Recipes for Thanksgiving!

So Thanksgiving is coming up next week and if you need a little help coming up with a dinner plan, I've gathered several interesting (and tasty) looking options on the web that doesn't seem too hard to make. Just click on the photos or links for the recipes, which are a collection of side dishes, desserts, and miscellaneous stuff (like pumpkin puree, good for other recipes :)

Apple Bombes, via Zap*

Cute Bento Box Lunches

Alright, I've been eating a lot of Japanese food for lunch because there's a Japanese supermarket near my work that sells packaged lunches for a very reasonable price range. Unfortunately, they do not sell super cute bento boxes like the ones I'm going to show you. One day, I'd like to make a couple of these for my future kids and be the coolest mom ever, but for now, let's just gush over how cute and fun they look! :)


by luckysundae over @ flickr and her blog at cuteobento

DIY Rice Bran Nourishing & Exfoliating Face Mask

On Sunday, besides eating and hanging out with mom, I decided to make her my favorite rice bran face mask so we can pamper ourselves together. I took a picture of the mix but can't find my camera's USB cord for the life of me! Arg! Hopefully it's not lost for good. Well, I said I'd post the recipe today so you can all try it at home!

Oats & Chamomile Herbal Muds Masque by ArtesiaProducts

Rice bran is the outer layer of a rice grain and that's where all the important nutrients and vitamins are. Unfortunately, when rice is milled and the outer layers are removed (brown rice becoming white rice), most of the nutrients are gone as well. Luckily, rice bran can be bought separately and added to foods such as breads, cereals, etc. to enrich them. Sounds pretty counter-intuitive huh?

Make Your Own Massage Oil

It's actually really easy! Since Valentine's Day is coming up and some of you may have romantic plans ;) couple massages is a great way to connect with each other and soothe those sore muscles (especially you, who's hunched over a computer all day). There are so many different variations of massage oils out there, all of which work great, but we'll go with a simple and effective recipe this time. The information below is based on my experiences and information that I've collected over the years from my desire to make my own natural beauty products for myself!

Sweet Tweet Pair - Endlessly in Love by KcSoapsNmore

First, you'll need a few carrier oils, which is the base for your massage oil. Olive oil is popular and touted as a moisturizing cure-all, but since it's a thick oil and doesn't absorb very fast, it will leave an oily/sticky residue when used as a major carrier oil in this case because you'll be using a lot of it (although, used in small, amounts, it's a great moisturizer).

Other great carrier oils are sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, and jojoba oil (my three favorite oils that can be used across the skincare board, in my opinion!) All are high in vitamin E, have other skin nourishing properties, and absorb well. Previously, I wrote a post about using these oils for a hair mask. So you don't have to feel bad about buying a bottle that you won't use up in one setting because they can be used in so many ways (which I'll get to in future posts).

Handwoven Turkish Bath Towel by AllOrganicTextiles

Sweet almond oil is great for massages as it absorbs fairly quickly, but not so much that it needs to be constantly reapplied. It's derived from pressed almonds, has a faint scent, is nourishing for any skin type, and doesn't clog pores. However, it's not for those who have nut allergies.

Apricot Kernel oil is great for dry hair and skin, as well as an alternative for sweet almond oil. It's similar to sweet almond oil in texture and color (though it's a little bit darker), and very rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which gives it a longer shelf life than some other oils while promoting soft, nourished skin. It's also absorbed quickly, therefore it won't feel greasy afterwards, and it's derived from apricot kernels.

Jojoba oil is famous for its haircare properties, but you can also use it for your skin. It's actually not an oil, but a wax derived from the seed of the jojoba plant. It's highly stable (meaning long shelf life) due to it containing long-chain essential fatty acids and fatty alcohols that resemble skin sebum, therefore good for those prone to acne. It absorbs very quickly so you'll need to mix it with other oils.

Set of Glacial Stone Tealight Candle Holders by brooksbarrow

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. sweet almond oil
• 2 tbsp. apricot kernel oil
• 1 tbsp. jojoba oil
• 1 tsp. olive oil (optional: if you'd like some extra oiliness for longer massages without reapplying)
• 10-15 drops of your favorite essential and fragrance oils (lavender, rosemary, jasmine, bergamot, vanilla, etc.) Try mixing a few to get a personalized scent, or just stick with one.

Mix and keep in a dark (blue or brown) glass bottle. Glass bottles are preferable to plastic as essential oils tend to react with plastic bottles, therefore contaminating the oil. Carrier oils are not as strong as essential oils and some can be kept in plastic bottles, though glass is preferable. Since your massage oil contains essential oils, you'll need to keep leftover amounts in glass. To prolong the shelf life of all of your oils, keep them in a dark cool place. Mixing a bit of jojoba oil in your other oils will also prolong their shelf life.

Have fun and enjoy the extra pampering!

You and Me Print can be personalized by LennyMud

Custom Wooden Star House Wedding Topper by urastarhouse

Cute couple wedding cake topper by annacrafts

Forever Carved in Wood by inherwordsceramics

9 Ways to Say I Love You - Archival Print by rosydesignsonline

Fudgesicles

I made an amazing discovery yesterday, which is to make the easiest fudgesicle pops ever! Okay, maybe it's not really a new discovery or anything - it's just amazing to me, because I can't believe I haven't thought of it already. It's sooooooo easy!

