Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna Make it Monday

I can’t even tell you how delicious this recipe is. I have had it pulled from a magazine since last year and finally made it Sunday. Of course I never stick to a recipe so I added the Cumin, green chiles and corn but feel free to keep those out, or add your own additions. You could also use whole wheat tortillas but corn ones are pretty good for you.

Ingredients:
1 package corn tortillas
2 medium onions
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
small can of corn
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can tomatoes (i used the ones with green chiles for an extra UMPH)
2 teaspoons oregano
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 can mild enchilada sauce
1 can Mexe-beans (make sure they don’t contain lard)
3/4 pound Mozzarella cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil till soft and transparent.

Stir in everything but cheeses and tortillas.

Place a layer of tortillas in a baking dish.

Place 1/3 sauce over them and spread layer of ricotta, layer of mozzarella, 1/3 parmesan Repeat twice.

Bake at 350 (for 20 – 30 minutes).

I think it only took me about 20 minutes to prepare.  I have oregano and parsley ready, chopped and and frozen so I only had to cut garlic and onions.  And we almost always buy blocks of cheese and grate it at home.  So much fresher and less preservatives this way.

Yum yum get you some!  =)

Karissa Gindling™ for Prissy Green™ ©

Take a Hot Chocolate Milk Bath to Warm Up! Make It Monday!

This recipe, is easy peasy! Just don’t drink the bath water, make a cup to enjoy for yourself!

Do you remember hearing the Cleopatra took milk baths?  Milk is great for your skin, as it contains Lactic Acid.  Lactic Acid is a moisturizing acid, that helps to very gently exfoliate, and moisturize at the same time.  Milk also contains proteins and vitamins that  our skin just drinks in!

If you are vegan, try substituting Rice Milk.  I haven’t tried that route, as Craig drinks regular milk, so I just steal his for this treat!  Rice Milk also has some great compounds, so I would think it would provide some benefit!

Hot Chocolate Milk Bath

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Chocolate Milk  (OR 2 cups of Milk and 2 packets of hot chocolate)

2 tablespoons of Vanilla Castile Soap, or plain  (love Dr. Bronners for bubbles!)

2 tablespoons of honey

Add to a jar, and mix together.  Makes one bath treatment.  Start bath, add ingredients, and indulge!  and don’t forget to take your mug of hot cocoa with you!

Karissa Gindling™ for Prissy Green™ ©

Make It Monday! Vegan Lip Balm and Vegan Lip Serum

I am not sure if I will ever be brave enough to be a Vegan, but I sure do respect y’all to pieces!  I have been a vegetarian before, but I wouldn’t call myself one now.  Although I have sworn to give up everything but fresh caught fish.  Even milk and cheese.  I will most likely give in on cheese and eggs every so often, especially eggs, as I am not cutting out items made with them.  And I love me some cheese!  But since starting the So Cal Cleanse, I just feel so much better not eating these “sluggish digestive system causing” foods.

So with myself explain a little, I want to give my Vegan Readers a special Make It Monday Treat!

Vegan Lip Balm

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Avocado Oil, Almond Oil or Olive Oil

• 1 oz. Virgin Coconut Oil

• 1.2 oz. of Candelilla Wax

• 1/4 tsp. Rosemary Extract

• few drops of Vitamin E Oil

• few drops of essential oils you want for smell and taste (citrus oils are great!  tangerine, orange, grapefruit and lime!)  (and/or you can use flavor oils!)

You will need either a double boiler, or use a pan and a glass measuring cup with a pour spout!

Melt the candelilla wax in a double boiler or use a glass jar/bowl inside of a soup pan, over low heat.

Once melted add the remaining ingredients except for the essential oils. Heat through then remove from heat.  Now add the essential oil – stir well and pour immediately into lip balm tubes or containers.  If mixture starts to solidify before you’re finished pouring, heat for a few seconds in the micro.  You can also add flavor additives if you so choose.  Add these at the same time as the Essential oils.

Recipe makes about 5 ounces of lip balm.  That is quite a bit, but whenever I make balms I hand them out like candy!  So either cut your recipe down or give as gifts!

Enjoy!  Feel free to color these with any vegan lip colors you already have too!  Just add those to the pot when heating.

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Neroli Anti-aging Lip Serum

All natural ingredients and Neroli and Seabuckthorn for treating, and pampering the lips.
Neroli’s aroma is a wonderful blend of floral with undertones of citrus. Feel free to replace Neroli with another soothing essential oil, such as Rosewood or Carrot Seed.  Seabuckthorn has become a newcomer to the world of anti-aging, but is setting some great trends!

Recipe makes 3 lip gloss tubes or (0.75 ozs) Don’t buy these!  I know you have some laying in your purse, or ina drawer that you never wear, wash them out really well, and use those, no need to waste!  Unless of course you are gifting these.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Liquid Shea Oil

• 1 oz Castor Oil

• 2 tsps. Carnauba Wax

• 6 drops of SeaBuckthorn oil (berry, seed or combination)  If you have the capsules from Sibu Beauty that would be great!

• 6 drops of Neroli Essential Oil

• drops of Vitamin E Oil

Melt the wax in in a double boiler, or use a soup pot, and a glass measuring cup with pour spout.  Add the shea and castor oils. Mix well. Make sure you keep stirring at this point.  When it has all combined, remove from heat.  When it has cooled slightly, add the Vitamin E oil, Neroli and Seabuckthorn oils. Before it has cooled completely, pour into lip gloss tubes.  Texture will be somewhat like store bought honey.

Extremely nourishing, and healthy for the lips.  Use this in place of shiny lip glosses, or apply every night before bed.

If you want a chance at winning some Seabuckthorn goodies, come visit my twitter party!!  Read more at the Sibu Twitter Party!  (party October 6th at 9pm EST!)

Don’t forget to check out my girl Kasey’s Blog on Monday’s for her Make it Monday posts! Always a treat!

Get an Extra Entry into any ONE contest for voting! Just leave a comment, on the contest you want the extra entry for, and leave your vote #!!

Karissa Gindling™ for Prissy Green™ ©

Make It Monday, How to Make Your Own Tinted Moisturizer

I have been trying to think of a good item to preview here for Make It Monday, and I was lost.  Then today I realized, that I make something almost every other day, and didn’t quite realize it.

Tinted Moisturizer!

It is simple, and easy and super effective.  all you need is a sunscreen, one that you like for your face, and some mineral makeup.  Maybe just a tad bit darker then what you would normally wear.  Or the same as you wear, it will be fine.

1/8 teaspoon of Mineral Makeup (the dry kind!)

Dollop of facial sunscreen

Add about a dime sized amount of sunscreen to a plate,  (i use one of my small serving plates). and then scoop out about an 1/8th of a teaspoon of your mineral makeup.  Mix together.  I typically use a Q-tip, that way I can apply it with that and get the whole shebang out of it.  If you need a more natural look then this provides, next time add less mineral makeup. if you need more coverage, don’t use less sunscreen!  Just add more mineral makeup.

You can make this ahead of time, but I don’t suggest doing any more then 3-4 days worth.  Mineral Makeup doesn’t have any preservatives and you never know what you could start growing!  If you do make a couples days worth, make sure you store it in an airtight, clean container, and store in cool place, with no direct sunlight.

Good Luck!  and happy DIY-ing. That is precisely what I have on in this photo, see how natural it looks?