Reduced Calorie Recipe: Pasta Salad

This is my favorite salad of all time. Today I am sharing the healthier version though as I am still on my diet. It's going pretty well really and I'm happy that the Shavuos holiday didn't effect my weight too much. I am still going strong and that feels fantastic! I love pasta and there is noway I would ever be without it, diet or no diet. That does involve a lot of carbs though so it's not really the healthiest choice. I was so thrilled when I found this brown rice pasta at my grocery. I was kind of worried at first about the difference in taste- as you know I am no fan of whole grains..I just don't really like how they taste. I was even happier when I cooked it up and it was absolutely delicious. It didn't even taste all that different in comparison to regular white pasta and I have been buying it ever since. The calories are half of what white pasta adds up to and it tastes just as good so how can you go wrong with that?  If you too love pasta and feel you just can't be without then this is the way to go. The only real change is the cooking time. As this is made of rice it takes quicker to cook so it's important to keep that in mind. Overcooking can cause some serious mushiness and that isn't good anytime! I'm glad that I can still enjoy one of my favorite salads without the calorie guilt!

I thought I'd share the recipe with you today. Whether you are on a diet or not I think this is a great dish to accompany any meal! It makes the perfect side dish for the Shabbos meals or just as a lunch on a regular day. The best part is that there isn't any major preparation to be done and it can be ready in under 10 minutes. I prepared this for a side dish for our Shabbos meal a few weeks back. I usually share the calorie amounts for my low calorie recipe posts but I honestly don't remember the exact number. I do know that it was at least reduced to half from the calories my original recipe contained. If I do manage to calculate it properly I will definitely add it in here at some point.

Pasta Salad:

Ingredients:

1 lb. Package Brown Rice Rotini

1 Large Red Pepper

1 Large Yellow Peppper

1 Jalapeno Pepper

1 Large Red Onion

1/2 Cup Black Olive Rings

1/8 Cup Safflower Oil

1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

2 Teaspoons White Sugar (or sugar substitute) 

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method: 

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. I like to add a drip of oil at this point as well to keep the pasta pieces from sticking to each other or to the pot as they cook up. Once the water has come to a boil add the pasta and let it cook for about 5-7 minutes or follow the package directions for the amount to get it cooked the way you like it. Stir constantly as it cooks.

2. While the pasta is cooking up begin chopping up your veggies. I'm not very precise in how I chop them up but I try for small-medium squares for the peppers and slivers for the red onion. 

3. Combine the safflower oil, white vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until they are completely combined. 

4. Once the pasta is ready to your liking, remove it from the pot and pour it into a strainer to remove any cooking water. If you like your dressing to be a bit thicker you can reserve 1/8 cup of the cooking liquid and add it to your sauce at this point. That will add some extra texture and flavor. Move the pasta to a large serving bowl. 

5. Once the pasta has cooled off a bit drop in your veggies and add your dressing. Mix the salad to bring it all together and serve cold or warm. 

What is your favorite salad to eat when you are dieting? Let me know in the comments form below...I love to hear from you!

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Gigi. 

Makeup Product Review: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Eyestudio Eyeshadow: Pomegranate Punk

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour EyeStudio Cream Eyeshadow: Pomegranate Punk 3.98G/ 0.14 oz $6.99

What Maybelline says about these cream shadows: "Dare to wear our longest lasting shadow, our ink technology creates super saturated color. Cream gel smooths on for vibrant color that does not fade" 

When this cream shadow line first hit the shelves about a year ago I was very skeptical on purchasing any for myself. I had tried so many cream shadows that had simply been disappointing. I have since discovered the Smashbox Cream Shadows which I have raved about plenty. As these caused quite the storm in the beauty community soon after being brought out and I knew I had to buy one. The first shade I purchased was Bold Gold and although I was impressed with it, I wasn't so crazy about the color. I recently picked this color up though and I am absolutely crazy about it. So much so that I included it in this past months beauty favorites video and post and I did an entire eye makeup tutorial video and post based around it which went up this week too. I can now safely say that cream shadows are pretty much the best thing that have happened to my makeup collection in a long time! I also want to add that these are very beginner friendly and easy to use so if you are just getting into makeup or have a hard time with eye shadow placement I would say this is a very good place to start. I was never a fan of shadows with any redness to them as they make my eyes seem tired or sick but this burgundy/cranberry red shade is one I find I can pull off. In some lighting I find that it looks more brown or pink and in others reddish or purple even so that's quite interesting too.

