Thanksgiving Makeup Tutorial

Happy Thanksgiving! Looking for the perfect festive (but wearable) Thanksgiving makeup look? I've got you covered! In this tutorial, I used tons of warm colors like gold and cranberry, perfect for the holiday season! This look is festive, but not too colorful that you wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it to Grandma's house for the family dinner......Click the video below for a full step-by-step how to!

XoXo, Stephanie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

Hey guys! This morning I made one of my absolute favorite pancake recipes! I made chocolate chip protein pancakes.... But I added pumpkin! Or I made pumpkin pancakes and added chocolate chips... Hahaha. How ever you want to look at it, I combined two of the best, in my opinion, pancake flavors possible! These are super easy, high protein and gluten free, but they taste like such a treat! 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

(serves 1)

• 1 scoop protein powder (I use vanilla Perfect Fit)
• 1/2 mashed banana
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 3 Tbs. canned pumpkin puree 
• 1 tsp. coconut flour (can omit if you don't have, but I like how it thickens the batter)
• 1/2 Tbs. (or more!) dark chocolate chips
• lots of cinnamon!
• a dash of pumpkin pie spice

Mix all ingredients together and cook on medium heat for a few minutes each side! Make one bug pancake or several mini ones! If you want, drizzle with a little pure maple syrup!

Nutrition Facts: 220 calories, 3.5 g fat, 26 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 24 g protein 

XoXo,

Stephanie

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

This apple cinnamon quinoa is the perfect breakfast for a chilly morning! It's warm, sweet and tastes like apple pie.....And it's such a nice change from oatmeal!  I usually use quinoa as a side or for dinner recipes, but I thought I'd try it for breakfast! Quinoa is such a versatile food, it can be sweet or savory, and it's naturally gluten free because it's actually a seed, not a grain! It's also a complete protein! I also added some chia seeds, one of my favorite super foods, for some extra omega-3s! They also expand in liquid, so they make the quinoa nice a thick! I also love how the mashed banana gives it such a nice natural sweetness!

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

(serves 1)

• 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 an apple, diced
• 1/2 banana, mashed 
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. chia seeds

1. First, as always, rinse your quinoa in a strainer before we start cooking! If you're new to quinoa, you may not know the seeds are coated with saponins, naturally-occuring plant chemical that can give it a bitter taste. Rinsing completing fixes this!

2. Add quinoa with almond milk in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.

3. Turn down heat and let simmer and add your apple, it takes about 15 minutes to cook.

4. When the quinoa has just a few minutes left, add the mashed banana, cinnamon, and chia seeds. The chia seeds will expand. Add a little extra almond milk, if desired.

5. When the quinoa is done and fluffy, top with the other 1/4 of fresh apple for a nice crunch! Add your favorite toppings, like chopped walnuts, a drizzle of honey, and a little splash of cold almond milk!

Enjoy!

XoXo, Stephanie

Almond Mocha Protein Frappe

Seriously... this recipe tastes just like a Starbucks frappuccino! You won't even miss it! But this one is filled with healthy fats, omega-3s, potassium, and packed with protein! It's one of my protein shakes to have on early mornings, because it's quick, keeps me energized, and wakes me up with the coffee!

Almond Mocha Protein Frappe

• 1 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 scoop chocolate or vanilla Perfect Fit Protein
• 1 Tbs. almond butter 
• 1 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. instant coffee
• 1/2 tsp. stevia to sweeten

Blend all the ingredients together, sprinkle with cinnamon, and enjoy!
XoXo, Stephanie

Mini Coconut Flour Blueberry Protein Pancakes

Mini Coconut Flour Blueberry Protein Pancakes

• 1 scoop Perfect Fit Protein
• 2 Tbs. coconut flour
• 1/2 mashed banana
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• dash of cinnamon
• handful of blueberries

Mix banana with egg whites, protein, coconut flour, and cinnamon. Pour into the shape of mini pancakes in a medium heated pan. Drop in blueberries. Cook for a few minutes each side. Enjoy! Top with walnuts and a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup!

XoXo, Stephanie

3 Easy Fall Pumpkin and Oat Recipes!

It's that time of the year and we all  know the pumpkin craze is in the air! I absolutely love pumpkin spice treats around the holidays, and today I have for you three easy recipes using pumpkin and oats! All three of these recipes are completely healthy, and happen to be vegan! Remember to use old fashioned, rolled oats and not steel cut oats. But they still taste like your favorite classic pumpkin treats- just with a twist! If your gluten free, you can totally make these, just be sure to gluten free oats!

The easy peasy Pumpkin Oat Cookies only have a few ingredients and are the perfect fall treat to take to a party or make for friends!

