Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (14 page)

1-1/2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt—a favorite among athletes and healthy eaters

1/4 cup shredded cucumber—hydration

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard—high in selenium

1 teaspoon garlic powder

4 whole wheat rolls, split

2 avocados, cut into wedges, as garnish

Preparation:

1
In a medium-size bowl, gently mix the turkey, salt, pepper, crushed nuts, Tabasco, and cumin.

2
Form the mixture into eight balls. Flatten into patties, about 1-inch thick.

3
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the oil.

4
Add the burgers and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, figure 5 minutes for every 1 inch of thickness.

5
While the burgers cook, mix the yogurt, cucumber, dill, mustard, and garlic powder in a small bowl.

6
Dollop the sauce on top of each burger, cap with a bun, and serve with a wedge of avocado.

HOME-SPA GREEK YOGURT FACIAL WITH MUSTARD AND CUMIN

Freeze the yogurt until firm and very cold. Fold in the mustard and cumin with the yogurt. Apply to face. The cold helps with facial puffiness; yogurt hyperhydrates and balances texture and tone. Cumin acts as an antimicrobial agent to clarify skin. Mustard helps stimulate circulation and gently exfoliates
dead skin cells. Exfoliation plays an important role in skin’s youthful appearance, as it rids the skin of dull, dead skin cells. Cell turnover in young, supple skin takes anywhere from 7 to 14 days; turnover in mature skin can take up to a month.

YOGURT-HONEY-LEMON FACIAL FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

If you don’t feel like cooking tonight but want to treat your face right, try this sensitive-skin facial. Plain acidophilus yogurt helps restore a supportive bacterial environment for sensitive or enflamed skin, and mixing it with honey and lemon moisturizes and leaves skin smooth with shrunken pores. Apply a thin layer of this natural concoction to your face. Let it dry and leave on for up to 1 hour. So easy
to look beautiful!

Avocado-Grapefruit Relish

T
his is a basic recipe I literally thought of while gazing into my refrigerator’s crisper drawer. It’s easy to get creative when you let yourself flow!

Ingredients:

1 large ripe avocado

1/2 pink grapefruit

1 clove garlic

1/2 bunch cilantro

Preparation:

Place all the ingredients in a food processor, pulse for 5 seconds.
Serve cold.

AVOCADO SMOOTHING FACIAL

An avocado mask can improve very dry skin, smoothing your skin to its natural supple state. Smash 1/2 of an avocado until whipped, and apply a thin layer to your face, avoiding the eye area. Rinse with warm water and then a splash of cold water to close the pores.

Apple and Kielbasa Salad

Makes 1 Serving

T
his is a wonderful cooked salad with multiple skin-care benefits. There’s nothing like warm fruit, and the meeting of sweet with salty is one of my favorite combos.
Kielbasa
is Polish for “sausage,” and it’s usually preflavored with garlic, pimento, and cloves, but your butcher may sell something different. You can purchase it in thick 2-inch diameter links. Oftentimes it’s also sold precooked and only needs to be heated before serving. Be sure to find out if yours is precooked as this will effect cooking time.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons cider vinegar—good for acne

1 tablespoon grainy mustard—combo of honey, turmeric, garlic, and brown sugar so good for you

1 teaspoon Truvia Baking Blend

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 pound turkey kielbasa, sliced

1 (10-ounce package) shredded red cabbage—helps lower cholesterol

3 Granny Smith apples, cored and grated—fiber

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds—essential oils, antioxidants, fiber

1 pink grapefruit, cut into triangles

Preparation:

1
In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the cider vinegar, the mustard, Truvia Baking Blend, salt, and pepper.

2
Whisk in the oil until blended. Set the dressing aside.

3
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add the sliced kielbasa. Cook for 4 minutes, turning until browned. If you purchased precooked kielbasa, cut the cooking time in the skillet by half.

4
Remove to a plate. Add the cabbage, apples, remaining 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar, and caraway seeds to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the kielbasa and dressing. Toss gently to coat. Serve with the grapefruit triangles.

MouthWatering
Grapefruit Meringue

Makes 4 Servings

I
find grapefruit to be a real thirst quencher. Something about the acidity and lightly sour taste makes it one of the most invigorating citrus fruits that’s pure and revitalizing. To up the deliciousness even more, I’ve morphed it into a refreshing meringue that caps a warmed grapefruit. Making a great meringue seems to be one of the mysteries of life: Everyone has a different theory on how to do it, when to add what ingredients, and what kinds of external effects—humidity, for example—can kink up the process. Below is my recommendation, but tweak it as you see fit if you know your meringue method to be tried and true.

