite to use in cooking and baking. It literally is cup for cup measure and takes all the guess work out of cooking! What I like is quick and easy, so this flour definitely lives up to that. To check out Better Batter flours and mixes, visit their website at  http://betterbatter.org/ to purchase online. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!


Recipe for Cheesy Zucchini Bites

Ingredients:

1 Large Zucchini, grated
1 Small Onion, grated
1 Clove of Garlic, garlic 
1 Cup of Shredded Pizza Mix Cheese (Parmesan, Romano, and Mozzarella)
3/4 Cup of Better Batter All-Purpose Flour Mix
1 Egg
1 Tsp. Dried Parsley
1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1 Tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tsp. Black Better
GF Non-stick Cooking Spray 

Directions:

1. Grate the zucchini and onion over a large bowl. Place grated zucchini and onion in a large, clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess water in the sink, until dry.
2. Add the zucchini, onion, garlic, cheese, flour, egg, and spices into the bowl and mix to combine. 
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. You could keep it over night as well and make them the next day.
4. Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a cooling wrack on top of a large sheet pan and spray the cooling wrack with non-stick spray. 
5. Take a small ice cream scoop and form the zucchini dough into 1 in. balls and place on cooling wrack. Flatten them out slightly. 
6. Bake the zucchini bites for 25 minutes or until brown and bubbly. 
7. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. I like to serve them with a side of marinara sauce or sour cream.
Enjoy!

Xo
Melanie