DO NOT EAT - this is soap. Please resist the urge, especially if you are bathing with this. (I don't think I've ever wanted to eat soap more than today...)
Fudgesicle Handmade Soapsicle by SoapStore

All you need is a package of Jello instant chocolate pudding, some milk, popsicle molds, and a freezer. Just make your chocolate pudding following the instructions on the package, pour into the molds, and freeze. Then it's done! Finished! Easy! :D The lazy man's (or woman's) chocolate pop. Now I can have fudgesicles whenever I want. Isn't it great? Life is great. (Just humor me if it seems like I've just discovered the sky is blue).

Maybe someone will give you a pity popsicle if you wear these (as in: "Aww, give that poor girl a fudgesicle.")
Fudge bar earrings by inediblejewelry


Warning: The delicious-looking items below are NOT edible!

Chocolate Fudge Solid Sugar Goat's Milk Body Scrub by Quintescentials

Dark Chocolate Mini Donut Soap Set by KcSoapsNmore

Seven Layer Chocolate Fudge Cake Soy Wax Melt by TheTemptingTart

Chocolate Bon Bons Paperweight by Bananamoo

The following delicious-looking items ARE edible :9 (Could you tell the difference?)

Simple Bubble Milk Tea Recipe

One of my favorite drinks ever is boba (a.k.a. bubble tea or tapioca milk tea), and coming from California (where boba stores magically appear on any street corner when a craving hits), I never realized how strong my addiction was until I moved to New York, where the ONLY good boba shops are in Manhattan Chinatown or Flushing Chinatown.

Tea Charm Necklace by FatallyFeminine

Because I live in the Bronx, it takes me over an hour to commute to either Chinatowns, so sometimes, I feel like killing a craving is not worth the commute. (Why do I live in the Bronx? Ask my husband, who thinks everything is an adventure). You can't just stock up on boba drinks and put it in the fridge because the tapioca balls only have a few hours of prime taste + chewiness. So out of desperation, I decided to make my own damn boba.

It's actually not too hard, though it may not taste exactly like what you'd get in a store. Different shops have their own secret recipes anyway so there's never really one exact taste.

Milk Tea Choker by ProteanJewelry

Here's what you'll need:

• Black tea or green tea (I prefer black tea)
• 2% milk (you can use 1% or fat free but it doesn't taste as creamy)
• Condensed milk (optional)
• Sugar syrup (recipe below)
• Tapioca balls (can be bought in any Asian supermarket or online)
• Any type of fruit (optional)

Healthy AND delicious cookies!

Call me a traditionalist, but my favorite cookies are good old chocolate chip cookies. Because I'm such a chocolate chip cookie fanatic, I'm ashamed to say that it's pretty much the only type of cookie I bake, except when I receive requests for variety (from the family and friends). I started getting into "healthy living" a while back and have tweaked many of my recipes to contain healthier ingredients because I can't give up my baked sweets.

Extra Virgin Unrefined Pure Coconut Oil by kessil2000

Here are a couple of my tricks

• Use cold-pressed extra virgin coconut oil instead of butter. I usually substitute half of the butter called for in a recipe with coconut oil. Many people use applesauce as a substitute but applesauce doesn't make crispy-edged cookies (though they make moist cakes). You only need 75% of the amount specified for butter (for example 3/4 cup of coconut oil instead of 1 cup of butter). Coconut oil is high in saturated fats but they have a different effect on us than the saturated fats derived from animals. It is actually very heart healthy. Depending on how much butter you decide to substitute with coconut oil, your cookies will range from not tasting like coconut at all to having a coconut-y aroma. Coconut oil also makes a great cooking oil due to its high smoking point and is great for your skin (more on that in a future post). Don't you love multi-use products?
• Substitute half or more of the required all-purpose flour with wheat flour, quinoa flour, flaxseed flour and/or amaranth flour. To add additional flavor, you can incorporate almond meal, coconut flour, hazelnut flour, and many other options. If you can't or don't want to look for almond meal or hazelnut flour and you don't mind having occasional tiny chunks of nuts in your cookies, you can just buy almonds/hazelnuts and throw them in the blender until you're satisfied with the texture. Watch your cookies because they may require a little less time to bake.

DIY Hair Mask for Dry Winter Hair

Wine Colored Forest on a Winter Night by MollysMuses

In the winter, my hair gets dried out from the lack of humidity. Okay, so maybe my hair gets dried out and frizzy even when it's not winter, but it seems to get worse with the cold weather and strong winds. Since I have semi-long hair, sometimes I need a little help from moisturizing oils to keep it looking smooth and soft, which is why I made a simple hair mask that keeps for up to a year or longer (if kept in a cool, dry place away from sunlight). I use sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, and jojoba oil, which are all rich in vitamin E and have great moisturizing and nourishing properties and can be used on the skin as well (recipes for another time!). Just combine, massage into your hair and scalp, put on a plastic shower cap, and go about your usual activities for 30 minutes or longer. If you have time, wrap a towel around your head (over the shower cap), and lounge for a few hours. The heat from your head is insulated by the towel, giving your hair a nice, warm treatment. When you're ready, wash out your hair with shampoo and smile!

Jojoba oil and other carrier oils by kessil2000

Ingredients for hair mask

• 2 part jojoba oil
• 3 parts apricot oil
• 5 parts sweet almond oil
• about 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil(s) for fragrance - tea tree oil is a common favorite due to its antibacterial properties