Item Specifics & What I Think of It:

Color Variety: the permanent collection consists of 10 different shades from neutrals to neons and from time to time the company has released limited edition collections with metallics and such.

Price: These cream shadows are extremely inexpensive and websites like Ulta or drugstores like Rite Aid often offer buy one get one 50% off promos so you really can't go wrong with that.

Quality & Lasting Power: The staying power is insane and it's not often I'd agree to the 24 hour claims on a product but I can vouch for this one lasting that long. It holds up in all conditions- weather, tears etc. I wouldn't be surprised if it would last through a swim too. The color is vivid and pigmented with just a bit of product used and it can be built up even more if preferred  At the same time I didn't have a hard time removing it with my Maybelline clean express makeup remover once I wanted to but I would recommend using an eye makeup remover like that one that is slightly oil based which will work best.

The Packaging: I think the packaging is very nice with it's large glass pot which is surprisingly quite light. It's sleek looking with it's black screw on top which stays on tight and keeps the product from drying out. With that transparency and big bold words on the lid you can quickly identify the one you want to use. As always with a product in a pot that gets dipped into constantly there is that issue of keeping things sanitary and bacteria free so that is a slight downside for me with these. That said I have learnt to be extremely careful in that aspect.  

             

The Consistency: the formulation of the product is just alright for me, I've found that it's alot less creamy in comparison to my other cream shadows but it does go on smoothly enough and once it sets it doesn't fade or crease at all.

Amount of Product: I do think they could have given a little more then 3.98 Grams of product for this one in fact if I'm not mistaken the Smashbox ones and the Mac Paintpots both have 5 Grams. I will also note that it will take me ages to get through one of these since so little is needed for each application. I've used it plenty and have yet to make a real dent.

Overall:

These really are fabulous shadows to try if you like cream formulations. I think they are great for beginners as well as those that tend to their makeup quickly or on the go. You could literally smear this across you lids smack on some mascara and be out the door if you wanted. And as for how long they last, it's not often I come across a product that really does like this one. All in all a really lovely product. I will definitely be picking up some more colors in the very near future!

Application Tips: This product can be applied all over the lid with a flat shader brush or fingers for a gorgeous pop of color. Blend quickly as they set fast. These can be used as a liner and they can also be used along with powder shadows to intensify the look as I did in my makeup tutorial here.

Pros: 

Although the color selection isn't massive I think there is one to suit everyone and they all seem really pretty.

Simple to Apply- great for beginners or quick applications. 

Extremely Long Lasting - with 3 layers applied I have had 24 hours of wear. 

No primer is needed. In fact it works great as a base for other shadows. It can also be worn alone.

Unbeatable price.

The packaging is sleek and appealing. 

Cons:

Not sanitary. Removing product with a clean brush or spatula would be your best bet. 

No ingredients list anywhere on the packaging. It would be useful to be able to see what exactly I'm putting on my eyelids.

It sets very fast so they need to be applied precisely and hastily.

Could have added a bit more product at just 3.98 grams.

Even though it goes on pretty smoothly, it's not really creamy enough for blending easily. 

Swatch/On My Eyes (To see how I got this eye look click here.

These go for about $6.99 on average at most stores. They can be purchased from Ulta.com, Drugstore.com, Local Drugstores- Duane Reade, Rite Aid and anywhere else that drugstore products are sold pretty much. 

Have you tried these yet? What do you think of them? If you like them like I do, what are your favorite shades?

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Have a wonderful day!

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Gigi. 

Nails of The Day: Essie Where's My Chauffeur? Nail Polish

I haven't posted a nail of the day in ages! I do believe I say that almost every nail post though. The truth is that it's just been a really bad month for my nails. Here's what I think has been happening: I wore a glitter polish on my nails for a couple of weeks prior to this little incident. Glitters take some real scrubbing to remove which means they last well but are a real pain in the neck later on. It seems that my nails either did not like the glitter or did not fancy all that rubbing and scrubbing and they began to chip and crack on me left and right. 

