Thursday, December 3, 2015
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Saturday, February 21, 2015
To New Beginnings
In an effort to grow and expand this blog has moved over to www.livetolaughandlove.com
All new post are being posted on this site now. Please head over to the site and subscribe to stay up to date with all new post. You can also follow on instagram @michelle_blogs (www.instagram.com/michelle_blogs)
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Taco Tuesday
I love me some tacos! and I am not talking Taco Bell tacos either, I am talking delicious homemade tacos (insert drool here). I love tacos so much I thought I would give in on Taco Tuesday and made some delicious tacos which were a hit. Best of all they weren't difficult to make and tasted delicious! (I confess I ate three).
I want you to try these tacos whether its taco Tuesday or taco Wednesday, I promise you will not regret this recipe nor will your dinner guest.
What you will need:
- Skirt steak (I used a pound, good for 10 tacos)
- Cilantro (about a handful should do, but depends on your preference as well)
- 1-2 cloves of garlic (I used 2. Have I mentioned I love garlic?)
- 1 lime
- 3 TBS of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small purple onion, diced (also known as red onion)
- 1 steak tomato, diced
- 1 avocado
- 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper
- A package of corn tortillas
- A Mixing/marinating bowl
- A Blender (I use my Magic bullet)
- A Frying Pan
- A small pan
What you do:
- First you want to make the marinade by combining the olive oil, salt & pepper, cloves of garlic, half of the cilantro and the juice of half the lime in a blender, I used my magic bullet but you can use a regular blender or food processor as well. Blend until smooth, place meat in a bowl and pour the marinade over the meat. Use your hands to thoroughly coat the meat. Place into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes: place the frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat and place the meat directly into the pan (you will hear an amazing sizzle sound). It's not necessary to add more oil since the meat was coated in a marinade with olive oil. Cook the steak until Medium or Medium well (your preference), so about 5-6 minutes on each side.
- Once the meat is cooked place it onto a plate and cut into pieces. Cut diagonally for best size. As you work on cutting the meat begin warming the tortillas in the small pan. I like my tortillas a bit crunchy but not so much that they break, so cook over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- When your tortillas are done and your meat is cut your ready to plate these babies. To build the tacos take one tortilla, add a few pieces of steak (not too much maybe 3-4 small pieces), a slice of avocado, a bit of onions, some tomatoes, a few leaves of cilantro and squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top. Repeat for as many tacos that you wish to devour. Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this recipe and what you think.
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Best Homemade Guacamole
In honor of Superbowl Sunday I thought I would share my guacamole recipe. I absolutely love avocados and can literally eat them in probably a hundred different ways. My favorite is sliced up with olive oil, lime juice, and salt & pepper. However, when I want some tortillas chips and don't want a cheese dip or salsa I always turn to my guacamole recipe. I like making my own guacamole because I control what I put in it and how much. If you have guest over its also a great quick dip to make especially for sporting events, such as today. So without further delay I give you my guacamole recipe:
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You will need:
- 1 medium size avocado
- 1 small purple onion (I know they are called red onions but I call them purple)
- 1 clove of garlic (or more depending on your love for garlic. I don't recommend using garlic powder or chopped packaged garlic because they never taste like fresh garlic.)
- 1 lime
- Half a handful of cilantro (This can be as much or as little depending on your preference. I just happen to love cilantro.)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- A blender (I used my magic bullet but any blender will do. You could also make it the old fashioned way mashing the avocado with forks for a chunkier dip)
What you do:
- Place the avocado, half the purple onion (or less depends on your preference), garlic, the juice of the lime (I would say add the juice of half the lime first and taste, then add the rest if you would like), cilantro and salt & pepper into the blender and mix. Mix till smooth but thick.
- Serve into a dipping bowl, refrigerate for ten minutes and serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!
What are some of your favorite chips and dip?
