I opened my mailbox today to find a lovely surprise - October's Topbox! What is Topbox, I hear you ask? It's a Canadian beauty subscription box. The cost is $12.00 per month and they ship you a mystery box with four full-sized products for you to enjoy. I say mystery because you don't know what you'll get until you receive your package and open it! When the people at Topbox are getting ready to put your box together, they'll send you an email in which you can head on over to their site and create your wishlist. They'll give you options, and you decide which one you prefer. Some are just a mystery box, other times it will be only a product or two of a higher value. You also have the option of paying a higher price and getting one of their limited edition or anniversary boxes, like Lou Lou or Chatelaine. These boxes are no mystery, they let you know exactly what you're getting in them. They also have a new 'greener' option available - skip the box and receive your product in a reusable mesh bag. I (obviously) opted for the box. It is my very first month and I really wanted my Topbox to come in a box. When they're ready to ship your box, they send you another email letting you know that your products are on their way and they also give you a tracking number, which is nice, but I really didn't need it since I received my package by Expresspost the next day (today). Let's get to the good stuff... I've been showing you pictures of the packaging, but what did my box contain? Voila! My little box of goodies. They also send a little info sheet so that you know what you received, retail prices and how to use it, which I always appreciate. Here's a closer look at what I received: Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution, 100ml Actual value of product received: $7.50 According to Bioderma's website, this product is: This looks like a great product. Especially since I often wear waterproof mascara which seems to be soap-proof also. I am interested to test out whether this will actually remove my makeup without too much scrubbing. China Glaze Nail Lacquer in X-TA-SEA #1306, 14ml Actual value of product received: $7.50 According to China Glaze's website, this product: LOVE purple! I am always excited to see nailpolish in any of the boxes I get. The colour has to be really horrendous or a duplicate for me to be unhappy. This colour is so vibrant, I'm excited to get it on my nails. Its a full sized bottle, which is also nice. I have never tried the China Glaze brand (shockingly), but I have read really great reviews about it. Lancome Genifique Yeux Light-Pearl Eye-Illuminating Youth Activating Concentrate, 5ml Actual value of product received: $19.10 According to Lancome's website, this product: This product looks really interesting, especially since I am just about out of my night cream. Super expensive, too. But it is Lancome, and I only expect the best from them. I was going to put this up on my for sale page, but after reading about it, I decided to keep it for myself! Benefit Cosmetics they're real! mascara, .01oz Actual value of product received: $9.67 According to Benefit Cosmetics' website, this product: Mascara. How do I love you, let me count the ways! Next to nailpolish, mascara is definitely my number 2 favorite beauty product. The colour is a rich black and the reviews online are excellent, so I'm ready to try this out! All in all, I think that Topbox is out to steal my heart! I am super happy with the October box, I am ready and willing to use all of the high-quality products I received, with some really big names represented. The actual value of my $12.00 CDN box is (drumroll, please): $43.77. That is a pretty decent haul! Like I said, all big names and great products. Can you read the super-huge smile on my face? Are you interested in getting in on your own Topbox? Email me your request and I'll send you an invite. Be warned - there is a waiting list. This subscription box is in high demand. I think for good reason!
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Being a BzzAgent definitely has it's perks - and I received a big one in my mailbox today! I was very excited to get the invite to participate in the Sawmill Creek Wines campaign. I had really hoped to receive my BzzKit prior to the Thanksgiving long weekend, but today is as good a day as any. So how did my kit look? I received a nice little information brochure and an even nicer little $25.00 gift card to purchase some bottles of Sawmill Creek wines to taste. They're sold exclusively at The Wine Rack stores in Ontario, and I looked up their selection while I was waiting for my kit. They had quite a few different types of wines available, and I do believe I'll be putting in a little extra cash of my own to try more than one type. Stay tuned... I'll post in the next couple of days my opinion on these wines. I'll probably give you a few posts, and you may have to wait for the weekend for those! Here's a screenshot of my Campaign Welcome!
