Feed your face: Spirulina and Avocado Mask

There's a saying I go by when it comes to skin care: If you wouldn't eat it, I wouldn't put it on my skin. This is especially true of the face, which tends to be more delicate than other parts of the epidermis.

While I'm pretty sure I wouldn't eat the false eyelashes I wore on Halloween, or the glue I used to keep them in place, on most days I go au natural.

It's not just about looking beautiful, mind you--It's about allowing my skin to breathe.

We've all heard by now that our skin is the largest organ in our bodies, and that it's an important avenue of detoxification. If you scour it and clog it up with a bunch of chemical crap, it's not only going to show externally, but all that stuff will literally be absorbed into your body through your pores.

I don't want to sensationalize, but it's pretty basic: Your pores are just like your lungs. They breathe in, and they breathe out.

Nourish from the inside out

Let's get something else straight. You can use all the natural scrubs, cleansers and masks you like, but it won't be not enough to keep your skin in good shape if something's gone haywire on the inside. Read: poor diet, hormones and stress. The last two are the hardest to manage, but crucial. What on Earth can you do to balance your hormones? Change your diet and manage your stress.

It's true, some people are genetically pre-disposed to amazing skin. They smoke and drink, eat Cheetos and look like models. Don't worry, eventually the damage they are doing on the inside will catch up on the outside. They're dealing with those toxins in different areas of the body, and they probably aren't eliminating them efficiently. Who cares about them.

Others seem pre-disposed to horrible skin. I won't get into every skin condition and what causes it in this post, but the point is that most skin problems indicate an internal imbalance. One of the best things you can do for your entire body, including your skin, is a periodic full-body cleanse. I'm not talking about the Master Cleanse, which starves your body and causes ulcers, but something that nourishes while giving your body's systems a break and allowing them to heal themselves. Look for more in-depth posts on this later.

While your first order of business should be feeding yourself on the inside, there are still some fun ways to feed your skin from the outside in.

One of my favorites is this spirulina mask. I'd never really seen or heard of anyone doing this before I tried it, but the principle is the same as with any mask. Most of the nutrients that our bodies receive by eating food can also absorbed externally by the skin, in a more direct and localized manner.

What's so great about spirulina?

I'm a fan of spirulina for the spectrum and sheer concentration of vitamins and minerals that it provides. One teaspoon of Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica (pictured below) contains 230% the daily recommended value of vitamin A, 94% the DRV of vitamin K, and 150% the DRV of vitamin B12. It's also the richest source of chlorophyll on Earth. In fact, sea plants in general are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.

Vitamin A and K, and the B vitamins are all important to skin health. But the real show-stopper here is chlorophyll, nature's very own purification device. When ingested, it pulls heavy metals and toxins from the body and disposes of them as waste. (Remember how plants are cool because they clean the air and produce oxygen that we breathe? All thanks to chlorophyll--Just imagine what it does for your skin.)

Avocado is a great carrier for the spirulina in this case (I tried applying it with water originally, but it was just too messy.) It contains a ton of vitamin E and monounsaturated fats which moisturize the skin and leave it feeling hydrated and supple.

Spirulina and Avocado Mask

The recipe is simple: three tablespoons of mashed avocado and one teaspoon of spirulina. Wash and exfoliate your face before applying the mixture to damp skin. Let it dry and leave it on for as long as you like, then rinse it off with warm water.

My skin feels purified and refreshed after doing this treatment--It's softer, smoother, stronger, and I swear my pores even appear smaller.

If you have leftovers, add some sea salt, nutritional yeast, and a squeeze of lime, and you'll have yourself a turbo-powered guacamole. Popeye-approved.

 

Risotto alla Zucca (Pumpkin Risotto)

 Yesterday's rain and conversation with friends brought back nostalgic memories of Italy during the Fall. Invariably, these memories always lead back to food, and yesterday was no exception.

Risotto is a classic Italian comfort food--especially fitting on a rainy day, and there's nothing that says "autunno" more than zucca (pumpkin). I'm not talking about the American Jack-O-Lantern style pumpkins, of course, but the much more flavorful sugar pumpkins.

In Italy, these are pretty much the only type of squash that you'll find this time of year, but you'll find them in about a thousand different recipes. Oddly, they're not typically used in baked goods, maybe because they aren't very sweet.

Traditional risotto is made using plump pearls of white arborio rice. The germ and bran have been removed, so they are basically pure starch. This causes them to break down slowly in the cooking liquid, creating the creamy, quintessential texture of risotto.

