Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (16 page)

5
Add the fish back to the pan and add the water, lemon, and salt, to taste. Cook on medium heat until the fish is cooked through (generally 10 to 15 minutes).

TIP:
A natural antibiotic, garlic is one of nature’s strongest medicines. Whether you bake it, sauté it, eat it raw, or put it in your socks, it will help your immune system year-round. At the first signs of a cold or fever, I thinly slice four garlic cloves and place two in each sock and go to sleep with socks on. The body absorbs the garlic through the pores and helps generate sweat—good for getting rid of colds and toxins.

Fish and Kale with Red Palm Oil

Makes 2 Servings

Hero Recipe!

T
his simple recipe is bursting with ingredients that boost beauty. It is also from Juka’s Palm Oil brand, inspired by my friend Juka Ceesay.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds fish fillet

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 cup red palm oil

1 large white onion, chopped

1 bundle scallions, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/2 habañero pepper, to taste, optional

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

1 handful cherry tomatoes

1 Maggi Seasoning Cube

2 handfuls mushrooms

2 handfuls kale

Preparation:

1
Clean the fish and season with the salt and lemon juice.

2
Add the palm oil into a heated pot for 2 seconds and add the seasoned fish right away. Sauté the fish on both sides for 4 minutes at a time or until semidone. Then remove the fish from the pot.

3
Add the chopped onions, chopped scallions, garlic, habañero pepper, chopped ginger, cherry tomatoes, Maggi Cube, and a pinch of salt to taste. Mix the ingredients and let them sauté for 5 minutes.

4
Add the sautéed fish back in the pot on top of everything; put the mushrooms and kale on top of the fish and mix in slightly. Cover and cook for 4 minutes.

KALE SCRUB

Mince 5 cleaned kale leaves in a food processor, or by hand. Mix some vegetable shortening into the minced kale and apply from neck to toes prior to showering. (The vegetable shortening is the binder to make the kale stick to your skin. Otherwise, you are just rubbing minced greens on your skin and hoping for the best.) Allow up to 15 minutes for the scrub to set, then lather and rinse off with warm water. If you do not use vegetable shortening in your home, you can combine the minced kale with any moisturizing lotion.

HOME-SPA PIMPLE-CRUSHING FACIAL

Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar into 1 cup of warm water. Stir. Dip a cotton ball into the mix and gently dab on the face. This is an easy, antibacterial at-home treatment.

FRUIT-ENZYME FACIAL FOR FIGHTING BROWN SPOTS

Mash strawberries, peeled fresh apricots, and lemon juice together to make a paste. Apply to your face to get rid of brown spots and freckling. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse off with tepid water.

FACIAL MIST FOR ROSY CHEEKS

Green tea is an anti-inflammatory with healing properties. Rosewater is derived from the natural beauty and healing power of the rose. Rosewater aids with circulation and has value as a toning astringent. To make this facial mist, steep a green tea bag in hot water and allow it to cool. Using a plastic bottle mister, add tea and rose water in a 1:1 ratio. Use as an astringent mist on a clean face before applying moisturizer.

JOJOBA AND ESSENTIAL OILS FACIAL FOR LACKLUSTER SKIN

To restore vibrancy to lackluster skin, mix jojoba oil with essential oils of evening primrose, lavender, rosemary, and thyme. Essential oils help soften and reconstruct cellular bonds; jojoba helps restore skin’s protective hydrolipidic film. Apply thin layer for 10 minutes; remove with tissue or warm cloth.

TIP:
Reducing irritation is important in clearing back acne. But let’s face it, you must sit in chairs and wear clothes, so something will be touching your back pretty much all the time. Backpacks, in particular, can create more direct and ongoing irritation, which may aggravate back acne in some people. They also stifle airflow, which is needed to heal wounds. Try carrying your gear in something other than a backpack.

Chapter 4

Into the Core

In putting this book together,
I consulted other experts, industry professionals, friends, and relatives. You can always learn from the people in your life. One of the best zingers of insight I received was from, not surprisingly, my seventy-year-old mother. She said, “Because I am not besieged with major skin problems and lucked out even as a teenager, I have to conclude that having firm and radiant skin must have something to do with my eating patterns. As a young person, I was not privy to unlimited junk food like kids are today. There were no vending machines and the concept of the drive-thru restaurant was quite the novelty. Although I did have my share of ice cream and cheeseburgers, for the most part I grew up in a household that ran its kitchen on fresh ingredients from local markets; my family even knew the people who ran them. We didn’t ‘order in,’ I cooked from scratch and never went a night without my cucumber eye mask and yogurt face pack.”

She was gorgeous from the inside out. And still is.

Taking mi madre’s experience to heart, I realize that her lifestyle then is less common now. Today’s time crush of raising a family, managing a career, and/or running a household offset by readily available feel-good foods can derail any of us at any given time. But unhealthy body fat can
damage organs and muscles,
not just affect the waistline. I think of “core” as not only the center of the body—the hub of physical strength—but as the zone of digestive health. You may be swamped with work, childcare responsibilities, and an overall lack of time to exercise and prepare foods that power your body. This chapter’s recipes target core body needs to fuel a healthy digestive system—the core of your bodily functions. I think it’s important to note that what we eat and put in and on our bodies should be unilateral considerations.

Additionally, I can’t say enough about the power of exercise on the mind, body, and spirit. You simply have to get your body moving, your sweat salting, and your endorphins pumping. Personally, I find the quickest, most effective exercise to be running. If I can crank out a 20-minute run two or three times a week, I can keep my 6-pack from becoming a 2-liter. Please get out there and honor thy body!! If running is not your thing due to feet, knee, or back problems, brisk walking—with hills—is also a great fat burner. You simply have got to sweat. Now onward, my friend!

SVLB’s TOP

5
Heroes for Core Health

Whole Wheat—contains all three layers of the grain, increasing vitamins, minerals, and healthy phytochemical intake.

Nuts—heart-healthy Brazil nuts and walnuts are especially good fats your body needs for energy and protein.

Tomatoes—contain vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that balance fluids and contribute to normal digestive functioning.

Green Beans—eaten raw, they increase dietary fiber, fluoride, magnesium, and vitamin A.

Berries (also watermelon)—antioxidant polyphenols create a heart-healthy environment.

Honey-Wheat Bread

Makes 2 Loaves

W
hy not make a tender wheat loaf like the one you might find at a country fair, or cooling on the windowsill at Grandma’s? Comfort food that’s good for you is the best of both worlds. Food for thought: white flour is the backbone of virtually every baked good you’ve ever eaten. When cooking with white flour, a baked recipe will usually call for the addition of water, and flour + water = paste. Yup, just like the paste kids use in elementary school. Imagine the sluggishness this “paste” translates to on your digestion. For a healthier middle ground, try cooking with whole wheat flour instead. Whole wheat flour is considered “hard”—it has a much higher protein content than “soft” white flour. Make a pact with yourself to go for whole wheat when making your bread purchases, too.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup honey

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

5 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the honey, and stir well. Mix in the whole wheat flour, salt, and vegetable oil. Work the all-purpose flour in gradually. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for at least 10 to 15 minutes. When the dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a well-oiled bowl.

3
Turn it several times in the bowl to coat the surface of the dough, and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough. Shape into two loaves, and place into two well-greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes; allow it to rise until the dough is 1 to 1½ inches above the pans.

Balsamic Chicken Pasta
with Fresh Cheese

Makes 4 Servings

I
really enjoy the combination of protein and dairy, definitely not a kosher option but one that is nutritious and satisfying. Balsamic is one of my favorite flavor enhancers and it provides many health benefits—the Bible even mentions its use as a medicinal tonic. Balsamic vinegar retains many of the nutritional benefits of the grapes from which it is made, such as cancer-fighting polyphenols.

Ingredients:

8 ounces whole wheat linguine

1 red bell pepper, julienned—bursting with vitamins A, C, and K

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar