This is one of my all time favorite decaf teas. I initially tried Forever Nuts at the David's tea store, looking for a hot beverage to keep me company while walking around. I smelled this tea and instantly fell in love. It smells strongly of almonds, cinnamon, and apple.
Can we also talk about what a beautiful color this tea is when steeped. The beetroot gives it a pink tinge that is just stunning. This tea tastes exactly as it smells -- strong nutty notes with warming cinnamon, toned down by the tart apple.
You can see the big chunks of apple and almonds in this mix. There is also artificial flavoring, which is why the almond taste comes across so strongly. It is a hearty decaf tea, like a rooibos, where it tastes almost as if it isn't decaf. For those of you like me who are sensitive to caffeine, this is a great choice to have on hand for an afternoon pick-me-up.
I prefer drinking this tea with some sort of milk -- typically either almond milk or coconut milk. The creaminess balances out the nuttiness in perfect harmony. I give this a 10/10.

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT

In my effort to explore vegetables that I hadn't used before, I bought myself a beautiful butternut squash and a bulb of fennel. Never in my life had I cooked with these two before. I thought to myself, why not try to make a soup? It can't be that hard, right? And let me tell ya, it's so super easy.
 First, I roasted my veggies in the oven while I cooked up some homemade stock on the stove. This is also super easy. Into a sauce pot, I put in a few left over broccoli stalks, the scraps of the fennel (stalk, fronds), a slice of onion, a carrot cut into 4-5 pieces, salt and soy sauce to taste. Cover that with water and let it simmer for 2 hours. Homemade veggie stock makes a world of difference. For the roasted veggies, I had the butternut squash, fennel bulb, and a quarter of an onion, covered generously with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Yield: 4 appetizer servings or 2 meal servings

Ingredients:
1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 bulb of fennel, sliced
1/4 of an onion, chopped roughly
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 cloves of garlic
2 cups of stock (I used homemade, but you can use any low sodium stock)
Optional: 1 tbsp greek yogurt per serving and a couple fennel fronds

Directions:
1) Toss butternut squash, fennel and onion in 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet covered with foil
2) Bake veggies at 425F for 25 minutes, or until fork tender
3) Sautee garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat in a sauce pan until golden and fragrant
4) Add stock and roasted veggies to the saucepan
5) Bring to a simmer and let it simmer for 10 minutes
6) Transfer to a large bowl and blend until creamy and smooth with an immersion blender
7) Top with greek yogurt and fennel fronds
8) Enjoy!

Happy Butternut Squash Soup making
<3 TTT

What can I say? I made another Trader Joe's impulse buy. The Organic Moringa Mango Ginger tea is a great, earthy, sour, spicy tea that'll soothe you after a long day. The moringa provides a nice earthy taste, that lets you know your drinking something that's good for ya. Now, if you don't like that earthy, medicine-y taste, then this one isn't for you. It's something that sometimes takes a few cups to get used to, but once you do, the earthiness is pleasant and comforting. The mango adds a touch of sweet and sour, and the ginger adds the subtle hint of spiciness. Unlike other ginger teas that I have tried, this is one where you can keep the tea bag in for a while and it doesn't get unpleasantly spicy.

Now, here are some moringa health facts for you. Moringa is actually known as the "miracle tree" due to it's wide range of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It is rich in antioxidants and is said to help with menstrual cramps and bloating. It supports brain health, protects your cardiovascular system, protects your liver, has antibacterial properties. The list goes on and on!
I would honestly give this tea a 10/10. I think the more I drink it, the more I like it.

Happy Tea Drinking!
<3 TTT

Hello friends! I made these mini quiches for Friendsgiving a week ago, and they were a hit! They are so easy to make and fun to play around with -- you can make whatever flavor you'd like! Below is a recipe for the egg mixture and the 3 quiche flavors I chose to make.


Ingredients:
2 Premade pie crust
Butter or non-stick spray

Batter (Yield 24):
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chipotle seasoning (I use the Flavor God one)
salt and pepper to taste

Sausage and Parmesan (Yield 12):
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup ground pork sausage
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
** Sautee onion and sausage in butter until golden brown

Ham and Cheese (Yield 12):
1 cup deli ham, chopped
1 cup medium sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella (Yield 12):
1/2 Beef Steak Tomato, chopped
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup basil, chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Unroll the pie crust (after you let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes per package instructions). Using a circular cookie cutter or a glass, cut out circles in the dough. Each pie crust should yield 8 circles (feel free to roll together the remaining dough and roll out to form more circles, yielding 4 more circles)
3) Butter your muffin tin or spray with non-stick spray
4) Lightly press the pie crust circles into each of the muffin cups
5) Fill each muffin cup with your desired flavorings, filling to about halfway up
6) Fill each muffin cup with egg mixture, about 3/4 of the way up
7) Put in oven for 20-25 minutes
8) Let cool for a few minutes before removing from muffin tin.

Happy Quiche Eating!
<3 TTT

This was the other half of the impulse buy that one day at Target. Read about my other impulse buy, Vanilla Bean Macaron. These two are a part of the Tazo Dessert Delights collection. Today's review is the Glazed Lemon Loaf.

I was very impressed with the flavor of this one; I completely taste the Glazed Lemon Loaf. I picture the loaf you'd get at Starbucks and this hits that exact flavor. You get the tang, the breadlike creaminess, and sweetness of the glaze. I'm actually pretty amazed. This is a decaf tea, too, so it is perfect for that after-dinner-fix.


This is a green rooibos and chamomile base, the former provides a nice earthiness/creaminess, while the latter aids in the floral lemon taste. Apple and orange peel help get that sour taste. Rose petals work with chamomile for the floral notes. Licorice root and ginger help get that "baked loaf" feel. Again, if you're not a fan of licorice root, this tea may not be for you. Overall, I'd give this a 9/10. I was very impressed with the flavor.

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT

Hello World! I don't know about you, but with winter here my skin is all out of whack. Here are all of the products I have been using to keep my skin hydrated and looking fresh. I will caveat that this is only what works for me, so it is by no means the only way to keep your skin fabulous. Additionally, be sure to stay hydrated in general by drinking lots of water!


Lets start with hands. Those that know me best know that I am very particular about my hand lotions. They can't be too greasy and have to absorb. If any oily feeling is left on my hands, I can't touch things like cotton balls or paper towels-- seriously. Solution: these two bad boys. To start, Fresh Cream by Philosophy has such a luxurious scent. It truly smells like fresh cream. I always get asked about it when I put it on. The other two scents in the collection are great as well (apricots & cream and raspberries & cream). It soaks right into your hands and leaves no stickiness behind. I keep this at my desk at work to apply after washing hands.
Next, this Hemp Hand Protector by The Body Shop is my savior after washing dishes, cleaning the house, or simply what I put on on my way to work. This is a thicker lotion and will stay on the hands a bit longer. It has an earthy scent, but not overwhelming. I've gone through at least three of these tubes of have 3 more on standby. (Whenever The Body Shop has their awesome 40% off sales, I stock up).

