Monday Mingle Holidays! #MondayMingle

Monday Mingle

The Concept

Jennifer over at Eighty MPH Mom has set up a new Vlog to help you get to know us better. It is called Monday Mingle and I decided to participate. Each week she will post questions and those bloggers that want to participate will answer those question in the form of a Vlog. I kind of LOVE talking on camera so I jumped at the chance to do another Vlog. I hope you all don’t get sick of them.

Monday Mingle My Contribution

Craving More Monday Mingle?

I would love for you to comment and tell me about your holidays or resolutions! Thanks for stopping by and visiting me at Matthew’s Puzzle. If you want more of my stuff, check me at on You Tube. If you love Monday Mingle, hop over to Eighty MPH Mom and check out what my blogging friends had to say.

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Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Free Mocha Recipe

Gluten free dairy free sugar free mocha recipe

Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Free Mocha Recipe

The Inspiration

When I was younger and my mother would be on a diet she had this great little tip for dealing with those sweet cravings she would sometimes have. She would make a sugar free hot chocolate. That was back when we didn’t realize that artificial sweeteners were so bad for you, so today I decided to update that idea. I’ve taken the same principle and made a Gluten free Dairy free Sugar Free Mocha Recipe instead.

The Modern Update of the Classic

I have used stevia to give sweetness while keeping it natural. Stevia happens to be the preferred sweetener of Dr. Mercola, the well known alternative doctor. I also updated it by using coffee which adds a robustness to the drink and makes it more suitable to any time of day. Then to keep it dairy free and to keep it low calorie I have used So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer Original. If you have been following I decided to join Weight Watchers On-line and this little concoction is only 1 PointsPlus point. I think that is pretty good and easy to drink! To make it really special I like to use NuNaturals Liquid Peppermint Stevia, which seems perfect during the winter season.

The Recipe: Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Free Mocha Recipe

Gluten Free Dairy Free Sugar Free Mocha Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Beverage
Serves: 1
 
A delicious sugar free mocha that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 packet NuNaturals Stevia
  • Coffee (I use decaf )
  • NuNaturals Liquid Peppermint Stevia OR peppermint extract (optional)
  • 2 Tablespoons So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer Original
Instructions
  1. In a medium mug mix the cocoa powder and the stevia, you may wish to mix in a small amount of water to keep the cocoa from clumping when the coffee is added.
  2. Add the coffee and peppermint if using.
  3. Add creamer.
  4. Stir.
  5. Serve Immediately.

 

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Friday Favorites VLog

Hi everyone! My friend Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni is starting Friday Favorites up. I hope you enjoy watching me Vlog on Fridays and I hope you head over to see Toni and watch the other Vlogs! On with Friday Favorites.

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Giovanni D:tox System Review; Why We LOVE It!

 

We have been using Giovanni Brand products for years now. I think we first tired them when we were looking for natural hair care products. I really love the Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner which is great for curly hair that needs a little boost of moisture before going out into the world. Larry uses their Giovanni Hair Gel-L.A. to fix his hair in the mornings and we even feel safe using that on the boys hair when theirs just isn’t behaving. Now we use Giovanni D:tox too.

Giovanni D:tox Skin Care Line

Recently we looked into their skin care line. The Giovanni D:tox System contains a purifying facial cleanser, purifying facial scrub, replenishing facial moisturizer and a purifying facial mask. The most immediatly striking feature with the D:tox System is the color. They range from black to grey to white. The reason is the Activated Charcoal. The facial cleanser, facial scrub and facial mask all contain activated charcoal, which helps to absorb toxins and whisk them off the skin. But the best thing about the system is how beautiful my skin looks after using it.

Giovanni D:tox Purifying Facial Cleanser

Giovanni D:tox

photo provided by Giovanni Brand

The Giovanni Purifying Facial Cleanser is very gentle. It foams nicely and has a really pleasant scent. In addition to the activated charcoal it also contains volcanic ash and Super-Antioxidants: Acai and Goji Berry. I used it without makeup remover and it cleaned my face perfectly. It rinses away easily and leaves your face ready for either the facial scrub or the Replenishing Facial Moisturizer. Since I have sensitive skin that doesn’t need exfoliating too often, I usually follow it up with the moisturizer on a day to day basis.

Giovanni D:tox Purifying Facial Scrub

Giovanni D:tox

photo provided by Giovanni Brand

The Giovanni Purifying Facial Scrub is FABULOUS!!! I think it may be my favorite product in the line. The scrub, like the cleanser, contains activated charcoal to absorb impurities and detoxify the skin, volcanic ash to dislodge impurities and Acai and Goji Berry. The particles in the scrub are very fine and do not “scratch” the skin. I keep ours in the shower and use it a few times a week to keep my skin from looking dull. The results are a smooth, buffed skin that looks radiant. Larry even uses it. We both found it to be very gentle.

Giovanni D:tox Replenishing Facial Moisturizer

Giovanni D:tox

photo provided by Giovanni Brand

Unlike the other Giovanni Dtox System Replenishing Facial Moisturizer does not contain volcanic ash or activated charcoal, but it still holds the benefits of Acai and Goji Berries. I love this moisturizer. It is just the right consistency, neither too liquid nor too thick. Since using it I have noticed a nice glow to my skin and I use it after cleansing, both morning and night. I have only seen benefits since using this product, without any negatives that often come with heavier moisturizers like clogged bores or breakouts.

Giovanni D:tox Purifying Facial Mask

Giovanni D:tox

Photo provided by Giovanni Brand

Lastly, the Giovanni Purifying Facial Mask is really the “big gun” of the line. This product pulls deep impurities from the skin while it detoxifies. I found that it is so powerful that I only need to use this once a week to leave my skin looking amazing. I like to use it in the evening after the boys have gone to bed and my husband is watching football. I will fill our tub, put the mask on, and soak for a little while. When I wash it off I’m left with radiant skin.

I have to say that Giovanni is truly one of my favorite product lines out there. They offer a wide range of Hair, Body and Skin Care products AND they now come in travel sizes kits. I will be traveling to Autism One in Chicago this year and I want to take the Giovanni D:tox will travel kit with me. It is TSA compliant! All the autism recovery moms will love the fact that it utilizes activated charcoal, which happens to be a staple in autism biomedical homes as it absorbs toxins from the gut!

Giovanni D:tox Gets Social

Follow Giovanni on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook to keep up with all their great products. For more information on Giovanni visit them at www.giovannicosmetics.com

I was given a complimentary set of Giovanni D:tox products to provide this review ~ but I have to tell you I really do like these products this much. All opinions are my own.

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