I love fruit. I love cake. I do not love pieces of fruit in my cake. Just not a fan, and I'll usually pass if I see chunks of anything other than chocolate or nuts in my slice of cake. I bought a basket of Ontario nectarines and we did not get through them before they became a little too ripe for just eating. I wanted to bake something with them, but I did not want to do the usual crumble - I wanted cake. What to do? I decided to try something I'd never done before and see if it worked - puree the nectarines and use that in place of the liquid I would normally use. The result was a wonderfully dense, delicious cake. The picture you see here is actually the cake I made the next day - the first one did not last 24 hours. I had only 2 nectarines left, so I added some mixed berries to this one and drizzled some caramel sauce (from a previous post) on top. Makes one bundt cake INGREDIENTS 4 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1-1/2 cup pureed fruit (you can use peeled peaches, nectarines, berries or any combination) 2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 6 tbsp melted butter 1 tbsp lemon juice pinch salt DIRECTIONS 1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and eggs. 3. Stir in the puree. 4. Add flour, salt and baking powder, stir to combine. 5. Finally, stir in the lemon juice and butter. Combine well. 6. Pour into your pre-greased pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean - it's done. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for about a 1/2 hour, then remove and allow to cool further on a rack. You can serve this all by it's lonesome or with caramel sauce drizzled over it, with whipped cream or ice cream. It's not very sweet and pairs well with cold treats. Last month I purchased the Julep Jewel Heist Mystery Box - full of joy and anticipation of fabulously sparkly polishes arriving in my mailbox. I mean, just look at the beauty in the picture above (snapshot from the email they sent) - to look at that is like seeing the heavens open and feathery angels draped in white descend while trumpets play and each one is holding a harp made from a different precious gemstone in their arms... Boy was I disappointed. First off, it took forever to get here. Shipping is usually 5-10 business days, and their stuff usually does arrive right around the 8th day. This time around, it was well over the time and I had to email them to find out what was going on. Waiting for something so anticipated is pure torture! The coveted package finally arrived yesterday. I bounded home in the rain from the mailbox and set my package down, eager to tear it open to reveal the glittering surprises within. I suppressed this urge and gingerly cut the tape and flipped the lid. This is the sight that greeted me: My smile froze on my face as I pulled out the contents for closer inspection: Oh Julep - How have you disappointed me? Let me count the ways... I'm going to start with this. This picture above is actually a snip from this post, where I review the 100 Degrees of Mystery Box. Why? Because I already received this item in that box and now I have two of something I will never use. I have to guess this is a poor seller if it's showing up in all the mystery boxes. Moving on. The next item to disappoint is these Twistband hair ties. They're not even a Julep product. Don't get me wrong, all ladies need hair ties, if you have long hair, you can never have enough. However, no matter how fantastic they claim these are, they're not really for me. I like to wear my ponytail high and tight, and these do not hold my hair. Within minutes, it was sad and droopy. So I'll use them until they get lost and I have no use for the discount on the membership. Nor would I ever pay this amount of money for a hairtie - unless there were actual jewels in it. Value of product: $4.00 + $7.50 (for the membership discount) Next, we have this eyeshadow brush. A great compliment to the eyeshadow I received (see next item), but not really anything I need because I don't wear eyeshadow or blush. Next up is this palette of five neutral shades of eyeshadow which are great for fall, but not very reminiscent of jewels. I mentioned previously that I do not wear eyeshadow, so this is another disappointment for me. Finally, something I will actually use. I love lipgloss and this is a pretty colour for the fall season, but I still don't see anything yet that has to do with the whole Jewel Heist theme. The cool thing about this gloss is that it goes on like a neutral, then slowly changes into a pink. I will use this because I have it, but it goes on stickier than other glosses and feels thick and uncomfortable on my lips. I wouldn't ever pay $20 (or $16) for this, and if I did, I would have been pretty upset about it. Finally! Something I want to use in a promised jewel tone! I am really not crazy about orange, but quite frankly, I was just just happy to see polish in the box. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, my expectations were high for a box full of lovely, sparkly polishes and unfortunately had to settle for one in a shade I'm not crazy about. So, I paid $27.98 for this mystery box. What were the contents worth, all told? Retail $109.50 Maven $89.90 So if I was a Maven, I would not have received $100+ value in this box (as advertised) - or do Mavens get a better box? I'm still on the fence about signing up to be a Maven - and this box put me on the no side for a while. One thing is for sure, even though I was really, really disappointed this time, I will try again with the next box. Let's face it, I love surprises. Click to take the quiz and find out which is your style! You can also become a Maven by using this link (and get your first box free by using code FREEBOX at checkout) - and I get some referral points so I can get more pretty stuff for me from Julep. If you do sign up using my link drop me a line and let me know! All opinions expressed in this blog are my own, unbiased after testing the product(s). The product was fully paid for by myself. The subject of this blog entry has no expectation of a review, favorable or otherwise.
