STWW: Crispy Chocolate Bites

It's not often I share recipes on the blog, mainly because I can't write instructions to save my life. However, these healthy chocolate bites are so good, I just had to share. Inspired by a lovely Cadbury product that I can't seem to find anywhere, I took the liberty of "recreating" it, making it healthier for the sake of my health and guilty conscience. So here is my recipe for what I call, Crispy Chocolate Bites.

The best part of the recipe is all that's required for the "base" is chocolate, cornflakes and raisins. Anything else you can add for health and taste. I made mine healthy by using dark chocolate and adding dried blueberries and cranberries, pumpkin seeds and pistachios to the cornflakes and raisins. I would also recommend coconut flakes if you have some lying around (and by that I mean hygienically stored in a container of sorts).

Unfortunately I measure using the "that looks about right" method so I can't share any specific measurements for you but any combination of ingredients should be fine as long as you have enough chocolate to coat it all

First off, melt some chocolate in a double boiler - I boiled some water in a small saucepan, lowered the heat so it was simmering and put a glass bowl of chocolate on top of the open pan as a makeshift double boiler. Once the chocolate has melted and is smooth, add your cornflakes, raisins, nuts, seeds and, really, whatever you want. Ideally, there should be more cornflakes than anything to put the "Crispy" in the "Crispy Chocolate Bites". Then gently fold the mixture through to coat everything in chocolate. All that's left is to spoon bite-size pieces out and leave them on tray with parchment paper (or a any nonstick sheet, I got mine from Ikea) and pop that into the fridge. They should cool within ten minutes, at which point you can store them in an airtight tin for a week or two. (Disclaimer: dark chocolate doesn't melt at room temperature so I was able to store them in a cupboard. There's a great chance this will happen if you use milk chocolate so store it in the fridge if you do so).

That's it. Super easy, super tasty and, depending on your ingredients, super healthy! I used a lot of chocolate so it became a healthy dessert rather than a snack but feel free to customize it your own way!

Have you tried the Cadbury cornflake concoction? If so, please leave the name below, it's been bugging me for weeks! Let me know if you try out this recipe, comment below or tweet me @SundayWardrobe!

SWHF, Part 2: My Visit to Dixie

In case you are wondering, SWHF is She Who Hunts Finds, the blogger challenge that I'm participating in. It seems like all I do is create acronyms for series but it makes for shorter post titles!

This past week I spent a couple days at Dixie Outlet Mall, shopping (and saving) my heart out. Before going there, I checked the stores on their site and was excited to see names such as Nine West (creator of incredibly comfortable heels), Guess (quality clothes that are definitely worth the price) and Tommy Hilfiger (my dad's favourite store - I had to keep this in mind since Father's Day is coming up!).

Dixie Outlet Mall is bigger than I remember - it's a one stop "shop", filled with stores selling clothes, shoes, electronics, perfume, toys and more. There's even a flea market, something that excited the bargain/knick knack hunter in me. I have to admit, I preferred shopping on a weekday; I was able to score a parking spot close to the mall and leisurely browse as the mall wasn't packed. I went shopping on a Sunday afternoon and you can tell this is a well-loved mall with crowds of people excited to shop for discounts. The mall was bustling but it was surprisingly pleasant as most stores were staffed well on weekends, expecting the crowds of people.

The instructions of the this competition, in case you missed the last post here, asks me to see how much I can save while shopping for a spring outfit at Dixie Outlet Mall. I was given a $200 gift card and asked to try to use the full value of this card - this was no easy feat. Neither was saving, to be honest, because the prices were so great, I was able to find an ideal outfit without saving much for less than $75 - a dressy romper, sandals and gorgeous cardigan. I was determined to see how much I could save so I had to ditch that plan and force myself to spend more to save more!

I enjoyed my time at Dixie Outlet Mall and especially enjoyed the savings! I dragged my mom along with me and she was pleased to see stores that carried larger sizes for her so that was a bonus! Have you been to Dixie Outlet Mall? 

Loves Lately

Binge watching Game Of Thrones

I love posting monthly favourites but they're almost always beauty related. I've been so busy these past days which is a blessing but it's given me the opportunity to appreciate non-beauty things that relax me (Game of Thrones), excite me (blogging ventures) or make my life easier (the Ikea laptop support). Sometimes it's nice to appreciate the little things that you use or see everyday that you wouldn't ordinarily think of as favourites. Happy Monday!