 On to body. Just as I am weird with my hands, I am also weird with my feet. I cannot go to sleep with dry feet. This Honey & Beeswax Hand and Foot Cream is unfortunately no longer sold on their website, but if it ever comes back, get your hands on it! (excuse the pun). This lotion is super creamy, smells sweet and subtle, and stays on those feet until they are moisturized. This stuff has been helping  keep my calluses at bay.
The Body Shop Body Butters are a true obsession. Not going to lie, I have 5 of these lying around. The Honeymania scent is by far my favorite (they are currently out of stock of this one, but I also love the Shea Butter scent). I can't say no to anything with the word "honey" in it. The body butters are all non-oily, moisturizing, smell wonderful, and stay on your skin without feeling sticky.
Now for the face. My skin is combination dry and oily. It likes to turn a bright red when it is dry, and i'm usually too lazy to put on foundation, so I always get questions at work when I forget to take care of it. This strong team of 4 helps keep my skin from that embarrassing red. Aside from the products I'm mentioning here, I also don't wash my face with cleanser as often during the winter months -- maybe 3-4 times in a week.
I use Cerave Moisturizer most days, once in the morning, and again at night. It's light, soaks right in, and it's cheap. You get this sized bottle from a drug store or Amazon for a very good price and it'll last you a few months.
I use Vitamin E Overnight Serum from The Body Shop on days where my skin needs a little extra overnight help. Just put 4 drops in your clean hands and pat all over your clean face. Leave it on overnight and wake up with refreshed skin. It is oily, so if you have oily skin, try a sample before committing.
This Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream is a sample I received from a Sephora Playbox, and ordered again as a free sample when I made a purchase there. I can't bring myself yet to commit to buying a full-size, but man is this stuff good! It soaks right in (how many times have I said that already?) and has such an interesting texture. It feels like jellied water if that makes any sense. I do completely notice a difference in my face when using this -- that awkward redness is gone. Maybe one day I'll commit and make the purchase...
Last, but not least, lips. I need to put on chapstick every night or they crack and hurt and it's just a mess. This Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Butter has been doing the trick! No, don't ask me how long I've had this. It's so good, that I wake up in the middle of the night and still feel it on my lips. No lip cracking when I wear this, and it smells lovely. The floral/fruity combo is a keeper.

Happy Skin Hydrating!
<3 TTT

I walked into Target and I just couldn't resist buying two teas from Tazo's Dessert Delights collections -- Vanilla Bean Macaron and Glazed Lemon Loaf. I'll admit, I initially walked past thinking, "Yeah, I can do this. I don't need to buy more tea." But then I stopped, did a double take, and somehow they ended up in my hands. Today, I will be reviewing Vanilla Bean Macaron for you.


I tried this tea 3 different times, and had different reactions each time. The first time I was pretty impressed -- the slightly nutty flavor typical of a macaron came through as well as vanilla bean and creaminess. The second time I noticed the creaminess a bit more, but was still impressed. The third time, however, I did notice a flaw in that it does not taste good if it sits. This is a tea that you pour and intend to finish within the next 15 or so minutes, in my opinion.
As with most teas, a lot of the flavor comes from the natural flavoring. This tea also utilizes Chicory Root, which is actually used as a caffeine free coffee tasting alternative. This helps give the tea it's nutty quality along with the roasted Yerba Mate. Licorice root and cocoa peel give it a nice sweetness. If you have an aversion to either the chicory or licorice roots, this tea is not for you. However, if you don't mind the two, I'd say this is a pretty well balanced tea and an indulgent way to wake up in the morning. I'd give it an 8.5/10. Don't want to give it a 9 due to the bitter taste when it sits.

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT

Hello world!

Today's review is Trader Joe's Mango Black Tea. I typically do my weekly grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and am always sucked in by their new teas. From previous experience, not all are winners, but they are usually good enough for a try.

Unfortunately for me, this one was not a winner. These teabags are held in a pouch inside the box, so they are not individually portable, but the box is small enough to take with you if you would like to keep it in your office or bring to a gathering. The tea itself is flavored with mango and other natural flavorings, blackberry leaves, hibiscus, and calendula petals. You do taste the floral notes, but I was overwhelmed with a taste I liken to Pez candies. In some circumstances, that's a fine and dandy flavor, but I was really hoping for the mango to come through. So, if you're into Pez candies, this one's for you. If you have had a good mango tea, please share!

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT

Hello everyone!

I come to you with a post I've been so excited to write! This is a tea purchased from a new tea friend -- Creative Coffee NYC. I ordered the flavor Uber-Berry Green, because it sounded so so good. I'm always happy to support small business owners, especially when the product is as good as it is. (They sell yummy coffee, too, if you'd like to check those out as well!) They currently have a couple promotions going on (10% off your first order and free shipping in the US), and I suggest getting your hands on some of this stuff.

