Neocell's Beauty Bursts Review

I hate swallowing pills. Though I have gotten fairly good at it if I do say so myself. I'm not some crazy pill-popper. I just take a steady regimen of vitamins on a daily basis. I've been doing it for years. Practice makes perfect, right?

I know there is a better way. There has to be. I remember enjoying my chewable Flintstone vitamins as a kid. Now, my kids have gummy vitamins that taste quite similar to fruit snacks. I've even had chocolate calcium chews. So why am I still gagging down vitamins?

Honestly, I don't know. Maybe because it's cheaper? Maybe because I feel like they can't work if I enjoy them? Maybe because I'd eat too many if I liked the taste? I don't know. It's probably because I assume I cannot have joy in my daily tasks as an adult.

But I may be changing my ways. Neocell Beauty Bursts are amazing! I thought they might have a horrible aftertaste, but they don't. I thought they might be slightly gritty, but they aren't. I thought they might taste like vitamins, but they actually taste more like candy. I could probably eat the whole bag if I wasn't careful.

Each bag comes with 60 chews. It is recommended to take 2-4 chews each day. I decided to take only 2 each day to see if I could see a difference with the minimum dosage. Each chew contains 20 calories. Out of that 2g comes from sugar, 1g of protein, and 0g of fat. Not too bad for a piece of candy! In order to receive the 2000mg of Collagen, 20mg of Hyaluronic Acid, and 20mg of Vitamin C you do have to consume two soft chews though.

I opted to treat myself to one in the morning and one at night. Hahaha and yes I do mean "treat." I wait until I'm craving something sweet and then it's my little indulgent reward regardless if I've eaten well or not. I love that I don't have to feel guilty about eating a piece of candy.

Neocell Beauty Bursts are gourmet soft collagen chews that remind me of the texture of Laffy Taffy. I think they taste way better though. Not so sickly sweet. Plus, they do taste more berry-like than candy does. They are individually wrapped in foil to provide freshness. It makes it a lot easier to take on the go or to set out on the counter to remind you to take it. However, I don't need the reminder because I look forward to that moment each day.

Neocell's Beauty Bursts contain Hydrolyzed Collagen Type 1&3. These ingredients are meant to provide smoother and firmer skin, and stronger nails and hair. Hyaluronic Acid is said to be "Nature's Moisturizer." If you don't know why this is such an important ingredient then you definitely do not have skin like mine. I am drier than the desert. That means that I am more prone to wrinkles and flaky skin. Vitamin C is added for its supporting role in collagen production. These three ingredients work in unison to provide nourishment to your skin.

Like I said, I've been taking the minimum dosage of two each day. I have a major acne problem and fiercely dry skin. I have not seen a dramatic change. I have only been taking it for thirty days though. I was told by a dermatologist that it requires 90 days to see if a product actually works when it comes to the skin. That seems like a lifetime when you're dealing with your face. I have already noticed that my face isn't as dry as it was before. It's not super moisturized, but it is better. My acne is not gone. Dang hormones. At this point I don't think I'll ever be acne-free. I have noticed that the sores do seem to healing just slightly faster though. Not by much, but enough that I can appreciate it. I'm just curious what results I would see taking the full dosage.

I just can't decide if I want to commit to that vitamin regimen. That means 4 chews each day. One bag would only last 15 days. I would have to buy two bags each month. That means I would need 6 bags to complete the 90-day test. Hmmm???

I initially did an online search and found a few stores that carried the Beauty Bursts, but was then disappointed because they only carried them online. Bummer. I don't like to pay for shipping. Then I used their website to find the closest retailer to me. I was surprised to find out that there are tons. I have five stores within 5 miles of my home. That's awesome news!
I haven't checked to see what the prices were in store, but online I found them anywhere between $15-$20.

If you want to see how much your skin can improve while enjoying a nutritious treat then search your local grocers HERE.

I received this product complimentary in exchange for my honest trial and review. These are my personal experiences and opinions. Thanks for reading!

Bonjour Cuisine Silicone Baking Mat

If your New Year's Resolution involves losing weight then I have a product that might simplify your endeavors. It's Bonjour Cuisine's Silicone Baking Mat. 

How does a silicone mat cut calories? Good question. It will take away the need for greasing your sheets. 

The silicone baking mats act similar to parchment paper. They create a barrier between your food and your dishes. They protect your pans from getting burned and brown, and they also prevent sticking. Seriously, such an ingenious idea.

Parchment paper is expensive. And it's not reusable. I've tried, but it doesn't work very well and it's not very clean. Plus, all of those rolls you go through just end up clogging up the landfills. With these silicone mats you are going to save some major pennies and the Earth.

