How to Sprout Chia

Chia seeds have great nutritional value, and so do the sprouts! Use them on sandwiches, salads, in smoothies, and more. We think they are tastier than alfalfa! Here's a link to purchase the chia seeds from Amazon. Seeds are available at most grocery stores, and we like to buy them in bulk from Sprouts. Here's how I sprouted our chia seeds:

Put rocks in the bottom of your dish for drainage. Be sure the bottom has holes for extra water to escape.

We used regular flower & vegetable garden soil and put it on top of the rocks.

We use the Spectrum brand of Chia seeds for planting.

For faster sprouts, soak the seeds in water first. I added a small layer without soaking to the top of the dirt. After you're done putting the seeds on top, water and place in a window sill, or outside where it will get a moderate amount of sun.

Continue to water the seeds once daily. Here are the sprouts after 7 days.

Sprouts after 15 days! Lush and beautiful!

Ready for eating! Cut the sprouts close to the dirt and rinse. Only trim what you need,  they can be stored in the fridge.

Click here to learn more about CHIA! 

3 Ways to Enhance your Eyes

Recently I had a makeover at +Sephora. It was wonderful and I wish I could have someone do my makeup every day! But I'm an average Stef, so I'll keep doing it myself. Of all the products they used during the makeover, there are two I purchased that make a HUGE difference, and one technique that wowed me:


1. GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream by Origins. LOVE this stuff. It really does depuff the skin around the eyes and brightens the area up. I have a small brush that I apply the cream with which helps it last longer and not absorb into your fingertips. I only apply this in the morning when I'm looking pretty scary and this changes things around! One tip I was given was to keep it in the fridge, that way it has a cooling affect when it's applied. $30

2. Sephora Collection Retractable Brow Pencil. I have dark features, so I never really considered using an eyebrow pencil. I was quite pleased when I saw what a little bit of shading in can do! The pencil really fills in where there are some sparse areas and has a natural look when you use short strokes. It's retractable so it doesn't require sharpening, and it has a brush on the end -very handy! $13

Eyebrows with Sephora's Retractable Brow Pencil

P.S. This mascara is great, no clumping. It's "They're Real!" by Benefit. 

3. One last trick I really like is applying eyeliner to the upper inner rim of the lash line. Above the lashes on the lid is a little too heavy for my taste, and this is a nice solution to still add some depth but not make it too overwhelming. A soft liner works best, I prefer Covergirl's Liquiline Blast. It's still a pencil, but is soft and easy to apply.

Rice Krispy Remix

Yes, the last post was about fitness, and now here's a post about undoing all the work you've just done. It's OK, sometimes you need to live a little. Who knew such a small change could make a BIG taste difference to the oft-made Rice Krispies? Not me. I had seen a few different recipes on +Pinterest and decided to give these a try.

Browned Butter Rice Krisy Treats. The big difference is cooking the butter until it's a light golden brown color. It gives the treats a slight carmel flavor. Another change is adding a pinch of coarse salt to the butter/mallow mix. I also reduce the amount of cereal just a little so the squares are chewier. I followed the recipe here on another blog. But my recommendation is below.

Ingredients:
8 TBSP salted butter
1-10 oz. bag mini marshmallows
4-1/2 c. Rice Crispy Cereal
Pinch Kosher Salt

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Continue to stir until butter is bubbling and a golden brown color. Add the marshmallows into the pan and melt until mixture is smooth. Add in the pinch of salt, stir. Then add in the cereal and stir until throughly coated. Spread mix into greased 9x13 cake pan. Allow to cool, then cut into squares. (I like to enjoy them while they are still a little warm!)

The Better Back Workout

We've been putting some time and energy into our yard lately, so achy muscles come along with the territory. This 8-Minute Better Back Workout from +FITNESS Magazine saved me this morning.

I combined the workout/stretch with a little cardio after and I'm feeling splendid today. Taking time to stretch can make a big difference. Plus, it helps to get rid of back fat -- always a good thing. With step-by-step instructions this Back Workout easy to follow, although I do usually prefer a video so I know I'm doing it right, but five moves make it doable without messing with a vid.

Follow my Pinterest board "Work It" for more fitness ideas!

It's March Maddness Time

If there's one thing I love about March, it's the Madness. Of course the beautiful weather is nice, too. A side note about me: I'm from Indiana. I have a thing for college basketball. And I love Bobby Knight. Sadly, my hurryin' Hoosiers aren't in the tourny this year, but the show must go on.

