Drizzled Caramel Apples

ABSOLUTELY darling, delicious and decadent, these are the perfect twist on the traditional caramel apple recipe we all enjoy during the autumn season!  Perfect to indulge in yourself of give as cute gifts - just LOVE the ribbon decor!

Whether dressed with drizzled melted chocolate as pictured, or rolled within crushed cookies, coconut, mini chocolate chips and the like, both kids and grown ups will have a serious BALL creating these, so gather some apples and enjoy creating them along with making some super fun memories... I know I will be!
 
I LOVE this blog - such fun ideas and yummies!

http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/2011/10/caramels-apples-tips-tricks-recipes.html

Scentsational Autumn Aroma!

Welcome Autumn by filling your home with a "scentsational" ambiance! Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer orange slices/peels, ground cinnamon/sticks, whole cloves, vanilla extract, a few cranberries and a dash of nutmeg in water for a while, replacing the water frequently as it simmers to create a natural, lovely, easy and simply DIVINE autumn aroma to enjoy!

Love the scent of baked cookies? Add a bit of brown sugar!

Beautifying Pumpkin Facial

{Sigh} This lovely summer is coming quietly to a close, autumn is just around the corner, and with the turning leaves, changing weather and pumpkin patches boasting multitudes of bright dots of orange, comes along also our inevitable, dreaded changing skin.
"YEY, my skin is crispy!!", said not one woman EVER! {Haha...}

Most of us experience it as the seasons change and we stock up on extra body creams and body oils, but our faces need replenishment too. From the dewy, soft, summery skin to the drier, thirsty and tighter tone, our skin SCREAMS for pampering throughout the autumn and winter months, and what better time to post a FAV "Pumpkin Facial" that I love to create and enjoy than now?

Photo from my online gallery, www.tracywagstaffphotography.blogspot.com

I discovered this simple and fun "Autumny" {not a real word, but I am using it as it just fits} facial mask recipe while collecting others that also involve honey, yogurt, avocado and bananas on my previous post HERE.  Whichever facial you choose to create, your skin will feel AMAZING, it will look RADIANT, you will simply GLOW
- and you will smell and taste delicious too!

2 Tbsp Pumpkin {fresh or canned - I refer to use canned}
1 Tbsp plain yogurt {my favorite is FAGE Greek Yogurt}
1/2 tsp raw honey 

{Yummy Tip: Dish up a 1/2 Cup of the yogurt drizzled with some honey to enjoy while relaxing!}

Fold together ingredients and apply to skin freshly washed with warm water. You will need to allow it to set for about 10 minutes, so go sit/lie down and RELAX... have a cup of vanilla spice chai, flip through a magazine or just breathe and enjoy! After 10 minutes or so, place a moist, warm washcloth onto face for 2-3 minutes prior to removing the mask - OHHHH that feels SO nice! - the warmth activates the pumpkin's enzymes which hydrates, nourishes, replenishes and exfoliates the skin as well. Pumpkin is a great source of Vitamin A which soothes irritated and dehydrated skin, and it contains zinc to heal inflammation. Yogurt contains lactic acid and enzymes that work together with the pumpkin. Raw honey - DELISH! - acts as a natural sealant, and it is one of nature's finest natural moisturizers, is full of humectants and has wonderful healing properties for the skin. Finish with your favorite moisturizer, a dash of mascara, your favorite lip color and a tousle to your hair and embrace your RADIANCE, because after all,  

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Add Garlic For Good Health!

I LOVE to enhance my recipes - and subsequently my health - with garlic in every fabulous way: sliced, minced, crushed, powdered, roasted, marinated, sauteed... Mmm!  Garlic adds kick, flavor and fantastic fat burning properties to your meals, and has AWESOME medicinal benefits to boot!  Read this informative article regarding the power of adding garlic daily to your diet and enjoy adding it to enhance YOUR health too!

