Trying My First Natural Hair Products

I love trying new hair products.  I've suffered from dandruff my whole life so I'm always looking for ways to help it.  When Maple Holistics reached out to me asking me if I wanted to try their tea tree shampoo and conditioner.  I immediately said yes.  I've been testing them out for about two months now.  I have a lot of thoughts so lets get into it.

First of all I love the packaging.  Most natural products seem boring but I like how they really focus on how it looks.  The first thing I did was smell it.  I HATE how tea tree oil smells but this smells amazing!  The lavender overpowers the tea tree scent which I really appreciate.  I also love the price.  Most natural products are insanely expensive but the shampoo is $8 and the conditioner is $12.  That is a HUGE bonus!

Let's talk about how it worked for me.  I loved it!  My dandruff cleared up after about 3 washes which is great.  The only problem I had was that it didn't lather up.  It made me feel like it wasn't cleaning my hair even though it was.  Overall I definitely recommend it!  The coolest thing about Maple Holistics is the free sample program.  Just click here and fill out the form.  It's that easy!  They have bath products, oils, and a bunch of other natural products.  Go check them out!

Cooking Corner: Zucchini Bread

This is my FAVORITE time of year for baking.  It's starting to get colder outside and baking just makes everything cozier.  One of my favorite foods is zucchini bread.  Don't worry, you can't even taste the zucchini.  That was why it took me awhile to try it but I'm SO glad I did!  I found this recipe on Pinterest of course!  I did slightly alter it though so I thought I would share the recipe with you guys today.  If you make this then make sure you tweet me pictures!  Also let me know any recipes that you want to see!

Ingredients:

1 pound zucchini (Make sure it is finely shredded and placed in a towel to remove excess moisture.  You’ll end up with about 1 to 1 1/2 cups)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/4 cup plain yogurt (not fat-free)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or sour cream

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray

2. Chop the ends off the zucchini (just 1/4-inch off each end) and finely shred the zucchini, peel and all. Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel, wrap the towel, and wring the ends (like a an old-fashioned candy wrapper) to squeeze out all the excess water. You should have about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of dry zucchini. Set the zucchini aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.

4. In a smaller bowl, whisk the sugar, yogurt, eggs, lemon juice or sour cream, and butter until combined.

5. Gently fold the yogurt mixture and zucchini into the flour mixture, using a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

6. Bake until golden brown for about 45-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then turn out into wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour. Store well-covered for up to three days.

xo,

Jerica

Sparkling Ice Review!

If you read my summer essentials post then you know I've been trying to drink more water.  Even though I infused it with fruit I still wasn't feeling it.  So I went on the hunt for something better.  That is when I discovered Sparkling Ice and they kindly sent me some samples.  I am now OBSESSED!!!!

If you don't know what Sparkling Ice is I'll tell you all about it.  They sell carbonated drinks of many different flavors.  There are waters, lemonades, and iced teas.  I have only tried the waters and tea but I'm a fan for sure.  There are SO many benefits in these drinks.  They have Vitamin D, B3, B6, B12, B5, and Biotin.  There is also no calories.  The iced teas do contain caffeine but the water and lemonade don't.  It doesn't even taste healthy at all which is a plus.  It's definitely a better alternative than soda.

First I'll start with the iced tea.  I tried the raspberry flavor and I was honestly scared because I'm not a fan of raspberry.  I loved it!  It was very refreshing and fruity.  It wasn't super overpowering which I enjoyed.  I will buy that again for sure.  The waters I tried were Coconut Pineapple, Orange Mango, Cherry Limeade, Peach Nectarine, and Kiwi Strawberry.  My favorites were Cherry Limeade and Coconut Pineapple.  They were SO good!  My least favorite was Kiwi Strawberry.  It just was too bitter for my taste.  I'm interested in trying all the other flavors.  I hope someday they will make a grape flavor.  I think that would taste amazing.

If you have tried Sparkling Ice let me know your favorite flavor.  If you haven't tried it go check it out!



xo,
Jerica

Weekly Obsession!

Happy Wednesday!  I love so many different things.  This week I'm sharing something I honestly can't get enough of.  My weekly obsession is...Fiber One Streusel Bars!

