Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (8 page)

Chicory with Beans, Tomatoes,
and Croutons

Makes 5 Servings

H
ere’s another well-balanced dish in keeping with our chicory theme—a hearty and healthy combo with lots of flavor and texture. And it’s got bread, which is always a pleasure to eat.

Ingredients:

2 (3/4-ounce) slices French bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1/2 pound dried navy beans—high in fiber and folate

1 bay leaf

2 cups water

8 cups chopped curly endive—about 1½ pounds—low-cal high fiber; vitamin A and folic acid

2-1/3 cups diced seeded tomatoes

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2
Combine the bread cubes and crushed garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal the bag, and shake to coat the bread cubes. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until toasted.

3
Sort and wash the beans, and place in a large Dutch oven. Cover the beans with water to 2 inches above beans. Bring the beans to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the beans from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain.

4
Add the bay leaf and 2 cups of water to the beans in the pan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf. Add the curly endive; cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Spoon the bean mixture into a medium bowl. Drizzle with oil, and top with the croutons.

Variation:
Substitute 2-1/2 cups drained canned beans, such as navy, cannellini, or other white beans, for dry beans. Do not soak canned beans.

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Makes 4 Servings

C
arrot soup with ginger is a nutritious and low-fat soup recipe with a touch of sweetness and a touch of spice. It warms the soul and stimulates the blood. It is said that eating carrots helps improve eyesight. This has not been scientifically proven but eating carrots certainly can’t hurt, and there is some evidence that suggests that eating carrots may help maintain current vision capabilities. Carrots are high in beta-carotene (a pro-vitamin), which converts into vitamin A. Carrot sticks are a terrific on-the-go snack and also make for a delicious ingredient in a fragrant soup.

Ingredients:

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups chopped and peeled carrots (about 1-1/2 pounds)

3 cups vegetable broth—bullion, liquid

1-1/2 cups pulp-free orange juice—vitamin C

Dash nutmeg—good for treating acne internally

Salt and pepper, to taste

Yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Preparation:

1
In a large pot, sauté the onions and ginger in olive oil until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2
Add the carrots and vegetable broth; reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until the carrots are soft, about 40 minutes.

3
Add the orange juice and stir well.

4
Working in small batches and using a food processor or blender, process the soup until it’s smooth.

5
Return the soup to the pot or serving bowl and add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, if desired.

ACNE-911 FACIAL

If you suffer from acne marks, nutmeg can help make your scars less noticeable. Mix some nutmeg powder with honey to make a paste, then apply to the acne marks. Nutmeg can actually help you achieve smoother and healthier skin.

Seared Tuna with Orange, Avocado, and Cilantro Salsa

Makes About 6 Servings

Hero Recipe!

O
utta sight! Every single ingredient in this recipe has health and beauty benefits. A great mix of 100 percent good-for-you ingredients for a truly satisfying meal.

Ingredients: Tuna

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 (4-ounce) tuna steaks—preferably sushi grade—
omega-3s

Salsa

1/3 cup minced red onion

2 oranges, peeled with all pith removed, and cubed—
vitamin C

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cubed—
anti-aging

1/4 cup chopped cilantro—
can help remove metals (mercury) from body

Juice of 1 lime

Himalayan crystal salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1
Blend the olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice in a shallow pan. Add the tuna, turn to coat evenly, cover, and marinate for up to 1 hour.

2
In a medium bowl, blend all the salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

3
Place the steaks in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 2 minutes per side for medium rare (3 to 4 minutes per side for well done). Serve with salsa spooned over the top.

