Supernatural Botanicals

In an economic time when most magazines are packing their bags and calling it a day, Organic Beauty magazine comes along.  Organic Beauty magazine is a new, eco-conscious magazine not exclusively focused on beauty products.  Organic Beauty is, in many ways, a complete lifestyle magazine, well-rounded with articles on style, health, fitness, parenting and business—but always with its lens on beauty.  I love the idea of an eco-chic magazine!  It’s truly the wave of the future, so get in touch, get in tune, and find out what eco-friendly is all about.  Organic Beauty is on newsstands now.

So, it’s Friday morning and if you are anything like me, you are already thinking about what you’ll be making for breakfast on Saturday morning…..please tell me that it’s not just me!  Since I just got back from Savannah, I can’t stop making the recipes from Paula, Jamie, and Bobby Deen. 

These cream cheese stuffed strawberries are so easy to make, and are just beautiful in presentation.  I’m all about looking like a rockstar in the kitchen with very little effort; a little work for a lot of bang, and who doesn’t love that? 

This recipe is from Deen Bros. cookbook, and can also be found on Food Network’s site, www.FoodTv.com.  (click the picture above to link.) 

Lets eat!

Ingredients

• 20 whole large strawberries, hulled
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. Fan wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Feeling like you’re not getting enough fruits to meet the daily pyramid guide?  No problem, just incorporate them into a morning smoothie before you head out the door.  Blueberries are a Super-food, and ridiculously good for your body to fight free radicals.  You can even go one step further and throw in a scoop of protein powder to feed your muscles….and stronger muscles burns fat right off your body.

Blueberry Smoothie
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup washed, stemmed blueberries
honey to taste
2 cups of ice
Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve while it’s cold.
4 Weight Watchers Points, 214 Calories, 43.8g Carbs

I mean, just look at the pyramid.  How are you supposed to eat that much (and that healthy) every day?  You do it by getting smart about it.  If you are fairly certain you’ll never eat 2-4 servings of fruit each day, go ahead and put 2-4 servings in a blender with some ice, a little orange juice (again, a fruit), and knock fruits out of the way for the day.  It’s sort of multitasking for your belly, and it works.  Try this delicious Blueberry smoothie and feel good about yourself!  Be a brick house, sister!

In 2008, the beauty industry transitioned its focus to eco-friendly, all-natural products, but in 2009, the focus is reaching beyond all-natural/eco-friendly products into the realm of all-natural ingredients that are specifically beneficial to the skin.  One of the standouts amongst all-natural skincare ingredients is blueberries. 

Beauty Trend Watch says:  Blueberries are chock full of amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids, and blueberries are another super food that will be used to fight aging in beauty products. Also known as a “super fruit,” blueberries have long been known for its ability to revitalize the skin.  It’s only a matter of time until we see eco-conscious retailers using these ingredients.

We’ve had you covered all along!  Our Mixed Berry Ultra Exfoliating Spa Soap is loaded with blueberry and strawberry seeds, providing your skin with a mini-microdermabrasion to exfoliate lifeless and dull skin, while creating beautiful, soft, sexy skin.  Ultra-conditioning, ultra-beneficial. 

Click here to view:  Supernatural Botanicals Mixed Berry Ultra Exfoliating Bar 

   Having overnight guests?  This is a perfect smoothie to wake up to.  It’s packed with peaches and orange juice, giving it the classic flavor of a fuzzy navel.   Prepare to make several blenders’ full of this because it seems to go fast, and everyone always asks for seconds.  I’ve broken down the recipe to accommodate two servings.  Double or triple as necessary.   I always like to have something fabulous and out of the ordinary for my overnight guests.   This so kicks the pants off regular orange juice in a plastic pitcher.  ..for the record, life is too short to be using anything other than beautiful pitchers on your table.   And, being packed with vitamins,  it’s totally good for you, too.   What’s not to love?   

The skinny: 

• 1 1/2  cups  frozen sliced peaches
• 1/2  cup  frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/2  cup  1% low-fat milk
• 1/3  cup  sliced ripe banana
• 1  teaspoon  sugar
• Dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender; let stand for 15 minutes, and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

   Catch Alton Brown from now until Thanksgiving day on the Food Network for Thanksgiving Dinner 101.  AB truly is the master of this holiday.   We love, love, love Alton Brown!

Combine all ingredients in a blender, add a handful of ice, and blend until smooth.   It’s a delicious way to meet your fruit intake for the day.  Delish!

   For years, I’ve been buying whole spices and herbs to make recipes far more flavorful, and to also make skin care treatments.  I find buying herbs and spices whole, then grinding when you need them, brings much more flavor and freshness to the party.  I store them in airtight containers in a dark cuboard and/or the freezer.  You can toast them (in the oven) to bring out the oils, which increases the flavor, and grind them to make spice blends.  Use a mortar and pestle or a clean coffee grinder.  Discover the options, and there are many.  They are extremely beneficial to your health, and also highly aromatherapeutic. 

 I’m always searching magazines and websites for spa recipes; recipes for spa foods and spa therapeutic treatments.  I like to recreate this environment at home.  I want to live like this everyday, not just when I have a day at the spa.  Live beautifully.  Burn your candles.  Use your guest towels.  Use your Spa Soaps (and Debbie, I’m talking to you!  ha!)  Use your good silver every day.  And apply practices and principals that luxury spas use to your everyday life at home.   It makes you feel prettier and happier! 

Try this at home:  Herb-Infused Spa Water.  Courtesy of Sunset Magazine.

In a 2- to 2 1/2-quart pitcher, combine 6 cups chilled still spring or mineral water; 12 thin slices cucumber; 4 thin slices lemon; 4 sprigs (each 2 in. long) fresh mint, slightly crushed; and 2 sprigs (each 2 in. long) fresh rosemary, slightly crushed.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts; about 4 servings.

     Enjoy a bowl of berries:  Top super-food, blueberry, is rich in antioxidants.  Reservatrol helps to repair damage done by free radicals (unstable molecules produced as a result of stress) and pterostilbene regulates blood sugar levels, inhibiting the release of stress hormones.  And they keep better than another berries. 

     Have a cup of tea:  A study in 2006 found that those who drank black tea’s blend of antioxidant ingredients recovered more quickly from the effects of stress than those who did not, and felt more relaxed up to 50 minutes later.  A study at King’s College in London showed that drinking around three cups a day enhances mental performance.

   Enjoy Coffee:  As well as boosting mental acuity, a 2006 report found that 1-2 cups a day of coffee relieves liver stress, supporting the liver’s detox functions and helping stabilize blood sugar.  It may also relax the muscles, ease pain, and cut the risk of heart disease and stroke. 

   Munch on apricots  Eat a handful of dried apricots every day.  These are a good source of potassium, which helps to control blood pressure. 

   Red grapes:  Keep a stash to repair damage caused by free radicals.  The skins contain the antioxidant reservatrol, which accounts for the benefits of red wine.