3.28.2015

Zuppa Toscana Soup


What You'll Need:
 
2 to 3 (chopped) sweet Italian sausages
 
2 large (cubed) potatoes

1 large (chopped) onion

1 Tablespoon (minced) garlic

4 cups kale (stems removed and torn into small to medium size pieces)

7 cups water

3 chicken bouillon

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Salt + Pepper to taste


Instructions:

Sauté the Italian sausage, chop up and set aside.
Next add your onions, potatoes, garlic, water and bouillon cubes in a large stock pot, cover and bring it to a boil.
 
When it boils for a few minutes reduce to a medium heat and cook until potatoes are done, about 30+ minutes or so.

Add the Italian sausage to the pot and let boil for ten minutes. Add the kale next, and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add the cream. Cook for another 10 minutes or until soup is heated thoroughly. Enjoy!
 


3.25.2015

Hump Day Highlights Link Up #3

Happy Hump Day!
I am so excited to announce that I have teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to bring you another installment of "Hump Day Highlights".

Each Wednesday we will list some things from the past week that we are loving, can't live without, are on our wish-lists, or are things we are just plain obsessed with - and we will even add links (when applicable) so you can check out or scoop up anything you love, too.

Your weekly hosts are MistyAprilKyraShannonAmandaDanicaCandice, and Kaitlyn. We would love for you to add your post to our link up of the things you are loving this week, too. And please spread the love by following the other blogs in the link up/commenting on their posts. This is such a great way to meet like-minded ladies and make new friends, all while showing off your blog, too.
The Hump Day Highlights weekly link up is going to be a blast, I hope you link up and follow along!
 ___
    
So here we go, my favorites/highlights/wish-lists/obsessions for this week!

[ANTHROPOLOGIE MUGS]
 My favorite mugs in the world. Plus (some of) their mugs are actually affordable! Lol. Honestly though, I love all things Anthro. My favorite are the more "bohemian" painted mugs and I love the homegrown monogram mugs (Pictured above) too.
[MY FAVORITE *NON FOOD RELATED* PIN ON PINTEREST* AT THE MOMENT ANYWAY LOL*]
 Added to my board "Dream Home" for obvious reasons, wood floors, white everything, bright pops of color? Nothing I love more... kind of a bohemian beachy vibe going on. And as I told my hubby... that's my jam.
 Love these! The double zipper seal at the bottom is amazing so I don't have to worry about it coming open and spilling yogurt or puree everywhere, saving a lot of messes. And after its empty? Just rinse it out and set it in your dish drainer to dry, or fill it up again and stick in the fridge for when your little gets the munchies later! They come in a 4 pack of 6 oz. pouches  ($11.99) or a 4 pack of 9 oz. pouches ($12.99) or for the serious foodies, you can purchase an 8 pack of the 6 oz. pouches ($19.99).

[MINT & BIRCH CUSTOM BRASS BAR NECKLACE]
 I love this brand! Such intricate and delicate and beautiful pieces that are just simply PERFECTION! 
I am also a brand rep for Mint & Birch which is super awesome! I have the custom brass bar necklace (found here) with my daughter's name (Bella) on it and I'd have to say its probably my most favorite piece of jewelry (after my wedding band of course:)
Jessica is the owner of Mint and Birch and hand makes every single piece! Brass bar necklaces, nest necklaces, acorn necklaces, literally just allllll the pretty things!
 ___


Grab our graphic (above), link back to one, some, or all of us, and add your link below!

3.18.2015

Hump Day Highlights Link Up #2

Happy Hump Day!
I am so excited to announce that I have teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to bring you the second installment of "Hump Day Highlights".
Each Wednesday we will list some things from the past week that we are loving, can't live without, are on our wish-lists, or are things we are just plain obsessed with - and we will even add links (when applicable) so you can check out or scoop up anything you love, too.

Your weekly hosts are MistyAprilKyraShannonAmandaDanicaCandice, and Kaitlyn. We would love for you to add your post to our link up of the things you are loving this week, too. And please spread the love by following the other blogs in the link up/commenting on their posts. This is such a great way to meet like-minded ladies and make new friends, all while showing off your blog, too.

The Hump Day Highlights weekly link up is going to be a blast, I hope you link up and follow along!
 ___
    
So here we go, my favorites/highlights/wish-lists/obsessions for this week!