OMG you guys these are amazing!!!!!!  They come in strawberry or blueberry flavors but I prefer the strawberry.  My friend actually introduced me and I'm so glad I tried one.  They have an oatmeal bottom, then a strawberry jam layer, and finally topped with brown sugar crumbles.  They are only 150 calories and 20% of your daily fiber intake.  I will eat one for breakfast if I'm not that hungry or just throw one in my bag to have as a snack.  If you are looking for a healthier snack idea then check these out!



xo,
Jerica

3 DIY Face Masks

Welcome to day 4 of my Valentine's Day week posts.  There will be a new Valentine's Day themed post every day this week.  Today's post may not seem very Valentine's but it does.  I'm going to share 3 different DIY face masks.  They are all natural and made with items you already have.  You want your skin to look and feel good before your date.  You could also have a spa night with a bunch of your girlfriends.  Tweet me a picture if you try any of these!

Oatmeal Honey Mask:

Combine 1/2 cup hot water and 1/3 cup oatmeal. After the water and oatmeal have settled for two or three minutes, mix in 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1 small egg white. Apply a thin layer of the mask to your face, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then rinse with warm water. (Make sure you place a strainer in your sink to avoid clogging the drain)

Yogurt Orange Juice Mask:

Mix 1 teaspoon plain yogurt with the juice from 1/4 slice of orange, some of the orange pulp, and 1 teaspoon aloe. Leave the mixture on your face for at least five minutes before rinsing it off.

Guacamole Mask:

Mash 1/2 of a ripe avocado with 2 tablespoons of honey and apply to the face. Let sit 20+ minutes and rinse well.

xo,

Jerica

Lärabar Review!

Hey everybody!  Today I have a review for you all!  Lärabar sent me four different bars to try and share my thoughts.  I've always wanted to try them so I'm excited!  First I'll tell you about the company.  Each bar only contains 9 ingredients or less.  There are many flavors available to fit anybody's taste.  It is a fruit and nut bar so if you have any nut allergies be careful.  They are non-gmo, gluten free, vegan, dairy free, kosher, and soy free.  These are much healthier than eating a candy bar.  Make sure you follow all of Lärabar's social media sites Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.  You can also sign up to their free eNewsletter if you want.  Now lets get to the review!

The first bar I tried was Peanut Butter Cookie.  It was the perfect midnight snack!  There are only three ingredients with are peanuts, dates, and sea salt.  It really did taste like a cookie!  I was very impressed.  I really love peanut butter so I wish it had just a little bit more of a stronger presence.  This bar is only 220 calories and 7 grams of protein.  It's much healthier than grabbing an actual cookie!

Bananas are my favorite fruit so I chose to try the Banana Bread bar.  I took my nieces to the park and threw this in my bag in case I got hungry.  Eventually I did so I'm glad I brought it.  It had a strong banana flavor which I loved.  The ingredients are almonds, dates, and unsweetened bananas.  It is a bit tart because the bananas aren't sweet but still really good.  This bar is 230 calories and 6 grams of protein.  It also 12% of the recommended the daily value of potassium.  Try it out!

Apple pie is one of my favorite deserts but I mostly only get it in the fall.  So I was really excited to see they had an apple pie bar.  I actually split this with my grandpa because he is always looking for healthier options.  We loved it!!  It tastes exactly like my grandmas apple pie.  I will be buying more of these for sure!  The ingredients are dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon.  You could really taste the cinnamon which is my favorite.  This bar is 190 calories and 4 grams of protein.  It's so good!

Who doesn't love cookie dough?  That's why I chose to try the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar.  I ate this on the way to an appointment since it was in between breakfast and lunch.  I LOVED the chocolate but it didn't taste like cookie dough.  It did taste like a chocolate chip cookie though.  The ingredients are cashews, dates, chocolate chips, and sea salt.  This bar is 210 calories and 4 grams of protein.

Overall I really loved these bars.  You can take them anywhere and they are a perfect portion to fill you up.  I've been telling everybody about them!  I will be trying out other flavors for sure.  Let if you try them!


xo,
Jerica

Summer Series 2014: Breakfast Banana Quinoa Bars

Welcome back!  Sorry this wasn't up on Saturday but the holiday took over my weekend.  Today I'm sharing a recipe that's perfect for Summer.  They are SUPER healthy but they taste really good.  You could make them for a party, as a snack, or even for breakfast.  You can alter the recipe however you see fit based on your taste. Usually the top is coated in chocolate but I was out.  My friend actually made these and I knew I must share them with all of you.  Tweet me pictures if you try it @jerica_89.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

½ c whole wheat flour (or chickpea flour to make gluten free)

1 c cooked quinoa

1 c oats

½ c pecans, chopped

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp chia seeds

⅓ c almond butter

¼ c maple syrup

1 egg

2 mashed bananas

½ tsp vanilla

Directions:

Combine bananas, vanilla, egg, almond butter and maple syrup in a small bowl and mix well.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir until just mixed.