  

The Medicinal Benefits of Garlic, by Nicola Menke, dpa, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Berlin Copyright 2012

Garlic can ward off vampires, according to an old superstition. Modern science also ascribes protective powers to the pungent bulb -- against health problems. "Garlic was cited as a remedy in ancient Egyptian writings as far back as 1550 BC, and it's regarded to this day as a prophylactic agent and remedy for many illnesses," noted Margret Morlo, a member of Germany's Nutrition and Dietetics Association. Garlic owes its medicinal powers to its components. It contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B and C as well as potassium and selenium. It also has a number of beneficial phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and sulfides, and a comparatively high content of adenosine, a biochemical compound important for cell metabolism.

"Since garlic is usually consumed in small amounts, not all of its health-promoting components carry weight," remarked Stefan Weigt, a member of Germany's Independent Health Advice Association. So it is with its vitamins and minerals, he said. To meet the daily requirement of vitamin C, for instance, a person would have to consume nearly 800 grams of garlic. "It's a totally different matter as regards phytochemicals, though. Here the bulb is really outstanding - especially with sulphides," Weigt said.

Sulphides are sulphur-containing compounds that "can have a beneficial effect on health in many ways. They're antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory" and thus help to guard against or fight infectious diseases, said Antje Gahl, a nutritionist at the German Nutrition Society. Studies by the University of Arizona in the United States have shown this to be true in the case of colds. According to studies by the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, garlic can help prevent periodontitis and other diseases of the mucous membrane of the mouth.

The sulphides in garlic have positive effects on the cardiovascular system, too. "It's been proven that they lower the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood and blood fat levels," Morlo said. A team at the National Cardiological Research Centre in Moscow found a 7.6 per cent drop in total cholesterol in 42 test subjects after 12 weeks of garlic therapy. This means regular consumption of garlic may help prevent atherosclerosis -- a narrowing of the arteries due to a buildup of fats and cholesterol - "and therefore cardiovascular disorders like blood clots, strokes and heart attacks," Weigt added. Some studies have not confirmed garlic's cardiovascular powers, however.

"Garlic is also said to help inhibit cell damage and the development of tumour cells thanks to the antioxidant effects of its phytochemicals," Gahl noted. Antioxidants have the ability to neutralize free radicals, which are atoms or groups of atoms that attack cells and can cause them to degenerate. "There's not complete certainty on this," she pointed out. "But an analysis of animal tests and statistical surveys suggests that garlic lowers the risk of cancer." This has been virtually proven in the case of stomach and intestinal cancer, she said. To get garlic's health benefits, "it's extremely important to consume it regularly, preferably every day," Morlo said.
   
FABULOUS info, right?!  Simply by adding sliced garlic to a veggie saute', placing chopped garlic atop a chicken, artichoke and smoked Gouda pizza (Gouda cheese is also an excellent cancer preventer!), minced into chili, scrambled eggs or folded into softened Neufchatel cheese with minced spinach, chopped artichokes, chiles and lemon juice for a great veggie dip are a few super easy ways to enjoy garlic - and its INCREDIBLE health benefits for yourself!  ENJOY!

Spinach & Artichoke Tuna Salad w/ Lemon Cream Dressing

This tuna salad is SO easy to make and delicious to enjoy in a variety of ways! For instance, tucked into romaine leaves, a hollowed out tomato, atop a salad or within bread of your choice for a sandwich, etc., this unique tuna salad packs a delicious, waist-trimming punch with great protein, good for you belly fat burning fats* (olives & olive oil) and lots of gourmet flair and flavor for your palette.  I LOVE mine tucked within a couple of romaine leaves with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese on top - like "tuna salad tacos" - or wrapped in a low carb what wrap/tortilla (The Mission brand is yummy!) or filled within hollowed out red pepper halves or big tomatoes or even simply atop a thick toasted piece of crusty whole grain bread... melted in the oven with Mozzarella and sliced tomatoes on top is like a slice of Heaven on your plate!!