Collard Green
Mashed Potatoes

Makes 8 Servings

T
his recipe contains one of the great cruciferous veggies that should be better incorporated into all of our diets due to its incredible health properties. The cholesterol-lowering ability of collard greens may be the greatest of all commonly eaten cruciferous vegetables. The key to collard greens’ great nutrient value is vitamin K. Vitamin K acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response and helps to protect bones from fracture. Foods that are high in vitamin K promote healthy blood clotting, prevent calcification of blood vessels or heart valves, help prevent postmenopausal bone loss, and more. Collard greens help keep us looking young! They are high in fiber and folate and are especially rich in vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin. If you smoke, imbibe alcohol regularly, or are low in your daily intake of fruits and vegetables, your body needs lutein and zeaxanthin, two of the most abundant carotenoids. Researchers speculate that these carotenoids may promote eye health through their ability to filter out UV light and protect the eyes from developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. So much good from this edible plant . . . Popeye would be green with envy.

Ingredients:

2-1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks—good starch

1 bunch collard greens, washed, stemmed, cut into 1/2-inch strips—approximately 8 cups—phytonutrient-, folate-rich leafy greens

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half cream

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1
Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until tender, approximately 20 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot.

2
Place the collards and garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat with water
just
covering them. Bring to a simmer and steam covered for 10 minutes or until cooked through but still bright green, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Be careful not to overcook the collard greens. Remove from the heat.

3
Add the remaining ingredients to the potatoes, along with the collards (drained). Mash or whip to the desired consistency. Add more cream if it’s too thick.

Super Sweet-Potato Chips

Makes 2 Servings

S
weet potatoes are high in vitamins B
⁶
, C, and D, iron, potassium, and magnesium, and rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that contributes to shiny hair. In the body, beta-carotene converts to vitamin A and triggers the DNA that’s in charge of producing new skin cells and shedding old ones.

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and sliced very thinly, crosswise—use a mandoline if you have one

4 tablespoons kosher salt—has no additives, as opposed to table salt

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

2-1/2 teaspoons black pepper

Preparation:

1
Line your microwave’s rotating plate with parchment paper that you cut to fit the plate. If your microwave plate doesn’t rotate, you will need to turn the chips halfway through the cooking process.

2
Arrange the sweet-potato slices on the prepared plate, and keep them from touching. They will shrink up a lot but you don’t want them sticking together on the plate.

3
Sprinkle lightly with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.

4
Cook at 50 percent to 60 percent power for 7 to 10 minutes, but, like ovens, microwaves vary in heat intensity. Keep a close eye on the potatoes once the edges start curling up. Slices will dehydrate and shrink. Cook until you see browned spots and the slices are just golden brown in the middle and fluted around the edges. Keep a close watch on your first batch so you know how to gauge your microwave.

5
Let the potatoes cool completely before eating. Enjoy on the spot, or store in an airtight container, up to 3 days.

CREPE/CROW’s-FEET SWEET-POTATO EYE TREATMENT

The enzymes in sweet potatoes help to increase firmness and smooth out wrinkles. So you don’t lose nutrients and moisture, bake a sweet potato in parchment paper, then mash and combine with a dab of Vaseline. Apply to the tops of lids and orbitally around the eye. Do this twice a week; you will feel and see benefits in one application.

Garlic Chicken

Makes 4 Servings

M
ore heart-healthy garlic, this time with protein. I order this dish whenever I see it on a menu.

Ingredients:

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil—
wrinkle reducer

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves—
protein

Preparation:

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2
Warm the garlic and olive oil to blend the flavors.

3
In a separate dish, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip the chicken breasts in the olive oil mixture, then into the breadcrumb mixture. Place in a shallow baking dish.

4
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

Roasted Tomato and Caramelized
Onion Farro Salad

Makes 2 Servings

N
ow we move away from garlic and onto . . . onions! Like garlic, onions also have the enzyme alliinase, which is released when an onion is cut or crushed, and it causes your eyes to water; it also gives onions their strong scent and flavor. The onions in this recipe are caramelized, so their pungency is neutralized. Onions are great for their organic sulfur compounds that provide health benefits, including strength and resiliency for hair. Farro is a gluten-free grain that’s a great substitute for refined wheat pasta or rice. It has a nutty flavor similar to brown rice. It can be found in the supermarket grains aisle. Lycopene from tomatoes is your major eye benefit here.