Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (7 page)

What You Should Know

Fruits and vegetables with vitamin C, like oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, papaya, green peppers, and tomatoes, should be a big part of your life, if they aren’t already. Try to eat a rainbow of colors every day. Vitamin C is
numero uno
for eye health.

Vitamin E, found in vegetable oils (safflower and corn oil), almonds, pecans, wheat germ, and sunflower seeds, among other foods, protects eye cells from damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals, which break down healthy tissue. Beta-carotene is also essential for eye health. Try eating lots of deep orange or yellow fruits and vegetables, such as cantaloupe, mangos, apricots, peaches, sweet potatoes, and carrots.

Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens, asparagus, kale, and spinach are the primary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin [zea-ZAN-thin], which promote eye health through their ability to filter out UV light. Get keen on greens! Stat! Please understand that if your eyes are healthy, you will likely be squinting and rubbing them less frequently, and since squinting and rubbing, over time, will cause wrinkling, you definitely want to avoid it!

Zinc is also important. Good sources of zinc include beef, lamb, oysters, eggs, shellfish, milk, peanuts, whole grains, and wheat germ. And of course, who could forget those famous omega-3 fatty acids? You will read a lot about them in this book, but, for now, you can zero in on leafy greens, nuts, fish, soy, flaxseed, and vegetable oils like canola to kick-start your Getting Gorgeous plan. In this chapter, these recipes and ingredients yield more benefits than meet the eye. If you can cook and eat them
and
put them on your skin, you are creating a full cycle of inside-out beauty as a whole! Let’s kick it off with my celebrity eye-care treatment. Here’s an all-natural evening facial for a revitalized face in the morning. It will help you look like you’ve Z’d for eight hours when all you got was four:

ALL-NATURAL SPINACH FACIAL

Blend 1 cup of frozen spinach with ½ cup of coffee grounds and add 1 cup of Greek yogurt. Apply on face and eyes. Lie down and relax for 5 minutes and then wash off.

Moving forward, here are my personal favorites for hydration and health that yield the best results for eye clarity and eye-area youthfulness. The list could go on and on, but that would be source material for my next book!

TOP

5
Hero Foods for Youth-Looking Eyes

Spinach, and other leafy greens—vitamin C promotes eye health internally.

Garlic—it contains healthy, reliable amounts of selenium. Like lycopene, selenium can protect the eyes from disease.

Tomatoes—their concentrated antioxidant lycopene is a key component of eye health.

Avocados—they have more lutein than any other commonly consumed fruit. Lutein protects against macular degeneration and cataracts.

Bananas—their vitamin compounds preserve the membranes that surround your eyes.

Spinach Pie

Makes 5 to 6 Servings

D
eclining eyesight as we age is a slice of humble pie. Just when we thought we had the X-ray vision of youth, we start to see things a little more fuzzily. Spinach is a rich source of lutein, a carotenoid, which is known to help protect against cataracts and other age-related macular degeneration. It has the power to reduce dark circles under the eyes due to its high levels of vitamins K and C.

Ingredients:

7 large eggs—
protein blast

2 tablespoons milk, or soy milk

3 roasted garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 dash salt

3 slices cooked bacon, chopped (optional)

1 large flour tortilla—
half the calories of a slice of bread

1-1/2 cups any blend shredded cheese

3 cups fresh spinach—
antioxidant power

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 365°F.

2
Mix the first six ingredients (eggs, milk, garlic, lemon pepper, salt, and bacon) in a bowl. Set aside.

3
Lay the flour tortilla in a glass pie dish, and press gently.

4
Sprinkle ½ cup of the shredded cheese on the tortilla.

5
Sprinkle the remaining cheese and the spinach onto the tortilla in layers, and press gently.

6
Pour the egg mixture evenly over the spinach, being careful not to pour any outside of the tortilla as this causes it to stick to the dish.

7
Bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Insert a fork in the center and it should come out clean.

8
Use a sharp knife to cut into pie slices and serve hot. For added flavor, serve with homemade salsa.

Crunchy, Cheesy Kale Chips

Makes 4 Snack-Size Servings

K
ale is the oft-neglected leafy green. Many people are not yet familiar with how to cook it, what to eat it with, or even what it looks like. Kale is a form of cabbage, usually green, in which the central leaves do not form a head; they look more like ragged-edge palm leaves, are slightly rubbery to the touch, and are slightly coarse. Kale is high in antioxidants, containing folate, calcium, and other nutrients that support bone health, protect against cognitive decline, and help prevent age-related eye problems. Loaded with calcium and magnesium, too, these Crunchy, Cheesy Kale Chips are the new chip for food-savvy eaters. You’ll want to gobble them up by the bowlful and share them with your neighbors! You’ll never feel guilty about eating a crunchy zesty snack that’s low in fat and good for you. These are my favorite when topped with a little almond butter dressing.

