Edible Skin Care Recipes - Part IV

Hello everyone! Sorry I've been away so long! It's gardening season in coastal Maine and I've been busy planting my veggies in my smaller 25' x 55' organic garden and enjoying watching my husband create/construct a new, crescent-shaped, terraced, - much larger - garden outlined with native boulders. We live along the Penobscot River as it opens to the Atlantic and our property slopes down towards the water. The view from the new garden is spectacular. In this new garden, I plan on planting "things that vine & need space" such as winter squashes, pumpkins, black raspberries, blackberries, high-bush blueberries, strawberries, and corn. It's so exciting!

Today, I'll give you another recipe for "skin-beautifying food". These no-bake, semi-raw cookies are super yummy! Hope you give them a try.


APRICOT CHEWS

Each day, eat something that, if planted, would grow - such as the seeds in these no-bake cookies (if left untoasted). Apricots and raisins add iron, necessary for the hemoglobin that transports oxygen to cells, giving you a healthy glow. Lecithin granules, available in most health food stores, sharpen the mind and improve memory. Rosemary adds a peppy finish.

Ingredients:

12 dried, unsulfured apricots, chopped
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1 cup apple juice, natural or fresh squeezed
1 sprig or rosemary, minced or 1/2 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons almonds, coarsely ground or slivered, raw or lightly toasted
3 tablespoons low-fat granola cereal
3 tablespoons lecithin granules
3 tablespoons raw or toasted wheatgerm
2 tablespoons bran cereal
1 tablespoon dry milk powder or soy milk powder
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, raw or toasted
2 tablespoons sunflower seed kernels, raw or lightly toasted
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, raw or lightly toasted
Raw or lightly toasted walnut halves for garnish

To Make:

1. In a small saucepan, pour apple juice over apricots and raisins. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Drain.
2. In a food processor, puree the fruit and rosemary.
3. In a separate bowl, blend puree with almonds, granola, lecithin, wheatgerm, bran, milk powder, coconut, sunflower kernels, and sesame seeds.
4. Place mixture on waxed or parchment paper or aluminum foil. Using sides of paper, form mixture into a 10-12" log. Wrap and refrigerate for an hour or longer until firm. Slice log into 12 pieces. Press a walnut into the center of each slice.

To Use: Wrap individually with plastic food wrap and refrigerate to keep firm. Enjoy!

Yield: 1 dozen, approximately 80 calories each


NOTE & Disclaimer: The above information has been adapted from the book, "Naturally Healthy Skin" by Stephanie Tourles, Storey Publishing, 1999. It is true and complete to the best of my knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on part of the author. Ms. Tourles disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information. It is for educational purposes only. Please see a nutritionist or health professional should you have any medical questions or feel free to research this topic further on your own.

Edible Skin Care Recipes, Part 2

This is another of my skin-beautifying formulas that I consume on a regular basis. I refer to the following recipe as my "anti-stress breakfast boost" formula. It's loaded with complexion-enhancing, stress-reducing B vitamins, plus vitamin E, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, manganese, fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates for sustained energy. It is also chock-full of healthy, skin-softening fats.

I love the taste, but if you're not crazy about brewer's yeast, the flavor will take a bit of getting used to.


SKIN SO SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana or 1 cup frozen strawberries
2 cups raw cow or goat milk, or fortified soy or almond milk
1 tablespoon brewer's yeast
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
2 teaspoons raw sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon raw sesame seeds
10 raw almonds
1/4 cup raw oat flakes or cooked oatmeal
2 teaspoons raw honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-3 ice cubes (optional - makes a nice thick, frosty drink)

To Make: Combine all ingredients in blender and whiz on high until smooth for about 30-60 seconds total.

To Use: I usually consume the entire batch throughout the morning hours, taking sips between my work projects. Alternatively, pour half of the recipe into a mug, cover, and refrigerate the rest until later in the day.

Yield: Makes approximately two, 1 1/2 cup servings or 1 large meal.


NOTE: The above recipe was adapted from the book, "Naturally Healthy Skin", by Stephanie Tourles, Storey Books, 1999. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author. The author disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this recipe/information. All information dispensed by the author is for educational use only. Consult a knowledgeable, wholistic nutritionist if you have any questions about food/nutrition.

Edible Skin Care Recipes, Part 1

Ever visit a lovely, tranquil farm and see the beautiful vitamin-pill trees growing in the orchard down by the brook? Of course not! We're so busy these days that we've become a nation of pill poppers. We swallow our "once-a-day" in an effort to ensure that we get a nutritious and balanced diet - instead of paying close attention to what we actually eat. We consume so much fast food and junk food that many of us seem to think that a fractionated, synthetically-derived pill will fill the gaps in our diets. Not so!

