Hukkster

Have you guys heard of Hukkster? This website is literally amazing and will change your life if you're an avid online shopper. I have been using it for awhile and have found it to be really helpful and mostly just awesome.

Hukkster is awesome because when you're shopping online, you can "bookmark" an item you like and when said item goes on sale it sends you an email letting you know. It is also really cool to price check at various website for the same item!

Anyways, I hope you guys check it out because if you want to save a couple bucks on items that are sometimes a splurge, it's a great way to keep an eye out!









(*I am in no way affiliated with Hukkster., I just wanted to share the site because it really is that awesome.)

Smart Lash: Day One

I have been coveting long lashes so much lately. The obsession has only grown since I started hearing about Latisse, and the magic results it produced. But was turned off by the fact that it requires a prescription and costs quite a lot. So instead I'm trying out SmartLash.

This product seems to have pretty good reviews as well as some decent results from clinical trials. It looks like a good option for me right now because it is non-prescription, and you can get it for a pretty decent price from dermstore.com ($30, normally $125).

Supposedly full results will have occurred in 60 days.. so until then.. wish me luck!

Have you tried SmartLash?

xo 

Siobhain

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The Power of Primer

Back when I first started wearing makeup at the ripe age of thirteen, I had not a clue what was what. I also had no help. (I'm the oldest of my siblings by ten years and my mom hardly wears makeup and was never interested in teaching me the basics.) It also didn't help that I was doing competitive gymnastics 30 hours a week, and hardly had the time to wear makeup in the first place.

So, I went for many years only applying mascara and jet black eyeliner all the way around my eyes, and wondering why I looked like a strung out raccoon. I still don't know what I'm doing but I definitely have a better handle on things now that i'm older and (slightly) wiser, which brings me to primers: They are important. They are what keep your makeup in place throughout the day. Without primers, I would be lost in makeup land. Wear them under your concealer and eyeshadow and you will be happy.

#1. Benefit Cosmetics Stay Don't Stray ($26). This primer is my personal favorite. I love it because it works really well as a concealer primer and eyelid primer. It has a little bit of a tint to it, but I kind of feel like maybe it makes it work better. Or maybe it doesn't...perception is reality you guys. (As a side note it kinda seems like they changed the packaging for this primer on their website which is VERY disappointing bc I personally loathe wands.. give me a stick, or a squeezey tube, or a pump or something other than a wand!)

#2. Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($20). I loveeeeddddd this one. One tube lasted me almost a year  and I only needed a teeny drop per eye. One of the major pluses for me is that it is somewhere between stay don't stray and primer potion in terms of overall texture and consistency. I will probably re-buy as soon as my Benefit runs out.


#3. e.l.f Eyelid Primer ($1). If you're looking for something non-commital: Meet e.l.f., your beauty soulmate. Most prices for their products are under $3. Their eye primer is more or less equivalent to Urban Decay's in quality for only a buck. Personally, I don't use this primer a lot, but it's a good one to have in your travel beauty bag because it's super inexpensive and does the job when you're not close to your beauty arsenal.

#4. Urban Decay Primer Potion ($20). It looks like they changed this one too from wand to squeezy tube (If so yay! I repeat: I cannot stand wands).  Works a lot like the e.l.f primer above. It has a kind of smooth and silky texture, but it doesn't cling enough to my concealers or shadows to really be a favorite of mine.

What are your favorite primers? 

xo 

Siobhain

Garlicky Edamame

Living at home can have its downsides (read: having to use my moms decorated dishes vs. my own style dishware). However despite my less than photogenic plates, I can still make something pretty damn delicious.

Recently my boyfriend and I ate at a restaurant in downtown Campbell called Sushi Confidential that featured this amazing trio of edamame, and one out of the trio really stood out. Normally edamame on it's own is perfect and all I need, but throw in a little garlic and shoyu and DANG I'm in! This recipe is pretty close to the one I had at Sushi Confidential and has a nice roundness and zing!

Once I had these I was hooked, and had to figure out a way to repeat this deliciousness at home.. so below is the recipe I conjured up...

