Beets in my box ... my CSA box

Beets look intimidating, but they are really easy to cook once you learn how to prep them.  I used to throw away the beet greens, but the whole beet is edible.  You can substitute beet greens in any recipe calling for leafy greens (think swiss chard, spinach, kale, etc.)

Who am I kidding, I still throw away the beet greens.  My mom, was recently visiting so lucky for me she consumed the raw beet greens in her green drinks.  Last time I had beet greens I sauteed them in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and immediately threw them away after one bite.  Neither my husband or I could handle the earthiness in sauteed form.  Thank God for moms, especially my mom, who will take one for the team.

Don't feel so bad for her.  She claims she likes beet greens.

PREPPING

To prep the beets for cooking I chop off the stems (keep the stems if you dare) and give them a good wash and scrub with a potato scrubber to remove any caked on dirt.

I find that the skin slides off easier if you drizzle each beet with a small amount of oil.

I then wrap each beet in foil and place in a baking dish.  The baking dish is my insurance policy against leaks because beet juice stains everything!

Beets, depending on their size, can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour to cook at a 375 degree heated oven.  These beats were relatively small, ranging in size from a tangerine to a nectarine, and took a full 40 minutes to cook until fork tender (meaning a fork easily pierces through the skin).  I would recommend checking the beets after 30 minutes of cooking to see if they are tender and then every 10-15 minutes to ensure you don't overcook them.  Beets should be slightly soft, but not mushy. Once cooked I cool the beets until I can handle them.



The dark skin will peel off in between your fingers with a rolling action.  It's ridiculously easy, but you can also remove the skin with a paring knife or carrot peeler.  I remove the stems and keep beets whole until ready to eat.  Once cooked they last about a week in an airtight container.

I love roasted beets.  Cooking brings out the sweetness in beets and their flavor is enhanced by combining them in recipes / meals that call for cheese (feta, goat, white cheddar), salt, and vinaigrette.    

Once the beets were cooked lunch was a breeze.  I used leftover veggies from my CSA box and topped the salad with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and feta cheese.  Yum!

About them lashes

Tricky Hair was nice enough to reach out to me to try out their mink (false) lashes and how could I ever say no?  A gal can look fab with the right mascara, but add those falsies and you take your look to a whole new level.  And Tricky Hair reached out at the perfect time as my friend's wedding was right around the corner.

As soon as I got these bad boys I wanted to try them out, but patience grasshopper...

I mean look at them, they are gorgeous!

I have always wanted to try Mink eyelashes, but the price made me hesitant to splurge on them especially since I only wear falsies for special occasions.  For weeks I looked at the lashes sitting on my dresser with longing.  Shouldn't I try them out for practice after all?  I mean those who use falsies daily may not have a difficult time applying lashes, but for girls like me who wear them on occasion applying falsies can be challenging.  So you have to understand how hard it was for me to wait to test these bad boys out. 

They are soft, light to wear, and look far more natural then synthetic lashes. 

These eyelashes definitely were harder for me to apply since the lash strip was slightly more firm then I am used to, but the end result was gorgeous, full, yet natural looking eyelashes.  And because these eyelashes have so much oomph I was able to keep my makeup simple: gold eyeshadow blended with brown in the crease, a thin line of black liner and a coat of my favorite mascara. 

Not only did the compliments roll in all night, but these lashes stayed through hours of dancing in humid New Orleans followed by more dancing at the after party in a crowded, sweaty bar. 

My tips for applying these eyelashes:
Make sure to stretch out the lash bands before you apply them

Trim eyelashes to fit your eye (I think they look best if you trim the inner corner)

Use a dark lash glue (Duo, you amazing)

And most importantly give yourself time to apply them

I have since worn these bad boys twice and they look as good as the night of the wedding.  

The case the lashes comes in is not only cute, but makes storing these Mink Lashes easy.  

If you haven't checked out Tricky Hair's website then take a minute to visit www.TrickyHair.com to check out their 3D Mink Eye Lashes and 100% Remy Human Hair Clip-In Extensions.  Prices are comparable with other online retailers, there is a vast selection of hair colors and lengths for clip-ins, and customer service is on point (and we all know how I feel about customer service). 

Zoodles for days

I LOVE spaghetti and meatballs.  It is the epitome of comfort food.  My waist, however, doesn't love it so much.  I use to be able to polish off anything I wanted and still have a banging body.  The joys of youthful metabolism!  Now I have to work for it.

Zoodles are a great alternative to pasta.  For those of you who haven't jumped on the zoodles bandwagon they are noodles made out of zucchini (or any other vegetable for that matter).

Thanks to zoodles I can eat my beloved spat and balls at least once a week.  Is it as good as traditional spaghetti and meatballs?  No.  But it's a great quick and healthy substitute.

There are lots of different ways to cook noodles, but I tend to microwave them for 2 minutes in a microwave safe container.  The trick with zucchinis is you have to make sure you drain any excess liquid or you will have a soggy bowl of zoodles.  Zucchinis are great and filling, but loaded with water so do not skip this step.  Once the zucchini noodles are cooked I place them in a colander and use paper towels to absorb any extra liquid.

It's that easy.

Top your zoodles off with some healthy turkey meatballs, homemade marinara, and fresh grated parm and you have a filling meal in less than 10 minutes.

Dinner solved.

How I do my brows with It Cosmetics Waterproof 5-in-1 Micro-Fiber Creme Gel Stain

It Cosmetics Waterproof 5-in-1 Micro-Fiber Creme Gel Stain is by far the best eyebrow product I have tried to date.  I first saw this product on QVC and for those who know me, I'm a sucker for QVC.  David in the Kitchen is always a winner!  When you get to see and learn about a product on different models it spikes my interest because you can see real results "live" in front of you.  Jamie Kern Lima, the creator of It Cosmetics, is constantly on QVC not only showcasing her product, but often modeling her items on herself.  I watched a segment on QVC featuring the Creme Gel Stain in which one models showed how she used this product to fake the illusion of fuller brows.  That model's brows that day blew me away and I instantly had to order this product.  

With It Cosmetics Waterproof 5-in-1 Micro-Fiber Creme Gel Stain you can have the illusion of the brows you should have been born.  The makeup is easy to apply, dries in seconds, and lasts until you wash your face with makeup remover.  

This is Justine tried, tested, and approved.  

QVC is still currently offering both the Creme Gel Stain and the accompanying brush for $27.36.  Blonde, however, is only available on waitlist.  Not sold that the QVC price is the way to go?  The brush alone costs $24.  Ya, I would buy the set from QVC if I were you.  

If sparse brows are your problem I highly recommend It Cosmetics Waterproof 5-in-1 Micro-Fiber Creme Gel Stain.  Otherwise, if you simply like to enhance what God already gave you It Cosmetics Brow Power Waterproof Perfector is an excellent product.