The problem with white rice from a nutritional perspective is exactly what makes the perfect risotto--it's starchiness. All the vitamins, minerals and fiber have been stripped away, making it almost equivalent to white sugar in nutritional value.

It's a culinary conundrum: deciding whether to remain true to Italian classics or my nutritional conscience in these cases, but I tend to err on the side of health.

When using brown rice to make risotto, some of the classic texture is admittedly foregone. You can still achieve a degree of creaminess (the pumpkin will become pure velvet if you let it), but the rice will remain a tad chewy. I occasionally like to have some larger chunks of pumpkin in my risotto (as pictured in the photo), but if you prefer a more uniform texture, cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces.

The tedious part of making any risotto is that you have to sit there and stir, stir, stir, slowly adding more liquid as it absorbs. The longer you cook it, the creamier it becomes. If your eye off of it, the bottom will burn. I like to cut down on the babysitting time by pre-boiling the rice.  Italian grandmas will be on my case about this, but I'm comfortable with this kind of cheating.

 Risotto alla Zucca

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

1 sugar pumpkin, butternut or any other type of winter squash (1.5 - 2 lbs), chopped into 1/4" to 1/2" pieces

2 cups short grain brown rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups hot chicken stock (if you decide to use vegetable broth, make sure it isn't too sweet)

3 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped

1/2 cup freshly grated parmiggiano or pecorino romano

1 tbsp butter (optional)

Salt

First wash and pre-boil the rice in a large pot of water for about 20 minutes and drain.

Heat the oil and butter in a large pot or deep skillet over medium. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add the sage, pumpkin and salt, and cook about 10 more minutes to soften it.

Add the rice and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes more, thoroughly coating it in oil. Add the wine and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Gradually add the stock, about a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan. Wait until the liquid is completely absorbed before adding more.

Once the risotto has reached a creamy consistency, and much of the pumpkin has dissolved into the mixture, you may add the grated cheese and a little more butter if you wish.

The consistency should not be something that you could "plop" and have it retain its form--It should naturally spread out on a plate on its own. Make sure its served hot. No one likes cold risotto.

Harissa baked olives

People have been telling me to try out North Park Produce on El Cajon for a while now. I don't know what took me so long, but I guess I figured it wouldn't have anything I couldn't get elsewhere. But when someone told me there was a stellar olive bar, I became worth investigating.

I was partly right. The place is small, and the produce selection is scanty compared to Pancho Villa down the street. However, if I need something Middle Eastern or North African and don't want to drive all the way to Balboa International Market in Clairemont, I can probably find it here.

The biggest discoveries? Definitely the olive bar, and fresh mint at $.50/bundle. They also have freshly baked lavish, pita and other arab breads, if you do gluten, and the feta didn't look half bad.

These baked olives are something that I tried for the first time in Sicily. They're cured without vinegar, so none of that excessive brininess. They have a strong fruity flavor, but can also be very salty--Be sure to rinse them first.

Harissa is a common condiment throughout North Africa. Marinating olives in it adds a smoky, sweet and spicy touch that is so Moroccan. Serve them as an appetizer or as part of a mezze platter.

I used this recipe from Epicurious as a guide, with a few small changes.

Harissa Baked Olives

 1 pound baked black olives (they're the shriveled-up looking ones)

For harissa:

1 tsp cumin seed

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp caraway seeds
2 hot red dried chilies, stemmed but not seeded (about 2 inches in length)
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp coarse salt, or to taste
1 medium roasted red bell pepper (jarred is ok)
1 tbsp olive oil

• In a colander rinse olives under cold water one minute and in a large bowl cover with cold water. Soak olives four hours to remove excess salt and drain well.

•  First, toast the cumin and caraway seeds over the stove. Transfer them to a grinding device. Toast the coriander seeds (They toast more quickly).

• In a mortar with a pestle, an electric spice grinder, or a cleaned coffee grinder grind seeds fine. If using mortar and pestle, add chilies, garlic, and salt and pound to taste. If using a spice or coffee grinder, transfer seeds to a small food processor and add chilies, garlic, and salt. Grind mixture to a paste. Add pepper and oil and pound or purée to a coarse paste.

• In a large bowl stir together harissa and olives and marinate, covered and chilled, at least six hours or overnight. Olives may be prepared one week ahead and kept chilled, covered.

• Serve olives at room temperature.

Un-roux-ly shrimp and sausage gumbo

 
I am from California. I'll admit that I've probably never had the "real thing". I imagine Paula Deen, Emeril Lagasse, and Alton Brown collectively laughing in my face as I attempt to make a healthy version of a Southern classic.