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Mud Mask: Formula 10.0.06
I have beyond sensitive skin! Just one drop of the wrong product and within a few hours of use I will break out in red irritated bumps. So I know to be extremely picky with the products I choose to use on my face. A while back while killing some time on one of my favorite addictions: Pinterest I came across a picture of a mud mask with many people commenting how good it was and inexpensive. Naturally, I was intrigued as I am always looking for the best products for my sensitive skin and of course that will not leave my bank account on zero. Just to be clear you do not have to spend a lot of money on beauty products, I mean you could if you want but I am just saying it has been my experience that you do not have to buy the fifty dollar cleanser to get results. I have had clearer skin now than I did a few years back and I am not spending as much on facial products as I use to. So I did some research and found that I could find this mud mask at my favorite beauty store, Ulta.
I went straight to Ulta (not that I need much of a reason to go) and found the product line Formula 10.0.06. This product line offers many different facial products (yes, I purchased more from them than just the mud mask). What I love is that the ingredients are all natural and non-irritating for sensitive skin (me!). There are no harsh chemicals or harsh smells and best of all the price line is under $10. How could you not give these products a try?
I have used the mask (Pores Be Pure, pictured below) once a week for the past month and I am very pleased. The mask is not harsh and really leaves my skin smooth. It helps with my clogged pores and blackheads too. The mask smells like berries and has a tingling effect when you first apply it (you should only apply a thin layer). It dries in around 10-15 minutes and once it dries you simply wash it off with warm water. The results are great and best of all I got this mask for $5.99 at Ulta.
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Have you used this product? What did you think?
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
I went straight to Ulta (not that I need much of a reason to go) and found the product line Formula 10.0.06. This product line offers many different facial products (yes, I purchased more from them than just the mud mask). What I love is that the ingredients are all natural and non-irritating for sensitive skin (me!). There are no harsh chemicals or harsh smells and best of all the price line is under $10. How could you not give these products a try?
I have used the mask (Pores Be Pure, pictured below) once a week for the past month and I am very pleased. The mask is not harsh and really leaves my skin smooth. It helps with my clogged pores and blackheads too. The mask smells like berries and has a tingling effect when you first apply it (you should only apply a thin layer). It dries in around 10-15 minutes and once it dries you simply wash it off with warm water. The results are great and best of all I got this mask for $5.99 at Ulta.
*You can find these products at your nearest Ulta (www.ulta.com) and on the brands site (www.formula1006.com)
Have you used this product? What did you think?
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Covering Up
I have recently developed a better relationship with makeup. For years I would just apply powder mascara, eyeliner, smokey eye shadow, chap stick and call it a day. Most of the time I would not even bother applying moisturizer or even a primer. I just never saw the need of applying so much product to my face and always assumed the more product I add to my overly sensitive skin the more my pores would become clogged.
About 3 years ago I discovered PUR minerals and was pleasantly impressed with the amount of coverage I got from their 4-in-1 pressed mineral makeup foundation. So much was I impressed that I replaced my Bare Mineral powder with PUR minerals. I made the change based on the fact that I felt PUR minerals provided a better coverage plus Bare Minerals powder had recently changed and now had a glitter effect which had me looking like Edward from Twilight (not a good look).
The price difference between both products is none as they both cost $27 but the powder from PUR Minerals will last me a little over 2 months. Another, plus with the PUR Mineral powder is that it protects the skin with SPF 15 and has skincare ingredients to help heal troubled skin. For the past 3 years I have loved my PUR minerals and still do however, over the years my face complexion has changed and I have acne scarring which is more visible. I went on a hunt for a nice light concealer I could apply prior to my powder because I hate feeling heavy product on my face and most liquid product can cause me to breakout (damn my sensitive skin). The first concealer I fell for was from Tarte I love their products! However, the concealer stick was $18 dollars and barely lasting a month.
After more searching and asking around I discovered a cute little concealer from NYX this past year. Now, when I tell you that this concealer was a perfect replacement to Tarte's concealer I mean it. The coverage is better with NYX, the product last me nearly twice as longer than the Tarte concealer and the best part...it's under five dollars!
Below take a look at the products and the coverage both products provide for my acne scars. My shade in PUR Minerals is: Medium dark and the shade of the NYX concealer I use is: Glow.