This one may be due to the sudden change of weather but suddenly my cuticles got super dry and achy too. With all of that my nails just didn't want to grow more then an inch which is frustrating for someone like me who loves to wear pretty nail polishes all the time. After that all I have been applying bio oil to my cuticles to try and get them in better shape but they still have a far way to come as you can see ( my apologies! I know its so gross) and as for my nails they have now grown an inch or two and that in itself is huge for me. 

I do believe it is perfect timing to share my latest nail polish obsession with you! Isn't that robins egg blue just a beauty? I love that the color is completely opaque in just two coats and although it chips within 2-3 days it is easy to touch up. It sets to a semi matte finish so it has just the right amount of shine too.

The one thing that annoyed me with this polish was that the first time I wore it my nails were stained with the color after just a week. I re-applied it last week and removed it today, I was happy to see that it didn't stain my nails this time. I did find that odd though and wonder what it was that caused the color stains to begin with as I have never had that happen to me before. Got a tip for removing those sorts of stains? Leave it in the comments form..I would love to get some recommendations!

 In any case it is one of my favorite polishes for the Spring and Summertime as I mentioned in my most recent favorites video and post. I think this is definitely going to be a regular for me in the months ahead! Essie released a color called In The Cab-ana recently as a part of their resort 2013 collection and I have to say it is so similar to this one. That one may have a bit more green to it but I don't think I will be purchasing it quite yet since I already have this one. 

Do you have any nail polishes you are enjoying for this Spring season? Let me know which ones they are! I'd love to know!

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Gigi.

Step By Step Eye Makeup Tutorial: Cranberry with Smokey Accents

I hope that all of you who celebrated the Shavuos holiday last week had a wonderful one! Mine was very nice indeed and kept me very busy in the kitchen. Although my thoughts were on my blog I just didn't have a second to type a single word. Now that everything has calmed down a bit I am really glad to be back.

Ever since spotting this cranberry pink colored cream shadow called Pomegranate Punk from Maybelline at the drugstore I have been absolutely adoring it and thinking up several exciting looks to create using it. ( a full product review is coming later this week) So of course I couldn't wait to get it home and start playing with it. I came up with this really pretty look which I have been wearing on nights out. In fact this is the eye makeup I had on for the holiday. So when it came time to film this weeks YouTube video I obviously wanted to share a quick tutorial to achieve it with ease.

Products & Brushes Used: 

(Some are linked to reviews I've done previously, click on the name to be rerouted to that post)

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Eyeshadow 30 Pomegranate Punk

Smashbox Love Me Paint Pen Eyeliner in Jet Black* 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Wateproof Eyeliner in Noir* 

Mac Blacktrack Fluidline Gel Eyeliner  

Mac 217 Blending Brush

Urban Decay Naked Pallette Shades "Creep" and "Virgin"

LORAC Black Multiplex 3D Lashes Mascara  

Ecotools Eyeliner/Eyebrow Brush

 I myself really love watching makeup tutorials on YouTube. I have honestly learnt so many techniques and fine details from seeing them. Getting to view makeup products in action really helps differentiate between products that will perform well for me personally and those that aren't worth my time and money so that holds great value as well. Some channels that I have been subscribed to for ages and continue to watch videos from until today are: Pixiwoo, Lisa Eldridge, Nikkie Tutorials, Lauren Beauty and Essie Button. I highly recommend checking their channels out yourself as you will be totally astounded with their amazing creativity. Those women sure are talented!  

And finally, here is the video tutorial for this look if you are interested in seeing exactly how I achieved this look step by step. I'm not sure if I've mentioned before but you can expect to see a video from me on my channel every Sunday. I cover all sorts of topics from cooking to beauty and fashion and anything else I discuss here on the blog so make sure to subscribe if you'd like to see those!   

         

What do you think of the look? Can you see yourself wearing one like this? Leave me a comment below this post letting me know..I love to hear from you! Also if you recreate this look or get inspired to put together something similar then please send me a pic by email or through my twitter or instagram-gigikkitch, I'd love to see that!