Sure, laboratory-made vitamin and mineral supplements have their rightful place in certain disease conditions and deficiencies - for short-term usage only - but for general health and well-being and the prevention of disease, consumption of whole, unprocessed foods as Mother Nature presents them is the way to go. Additionally, naturally-derived supplements such as herbal capsules, tinctures, teas, and herbal syrups, plus brewer's yeast, spirulina, blue-green algae, chlorella, and barley and alfalfa grasses,to name a few, are wonderful, nutrient-dense foods to include in your beautiful-skin regimen.

The recipe that follows and the future edible skin care recipes that I will share with you in the next few weeks, are chock-full of easily absorbable vitamins and minerals. They'll also provide you with a delicious way to boost your energy level as well as your natural immunity.


Recipe: SKIN-SATIONAL HERB TEA

This herb tea, also referred to as a herbal infusion, is a tasty blend that, hot or cold, helps replenish a deficient system and restores lackluster skin, hair, and nails. All herbs in this formula are in dried form. Please purchase organically-grown herbs whenever possible.

2 tablespoons lemon balm leaves
1 tablespoon lavender flowers
1 tablespoon peppermint leaves
1 tablespoon chamomile flowers
1 tablespoon rose petals
1 tablespoon nettle leaves
1 tablespoon alfalfa leaves
1 tablespoon rose hips
2 teaspoons dandelion leaves
2 teaspoons raspberry leaves
1/2 teaspoon ginger root

To Make: Combine all herbs in a medium-size bowl and stir to blend. Store in a tightly-sealed tin, jar, or plastic tub or bag away from light in a cool, dry location. Best if used within 6 months.

To Use: Bring a cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon of dried tea blend. Cover and allow to steep for 10-15 minutes or longer. The longer it steeps, the more nutrients will be infused into the water. Strain before drinking. Add honey, cream, or lemon if desired. Drink 1-2 cups daily.

Yield: Approximately 30 cups of tea


Disclaimer: This article was adapted from the book, "Naturally Healthy Skin" by Stephanie Tourles, Storey Publishing, 1999. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author. The author disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information. It is for educational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified herbalist if you have any questions regarding herb usage.

How Dry I Am: What To Look For In A Natural Moisturizer

It's that bewitching time of year for your poor skin . . . the end of winter and the start of spring. The time of year when the humidity is still relatively low, the house is still being heated with forced hot air or a wood/coal stove, and your skin, fingernails, and feet are yearning for warmth and moisture. Basically, most of you are feeling parched and itchy - all over. What to do?

Firstly, you need to exfoliate your body at least once per week so that you remove the outer layer of dead skin cells - in order for your moisturizer to best penetrate and be absorbed. This exfoliation can be done using a gentle body scrub, a body brush, or a loofah sponge. For facial exfoliation, a very gentle facial scrub made with jojoba wax beads, ground oatmeal or almond meal or sunflower seed meal can be used or you can apply a homemade papaya pulp or yogurt mask. A good quality wash cloth will suffice - especially if you have sensitive skin - if you wish to keep it simple. Recipes for exfoliants are given in my book, Organic Body Care Recipes.

I'm going to share with you a list of key ingredients to look for when purchasing a natural, chemical-free (if possible) moisturizer for either face, body, or feet.

Emollients and Occlusives - These ingredients are used to soften, coat, and smooth the stratum corneum (outer layer of skin) and hold water / moisture inside the skin: beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, organic almond oil, evening primrose oil, squalane, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, sunflower seed oil, lanolin, olive oil, wheat germ oil, vitamin E, linoleic acid, kukui nut oil, jojoba oil, non-petroleum jelly, organic soybean oil. You may find products containing mineral oil, dimethicone (silicone), and petrolatum, but those are best avoided as they are not compatible with human skin.

Humectants - These are ingredients that have high water absorption capabilities (attracting water from the atmosphere to your skin) and are water soluble. They will not clog your pores: vegetable glycerin, hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate, amino acids, lactic acid, honey, urea, sorbitol, algae or seaweed extract, marshmallow root extract, comfrey root extract, polysaccharides (sugars), peptides or proteins, panthenol, NAPCA (sodium PCA). There are others such as propylene glycol and butylene glycol that are synthetic chemicals and irritants - best avoided.

Here's to soft, radiant, beautiful, moist skin. Happy Spring!

(NOTE: All recommendations are made without guaranteee on the part of the author, Stephanie Tourles - lic. holistic esthetician, aromatherapist, and herbalist. The author disclaims any liability in connection with the use of this information and recommends that the reader use their common sense. This information is for educational purposes only.)