And yet, I attempt anyway. Gumbo without the roux? Yes, Mary Lou, it can be done! And it can be delicious. I won't make any claims of authenticity, but all the necessary components are in there, and plenty of Cajun spices give it that savory kick.

Traditional gumbo-making begins by browning some flour and a ton of fat together in the pot. This is the roux--the part that thickens. It also adds some flavor, and a lot of unnecessary gluten and calories. (Something tells me that roux was invented by peasants. It's a very cheap way to make your belly swell.)

Here I omitted the roux and used chicken stock in its place. The okra alone thickens well enough, and it's so much healthier--It's also tasty, if you get it fresh from the farmer's market like I did. I threw some collard greens in, too, for good measure. You can never get enough greens.

Un-roux-ly Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

3 tbsp olive oil 

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

 3 celery stalks, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped (I prefer red)

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 pound okra, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne 

1 tbsp oregano

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

4 large tomatoes, cored and chopped

3 bay leaves

5 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves striped from the stem

2 quarts chicken or seafood stock

1 1/2 pounds peeled shrimp

1 lb andouille-style turkey sausage, cut into 1/4" pieces and browned

1 bunch of collard greens, stemmed and coarsely chopped

Long grain brown rice for serving

• Saute the onion, celery, bell pepper and salt over medium heat until soft.

• Add the sausage, then the okra, and saute for a few minutes more.

• Next add the spices and tomatoes.  Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Add the stock and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.

• Add the sausage, shrimp and collard greens. Cook another minute or two, then turn off the heat. The shrimp and greens will continue to cook without the burner on.

• Serve over brown rice.

Seven Vegetable Couscous

This vegetable couscous is one of the most ubiquitous dishes in northern Africa. It is both sweet and savory, and fragrant of the spices that characterize the region: ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and mint. There are hundreds of regional and seasonal variations, but one thing about the dish remains the same: the number of vegetables is always seven.

Seven is considered a lucky number in Islam. The most common explanation I've seen for this is that there are seven heavens in the Islamic faith. However, there are also seven gates of Hell, so I'm open to other ideas. In any case, the number comes up frequently in religious ritual and texts (There are seven verses in the first chapter of the Qur'an, for example, and during the Hajj, pilgrims walk around the Kaaba of Mecca seven times.)



The point is that no Muslim will ever serve you a couscous dish that contains six or eight vegetables. The number will always be seven, whether for religion or purely out of superstition.

I encourage you to experiment with your own combination of seasonal veggies for this dish, but I think it's also a neat idea to retain some of its cultural authenticity by keeping the number seven present. Although it's up to you to decide which of the ingredients actually count as vegetables...;-)

The stew portion of the dish is typically cooked in a cone-shaped clay pot called a tagine. If you have any other sort of clay pot, use it! It enhances the flavor tremendously.

A piece of chicken, lamb or beef is usually added for richness, but it's also delicious without it.

Seven Vegetable Couscous

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1lb of chicken legs and thighs, beef or lamb on the bone (optional)

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

6 cloves of garlic, diced

2 tbsp diced ginger

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 cinnamon sticks

cayenne and black pepper to taste

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 lb. cooked chickpeas 

2 1/2 quarts of chicken stock or salted water

4 small waxy potatoes, quartered

5 large carrots, cut in half lengthwise, and again horizotally

2 - 3 small yams, cut horizontally, then cut into quarters

1/2 medium head of cauliflower, broken into florets

2 medium zucchini, cut in half, then quartered

1/4 cup small black raisins

1/2  bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 abundant handful of fresh mint sprigs, chopped

2 cups dry couscous, preferably whole wheat

Serves 6 to 8.

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a stock pot on medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and saute another minute. Finally, add the dry spices and cinnamon sticks.

• Add this point add the tomatoes. Once they've release a good amount of liquid, add the chicken, beef or lamb, if using. Also add the chickpeas at this time, and give everything a good stir.

• Once the tomatoes have begun to dissolve, and the meat is almost cooked, add the stock or water. Put a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to high

• Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the potatoes and carrots.

• A couple of minutes later, add the sweet potatoes and raisins.

• Once the yams are beginning to soften, add the cauliflower and zucchini.

• When all of the vegetables have been sufficiently cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro and mint. You may wish to add more olive oil or salt at this time.

As for the actual couscous, instant seems to work just fine for most people. But if you'd like to learn how to make it the old-fashioned way-- in a couscousier-- by all means, eat your heart out.

Serve the tagine (vegetable stew) on top of the couscous in a mound, as you would a curry. I'll be eating mine with quinoa instead.

A Moroccan man shops for legumes.

A Moroccan woman sells mint in the streets of Chefchaouen.