First, I'd like to rave about the customer service. The tea I had purchased was going to be a little late due to such high demand (good job, CCNYC!), so Jessica, the founder, sent me a personalized email and gave me a free silicone leaf infuser. The thoughtfulness was very much appreciated and made me like the brand before I even got to taste it.


Now onto the tea. The packaging is quite cute, and although it looks small, it is mighty! There is a lot of tea packed in there. I have had this tea several times, yet I don't feel like I've made a dent in the package. The tea itself is delightful. I can honestly say that I was surprised by how much I liked it. Looking at the ingredient list, I tasted every single ingredient.


This is a green tea base mixed with oat straw, which gives it a nice nutty taste. Then you have strawberries, raspberries, and hibiscus, which make it slightly sour. The Licorice gives it a secret spice taste that's hard to pick up on exactly what it is, but helps tie it all in together. Finally, there are rose petals, which always make me feel like a million bucks. The flavors are seamless together and complement each other very well. Good job creating this, Jessica! 10/10.

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about my experience at Lovejoy's Tea Room. This week, I'll be reviewing the two teas I purchased from Lovejoy's Attic -- the tea shop just  across the street from the tea room. It's a quaint, kitchy, packed-with-stuff, three room store (one being their office). The first room holds tea pots, cups, plates, and accessories. The second, smaller room, houses all of their teas.


From there, I was most intrigued by China Rose Petal black tea, which I had in the tea room and fell in love with. Apricot black tea won me over by it's fragrance in the shop. In the tea dish below, the tea on the right is the China Rose Petal, the left is the Apricot. The tea packaging does not describe the ingredients, so I'll take a stab at it based on what I taste and see.

Let's start with the Apricot tea.


This tea smells like apricots and flowers -- truly delightful. In the dish you can see apricot chunks and flower petals (what I assume to be calendula). And the taste is exactly what you see. You get the apricot, which is enhanced by a floral touch. Both flavors compliment each other well and you truly get to enjoy the taste of both. This tea does oversteep, so do not let it sit for too long. 10/10, I have no complaints.


Now onto my personal favorite, China Rose Petal. Once you open the bag, you are just overwhelmed by the delicious smell of rose, in a good way! The rose taste comes across just as strong as the smell. This tea steeps beautifully, and is perfect for tea time, as you typically leave the leaves in the teapot over the whole duration of your experience (can be two hours if you're like me). I would, personally, remove the tea leaves after about 20 minutes at the longest, because I don't want the tea to get too bitter and overwhelm the gentle rose flavor. This is probably the best rose flavored tea that I have had. 10/10.

Happy Tea Drinking,
<3 TTT

These turkey sliders have become a staple in my household. They are delicious, nutritious, and super easy to make!

I was so excited to go here. The interior is exactly what you would expect of a tea room -- tea themed paintings on the walls, preserves and Devon cream on shelves, lace covered tables, and mismatched tea pots, tea cups and plates. The ambiance was just perfect. We both ordered the "Me" Tea service, which allows you two choose two items and a pot of tea for $16.95. We each got a scone and tea sandwiches, with the additional tea sandwich a la carte for $3.95. For tea sandwiches we ordered the Branston pickle chutney and cheddar cheese. In addition, she got cucumber and cream cheese and I got the smoked salmon and cream cheese. The scones were delicious! I was not entirely impressed with the smoked salmon sandwich as I felt the smoked salmon was a tad chewy, but overall the tea accompaniments were lovely.

My cousin ordered the Black Vanilla with Lavender tea, which tasted pretty good on first pour, but it got a little too bitter for me as it steeped. I also didn't get as much of a floral taste as I had expected. For my pot of tea, I ordered the China Rose Petal, which I was very impressed with! The rose flavor was great and it didn't get bitter as it steeped. I was able to enjoy my tea during the full hour and a half that we were there.


My cousin also treated me to two bags of tea! I opted for the China Rose Petal that I enjoyed so much as well as a new one called Apricot. Be on the lookout for reviews to come next week!

