Stewed apples are rich in apple pectin. Apple pectin has a long list of health benefits.

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.

Gut loving mushroom soup is packed with nutrients to feed your glow and keep your gut happy! Mushrooms make the list for superfoods you should definitely look at incorporating into your diet. This is one of my personal favorite recipes for eating mushrooms, besides just sautéing them with a bunch of garlic and butter.

Topped with roasted artichokes this mushroom soup is a show stopper every time.

Ingredients:

Artichoke hearts (I buy bagged frozen, 12 oz)

15 oz full coconut milk (you could use light as well)

1.5 qts broth ( I use chicken)

10 oz cauliflower roughly chopped

7 oz mixed mushrooms

1 lemon juiced and zested

3-4 small cloves of garlic

1 small onion

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup white wine optional

2 tbls butter

1 tble extra virgin olive oil

s+p

garlic + onion granules optional

How To:

Turn your oven to 425

Place the thawed artichoke hearts on parchment paper and toss with olive oil, s+p and roast until crispy, about 25 mins. Top with lemon zest.

Place your olive oil and butter in a soup pot over med heat, add in chopped onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add in chopped cauliflower, stir to coat, season with s+p. Add in chopped mushrooms, stir to coat. Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring often. Add in your other seasoning if desired, and add in the wine if desired. Cook for another few minutes. Then add in the broth, coconut milk, lemon juice, and parsley. Stir and cover to cook until cauliflower is tender. Grab your immersion blender and give a good blend until smooth. Test for taste, adjust to your liking.

Serve up into bowls and top with roasted artichoke hearts.

ENJOY!

Love + Eat Well,

by natalie

Our family loves lasagna and this lasagna soup does not disappoint in any way. Comforting and delicious without being heavy make it a winner any night of the week. If you are good with regular pasta feel free to substitute and just adjust cooking times to a bit longer or pre-cook then drop in. Remember, always opt for the best quality ingredients you can, shop local, and choose organic when possible.

Ingredients:

*organic

1 lb grass-fed beef

1 lb pastured pork sausage

1 medium *yellow onion chopped

2-3 small *carrots chopped

3-4 *cloves garlic chopped

2 tbsp grass-fed butter

1-2 tbl extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs *tomato paste

Seasonings added to mortar - 1/2 tsp fennel seed + dried chili flakes, 1 tsp basil + oregano

S + P

1 qt grass-fed beef broth

24 oz canned *tomatoes or pre-made sauce of choice

8oz of almond ricotta (we use the brand kite hill)

9 oz box of almond lasagna sheets (we use Cappellos from the frozen section)

Parmesan (optional)

How To:

In a large stock pot add your butter and olive oil and turn heat to medium. Add your onion, carrot, and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent.

Add tomato paste incorporate well and cook for a minute. Then add your broth, tomatoes, and half of your seasoning mixture. Bring to a simmer.

In a skillet brown your beef and pork with the other half of the seasoning then add to your stock pot. Let simmer on low awhile.....the longer the deeper the flavors or you could eat right away.

When ready to serve, cut your thawed lasagna sheets into squares and drop them into the pot, give a stir, and let cook for 15 minutes or so. They will firm up when ready.

Last, add your container of ricotta and stir until completely melted and mixed in.

Serve into bowls and nosh away! 

Optional: If you eat parm you can top it with parm and even throw a rind from the cheese block into the stock pot while cooking.

ENJOY:)

Love + Eat Well

This delightful twist on a caesar salad will have this recipe on repeat. Easy enough to make any night of the week and fancy enough to make for holiday tables. If you don't do dairy you can swap the parmesan for nutritional yeast. The anchovies in the dressing are optional as well, although we prefer them very much! The crunchy quinoa is so good here as you can get a little in every bite.

The glow food ingredients in this warm brussel caesar salad are nothing to ignore either! Check this out...

Brussels - great source of vitamin C which promotes collagen production and skin elasticity. The high fiber content aids in digestion to improve skin clarity. Full of antioxidants protect skin cells from oxidative damage.

Tahini - rich in vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that nourish and moisturize the skin, leaving it healthy and glowing. Anti-inflammatory properties can soothe red and irritated skin.

Garlic - antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory to calm inflammation and helps promote collagen production.

Quinoa - nutrient rich with amino acids, vitamin E and zinc, which moisturize and repair damaged skin cells. Fights free radicals supporting graceful aging.

EVOO - antioxidant rich and a healthy fat to nourish and moisturize the skin. Vitamin E + K reduce the signs of aging and promote a more even skin tone.

Salad Ingredients:

1 head of romaine chopped

1 lb brussels trimmed and sliced into thirds

Quinoa:

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 tbls evoo

s+p

Dressing:

1/4 cup tahini

1/2 lemon juiced

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp dijon

2 tbls grated parmesan

2 anchovy fillets

Water to blend and thin

s+p

HOW TO:

Oven to 375

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place brussels on one and quinoa on the other. Toss both with EVOO, s+p. Spread out and pop in the heated oven for 15 minutes. Brussels should start to get slightly crispy on the leaves. The quinoa I like to toast until a little brown.

While that cooks throw all your dressing ingredients into a jar a whiz up with an immersion blender.

Add your romaine to a bowl, top with warm brussels, drizzle the dressing on, and top with the crunchy quinoa.

Fresh cracked pepper is always a delight:)

ENJOY!

This skin-loving Watermelon and Jicama Salad is super juicy, crunchy, refreshingly sweet and packs a wee bit of heat. 

Cheers to the warmer months and refreshing drinks to cool down like this Tequila Cucumber & Basil Smash Cocktail. 

Restore your GLOW + soothe inflammation with this superfood Lemon Chia Seed Pudding! Lemon lovers, and soon to be lemon lovers you will fall hard for this bright and delicious pudding. Super easy to whip and and have for breakfast the next morning or a mid-day snack.

GLOW Foods:

Chia Seeds - rich in omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 acid will help restore the skin's moisture barrier, soothes inflammation + fights free radicals

Lemon - loaded with antioxidants, magnesium + vitamin C to boost immunity and help trigger collagen production

Turmeric - antioxidant + anti-inflammatory helps reduce inflammation and boost collagen production

Honey - antibacterial + natural humectant to. help keep the skin moisturized and glowing

Ingredients needed:

1 cup nut milk

1 lemon juiced + zest

1/4 cup chia seeds

1-2 tbls honey or maple syrup

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

Whisk all ingredients together, place a lid and place in the refrigerator over night. Serve up.

ENJOY!

Love + Eat Well,

by Natalie

We make these quick pickled onions every few weeks to keep handy in the fridge.

We add these to salads, wraps, tacos...you name it!