cvegnad, Author at Working Mommy Journal

January 14, 2013

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and Salsa

Here is a super easy recipe that is very filling, healthy and quick to make. It is one of my favourite ones so far and makes you feel satisfied.

Ingredients:

– 4-5 chicken breasts

– 1 can of medium salsa

– 1 can of diced tomatoes

– 1 can of kidney beans

Directions

1) Place chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker.

2) Cover with salsa, diced tomatoes and kidney beans.

3) Set slow cooker to high and cook for four hours.

4) Shred chicken and cook on high for an additional hour.

Enjoy!! This meal is perfect on it’s own or you could add in on a bed of rice.

January 11, 2013

Mac and Cheese

I made my own mac and cheese for the first time and was so surprised at how wonderful it turned out!! I was always worried about how time consuming it must be so I never actually made it before but it was definitely worth it.

Here is the recipe that I adapted for my family from Kraft (find the original recipe here.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp margarine

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk

2 cups of shredded cheese (my kids chose medium cheese but any of your favourite types would work – old would be great and maybe using their new cheese that is nice and hot!)

1/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs

2 1/2 cups of cooked elbow pasta

Directions:

1) Melt margarine in a large pan (I actually used my wok – I love the size of it and it cooks food so well!) on low to medium heat.

2) Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, remembering to stir constantly.

3) Stir in milk and continue to stir until it thickens. This took roughly five to seven minutes for me.

4) Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

5) Add elbow pasta and stir so that the cheese sauce is spread out all over the pasta.

6) Grease a casserole dish and add in the pasta. Top with 1/2 cup of cheese and the bread crumbs.

7) Bake in the oven at 350F for ten minutes (or until the cheese is nicely melted).

January 9, 2013

Power and Beauty WW

January 9, 2013

Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Cleanser

Recently I had received a bottle of Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration cleanser to review via BzzAgent along with their night cream. Burt’s Bees is an incredible company that started in Maine in 1984 selling candles made from beeswax. By 1991, they had expanded to include natural soaps, perfumes and lip balm!. Since then the company has continued to expand but continues to stay true to its original vision of creating natural and earth friendly products. Over half of their 150+ products are all natural! All products contain natural colours and are phthalate-free. The packaging of the products is made from all recycled products. You can find out more about their natural products here: https://www.burtsbees.ca/c/our-values/well-being/the-natural-standard.html

Burt’s Bees Intense hydration line is 99% natural and one of the ingredients is Clary Sage. A plant that is found in the Northern Mediterranean, North Africa and Central Asia. The plant has been used for a lengthy time in medicinal herb and as an essential oil. Clary Sage is excellent for helping to retain moisture.

The cleanser has a mild smell and has a thicker texture (my husband confused it for lotion!). I have been using it daily for the past two weeks and it is quite effective at removing makeup and oil. It also did not leave my skin with a tight feeling after washing and pat drying my face.

The product has been dermatology tested and worked well on my eczema prone skin. The product sells for roughly $12.99 and is sold nation wide at Walmart and Shopper’s Drug Mart.

Here is a link to find out more on the product line:

https://www.burtsbees.ca/natural-products/face-intense-hydration/

January 3, 2013

Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration

I recently was sent a package through BzzAgent to try out and review Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration night cream. I was really anticipating receiving this package as I have heard such positive feedback from co-workers with regards to their creams but have never tried them myself.

I suffer from highly sensitive and eczema prone skin so I am very careful about what I put on my skin and put a lot of research into purchasing and trying out new products (I have had quite a few negative experiences in the past with huge red blotchy skin patches!!).

I was happy to learn that the night cream is 99% natural, dermatologist tested and non-comedogenic. One of the main ingredients is derived from the plant Clary Sage. Clary sage is native to the Northern Mediterranean and some parts of Northern Africa and Central Asia. Clary sage has a long history of being used in medicine.

The night cream works to replenish moisture lost during the day while you sleep. It also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

When I first tried out the product I did not realize that it would be so thick so I ended up putting on much more than what was needed. I loved the fact that it was non greasy so it absorbed quickly and did not leave my skin shiny. My husband actually commented and asked why I was wearing make up to bed as he thought I put on foundation! Made me feel good that’s for sure!.

Every morning when I woke up I loved how soft my skin felt in the morning (truth be told I could not stop rubbing my cheeks with my hands!!).

The product runs around $29.99 and is sold at Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart nationwide. While the price may seem high it is completely worth it. The amount that is needed daily is actually quite small so the product lasts longer than other products that are cheaper but you need to use more to get the same desired effects.

I would 100% recommend this product to anyone out that suffers from chronically dry skin and perfect for individuals that suffer with sensitive skin. That said, I still do have some trouble with my skin so my friend recently recommended me to visit the best dermatologist she knew to try and sort my skin out for good.