So, yesterday I gave you a long list of things never to eat again, and bacon was high on that list. So today I decided to give you a recipe that has bacon as it's first ingredient! We all know that the average person is not going to cut all the things they love (hello, bacon, I'm looking at you) out of their diet, so let's be realistic. That being said, this afternoon I stared into the fridge (as usual), asking dinner to call out to me. From the crisper drawer, I heard the organic heirloom carrots calling out to me. The sweet peppers my mother-in-law brought me from her garden joined in. I decided to make a soup with them, but what else could I add? Since I had some leftover bacon I figured I had enough time to cook some beans and make a hearty soup. The result was delicious and very filling and it thickened as it sat, so we really didn't even need the bread, but who can resist some day-old multigrain bread dipped in a delicious broth? The point of showing you the good and the bad out there is so that you can make more informed decisions and eat more of what's good and less of what's bad. You can eat anything you like in moderation. Full fats are better for you when they come from natural sources, but you can't overdo it. Serves 6 INGREDIENTS 7 strips of bacon 8 smallish carrots (I used organic heirloom) vidalia onion 2 sweet peppers (I used red & yellow) 7 sprigs of thyme 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 3 cups cooked beans (I used navy & great northern) 1/2 cup green lentils 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tetra pak chicken broth (about 2 cups) 1 cup water 1/2 cup pastina (tiny little pasta - you can also use rice or orzo) DIRECTIONS 1. Chop up the strips of bacon and place in a dutch oven on low while you slice the carrots and coarsely chop the onions and peppers. 2. Add the onions to the bacon and raise the heat to medium-high. Saute for a few minutes, then add the thyme leaves (just rip them off the stem). 3. Once the onions are fragrant, add the paprika and stir. Then toss in the carrots and saute for another couple of minutes. 4. Add the peppers, stir and add a dash of the broth if the bottom is starting to brown a little too quickly. After a minute or so, add in the beans and lentils. 5. Pour in the broth and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer for about 1/2 hour - until the lentils are cooked. 6. Add the pastina and cook for about 6-8 minutes longer, until it is cooked through. Serve with day old multigrain or olive bread. *note* If you serve it right away, it will be more of a soup - if you remove from heat and let sit for about 10 minutes, it will be more of a stew - take your pick :) Once we finished with dinner and I went to put away the leftovers, it was definitely thicker. I thought I'd write a post about the top foods you should avoid and why. I figured the best way to do this was to google it, and see what the top hits tell me. I wasn't really surprised by most, I was saddened by some (bacon... I'm going to cry) and was a little taken aback by others. I've posted links to the actual articles I used at the end of the post. I am mainly focusing on foods to avoid for health reasons here. I didn't want to focus only on foods that make you fat, but some of the ingredients you're ingesting through these foods may be causing weight gain. I also didn't mention environmental or ethical reasons to avoid certain things (like bottles in landfills or terrible living conditions at large dairy farms), I am only giving you the lowdown on the way these foods affect your general health. A note to the Men's Fitness webmaster: I would love to have included your point of view, however, where the hell do you get off telling me I have to watch a video ad before I can read your article? No, I will not watch the video, and quite frankly, I will never click a link that will take me to your website ever again. You know that old saying about fish in the sea? Have you googled any subject on your site recently?Just a note. Soda/Diet Soda This was on every single list I found. You're basically drinking a fantastic cocktail of empty calories, diabetes and tooth decay. All sodas contain phosphoric acid, which can cause kidney problems, muscle loss and osteoporosis. The colas contain an artificial caramel colour that has been shown to cause cancer in animals. Citrus sodas contain BVO which can cause memory loss, nerve disorders, behavioral problems, infertility and lesions on heart muscles. The aluminum cans are lined with BPA which is a well-known hormone disruptor and has been linked to infertility, diabetes, and some reproductive cancers. Most of the ingredients in your soda are made from corn, and most corn is now exclusively GMO. The jury may be out on what effects they have on our bodies, but I'd rather pass if I can. Full sugar sodas can build up fat around your liver and muscles, dehydrates, increases cholesterol and damages the heart with too much sugar, sodium and caffeine. Diet sodas are doubly dangerous due to the addition of artificial sweeteners, which you will read about shortly, and the addition of mold inhibitors and a pH of 3.2 on average, compare that to a lemon which has a pH of only 2. Just a note as you're reading this: HFCS is an acronym for high fructose corn syrup, and when I talk about GMOs (genetically modified organisms) I am referring to the ones that have been messed with in a lab. Farmers have been messing with the genetics of crops for