Pineapple Shrimp Stir Fry with Coconut Rice

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t’s been a little while since I’ve posted a recipe, so I wanted to share my new favourite rice dish. This stir fry features a few of my favourite things: pineapple, shrimp, and coconut. It’s very easy to make and is a bit more unique than the average stir fry.

The original recipe is from Canadian Living, and I modified it to make it a bit more fall appropriate (it’s too cold to go outside to use the grill).

Recipe

Ingredients:

Stir fry
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
25 cooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pineapple cut into small cubes
1 carrot, grated

Rice
2 tablespoons butter
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add green onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir occasionally until softened (4 minutes).
3. Add rice. Stir until lightly toasted (2 minutes).
4. Stir in coconut milk, water, and salt; bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender and no liquid remains (15 minutes).
5. In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and ginger.
6. Add shrimp and pineapple to a pan and cook over medium heat. Pour lime juice mixture over the shrimp and pineapple. Stir occasionally for about 6 minutes.
7. Add pineapple and shrimp to rice. Mix in shredded carrots before serving.

Sephora Haul + Mini Reviews

A while ago, I placed a little online Sephora order to try out a few products that I had been curious about. I have had some time to try some of them so I included mini reviews below.

The first items that I purchased are these mini bottles of Living Proof Full Shampoo and Conditioner. The salon that I go to used these products on my hair once and I really liked the results. I opted for the smaller bottles in case I wasn’t happy with the products after using them for a few weeks. While I love the fact that this combination gives my hair volume and keeps it cleaner for longer, I will not purchase it again. The biggest problem though is the fact that these products create volume and thickness by creating texture in the hair. This texture created horrible tangles in my straight, fine hair. Specifically, the hair at the back of my head near the nape of my neck always had huge clumps of tangles in it while I was using these products. I have since switched to other Living Proof products which don’t cause the same problems. It is a bit sad though because I loved the volume that these products add to the hair.

Next is one of the Make Up For Ever HD blushes in shade #210 (Cool Pink). This is a beautiful pink shade that really compliments my pale complexion. While it is a cool pink, I think that it is also very neutral and would work on warmer skin tones too. The cream formula of this blush is wonderful.It glides over the skin very evenly and looks very natural. There is no shimmer in this blush which is nice for a change. I was inspired to try this shade after purchasing a more peachy shade back in the summer (#215 – Flamingo Pink). I loved the formula so much that I wanted to try a pink shade too. While these HD blushes are a bit pricey, a little really does go a long way.

I picked up another pink blush as well—the Tarte Deluxe Cheek Stain in Energy. This is one of those products that goes on clear and changes colour with your skin chemistry to create a flattering shade for your unique skin tone. It creates a nice, light pink shade on my cheeks and the product feels very light and comfortable on the skin. It leaves a very natural, dewy finish. While I do like this product, I never really seem to reach for it. I think that is because the pink shade is similar to many that I already own. The mini tube and easy application make it perfect for travel though.

The last two items are a Hand Healer from Jack Black and some Shiseido eyelash curler pads. The Hand Healer was a deluxe sample that I added during checkout. I thought it would be a good product to have on hand (literally!) for winter. The eyelash curler pads are just extras that I picked up for when my current one wears out.
Out of this haul, my favourite product is the MUFE blush. What’s yours?

September 2014 Julep Maven Box (Boho Glam)

Back in July, I signed up for Julep and took the Maven quiz. I was sorted into the Boho Glam group and got my first box for free by using the code FREEMAVEN at checkout. If you are interested, you can sign up for Julep HERE and get started on your quiz to see which category you fall into. If you don’t like what is offered in that category, you can opt for another. Even if you are not interested in the monthly subscription, Julep also sells individual polishes. You can check out the pretty new spring shades on Julep’s Nail Polish Color Page by clicking HERE.
To see my intro box, click HERE.

What I really like about this service is that you can skip boxes and send boxes to a friend. Since I already have a decent collection of nail polish, I skip a few months here and there. I decided to only opt in for boxes that were truly unique and contained products that were not similar to any in my collection.

The grey polish in the September Boho Glam box really caught my eye and helped me decide to order the box. It came with two polishes and a lip crayon. The polishes are in the shades Erin (oyster grey crème) and Mary Lee (oxblood satin). I think that I will save the oxblood shade for a giveaway since, while very pretty for fall and winter, it’s a bit out of my comfort zone. I love the grey shade though. It’s a nice change from the pinks and purples that I have been wearing. I selected the Plush Pout lip crayon in the shade Aurora Pink because it looked like more of a cool-toned mauve pink on the Julep site. However, as you can see from the picture above, it’s a warmer coral pink. I do like the colour though.

Overall, I am very happy with the September Julep box. I always appreciate boxes with cream finish polishes in seasonal shades. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store for November.
What are your thoughts on the September box?