Super Healthy Recipes and Foods to Eat to have a Healthy Skin

For healthy and glowing skin, eat more healthy recipes that are rich in vitamin C such as oranges, strawberries, and broccoli, as well as those rich in lycopene like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and leafy greens. Other nutrients that nourish the skin and ward off wrinkles are beta-carotene found in carrots and watermelon, isoflavones found in soy, omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish and healthy oils, and foods rich in antioxidants. Foods that are known to revitalize the skin and make it smooth and supple are salmon, sardines, green tea, blueberries, avocados, canola oil, olive oil, nonfat dairy, flaxseeds, brazil nuts, and olives. Easy desserts like a bowl of strawberries, blueberries, or citrus fruits can do wonders for the skin, especially the face.

Soups

Soups and chowders allow you to pack tons of beneficial nutrients in one dish. Healthy recipes for soups are also easy to do. Salmon chunks or canned salmon make a delicious and filling chowder combined with carrots, potatoes, corn, onions, celery, green bell pepper, dill weed, and cream. Sauté celery, onions, garlic, and bell pepper in melted butter and add chicken broth, vegetables, and herbs then bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the salmon and cream at the end and cook or heat through. This makes a delicious meal with toasted bread for anytime of the week. Easy desserts can also come in the form of soup such as spicy blueberry soup made with frozen blueberries, yogurt, lemon juice, ground allspice, lemon zest, and sugar. For a creamy and healthy appetizer, make avocado soup with chicken stock, ripe avocados, yellow onion, jalapeno peppers, yogurt, fresh cilantro, coriander, and fresh lemon juice garnished with corn tortillas.

Salads and side dishes 

Having a salad with every meal is a great way to boost the nutrients that the skin needs to stay healthy and beautiful. A simple salad of orange and avocado slices tossed with romaine lettuce, purple cabbage and red onions give you a good dose of vitamin C and beta-carotene. Panzanella is a refreshing salad that promotes great skin and is made with day old bread, tomatoes, onions, and olives tossed with a vinaigrette dressing. For a more substantial salad dish, make sesame tuna salad with canned or fresh tuna, napa cabbage or romaine lettuce, carrots, and sesame seeds tossed with a ginger vinaigrette dressing. Serve side dishes such as sautéed spinach, hot and sour carrots, corn and tomato sauté, stuffed peppers, or roasted sweet potatoes to accompany main entrees and increase beneficial nutrients for the skin.

Smoothies

Making smoothies is a great way to sneak in bitter greens into your system overpowered with berry and other fruity flavors. Drink your way to clear skin with the use of protein powders made with hemp seeds, dandelion greens, raw cacao powder, and coconut powder, which not only clears the complexion but also cleanses the liver and boosts the immune system. Other healthy smoothies for glowing skin are banana and almond flax, mango and yogurt, mixed berries, coconut juice and pear, apple and pear, citrus smoothie, and green tea with yogurt.

 

RESOURCES:

Good Skin Foods: Healthy Recipes for Glowing Skin

Healthy Skin Diet: 7 Skin-Helping Recipes

10 Smoothies for Perfect Skin

4 recipes that will make your skin healthy and glowing

How to Break Up with the Food you Love

Forgetting something you once loved and adored requires certain steps similar to forgetting a person you thought was the best person in the universe. Some people throw all of the things that remind them of the person, burn or erase all the pictures and the memories, and sever all ties and connections. Similarly, you should stop buying what you keep craving healthy meals and do not let it in your house. If it’s not within your reach, then there is no way you can binge on it. Like resisting the urge to call your ex, resist all urges to go to the convenience store to satisfy your craving. Instead, draw yourself with a big fat belly and a huge puffy face eating your favorite unhealthy food and paste it on your wall.

It takes at least 21 days to break a habit and like any habit or comfort zone, weaning your self away from it can be painful and torturous but once you get past the threshold then you have conquered your weakness and won a victory. Craving for junk food, fried foods, sweets, fats, salty foods, pastries, baked goods and food you know that’s bad for your health and food that makes you gain weight or ill is a form of habit, which is to say it is a programming in your mind that is automatic and done without thinking, an impulse that makes you act irrationally. To break it, you need to reprogram your system, hack your mind until your get a new program that’s healthier and will make you happier in the long run.