Happy Tea Drinking,
<3 TTT

I've been obsessed with this oatmeal as of late and I wanted to share it with you all. It's super easy, takes only 5 minutes, and makes me actually excited to eat my breakfast (not to mention made a coworker jealous).
All you need is a slightly overripe banana (to help with the smooshing), rolled oats (I used Organic Multigrain Hot Cereal from Trader Joe's), almond milk for some creaminess, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, and honey to taste.
 Just throw all of the ingredients in a microwave safe bowl that's shallow enough to let it bubble up a bit, mix them together, and throw it in the microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. If you like a thicker oatmeal, let it sit for 2 minutes before eating.
 And voila! How simple was that! Full recipe below.

Banana Nut Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1/3 cup of Organic Multigrain Hot Cereal (or any kind of rolled oats)
1 smooshed up ripe banana
5/6 cups of water
1/6 cup almond milk
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup walnuts
Honey to taste

Instructions:
1) Mix all of the ingredients in a microwave safe dish that is shallow enough to allow bubbling
2) Microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds
3) Let stand for 2 minutes for thicker oatmeal
4) Enjoy!

Happy Eating,
<3TTT

My friends and family have learned over time that the key to my heart is some tea. They happily fuel my addiction and I happily accept, taste, and review. This gem I'm reviewing today was brought to my from France by a dear friend -- Nina's Marie Antoinette Tea

The tea itself is a black tea with apple pieces that is flavored with rose. Upon opening the lid, there is such a strong, wonderful scent of apple with a hint of rose. It is incredibly strong, but pleasant. Just don't stick your nose in the tin or it might be a bit much.

Hello friends! Trying something a little different here -- I'm going to be interspersing more lifestyle, makeup, recipe, book suggestions, etc. on here. I'm going to try out writing one post on tea and one post on anything else each week. If you're not digging it, that's cool. Just let me know. If you do dig it, you can also let me know. Just talk to me. That's all I ask :).

I believe this  Zhena's Gypsy Tea Hazelnut Chai was a gift, because I have no recollection of buying it. This morning before work I was looking for something to put some perk in my step, which made me reach for a chai.
(Thought I'd give you all a different angle of my tea mug on this review.) I'm sad to say that I was not impressed! There was no flavor. I was trying so hard to find SOME kind of flavor. Near the end, maybe after 15 minutes of brewing, I was able to taste a little bit of some spice -- I'm thinking it could have been the clove but it wasn't strong enough for me to be sure. There was some creaminess, which I think could have been from the vanilla bean or the natural flavoring that should have provided us with the hazelnut. In any chai you expect a punch of spice -- this tea did not give me that satisfaction this morning.

Well isn't that name a mouthful! This is one of the staple sample flavors they have in their store -- it's typically the Youthberry / Wild Orange Blossom Tea Blend and a chai tea blend (don't worry, we'll review that one at a later time as well). I won't lie, this one took me some getting used to. My mom and I used to go to Teavana every time we went to the mall. She would love the Youthberry blend while I preferred the chai. To me, for some reason, I equated the taste of the Youthberry blend tea to medicine. Man, do taste buds change, because now I quite enjoy this one!
You get a gorgeous red color from the hibiscus, rosehip,  and beetroot. Just look at that bright red collected at the bottom of the mug!
 The tea tastes sweet, mainly due to the candied mango and pineapple, the orange juice pieces (funny ingredient, I know), as well as, of course, the natural and artificial flavoring. There's a nice tang from the orange slices, red currants, and acas fruit powder. There's a nice floral overtone that ties in the sweet and sour brought to you by the rose petals and orange petals. All of this deliciousness blended with a gentle white tea.
Overall, I would rate this a 9/10, given that I like sour, fruity teas. If sour isn't your thing, I would stay away. However, if you're down with the get down, this sour, floral, sweet tea is a good one. There's a reason it's always used as a sampler in front of the store!

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT