Mia Mariu Makeup Review and Giveaway
November 30, 2012

Mia Mariu Makeup Review and Giveaway

Mia Mariu is a company that makes different kinds of makeup, brushes, supplements and fragrances. For my review, I was able to try a few of their products and ended up really enjoying them.  The first product that I reviewed was the Illuminating Magical Satin which gives your skin a nice glow. In the summer, I do not wear much makeup unless I am going out somewhere. In the winter, I find myself looking very pale and wear a bit of blush most days of the week. This one gives my skin a nice warm look. The next product that I tried was the Perfecting Finish Mineral Cream Concealer Vainilla. This is great to help cover up any skin imperfections. I still get some acne and this helps to cover it up. The last product that I tried was the Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara in black. This retails for $13 and gives your lashes a nice boost. When it comes to makeup, I like to keep it very simple and these products do a nice job. Giveaway The giveaway will be for the same prod

Thanksgiving Weekend 2012
November 29, 2012

Thanksgiving Weekend 2012

My family Thanksgiving weekend was excellent. It included a bunch of shopping, eating and spending time with family. Troy and I My busia (grandma in Polish), her boyfriend and my dachshunds Dad and his best friend Ava My sister and I My delicious dinner plate Siblings Family The weather was awesome so we got to take some of these pictures outside. Hope you had a great one!

Holiday Road Trips Snack Tips
November 28, 2012

Holiday Road Trips Snack Tips

During the holiday season, most people do some sort of traveling. Whether that be across a state, country, city or the world. As a dietitian and lover of healthy eating, I always make sure that I have healthy car snacks on hand. Here are some of my favorites: -Granny smith apple (or any apple) -Peanut butter and jelly sandwich -Baby carrots -Reduced fat kettle chips -Nuts -String cheese -Granola or nut bars -Sub sandwich with a bunch of vegetables -Tea -Clementines Of course I always carry water with me too so I do not get dehydrated. Always bring a snack with you so if you do get hungry, you have something healthy on hand so you are not tempted to stop at a greasy fast food place. Best of luck with traveling this holiday season! Also, check out some of the sweet Kia cars below which would be great for traveling in. What are some of your favorite snacks to eat while traveling? Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kia as part of their Kia Social Clu

Detour Bar Review and Giveaway
November 28, 2012

Detour Bar Review and Giveaway

Detour is a company that sells protein bars and shakes. I always eat some kind of bar at work during the week as a mid-morning snack somewhere between 10 and 11 AM. I love trying new options since I get bored of eating the same this too much. I was sent a box of the peanut butter cream bars and the chocolate chip caramel bars. Both of these really impressed me. The first one that I tried was the peanut butter cream which has 170 calories and 15 grams of protein. I loved the chewy texture and it tasted a lot like a Reeses which of course is not very healthy. This bar tasted indulgent even though it is quite healthy. It is honestly my favorite protein bar. I was so impressed about the flavor, high protein content, low calories and texture. After eating this bar, I walked around my work recommending it to 3 co-workers. If you have not tried this bar, you need to! The chocolate chip caramel bar was tasty too and tasted like a candy bar. I love being able to eat something that ta

Pacific Beach Peanut Butter Review + Giveaway
November 27, 2012

Pacific Beach Peanut Butter Review + Giveaway

Pacific Beach is a company that makes different flavors of peanut butters. For my review, I was sent three different peanut butters including butterscotch, chocolate and toffee peanut butters. I use peanut butter everyday and think that it is a good source of healthy fats and protein. I use it in my oatmeal usually or on top of a banana or even carrots. This company makes so many different flavored peanut butters so if you are looking for all different flavors of peanut butter, this is a good choice. I tried all of these peanut butters that I was sent and prefered the chocolate peanut butter the best. It is more solid than most other nut butters and the company recommends heating it up before eating. It is a good mix between sweet, salty and crunchy. I think that the way that the company started is neat: "Upon my college graduation, I entered a business world with high unemployment, a financial crisis, and an economic recession. After working a number of personally unfulf

