Still I Rise!

One of my favourite Maya Angelou poems. Although she has left this life, her POWERFUL words will live on for generations to come. It's amazing how the stroke of the pen and words uttered, can inspire so many. That's what Maya Angelou was to me, AN INSPIRATION.

Thank God I'm Natural

The natural hair community has been a buzz about the T.G.I.N natural hair product line. So, like a good product junkie, I decided to try it out for myself. I visited the company's website and was elated that they sold a sample pack of their goodies.

The Sample Pack includes 2 oz sizes of the following products: Sulfate Free Shampoo, Triple Moisture Rich Conditioner, Honey Miracle Hair Mask and the Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer.

Sulfate Free Shampoo

Product Claims:      Cleans hair, gently and effectively Sulfate free formula Does not contain harsh detergents that strip the hair of its natural oils Smoothes the cuticle surface Leaves hair feeling soft and smooth Infused with Pro Vitamin B5 for reduced breakage and increased moisture No parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, lanolin, artificial colors, or animal testing. ***My Experience*** Most shampoos leave your hair with that striped feeling. But this one left my hair clean and moisturised. One big surprise for me was the large amount of lather the shampoo had. I was expecting little to no lather because of the sulfate free claims.  Triple Moisture Rich Conditioner Product Claims: Leaves hair feeling soft, smooth and manageable with every use Replenishes hair’s natural oils Penetrates hair’s cuticle to allow for thorough conditioning Helps prevent split ends and reduce breakage Promotes healthy hair growth No parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, lanolin, artificial colors, or animal testing. ***My Experience*** I loved the smell of the conditioner. As soon as I put it on my hair, it began the task of making my strands soft and easier to manipulate. Honey Miracle Hair Mask Product Claims: • Restores life to dry, damaged, or color treated hair  • Improves shine and manageability  • Locks in moisture and repairs damage  • Reduces shedding and breakage ***My Experience*** Because of the length and thickness of my hair, the sample provided of this product was barely enough to coat one quarter of my head of hair. I felt that my strands were not saturated enough to see any affects of the product. I was very disappointed with the barely 1oz amount of product that was sent in the container.  I guess I'll have to purchase the full size of this product to give a better review. Butter Cream Daily Moisturiser Product Claims: Hydrates dry curls and coils Improves manageability Reduces frizz and fly aways Promotes healthy hair growth, shine, and softness May also be used as a setting cream for two strand twists and twist-outs No parabens, sulfates, petrolatum, lanolin, artificial colors, or animal testing. ***My Experience***                                                                                                                                              I loved the texture of the butter cream. It wasn't heavy or too light. The smell is amazing and I loved how moisturised my hair felt when I put it on. However, my hair felt slightly sticky to the touch (but that could be a combination of the butter cream and the twist and define butter I used to seal my hair). When I took down my twists, there was a soft definition to it which I liked. ***Overall Conclusion***                                                                                                                                                     I would give the entire collection 3.5 stars out of 5.  Although the collection was nice, nothing was quite out of the ordinary for me. It performed the same as most of the regular products on the market. I was satisfied but not blown away.  The list of ingredients in the products were all healthy top shelf items that you would want in a quality natural hair product. I liked the fact that the first ingredient listed in each of the products was water.  From the entire collection, I would probably repurchase the full size container of the butter cream daily moisturiser.

Teachers Appreciation Day

Normally in the month of May, a day is set aside to honour teachers around the world for their hard work and dedication. Teachers are that special group of service men and women who are often times overlooked and drastically underpaid. This week, I'd like to give a shout out to all those teachers who work tirelessly and give so much of themselves each and everyday of the school week. Hats off to you and be encouraged.

Thank a teacher today!

Recipe of the Week

This week's recipe is an old time family favourite. It's quick, easy and perfect for a weekday meal.

Tortilla Rolls

Ingrediants

flour tortillas

ground chuck (or meat of your choice)

ketchup

¼tsp paprika 
¼tsp crushed basil leaves
¼tsp crushed pepper flakes
¼tsp red pepper
1-tsp garlic powder
pinch of salt
¼ cup diced onions
¼ cup diced sweet peppers
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Cook meat until done.
2. Add onions and sweet pepper. Let cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Add basil, pepper flakes, red pepper, salt and ketchup. Let simmer for about 1 - 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
4. Spread meat onto one side of a tortilla, sprinkle with shredded cheese and roll. 
5. Place tortilla rolls into the oven(350degrees) for about 5 -7 minutes.

Enjoy

Recipe of the Week

In an effort to add more content to my blog, I've embarked on the challenge of sharing a recipe every week that my family and I have found to be delicious and hopefully you would too.

This week's recipe was especially scrumptious. I found it on Pinterest and decided to tweak it just a bit to my family's liking.  I absolutely adore the colors in the salad as well as the delicious mix of pasta, meat and fresh veggies.  The recipe calls for you to let the finished product chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, but after sampling it during the preparation, I couldn't wait that long. The recipe is very easy to prepare and only took me about 15 minutes. Go ahead, give it a try! You might just like it. 

Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients

a quarter cup of red onions

a half a cup of green bell peppers

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup of cherry tomatoes (each cut in half)

2 cups of italian sausage, cubed (I used turkey sausage)

1 box of tri colored pasta

1 cup of Robust Italian Dressing

Directions

1. Cook pasta to al dente, 7-8 minutes. Drain and let cool.

2. Saute sausage for 3-4 minutes making sure both sides are browned slightly.

3. Chop onions, green bell pepper and cherry tomatoes.

4. In a large bowl, add pasta, then the onions, green bell pepper and cherry tomatoes.

5. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the mixture.

6. Pour Robust Italian Dressing over the top and mix.

7. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.

8. Serve and enjoy!

Here is the link to the original recipe.

Celebrity Mother's Day

One of the most viewed videos this weekend was that of Kevin Durant (NBA - MVP) paying tribute to his mom during his acceptance speech. Like many who saw it, I too was moved to tears when I saw it. 

But one tribute that didn't get much press, that really moved me to the core was Eminem's video tribute to his mom. Those of you who are familiar with Eminem's earlier work, you may recall his video that bashed his mother (check it out here). Well, now he's apologetic and poured out his heart. It took awhile for him to recognise the many sacrifices his mother made. She was not perfect, but she did all that she could under the circumstances. Eminem renders very passionate and emotional lyrics in his song "Headlights" that was amply complimented by the soulful harmony of Nate Reuss. I sincerely hope he and his mother are able to reconcile.  

Peep the video below. (Please be warned that some of the lyrics contain language that may not be pleasing to all).