as long as we've had agriculture by cross-breeding crops with the most desired traits. That is very different than when a scientist goes in and turns on one gene and turns off another or inserts cactus DNA molecules into a strawberry. Processed meats ( includes bacon [sorry!], sausages, hotdogs, cold cuts and any other cured meat) Although a staple of lunchboxes and the Italian countryside, cured meats are known to cause cardiovascular disease and cancer. There are high instances of bowel cancer in people who consume large amounts over long periods of time. Processed and cured red meats are high in saturated fat, sodium, sodium nitrite and often, MSG. Before you begin to shout about how healthy Mediterranean people are even though they eat large quantities of cured meats, remember that their lifestyle and the majority of their diet is way healthier and more natural than in our Western culture. Vegetable oils & margarine Originally I was only going to put margarine in this category, but the more I read about it, the more I realized these had to be put in together because margarine is made from vegetable oil. Wellness Mama has some excellent, eye-opening information and links that I found really interesting. Vegetable oils often come from GMO crops, contain harmful chemicals and are known to cause heart disease and cancers, among other things. Aside from the vegetable oils they contain, the process that turns margarine into a solid and the fact that even trans-fat free versions can still contain up to 0.5g, studies show that excess consumption is associated with many serious diseases, including heart disease. About 5 years ago I read that margarine was one molecule away from being plastic. That was when I decided to never buy it again. Whether that is true or not is meaningless to me at this point because there are so many other reasons not to have it in the house. *note, cold-pressed oils such as olive are excluded. **Flow chart found on youniquenutrition.com Potato chips & french fries (includes corn/tortilla chips, cheetos, pretzels, etc.) Aside from the whole 'fried in oil thing', chips may contain chemicals like BHT, transfats, excessive salt content and empty calories - all leading you down a path of weight gain, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Also, new studies are showing that frying potatoes triggers a process which can contribute to cancer - that's whether you're buying them that way or frying them yourself. Non-Organic Dairy (includes milk, cream, cheese, etc.) In this case I'm just going to tell you why you should be consuming organic and you can draw your own conclusions. Organic dairy comes from animals that are handled and fed more humanely. There is no risk of mad cow as they're not being forced to eat ground-up chunks of their kin. No antibiotics, pesticides, GMO feed or hormones. Those reasons may make you pony up that extra $2.00 for the organic stuff. Processed baked goods (includes donuts, toaster pastries, anything baked that you purchase in packages and boxes) They're loaded with artificial colors, preservatives, refined white sugar, enriched flour and in the case of yummy, buttery croissants, tonnes of margarine and/or other highly processed vegetable oils. Do yourself a favor and read the ingredients list on the side of a package, do you really still want to put that in your body? Processed baked goods have no nutritional value, can be loaded with trans fats, GMOs and carry all the associated health risks such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's. Microwave popcorn First off, anything you're 'cooking' in a microwave is bad for you. I admit that I am guilty of using mine, but I do it sparingly and I always loathe myself during and after. However, microwave popcorn always seemed to me like eating chemical-laced corn - and I was right. The bag itself is coated with a toxic chemical. They often have trans fats, artificial flavors and preservatives. Although the actual corn used for the kernels is most likely non GMO, the oils and additives most likely are. A really great link about the horrors of eating microwave popcorn is written by the food babe. Bagels I was a little surprised to find this one on so many lists. Yes, bagels pack a whole lot of calories, but I didn't really know how many. Anyone realize that the serving suggestion we're basing the calorie total on is 1/2 a bagel? Yeah, seriously. Who eats only half a bagel at a sitting? No one I know. Aside from the high calories, the refined flours bagels are packed with is a no-no and it turns out that even the 'whole wheat' bagel you thought you were being so good switching to contains only about 50% whole grains. The rest are of the refined white kind. Cereal Here we're talking about the bowl-o-sugar types like Honeycomb and even the 'healthy' types like 'Raisin Bran' or Kashi. Aside from the seriously high levels of sugar in pretty much all types of cereal, there's also the fact that they're loaded with GMOs and HFCS. If those two things don't bother you, there's also the process called extrusion - this is how your GMO grains become your morning bowl-o-sugar. The grains are mixed into a slurry with water, then shaped by high heat and pressure (effectively rendering them completely devoid of nutrition and possibly toxic) and coated with oils and sugar to make them keep their shape and stay crispy for those heavenly 30 seconds after you add milk. Although they do add vitamins and nutrients after, that