Part I: Chicken and Pineapple Fried Rice

Last night I decided I really wanted to make rice that was a fusion of the amazing rice from Benihanas and the pineapple fried rice that I get from Thai restaurants.

Everything was smelling right but not looking right. The dish looked so dead and wack. Then I realized I forgot vegetables. *Sigh*
So next time I decide to make this I'll do it right and then post the recipe and pictures.

It was still tasty just lacking color and some necessary nutrients.

Creating Concoctions

Shelbie always talks about using her perishables in every dish that she makes. When you are making food only for yourself it is easy to forget you have certain produce items. They can easily spoil before you get a chance to use them. I've began to incorporate this method as well. Especially since I do not have a job I can't just have onions and peppers rotting in my fridge.

During my weekly deep conditioning treatments I had a bright idea! Why don't I use this food method when it comes to my hair?

If you read as many hair blogs as I do you have definitely seen the use of everyday food for hair nourishment, but that is not what I am going for here.

What I mean is combining multiple hair products in order to make the ultimate product and also to use products that do not do that great of a job on their own.

What I used for my DC was
- Shea Moisture Deep Treatment mask ($9.99 @ Target!)
- Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner
- Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner
- Hemp Seed Oil
- Peppermint and Rosemary essential oils

This concoction was really me looking around on my dresser to see what I could use. I didn't have any thought out logic when using this combination. Definitely an experiment.

However, the results were amazing! I left the conditioner on for an hour with my heat cap. My hair was incredibly soft and so much easier to detangle. I also credit this success for how long I left the conditioner on. Usually I only leave it on for 20 min, but realized that with all of this thick hair that is definitely not enough.

Hope this helps!

Upcoming Posts!

The TWA and Winter.

--When washing and going seems no longer like feasible option.

--How to beat the drying effects of winter.

--How to CORRECTLY wear hats.

Shelbie's Jamaican Feast

--Brown-Stew Chicken Recipe

--Authentic Jamaican Rice n Peas Recipe

Shelbie's Perfect Date Night Dinner

--Salmon Recipe

--Cous Cous Recipe

--Asparagus Recipe

TWA "Up-do"

--Really easy. A lot of fun. Takes away from the monotonous style of a fro!

Stay Tuned!!

Shelbie's Super Creamy College Friendly Mac n Cheese!

I adapted this recipe from my Mommy and my Auntie Marva! (love you guys!)

It's SUPER simple and super delicious. Perfect for a night you just need something warm and comforting. AND you can make it ONE POT! Ideal for the lazy college kid in us!

What you'll need:

- 1 box (pound) of Elbow Macaroni

- 2 15 oz jars of Alfredo sauce (I like Classico Brand)

- 1-2 6 oz bag(s) of Shredded Italian Style cheese

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Breadcrumbs (optional)

1. Fill a pot with water and add a liberal amount of salt and bring to a boil. Add a box (1 pound) of elbow macaroni.
2. After the pasta has boiled for maybe 8 minutes, give it a test. You want it to be cooked by NOT mushy. It should still have a bite to it. Not a crunch. Drain the pasta in a colander and return the pot to the burner.
3. Pour in two 15 oz jars of alfredo sauce. This may seem like ALOT, but this recipe makes ALOT of mac n cheese. :) Thin the sauce with about a half jar of water. Bring to a simmer. Stir frequently as alfredo sauce is made with a lot of dairy and this will curdle or burn if not stirred.
4. When the sauce is heated through, add about a 3/4 -1 bag of store bought shredded Italian cheese mix. Stir until cheese is thoroughly melted through. Add pepper to taste. (Don't add salt. There's enough salt in the alfredo sauce and the cheese that adding anymore would be crazy!)
5. When cheese sauce is complete, add the macaroni back to the pot and STIR.
6. You can either eat you mac n cheese this way OR if you're feeling ambitious (or fancy), pour macaroni mix into a baking dish, sprinkle a little cheese/breadcrumb mix on top, and bake it at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until the cheese in melty and starting to make a crust.

That's it! Told you it was simple. I'll definitely add more pics of this recipe in the coming days.