[CITRUS FRESH ESSENTIAL OIL]
 
After a long winter of being stuck inside constantly the air indoors just seems well, too indoors-y and stale doesn't it? Get rid of that smell with citrus fresh! A couple drops in a diffuser (I like to use with joy and Purification too) and your home will smell so good! Citrus Fresh is also great for use in detox water and has been known to help with weight loss, is widely used to combat depression and/or bring feelings of happiness. Citrus Fresh is a "blend" oil and is a combination of orange, tangerine, grapefruit, Lemon and wintergreen and just like most essential oils, It's amazing for so many things!
[SONG: TOKYO by OWL CITY]
Let's be honest, I never met an Owl City song I didn't like, but I admit I go in spurts with listening to a certain songs over and over, and well, the past couple days its been "Tokyo"! Just love it, fun, upbeat and has those beautiful and catchy signature owl city synthesizer sounds.
Because, well, they're just amazing and that's all there is to it. A slight green tea taste and melt in your mouth sweet, recipe can be found [here], you've seriously got to try them!
[DANCING WITH THE STARS]
 
Me and my hubby are always obsessed with this show and have been counting down the days from last season's finale... Can you guess who I'm rooting for? Lol. Yep, the Bachelor and the "other" Whitney. Haha.
[MASON BAR TUMBLER]
This was a Christmas gift from my wonderful hubby and it's literally the coolest thing since sliced bread! I love mason jars and to have a bigger one that has a cute colored lid and a straw? I'm sold. I have the 24 oz. Tumbler and I am constantly using it! It's great for coffee, lemonade, water, detox water (pictured above), tea, juice, you name it! Definitely worth the $14.50 that it sells for.
 
 ___

    Grab our graphic (above), link back to one, some, or all of us, and add your link below!

3.17.2015

Front & Center: Matcha Ninja Feature + $5 off + Vegan Matcha Cupcake Recipe

 
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
 
For this St. Patrick's Day I decided to do something a little bit different... I decided to try Matcha green tea! And no, I'm not a big tea drinker but its something that I've been wanting to try and I must say, I am greatly impressed!
 

But what is Matcha?
 
Matcha is a fine-ground, powdered, high-quality green tea! The Japanese tea ceremony centers on the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. In modern times, matcha has also come to be used to flavor and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream. It can be added to both hot or cold water (I mixed it with ice water and loved it)... or the best way... Vegan Matcha Cupcakes! Seriously a decadent melt in your mouth treat!
 
 
Today has been a weird St. Patrick's Day (haha), its an Irish holiday but its been all Japanese over here today... making matcha cupcakes and iced matcha tea... and I literally cant stop listening to Owl City's song "Tokyo" (not saying its been on repeat since I woke up today or anything haha).
 
So what brand of Matcha did I try?
 
 
Matcha Ninja of course! They so kindly sent me a package to review (and I'll be giving you all a discount code  for $5 off at the end of this:)
 
 
So why Matcha Ninja? What makes them better than other brands?
 
Matcha Ninja saves time: It is super duper soluble and blends easily with both cold and hot water, and doesn't require any whisking (like some matchas out there). Just add to your water bottle, give it a shake and you can be on your way!
 
The taste is better: Match Ninja is a light tasting and non bitter matcha! They de-stem each and every premium tencha leaf before grinding them into the powder that is matcha which results in the best tasting matcha on the planet!
 
Quality: No fillers or added ingredients of any kind, the matcha is 100% RAW ORGANIC matcha!
 
Quantity: Each Matcha Ninja Pouch contains 70 SERVINGS of Matcha!
 

 
Why should you drink matcha?
 
Matcha provides reduction in mental and physical stress, and leaves you with a long lasting calm energy and strong focus without the caffeine crash you get from a cup of coffee! It also helps with blood sugar regulation and has been known to aid in weight loss! And matcha even has higher levels of antioxidants than goji berries, dark chocolate, blueberries and spinach!
 
So if you're anything like me, you're probably wondering by now "where can I buy this stuff"... Matcha Ninja can be found at www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MatchaNinja and if you want $5.00 off? Matcha Ninja has so kindly given me a code just for Joyful Tribe readers! Yay! Use the code YOURROCK for $5.00 off of your order! :)
 

Vegan Matcha Cupcakes

Cupcakes: What You'll Need:
1 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cups raw organic cane sugar

1/4 cups of vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups of coconut milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 tbsp. of vinegar

1 tablespoon Matcha Ninja Matcha powder


Cupcake Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare your cupcake pan with 10 cupcake liners of your choice.
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well making sure everything is combined.
Now fill your cupcake liners with your batter (rather thin batter), I am using a pitcher so fill the batter in easily. Bake the cupcakes for 23 minutes, then let cupcakes cool for a few minutes before you remove them from the pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.


