Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (12 page)

And my universal, all-for-one and one-for-all desert island recommendations: 1) always wear a high level SPF that has anti-aging properties, and 2) take a multi-omega and flax liquid gel. Stat!

Beautiful, sexy, age-appropriate skin is about long-term choices. If I explained to you that you could eat certain foods that taste great, and, in effect, stimulate cell rejuvenation, would you eat them? (Here’s the other part of the quiz.) How about if you were introduced to a host of ingredients and superfoods that not only cut calories and trans fats but actually boost your skin health—would you be open to adding those to your diet? Savvy folks are changing their eating habits and how they nourish their bodies. Food for thought: Skin is the largest organ of the human body weighing more than the human brain. Since over 90 percent of all skin problems start from within, you can believe that what you ingest affects the way you look, and what you eat and put in and on your body therefore affects the way you live. Do the people you know who have gorgeous skin eat Little Debbies and Wonder Bread? Perhaps there’s a bigger-picture reason why these factory-made subfoods have disappeared!

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5
Hero Foods for Overall Skin Health

Water—always keep skin hydrated with an atomizer. Continuously misting the skin will help lock in moisture to allow the skin to rebalance itself. This is especially important during air travel.

Polyphenols—free-radical fighters like pomegranates, deep-colored grape juices, and acai berries; the deep color is a polyphenol indicator.

Avocados—omega-3s are needed for healthy glowing skin.

Pink grapefruits—healthy skin-balancing acidity and pink-red hue from lycopene—a carotenoid that may help to keep your skin smooth. Grapefruit balances well with savory dishes.

Leafy greens—they contain beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A, essential for growth and repair of the body’s tissues, including skin.

SPF 30+ (sorry, couldn’t resist)—it’s the easiest way to ward off wrinkles and unsightly sunspots.

Pomegranate Chicken

Makes 2 Servings

T
his is another savory/sweet combo that I like and recommend. The pomegranates really play center stage in this dish of very-good-for-you ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 pomegranate

1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons red palm oil

1 medium-size onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preparation:

1
Seed the entire pomegranate, and set aside.

2
Rub the chicken breasts with thyme, salt, and pepper.

3
In a large skillet, heat the red palm oil over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes, turning once. Remove the chicken.

4
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion is golden.

5
Return the chicken to the skillet.

6
In a small bowl, whisk the broth, orange juice, mustard, and cornstarch. Add to the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until thick.

Skin-Balancing Chicken Strips

Makes 2 Servings

T
his delicious dish is rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E, which are beneficial to every skin type, especially those with aging skin. It’s a go-to nutritious and tasty meal for any household.

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup oil

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup fresh pomegranate juice—
antioxidants

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved—
protein powerhouse

Preparation:

1
Place the mangoes, honey, and lime juice in a blender; cover and blend until smooth. Place the mango mixture in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

2
Mix the oil, soy sauce, and pomegranate juice in a small bowl to make a marinade.

3
Cut the chicken into strips and place in a glass pan. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and marinate for 4 hours.

4
Set the oven to broil. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until done. Serve with the mango sauce.

Grape Jelly

Makes 20 Servings

G
rape jelly is a classic that can be enjoyed with everything from whole-grain toast and peanut butter to red apples and cheese. When you make it from scratch, the satisfaction factor is even higher, and the sugar content is lower.

Ingredients:

4 cups 100 percent dark grape juice

1 tablespoon powdered pectin (a thickener)

2 cups Truvia Baking Blend

Preparation:

Bring the juice to a simmer over medium-high in a large saucepan. Whisk in the pectin and cook, whisking occasionally, for 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low; add the Truvia Baking Blend, whisking until dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool slightly before pouring into jars and refrigerating.

Spiced Grape Butter

Makes About 4 Cups

T
his is a rustic spread that tastes amazing on toast or tea cookies. It’s also wonderful served with a hearty loaf of country bread, accompanied by a warm cup of tea. “Purple fairy paste” is what my friend calls it to sell it to her kids, and since kids tend to be less adventurous in the food department you gotta do whatever works! This is delicious and savory.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds stemmed Concord grapes—
antioxidants

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 cup water

2-1/2 cups Truvia Baking Blend

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (substitute cardamom here if you prefer)

Preparation:

1
Wash the grapes; separate the skins from pulp.

2
Cook the pulp until it’s soft; sieve to remove the seeds, if necessary.

3
Add the orange peel and water; cook 10 minutes.

4
Add the skins; heat to boiling.

5
Add the Truvia Baking Blend and spices; cook till thick.

6
Pour hot into sterilized jars. Seal immediately. Let it sit for 24 hours before using.

Stimulating Cinnamon Facial

Prepare a paste of two parts cinnamon powder and one part honey; leave it on your skin for as long as you can. Rinse off with warm water. Awakens and revitalizes skin.

Cumin Roasted Cauliflower
with Yogurt, Mint, and
Pomegranate

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

T
his meal has a Middle Eastern flare; the combo of cumin and pomegranates—spices and seeds—pairs up for a delightfully light but filling dish you could even present as a main course. I find that roasted cauliflower (or any roasted veg) is supremely appetizing, and I could eat it by the bowlful. Cumin and cauliflower are pretty much perfect together.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large head cauliflower, 1 to 1-3/4 pounds

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds—digestive and antiseptic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup plain yogurt—I use whole-milk yogurt, Greek style

1/4 cup crumbled feta (optional)—protein

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds—low-cal superfruit

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush a large baking sheet or roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

2
Cut your cauliflower into bite-size florets. Toss the florets with the remaining olive oil, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper and spread out on a prepared tray. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and its edges are toasty.

3
Either whisk a pinch of salt into your yogurt, or to make feta-yogurt sauce, blend ¾ cup of yogurt with feta in a food processor until smooth. Spoon yogurt or feta-yogurt sauce onto the cauliflower, then sprinkle the dish with chopped mint and pomegranate seeds.

Pomegranate Chicken

Makes 2 Servings

T
his is another savory/sweet combo that I like and recommend. The pomegranates really play center stage in this dish of very-good-for-you ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 pomegranate

1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons red palm oil

1 medium-size onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preparation:

1
Seed the entire pomegranate, and set aside.

2
Rub the chicken breasts with thyme, salt, and pepper.

3
In a large skillet, heat the red palm oil over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes, turning once. Remove the chicken.

4
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion is golden.

5
Return the chicken to the skillet.

6
In a small bowl, whisk the broth, orange juice, mustard, and cornstarch. Add to the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until thick.

Skin-Balancing Chicken Strips

Makes 2 Servings

T
his delicious dish is rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E, which are beneficial to every skin type, especially those with aging skin. It’s a go-to nutritious and tasty meal for any household.

Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup oil

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup fresh pomegranate juice—
antioxidants

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved—
protein powerhouse

Preparation:

1
Place the mangoes, honey, and lime juice in a blender; cover and blend until smooth. Place the mango mixture in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

2
Mix the oil, soy sauce, and pomegranate juice in a small bowl to make a marinade.

3
Cut the chicken into strips and place in a glass pan. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and marinate for 4 hours.

4
Set the oven to broil. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until done. Serve with the mango sauce.

Pasta with Pumpkin
Meat Sauce

Makes 4 Servings

E
very time I make this for dinner my nieces and nephews devour it! The surprise ingredient is pumpkin, which provides a boost of beta-carotene for glowing skin and enhanced immunity. And the best part is, picky-eater kids won’t even notice the pumpkin is there. And I sure do know a lot of picky eaters.

Ingredients:

1 package whole wheat rotini pasta or whole wheat penne