Pumpkin Oat Cookies

• 3/4 cup oats
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 Tbs. almond flour
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbs. honey or agave nectar
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• handful or dark chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life vegan), cranberries (dried or fresh), and/or chopped nuts

1. Mix mashed banana with oats and pumpkin. If it's a little too thick, add a splash of almond milk or water.
2. Fold in chocolate chip and cranberries.
3. Form into small cookies on a lined baking sheet. (I made them into about 12)
4. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: (per cookie): 60 calories, 2 g fat, 10 g carbs, 5 g sugar, 1 g protein




Next up is Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal! It's on e of my favorite breakfasts on a cold morning! It's so filling and comforting and is a great breakfast to start the day!

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup water or almond milk
• 3 Tbs. canned pumpkin 
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of pumpkin pie spice
• optional 1/4 cup egg whites or 1 scoop  protein powder for extra protein 

1. Bring water or almond milk to a boil, add oats and turn down to medium heat.
2. The oats take about five minutes to cook, so when they have about 1-2 minutes left: add in pumpkin, spices, and optional egg whites or protein, and stir well. (if adding egg whites, just stir and they should take about a minute to cook. It make s the oats extra fluffy and you cannot taste them! Not vegan though.)
3. Once everything is well mixed, turn off heat and pour in a bowl. I topped mine with banana slices, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and raisins!
Enjoy!

Nutrition facts depend on toppings and if you add protein:)

Lastly, one of my favorite breakfasts, overnight oats! And... since this version has pumpkin and chocolate chip, they are a must! They are so quick to just grab in the morning because you do all the prep work the night before and require absolutely no cooking! They are perfect for before work or school and you can take them with you on the go! They are meant to be eaten cold, so not for the chilliest of mornings, but they are really refreshing!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin 
• 1 Tbs. chia seeds (they have amazing health benefits and thicken up the oats perfectly!)
• 1 Tbs. dark chocolate chips 
• about 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp. stevia, to sweeten
• cinnamon to taste
• pumpkin pie spice to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a mason jar and refrigerate overnight!

Enjoy in the morning!

Nutriton Facts: 340 calories, 13 g fat, 47 g carbs, 10 g sugar, 10 g protein

Hope you enjoy your new pumpkin recipes! Tag me on Instagram @beautyandbananas if you try them out!

XoXo, 

Stephanie

Sephora VIB/Ulta Haul! + First Impressions

Hey guys! I recently picked up a few things from the Sephora VIB Friends and Family Sale, as well as a few things from Ulta... So I thought I'd show you what I purchased and my thoughts on the products! Maybe it will give you some ideas for the holidays!

1. Benefit Hello Flawless Custom Powder Cover-Up

Lets just say...I absolutely love this powder! It has very good coverage and can be used as a setting powder or a powder foundation. It's meant to be buildable- so it you use a fluffier brush it will go on sheer and a denser, buffing brush will give a fuller coverage. I got it in the color Petal and it matches my skin pretty perfectly. It gives such a smooth finish to my skin and sits so nicely on top of liquid or cream foundations. It gives me just a little extra coverage and my skin has never looked so flawless. It also keeps oil at bay nicely throughout the day. It comes with a brush and sponge, as well as a built in mirror, so it's perfect for touch-ups on the go!

2. Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in No.3




I've been looking for good, opaque and creamy nude lip color that was just right... And I think this color is it! It's a nude peach-pink that doesn't wash out my light/medium skin tone. The formula is a semi-matte, very pigmented finish. It pretty creamy, and minimally drying. I love then pencil form for easy application too! Definitely a must for winter smokey eyes....

3. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray






This is a holy-grail product for me. This was probably the fourth or fifth time I've repurchased All Nighter. It makes my makeup last all day without smudging, cracking, fading, or looking cakey! It gives such a soft natural finish to your foundation, and just makes everything look so smooth. I notice such a difference when I don't have it in my makeup arsenal!

4. Real Techniques Core Collection Brush Set







Real Techniques is one of my favorite brush lines. They are affordable and amazing quality! I love that their synthetic, meaning their cruelty free and you can use them with powder or cream products. I use the buffing brush for foundation, and it perfectly blends out thicker cream foundations with a airbrushed natural finish. The contour brush is the perfect size for, well of course, contouring! It fits perfectly under my cheekbone and makes it so easy to add dimension to the face! I haven't used the foundation brush yet, but I think I'll use it for applying concealer in large areas before I blend it out. Lastly is the detailer brush. It's perfect for spot concealing blemishes, applying lipstick, or cleaning up around the lip line with concealer. The brush holder also doubles as a brush stand!

5. Essence Silk Touch Blush in Life's a Cherry







I love the Essence blushes! They are so pigmented and smooth and only about two dollars! I picked up the new color Life's a Cherry because it looked like a fun candy apple blush color for the winter! It kind of gives that "just been out in the cold" naturally flushed look. A little goes a long way!

6. Revlon Colorburst Laquer Balm in Demure





I'm a big fan of the Revlon Balm Stains, so I was super excited to try these! I got the color Demure which is a perfect natural light pink. It has a glossy finish and a balmy texture. It wore a little unevenly on my lips throughout the day, but I still loooove the color!

