Amazing Skincare Tool

I won't do this often, but I'm so excited that the wait is almost over! Regardless of your skincare regimen, this is an amazing tool! Plus, I can get you $70 off! Email me at RandFderm@gmail.com for details.

Reclaim your skin’s radiant glow in just five minutes with the REDEFINE MACRO Exfoliator™. Used once a week, this hand-held, personal use exfoliation tool sweeps away dead skin cells leaving behind a smoother, healthier-looking and more luminous complexion. The proof is in the filter where you can see the dulling, dead outermost skin cells and debris that have been covering up your best skin.

Happy Accidents

Last week the babe and I were having breakfast in bed.  I bring him a few finger-foods in a bowl, and I eat my morning Noosa yoghurt (AMAZE-balls) find at Target that has tons of protein and natural ingredients - but I digress.

I gave the little one my lid to play with, and this happened:

OHMYGOSH!!!

Yes, Noosa yoghurt lids fit our Oxo bowls **Snoopy dance** It's a good, airtight fit.  

Yes, they came with lids (that barely stuck on), but who knows where those have run off to... 

 The bowls are 12oz Oxo Tot that we got in our 4-piece set and the bowl set in the 'related items' side image:

What happy accidents have you discovered?  Noosa info here - I love the honey and strawberry rhubarb flavors best.

Grapeseed Oil - A New Obesession

I recently attended a cooking party and was introduced to grapeseed oil.  I was an olive oil girl for years, but I've switched teams and won't look back.  How different cooking oils compare:

It also has a higher flash point than most common cooking oils. This is good to note, because oil begins smoking/burning off and producing free fatty acids at the smoke point:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_point

 Like olive oils, not all grapeseed oils are created equal.  It isn't all that easy to find (I think I saw some at Trader Joe's, but didn't look closely).  I prefer Wildtree oils.  They literally take seeds from wine grapes and smush the hell out of them (my technical explanation). The most common oil extraction method of other companies uses a chemical created from crude oil - gross!  

Grapeseed oil a 'green' oil - figuratively (it's made from leftovers of another process - wine) and literally (it's green). I also find myself using less when cooking (1 tsp versus the 2 tbsp I used with Olive Oil).

I started with a sampler pack of oils (the 4 smaller bottles) that included 5oz bottles of the plain grapeseed, zesty lemon, basil pesto, and roasted garlic. It's amazing the amount of flavor you can infuse into a meal through the oil.  I put the roasted garlic in my homemade bread dough and the basil pesto in our homemade vinaigrette.  DELISH!!

They also have some other flavors: natural butter, jalepeno, balsamic dipping, hickory smoked, and smoky bacon - which we use to cook eggs in... yummy!!!

Unfortunately, Wildtree isn't sold in stores, but you can order it online.  I really liked the sample pack (only $36) because it let you try 4 flavors.  You can order online at: http://www.mywildtree.com/LANGLEY/ (UPDATE: I have now started selling Wildtree myself - can't beat the price break and the opportunity to share something I really love).

On a side note, I really like all of the Wildtree products.  They have simple ingredients and are made in a peanut-free facility.  They also have gluten-free options for anyone with dietary concerns.

I also would like to point out I wasn't paid for this post. I just wanted to share my newest kitchen obsession.  Have you tried grapeseed oil? What did you think?

BEEF - It's what's for babies...

Since we didn't introduce rice/grain with the babe (see reasons here), I wanted to make sure he was getting enough iron in his diet. Enter steak - yummy!

I got a small package of grass-fed free-range beef from Trader Joe's.  I think it was flank steak... but I don't recall.  I made sure to cut off the fat and cooked it on the stove until it was well done (not burnt, but no pink in sight).

In the blender it went:

Voila! Minced meat:

I then added steamed spinach and broccoli.  I present to you, Spinach, Beef, & Broccoli! The vitamins in the veggies help the iron absorb. 

I have to say the babe wasn't sure at first.  I had to mix in a bit of fruit to get him to eat it.  So we do a 1:1 mix of fruits to greens and he doesn't seem to mind.

Also, we had our iron level test, and he is smack dab in the middle of the normal range - great validation that I'm doing SOMETHING right! :)