I've used them for baked chicken strips, roasted broccoli, roasted brussel sprouts, chocolate chip cookies, and brown-sugared butternut squash. Everything cleaned up perfectly. I have even placed one of these mats on the oven rack below my breads and cakes that I've baked to prevent dripping on the bottom of my oven. I have a convection oven and so I can't place anything on the bottom of it. This little trick has saved me from unnecessary spills and cleanup!

When I made my squash it was a HUGE mess. I found This Recipe on Pinterest and was not impressed. Next time I will be dicing up the squash first and then placing it in a casserole dish to bake. Anyways, my mats saved me. Practically all of the butter and brown sugar ran off of squash and then cooked onto my mat and pan. I was so sad. Lucky for me, it washed right off. It was so easy to clean all thanks to my mats.

The only thing that I don't like about the mats is their size. It's smaller than the other pair that I own, and so I thought that they would fit my medium-sized pans. They don't. They only fit on my large pans as well. However, they don't extend all of the way to the edges. There is about a 1cm gap on all sides. I don't like this because when my squash spilled over some of it ran off the mat and onto my pan. Luckily, I could still clean it up easily since it was mainly butter.

My favorite part is the spatula. It is so pretty, purple, and small. At first, I thought it was useless, but I was so wrong. It is so handy. It helps me to scrape all of the contents out of my peanut butter, mayonnaise, jelly, and other condiment jars. It's small enough that it can fit in small-mouthed jars and fit into all of the crooks and crannies. I can now get all of the Nutella out of the canister without getting my paw stuck in the honey pot. The only issue is that my daughter thinks that it was designed especially for her. She loves the color purple and it's small, so it must be a gift for her. It is constantly disappearing. And no matter what I'm creating in the kitchen, she has to use "her" spatula to help me.

Overall, these are the prettiest silicone baking mats! I love them. They work perfectly and clean up nicely. Just be sure to measure your baking sheet before ordering. If you're going to order silicone baking mats then you might as well get one that help you get every drop of jam out of the jar.

I love my set and I hope you will love yours as well!

You can find them on Amazon, HERE.

I received mine complimentary in exchange for an honest trial and review. These are my personal opinions and experiences.

Smart Weigh Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale

Most quick and easy recipes don't require anything more than a quick year of a packet. Some may require an extra step - like using a measuring spoon for an ingredient not included in the box.

But if you want the good stuff then you've gotta do it from scratch. You'll need a while kitchen full of tools. Especially, measuring cups and a scale.

Don't believe me?

I can give you a couple of recipes...

Don't have a scale? You need to get one.

And after you make some of these homemade goodies (...And eat the whole batch) you can use the scale to do some meal prep and get your waistline back into your waistband.

I tried out Smart Weigh's Stainless Steel Kitchen Scale and was quite pleased with my experience.

It was very easy to work and figure out. There is a user's manual, although it is pretty self explanatory.

The scale has four different measuring options - ounces (pounds), mililiters, fluid ounces, and grams. It can measure up to 11 lbs or 5 kg. While measuring you simply press the "Unit" button to scan through your options. I did notice that the scale is affected by pressing the button, so don't let your finger linger like I usually do.

It is also very easy to zero out the scale for measuring liquids and other foods you need to measure in a separate container. Just another simple push of the "Tare" button. Or if you want to measure all of your ingredients without dirtying any more dishes then you can just tare out after each added ingredient.

The scale has an automatic shut-off feature which turns it off after two minutes without use. I love this feature! It's great for those of us with little distractions running around our feet. I never have to worry about wasting my precious batteries. Those things are like rare gems at my house. Did I mention that it comes with batteries?! Yes, it actually comes with three working AAA batteries! They won my heart with that one simple provision. It even has a low-battery indicator to keep you prepared.

There are only two downsides to this lovely machine:

1. The buttons are actual buttons. I can already envision the flour debris and egg slime getting stuck in the crevices. I wish it was more of a touch-screen flat panel.

2. The measuring isn't always exact. With the same bag of chocolate chips I got three different measurements. The bag was supposed to contain 11.5 ounces, but I got 11.6, 11.7, and 11.8. I can understand 11.6 ounces... Packaging. But the 11.7 and 11.8 were a little more quizzical. If you need absolutely exact measurements then I don't know if I would trust this scale.

Overall, I liked this scale. It will do a great job and meet my kitchen needs. I like this scale and would recommend it to any casual cooks.

I purchased mine at a discount in exchange for an honest and unbiased trial and review. These are my own personal opinions and experiences with the product.

If you have any questions then you can check them out on Amazon for more information, HERE.

Thanks for reading!

