A Healthy Cookie Recipe

A Cookie Recipe That’s Actually Good for You

Try this prunetastic recipe to tame your sweet tooth and protect your skin from a harsh winter.

Brrr! It’s cold out—and the Arctic Vortex isn’t exactly helping our skin. What’s more, the cold also makes us crave sweets, which can get in the way of our attempts to make better food choices. But here’s a healthy and incredibly enjoyable way you can both protect your skin and satisfy your sweet tooth: this gluten-free and vegan oatmeal, prune and raisin cookie recipe.

Why It’s PrunetasticDried plums, with their wide array of phenolic compounds (plant nutrients that contribute to the flavor and color of produce and have potential health benefits), are rich in antioxidants. In fact, dried plums have one of the highest levels of antioxidant capacity, with more antioxidants per weight than many other foods. These antioxidants can help protect skin cells from damaging free radicals that form from outdoor exposure, which may help to guard against premature aging and wrinkle formation. Just five dried plums contain 3 grams of fiber and 30 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin K, along with potassium and vitamin A.




Eat Less and Feel FullThe oatmeal in this recipe provides a good source of dietary fiber—a key player in weight loss and long-term weight maintenance. A number of studies have shown an inverse association between fiber intake and body weight. This association is likely explained by fiber’s ability to promote satiety and feelings of fullness.

Unlike store-bought cookies, there’s no added sugar or empty calories. Instead, these cookies are fabulously sweet because all of the sweet goodness comes from the natural plant sugars found in the prunes, raisins and bananas. You can easily freeze bananas that are getting over ripe and then you’ll always have them on hand to make these cookies. To make it easier, peel the bananas first and then freeze them in a plastic re-sealable bag for easy removal.

This is also a great recipe to make with your family, especially with children. Kids love to smash things, and the first step when making these cookies is to mash the bananas and then just fold in the remaining ingredients. Your family will love helping, and you’ll love knowing that these cookies are not manufactured and are good for you.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Oatmeal, Prune and Raisin Cookies Recipe
Makes 36 cookies
Ingredients:3 bananas, ripe
½ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
¼ cup pecans, toasted, chopped
¼ cup prunes, dried, pitted, no sugar added, chopped
1 cup yellow raisins
2 cups oatmeal, plain, old-fashioned whole oats

Directions:In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas with hand masher, combine and mix in canola oil, vanilla, walnuts, pecans, prunes and raisins. Add oatmeal and mix all ingredients together until well mixed. Using a 1-ounce scoop, measure and drop mixture onto parchment-covered cookie sheet. Slightly push down mixture with fingers to lightly flatten. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.  Remove, let cool and serve.

Book your appointment online now at www.montereydayspa.com!

Purchase additional products from our online store HERE 

Like our Facebook page HERE 

Follow us on Twitter HERE

Visit our website HERE

View our pins on Pinterest HERE
 
aricle source-youbeauty.com  

Spa Recipe: Acai Breakfast Bowl

Start your day off on a healthy note with this guilt-free treat!

by Carolyn Meers

The period just after the holidays is reality-check time for anyone watching their weight. The scales insist on registering every last buttery indulgence and, for many clients, those New Year’s resolutions fade faster than the final bars of “Auld Lang Syne”.

Kick-start your January regimen with this satisfying yet healthful recipe, the Açai Breakfast Bowl. 
It’s refreshing and restorative and, according to chef David Reardon, “a favorite because of its health benefits and invigorating combination of flavors and textures. It’s our top seller in the mornings!”

The recipe’s fruit base is a sweet, slightly tart blend of blueberries, strawberries, açai berries and goji berries. (The gojis should be parboiled for 15 minutes to rehydrate and soften them.) A splash of orange juice lends a smoothie-like consistency, while granola provides crunch.

The dish delivers a powerful antioxidant punch: açai berries are high in anthocyanins, a form of plant antioxidant thought to help lower cholesterol; strawberries and goji berries are rich in vitamin C, which helps fight free radicals and bolster the immune system; and blueberries are an excellent source of bone-strengthening vitamin K.

You can boost the bowl’s benefits by pairing it with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or, in winter, a warming cup of green tea. Whatever the accompanying beverage, this is one tasty wake-up call!

Açai Breakfast Bowl

1 oz. organic açai purée
1 oz. frozen blueberries
1 oz. frozen strawberries
4 oz. fresh orange juice
¼ oz. goji berries, parboiled
1 oz. fresh blueberries
1 oz. granola
1 oz. fresh strawberries, sliced
1 banana, sliced
1 Tbsp. agave syrup
1 sprig mint
Purée the first five ingredients in a blender. Garnish with fresh blueberries, strawberry and banana slices, granola, agave syrup and mint.

Book your appointment online now at www.montereydayspa.com!