bowl of cereal is not really nutritious until you add your milk and some fruit. You're better off with steel cut oats or home-made granola. Condiments (includes ketchup, mayo, relish, mustard, salad dressings and any other shelf-stable condiments) This category is filled with high fat, high calories, high sodium, high sugar content (usually in the form of HFCS) and in most cases, preservatives. Even when you see 'low sodium', 'low fat' 'calorie reduced' or any other buzz word for the food processing industry's 'diet' lines, you're often getting more chemicals, preservatives, artificial flavors and you'll probably use more than usual to get the same flavor you're used to. As with the cereal category, you can enjoy alternatives (such as salsa instead of ketchup) or you can try to make your own. Here is a site with an amazing compilation of replacement recipes: divinehealthfromtheinsideout.com Diet/low fat food (this is anything labeled 'diet', 'low fat' or anything along those lines) When manufacturers remove the fat from food in order to make it low fat and/or low calorie, they also remove all flavor. What they add instead is a whole whack of chemicals in order to trick your palate into thinking that you're eating the real thing and trick you into thinking that you're eating healthier. You may actually be sabotaging your diet with these foods because you may be consuming more sugar or salt (in addition to the other additives and preservatives) than with the regular, full-fat version of the same food. You should also be aware that it may be lower in calories because the portion is smaller. Eating smaller portions is a good thing, but you may actually eat more this way, thinking the calorie count is lower, so you can have two packages instead of one. Click here for more specific info. Artificial sweeteners I wrote this list in order of how often these foods showed up on lists of stuff to avoid. Imagine my surprise when I realized how low on the list artificial sweeteners ended up. I have to admit my bias to this particular one because I have an allergy to it, and it is so prevalent in our (pre-packaged) foods that I often consume it without even knowing (until later, that is) and sometimes I just consume it (gum) and wait for the consequences. The reason I was so surprised that it didn't score higher on this list is that it's just pure chemicals. Studies are showing time and again that the chemicals that make up artificial sweeteners like Equal and Sweet n' Low can cause you to overeat because they mess with our taste buds - they're so overly sweet that you get accustomed to that level and regular sweetness found in fruit and other sweet foods is no longer enough. They mess with our brains and gut - they think that a high calorie, thick and satisfying food is coming their way. When that doesn't happen, they crave more, leading to over eating. They're almost always made from GMOs. They also mess with hormone levels (namely, insulin), leading to diabetes, and diabetics are the ones who use 'fake sugar' as I call it because they think it's better for them than actual sugar. Image source: authoritynutrition.com Pre-packaged bars (includes various granola, energy and protein bars) Many people think that these are a healthy snack for breakfast, pre or post workout, kids lunches or any time we need a quick snack on the go. Unfortunately, they mainly contain much of what you've already heard: HFCS, GMOs, chemical preservatives, high calories, high sugar content, are surprisingly low in nutrition, high in saturated fat, artificial sweeteners and lastly, 'natural ingredients' aren't always what you think. Companies are allowed to put that on the label if an ingredient once came from something that was natural - like, unbelievably, beaver anal glands. Safest bet is to make your own, there are plenty of great recipes online. You can read more about the dangers of eating protein bars at the Globe and Mail. The following foods are getting a quick mention because I saw them on the sites I visited, they just weren't mentioned on more than one: swordfish/tuna, ribs, maraschino cherries, frosting, non-organic celery, soy sauce, canned soup/instant noodles, biscuits & gravy, bagel breakfast sandwiches, non-organic apples, beer/alcoholic beverages, sports drinks, sugary fruit drinks, pizza, canned tomato sauce, burgers, ice cream, frozen dinners. I know, it's a long list of honorable mentions. You wouldn't believe how much 'food' we really shouldn't be eating to stay healthy. Some really informative websites for further information: food babe fooddemocracy Sources: science.howstuffworks.com fitnessmagazine.com joybauer.com healthyliving.msn.com www.rd.com www.besthealthmag.ca www.care2.com www.golfdigest.com www.webmd.com This post took so long because Weebly has decided to force all us bloggers into a beta for their new design. I'm having issues with it and it is totally frustrating me, but I'll tell you about that tomorrow.
Until then, take care of your health. I hope that my research has opened some eyes - I thought I knew a lot about this topic, which is why I wanted to blog about it, but I certainly learned a whole lot more! |
AuthorHi! I'm Sonja and I'm glad you're here! I'm happy to share some recipes and gardening tips with you while I let you know about great (or not so great) products, services, and media I encounter. Visit my online shop at MysteriousDragonfyre.com
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