Ingredients:

1 large bunch kale, cleaned and dried, tough stems removed,
leaves torn to palm-size pieces

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2
In a large bowl, use your hands to mix the kale and olive oil until the leaves are coated with oil.

3
Spread the kale evenly in one layer on a cookie sheet, then sprinkle with the cheese. Use two sheets if necessary.

4
Bake for 15 minutes, or until crisp. Eat immediately.

Homemade Salsa

Makes 2 to 3 Cups

T
rying to dream up something light and simple but packed with flavor? Add salsa to your meal. Salsa adds loads of flavor, jazzing up just about any everyday dish. It’s also great with a side of blue corn tortilla chips. This salsa recipe is well worth the chopping time.

Ingredients:

4 medium tomatoes, cored, seeds removed, chopped

2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion

1 to 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño

2 heaping tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice—vitamin-C antioxidant power to protect eyes from aging

Preparation:

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

BRIGHTENING LIME-TURMERIC FACE MASK

Vitamin C helps fight cellular damage and improve skin’s elasticity. It prevents wrinkles and is known to brighten the complexion. Lime juice has a high amount of vitamin C and alpha hydroxy acids (AHA), which are also known to brighten skin. Turmeric powder acts as a disinfectant and is one of my favorite, natural skin-clarifying secrets! Olive oil works here as a natural moisturizer. This mask will brighten your complexion. You’ll need:

1-1/2 teaspoons flour

Pinch of turmeric powder

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon whole milk

1/2 teaspoon lime juice or juice from a fresh lime

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Apply to a clean face, and leave on until your skin begins to feel tight, approximately 15 minutes. Note: The potency of this mask expires in about 5 days as the natural process of oxidation affects the ingredients upon exposure to the air. Share it with a friend so you don’t waste the magic.

Roasted Garlic and Kale Soup

Makes 4 Servings

T
his recipe is especially rich in lutein/zeaxanthin, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and zinc. It also provides fiber, B vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, manganese, potassium, and selenium. If you’re going on a date tomorrow, maybe stay off the garlic tonight and save this recipe for another meal!

Ingredients:

1 medium-size bulb of garlic

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni—healthy starch

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1-1/2 cups diced onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage—antioxidant and antimicrobial properties

8 cups washed, drained, and chopped kale—superfood

1-1/2 pounds sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces—superfood

8 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon McCormick chicken base, or 1 to 2 chicken bouillon cubes (optional)

2 (8-ounce) cans butter beans, drained and rinsed—fiber; cardiovascular benefits

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1
Heat the oven to 425°F.

2
Wrap the garlic bulb in foil and bake for 40 minutes or until soft. Remove from the foil, cool, and remove the cloves from the papery shell. Set the cloves aside.

3
Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package until al dente. Drain and set aside.

4
In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sage and cook until the onion is transparent, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes. Add the kale and continue to stir for another 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, stock, and chicken base. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the sweet potato is soft, but still firm, approximately 15 minutes. Simultaneously, add the cooked garlic cloves.

5
Add the macaroni and beans to the soup, add salt and pepper, and heat through for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Pear, Stilton, and Chicory Salad
with Chestnuts

Makes 3 to 4 Servings

C
hicory has disease-fighting phytochemicals and is one of the top vegetable sources of vitamins A, E, and K, fiber, calcium, potassium, pantothenic acid, copper, and folate. It is loaded with beta-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin. The chicory variety in this recipe is called curly endive, which has a bitter taste, but, when mixed with other neutralizing vegetables, it makes for a rather pleasing taste combination that’s fresh, light, and hydrating. Choose a curly endive with firm leaves of a beautiful green color and no spots.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 (8-ounce) jars of roasted, skinned chestnuts—high in fiber

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 Asian pears—vitamin C

1 teaspoon grainy mustard—high in selenium

1 tablespoon sherry

1 tablespoon white truffle oil

1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots—vitamin A; copper

1/2 head chicory (aka curly endive), torn—6 cups

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds—antioxidants

3 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled—good dairy source

Preparation:

1
Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté the chestnuts with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until just crisp on the outside, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

2
Core the pears, then cut lengthwise into thin slices.

3
Whisk together the mustard, sherry, salt, and pepper in a large metal bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the truffle oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Add the shallots, whisk another minute.

4
Next, add in the chicory, chestnuts, pears, half of the pomegranate seeds, and Stilton and toss until evenly coated. Top with the remaining half of pomegranate seeds and season with salt and pepper.