Manuka Honey Nuggets

Did you know that Honey is 

• antiseptic
• antibacterial
• antifungal
• antibiotic

It has been used throughout the centuries in most cultures. Honey has been used to treat, heal, and prevent many illnesses and diseases (Howard Garrett). There are also studies that have found that honey helps fight against bacteria that has become antibiotic resistant (American Chemical Society). Manuka honey has even been found effective against several human pathogens like Escherichia coli (E. coli), Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, S. aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), β-haemolytic streptococci and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci(VRE) (US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health) . And....

Honey does not spoil.

That is why my religion advocates its members to keep honey in our food storage and 72-hour kits. Everyone jokes about having Twinkies on hand in case of disaster, but it's actually honey that you want. Honey is natural. Twinkies are anything but natural. I don't trust man. I trust God. He designed bees and honey, and he did a marvelous job!

I have applied honey topically and ingested it internally and have definitely witnessed its benefits. When I am sick and have a sore throat I do not use cough medicines. I use honey. I make a lemon and honey tea that soothes my throat instantly. And I don't have to worry about the side effects or risks associated with OTC medicines.

That is why I am so thrilled about my latest review. They are Manuka Honey Nuggets. It's like a hard candy that is healthier for you. You can use them like you do cough drops. Or you can use them to increase energy. If you're heading out on a hike or to the park these are perfect to toss in your pocket. Or you can simply eat them like candy when you need a sweet treat.

They are individually wrapped and come in a 3.5 oz bag. Plus, there are only two ingredients in these delicious morsels:

Organic Evaporated Cane Juice and Brown Rice Syrup
and Bio Active 5+ Manuka Honey

The honey in Manuka Honey Nuggets is derived from New Zealand. Most honey producing countries use antibiotics to treat bee diseases, but New Zealand does not. Kiwi beekeepers produce honey that is 100% natural that has no added sugar or antibiotics. They also have the most disease free bees in the world! If you want healthy honey, this is where you get it.

Manuka Honey Nuggets are 100% Natural. 

They contain NO PRESERVATIVES and NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS. 

They are completely FAT FREE and each nugget is only 15 calories. 

They are GLUTEN FREE and NON-GMO. 

And they taste amazing! They taste just like pure honey. I lOVE them. They are so yummy. They are naturally sweet and you can tell. It's so tempting to eat more than just one.
I was also given a sample of the Manuka Honey and Ginger Nuggets. They were absolutely delicious as well. I loved them. I really can't decide which kind I like more. It just depends on my mood. If I could have a 5 lb bag of each kind I would be in heaven. Now I just need to try the Manuka Honey and Lemon Nuggets.

If you would like to try them for yourself, you can find them on Amazon HERE,

or on their website HERE.

I was given these Manuka Honey Nuggets complimentary in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. I would purchase these myself and recommend them to my friends and family. 

Butterfinger Protein Shake

Have you ever had a craving for something sweet while trying to get in shape?

Ya, me too!

Well, I had a chocolate protein powder that I needed to use, but I wanted to eat candy instead. So what did I do? I turned the protein powder into a candy bar!

K, so not really. But it was a nice substitute. I made a pseudo Butterfinger Protein Shake. And I am going to share the recipe with you now. 

Gather all of your ingredients

Throw them in the blender

I recommend liquids on bottom near the blades

Blend until smooth

drink and enjoy!

Butterfinger Protein Shake Recipe

1 cup almond milk

1 cup water

1 cup ice

1 packet Summit Nutritions' Pure Whey Protein Isolate - chocolate flavored (or 1 scoop any chocolate protein powder of your choosing)

2 tBsp Jell-O Butterscotch flavored Instant Pudding Mix - dry

1 tBsp Adam's Peanut Butter (or whatever PB you like)

Just throw all of the ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth and creamy. WhaLa! You're done. Now enjoy your candy bar in a cup!

Pretty easy huh?!

I recommend NOT using Sugar-Free instant pudding mix. I know most people think that cutting calories is what fitness is all about. But that's not the way to do it. You are going to shoot yourself in the foot if you do it that way (figuratively speaking of course). But we'll delve into that another day. Just don't do anything sugar-free or fat-free. You'll regret it!

I also recommend using an all natural peanut butter. Just because the label claims that it is all natural does not actually mean that it is! Make sure you read the ingredient list. The only items listed should peanuts and salt. Or just peanuts if you want the low-sodium version. There should not be any oils listed!

I received inspiration for this recipe on Pinterest of course! But I switched it up a bit to my liking. Go ahead and play with it until it suits your taste buds. Just fyi - different types of protein powders, milk, and peanut butters will change the taste. So if it doesn't taste right the first time just mess with it until it dazzles you! If you want to see the original recipe post you can find it here.