I hope you enjoyed this quick haul and reviews and let me know what new products you've tried lately!
XoXo,
Stephanie

My Favorite Dark Lipsticks + How to Rock a Bold Lip!

In this video, I'll show you how to rock a bold lip and my favorite dark lipstick colors, perfect for fall and winter!

xoxo, Stephanie

How to Make Healthy French Toast!

French toast is easily one of everyone's favorite breakfast. However...we all know it's not the healthiest. Traditional french toast is filled with fat, sugar, and usually white bread, and let's not forget- syrup filled with high fructose corn syrup! But, thankfully it's actually super easy to make it healthy! Let's go!

You will Need:

• 2 slices of Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread (or any healthy bread of choice)
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 2 Tbs. almond milk
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. stevia to sweeten (optional)

Instead of cooking the french toast in butter or Pam, I use an organic coconut oil cooking spray. Whisk together egg whites, vanilla, cinnamon, almond milk, and stevia. Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture and soak each side until it's really moist. Cook your french toast in a pan over medium heat and flip after a few minutes. Top with your favorite toppings!

Healthy Topping Ideas:

• fresh berries
• banana slices
• natural almond or peanut butter 
• crushed walnuts
• 100% pure maple syrup (not the chemically laden ole' Aunt Jemima!)
• honey
• sprinkle of stevia (instead of powdered sugar)

Xoxo, Stephanie

Maple Pecan Cinnamon Raisin Protein Waffles

Ingredients

• 1 scoop Perfect Fit Protein (or choice of protein powder)
• 1/2 a mashed banana
• 1/4 cup eggwhites
• 1 Tbs. ground flaxseed (optional)
• 1-2 Tbs. raisins
• 2 Tbs. Pecans
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2-3 Tbs. almond milk
• Organic pure maple syrup for topping

Directions

1. Mash banana and mix in protein and other ingredients. Save 1 Tbs. of pecans for the topping.

2. Add almond milk a tablespoon at a time to get the batter to the right consistency

3. Pour batter into the waffle maker and cook for a few minutes.

4. Topp with crushed pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup! Enjoy!

Xoxo, Stephanie

Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies (Vegan and Gluten Free!)

Hey guys! Today I made some super easy chocolate chip protein cookies! Make that double chocolate chip... I like to call these the 66 cookies. Why? Because they only only have 6 ingredients and the batch only makes 6 cookies, so you don't have too many cookies sitting around! I made mine vegan and gluten free because of some of the igredients I used, but I do have notes below for subsitiutes that aren't vegan. These cookies are a perfect healthy treat and a packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants and a little sweetness! I was inspired by the recipe from the blog Undressed Skeleton, but just made a few tweaks! I hope you try 'em out!

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1 scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder*
• 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed
• 2 tsp. chia seeds
• 1 Tbs. Pb2**
• 2 Tbs. dark chocolate chips***

1. Mash banana with protein powder and Pb2

2. Mix in the flaxseeds, chia seeds and chocolate chips

3. Add a little water if you batter is to thick

4. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, and let cool.

* I use Perfect Fit Protein, which is organic, raw,vegan, and gluten free. Make sure to use a vegan protein if you want the cookies to be vegan. If not, that's ok! They'll still be yummy and protein packed, just not vegan.

**Pb2 is a powdered peanut butter, or peanut flour. It has 85% less fat and calories than regular peanut butter. But, if you don't have Pb2 you can you use regular peanut butter.

*** I use the Enjoy Life brand vegan chocolate chips, which are dairy, nut and soy free. You can aslo use regular dark chocolate chips.

Nutrition Facts per cookie:

90 calories, 4 g fat, 11 g carbs, 5 g protein, 3 g fiber, 5 g sugar

Original Recipe from:

http://undressedskeleton.tumblr.com/post/38097445655#disqus_thread

Tag me in Instagram @beautyandbananas if you try this recipe out!

XoXo, Stephanie 

Vegan Banana Bread

Vegan Banana Bread

• 1 cup oats (then blended into oat flour)
• 2 scoops any plant-based protein powder (I use Perfect Fit)
• 2 mashed bananas
• 2 Tbs. ground flax + 6 Tbs. water
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup stevia
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• about 1/2 cup almond milk

1. Pre-heat oven at 350
2. Mix the flax and water and set aside. It will form a thick, gel like substance that works as an egg-substitute. It will thicken as you get the rest of the ingredients ready, stir occasionly. 
3. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, add the flax, and slowly pour in the almond milk until it's a good consistency. It should be a little thick, not too runny.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes. (depending if you like it more gooey and moist or a little denser like a cake.)

Sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of Organic Coconut Palm Sugar for a nice crystalized, glazed outer layer! Yum! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: (I cut the loaf into 8 pieces)

1 piece: 122 calories, 4.5 g fat, 16 g carbs, 7 g protein, 4 g sugar

Enjoy with a nice glass of almond milk or top with some maple almond butter or your favorite peanut butter!



Enjoy!
Xoxo, Stephanie