Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (17 page)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil—follow the Mediterraneans: use it inside and out

1 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 cup halved small fresh mozzarella balls

1/2 cup crumbled soft goat cheese

Preparation:

1
Cook the linguine according to the package directions; drain.

2
Sauté the bell pepper in a small skillet over medium heat until limp, about 12 to 15 minutes.

3
Meanwhile, whisk the vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; slowly whisk in the oil. Stir ½ cup of basil into the dressing.

4
Place the pasta, chicken, cooked peppers, mozzarella, goat cheese, and remaining basil in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.

Walnut-Miso Dip

Makes About 1½ Cups

M
iso is an enzymatic, fermented paste made from soybeans that can reduce triglycerides in the blood. It’s sweet, savory, and pungent when you eat it by itself, but, when you put it in soup, or mix it into a chip or veggie dip, it’s savory and incredibly good for you. One cup of miso soup a day will fight belly fat, too. Miso contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It helps stimulate the secretion of digestive fluids in the stomach. It restores beneficial probiotics to the intestines. It is also high in antioxidants that protect against free radicals.

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts, or pecans if you prefer—selenium

3 tablespoons sweet or mellow miso (in the Asian foods aisle)

3/4 cup vegetable stock or water

1 to 2 teaspoons rice syrup, optional

Preparation:

1
In an unoiled medium-size skillet, roast the walnuts (or pecans) over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant.

2
Place the roasted walnuts in a blender along with the miso and stock, and blend until smooth. If desired, add rice syrup to taste. Use immediately. Covered and refrigerated, the dip will keep for
about 3 days.

TIP:
The simple act of drinking a glass of water before each meal is a great weight-loss strategy. It fills your belly with liquid, reducing the amount of space left for food. Your stomach gets full more quickly, sending signals to your brain to “stop eating, you’re full.”

PRO TIP:
Get extra benefits from your drinking water by crushing your vitamins and dissolving them in the glass before drinking to make vitamins more bioavailable. Your skin will glow with the benefits.

Green Beans with Walnuts

Makes 4 Servings

I
n this simple side dish you get the benefits of a very good source of vitamins, minerals, and plant-derived micronutrients from the beans, and healthy, brain-lubricating fats from walnuts, the “intellectual nut” (observe their kernel’s convoluted surface—resembles the brain, no?). Walnuts also help to lower total cholesterol, as well as LDL or “bad cholesterol,” and increase HDL or “good cholesterol” levels in the blood.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup crushed walnuts

1 tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon truffle sea salt

1 pound green beans, ends trimmed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts, stir and sear until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2
Add 1 tablespoon of truffle sea salt to the boiling water, then add the beans and cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes; drain.

3
Add the beans, pepper, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt to the skillet and return to medium heat to heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Use tongs to combine.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

Makes 2 Servings

Q
uinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat. It comes from a leafy plant native to South America. It is also a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids and contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains. Olé!

Ingredients: Salad

1 cup uncooked red quinoa—
superfood

1-3/4 cups water

1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed—
fiber

2 small zucchini or one large, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped—
superfood

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 cup corn kernels (fresh is best)

1 avocado, chopped into 1-inch pieces

Dressing

4 to 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin—works as a weight-loss aid

Preparation: Salad

1
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

2
Allow the quinoa to cool for about 5 minutes after cooking. Fluff with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well.

Dressing

1
Whisk together all the ingredients.

2
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well with additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring the salad to room temperature before serving.

Sinful Skin-Ful Nachos

Makes About 48 Nachos

H
ere you have my famous nacho recipe that doesn’t make your skin feel greasy and your gut feel queasy when you’re done eating it. Lots of my celebrity clients adore this one, but probably not as much as I adore them. Sinfully satisfying for the salt craving with lots of beauty benefits built-in, too.