Ingredients 
{Makes 4 servings with 36g protein, 5 net carbs per serving}
4 (5 oz) cans albacore tuna in water, drained and flaked
(I use 3 cans of the Costco 7oz Kirkland albacore tuna - my FAV!)
1 clove garlic, minced into a paste
3/4 Cup low fat cottage cheese, processed until smooth
2 Tbsp Neufchatel creamy cheese
Juice of 1 lemon (or 1/8 cup)
1 Tbsp chopped chives (dried or fresh)
1 C frozen spinach, defrosted, wrung dry and chopped
(OR 1 1/2 C fresh spinach, chopped fine)
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts in water, chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 C minced black olives
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add the processed cottage cheese to a medium-size mixing bowl along with the garlic, lemon juice, chives, olive oil, Neufchatel cheese, salt and pepper to create the Lemon Cream Dressing. Blend well until smooth and creamy. Add spinach, artichoke hearts, red onion, and flaked tuna. Lightly fold together until mixed thoroughly. ENJOY!

{NOTE:  Click HERE to read about delicious belly fat burning fats (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids called MUFA's) to include in your daily eating regime!}

handmade art portfolio

I have a sweet, artistic and incredibly creative daughter, who LOVES to draw, write poetry and stories and create with paper. LOTS of paper. {I seriously should have taken stock in the paper industry as she can take down a ream of paper like the wind blows!} But, what she creates upon that paper is amazing, thoughtful, beautiful and sweet - images and words from her imagination, keepsake memoirs of her youth. Originals of her mind and hand colliding, creating tangible masterpieces of childhood thoughts.

And, as there are a LOT of them, I want to preserve them! I will be creating a hardbound photo book of images of her art, etc, but to keep the originals safe and easily labeled by year, etc, I found a FABULOUS idea and I am so excited to create it for her artwork - and mine too!

 {you can already tell it will be such fun to create, can't you?!}

Go here for the complete instructions and to find many more super fun and creative ideas! http://www.lilblueboo.com/2012/02/make-a-portfolio-easy-diy-artwork-or-photo-storage-a-tutorial.html

 {the finished portfolio - I intend to create them with a stamped year beneath as well}

Still Time To Dance - Prayfit

I LOVE to read the inspirational guidance for both our bodies and spirits on www.prayfit.com, and this past February 15, 2012, Prayfit leader, Jimmy Pena, posted a FABULOUS article (below) regarding how our lives, health and exercise are precious at any age. I hope you enjoy it as well!

{I will be your God throughout your lifetime - until your hair is white with age.” Isaiah 46:4                       

{Read: Isaiah 46}
You remember 8th grade dances, right? I sure do. I was the king of holding up the wall. Turn down the lights on a basketball court, add some streamers, some 80′s music, and you had yourself a dance. Just…without the dancing. (No way I was crossing the outer marker.)

I thought of those dances this week while on a television interview in the Midwest. Referring to the senior citizens watching her show, the host asked me if it was ever too late to start an exercise program or to improve your health. Instantly I was transported to those last ten minutes of my 8th grade dance. Knowing my dad would be pulling up any minute to get me, I knew I didn’t have another minute to spare. So I took a deep breath, swallowed any last drop of moisture left in my throat (gulp), and I defied 8th grade logic. I walked across the three-point line and asked the first girl I saw to dance. Best 10 minutes of the year for me.
And that’s my answer to the host’s question. Our life and our health are precious at any age. So if it’s been a while since you’ve exercised or even if you’ve never crossed the outer marker, consider each sunrise the upbeat He’s playing for you. So get crazy. Defy logic and move those arms and legs. Even if Daddy (Abba) says it’s almost time to go, it’s not too late to ask, “Can I have this dance, for the rest of my life?“