Dietitians Eat Junk Too
November 26, 2012

Dietitians Eat Junk Too

 What does the title of this article mean? Well, I feel like some things need a bit of clarification. I recently received a hurtful message from someone that I went to high school with that recently became a dietitian. She explained that she does not support my blog because I post things that are not completely 100% healthy. This has got me thinking over the last several days and I thought that I would share these thoughts with all of you in case you were wondering the same things. Dietitians snack and eat junk food too. Yes, I am a registered dietitian. That does not mean that I do not eat chips, candy, fries, pizza, etc. I do not eat them every day but I do eat them. I focus on a balanced diet that is high in whole grains, fruit, vegetables, low fat dairy, beans, etc. In fact, my sister jokes to me that I eat kale every single day and my family jokes about how healthy I eat. I hope that by the product reviews that I post about snack foods that you understand that I do not eat 5 o

Feral Watch Review
November 25, 2012

Feral Watch Review

I was recently sent a Feral Watch to review. They are a new company that sells different stylish watches. I chose the Minimalist watch in white to try out. This watch retails for $35. This watch is made of silicone and is nice and stretchy. Before this, I actually did not have a watch and really like this one. Here is some information about this Feral Watch: The minimalist is a streamlined, monochromatic design that's as comfortable to wear as it is pleasant to look at. a soft, silicone strap wraps around the wrist twice to provide a layered look that's perfect for everyday wear. The watch is water resistant and fits nicely. My husband thinks that it is neat how it wraps around the wrist twice and says that it has a unique look. It is comfortable to wear and to sleep in. I like how simple it is and how it matches with any outfit. Check out this video to check out the newest Feral Watches.

Fashletics Review
November 23, 2012

Fashletics Review

Fashletics is a company that sells cute and inspiring workout clothing. They support women lifting weights and other strength building exercises which is awesome. For my review, I was sent the "Weakness is a Choice" burnout tank in tahiti blue. I love this tank top. It is very lightweight in material which is great for exercise. I wore this tank on the treadmill for a combination of walking and running and really liked how it felt. The back of the tank says "I choose strength". I love that this tank top is empowering to women. I was also sent the kettleball stainless steel necklace. This retails for $21 which is a good deal. I do not actually lift kettleballs but for those who do, this is a unique necklace. It is especially dedicated for those who do crossfit. Check out Fashletics for cute and stylish workout gear and accessories.

BD's Mongolian Grill Review and Giveaway
November 21, 2012

BD's Mongolian Grill Review and Giveaway

Friday night, Troy and I had the great opportunity to review BD's Mongolian Grill in Roseville, MI. The restaurant originated in Royal Oak, MI and has spread to other states across the country. If you don't know what Mongolian Grill is, it is a restaurant that has many different options to create your own stir-fry. As a dietitian, I often look for healthy options at restaurants (and enjoy indulging at times too- see the dessert we shared below!). I was interested in investigating which healthy options that this restaurant had to offer.  First, we started off with a drink. I had sangria and Troy had Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Then, we went up to the salad bar and created a delicious salad. I liked the style that the vegetables were which was chopped into tiny pieces. They had lots of different toppings available.  They had two soup options: tomato bisque and clam chowder. The tomato bisque was thick and creamy. Tomato soup is my favorite and I loved this version.

Boca Java Coffee Black Friday and Giveaway + 23
November 20, 2012

Boca Java Coffee Black Friday and Giveaway + 23

I turn 23 today!! I am celebrating with my family and husband after work. My mom is making me a great meal! Can't wait! __________________________________________________________________________________ \ I first reviewed Boca Java earlier this year and loved it! I tried the maple bacon morning coffee and it had a light taste of smokiness. This time, I chose three coffees including ocean drive, frosty's favorite and vacation villa vanilla. I recently tried the vacation villa vanilla. It is a light roast flavored coffee. One 8 ounce bag of coffee retails for $7.99. It has a nice vanilla flavor that is perfect with skim or 1% milk. When the coffee was brewing, it smelled awesome. Something unique about this kind of coffee is that it is roasted right before it is sent out. Black Friday is my favorite day of the year and this year, Boca Java has a great special running. Go to Boca Java to take advantage of Boca Java's black friday deals. On 11/23 - you can sav

Thanksgiving with Country Crock
November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving with Country Crock

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for two main reasons: the food and the shopping. I look forward to shopping both on Thanksgiving day with my dad and on Black Friday.  Meanwhile, my mom is busy at home preparing the food. Now that my husband and I have moved back near everyone we know, we can help with the Thanksgiving preparation.  I created two recipes that use Country Crock® Calcium Plus Vitamin D . I like this product because it it healthier for you than many other similar products and tastes great. Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients:  2 lbs red potatoes  5 cloves fresh garlic 1/4 cup light sour cream 3 tablespoons Country Crock® Calcium Plus Vitamin D 2 tablespoons skim milk Directions:  1. Cook potatoes either in the microwave or the oven. I chose the microwave to save time. 2. Chop garlic finely and saute in a pan with 1 tablespoon of the Country Crock. 3. Once potatoes are cooked, smash them with a fork until mashed consistency. 4. A

Happy Sunday!
November 18, 2012

Happy Sunday!