Exciting blogging opportunities - check out part one here! 

Hilarious podcast I was introduced to this week: My Brother, My Brother and Me 

Greatest Invention for blogging in bed: Ikea's Laptop Support

Succulents from Ikea - low maintenance and plants just make me happier!

She Who Hunts Finds, Part 1

If there's anything I like more than shopping, it's saving money. I don't like to brag but my mom once told me (direct quote): "Nabihah, I thought I taught you how to be careful with your money but now you're just cheap." 

A couple weeks back I was contacted to participate in the Dixie Outlet Mall Blogger Challenge and I jumped at the chance. The challenge is to see how much I can save when buying a complete spring outfit at Dixie Outlet Mall. For those who don't know, Dixie Outlet Mall is located on 1250 South Service Road, Mississauga and has many great outlet stores including Aldo, Levi's, Guess and Tommy Hilfiger among many, many more.

I remember my family and I going to Dixie Outlet Mall every single weekend one summer. Bear in mind, we don't live close to this mall but the deals were so good, we would put up with the 30+ minute drive to get there. I have an aunt who is cheaper and more of a shopaholic than I am and we would take her here each time she came to visit and she loved it. While there are many great outlet stores, there are also amazing non-outlet stores with hard-to-beat deals - something for everyone!

I'm excited for this challenge - if there's one thing I can do, it's save! Have you ever been to this mall before? What's your favourite store here? Comment below or tweet @SundayWardrobe or @dixieoutletmall! 

*Although this challenge has been sponsored by Dixie Outlet Mall, all opinions and anecdotes are honest and my own!

Cleansers

Following up with my STWW post on using less tissues, I know a lot of people use makeup remover wipes which is not only bad for the environment, but not good for your skin either. Aside from requiring more than one wipe to get the make up off your face, they take up time and don't do a thorough job. So here are some effective make up removers that help your skin and the environment.

The Ultrabland Cleanser by Lush was my very first review on this blog. The cleanser is probably the priciest one of the lot and it's due to the mostly natural ingredients. Ultrabland did a good job of removing make up and keeping the skin hydrated though, in my opinion, the hydration was a little bit much for my oily-combo skin. At first I would just think my skin is unclean before realizing that it was just incredibly moisturized. It's something I would repurchase for its technical performance and the fact that it's all natural but the price tag is too high for me (considering what's coming up next).

The Pond's Cold Cream Cleanser is something I mentioned in my February Favourites. It's a wonder, you rub some on your dry face and wipe off with a washcloth. This leaves your face feeling so moisturized and clean and I can't get enough of it. I tend to use it for when I wear my daily, light makeup as I don't need a heavy duty cleanser - I've used it on heavy make up but it doesn't pack as much punch as my next product.

The Muji Sensitive Skin Cleansing Oil is a surprising find and very quickly became a favourite. I'm on my second bottle already, this stuff is magic! I rub the oil over my dry face and rinse off and it leaves my skin squeaky clean with no traces of make up in site! One complaint is that it is a little drying but it's nothing a moisturizer can't fix. I'm not giving this bad boy up for anything!

What are your favourite non-tissue cleansers? Why do you love them? Comment below or tweet me @SundayWardrobe! 

DIY: Easy Greeting Cards

It takes me ages to buy greeting cards - I have to see if they're appealing from the outside, open up and read the message inside, see if it's relevant and honest and, if not, repeat the whole process. When I buy cards, I try to be genuine so if there's even one sentence that isn't applicable to my situation, I discard it.

Recently I've taken it upon myself to create my own cards - they're quick, cost next to nothing and they're so personal. The bonus is that they don't require envelopes and can be recycled easily (if need be) which helps our environment!

All you need is some cardstock (I bought a pack of a kazillion for next to nothing from Michael's - accurate numbers), a pencil, a sharpie and a glitter pen if you need.

I write the general gist of the card on the one side (Thank you! Happy Birthday! Congratulations!) with a pencil in cursive writing. I then trace over it in a sharpie or glitter pen. I then do a little faux calligraphy trick (a serious game changer) - I thicken lines that move downward and I ignore the lines that are created as my pen moves up the page. This gives the illusion that I am fancier and more talented than I really am. Always a plus. I then erase any pencil markings and flip the card over to write a special message. It's seriously that simple!

