As the air turns crisp and the humidity drops, your skin might crave some extra care. Here's a soothing recipe from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that harnesses the natural benefits of pears for hydration and nourishment making it the perfect glow food.

1. Pears:
   • Hydration: Pears have a high water content, which helps in hydrating the skin from within.
   • Vitamins: They contain vitamins C and K, which are essential for skin health. Vitamin C is involved in collagen production, which helps maintain skin elasticity and youthfulness. Vitamin K can help in reducing dark circles and healing bruises.
   • Antioxidants: Pears have antioxidant properties that combat free radicals, potentially reducing skin aging.
2. Goji Berries:
   • Antioxidants: They are rich in antioxidants, particularly carotenoids like zeaxanthin, which protect the skin from UV light and environmental stressors.
   • Vitamin A: Good for skin repair and helps in keeping the skin soft and reducing wrinkles.
   • Amino Acids: These can aid in hydration and improve skin complexion.
3. Jujubes (Red Dates):
   • Blood Circulation: They are known in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for enriching and replenishing blood, which can lead to better skin health by improving circulation and thus the nourishment of skin cells.
   • Anti-inflammatory: Jujubes have anti-inflammatory properties that can help in reducing skin redness and swelling.
4. Cinnamon:
   • Blood Sugar Regulation: By helping regulate blood sugar, cinnamon can indirectly benefit skin health since high blood sugar levels can lead to skin issues like acne or dullness.
   • Antimicrobial: Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties, which could help with skin infections or acne.
   • Circulation: It can stimulate blood flow to the skin, giving a warm glow.
5. Honey:
   • Moisturizing: Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it helps to retain moisture in the skin.
   • Antibacterial: Its antibacterial properties make it excellent for acne prevention and treatment.
   • Healing: Honey has wound-healing properties, which can be beneficial for skin regeneration and repair.

When these ingredients are combined in a soup:

• Synergy: The combination works synergistically to enhance skin hydration, improve elasticity, provide antioxidant protection, and promote healing and rejuvenation.
• Digestion: Cooking these ingredients together, especially the pears, makes the nutrients more bioavailable and easier to digest, allowing your body to absorb the skin-benefiting nutrients more effectively.
• Warming Effects: In TCM, many of these ingredients are considered 'warming,' which doesn't necessarily mean they raise body temperature but rather they promote circulation and health in a way that can lead to radiant skin.

The holistic approach of this soup not only targets skin health but also contributes to overall well-being, which in turn reflects on your skin's appearance. Remember, while these foods have beneficial properties, skin health is also significantly influenced by overall diet, hydration, sleep, and skincare routine.

Ingredients:

• 1 Asian pear, for its cooling and lung-nourishing properties
• 3 jujube dates, to enrich the blood and alleviate stress
• A small handful of goji berries, for a radiant complexion and immune support

 How To:

1. Prepare the Ingredients: Wash the pear thoroughly, then cut it into quarters or smaller pieces, removing the core if desired. There's no need to peel the pear as the skin adds to the nutritional value.
2. Cooking:
   • Place the pear pieces, jujube dates, and goji berries into a pot.
   • Add enough water to cover the ingredients.
   • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for about 15 minutes. Cooking the pear makes it gentler on your digestive system.
   • Optional cinnamon sticks
3. Finishing Touches:
   • Once cooked, you can lightly sweeten the soup with a drizzle of honey for taste. Add just a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors.
4. Serve:
   • Enjoy warm. You can eat all the solid ingredients along with the flavorful broth.

This recipe not only celebrates the flavors of fall but also incorporates ingredients known for their skin health benefits, making it a delicious way to nourish your skin from the inside out.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E, which helps in skin repair)
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (high in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A, essential for skin health)
• 2 medium carrots, sliced (loaded with vitamin A, which supports skin cell production)
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (rich in vitamin C, which helps in collagen production)
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, chopped (contains flavonoids that can reduce inflammation)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties)
• 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (provides vitamin C and fiber)
• 4 cups vegetable broth (hydrating and can be made with skin-friendly herbs like parsley)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (antioxidant properties)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric (anti-inflammatory and may improve skin health)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup coconut milk or yogurt for serving (optional, but provides healthy fats that can benefit skin hydration)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Vegetables: Start by prepping all your vegetables. The butternut squash, sweet potato, and carrots should be cut into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
   
   
2. Sauté: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped leek and sauté until it begins to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
   
   
3. Add Veggies and Herbs: Stir in the butternut squash, carrots, sweet potato, and apple. Add the thyme and turmeric, stirring well to coat all the vegetables with the spices.
   