–Jimmy Peña

FAT-BURNING TIP: Train Hungry
Regardless of how long you’ve been exercising you have probably heard about the concept of “empty-stomach cardio.” But it’s not just lip service. Training while hungry — ideally before breakfast — can help you lose more fat when training. Researchers at Kansas State University found that exercisers who fasted before a low-intensity workout oxidized 94.3 more calories from fat, on average, than groups who had a meal 30, 60 or 90 minutes before exercise.
As you sleep, your body uses stored carbs (glycogen) to run your brain’s motor, so in the morning, your body is in a carb-deprived state. This means that fat will be burned for fuel sooner during a workout.
As the study suggests, this approach is best done before low-intensity training because high-intensity training, such as sprinting, requires more carbohydrate for performance. What’s “low” intensity? The most universal and leisurely low-intensity exercise is walking. So if losing bodyfat is one of your training goals, try putting your feet to the pavement before you put fork to mouth each morning.
BONUS TIP: The same logic applies to doing cardio after weights. Since weight training uses stored carbs for fuel, doing cardio after will help decrease the time it takes to start burning calories from fat.

Valentino gown

{Unbelievably BEAUTIFUL layered vintage Valentino gown}

I captured this photo from the AMAZING book of Valentino images, designs and sketches entitled, "Valentino: Themes and Variations", as I perused its pages while at an appointment. A perfect book to add to the library collection of one who adores haute couture design {Definitely one for my beautiful and incredibly talented friend, Heather Glenn - her sketches are INCREDIBLE!}

Sigh... Imagine how it would feel on your body... the airiness and float of the exquisite fabric... the chiffon/silken tulle layers wrapped to perfectly hug the body... the gentle sway of the skirt. As if wearing delicate tissue paper, how incredibly feminine, romantic and beautiful you would feel within it!

May 2012 Free Giveaway Winner!

A bit behind on this announcement {please forgive my lateness!} as between birthdays, Father's Day, home projects, end of school projects and such, life has been quite BUSYCRAZYFUN!

So, I am super excited to announce our winner for our "May 2012 Vibrant Free Giveaway"! Her comment on my May post about the Amazing Stenciled Table HERE {just commenting on any of my posts gets you entered to win!} was great, and she is also super creative by renewing and repurposing a former entertainment center into a fun play kitchen for her daughter in her own post HERE!

CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Stephanie Chunko!
Thanks you for your great comment and idea to repurpose that entertainment center! In doing so, you created something so DARLING and are setting a great example for your kids to be creative, compassionate and considerate of our world! As I will see you soon, you can expect to receive something lovely to keep all of your creative and crafty ideas in place.   

Reaching out and giving back to our world by preserving and repurposing goods, materials and reusable items involves ALL of us. Our world is AMAZING! It's huge and majestic, but also fragile. Simple steps taken by EACH of us in our own little corners of the world contribute GREATLY to caring for it. From recycling plastics and paper, donating gently used items to those in need, repurposing items and recreating great "something" from "nothing" items by reusing seemingly tossable materials (wood, metal, fabric, glass, etc.) can create really fun and FABULOUS items like these :    
   

LOVE all three of these!

Ruffles on ANYTHING looks feminine and pretty!

Canning jars - So dually rustic and elegant!

Repurposed wood is beautiful!

Cilantro-Lime Marinated Flank Steak

I have this unbelievably BEAUTIFUL and incredibly well-traveled friend, Rachael, who discovers TO-DIE-FOR foods filled to the brim with deliciousness as she jaunts all over the world for business and pleasure.  What a great life, right?  She is always on the go, always somewhere amazing, and always eating something exquisite, so when I received a text from her about this seemingly simple flank steak recipe from the blog, For The Love Of Cooking, a blog which is right up my own cooking alley, I KNEW she had found a BEYOND FABULOUS way to create sheer magic out of a simple flank steak, herbs and seasonings... as in the first bite, you will see that she is SPOT-ON!