Ingredients:

3 egg whites, room temperature—a lower-cholesterol protein

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar—can help with nicotine withdrawal

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup confectionary Truvia Baking Blend

2 large pink grapefruits, halved, sections precut for easier eating—potassium source

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the egg whites in a small bowl and add a pinch of tartar. Let the tartar settle in; this will help to strengthen the egg whites for forming peaks later.

2
Next, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites with the vanilla, cream of tartar, and salt until foamy. (Take care to assure that all utensils and the bowl are very clean. Any greasy residue can inhibit texture.)

3
Gradually add the confectionary Truvia Baking Blend and continue beating until the mixture is shiny and forms stiff peaks. Cover the entire open-face surface of each grapefruit half with generous gobs of meringue.

4
Bake for 15 or 20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Prune, Cranberry, and
Walnut Stuffing

Makes 12 (½-Cup) Servings

E
ven though we sometimes associate them with Grannie’s delight, prunes are simply dried plums sans pit. They are highly antioxidant (and yes, they are a natural laxative) and offer protection against osteoporosis. They are high in soluble fiber and vitamin K, which works toward bone strength. Their deep sweet taste and sticky texture make them wonderful to cook with for sweet or savory dishes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup dried cranberries—can help strengthen the immune system

1 cup chopped prunes

1 cup chopped apples, with skin on or peeled—fiber

1 cup chopped walnuts—antioxidant rich

1-1/2 cups apple juice

1 cup chopped parsley

1 box (two 6-ounce bags) seasoned breadcrumb mix

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2
Combine the butter or margarine, fruits, and nuts, and stir the apple juice in gradually. Add the parsley and breadcrumb mix.

3
Spoon into a 2½- or 3-quart greased casserole dish. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

4
Remove the cover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer for a crisper top.

Peanut Tofu Wrap

Makes 2 Servings

A
n easy-to-assemble healthy, crunchy power snack with protein, vitamins A and C, and iron. I try to be mindful when eating peanuts as allergies to them are so prevalent nowadays and we never know if the person sitting next to us could have a bad reaction, even from the scent of the nuts.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons store-bought Thai peanut sauce

2 (8-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas

4 ounces thinly sliced seasoned baked tofu—soy

1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper—antioxidant

16 thinly sliced snow peas

Preparation:

Spread peanut sauce on each tortilla. Place tofu, peppers, and snow peas in the center; fold the sides over the filling and roll up. There you have it!

Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

Makes 8 Servings

T
his recipe is gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free. But it’s rich in vitamins and minerals that are hydrating and good for your complexion. This soup gets its creaminess from coconut—a natural, delicious alternative to wheat and grain that’s packed with dietary fiber and is a good source of protein. I love anything that tastes like cream; I should have been French. The best way to derive the health-giving gifts of coconut is to use virgin coconut oil. It’s a small investment in your health that yields tremendous returns.

Ingredients:

1/2 medium white onion, chopped—chromium; needed to help regulate blood sugar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil—rich in polyphenols

1 (24-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken stock

1-1/2 pounds asparagus

5 to 6 new potatoes—complex carbohydrates

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 teaspoons raw coconut flour—gluten-free

Preparation:

1
Sauté the onions and garlic in a stockpot on medium heat with the coconut oil. Add the carton of chicken stock.

2
Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus, then chop into 1-inch sections and add to the chicken stock.

3
Cut the new potatoes into quarters and add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, then turn to low and set on simmer for 1 to 2 hours until the asparagus is very soft.

4
Remove the potatoes from the pot and set aside. Use a blender to cream the broth and asparagus mixture—let the broth cool a bit before blending. When the asparagus and broth are blended thoroughly, add the potatoes back into the pot and turn up the heat to almost boiling.

5
Add 2 teaspoons of raw coconut flour to the pot and whisk until it’s combined. Add as much coconut flour as you like until the soup is as thick as you want it.

Grilled Asparagus Spears with Smoked Salmon and Tangy Mustard

Makes 6 Servings

E
ating asparagus is a health-smart move. More calories will be burned to digest it than gained from eating it and its skin-care benefits are many. Smoked salmon is more than a bagel topping or an omelet filling. It doesn’t lose its health benefits in the smoking process and is super easy to prepare and cook with because it is already cooked! It is low in fat and high in protein, and a good source of phosphorous, selenium, and zinc. I always have thin slices of it in my refrigerator, which I pick up from my local deli on the weekend. When I don’t have the time to prepare a proper meal, I finesse a piece of smoked salmon into a hand roll, and snack on it when I need energy. Sometimes I just wrap it around a cheese stick, munch, and go.