Frosting: What You'll Need:

2 cups vegan butter (room temperature; I used earth balance vegan "butter" spread)

5 cups of powdered sugar

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. Matcha Ninja Matcha
 

Frosting Instructions:
 
Mix the vegan butter on medium speed for 5-10 minutes until very light and fluffy.
Gradually pour in the powdered sugar. Mix on low to medium speed until everything is incorporated.
Add your vanilla extract and give it a taste. Mix a few minutes more then add it to the top of your cupcakes... Seriously this frosting and these cupcakes are to die for! Enjoy!

Note: You can also sprinkle a little matcha powder on top of the frosted cupcakes for decoration and more taste. :)



3.11.2015

Hump Day Highlights Link Up #1

Happy Hump Day!
I am so excited to announce that I have teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to bring you the first ever "Hump Day Highlights".
Each Wednesday we will list some things from the past week that we are loving, can't live without, are on our wish-lists, or are things we are just plain obsessed with - and we will even add links (when applicable) so you can check out or scoop up anything you love, too. 

   
Your weekly hosts are MistyAprilKyraShannonAmandaDanicaAmy, and Kaitlyn. We would love for you to add your post to our link up of the things you are loving this week, too. And please spread the love by following the other blogs in the link up/commenting on their posts. This is such a great way to meet like-minded mamas and make new friends, all while showing off your blog, too. The Hump Day Highlights weekly link up is going to be a blast, I hope you link up and follow along!

The Hump Day Highlights weekly link up is going to be a blast, I hope you link up and follow along!

 ___
    
So here we go, my favorites/highlights/wish-lists/obsessions for this week!

Seriously, I was so nervous Chris was going to pick Becca... Because, well... #TeamWhitney all the way! I kind of (heart) that adorable couple and I might have burst out in happy tears when he told her he loved her for the first time, and then even more tears when he proposed. But I said I might have... I'll never tell for sure. Haha.
[SPRINGTIME IS COMING]
The past few days have been so nice (or at least nice compared to how it has been), 48 degrees found me wearing short sleeves while being outdoors lol.
Been putting them in er'thang, because they're super healthy, I like the texture and they're just plain cool and taste awesome in homemade lemonade, chocolate chia seed pudding and lemon chia seed pound cake (recipe coming to the blog soon). They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 and in fact they contain more Omega-3 than salmon! Crazy huh? I love me some chia seeds.
[HOUSE PLANTS]
If spring will never arrive, I will bring "Spring" to us! Or at least that was my train of thought when I started buying flowers and houseplants back in January... A Bromeliad, cactus, (a flower plant I can't remember what its called), mother in laws tongue, succulents and a primrose later, little did I know at the time just how much I would love taking care of plants and turn it into kind of a hobby, all the while making our house beautiful... And making the air cleaner!
Because they're just amazing. If you (your little*s* rather) haven't tried them yet, you don't know what you're missing out on! They do come with a slightly hefty ($60) price tag (though they do go on sale for $45 once in awhile), but definitely worth every single penny! They last literally forever and some people are able to use them as hand me downs for several children! And the best thing? Bella's sweet little feet are imprinted on the bottoms of her little moccs. Definitely keeping these forever!
 ___


Grab our graphic (above), link back to one, some, or all of us, and add your link below!

3.05.2015

Front & Center: Woven Pear Feature + A Giveaway

I'm thinking every woman needs at least 1 pair of fun socks... And Woven Pear socks fit the bill perfectly!

 
I mean, I literally can't get over how stinking cute every single pair they sell is!
 
Narwhals, oranges, foxes, Ikat, flamingos, flowers, ... literally every perfect color and adorable funky print you can think of... with more colors and insanely amazing prints (pineapples, cats, constellations... just to name a very few) being released all the time!
 
I paired my adorable "Orange You GladWoven Pear socks with a grey shirt/white cami, a pair of jeggings and boots.

 
Though I usually keep my wardrobe fairly neutral or semi-neutral color wise I've decided that in 2015 I wanted to add a few "fun" pieces here and there, something bright to add a little color and maybe even something a little funky (printed palazzo pants are next on my list lol) and these definitely fit the bill, plus let's face it, they are so CUTE! (And functional since I'm always freezing).

 
But enough about my pair, it's time for you to win a "pear" of Woven Pear socks for yourself!

Woven Pear has generously sent me an extra "pear" of socks (in the "Foxy Lady" print, pictured below) to giveaway to one of you lucky ladies! You're going to look so "foxy" in them!

 
Entering is easy!
Just follow the steps in the rafflecopter below for your chance to win!
 
The giveaway will run from Thursday, March 5th to Thursday, March 12h at midnight EST. A random winner will be chosen via rafflecopter and announced on the rafflecopter widget here on the blog. (US Residents Only Please).
Good Luck!
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Please note, I received products free to review but all opinions are my own. :)