Let me know if you'll try this out! Do you ever make personal cards or do you enjoy the process of shopping for one? Comment below or tweet me @SundayWardrobe!

Greasy Hair Fix

Seeing as my hair is curly and generally unmanageable, whenever I straighten my hair, I try to get the most out of it. This means days of "dry shampoo" in a feeble attempt to get my hair looking freshly done. I've been using this method for years and a lot of people are surprised with how well it works for me but I've mastered the art of Baby Powder dry shampoo.

All you need is greasy hair, baby powder and a brush. The white powder is a huge turn off for dark haired people but the trick is doing it the night before. I liberally (note: start of slow and add more as you go along until you find the right amount for you) sprinkle the powder on my greasy roots, lightly rubbing it in. I then run a brush through my hair to distribute the powder. At this point, the powder is quite visible in my hair but distributed well. And then I go to bed.

In the morning, you'll find that your hair has absorbed all the powder and you're left with clean looking, fresh smelling hair. If you still see some powder, brush your hair until it disappears and, next time, just use a little less powder. It's that simple and, trust me, it's a life saver! Washing your hair less is good for your hair and this makes the process so much easier.

Have you ever tried this method? What is your favourite dry shampoo? Comment below or tweet me @SundayWardrobe!

STWW: "Green" Products

This was originally a guest post for Workaday Ramblings (a great blog by the very lovely Sarah) last month but I thought I'd post it here since it's a great STWW. Enjoy!

In honour of St. Patrick's day, I'm talking all things green though this has a little twist to it: I tend to shy away from green coloured make up and so this will be reviews on environmentally friendly and natural (or Green) products that I use.

The first is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full Coverage Foundation. If you didn't know, Tarte is a cruelty-free brand that has eco-friendly packaging and supports co-operatives in the Rainforests. As an added bonus, Tarte uses natural products such as minerals, plant extracts and vitamins in their products and steers clear of parabens, phthalates and synthetic fragrances among many others. Aside from being a Green product, this foundation is winner in that it is a great foundation. It is an almost-full coverage foundation (thanks to my hyperpigmentation, some of my darker spots still need concealer and this is not very buildable), it lasts very well throughout the day even without a primer and it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. It almost feels like a second skin which is perfect for those who want to wear foundation but hate the feeling of it. The only downside is the range of colours for the foundation is very minimal. I’m between shades so I just opted for the shade down. I find this to be the perfect foundation for long days as it is long lasting and doesn’t feel heavy while giving great coverage.

The second is a combo that I've been using for months now and really love: the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention shampoo and Restorative conditioner. This is another cruelty-free brand which uses certified organic and ethically sourced ingredients such as Argan oil, avocado butter, coconut oil and much more. They, like Tarte, stay away from chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, paraffins which is a huge bonus. I have dry, curly hair which is damaged from dying and using hot tools on it. This combination is a miracle worker: my hair feels soft and moisturized while not greasy; it's clean without feeling stripped. While this works incredibly well for my hair, it may be heavy for those with finer or straight hair - I would recommend skipping any conditioners and using just the shampoo as it is conditioning on its own. My friend with straight, fine and limp hair uses just the shampoo and loves how much thicker and healthier her hair has gotten.

The last green product I love is St. Ives Swiss Formula Apricot Scrub Gentle. St. Ives uses 100% natural moisturizers and exfoliants such as Shea butter oil and walnut shell. A problem with a lot of exfoliants is that they use microbeads which are plastic and cannot be detected or filtered out by water treatment methods. These beads then go out into the ocean where unsuspecting sea creatures consume them and ultimately we eat these beads through seafood. Plastic microbeads are not biodegradable - they cannot be removed from the environment and they release toxins as photodegrade. Walnut shell is a natural exfoliant and this scrub is gentle for my sensitive skin. It's great for brightening up my skin on days where it looks lacklustre and so I use it twice a week.

Hope you've all enjoyed my post, comment below for any green products you like or tweet me @SundayWardrobe. Hope this inspires you to make green choices when it comes to beauty!