Category Archives: Recipes

P is for Pomegranates for Passion, Prostates, and Perfect Skin!

Posted on July 28, 2012 | Leave a comment

Pomegranates are popping out all over my neighborhood and I’m so excited about their powers!   Pomegranates pack a powerful punch for your natural beauty and for your natural health and while they’re available for the next few months, should be used in your beauty regimen and on your plates. Pomegranate juice, popular in the Middle East, is now touted as one of the “superfruits” like acai and goji berries.  Pomegranates have been shown to have more antioxidants than green tea.  A 100 ml-serving of pomegranate juice contains 16 percent of the daily adult requirement of vitamin C, as well as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folic acid, potassium and iron.

The pomegranate appears in a lot of ancient literature, from Rumi to Shakespeare.  Some say the forbidden fruit of the Bible was not the apple after all, but a pomegranate fruit (which makes sense because the ruby red pomegranate is native to the Middle East.   Pomegranates, like most foods that are considered aphrodisiacs, look juicy and sexy.  A recent study in London showed that men and women who drank one glass of pomegranate juice a day for 14 days had a significant increase in testosterone, and increased sex drive.

Pomegranates are also powerful potions for your natural beauty.  Pomegranate oil is used in hot oil treatments prior to shampooing for dry, frizzy hair.  For strengthening nails and conditioning cuticles, apply the fruit’s oils to the nails or soak your fingers in it before a manicure.  It’s especially helpful to repair any damage right after removing gel nails.

 Here are a few benefits to drinking pomegranate juice:

1.  Pomegranates, once again, have more antioxidants than even one of our other favorites – green tea.  Antioxidants lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, and have powerful anti-aging results.

2.  Pomegranates also have anti-inflammatory properties and help to decrease the incidence and damage caused by osteoarthritis.

3.  A study conducted by the Harvard Medical School, showed that pomegranate juice slowed down the proliferation of prostate cancer cells, great news for men.

4. Pomegranates also contain phytonutrients which can suppress estrogen production that slows the growth of breast cancer cells.

5.  Pomegranates significantly lower blood pressure and reduce the amount of arterial plaque buildup which can lead to cardiovascular disease.

6.  Pomegranates have been shown to inhibit the aggregation of abnormal platelets which can cause strokes and heart attacks.

7.  Pomegranates are packed full of vitamin A which decreases wrinkles and helps to prevent the aging of your skin.

8. Pomegranates are a good remedy for skin damaged by sun exposure.

POMEGRANATE FACE SCRUB for healthy, glowing skin

Ingredients

  • 1 TBL. Honey (preferably organic)
  • 3 TBL. Olive oil
  • 3 TBL. packed brown sugar
  • 2 TBL. fresh whole pomegranate seeds

Place the sugar in a bowl and slowly pour in the olive oil and honey, mixing to create a smooth paste (add more oil if it’s too dry, or more sugar if it’s too wet).  Stir in fresh pomegranate seeds, trying not to smash too many.  Apply the mixture to your face, gently pushing on the seeds to release the juice. The bursting seeds will give your skin a healthy, rosy glow.  Massage the scrub gently into your skin for 5 minutes.  The rinse very well with warm water.

 POMEGRANATE MARTINI

 

 

This is a favorite drink of one of our favorite people, Oprah Winfrey –

2 oz vodka
1 oz Cointreau or Controy orange liqueur
6 oz pomegranate juice

 

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker 1/4 filled with chopped ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Serves 2.

 

 

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Posted in Anti-aging, natural beauty, Recipes, Romance and Sex

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H is for a Head of Healthy Hair

Posted on July 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

Hair – for some of you, it’s your crowning glory.  It moves and shimmers and shakes and shines.  And then there’s the rest of us.  Hair problems are among the most common for many of us naturally beautiful women.

Do you have spiky, perky short hair?  A long and silky mane?  Is your hair curly, straight?  Oily or Dry?  Turning gray by the minute?  No matter what you’ve got on top of your head (unless you’re bald, of course!), you’ve got to take care of it.  And we can do it naturally and frugally.

First things first – You’ve got to get your hair trimmed to get rid of the split ends.  Don’t brush your hair when it’s wet; instead use a wide tooth comb.  Use the softest bristle brush – it can help distribute natural oils through the hair without breaking it.  If you’ve got dry hair, washing less often, once or twice a week, will keep it healthier longer.  Look for products without Ammonium Laureth Sulfate or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate which dry hair.  Cut back on blow-drying and straightening – let your hair go natural every so often.  Drink lots of water to keep your whole body hydrated and amp up your consumption of healthy foods, especially the good fats.

You don’t have to look any farther than your kitchen for great products to make your hair healthy.  Avocados are full of natural oils that nourish and revitalize your hair.  Mayonnaise will make your mane manageable.  Take these two ingredients, avocado and mayonnaise, and mix them up and slather them on your hair!  Cover your hair with a shower cap.  Keep this homemade mask on for 15 minutes (or sleep all night), then rinse with warm water.   See A is for Avocado – All About Hair! Rinsing your hair with Apple Cider Vinegar will add luster and shine.

Naturally beautiful and healthy hair begins inside with nutrition – the water we drink and the food we eat. Like everything else connected with your natural beauty and your natural health, taking care of yourself will make you shine, inside, outside, and on top of your head.

 

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B is for Bananas for Beauty – Brilliant!

Posted on July 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

Bananas are a great aid for your beauty – both inside and outside.  They are terrific sources of potassium, which is important for decreasing the risk of stroke and for lowering blood pressure. One banana contains 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium.  Eating one banana a day can help prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis, the build-up of deadly waxy plaque inside your blood vessels.

If you’re looking for an easy way to help with your weight loss, know that foods with lots of fiber – like bananas – can help.  Bananas are also low in fats and low in calories and have a lot of water content so they fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied longer, and they have a high water content to help you feel fuller faster.

Bananas are also great for your outside natural beauty.  They’ve got lots of vitamins and natural oils that moisturize and repair damaged hair.  You can smush a banana right into your hand and rub it all around your hair.  For extra power to get those locks looking luscious, you can add both mayonnaise and a little olive oil, or dribble in a little honey (liquefied in a double boiler) and mix it all up for a terrific hair mask.

Liquefy the banana in the blender with the mayo and olive oil.  If you’re hungry, stop here and eat it and then do it all again!  If you’re want to deep condition your hair, put the mixture on your hair and let it sit for about 20  minutes, rinse with warm water.  Bananas can be troublesome to get out of your hair and you don’t want to be picking banana bits out, so rinse it more than once to get all of the mixture out.  Shampoo and then rinse again using a detangling conditioner if necessary.

Your hair will be moist, shiny, and looking great – especially if you have brittle, dry hair that needs revitalizing.  Your hair’s your crowning glory and when it looks bouncy and alive, you’ll feel naturally healthier and more naturally beautiful (without having to use any detergents or harsh chemicals — just natural beauty right out of your frig!)

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Q is for Quinoa – Quick, naturally healthy, and Quite delicious

Posted on June 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

Quinoa is Quite delicious

Quinoa is a whole grain (actually it’s a seed, not a grain) that has been around for thousands of years since the Incas in the Andes used it as a staple for their diets. Vegetarians and vegans should really pay attention to quinoa as it contains one of the highest levels of protein, as well as Vitamins E and Bs and calcium and iron.  Quinoa is actually a complete protein containing all eight of the essential amino acids one needs to form protein.  And for those of you who are gluten-free or trying not to eat wheat – quinoa is a perfect choice for your natural health!

Whole grains are particularly beneficial to a healthy diet.  Quinoa, especially, is very high in fiber which helps to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks by lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure.  Fiber aids digestion and reduces the incidence of constipation.    Adding more fiber to your diet also lowers your risk of certain cancers, and quinoa should be incorporated into the diet of postmenopausal women, as it has also been linked to a reduction in the incidence of breast cancer.  Quinoa has a high magnesium content which can aid people with migraine headaches.

Quinoa is easy to cook and it stores well for future use.  It’s a great way to start off the day with a protein boost.  Mix your breakfast quinoa with berries, seeds, nuts and dried fruit; add a little yogurt or milk and you’ll have a breakfast that is full of natural health.

Quinoa can be substituted for other grains like couscous in Tabouli, or rice in Pilaf.  To make quinoa, follow these simple directions.

  1. Check the label of the package to see if it’s been washed and if not, rinse the quinoa (to remove saponins, natural coatings which are harmless but can be “soapy”) and then drain.
  2.  In a saucepan, put one part quinoa to two parts water – e.g. 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water. Bring the quinoa and the water to a boil, cover, and then reduce to simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.
  3.  Turn off the heat, keep the cover on and the pan on the stove for another 5 minutes.
  4. When done cooking, the grains will become translucent, and the white germ partially detaches and looks like a little white tail.
  1. Fluff quinoa gently with a fork (don’t mix with a spoon or it will turn to mush).
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Posted in Diet, Natural Health, Recipes

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M is for Mayonnaise – Magic for your Mane

Posted on June 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

Hold the Chicken!

Remember the scene in “Five Easy Pieces” where Jack Nicholson wants an omelet and toast and the waitress tells him, “No substitutions!”  And he says, “Hold the Chicken!” 

Well, I say “Hold the Chicken and pass the MAYO!”

Mayonnaise is one of those natural beauty gems that is always in your kitchen.  It’s great for a sandwich, and it’s also great for moisturizing your skin and your hair.  The egg and the oil in your mayo are two great ingredients for making homemade hair conditioner to get rid of the frizzies.  You can use your mayo on your elbows and heels to moisturize them after a walk in the hot, dusty streets.  Or you can do a daily massage of your face with a small amount of mayo (remember to always massage your face with circular, upward motions and don’t forget to rinse the mayo off!).  And now that it’s summer, keep some mayo handy to take the sting out of sunburn (but all you naturally beautiful women should know that too much sun is not a good thing – for natural health or for natural beauty!).
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Dry Hair perks up with a do-it-yourself hair conditioner made out of mayo.  So if you’re like me and you have dry, dull hair, grab that jar of mayo and slather it on!  Take a handful of mayonnaise and apply it to the hair shaft, taking care not to rub it too hard into your hair roots.  Too much mayo or too frequent conditioning will leave you with an oily, greasy head of hair.  Leave the mayo on your hair for 15 minutes.  If your hair is really, really dry and thick and frizzy, you might leave it on for a bit longer.  Put a shower cap on your head to prevent dripping.  When you’re done, rinse your hair with warm water to get all the mayo out and you will have a head of lustrous, luminous locks (oops, L was yesterday!)
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In case you don’t remember — Here’s that most famous (or infamous) scene with Jack Nicholson in  FIVE EASY PIECES (1970):

“Dupea: OK, I’ll make it as easy for you as I can. I’d like an omelet, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce. And a cup of coffee.
Waitress: A number two, chicken sal san, hold the butter, the lettuce and the mayonnaise. And a cup of coffee. Anything else?
Dupea: Yeah. Now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a check for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven’t broken any rules.
Waitress (spitefully): You want me to hold the chicken, huh?”

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Posted in frugal beauty, homemade beauty products, natural beauty, Recipes

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