I will note that my skin care routine does include a cleanser, a toner, moisturizer and primer prior to applying any makeup.
You can purchase both products at your nearest ULTA store or simply by visiting their respective sites:
Have you tried either one of these products? or any other products of either brand? what was your experience?
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
About 3 years ago I discovered PUR minerals and was pleasantly impressed with the amount of coverage I got from their 4-in-1 pressed mineral makeup foundation. So much was I impressed that I replaced my Bare Mineral powder with PUR minerals. I made the change based on the fact that I felt PUR minerals provided a better coverage plus Bare Minerals powder had recently changed and now had a glitter effect which had me looking like Edward from Twilight (not a good look).
The price difference between both products is none as they both cost $27 but the powder from PUR Minerals will last me a little over 2 months. Another, plus with the PUR Mineral powder is that it protects the skin with SPF 15 and has skincare ingredients to help heal troubled skin. For the past 3 years I have loved my PUR minerals and still do however, over the years my face complexion has changed and I have acne scarring which is more visible. I went on a hunt for a nice light concealer I could apply prior to my powder because I hate feeling heavy product on my face and most liquid product can cause me to breakout (damn my sensitive skin). The first concealer I fell for was from Tarte I love their products! However, the concealer stick was $18 dollars and barely lasting a month.
After more searching and asking around I discovered a cute little concealer from NYX this past year. Now, when I tell you that this concealer was a perfect replacement to Tarte's concealer I mean it. The coverage is better with NYX, the product last me nearly twice as longer than the Tarte concealer and the best part...it's under five dollars!
Below take a look at the products and the coverage both products provide for my acne scars. My shade in PUR Minerals is: Medium dark and the shade of the NYX concealer I use is: Glow.
I will note that my skin care routine does include a cleanser, a toner, moisturizer and primer prior to applying any makeup.
You can purchase both products at your nearest ULTA store or simply by visiting their respective sites:
Have you tried either one of these products? or any other products of either brand? what was your experience?
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
Sunday, January 4, 2015
New year. New goals
Hello there and Happy New Year!
Every year we hear the same "new year, new me" phrase and if your like me the moment the phrase is uttered you'll roll your eyes and think "new year, same bull-crap". Now I don't say this because I do not believe it is possible to make changes and have a better go this year, it is always possible to make changes. I say this because we all have said this before over and over but fail to act on it,myself included.
Shoot this past year I told myself "in 3 months you'll be 15 pounds lighter" and the 3 months would pass and I would again tell myself "in 3 months you'll be 15 pounds lighter". Each time I would re-start this "goal" I was more and more discouraged because it still had not happened. I think it was at the stoke of midnight this year that I decided "no more resolutions". This year I want to follow through and not just hope because it's a new year I will magically change myself.
I am not saying setting goals for ourselves is wrong or silly but rather pointless if we don't also set up a plan on how we will achieve those goals. This year I really want to test different theories, try new things, make positive changes and just aim to be happier. This year also marks the last year in my twenties as I will be turning 30 so I thought I would leave my 20's with a bang and enter my 30's feeling accomplished, happier and positive.
I have been reading a lot of different self help books and motivational material (I will write a post later on my reading material) to help me prepare for the changes I want to make this year. One idea stuck out to me and I want to embark on a whole year based on this idea. The idea is that you can change anything by eliminating or practicing it for 21 days. In other words, if you want to quit sugar (like me) try cutting back on certain treats for 21 days and you will more than likely crave those treats less if at all after the 21 days.
I will trying different 21 day projects this year and documenting my observations and sharing with you how I feel at the end of every 21 days. Check back throughout this year to read my progress on my 21 day projects. To start I will be eliminating soda for 21 days starting Monday January 5th. The holiday season has me hooked on the soft drink and I need to eliminate it hopefully for good from my diet. So starting tomorrow no soda of any kind for me for 21 days and hopefully permanently.
Let me know if you have tried any 21 day projects and if they were successful for you.
Live. Laugh. Love.
Michelle Marie
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