Did you know Warren Buffet has offered up ONE BILLION DOLLARS for a perfect bracket? Granted, that's next to impossible, but it's worth a try. Ladies, impress your man, fill out a tournament bracket and mention things like Elite Eight, the Big Dance, and sing "One Shining Moment". It'll get him swoonin'. Hurry up! The first games begin Tuesday, March 18th.

Vegan Fashion Fit

If you're into fitness, the vegan way, or fashion here's your one stop shop for the trio. Brooke worked as a personal trainer for years and has a knack for great style. She's also a meatless kind of gal, which adds a nice little spice to her posts! Get your fix of healthy recipes like this one for Quinoa, Black Bean, and Vegetable Stew. Have you done a burpee? What about 105 of them ... in one workout? This Burpee Burn is killer.

And her style is on point- here's a snippet. Follow her on Pinterest or Instagram: br0oke_y0ung

Turn Your Patio into an Urban Getaway

Are you a small-town boy or girl longing for big-city life? Well, long no more. Here are three easy things you can do to turn your patio into an urban getaway.

1. Lighting: Mini Tribeca Inspired Laterns - these little lights will brighten up your patio and place you right into the hustle and bustle of lower Manhattan. Who says only the rich can afford to live in Tribeca? Not me!

2. Traffic (aka Urban Waves): Ambient noise sets the mood in any location. If you can't hear the traffic, you're not in the city. Just set THIS to repeat on low volume.

3. Danger: One of the best things about city-life is the ever-changing atmosphere. Another part is living in constant fear. Try sleeping on your patio, firing a cap-gun several times over, or inviting strangers over. Do something to spice things up.

Send A Card.

I happened upon the website Treat.com. It's owned by Shutterfly, the digital photobook website. Treat's concept isn't brand new, but it's got unique aspects to it. Treat is a personalized greeting card website. Pick a template for a birthday, holiday, or congrats card and add personal photos, messages, or gift cards and send it to your friend or family member.

As someone who sends cards regularly this is a dream come true and I wish I would have come up with the idea myself. You can purchase a package for better deals on cards, the best being 24 paper cards for $1.99 each, with each card shipped for free and an additional 24 digital cards. By creating a profile you can start and save cards, and set the delivery date for the future. This way you never forget an occasion. Seriously? It's pretty much genius. #sold

Kitchen Counter Containers

Simple. Affordable. Handy. We found these jars at Ikea for under $5 each. The silicone gasket keeps everything fresh and they look great on the counter top.

The labels are from Etsy. They weren't the cheapest, but the font was the best out of everything I saw online (they aren't over the top and gaudy). The stickers were fairly easy to apply, although I wish I would have taken some measurements and placed the labels perfectly because they're not easy to adjust. Overall, I'm pleased with our new kitchen counter containers. Mission accomplished.

Tomatoes, Basil, and Mozzarella ... Oh My!

I love the combination of tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. It's packed full of flavor and healty, too. Here are three great recipes that make awesome use of these ingredients.

Caprese Salad

Sliced Tomoatoes

Sliced Mozzarella

Basil Leaves

Salt & Pepper

Balsamic drizzle

Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the sliced mozzarella on top, then add the basil. Drizzle with balsamic. Delicicous. Some people also drizzle with olive oil, but I don't think it's necessary.

Italian Grilled Cheese

2 Wheat Bread slices

Butter

Sliced Tomoatoes

Sliced Mozzarella

Basil Leaves

Salt & Pepper

Heat skillet or panini press. Butter one side of each bread slice, place tomatoes on unbuttered side and add salt & pepper. Top with mozzarella, basil, and other slice of bread. Cook over medium heat until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Optional: dip sandwich in warm marinara sauce.

Margherita Pizza

Here are a few recipes to choose from, each is a little different with it's own twist. For my favorite, you must visit La Grande Orange in Phoenix! 

Pizza 1

Pizza 2

Pizza 3

Should I Watch House of Cards?

Yes. You should watch House of Cards.

SPOILER ALERT: Francis J. Underwood (aka Kevin Spacey) is the President of the United States of America. If you haven't reached the season two finale of House of Cards, a Netflix original, and you haven't already come to this conclusion on your own, you might consider giving up on life. You're not very good at it.

House of Cards may very well be the best series you'll watch in 2014. Here's the problem, though; all 13 episodes are released on Netflix at once. In today's instant-gratification world, that might sound like a good thing, but where does blowing through 13 episodes in two days leave you? Answer: Watching documentaries about the disappearing Honey Bees, which interestingly enough, is one part fascinating, one part sad, and another part boring.

House of Cards - watch it: Grade A