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Gigi.

Embracing The Spring & Summer 2013 Makeup Trends

The buzz of bees and the smell of flowers and fresh cut grass are what greet me as I walk out the door lately. I have been thoroughly enjoying the warmth of the season. For me it means I can take my son out for long bike rides and walks to the park once again and that is what I look forward to most. The change of season also means a change in appearance from the wardrobe to the nails and of course the makeup looks. I have been keeping an eye on runway looks and tearing out loads of magazine pages for inspiration and I have found many trends that I love! Here are some of the ones I like most and can see myself incorporating into my own makeup looks for this Spring and Summer. I'm hoping this will inspire you as well to change up your makeup looks for the new season. The best thing is to have fun with it and be comfortable with the ones you embrace as these trends come and go with every passing season. Regardless of whether it's those natural looks you'll covet or bolder ones be assured there is something here for everyone!

1) Effortless Glowing Looking Skin- The Spring and Summer time are the perfect opportunity to let your natural beauty shine through. Stick to a skin care routine that works well for you daily to really polish your skin constantly and always include a gentle exfoliating product which is known to promote cell turnover leaving the skin super soft. Where makeup is concerned go with a lighter base like a tinted moisturizer or a bb cream if you need a bit more coverage. The lightweight consistency of these products are fantastic for transitioning into the warmer months and they are usually packed with moisturizing and anti aging benefits as well. If the base doesn't come packed with illuminating properties already then applying a light reflective primer prior to your base will aid in getting that gorgeous glow. Sweep a blush and bronzer over your cheekbones and temple and dab a highlighter on the high points of your face for that radiant and fulsome look. 

2) A New Take on Eyeliner- Last years eyeliner trends were all about the cat eyes which is what placed eyeliner on the top of the list in many of our makeup routines. While that retro flick hasn't been completely replaced, this Spring has brought about a softly smudged eyeliner look for that neutral smokey feel.  A nice twist is the addition of metallics and bright shades which can easily bring it to the next level. Tones of neon blue, green, yellow, purple and even orange are all a good choice in adding that fun pop of color to up the drama a little. On top of that lush lashes are all the rage so get out your volumizing mascara and pile it on for that very heavy but chic made up look. And if you'd really like to get adventurous play around with some fake lashes for an even bolder eye. 

3) Strong brows have made an appearance again. I am thrilled over these bolder brows as I've never really liked the look of thin over plucked brows but I would also stay within some boundaries on this since caterpillar brows aren't my thing either. Adding some definition to your brows in sparse areas with an eye pencil or powder in a shade close to your natural color is a must. Define the arch a bit more then usual and let them grow in a little thicker then you normally would to get this look. Remember, the brows frame the eyes so going bold with it can only be a good thing. Having that bold brow factor is an easy way to update your look for this new season. 

4) Vibrant Lips- This has got to be my favorite. I only warmed up to darker lip shades starting this year but I really love what they do for a natural look. From fuchsias to corals, berrys and reds a statement lip will be a great addition to any look you wear this Spring and Summer. It's a quick and easy way to add some pizazz to a quick natural look and it will appear as though you spent alot more time applying your makeup then you actually did. Also,you don't have to go all out with neon if you don't want to, try a lighter lip gloss or lip butter in one of these brighter shades and work your way out from there. This way you can get comfortable with it first. 

So that is the round up.With all of the fun color choices I am definitely going to have a good time adding in bits and pieces of these trends to my daily makeup looks. There is so much to choose from between playing up the brows, eyes and lips. Even if you don't fancy going all out with the riskier trends, that natural glowy face is bound to be one that suits everyone. Which of these trends is on the top of your to do list for these warmer months? Let me know in the comments form below, I love to hear from my readers!

some pictures in this post are from google or pinterest.  all of which have been given credit for. if a photo is yours and you would like it removed please contact me by email or in the comments section below and I will gladly comply immediately.

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Hope you had a great start to your week!

P.S. Have you joined my giveaway yet? It's going on for just 2 more days and 10 people are going to win an amazing face serum by Mastic Spa. Go check that out here and enter! 

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Gigi.