Lemon Bars: self care edition

There is a certain feeling of satisfaction I get from creating ~healthy~ versions of desserts that I am sure you can all relate to. You choose carrots over crackers- good job! You have water instead of wine with dinner- props to you!! You take the stairs, you push yourself, and you treat your body like the fragile little being that it is- aren't you balanced!! That's all well and good, but where is the damn butter?? 

Self care can take many forms. Many days mine is a long walk and a big mug of tea. Today mine was baking- full fat, no substitutes and no looking back. Lemon bars are a summer classic: bright, tangy, and a whole hell of a lot more work than I remembered. Nevertheless, Ina Garten would be proud. The Barefoot Contessa herself was my first and only stop for this Lemon Bar recipe, and it worked like a charm. 

Lemon bar pro tips: 

• Use a fork to squish up the pan border of your squares, it makes spreading the dough a lot easier and the lemon filling sinks right in. Plus, it's pretty. 
• Get at least 6 lemons for the cup of lemon juice, and roll them all before to make more juicy. Also do yourself a favor and get one of these juicers, you will feel very grown up and your wrists will thank you. 

Life pro tips:

• Find ways to incorporate self care in your day. 
• Drink more water.
• Eat more dark greens.
• Don't beat yourself up over the chocolate cake. 
• Buy yourself flowers just because. 
• Say 'yes, why not!' more.
• Say 'no, thanks though!' more. 

With love and butter,

Sarah Belle

Everyday makeup look: NYC Edition

Well hey there, it's me, your host, Sarah. It's been a while. A few things have changed (my zip code for one) so I'm here with a little life update and a daily makeup routine. I seem to have left my spending restraint and my camera SD card in California, so this post is brought to you by 3 new makeup purchases and my iPhone camera. Although honestly, I'm pretty pleased with both. 

I escaped the office on Friday and lived up to my millennial title by heading straight to the wannabe Tumblr-famous mecca: the Glossier showroom. Lemme tell ya, its exactly what you think it would be and also smells seriously good. This little shopping spree was inspired by realizing how moving across the country made me reevaluate my possessions and what I actually love and need on a daily basis, especially in the makeup department. That turquoise eyeliner I have been harboring just in case definitely didn't make the cut. The good news is all of that elimination gives me the illusion of needing new stuff, a perfect problem to have while I am a temporary NYC resident. 

My look:

Face: Lancome Foundation, Nars Concealer, Glossier Stretch Concealer, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

Eyes: L'Oreal Mascara, Benefit Mascara, Lorac Pro Palette, Glossier Boy Brow,

Lips: Glossier Generation G in 'Like'

Tools: Foundation/powder: Real Techniques Flawless Base Set. Eyes: Sephora Everyday Iconic Brush Set

With love and blending,

Sarah Belle

From head to toe: The Oscar goes to...

Lets get two things straight: 1. I will never turn down an excuse to dress up and 2. this dress would clash horribly with the red carpet. 

My  look:

Dress: LACAUSA, Arcadian Mini Dress in Crimson (on sale!)

Shoes: Seychelles 'Native' Platform 

Necklace: (short) Anthropologie: similar here

Makeup: Gold & Garnet, Lorac Pro Palette & YSL Glossy Lip Stain in 208, Wet Nude

With love and shimmer,

Sarah Belle

Vegan Samoa bars: Galentines Day edition (Vegan, GF)

The way to a man's person's heart is through their stomach. P R E A C H.

I could wax on about food and fun recipes and tell the story of why I made this dessert but let's be real we all know the real culprit here- Valentine's Day. Equal parts of love and loathing happen on this day and people all over the place rush into stores last minute to pick up little tokens of love or appreciation. Inspired by this recipe by Rachel Conners and the adorable Girl Scouts who harass me on every street corner this time of year, this healthy~ish treat is a labor of love. These are totally animal product and gluten free plus made with natural almond butter- practically a vegetable.
Making food that I love with people that I love is my favorite thing any day of the year, Happy Galentines Day!

Find yourself a sous-chef who is handy in the kitchen and efficient with clean-up! 

*Spongebob voice* "A few hours later...."

A few pro tips:

• Try and get natural/freshly ground almond butter (less oil= happier you)
• This process over an hour with the hardening time required: cut down by doing a layer of chocolate in the middle instead of dipping in the squares like the recipe suggests
• Keep these little bites in the fridge or freezer, they get mushy and damaged easily 
• The more chocolate the better, honestly

With love and more love,

Sarah Belle