Ingredients:

6 wheat tortillas—rich in selenium

1 tablespoon canola oil—rich in fatty acids

1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese—vitamins A and D and calcium

6 diced black olives—monounsaturated fats and vitamin E

1/2 tablespoon ground flaxseed powder

3 tablespoons sour cream—lactic acid, a natural exfoliator

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2
Cut each tortilla into eight triangular pieces and place them on a
baking sheet. Drizzle them with the canola oil and bake for 10 minutes.

3
When the chips start to get crisp, sprinkle on the cheddar cheese and black olives and put them back in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.

4
Mix the flaxseed powder with the sour cream, top each nacho with a dollop of the mixture, and serve.

Bean and Cheese
Breakfast Burrito

Makes 1 Serving

T
his breakfast will keep you powered all the way until lunchtime. Packed with protein and fiber, it’s a winning combo that’s sure to give you a solid burst of energy in the morning.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper—antioxidant source

1 teaspoon minced jalapeño pepper—a thermogenic food that helps burn away calories

3 egg whites—pure protein, low cholesterol

2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese—calcium

¼ cup black beans, if using canned, rinse and drain—fiber

1/3 cup 1-inch chopped, canned green beans, drained

1 small whole wheat tortilla—whole wheat keeps you feeling fuller longer

Salsa or hot sauce, optional

Preparation:

1
Liberally oil a small pan with cooking spray and preheat it over medium heat. Sauté the bell pepper and jalapeño until tender, about 5 minutes.

2
In a small bowl whip together the egg whites. Add the egg whites to the pan and scramble until cooked through. Remove the cooked egg mixture from the heat and mix in the cheese, and black and green beans.

3
Add the mixture to the center of the tortilla. To make a burrito, fold up the bottom of the tortilla (to prevent the filling from spilling out), and then fold over both of the sides. Add a dollop of spicy salsa or hot sauce to give your burrito a kick.

Pecorino and Bean Salad

Makes 2 Servings

W
hen it’s time to spill the beans, you know I will be there with a ready fork and a thoughtful ear. I like pecorino for this salad because it contains an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, which can actually help fight fat. Say cheese!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves—dietary fiber, folic acid; can be grown in your kitchen

2 cups shelled edamame beans—star legume of the soy family

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed—a traditional Italian bean with a nutty flavor

5 ounces pecorino, cut into ½-inch chunks

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley—flavonoids

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Preparation:

1
In a small, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rosemary. Set aside.

2
Combine the edamame beans, cannellini beans, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a serving bowl. Add the garlic mixture and toss well until all the ingredients are coated.

Spaghetti Squash in
Homemade Tomato Sauce

Makes 10 Servings

T
he whole family will love this dish, especially kids who may be amused by the orange spaghetti in their bowl. In fact, this is a fun dish to make with kids—if you’re up for a little splash of tomato sauce here and there. It’s always wonderful to see a child’s eyes widen with delight when they learn something new about everyday stuff they already know all about (wink, wink). Spaghetti made from a squash? So unique! So healthy! Spaghetti squash is high in manganese, which aids in the production of healthy bones, tissues, and sex hormones. The spaghetti squash variety can be considered a summer or winter squash and is available year-round in most grocery stores; you will need one for this recipe. Now hit the sauce. . . .

Ingredients: Sauce

4 pounds medium-size tomatoes—important source of lycopene, a key antioxidant

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

4 to 5 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fresh oregano, to taste

Fresh basil, to taste

Fresh parsley, to taste

Spaghetti Squash

1 (5-pound) spaghetti squash

Preparation: Sauce

1
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Then, cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for about 30 seconds, then place in a colander and rinse under cold water, or place in an ice water bath. This cold process is called “shocking” and will maintain the tomato’s integrity after having been boiled. Peel the tomatoes; discard the skins.

2
Quarter the tomatoes. Place a bowl under a strainer to reserve the juices. Squeeze the seeds out of the tomatoes over the strainer (this is the messy part). Then coarsely chop the tomatoes.

3
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the diced onions for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes. The tomatoes should be tender at this point. Using a potato masher, gently break up the tomatoes while they are in the pot. Continue to simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. If needed, add the reserved tomato juice until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.