You'll need:
1 bag edamame with shells
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tbsp. soy sauce (to taste)


1. Open the bag of edamame
2. Cook edamame per bag instructions
3. In a garlic press (or mince if you're so inclined) 3 cloves of garlic.
4. In a pan sauteé (eyeball a splash EVOO) half the amount of garlic for one minute or less. Do not allow to brown or burn or your garlic will taste acrid. (Basically just warm and soften the garlic enough to take away the zing
5. Mix together cooked edamame, soy, garlic, and sesame oil.
6. Enjoy!

I seriously am a sucker for garlic anything and despite my unkissable breath afterwards, I really don't care.

Which salty snack do you crave most? 

xoxo

Siobhain

President's Day Drear

The weather in the Bay Area has been so phenomenal lately that I kind of took it for granted, blindly pretending the weather would just stay 70° and perfect everyday until next Fall. Obviously today was a wake-up call and reminded me that it is only the middle of February (and forecasted to rain again tomorrow!).

Despite how overcast it was, I pulled out my new favorite H&M jacket and this awesome muted leopard sweater and enjoyed what was left of the day.

Shirt: Wilfred BALZAC Sweater Aritzia in White/Ash, Jacket: H&M (similar here), Watch: Nordstrom, Silver Hammered Rings: Etsy, Jeans: American Eagle, Shoes: Crochet TOMS (old color, but similar here), Necklace: F21 (old but loving this) 

Spicy Chicken Sausage, Kale & White Bean Soup

So  first of all let me give credit for this recipe where credit is due... I have seen this soup and variations on several of my favorite blogs (Pioneer Woman, Skinny Taste, and Bev Cooks). However each blogger has put their own unique twist on it. You really can customize this recipe (changing the protein, spices, veggies etc) to fit your own tastes, which is one of the things I love so much about it.

This soup has definitely become a repeat in my dinner rotation because it is so flavorful, hearty and easy...(Let me again emphasize how easy this one is.. you don't have to be anywhere near being a professional chef to develop flavors in this!). Most importantly, it is boyfriend and family approved. Kale is kind of scary because it is touted as a health food, but it is a really delicious ingredient when in the right recipe.


You'll need: 

(Recipe serves 4)

2 1/2 Uncooked Chicken Sicilian Sausage (I get mine from trader joes, but feel free to improvise if you can't find this)
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 onion minced
5 cups chicken broth
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 cups Tuscan Kale
Pinch Red Chili Pepper Flakes (to taste)
1/2 tablespoon pepper (to taste)
Pinch salt (to taste)
1 can white beans (cannelini beans) rinsed and drained
Olive oil to taste


Steps: 

1. Mince garlic and onion, in a pot eyeball roughly 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add onions. Cook until translucent adding minced garlic, cook until lightly browned and set aside.
2. Remove casing from sausage, crumble and cook on medium until golden brown or cooked through. Add cooked sausage to the pot with onions and garlic.
3. Add 5 cups of broth to the pot and set to medium and bring to a boil. Add white beans, kale and chili flakes to taste. (More or less based on preference).
4. Cook for at least 15 minutes or until kale has slightly softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set stove to simmer until ready to serve.
5. Serve soup and garnish with a pinch of parmesan cheese.
6. Enjoy!!

What is a dish you frequent in your dinner rotation? 

Healthy Lemon & Dill Dip

During the Superbowl, I wanted to create a dip that would allow me to indulge without feeling regret afterwards. My boyfriend happened to be making homemade chips at the same time, which inspired me to use lemon and dill with greek yogurt.

This combo turned out to be exactly what I was hoping! It was light, creamy and tasted great on several of the snacks we set out, including the zucchini skins I made as an alternative to potato skins (recipe found here)

For the dip you will need: 

1/2 juice of a lemon

1 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)

1 tbsp. Dill

1 oz container Non-Fat Greek Yogurt

Directions: Mix ingredients until fully combined.

You can find the recipe for the baked potato chips here

Gift Guide: Valentine's for your guy

Sometimes coming up with gift ideas for your man can be hard, and for those procrastinators (like me) last minute gift items are even more difficult. So I've compiled a last minute gift guide for your guy. 

1. These Hershel Supply backpacks also make a great gift for the guy on the go. For school, road trips, or any outdoor adventure these cool packs look great and have plenty of space for all his loot. 

2. I recently stumbled upon these neat printed tee's that showcase various out of print covers of fiction. These are neat and despite being a shirt, are still super thoughtful if you chose a favorite title of his. 

3. Another thoughtful gift is A copy of a movie you went to see and liked when you first started dating. (In my case Where the Wild Things are was our first date!)

4. If he's a beer geek, get him a selection of a few bottles of different craft brews as well as a subscription to a magazine all about the stuff like Beer Advocate  or Draft Magazine 

5. Sentimental and personalized trinkets like this handmade copper money clip. I love this because it's an thoughtful alternative to a bulky wallet.

6. Watches are nice gifts for your guy, but more often than not, they come with hefty price tags and the potential for failure as a gift. This Nixon Time Teller however, is an alternative that is stylish (28 colors!), durable, and won't break the bank (75$). 

Casual Stripes

I have a tendency to overdress when it comes to going out to concerts. I'm always wearing my highest heels or wearing an outfit I can't stand by the end of said show.

Last week I went to see Geographer in San Francisco and decided against my normal choices for outfits.

I went with something comfortable and laid back, which included a striped tee, black jeggings and TOMS wedges which are one of my favorite items to wear in any circumstance.

Jacket: Forever 21 Old (Similar Here), Top: H&M, Watch: Nixon Necklace: Forever 21

Jeggings: 7forallmankind Shoes: TOMS Wedges

How do you wear your favorite striped shirt?

xo

Siobhain

Zucchini Skins

This year for the Superbowl I wanted to lighten up snacks that are generally feel like one million calories a bite. In honor of my love for potato skins (oozy cheese c'mon!), I decided to take away the starchy element, and replace them with zucchini for a lighter but still scrumptious option:

(Recipe Makes 12 'skins')

You will need: 

1/4 cup low-fat mixed cheese 

3 green onions

3 slices turkey bacon

2 medium to large zucchini

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

6oz Lemon Dill Non-fat Greek Yogurt Dip (I will post the recipe later)

1. Begin by cutting the zucchinis into thirds, and then halving those thirds. 

2. You will need a spoon to scoop out a pretty large portion of the inside of the zucchini leaving behind what looks like a little boat. 

3. Cook slices of turkey bacon in a pan and set aside on paper towels to drain. 

4. Preheat the oven to 350°

5. Mince bacon into desired consistency (I like mine chopped finely, but some might enjoy theirs more chunky!) 

6. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini, paprika, cayenne pepper, olive oil and salt until evenly coated. 

7. On a baking sheet line the zucchini boats up evenly and place in the oven for 15 minutes. 

8. Take the zucchini out of the oven and add the cheese and bacon to each boat, placing back in the oven for another 25 minutes (cooking time can vary based on preferred doneness of cheese and zucchini)

9. While you're waiting go ahead and chop your green onion and set aside to use as a garnish.

10. After 25 minutes in the oven take skins out of the oven and plate, finishing with chopped green onion and a dallop of greek yogurt. 

What are some recipes you lighten up for game day?

xo Siobhain

Grandma's Teriyaki Marinade

One of my favorite things growing up was my Grandmother Juneko's chicken teriyaki recipe. My mom always prepared it using chicken wings and drumsticks, but now that I'm older I have found it to be delicious as a marinade for everything (Tofu, steak, pork etc.).

This marinade is so simple, and great for those days where you have very little time to prep dinner without sacrificing flavor.


(Please pardon the paper plates -- I was cooking for the Superbowl and was aiming for minimal cleanup!)

You'll need:

1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Water (or if you're in a hurry you can use sprite and just omit the sugar)
2-3 Garlic Cloves Minced
1 Tbsp. sugar, or to taste.
1lb "Party" Wings


Mix together in a bowl with your chicken wings, cover and let sit for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. (For the best results allow chicken to marinade overnight!)

Preheat oven to 350° and bake for roughly 30 minutes, or until wings are done and juice runs clear. This recipe is also awesome on the grill if you've got the time and know-how!

Voila! I'm telling you, despite the simplicity it really does pack a punch.