Purchase additional products from our online store HERE 

Like our Facebook page HERE 

Follow us on Twitter HERE

Visit our website HERE

View our pins on Pinterest HERE

Seven DIY Body Scrub Recipes

Get Glowing Skin with Natural, At-Home Body Scrubs

To maintain beautiful, glowing skin it’s absolutely necessary to exfoliate all those icky dead cells blocking the baby soft layer of skin underneath. But boy can the body exfoliators and scrubs in the beauty aisle really put a dent in your shopping budget. Instead, try out a few of our favorite easy and effective DIY body scrub recipes. For a thoughtful and wallet-friendly gift, you can also make an extra mason jar full of your favorite scrub below for your mom or BFF.


Coffee Body Scrub

Coffee is good for more than just your morning wakeup. This scrub performs double duty by exfoliating while the caffeine in the coffee grounds may even help reduce the appearance of cellulite by plumping up your skin. If you check the labels, caffeine is actually in many of those crazy expensive cellulite creams. This, however, is a much cheaper way to discover if caffeine works as a treatment for you. No promises, but try it out.

Equal parts ground coffee and raw sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp sea salt

Mix the ground coffee with raw sugar and sea salt. Add the olive oil and coconut oil. And voila, coffee body scrub.

(Recipe & photo source: deliciouslyorganized.blogspot.com/2012/07/diy-mornin-coffee-scrub.html)


Rosemary Lavender Salt Scrub

For a relaxing end to your day, draw yourself a nice warm bath and unwind with this soothing scrub. It'll get you to your happy place in no time.

2 cups salt, kosher
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp lavender, culinary grade
3 tbsp rosemary leaves, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy. This scrub can also be applied to the more delicate neck and facial area (other scrubs, in general, though, are too harsh to use on your face or neck).

(Adapted recipe & photo source:  bettycrocker.com/recipes/diy-rosemary-lavender-salt-scrub/ab242ee3-c896-44a2-9a93-2ee4654f8959)


Daniela Ferri’s Go-To Body Scrub


Licensed Esthetician and acne specialist Daniela Ferri recommends using her easily customizable recipe to reveal your naturally lovely skin.

3/4 cup sugar in the raw
1/4 cup honey
1/8 cup vegetable glycerin (check the vitamin section for this)
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 liquid castile soap (or 1/4 cup shampoo)
25 drops of your favorite essential oil (or 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice)

In a bowl, mix ingredients together well. After showering with your usual body wash, apply generously to your body especially concentrating on rough areas like knees and elbows. Rinse off and apply your favorite moisturizing body lotion post-shower.


Sunless Tanner Correcting Scrub


Have you applied sunless tanner without exfoliating first? Holy oompa loompa! To correct those dreaded dark orange patches, try this sunless-tanner fixer. Two go-to remedies for removing those pesky tangerine streaks are lemon and a great scrub. Lemons contain citric acid, a natural exfoliator, and also contain elements that cause bleaching (sunless tanner included). This recipe combines both sugar scrub and lemons.

5 cups white granulated sugar
2 cups olive oil
2 lemons
3 tbsp honey

Using a wooden spoon, mix the sugar with the olive oil. Slice lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the sugar olive oil mix. Add honey and mix just until combined. After a long soak in a warm bath, apply the scrub to trouble spots. Be careful not to scrub too hard and damage your skin, though! Rinse off. Follow up with a nice moisturizing body lotion.

P.S. Kudos to you for using a safer tanning alternative! We'll take streaks over sun damage any day.

(Recipe source:  neverlandnook.com/honey-lemon-sugar-scrub)


Peppermint Sugar Scrub

Peppermint is not just for the holidays. Scrubbing down with this recipe will make you feel refreshed and invigorated--not to mention it's delightfully pink.

2 cups white granulated sugar
1/4 cup almond oil or coconut oil
Peppermint essential oil
Raspberry/pomegranate juice or red food coloring

Slowly mix almond or coconut oil into the granulated sugar. If you feel like there doesn't seem to be enough oil, you can add more, but don’t overdo it and let the mixture get too oily. Add a few drops of peppermint oil until it reaches your desired scent. To get the pink color, add a few drops of red food coloring, or for a natural take, you can add drops of raspberry or pomegranate juice. Mix together until color is uniform throughout (don’t worry, it won’t be enough to dye your skin!).

(Recipe & photo source: theidearoom.net/2012/11/peppermint-candy-cane-sugar-scrub)


Vanilla Sugar Scrub


If you’re sensitive to strongly scented products, this natural, simple sugar scrub is the way to go. The delicate scent of the vanilla extract and almond oil will hardly trigger any sensitive noses or smell-induced migraines.

2 1/2 cups sugar in the raw
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
4-5 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup almond oil

In a bowl, mix together the sugar in the raw and the white granulated sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and almond oil and mix well.

(Recipe & photo source: heygorg.com/2012/04/diy-body-scrub-favor.html)


Create Your Body Scrub
Don’t be afraid to play around with the recipes and create your own signature scrub. Stick to two core ingredients (granulated sugar and olive oil) and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil and you’ve got a scrub as unique as your lovely self.


Schedule your appointment with us today by calling 831-373-2273
You can also book online at www.montereydayspa.com

Like our Facebook page HERE

Follow us on Twitter HERE

Visit our website HERE

View our pins on Pinterest HERE

article source: chickrx.com