WHITNEY NICOLE: November 2014

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Natural Hair Blow Out

Its amazing how versatile natural hair can be! One minute it can be rocked in a fro, or even in a style to show off its natural curls and kinks, or it can be smoothed and tamed with heat to give the illusion of hair that is straight and curl free. My beautiful sister in law Erika wears her hair in many different ways and it had been a few months since her hair was blown out smooth and given a healthy trim.

Blowout on natural hair (chemical-free)

Beautiful natural hair ( lush pre-poo applied and sat 20mins before shampooing)

blow-dried with a round brush

Flat ironed smooth

Trimmed 3/4inch throughout and given slight curl to ends for extra body and movement

shampoo and conditioner: matrix sleek

before blow dry apply Aveda Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener and style prep

Cocoa Is My Nude: Fresh Look

Everyone has their own shade of "nude" right? Well Cocoa is mine! I have always loved classic colors ( blacks, creams, browns, blues, grey, etc) I know to some it can seem like the boring side of the color wheel, but these colors have always served as a good base for my wardrobe. So with the shade Cocoa being a skin tone match its always a go to for me. Ive made investments in some of my favorite "nude" wardrobe staples and made sure to pick things that will last through each trend.

High-heel option

leather jacket: Levis, leather knee high boots: Steve Madden

handbag: Louis Vuitton Damier Speedy, blouse: Calvin Klien

Low-heel option

pants: urban outfitters BDG, ankle booties: Steve Madden, watch: Michael Kors

List of similar items all below to shop the look!

Cocoa is nude by nikol1004 featuring short boots

Shirts blouse
yoins.com

Vero Moda jacket
$74 - veromoda.com

ASOS ripped legging
asos.com

Steve Madden short boots
stevemadden.com

Knee high boots
lulus.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors Michael kor
$205 - nordstrom.com

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Easy Meal Ideas : Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Grocery List:

6 large Portobello mushrooms

Chicken sausage

1 tomato

1 onion

Swiss cheese slices

Spinach

PICTORIAL:

Easy Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms! One of my Husbands favorite meals

Step 1: remove chicken sausage from casing and brown in skillet

Step 2: remove stem and filler from 6 large portobello mushroom caps and clean, with an ice cream scooper

Step 3: add 1/2 diced onion

add: 1 medium sized diced tomato and 1 cup spinach let cook for 5-8mins on medium heat

Step 4: Take skillet mixture and evenly fill mushroom caps ( use a
13x9 inch pan)

Step 5: Add slices of swiss and bake in oven on 350 degrees for 20mins

Viola your done! this is a great entree or side item! I love to make this with baked ziti. So delicious an easy!!

Easy Meal Ideas: Baked Ziti

Grocery List:

1lb ground beef

1box ziti pasta

Minced garlic

2 jars spaghetti sauce

1 white onion

6ozs provolone cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

6ozs mozzarella

Baked Ziti a Yummy traditional meal idea that is easy and will give you leftovers!

RECIPE PICTORIAL:

Step1: add 1/4 tsp of each (garlic salt, oregano, minced garlic, season salt) to 1lb. lean ground beef, mix in skillet and brown ground beef

Step 2: add 1/2 of a chopped onion to browned ground beef cook on medium heat for an additional 5mins

Step 3: Add 2 jars of spaghetti sauce of your choice to browned meat let simmer on medium heat for 15mins

Step 3: Boil 1 box ziti pasta for 8mins and drain

Step 4: In a 13x9 inch pan layer 1/2 ziti pasta noodles

Then layer Provolone cheese slices on top

Next spread 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Then spread 1/2 meat sauce on top

Final step: layer remaining pasta, and meat sauce, and top with mozzarella shredded cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 mins

Serve with a side salad and garlic bread and you have a delicious meal your whole family will enjoy!

Friday, November 14, 2014

The New Yoga Pant: Fresh Look

Yoga pants are comfy and cute! Right? Well there are so many styles of yoga pants and sweatpants out right now that can be worn casual or dressy casual. I am loving them all and on a hunt for more! Ok so I love buying garments that I can wear more than one way. I feel like I get way more use of my clothes and its a lot softer on my wallet. Also being a Mom of two kids, high-heels everyday is just not practical so I am showing my Fresh Look in a "Dressy Casual" version with heels and a "Mom friendly" version with sneaks. ( Down below has all the links on how you can shop the look)