Confessions of a Fruit-aholic!

Hi. My name is B and I'm a fruit addict. It has been approximately 30 seconds since my last fruit intake. I am not here for help, but to simply share my fruit addiction with you!

Why? The answer is simple: fruits are the most delicious foods on the planet. Luckily, they are also easy to prepare (wash and eat usually suffices if you're on the go like me) and they contain vitamins and antioxidants that are great for your body (and skin). They also come in a variety of bright colors, sizes, shapes which makes them ideal for snack making!

This past weekend we had the pleasure of entertaining some guests so I thought I would share recipes (!) of some of the fruit snacks that went over well.


Chocolate covered strawberries:
The only thing better than fruit is the combination of fruit and chocolate!

Directions: Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in double boiler. Wash strawberries, dry, dip in chocolate and place on parchment paper. If desired, melt white chocolate and drizzle over the strawberries. Total prep time: 10 min.




The Porcupineapple:
I call this one the porcupinapple (It's made of pineapple and looks like a porcupine!) I learned this one from my aunt and modified it a bit and it is ALWAYS a crowd pleaser.

Directions: place chunks of any fruits and cheese on wooden kebab skewers and stick into the pineapple. Usually I do a lot of berries (blueberries, raspberries, black berries and strawberries) but it is winter and these items are not in season. Not to worry, plenty of other fruit are! Here I have used watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries as well as Colby jack and mozzarella cheese. Total Prep time: 15 minutes


Fruit hor dourves:

I love hor dourves, they are so easy to make, everyone loves them and there are NO rules! well, none that I follow anyway.

Directions:
Place a thin layer of cheese (here it is fresh mozzarella but it can be any cheese), cream cheese or chocolate spread (Nutella) on a cracker or bread slice of choice (here I used Triscuits) and put some fruit slices on top. You can get really creative and artistic with this one, which I never actually have time to do.
Total Prep time: 10 minutes.



Fruit Salad:
If you make any of the above, you'll probably have some fruit left over. Throw it in a bowl and it's a whole new snack! No rules, as far as I am concerned, all fruits go together!
Total prep time: 5 minutes








Fruit Bowl:
I think there is a certain elegance to having a bowl of fruits on the table. Most people will not eat any, because it's too much trouble to peel an orange when you're at a party! But I always have the fruit bowl out so I can munch (yes, this sits on my table every day, remember, I am an addict!)
Total prep time: 5 minutes.


Look, in 45 minutes we made 5 delightful snacks! Actually, if you make them all at once it should take less than a half hour.


Do you love other fruit snacks I didn't talk about? Share them with me!!

Dr. B of hydrOtion

Food Tips for Healthy Skin

We live in a society where everyone seems to be on a diet, but make sure you continue to eat foods that are essential for skin, hair and whole body health. For healthy skin and hair, eat foods that are high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids and don’t forget to hydrate! Here are some tips.

Anti-Oxidants:
Anti-oxidants prevent collagen breakdown and premature aging by fighting free-radicals that can damage your skin. What foods are high in anti-oxidants?

1. Fruits. Some delicious examples are Berries (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and cranberry), pomegranate, grape, orange, pineapple, avocado, date and plum.
2. Nuts. For example pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts and my personal favorite: almonds!
3. Vegetables. Artichokes, beans, spinach, broccoli, arugula, Radicchio, peppers and asparagus are high in anti-oxidant power.
4. Other. Cinnamon, oregano, clove, green or black tea, rice bran and last but not least, red wine.

Essential Fatty Acids:
These essential fatty acids are required (hence the word “essential” in the name) for proper health and must be ingested since the body does not have the capability to synthesize them. There are two types of essential fatty acids: omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid ) fatty acids which can be obtained from a variety of foods and help skin retain moisture while strengthening skin cell membranes.

Essential fatty acids can be found in Flaxseed oil (very high), flaxseed meal, hempseed oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, borage oil, evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil, chestnut oil, sunflower seeds (raw), cold-processsed, unrefined canola oil, soybean oil, wheat germ oil, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, avocados, some dark leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, purslane, mustard greens, collards, oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, and albacore tuna.

Hydrate:
Water, water and more water! It plumps your skin cells giving it a healthy and youthful look. It also flushes the toxins out of your body and is the major component of your body. The average person loses about 2 liters of water (or eight cups [8 ounce]) each day through urination, sweating, etc. You need to replace this amount daily. Soda, coffee, beer, wine and even tea do not take the place of water; in fact these are diuretics that dehydrate you. For more information about water intake, you can visit the Mayo Clinic website.