 It's been a weekend of hunting, pumpkin cheesecake and dogs. Have a great weekend!

Nesco 6 Quart Roaster Review and Giveaway
November 17, 2012

Nesco 6 Quart Roaster Review and Giveaway

Nesco is a company that sells roaster ovens, dehydrators and other kitchen appliances. My brother recently was accepted into optometry school (!!) and will be moving out on his own for the first time this coming fall.  I emailed Nesco to see if I could review one of their roaster ovens for him since he needs a full kitchen worth of equipment. I was sent the 6 quart red roaster which retails for $50. It can serve up to 6 people which will be great for him for making food for the week or if he has people over. Here is some information about this roaster: The new NESCO® 6 Quart Roaster offers the same features of a classic Nesco® Roaster Oven with Cool-touch handles. It's a convenient size for entertaining and small families. Great for making a batch of chili, soup, and stews. Just the right size for a pot roast, lasagna, 2 cornish game hens or a whole chicken. Perfect for potlucks, tailgating, RV's and camping. These are sold at Meijer and other similar stores. I thin

Noosa Review and Giveaway
November 16, 2012

Noosa Review and Giveaway

Noosa Yogurt Review Noosa is a thick and creamy yogurt that comes in different fruity flavors. I was sent some samples of mango, strawberry rhubarb, raspberry, honey and blueberry. The first thing that I noticed was how different the container was compared to other yogurts. It comes in a flat 8 ounce container. The yogurt is very thick and is not your typical fat-free yogurt. The first Noosa yogurt that I tried was the raspberry. It was absolutely amazing. The raspberry tasted just like raspberry pie filling and the yogurt which was on top of the raspberry was thick and creamy. My sister and I could not believe how good it was. The other flavor that I loved was the Noosa strawberry rhubarb. My parents have grown rhubarb for years and my mom makes a great strawberry rhubarb crisp. This Noosa yoghurt tasted just like it. I love that these yogurts do not have a fake fruit flavor like some do. This takes a lot for me to say since I have tried so many yogurts but these two flavors

WholeFruit Sorbet Review
November 15, 2012

WholeFruit Sorbet Review

WholeFruit is a company that makes sorbets, smoothies and fruit bars. I recently tried the smoothies and really enjoyed the strawberry banana one. This time, I was sent 5 of the company's sorbets. I was sent the lemon, mango, black cherry, strawberry and raspberry. These contain chunks of real fruit too. The first sorbet that I tried ended up being my favorite. It was the raspberry. I would not have typically purchased this myself because many times, raspberry flavored products taste fake and kind of like medicine. This is not the case with this sorbet. It tastes just like fresh raspberries which are my favorite fruit. It was delicious. Each serving has 120 calories and is fat free. I also really enjoyed the strawberry sorbet and even though it is dairy free, it tasted very creamy. I was not really a fan of the black cherry but that is probably just because I am not much of a black cherry fan. I am hosting Christmas this year for my husband's family and mine and I t

Melissa's Produce Review
November 14, 2012

Melissa's Produce Review

I first reviewed Melissa's produce earlier this year before many fresh produce was available. I liked their lentils and precooked beets a lot. I decided to contact the company again to try some of their in season produce. I was sent the Pee Wee Dutch Yellow Potatoes, Pee Wee Ruby Gold Potatoes, Korean Pears and Organic Crimson Gold Apples. The first thing that I noticed was how adorable the mini apples are. They are about the size of a very small plum. They are a good mix of sweet and tart. These apples are perfect if you want a bit of fruit but are not hungry enough for an entire large apple. I love mini things so these were perfect. The Korean pears are much different than the crimson gold apples. They are huge! I had to cut this pear in half because they were so large. They are crunchy and very sweet. They seem to be better quality pears than other Asian pears I have had in the past. These would look great displayed on a table because of their giant size. The mini po