ChefSisi: Top Favorite Beauty Foods

In today's society, we tend to relate the term beauty in relation to outward appearances. However beauty comes in many different forms and it is what makes each of us unique. Beauty cannot be defined by outward appearances alone but rather working together with what is inside as well. If we don't take care of ourselves internally or are not emotionally happy with ourselves chances are it will show on the outside. Here are my top favorite beauty foods that are not only good for the outside but inside as well and remember beauty comes from within. 

AVOCADOS:

Great on toast and in face masks

Beauty Benefits

-Helps reduce wrinkles

-Great frizzy hair treatment

-Helps with dehydrated skin

Health Benefits

-Lowers cholesterol

-Good fat 

-Helps with digestion

-Reduces high blood pressure

STRAWBERRIES:

Delicious alone or in smoothies and awesome in facial cleansers

Beauty Benefits

-Vitamin C in strawberries as an important building block of collagen which supports the structure and elasticity of our skin

-Can be mashed and used as an natural exfoliate

-Contains elegiac acid that helps protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation

-Helps with hair thinning

Health Benefits

-Vitamin C to help support a healthy immune system

-Good for protection of the eyes (strengthen the cornea and retina)

-Good for bone health (strawberries contain about 20% of manganese that helps keep our bone structure intact)

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

Try it in salad dressings and dilute it with water for a natural toner

Beauty Benefits

-Can be used as a toner to reduce skin inflammation

-Sunburn remedy

-Teeth whitener

-Acne remedy

-Wart remover

Health Benefits

-Soothes sore throats

-Helps with bad breath

-Helps with indigestion and other stomach troubles

-Clears stuffy noses

-Helps with hiccups

DARK CHOCOLATE:

Eat it alone or put into a face mask w/avocado

Beauty Benefits

-Protects skin from free radical damage

-Skin detoxifier

-Dark cacao powder can be used as a natural vegan bronzer

Health Benefits

-Mood improver

-Contains antioxidants such as flavonoids that help prevent heart disease

-Reduces bad cholesterol  

HONEY:

Use as a natural sweetener in cooking or add it to your face masks for healthy glowing skin

Beauty Benefits

-Pore cleanser

-Moisturizing

-Scar Fader

-Acne Treatment

Health Benefits

-Cough suppressant

-Boosts memory

-Treats wounds and burns

-Alleviates allergies 

GOBBLE GOBBLE #1- Apple Fennel Sage Stuffing

Hey Hey! Welcome back to another year of GOBBLE GOBBLE! GOBBLE GOBBLE is a series of easy and delicious DIY Thanksgiving recipes. Let's get cooking!!!

APPLE FENNEL SAGE STUFFING

This is a simple stuffing recipe that is sure to please the crowd. While it is simple don't underestimate the flavor this little dish packs. This recipe like most my recipes does not have exact measurements. Just make according to your own taste and preference and of course the amount to people you are serving.

You will need:

-Honey Crisp or Pink Lady Apples (These are not too sweet so they will hold their shape while cooking)

-1 Fennel Bulb 

- Sage (Dried or Fresh)

- French Bread (Make sure it is day old bread)

-Chicken or Veggie Stock

-Salt & Pepper to taste

-Chicken or Veggie Bouillon

-Garlic & Shallots

-Carrots & Celery

How to make:

1.) Cut up your apples, fennel, and bread to about the same size (this will ensure even cooking)

2.) In a large pot saute your garlic, shallots, carrots and celery until tender but still with a slight crunch in butter & olive oil (at this time add salt & pepper to taste and add your sage)

3.) Put in your apples and bouillon

4.) In a separate bowl put the bread in and pour the apple/fennel mixture into it and add enough stock to moisten the bread but not drench

5.) Pour stuffing in a glass oven proof dish and top with some cubes of unsalted butter and bake until the top is nice and golden

If you are a carnivore feel free to add sausage or whatever kind of protein you prefer!

Quick & Healthy Fall Inspired SNACKS- BLOGTOBER OCTOBER 10, 2014

1.) Frozen Mangos 

This is definitely more of a summer snack however it is also great for the early fall season. Inspired by frozen grapes the snack we all grew up and loved frozen mangos though take it up to a whole new level! You can either cut up your own fresh mangos when they are in season (they keep in the freezer for about 3 months) or you can just buy them all ready cut up and frozen. The only thing is not all brands of frozen mangos taste the same. My favorites are either the Great Value brand at Wal- Mart or the Trader Joe's brand. 

Wal-Mart's Great Value Mango Chunks

Trader Joe's Mango Chunks

2.) Homemade Apple Sauce
I know what you must be thinking is she crazy who makes their own applesauce these days? Hey don't hate till you try it. Store bought applesauce contains massive amounts of sugars and unnecessary ingredients. Homemade allows you to control what you put in and be a little more creative. You can make a big batch and just store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks although you will probably finish eating it right after you make it! The other great thing about this recipe is that there isn't exact amounts of each ingredients you can just add as much as you like. 

