Kitchen Beauty Solution to try

As I flipped through this months issue of Self, I came across these. Thought to share it with all.

Tone:

Redness- Reducing mist

Brew a cup of organic chamomile tea: let it cool, then pour into a spray bottle and spritz all over the face. Extracted from the daisy plant, chamomile acts as an anti inflammatory to quickly calm irritation and reduce puffiness.

Scrub

Line Lessener

Create a full body exfoliate by pulverizing a hand full of almonds, one orange peel and a cup of grape seed oil in a blender.
This anti-oxidant rich cocktail blocks wrinkle-causing, collagen-degrading free radicals while fine granules slough flakes, leaving skin soft and supple.

Treat:

Zit Zapper

Squeeze two lemons into half cup of water, then splash over face and rinse. Lemon juice contains alpha hydroxy acid, which dissolves dead skin and fights bacteria, so the concoction helps banish blemishes. Keeping the skin all clear.

Life in a Day of Tamara... not too fun folks

Tuesday
Got up at 6:30, drank warm lemon and cayenne pepper water then hot organic dark roast coffee with a touch of stevia and heavy whipping cream. Drank while relaxing in bed reading Self Magazine.
Ran 3 miles just before hot “sweaty” yoga and drank 32 oz of water during class
Snacked on a few sunflower seeds on my drive home.
Got home and ate browned buffalo meat topped salsa and avocado over shredded purple cabbage and followed it up with sipping on apple cider vinegar water for the next couple hours
– no time to shower, yuk!! Changed into sweat outfit and counseled on client
Finally showered… yeah. Not sure I look any better but at least I smell better.
Few hours later I had ½ taco salad with ground turkey, cabbage, salsa, olives, little black bean and of course one of my staples avocado
Saw 6 clients and somewhere in the middle I can another cup of java
Dinner time… done with clients and I had the other ½ of the salad & this time I added olive oil to itl
Water all day long… addicted!!
Multi-tasking… emails, typing programs and cooking salmon with pesto, cod with curry for tomorrow.
Off to soul shine for a practitioners’ meeting from 6:30 – 9:00. Power meeting with other amamzing practiciioners discussing the synergy of communit. – love it!
9 – home to have a few bites of salmon with pesto, green tea, answer emails.
10:19 typing this and going to get into bed and watch a funny tv program for 15 mintues before sleeping in my soft bed surrounded by my 5 pillows. Yes you heard it hear 5 pillows.


Sunday -
7:30 woke up feeling refreshed. I had Hollee from Mammoth staying with me and we always have the best conversation and I went to bed feeling full of love, adventure and excitement for life.

sipped my coffee... and i do mean sip... ask my boyfriend. he may even call is slurp. i love it super duper hot so i need to sip/slurp

9:30 another one of my favorite women, Erin came and got me for running. 8 miles later we were thankful it was behind us and now we are off for some real fun, breakfast.

We has coupons for french bakery in Encinitas that we got at our last 1/2 marathon. So being the responsible ladies we try to be we used them. We both got omelets with side salad no dressing and baguette. I loved every bite and especially the baguette with lots of butter on it. We sat outside in the lovely sun and ran into Don & Rebekah. They both looked great and i look forward to playing with them some time soon.

time to run a few errands, off to smart and final to get containers for my nuts so orders - love those nuts so's!! and then over to the forum shops for a pair of shoes. Somehow i ended up in Victoria Secrets even though they do not sale shoes. nevertheless i was able to find a few things that i loved!!! then off to next door , studion 12.20 for shoes... and.... and ... it's tough being a girl. could you imagine what would have happened if i made it down to lululemon... yikes. It was a little easier not to go thier because my sweet boyfriend Jason just bought me the cutiest outfit yet to date from lulu. Pink shorts and a tangerine shirt. Adorable and i feel like a jelly bean!

now... reality and stress is setting in. i need to get home and get to work. i have hours of work i want / need to do.

i get in the door and i am already looking for things to do besides work but finally i got a handful of nuts, lots of water and bulking down i go.

hour or so later i eat tuna fish with lots of avocado in cabbage and i followed it up wiith an afternoon cup of coffee and an IsaDelight chocolate. If you want to know what those are go to www.athealth.isagenix.com and look under products. I love my treats!!

more programs, more power points, more emails, more organizing for the week. Ahhh now ready for more nuts and more water.

then off to wash my face, heat my lavendar neck wrap for bed and off to lala land in my pillows.

sleep tight all

COOK FOR HAPPINESS-Pistachio Crusted Salmon With Orange-Lime Spinach Salad.

I love it, when chefs value good health. I recently came across this recipe by chef Jennifer Iserloh of New York city.

It showcases nature's tastiest mood lifters, so I thought of sharing it with all of you'll.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 slices whole wheat bread, untoasted.
• 6 tbsp shelled pistachios
• 2 tbsp packed fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 salmon fillets (4 oz each), skin removed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt

For the salad

• zest and juice of 1 small orange
• Zest and juice of 1 large lime
• 1 large shallot, quartered
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp slat
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp mild chilli powder
• 1 lb raw spinach

Method

1. Heat oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
2. puree salad ingredients except the spinach.
3. pulse bread , nuts, parsley and garlic powder in food processor until nuts are roughly chopped.
4. pour onto wax paper.
5. season salmon with salt and pepper.
6. coat top with yogurt, press into breadcrumb.
7. Place breadcrumb side up on baking sheet lined with aluminium foil.
8. Bake until fish is no longer translucent in center. about 15 minutes
9. divide spinach among 4 plates, top it with 2 tbsp dressing and 1 fillet.