Spoon into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 375 for 20 min or until golden brown.

Let cool and cut into 6 bars.

Store in the refrigerator.

xo,

Jerica

Motivational Monday: Healthy No Bake Cookies

Happy Monday!  One of my downfalls is sweets.  I need to start being healthy though.  I really love cookies.  In the summer nobody wants to turn their oven on.  So these are the perfect solution!  I saw this recipe on YouTube.  They are one of my favorite cookies and super healthy.  Tweet me if you try them @jerica_89.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup of Earth Balance, Coconut Oil or Butter
1/2 cup of Agave or Honey
1/2 cup of Almond, Soy, Coconut or Regular Milk
2/3 cup of PB2 Chocolate or 1/2 cup PB2 plus 3 tbsp unsweetened Cocoa
1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
3 cups Instant Rolled Oats

Directions:

In a saucepan add the Earth Balance, Agave, Vanilla Extract, PB2 Chocolate, and Almond Milk.  Put it on the stove until it comes to a boil.

Remove the saucepan from the stove once all ingredients have been combined.  While still hot add in the Instant Oats and stir until all oats are covered..

Pour into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll them flat.

After they cool just cut them into squares and enjoy!

xo,

Jerica

My Spring Essentials!

I am SO happy that Spring is finally here!  I'm so over dull and cold winter days.  I thought I would share some of my essentials with all of you.  If you guys want more posts like this let me know.  I really hope you like it!  Tell me what your essentials are!

Curled Hair:

In the winter I normally just throw my hair up in a bun or ponytail because it's too cold to dress up.  The minute it turns warm I want to look cute again.  My hair NEVER stays curled so I invested in an amazing wand.  It is the Titan 3 Curling Wand from NuMe.  It is the best hair product you'll ever own!  I have a deal for all my readers!  Click here and use "NUMESPRING50" at the checkout for 50% off plus Free Shipping on Styling Tools, Hair Care Products, and Accessories.  If you prefer straight hair you can click here and use "MEGASPRING" at the checkout to the MegaStar flat iron for just $79.  If you guys want me to do any looks let me know.

Body Spray:

I prefer body sprays over perfume during spring and summer.  They just feel more refreshing and light.  I have always loved the Pure Seduction scent from Victoria Secret.  So when I heard they came out with a limited edition Pure Seduction Bloom scent I knew I must buy it.  It is AMAZING!  It has a more floral fruity scent.  Check it out if you love the original!

Flower Crowns:

I can't go anywhere without buying a flower crown.  I saw Taylor Swift wearing one and now I can't get enough.  I just love the boho chic look.  I've always been a hippie at heart so it suits me well.  I actually did a DIY post awhile back on how to make your own.  If you wanna try it click here.  Tweet me a pic if you make one @jerica_89.

Bright Nail Polish:

Whenever spring happens I must paint my nails a bright color.  It just makes me feel super happy.  For some reason I've been obsessed with yellow polish.  Currently I'm wearing Sun Kissed from China Glaze.  It is a bright neon yellow.  It dried super fast but you need at least 3-4 coats.  I love it though.  A tip I learned after I painted them is if you paint your nails with one coat of white first then you'll need less coats of your actual color.

Cardigan/Denim Jacket:

Just because it's spring doesn't always mean it is warm.  I've been switching between a cardigan and a denim jacket.  I highly recommend keeping one of these with you at all times.  It really depends on what the weather is like where you live.  Here it could be 80 and sunny one minute and then the next pouring rain.

Junk Food!:

I have been trying to eat more healthy lately but spring means finals.  When I get too stressed I must have junk food of any kind.  It is mostly chocolate though.  It's my biggest weakness.  I'm ready to just be done with school for summer.  I'm over the work!

xo,

Jerica

Motivational Monday: To Diet Or Not?

