Happy 26th Birthday to the love of my LIFE...Ray Burns Jr!

I know I am a day late and a dollar short but I just had to post on my blog about my hubby! He celebrates 26 years and I am so excited about what is to come for this man! I love him to pieces!!

We met in 2003 (unofficially in 2002 and didn't even know it) His dad played bass for a community choir I was with...how crazy is that! But we hooked up June 25, 2003 (Raymiah's birthday 3 years later) and wedded September 10, 2005! I am so happy to have him for myself! I love you daddy!!

Happy Birthday, Rylee!!!

Today is my 2nd daughter's birthday....Miss Rylee Antoinette and she's 4 years old today! I remember going into labor with her by breakdancing the night before with my husband. We wanted to have this baby and was willing to do whatever it took to have her that weekend. So, from 10pm (Feb. 22) to 2am (Feb. 23) we surfed the web randomly ad ended up watching people from the 20s and 30s doing dances of the time then I watching young Asians do their breakdancing thing...so I decided to join it! LOL...Lo ad Behold, at 7am we headed to the hospital. Then at 10am, Rylee was born at 7lbs 15oz!!

An Apple a Day: Option 1

Low Fat Apple Phyllo Pie

Well I couldn't start this series without giving you a lighter version of an All American Apple Pie. This recipe is courtesy of  Fiona Haynes and http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/dessert/r/applepie.htm

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

·         5 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

·         1/4 cup brown sugar

·         1 tsp cinnamon

·         1/4 tsp nutmeg

·         1 tbsp lemon juice

·         1 tbsp flour

·         1/4 cup honey

·         2 tbsp warm water

·         6 sheets 9-inch by 14-inch phyllo dough

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Peel, core and slice apples thinly. Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon and flour in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small pitcher or bowl, mix honey with warm water.

Stack six phyllo sheets on a clean surface. Working quickly, brush the top sheet with the honey mixture and lay on the pie plate. Push the dough into the plate, leaving the sides overhanging.

Brush the next sheet and lay on top of the first sheet.

Brush the third layer and lay it so that the sides overhang the opposite side of the plate, making a cross shape. Do the same with the fourth sheet.

Brush the fifth sheet with honey and lay it at an angle to the other sheets, and lay the sixth sheet at the opposite angle to the fifth.

Spoon apple mixture into the pie plate, forming a large mound.

Gather overhanging sides of phyllo sheets up to form a galette-style pie (where some of the fruit remains exposed in the center).

Place in the oven and Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Serves 6-8

Per Serving: Calories 173, Calories from Fat 9, total Fat 1g (sat 0.3g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 60mg, Carbohydrate 39.9, Fiber 2.5g, Protein 1.1g

Now in an average slice of  your traditional apple pie is up to 400 calories per serving. This recipe still serves the purpose of a great apple pie not lacking in flavor or decency. It's a win-win!!

Enjoy!

An Apple a Day: DIY Apple Mask

Apple Facial Mask

What you'll need:

1 cored apple (of your choice) cut into quarters

2 tablespoons of honey

1/2 teaspoon of sage

Chop the apple quarters in processor. Add honey and sage the refrigerate for 10 minutes. Lightly pat mixture on your face until honey feels tacky. Leave it on skin for 30 minutes and then rinse with cool water.

Apples: Versatility and Healthy Snack Options

If you're like me, the first thing I think about when I see apples are apple pies! Well, an apple is way more than a sugar coated dessert, but it is much more. Starting tomorrow, I will start a mini series called "An apple a day..."...it's corny, but who cares, right? LOL... We will learn the benefits of an apple, awesome recipes, and DIY beauty recipes all including the well versatile apple.

If you have any apple recipes or other suggestions, please email  me! aburns354@gmail.com

See you soon!

Online Shopping: The How To!

I am a fan of online shopping. I would rather shop online than be overwhelmed by the shoppers and lines. I have learned some important ways to shop safely online to ease my worries of fraud:

1. Check website credibility- When I shop online, I go to the retailers I would visit in person (i.e. Victoria's Secret, Express, Walmart) I believe it is easier to determine this is if the store have their own commercial, I can trust them.

2. Website Security- If you look at your address bar, you should see a padlock. If the padlock is there, all the information you enter will be protected and will not be shared.

3. Use Paypal- Paypal creates a random card number that is attached to your real information or you can create a Paypal account dedicated for online shopping. I found this much more reliable than putting my bank information into the system. By paying with Paypal, you keep your credit card information private, meaning you can shop safely without worrying about con artists downloading your account info from the online stores.

Well, these are just a few ways to shop safely online. I hope I have eased some worries about doing business online. I believe shopping online is fast and convenient. I pay bills, shop for shoes and even enrolled in college online. I makes my busy life easier. 

Tell me about your experiences with online shopping! And if you can additional information to share, please do so!!

Pink Slime= Burgers, Tacos, etc...

Check out the video and be informed!

The Truth behind....Fast Food

What do you see when you look at the photo of the pink foamy stuff? Perphaps this....

After doing some surfaced researched, this is what McDonalds McNuggets are made of. It is mechanically separated chicken with ammonia soaked into it which gives it its pink color. It reminds me of a hair relaxer. I am extremely gross out knowing this information. The resulting paste goes on to become the main ingredients in many of America's favorite mass-produced and processed meat-like foods and snacks: hot dogs, jerky, pepperoni, chicken patties and of course chicken nuggets.

Or, what about the Big Mac? What do you think when you see this? <<

Check out this youtube clip and respond.






I know this is a wake up call! I know many of you are super duper busy and always on the go, but please don't result in fast food. A healthy alternative to a quick meal or snack will be a piece of fruit, yogurt or granola. Making lunch consisting of a fresh deli sandwich with a bottle of water should hold you over until you and your family arrive home.

Your health depends on it! Food prepared at home and is homemade is not only healthier but safer for your family as well!

Cute DIY Valentine's Day gift idea!

I am all about saving money and creating cute gifts. One of my favorite Youtubers (secretlifeofabionerd) have created a cute DIY tutorial on a Candy rose vase filled with Hershey's kisses. Check it out!





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