With love,

Shelbs

Cooking Fails

I realized that im too broke of a college student to buy things that I could possibly hate. I'm no garbage disposal so if something doesn't taste right I will not eat it.

Fortunately, I haven't been hit too hard because Trader Joe's has interesting things but they aren't too expensive. Clearly, if I continue on the path of experimenting with food products I could end up wasting a lot of food AND money.

Recent failed purchases:

- Lobster ravioli

- Butternut squash ravioli

- Mango chicken sausage

This doesn't mean that I won't take smaller risks with recipes, but I won't use products in the recipes that could leave me hungry and forced to eat toast for dinner.

Updos

Recently, I've been working on perfecting an updo. They can work for more formal events and when the weather is crappy, but you don't want a regular, old ponytail.

Visit our tumblr - The Love Jones- for extensive pics

Products:

- Eco Styler Gel

- Bee Mine Hair Milk

I french braided the back and then had NO clue what to do with the front. I decided to push it all to one side and hold part of it with a hair comb. Then I twisted the remaining hair and pinned that up.

I need something better to do with the front part.

I also realized updos work better with a fresh twist out, which was not what I had here.

Eeeek! The Brazilian Blowout/Keratin Treatments

( image from The New York Times)

As I was eating my oatmeal this morning and reading the New York Times, I saw an article on the dangers of the Brazilian Blowout and decided to finally read about it.

I think when this process became more popular people were attracted to it being "safer" and less permanent than relaxers. The less permanent part is true. This process lasts a few weeks to a few months (but if you want the effects to continue you will obviously still need to get your roots touched up).

The picture above says enough to why I wouldn't endorse this product. Despite claims that the formulations are now formaldehyde free, salons are using industrial strength respirators and one salon even designates a special floor for the process. WHAT?!

I have been to many hair salons and witnessed the relaxer process, yes women wear gloves, but never a respirator mask. That's insane.

Beauticians have reported nose bleeds, breathing problems and eye irritation from this process in the past, which sparked the need for research. Imagine putting those chemicals on many heads throughout your work week. I'd rather not.

Clearly money and profit is the real issue. The Brazilian Blowout can range from $250- $700 and continues to become increasingly popular for those who want to "tame" their curls and frizzy hair.

Hmmm.

Don't Be Fooled!

Having natural hair DOES NOT mean you should only use products catered to black women or black women with natural hair.

When Shelbie and I go on our weakly excursions to CVS we walk by the black hair care aisle and literally laugh at the products we used in our relaxed days. Mostly because we tried so hard to make these products work for us. Now, if something is working for you keep using it, but realize that there are so many other options out there.

Finding products that will work for you is trial and error. Choose the middle road and don't go to the extreme of staying with products that clearly don't work or buying a bunch of products at one time.

Some products that work for me that are not directly marketed to black women or black women with natural hair are:

- Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner

- Giovanni Direct Leave- In

- Giovanni L.A. Styling Gel

- Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner

- Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner

- Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling gel

Upcoming Posts!

J and I are in the middle of midterms. That's why we've been MIA.

As soon as we get some times we'll update more frequently.

This college thing is stressful!!

Upcoming!

--Product Reviews (lots!)

--Shelbie's College Savvy Mac 'n Cheese (better then anything out of a box but just as easy)

--How to balance you hair, school, and boys!

Stay Tuned!

-Shelbs

Cooking Revelations

From cooking this week I discovered:

1. I do not like coconut milk

2. Curry is very powerful and should be used minimally.

Turkey Chili

Ingredients

- 1lb turkey meat

- 2 tbs olive oil

- 1/2 chopped red bell pepper

- 1 can jalapeño chili peppers

- 1-2 tbs chili powder

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 1/2 tsp cumin

- 3 chopped garlic cloves

- 1 can chopped tomatoes

- 1 can tomato sauce

- 3 tbs brown sugar

- 2 cans kidney beans

- hot sauce to taste

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in pot

2. Add onion, garlic, peppers and cook until tender

3. Add turkey and cook thoroughly

4. Add tomatoes and tomato puree

5. Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, brown sugar

6. Simmer ( The longer the better, but make sure its low and stirred occasionally so it doesn't burn)

7. If you like more spice add hot sauce or another can of jalapeño peppers

* Great Pairings: Rice and Corn bread*

My Current Products

Hair Products by janelco on Polyvore.com

These are the products that I use in my routine most frequently. As you can see I do not have a shampoo present because I haven't found one that I want to keep using. I'm still in trial mode for that. I am also in trial mode for a heavier moisturizer, but I'm pretty sure I found a keeper so.... review to come!