Make a list of the foods you can’t resist that is bad for your health. Knowing your weaknesses is the first step to conquering them. Much like getting past a bad relationship, trying to forget your favorite munchies is as difficult as trying to forget someone you used to love. You should decide once and for all that you are going to break up with this food that has given you so much joy and comfort, bliss and ecstasy. Decide once and for all that this food is actually making you worse and is only making you look and feel ugly. You need to change your perception of this food and think of it not as a reward, comfort or pleasure but as lacking in charm, is actually boring and ultimately useless.

Source: www.gourmandia.com

Cooking Video: Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken

Quinoa Caesar Salad | Post Punk Kitchen | Vegan Baking & Vegan …

theppk.com Sun, 10 Nov 2013 15:12:33 GMT

Vegan Baking & Vegan Cooking Videos. … Often big fancy places like Whole Foods will have roasted garlic cloves for sale (there are about 15 in a head) or you can even nab some from the salad bar. But honestly, although it adds another …. That video was hilarious! I was laughing alone in my living room watching it. I’m already cooking from Isa Does It practically every day but now I’m going to change my priorities and make this in the next couple of days! February 1, 2014 …

Read more …

Sun Feb 23 09:34:02 +0000 2014

RT @cookinginfoguy: Protein-Packed Eggs Salad Lunch on the Go | Lunch Recipes | upwave

Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken

Boneless chicken breasts are seasoned with salt, ground pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder and grilled, sliced and tossed with shredded romaine lettuce, tomato wedges, sweet onion green bell pepper, cheese and garlic croutons, grated Parmesan cheese and creamy Caesar salad dressing in this yummy recipe. You can use bottled Caesar salad dressing available in most grocery stores or make your own dressing at home.

A basic Caesar salad dressing consists of olive oil, lemon juice, egg yolks, grated Parmesan cheese, and Worcestershire sauce whisked together until thick and creamy. If you are queasy about using raw eggs, you may use coddled eggs, which produces a creamier and smoother texture. To coddle eggs, all you need to do is a bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, place the egg in the boiling water carefully so that it does not break and cook for no more than a minute or sixty seconds. Remove the egg from the water and cool with cold water to stop the cooking process. Alternatively, you can also use real mayonnaise, which are basically oil and egg yolks whipped together. Other seasonings that can be added to make a delicious Caesar salad dressing are anchovies, Dijon mustard, and garlic paste.

Ingredients: 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 head lettuce, shredded, 1 large tomato, cut into wedges, 1/2 sweet onion, sliced, 1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup large cheese and garlic croutons, 1/2 cup creamy Caesar-style salad dressing

Preparation Instructions: 

Preheat a gas grill to medium high heat. Lightly oil the chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Grill chicken breasts for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Transfer over to the indirect heat and cover 10 minutes. Remove from grill, cool 5 minutes and slice into strips. In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper, cheese, croutons, dressing and chicken until evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Cheese and garlic croutons are also available in the grocery although it is also very easy to make at home, especially if you have stale or day old bread. Slice the bread into cubes or tear them into pieces and toss in a bit of olive oil, minced garlic or garlic powder), and grated cheese. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for ten to fifteen minutes or until golden and crisp, tossing occasionally to brown evenly. Alternatively, you can toast the cubed bread on a hot pan over medium heat until golden and crunchy.

Source: www.gourmandia.com

Foods Meals to Avoid Birth Defects

A healthy meals and good-quality diet before and during pregnancy can prevent birth defects in babies, particularly neural tube defects, cleft lip, and cleft palate. The right balance of vitamins and minerals and a good variety of whole and high-quality healthy recipes foods daily are needed for a complete nutrition that will promote full and optimal development as the fetus grows in the womb. Increase the intake of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, fiber and high quality sources of protein and cut out processed foods high in sugar and bad fats to nurture a growing fetus.

A wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables are an excellent choice for a pregnant woman and her baby. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables of different colors will provide the vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health and growth. Milk, yogurt and dairy are also essential for the expecting mother. These foods that are rich in calcium will promote strong bones and teeth and help the nervous, circulatory, and muscular system run efficiently. 

Good sources of protein like poultry, fish, lean meats and eggs are essential for a fetus’ growth especially during the seconds and the third trimesters. Aside from meats, other good sources of protein are tofu, beans, peanut butter, nuts, and dairy products. Along with protein, carbohydrates are essential to fuel the body with energy and maintain a healthy functioning system. Consuming high quality and complex carbohydrates are better than simple carbohydrates, which has little nutrition and tend to spike up blood sugar levels. Excellent sources of carbohydrates that are also rich in fiber and nutrients include whole grain breads, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and cereals.       

Pregnant women need to consume more iron-rich foods to increase the production of the protein hemoglobin in the red blood cells, which delivers oxygen to tissues, ensuring there is enough oxygen for her and her child.  Foods rich in iron include lean red meat, fish, and poultry. Iron is also present in nuts, dried fruit, and iron-fortified breakfast cereals.    

To promote a baby’s growth and development, folic acid, Vitamin C, and Vitamin D are particularly beneficial. Folic acid is recommended to help prevent serious abnormalities of the brain, spinal cord and the neural tube. It is found in dark leafy green vegetables, beans, and cereals fortified with folic acid. Vitamin C promotes a healthy immune system and found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruits, tomatoes, green peppers, strawberries, papaya, honeydew, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts. Vitamin D helps build healthy teeth and bones and are naturally absorbed from sunlight as well as found in fatty fish like salmon and tuna.    

 Source: www.gourmandia.com

Unique Article: Vegetarian Recipe with Immune Boosting Ingredients

The right diet can strengthen your immunity and keep it that way so you can ward off diseases and infections especially during the cold and flu season. Vegetables, fruits and nuts are naturally high in immune-boosting nutrients and many healthy recipes provide the needed vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants the body needs on a daily basis to remain strong, energetic, and healthy. Maintaining a healthy immune system helps prevent most diseases and also helps you recover easily and quickly in case you get sick or injured.

Bright colored and leafy green vegetables are incredibly powerful in boosting the immune system. They contain complex chemicals that protect the body from disease. About seven servings of fresh vegetables and two servings of fresh fruits a day is adequate for building the immune system. You can make all kinds of vegetarian dishes from easy appetizers to entrees, as well as drinks and easy desserts that will make your immune system stronger.

Soup heals and nourishes and is especially helpful when you are recovering from cold and flu. Vegetable soup is also quite easy to make and eating healthy soup is one of the best ways to get the most nutrients in your body. You can flavor it with aromatic herbs and potent spices like onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary, chili pepper, rosemary, oregano, turmeric, ginger, cumin, and parsley, all of which add immune-boosting power to the dish, not to mention tremendous flavor.

Mushrooms like shiitake, reishi, and maitake have powerful immune benefits and all of these can be used to make a potent vegetarian soup. Fresh mushrooms are best for better flavor and potency. You can make the broth more flavorful and savory with miso paste or tamari, as well as carrots, parsley, onions, astralagus root, kombu, and seaweed. You can also add other vegetables like kale, bok choi, spinach, swiss chard, or beet greens to add even more vitamins and minerals. Other vegetarian soups that boost immunity are lentil soup, tomato soup, carrot and squash soup, red bell pepper soup, Vietnamese vegetarian pho, Japanese miso and tofu soup, and French potage with pistou.

In addition to soup, take at least one bowl of raw vegetarian salad everyday with a light dressing or lemon and olive oil. There are countless of vegetarian salad variations and you can include all kinds of greens, fresh fruits, and nuts. Another great way to increase the strength of your immunity is to drink green and fruit smoothies.

Source:www.gourmandia.com