(¥Y Absolut drag-u-lous ¥ Anime-zing (¥ Making a wish And more! EN -W-lOM(o(-t- Mich mB cela ee M lifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Meatless Monday: Mug meals > Quick and easy meals to make in your microwave Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor A re you super lazy? Do you ate cooking, but also hate starving? Are you constantly ina rush? Well, you're in luck, because I have some quick fixes for you. The lazy chef in me knows that there is nothing better than wreaking sweet havoc on my microwave. It’s convenient and fast, and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand how it works—not like those nasty convection ovens! So, for my friends on the go, here are some “mug meals” that you can make on your own. Soup of the day Ingredients: -half a tomato, sliced -three stemmed and quartered mushrooms -1/2 tsp garlic powder -1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes -1 cup vegetable broth -a handful of spinach Ina large mug combine the broth, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic powder, and parsley. Cover this with a saucer completely, then microwave for two to three minutes depending on your microwave’s heat setting. It’s done when the mushrooms look steamed and the tomatoes have softened. Toss in your spinach and stir before eating. The poor man’s pizza Ingredients: -4 tbsp flour -1/8 tsp salt -1/8 tsp baking powder -3 tbsp milk -1 tbsp olive oil -2 tbsp canned or jarred marinara sauce -pinch of baking soda Ina mug, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Thoroughly mix in the oil and milk so that there are no chunks, or until it looks like dough. When you're done mixing, layer the marinara sauce, as well as whatever toppings you want—I prefer just having cheese and some rosemary, but you do you boo. Microwave for one and a half to two minutes. Let it sit for a bit so it can cool down, then enjoy! Basic brownie Ingredients: -3 tbsp flour -3 tbsp brown sugar -3 tbsp cocoa powder -3 tbsp canola oil -3 tbsp water -1/2 tsp vanilla extract -2 tsp white chocolate chips Combine all the ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) in a regular sized mug. Mix until everything is even and there are no random dry spots of only powder. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Microwave for one minute, then let it stand until it is at room temperature. For extra fun, you can top with ice cream or whip cream. Beauty on a budget: Odds and ends > Get great looking skin this summer Lauren Kelly Editor-in-Chief Ix covered a lot of products here over the last couple years, but sometimes a single treasured find or good deal can’t be stretched out into a whole article. Here is a collection of recommendations for amazing looking skin. Boscia Black Charcoal Blotting Linens No matter how good your foundation, primer, or setting powder is, sometimes oil still sneaks through. I’ve tried a lot of different blotting papers to combat this, but I found that a lot of them pulled my makeup off with the oil. The Boscia charcoal blotting papers are not only the best I’ve tried at absorbing oil quickly and easily, but they stay true to their promise of not disturbing my makeup. The black charcoal is there to help purify your pores, which would be a benefit for those who wear less makeup than I do. They also come in Green Tea with antioxidants for people who struggle with acne. Although they’re about twice as much as drugstore blotting papers—$14 at Sephora—the 100- pack will last for a long time and the increase in quality is worth it. Essence Say NO to Dark Circles, Imperfections, Redness Concealer Sticks As I’ve covered previously, Essence is a treasure-trove of ultra-budget makeup. Their concealer crayons come in three shades— pink, green, and beige—and are each targeted at one problem area. As usual, the green stick is for redness, the pink is to brighten up dark circles, and the beige is for general concealing. They all work well, although they aren’t full coverage, and | use the first two fairly often. However, the beige is a bit dark and unnatural on me, and it won't work for people with darker skin tones, either. They're super easy to apply since they do come as a crayon, and they blend in easily. This is a good recommendation for people looking to try out targeted concealing like this, and better than a concealing palette since you can buy as many or as few of the colours as you need. At $3.99 each at Shoppers, these are a must try. There is one caveat, however. Some Essence stands have begun replacing these with a new line of colour correcting sticks, with three new colours—purple for dull skin, pink for tired skin, and yellow for dark circles—and a new price-point of $5.99. Although I have not tested these, I would hope that the higher price correlates with better quality. Either way, these and their cheaper versions are a great deal. Physicians Formula Argan Wear Glow Oil Over the last few years, Argan Oil has become an essential ingredient in beauty. You can buy Argan Oil hair aduacss & $70 3, 30 oo r= uw 3 iy ky Tans| oe 0 aan ae ao 5 5 ay products, skincare, and even nail polish. However, getting your hands on a bottle of the stuff can be expensive. Luckily, Physician’s Formula offers a budget friendly option at $20 for 30 millilitres. It’s 100 per cent Argan Oil, and that means it can be applied to your hair, face, nails—where ever you want! To compare, Josie Maran at Sephora offers the same product at 50 millilitres for $60. If you deal with dry hair, skin, or nails, this is definitely worth trying out. ssauUpsA 0] ON Aes a ruassa& Photo Illustration by Joel McCarthy