Review: Yes to Cucumbers Daily Makeover Conditioner

I've used this product 3 times so far

Major: This product is moisturizing but I feel like I would have to heat activate it in order for it to be truly moisturizing. It does not have much slip so I need to use Herbal Essence Hello Hydration (review to come) to detangle.

This conditioner will probably work better for looser curls/ thinner hair

Minor: The scent is the typical cucumber product smell

Price: $8.99 for 16.9 fl oz. For a natural conditioner I would say this is a good price.

Repurchase?: I wouldn't buy this again but maybe I'll try it as a deep conditioner and see how that works.

Shelbie's Revamped Wash 'n Go--A Simple and Fast TWA Style

So this is a style I do fairly frequently. Its cute, simple, fast, and more importantly FUN!

While in the TWA phase, you can get very bored and discouraged especially when you see your longer haired natural sisters *Cough Janel*. This style is for us that are just embarking on our journey!

1. Start with freshly washed (and when I say washed I mean clarified) and deep conditioned hair (dc'd) hair OR freshly co-washed hair. Detangle your hair as best you can. Usually I'm lazy and just use my fingers, but now that I have a shower comb, I use it. lol.

2. Apply your favorite leave-in/ oils. Remember, less is more. When you pile on ingredients, you hair becomes gray and gunky. Ew. I use Giovanni Direct Leave in, and now, I also add a small squirt (small being the operative word) of my co-washing conditioner, be-it Herbal Essences Hello Hydration or Curls Coconut Sublime (yum--review soon to come!). Giovanni Direct leave in has some protein in it, which while it defines your curls, can also dry them out. Adding a co-washing conditioner adds some necessary moisture. I then seal with a mixture of castor and jojoba oils.

3. Depending on how defined you like you curls (or how much you care), you can opt to add gel at this point. I've gotten to a point in my natural hair journey that rubbing gel into my hands and smooshing it around doesn't suffice. Thus I must shingle, which is in no way shape or form fun. I start in the back and work my way forward. Takes me about 20 minutes if I'm actually trying to be thorough. If your hair develops white filmy gunk, you've used too much product (I'm still learning this balance. It takes time).

If you want to really make your curls POP, comb the gel through your hair. It should not take that much effort as you have already detangled you hair. If you cannot easily comb your hair, don't force it! Anyway, BE WARNED!! When you comb the gel through, YOUR HAIR WILL SHRINK ALOT. It comes with the territory. The wider toothed the comb, the less shrinkage.

4. Now we get to the braiding and probably the most simple part. Pick the side of your hair that you want braided. I pick my right side. I don't have a real reason why. Make a part that is about 3-4 inches from your ear going back. Make this part about 3-4 inches long and then make another part going back toward you ear. In a sense your making a square on the side of your head. Clip all remaining hair away from this section. Part one section going back and then flat twist. I usually add a little more gel just to make sure it looks clean and remains firm when it dries. I can usually make about 3-4 flat twists in my little square. When you get to the end of each twist, secure with a mini-clip. Thats it. Fluff your hair and go!




Have fun!

--Shelbs

Monday's Cooking

Disclaimer: Shelbie and I are not in culinary school. We are not professionals We are learning from experience and doing what we enjoy.

When I want to cook something new or tweak a recipe I'm familiar with I search on recipe sites and food blogs. I do not only look at one recipe but at several. By doing this I can find new ingredients that I want to add and create a new recipe that is catered to my tastes.