Here's how to make some...

Cut up as much apples as you like, any type is fine you can also do a mixture of apples.

Get a large pot and put your apples in it.

Add enough water or apple juice to cover the apples

Add some cinnamon, sugar (or stevia), nutmeg and whatever other spice you like.

Cook until apples are soft and use an immersion blender to blend to your consistency. It you don't have an immersion blender you can use a regular blender just be sure to cool the sauce down first and blend it in batches so the sauce doesn't explode in the blender.

After blended put into containers and store in the fridge for at least an hr then ENJOY!!!

Optional: Add other fruits like strawberries to pump it up even more

3.) Yogurt Balls

These are so fun and delicious and another homemade recipe. Take some blueberries and dip them in some greek yogurt. Then place them on a cookie sheet and freeze for about 3 hours. They are so delicious and easy to eat.

GOBBLE GOBBLE: Apple Sausage Stuffing Recipe

One of my biggest passions in life is cooking. Food is a huge part of my life and not just for the eating aspect. It is a way I can let go and express myself and the holidays are my favorite time of the entire year to cook. I normally make most of the Thanksgiving dinner in my family. This holiday season I wanted to share some of my recipes. The first one being stuffing.

This is a very easy and delicious recipe. Seriously anyone can do it. This recipe doesn't have exact measurements and it really doesn't need it. You can make as much or as little as you want. This is a taste as you cook sorta recipe and trust me it will be delicious. The recipe below usually feeds about 6+ people.

What you will need:

1 giant loaf of french bread (enough to feed how many you are feeding) TIP: Pretty much all stuffing recipes require day old bread so that the bread can absorb all the flavors. If you can't get day old bread just buy fresh bread and leave it out unwrapped the night before you make your stuffing) 

1/2 pound of mild Italian sausage or chorizo (Chorizo is a Mexican sausage that is flavored with a lot of garlic but you can use whatever type of sausage you have on hand breakfast sausage also works really well in this)

1-3 Granny Smith Apples (If you have a large apple just use one if they are smaller then use 3)

3 Celery Stalks 

1 can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom

1 can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken

4 Cups of Swanson Chicken Broth (ALWAYS have enough of chicken broth on hand especially during the holidays you may need a little more or a little less in this recipe depending on the consistency)

An assorted bunch of mushrooms (This is totally optional but I like the nice woodsy flavor it gives to the stuffing. Portobellos, shitakes, porcini, oyster, and white button mushrooms work great in this together.) TIP: Porcini mushrooms usually come dehydrated and can be a little difficult to find. If you do happen to find it just soak the mushrooms in some hot water for 5 minutes or until they plump off and reserve the liquid for the stuffing mixture

1 large or 3 small shallots (If you can't find shallots just use a vidalia or yellow onion, I personally prefer shallots since they are a bit sweeter and milder than regular onions)

2-3 Teaspoons of garlic (More or less depending your taste buds)

1/2 Tablespoons of Italian Seasoning (No brand in particular just get what you can)

1/2 Tablespoons each of dried Sage and Oregano (You can totally leave this out if you want since there is already some in the Italian seasoning I like the extra flavor)

1 stick of unsalted butter (You won't use the whole thing)

1 cup of breadcrumbs

1 Tablespoon of parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste 

How to make:

1.) In a large bowl cut your French bread into giant cubes and set aside (Make sure the bowl is large we will be adding more stuff into it later.

2.) Dice your shallots and garlic

3.) Chop the apples and celery into bit size pieces (Make sure they are close in size to ensure even cooking) If you want mushrooms this is the time to chop them up and soak the porcinis if you have them.

4.) In a saucepan crumble up the sausage and cook along with the shallots and garlic until the sausage starts to brown.

5.) Add the Italian seasoning and herbs except the parsley, apples, and celery

6.) Add 1/2 can each of the cream of mushroom and chicken

7.) Stir well and wait until the creams start to bubble a bit and the apples and celery are cooked but still crunchy (At this point taste to see if you need any more seasoning)

8.) Take off heat and pour the contents into the bowl with the bread

9.) Stir and slowly add the chicken broth. You might not need the 4 cups you just want enough broth that the mixture is soft not smushy

10.) Butter a baking dish and pour the stuffing into it

11.) Top with little chunks of butter and breadcrumbs and cover with tin foil

12.) Bake at 350 for 15 mins or until the top is golden brown (After 10 mins take of the foil and bake for 5 more mins) 

13.) When finished take out of the oven and let it cool. Sprinkle some parsley right before serving and ENJOY! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! :D