Happy Monday!  Today's post came from a conversation my friends had all weekend.  We all know that spring is here which means everybody worries about their weight.  My friends were talking about this crazy 3 day diet.  Is this an expectation of women now?  It doesn't seem healthy at all.  I'm all for being healthy but there needs to be a point where enough is enough.  When I was younger I suffered from anorexia.  You never actually get over that thought process.  I constantly worry about my weight and how I look.  I now have just accepted myself for me.  I feel confident no matter what I wear or eat.  I just hate how body image is reflected in America.  Just be comfortable being you.  If people judge you because you aren't "perfect" then they aren't worth being in your life.  Nobody deserves to be mistreated for who they are.  My advice to girls of all ages is to just be you.  I let girls call me fat and starved myself for almost 2 years.  It's not worth it!  Love yourself!  If any of you need to talk you can email me at jerica.berner@aol.com.  I don't want anyone going through what I did alone.



xo,
Jerica

Mamma Chia Review!

Hey everybody!  Today I'm going to talk about one of my favorite products right now.  It is a company called Mamma Chia.  My friend actually introduced me to them.  I love it because I'm not a healthy eater at all.  Their products offer a TON of benefits.  They are also all natural.  So I contacted them and asked if I could do a review for you guys.  They mailed me some products and now I'm going to share my thoughts.  If you try any of their products let me know what you think!  You can comment below or tweet me @jerica_89.

Chia Squeeze:

One of their products are called Chia Squeeze pouches.  These are perfect for on the go because they don't need to be refrigerated.  You can one in your purse, backpack, or even your gym bag.  Each pouch contains 1200mg of Omega-3 and a good source of fiber.  Pouches range from 70-80 calories and are all gluten and vegan free.  I received 4 different pouches from the 6 they have.

The first one I tried was the Apple Cinnamon.  It was so good!  It tastes exactly like an Apple Pie in a pouch.  The consistency is a little too thick for my liking.  I have weird thing about textures.  I really loved it though.

Next I tried the Green Magic.  I was really nervous about trying this flavor.  I noticed one of the ingredients was kale which I've never had before.  When you first taste it is bitter but then it goes fruity.  It tastes like mango which is another ingredient.  I didn't love this one but it wasn't terrible.

Next up was the Strawberry Banana.  Now normally I never try any products with this flavor because I don't like strawberry.  This was a surprise though.  You can actually taste the bananas more than the strawberry.  It was my favorite.

The last one I tried was the Blackberry Bliss.  I've never had blackberries before so I was a little nervous.  It reminded me of jelly.  I would put the on my toast in the mornings if I could.  It was more watery than the others but really good.

Vitality Beverages:

Another Mamma Chia product are the Vitality Beverages.  Since these need to be refrigerated and are in glass bottles they sent me 3 coupons for free drinks.  I bought mine at Whole Foods in case you are wondering.  Each drink has 2500 mg of Omega-3, 4g of complete protein, 95 mg of calcium, fiber, and antioxidants.  They are also gluten free and vegan.  I only tried 3 of the 9 they have but I will be trying more.

The first one I tried was Raspberry Passion.  The biggest difference I noticed between the drinks and pouches was in the drink you feel the seeds more.  It still like a juice consistency though.  This flavor was very tart.  After you got over that it wasn't bad.

Next I tried the Cherry Lime flavor.  I was really excited to try this one.  I totally loved it!  I was hoping it would be more cherry tasting.  The lime is stronger though.  This one is my favorite so far.

Lastly I tried the Pomegranate Mint flavor.  I was very nervous about this one.  I love pomegranate but I wasn't sure if it would mix well with mint.  The mint was too overpowering for my taste.  It needed more of a pomegranate flavor instead.




xo,
Jerica

Motivational Monday: Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Happy Monday!  Lately I've been trying to eat more healthy.  I've actually considered becoming vegan because one of my friends is and I find it interesting.  I'm just not sure I'm ready for that yet.  I eat A LOT of junk food and have a big sweet tooth.  I tend to look for recipes that are healthy but don't taste like it.  So today I'm sharing one with you!  It is a Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie.  I love smoothies especially now that it is getting warmer.  The awesome thing about smoothies is how quick and easy they are.  You can also have them for breakfast or just as a snack.  This contains 16g of protein and is ONLY 303 calories.  Tweet me pictures if you try it!  My Twitter is @jerica_89.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

10 ounces skim milk or plain soy milk

1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

1 medium banana

Directions:

In a blender, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Use 6 ice cubes for a thicker consistency.

Tips:

Freezing your banana will eliminate the ice cubes.

You can also add more of the banana or peanut butter for a stronger taste.

If you want it to be chocolate flavored, add natural cocoa powder.

xo,

Jerica