Sweet Soy Glazed Salmon

I found this recipe over at thecurvycarrot.com by way of tastespotting.com

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets

- garlic powder to taste

- salt to taste

- 1/3 cup soy sauce

- 1/3 cup brown sugar

- 1/3 cup water

- 1/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Season salmon with garlic powder and salt

2. In a bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil and water until sugar is dissolved. Put salmon is a resealable plastic bag with sauce mixture*

3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours**

4. Preheat grill***. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily with fork.

* The next time I make this recipe I will probably use a big bowl instead of a plastic bag. I feel like the salmon will marinate better that way.

** Letting the salmon sit in the sauce is very essential. If it doesn't have time to soak in you won't be able to taste the flavors

*** I use a George Foreman grill because I am in a dorm room and it cooks amazingly.

Less is More?! Most successful twist out yet!

So, I am a habitual product piler-onner as in I use ALOT of product all the time.
I'm dog sitting and needless to say, this is a very boring job.
Whenever I do dog sit, I take the time to try new things out on my hair.

I got really bored, so when I showered, I co-washed with some Herbal Essences Hello-Hydration. The lady I'm dog sitting for had some Suave Coconut Conditioner so I slathered some of that in as a leave in. I figured I'd try to put in some small twists. It took me about an hour to finish. All I put in my hair was the Suave conditioner on freshly co -washed hair and a little castor oil (that I brought back from Jamaica) on each twist. Thats it.

I woke up this afternoon (after a very long night) and undid the twists. They were moisturized and the most defined I've seen my hair.

When I usually try twists outs I use olive oil eco-styler, leave in, shea butters, oils. Needless to say I was using TOOO MUCH!!!

My hair looks and feels great. I'm very proud of myself!

I'll update with pics a little later (when I don't look like a corpse).

<3,

Shelbie

Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling Gel

Price: $3-$5 This can be found at CVS, your local beauty supply store and probably any place that sells hair products.

Pros:

- CHEAP

-I do not think I will be buying another one for a while-- Its a 32oz of gel

- When I use this to slick back my puffs it lasts the whole day. It works especially when I tie down the front of my puff with a scarf for a while before I leave

Cons:

- Some say it works well for twists/twist outs. I'm still working to find the right moisturizer combination

- It may not work well over every moisturizer so be careful. I used it with Giovani Direct Leave-In and there were some white clumps in my hair

- Very minor but when I travel I need to make sure I have something to transport it in since the container is so large. There are travel size jars at CVS so I need to look into those.

Coming up Next

- Cheap gel rave

- Delicious (and successful) salmon recipe

A Better Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients:

- A roll

- Thinly sliced chicken breast

- Shredded Mozzarella cheese

- 1 tsp garlic powder

- 1/2 tsp basil

- 1 tbs lemon juice

- salt and pepper to taste

- Pesto

Directions:

1. Season chicken breast with basil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper

2. Grill chicken breast till well done. ( I use a George Foreman grill because it cooks meat quickly, but this can be done on a stove with a little bit of olive oil)

3. Warm/ Toast up your roll ( I'm against using cold bread for anything)

4. Use a butter knife to spread pesto on both sides of your roll.( Be careful not to use too much because pesto can have a strong taste and can go through your bread)

5. Place your chicken on the roll and sprinkle the amount of mozzarella cheese you desire

Shelbie's Hair Staples.

Sooo. I am about 4 weeks into my natural hair journey (post transitioning and braiding). All relaxed ends are gone and I've FINALLY developed somewhat of a regiment. Thank goodness. So here are a few of my staples that will work on ANY hair. Relaxed, natural, or even dreaded.

For Washing: my new OBSESSION!!!

Curls Curlicious Cleansing Cream @ $9.99

The most delicious smelling shampoo I've ever experienced in my life. It smells like cookie dough. LITERALLY. And it WORKS! It's not stripping at all. Its just magic. I use about every week or so, to clean my hair from gel residue. When I continually do wash and gos, I develop a product buildup, especially if I have only been doing co-washing. My hair cant handle all of that. I use this when my hair cant take anymore.

Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hydrating-Clarifying Shampoo @ $7.99

This is my bi-monthly clarifying. Its pretty good. Made from a vegetable-protein base and a slew of essential oils, this duo is suitable for vegan use. So its fairly healthy for my hair and the environment. I dont clarify very often so I'm not too picky about shampoos. It does it job really well.

 

For Conditioning:

I use cheap or "cheapie" conditioners. My two currents are:

Herbal Essence Hello Hydration or (HEHH). It has really good slip for detangling and it's pretty moisturizing. @ $4.00

 

For Deep Conditioning:

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose. Very thick, rich, creamy, and moisturizing. J put me onto this. I like it as a DC alot. I use it about once a week, slap on a shower cap, and cache around the house for a few hours, rinse, and my hair feels like butter. :) The scent is...nature-y. Not one of my favorites but it'll do. Not sure if I'll say its a staple but I have no problems with it. I'll still look around though. @ $10.00

ApHogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor. This stuff saved my hair from moisture OVERLOAD! (I'll get into that later). Its awesome. Works fast. Smells good. Great Protein DC. I think im going to start mixing it with AOHSR to make a solid moisture/protein balanced dc. hmmm. oh yea. its CHEAP! @ $5.00

 

Styling:

My current style is a flat twist/bantu knot out. After weeks of trying different things out and different products and getting REALLY discouraged, EUREKA! i figured it out. And oddly enough, the staple products I use are pretty cheap! BUENO!

Giovanni Direct Leave-In Weightless Moisture Conditioner. Boyyy do I love this stuff! It smells good, feels good, cost good, everything good! I use it as a base product under gels and styling products because my hair is very susceptible to getting/being dry. I love it. And its pretty cheap. I use it a couple times a week and I'm just denting it. @ $8.00

 

Shea Moisture 100% Organic Shea Butter infused with Coconut & Hibiscus. Ithe SMELL will have you on a hundred-thousand-trillion. This stuff smells like heaven. Yea. It's that amazing. Its a decent butter. Like all butters, it is a solid at room temp, so I nuke it in the microwave it, melt it in my hands, and distribute in my hair if I want to seal my ends or do a twist out. Because I'm in school now and I'm lazy I almost exclusively do wash and gos (wngs's). It's a little pricey, but a little goes a LONG way. If you use too much your hair will be grease-ball. @ $10.00

Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling Gel. I. LOVE. THIS. STUFF. I can't express that enough. It's awesome. It doesnt flake. It doesnt have that extreme cement like hold. Its not drying. It slicks back those "baby hairs" beautifully. And its dirt cheap. Love Love Love. I dont like doing wash and goes, but when I do, I put on some Giovanni Direct leave in, slap some of this on, and I'm out the door. My curls be poppin! hehe. @ $3.00

 

Hair Pins. These are scattered all over my house. I love them and always will. :) @idk...theyre cheap

 

Apart from water, vitamins, and jojoba oil, castor oil, this is all i really use. lol. it looks like a lot but its really not. A little goes a long way when you use good products. :) This stuff will will work awesome on anyones hair natural or relaxed. enjoyyy

--S

Must Haves: Combs and Brushes

The Ouidad Double Detangler

I was very hesitant to buy this comb A. It's $24 ( at Sephora) B. On hair boards, some said it was too heavy.

Conclusion: I LOVE this comb. It was worth every penny. It really isn't that much heavier than your every day comb. This amazing invention helps me to detangle my hair so much faster (half the time) than my regular wide toothed comb. I use it in the shower with conditioner. It's worth the investment. I promise.

Wide toothed Comb

Any one will do. Just make sure the teeth are wide enough depending on how curly your hair is.

Conclusion: Although the Double Detangler is beyond amazing, this comb still serves a purpose. I use it to make parts and for smaller detangling jobs.

Boar Bristle Brush

I do not use a specific brand. I just make sure the bristles aren't too hard so that my hair doesn't rip out.

Conclusion: This works for laying down my hair when I make puffs or when I'm pushing my hair to the side. I never brush down the whole hair shaft because that can cause breakage.

Hey Everyone!

S and I finally moved on from Tumblr. It feels so great. Tumblr just wasn't for us. We simply needed a better venue for our purposes. This will be fun.

Test Post!

Hello!!!