Enjoy and savour the serenity!!!!

Great Stress Busting Foods

Stress these days, is second nature to us. What we eat plays an important role in controlling our lifestyles.
Recently a health magazine put together these stress busters.

Here they are :

For brightening Moods

Almonds
Low-fat yogurt
Pistachios
Salmon
Scallops
Shrimp
Walnut

The B vitamin present in these foods stimulate the brain's production of serotonin, helping us relax, explains Paul Lachance, Ph.D,professor emeritus of nutrition and food science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Nuts are rich in B6 and fish and yogurt in B12.

For Jump-Starting Immunity

Blueberries
Broccoli
Green bell peppers
Kiwifruit
Strawberries
Tomatoes

These yummy fruits and veggies are high vitamin C, which blunts out the effects of stress by reducing free radicals and bolstering our immune system. A defence vitamin against stressors like cold and exertion.

For Managing Anger

Avocados
Bananas
Black beans
Corn
Potatoes
White beans

Potassium helps lower blood pressure, which is a leading cause of anger and stress. Try these potassium rich foods to keep your anger under control.

For Sounder Sleep

Chickpeas

Lentils

Oatmeal

Pumpkin Seeds

Spinach

Swiss chard

According to the American Dietetic Association, Magnesium is a natural tranquilizer and helps relax the muscles., blood vessels and the gastrointestinal tracts. The mineral plays a great role in boosting the Serotonin levels.

So get on with your shopping cart and fill it up with these happy foods.

Check out the our recipe for "happy cooking" in our next post.

Ancho And Cocoa Carne Asada

A nice twist to a regular wrap. The spice mix adds rich flavours of a Mexican mole sauce.

1 tbsp acncho Chile powder

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 (1- to 1 1/4lb) piece of flank steak

1 tbsp grape seed oil

8 (7- 8 inch) sprouted tortillas or go flour less and use butter lettuce wraps

3 cups packaged coleslaw mix (7 oz)

Accompaniments: sliced pickled jalapenos, sour cream, lime wedges.

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit

stir together ancho powder, cocoa and Cinnamon

pat steak dry and season with 3/4 tsp salt, then coat with spice mixture.

heat oil in a 12- inchnon-stick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.

cook steak, turning once, 8-9 minutes for medium rare.

while steak cooks, wrap tortillas in foil and warm in oven.

let steak rest for 5 min on a cutting board.

then thinly slice across the grain at an angle.

Serve steak with warm tortillas and coleslaw mix.

SOUTHERN STYLE SKILLET CORN BREAD

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup cornmeal
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon grape seed or coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 small egg

Method

1. Adjust oven rack to low-middle and middle positions.
2. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
3. Heat a 10 inch heat proof skillet on middle rack for 10 minutes, bake the cornmeal on the rimmed baking sheet set on the lower middle rack until fragrant and the color begins to deepen (about 5 mins).
4. Transfer the hot cornmeal to a large bowl and whisk in the buttermilk, set aside.
5. Add the oil to the hot skillet and continue to heat until the oil is just smoking, about 5 minutes.
6. Remove the skillet from the oven and add the butter, carefully swirling the pan until the butter is melted.
7. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture into the cornmeal mixture, leaving the remaining fat in the pan.
8. Whisk the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and egg into the cornmeal mixture.
9. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the hot skillet and bake until the top begins to crackle and the sides are golden brown, 12 –16 minutes.
10. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Serve
    Cook Time: Approx 40 mins

HEARTY BEAN STEW

Ingredients

• ½ pound dried cannelloni beans (about 2 cups) rinsed and picked over
• 1 ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 3 ounce turkey bacon, cut into ¼ inch pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 ½)
• 1 celery rib, cut into ½- inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into ½- inch pieces
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 ½ cup filtered water
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ bunch kale (1/2 pound), stems trimmed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
• ½ (7.25-ounces) can diced tomatoes drained and rinsed or fresh tomatoes (about 1 cup)
• ½ sprig fresh rosemary
• Pepper to taste

Method

1. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in 4 quarts of cold water in a large bowl or container.
2. Add the beans and soak at room temp for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse.
3. Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to 250 degrees; heat the oil and turkey bacon in a large Dutch oven over med heat.
4. Cook, stir occasionally until the turkey bacon is lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onion, celery and carrot.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned 12-16 minute.
6. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, water, bay leaves and soaked beans. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer.
7. Cover the pot, transfer it to the oven and cook until the beans are almost tender, 45mins – 1hr.
8. Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the greens and tomatoes. Return the pot to the oven and continue to cook until the beans and greens are fully tender, 30-40 minutes longer.
9. Remove the pot from the oven and submerge the rosemary sprig in the stew.
10. Cover and let stand 15 mins. Discard the bay leaf and rosemary sprig and season with salt and pepper.
    Cook Time: 90 – 120 minutes total