The flavor is INCREDIBLE! She has also used the marinade to dress salads.  Of course my brain is REELING at the numerous ways it can be enjoyed! I know it would be fantastic atop fish and shredded cabbage tacos, over shredded chicken taco salad with fresh salsa, as a dip for beef and veggie kabobs, even dolloped atop summertime hamburgers, mixed with a bit of sour cream for a creamy, zesty topping to trump ketchup ANY day!  Make it and enjoy!  I look forward to hearing what you love about it as well!

 photo courtesy of fortheloveofcooking.net

 Ingredients:

1 C of fresh cilantro
1/4 C of freshly squeezed lime juice
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 green onions, chopped
1 Serrano chile, chopped, seeded if desired
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 pound flank steak

Directions:
To make the marinade, place the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, green onions, Serrano chile  and sea salt together in a food processor/blender or bowl, using an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Place a flank steak into a large Ziploc bag and pour half of the marinade into the bag. Squish the bag so the marinade is completely covering the flank steak. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for 3-4 hours. Reserve the other half of the marinade as a dipping sauce. Remove steak from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Brush grill grate with oil and grill the flank steak, covered, for 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. If using a grill pan, heat the pan over medium high heat and coat with cooking spray. Place the flank steak into the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side, flip and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board, allowing steak to rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing and serving with reserved sauce for dipping. Enjoy!

A mother's love ...

I SO love this.
Love the photo, love the colors, love the emotion, love the LOVE that simply pours from it.

It speaks volumes as it pulls at my heart. It quietly humbles me, yet also creates such a joy within me.

It is simply breathtaking and I yearn to paint it one day... as my mother would have loved to do so. I could watch her sketch and paint for hours - it was a huge part of my childhood.

A mother's touch, enduring love and consistent, unconditional devotion is SO precious... sacrificing herself to benefit her children. She always embraces them, nourishes them and sculpts them - even beyond her arm's length.  

I am SO incredibly blessed to be a mother. A chance that almost couldn't happen for me. To look into the eyes of my sweet girl and to see my OWN mother within her - with her hair and her smile - seeing my mom smiling back at me WITHIN her is beyond any words I can muster. Only tear-filled eyes of happiness, gratitude and hope, hope for a future for her as beautiful as the one that my own mother gave her ALL to give to me.

In honor of my mother, Rolly Muchow, October 18, 1929 - June 4, 1996
Nearly 16 years she's been gone, yet I see her more and more as I look in the mirror...

AMAZING Stenciled Table

Seriously. WOW!  Okay, THIS amazing crafty idea from Domestic Imperfection simply ROCKS!!

Anyone who knows me knows I am SUCH a lover of discovering amazing finds! Art, doors, windows, furniture, vintage glass, unique pieces, antiques and such, in shabby shape or to refinish. Love it all. The FINDING itself is half the fun of the process! The items are just WAITING to be discovered, whether in an old barn, at a yard sale, a consignment shop or in an antique store. And when I finally discover IT, it is simply meant to be that we should meet. New stuff is great, but the history, the stories, the LIFE that is hidden within these old treasures, from a crystal doorknob to a vintage mirror is the fun "history mystery" that comes with it. 

I began this fun hobby of discovering/antiquing/spelunking/perusing - whatever it is called - as a kid with my mom who loved to do so. I tagged along behind her and learned what to spot and what to overlook. I fell in love with beautiful things, many things that others would simply pass by, as you can see by much of my photography HERE on my photography blog.

So, look at THIS!  What a fabulous way to enhance a simple table! A dining table, coffee table or side table is just the tip of the iceberg with this AMAZING technique! {Oh, and don't even get me started on the legs - my very FAVORITE color!!}  Enjoy discovering and I would love to read your thoughts on this fun project!

{Click here to see it in all of it's awesome glory from start to finish!}

http://www.domesticimperfection.com/2012/05/paisley-stenciled-table/

Chicken, Asparagus & Artichokes w/ Lemon Chive Cream Sauce

Artichokes are just so divine, so versatile, so nutritious and so uniquely BEAUTIFUL - especially the layers of color!  My favorite part is when you unveil the gorgeous burst of purple and lime tones within at the core, near the heart... the very BEST part!

My 7 year old daughter can devour an entire artichoke in a mere ten minutes flat and it is advised not to step away as one is being plucked as you will surely lose your leaves to her cute artichoke addiction. I am super happy she adores them as well as this easy and flavorful recipe that simply BURSTS with them, along with tender crisp asparagus and shredded chicken in an OHSOSIMPLE light and delicious sauce tinged with fresh lemon juice.