   
4. Simmer: Pour in the vegetable broth, ensuring it covers the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and let it cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
   
   
5. Blend: Once cooked, use an immersion blender or carefully transfer the soup to a blender to puree until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier texture, you can blend only part of the soup.
   
   
6. Season and Serve: Return the soup to the pot if you've removed it for blending. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you're using coconut milk or yogurt, you can swirl it in now or serve it as a topping.
   
   
7. Garnish: Optionally, garnish with a few fresh thyme leaves or a drizzle of olive oil for an extra touch of flavor and nutrition.
   
   

Serving Suggestion: This soup can be enjoyed with a slice of whole-grain bread for added fiber, or you could sprinkle some chia or pumpkin seed on top for an extra boost of omega-3 fatty acids, which are excellent for skin health. 

Why It's Good for Your Skin: This soup is packed with vitamins A and C, which are crucial for skin repair and collagen production. The antioxidants from the vegetables help combat free radical damage, and the healthy fats from olive oil and optional coconut milk/yogurt aid in maintaining skin hydration. Plus, the anti-inflammatory properties of ingredients like garlic, turmeric, and leeks can help reduce skin inflammation, making this not just a tasty fall dish but a skin-loving meal. Enjoy this Autumn Harvest Skin Glow Soup to keep your skin radiant through the cooler months!

Love + Eat Well!

Immune Boosting Massaged Kale Salad 

I've been making some variation of this massaged kale salad since my diagnosis with multiple sclerosis July 2nd, 2014. It never gets old and can varied so greatly with ingredients and dressings. This version is all healthy fats, a rainbow of raw veggies, tons of immune boosting properties bursting with flavor! I highly recommend investing in an immersion blender for your kitchen, it makes whipping up dressing a cinch. I choose organic ingredients and local whenever possible to avoid glyphosate, a known toxin sprayed on fruits and veggies, to reduce circulating pesticides in the blood. I feel this is one of the most important things we can do to support a healthy clean living lifestyle.

It's worth noting, if you are healing your gut eating a bunch of raw veggies can cause bloating so you may want to start with more cooked veggies until your gut begins to heal. You can sauté the kale in avocado oil with the garlic, onion and seasonings. Maybe adding a touch of bone broth, followed by the beets, cauliflower, and avocado. Drizzle some of the dressing, sprinkle with seeds and a dollop of sauerkraut. 

This recipe will serve 2 people

Dressing Ingredients:

1/4 EVOO

1/2 Fresh Lemon juiced

2 Garlic cloves

1 Tbls Tahini

1-2 tTbls Nutritional yeast

S+P

Pinch Dried Chili flakes

How To:

Place all ingredients into a mason jar and whizz it up with an immersion blender. No immersion blender? Through into your regular blender. Add a splash of water to get the desired consistency.

Bowl Ingredients: 

6 cups chopped Kale

1 cup Curry roasted cauliflower 

1/4 cup Red Onion

1/2 Cucumber

1/2 Avocado

Cooked Beets ( I love the ones precooked from Love Beets)

1/4 cup Sauerkraut

Raw Pumpkin + Walnuts

How To:

Place your kale in a large bowl and pour your dressing in. Using your hands, get in there and massage the kale distributing the dressing and starting to break down the fibers of the kale. The kale will begin to shrink, keep going until you have massaged it until it is reduced by half.

Next toss in your other ingredients and ENJOY!

This salad can be made ahead by massaging the kale less and placing. in a mason jar and layering the ingredients in, seal tight. Should last well in the fridge for a few days!

Options to add:

Egg

Quinoa

Salmon

Chicken

Olives

Kimchi

Brussels

Tomatoes

Peppers

Chickpeas