Ingredients
8 oz cooked, shredded chicken
1 dozen asparagus spears, cut into 1" pieces
24 oz bag of quartered frozen artichoke hearts

Sauce
Juice of half a lemon
2 Laughing Cow Swiss Wedges
1 Tbsp Smart Balance Omega 3 
2 Tbsp dried chives
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
1/8 C skim milk or unsweetened almond milk

 

Place the frozen artichoke quarters and asparagus into a saute' pan. Cover barely with water. Allow to simmer until asparagus is tender crisp, about 10 minutes. During this time, prepare the sauce.

Using a whisk to blend thoroughly, melt together all sauce ingredients on medium heat EXCEPT for your milk of choice. Mixture will be pasty and thick, like a roux, but without the flour - which makes this a perfect gluten-free recipe! Now add milk of your choice and blend until smooth. Taste! Add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if desired. Set sauce aside and drain water from the vegetables, returning them to the saute' pan.

Add the cooked, shredded chicken to the mixture and the sauce, folding gently to coat.

The light infusion of lemon juice makes it such a delicious entree. I hope it becomes a favorite in your home as it is within ours!

{Serves 2,  Serving size: 2 Cups}
{Per serving : est. 28g protein, est. 12g carbs} 

Slimming Superfoods!

Adding an array of FAT-BUSTING FOODS to your health regime can really pay off in melting off excess pounds, which in turn can reduce your chances for many diseases and improve your overall health.

Click HERE to see a great list from one of my very FAVORITE websites, {www.health.com} of foods you can easily incorporate into your daily personal healthy-eating menu!

Shrimp: A Powerhouse Protein

Whether baked, grilled, boiled, broiled, stir-fried or cooked, cold, and in your hand ready to eat, shrimp packs a GREAT protein punch and is low in fat and calories too!

Just a four-ounce (one half cup) serving of shrimp supplies a massive 23.7 grams of protein, just 112 calories and less than one gram of fat. A VERY good source of the hugely important vitamins, vitamin D and vitamin B12, and an excellent source of selenium, shrimp are ANYTHING but small in their nutrient density.

Because shrimp has a slightly elevated cholesterol content, it was once considered to be unhealthy. However, having about twice as much cholesterol as other meat sources, shrimp is extremely LOW in artery clogging saturated fat and total fat, AND with research suggesting that dietary cholesterol is less of a danger than saturated fat, this means that shrimp is a FANTASTIC option for your meal and snacking choices, whether you have heart disease or not!

A PERFECT partner in the fun IGNITE15 System, I LOVE utilizing the benefits of shrimp while making meals and protein and veggie grabs... the variations are endless, like this fun recipe you can enjoy on ANY day of the system! http://alifemorevibrant.blogspot.com/2011/08/shrimp-salad-lettuce-cups.html

A "New You" Resolution!

HAPPY 2012 EVERYONE!!

Did you know that I can come into your home on a fantastic webcast to SHARE with you the AMAZING results people are having with the IGNITE15 System, WHAT IGNITE15 is all about and WHY it is SO UNIQUE?

Well, I CAN! To watch me, just click HERE!

Let's connect! I invite you to watch the above webcast and please email me at tracy@vibrantdrinkactlife.com. I am more than happy to talk with you and also email you the fabulous IGNITE15 information to review, so you can see for yourself what makes it SO unique, incredibly enjoyable and loved by thousands worldwide! If you LOVE to eat, you will LOVE IGNITE15!
Simply watch, email me and we can connect. What have you got to LOSE? Unwanted weight? JUST IMAGINE what you can GAIN! Smaller sizes, increased confidence, a healthier body...
A NEW YOU!

IGNITE15 is an incredibly HEALTHY, DELICIOUS, FUN AND SUPER EASY SYSTEM to follow, resulting in the ULTIMATE SOLUTION to weight, body and health freedom... are YOU ready?