Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Easy, Breezy Pumpkin Pie



With Thanksgiving dinner less than 24 hours away, here is a yummy dessert recipe that’s both nutritious and as easy-as-pie! Not to mention that pumpkin is very good for your skin! Courtesy of Paula Dean and the Food Network.

Ingredients

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
  • 1 piece pre-made pie dough
  • Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Level: Easy

Servings: 6-8



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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Healthy Thanksgiving Foods

While Thanksgiving may be a time for togetherness, reflection, and giving thanks for all the good in our lives, it is also a time for great food. When you sit down to feast this year, you can also be thankful for all of the healthy benefits that come from many traditional Thanksgiving ingredients.


Sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene (a form of Vitamin A), antioxidants, and easily digestible sugars, which makes them beneficial to your eyes, lungs, and even skin. Sweet potatoes help skin stay clear, smooth, and young looking by shedding old skin cells and producing new ones.


Pumpkins are another orange ingredient that is abundant in beta carotene. Pumpkins help normalize skin functioning and provide support for your body’s immune system.


Cranberries are a great source of antioxidants and help protect skin from factors such as UV rays, pollution, and cigarette smoke. These environmental aggressors cause free radicals in the skin that increase signs of aging. Eating cranberries is a great way to prevent damage that causes aging.


Green beans are also a healthy option this Thanksgiving. Eat green beans to help lower cholesterol and promote a healthy heart.


So now you know, Thanksgiving dishes are filled with healthy ingredients – just another thing to be thankful for this holiday season!



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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Friday, November 6, 2009

Tips For Staying Healthy During Cold Winter Months


Winter is upon us which means that our bodies are now more susceptible to bacterial and viral infections than before. Follow Erno Laszlo’s basic guidelines to stay healthy and germ-free. Remember; good health radiates beauty.
  • Keep your immune system strong by eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Many doctors suggest supplementing your diet with zinc and vitamin c, which are both essential to maintaining the health of your immune system.
  • Drink plenty of fluids to flush out any toxins that may be in the body and be sure to get enough rest to ward off the possibility of a cold. If you are sick, try working from home to avoid contaminating your workplace.
  • Wash your hands to avoid spreading germs to other parts of your face and body. If you are on the go, carry a small container of hand-sanitizer with you, as well as some hand cream to stay moisturized.


The cold winter months may also take a toll on our looks, so look for these signs to help your skin remain healthy and glowing:

  • Dark under eye circles may become more pronounced during the winter, partly because skin is paler, and also because dryness causes under eye skin to thin, making blood vessels underneath more visible. Try Erno Laszlo’s Antioxidant Complex for Eyes to keep skin plump and to help fade the appearance of under eye darkness and wrinkles.
  • Skin cell turnover is also slower in the winter, so combat dullness and flakiness by exfoliating; try the C-Peel, which is packed with antioxidants that refine skin’s texture and contribute to an overall radiant complexion. To add much-needed protection to dry winter skin, try pHormula 3.9 to plump skin and infuse it with hydration. This wonder cream increases oxygenation to give skin a healthy, rosy glow.
  • Fake a healthy flush and sun kissed look even in the winter time with Laszlo’s Multi-phase Bronzer and Blusher. Tip: applying blush on the apples of the cheeks (below the orbital eye area) detracts attention from imperfections such as dark circles, and creates a fresher, wider-awake look.


So remember; stay healthy and beautiful by keeping your immune system strong and your skin glowing from the inside out.



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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Shea Butter: The Butter That's Good For You

Shea Butter is one of those ingredients that have become so common in beauty products that we sometimes take it for granted. But what is Shea Butter? And where does it come from?

Shea Butter is an ivory to slightly yellowish colored natural fat taken from the seed of the fruit from Shea trees. Shea trees grow naturally throughout the
savannah belt of Africa, from Senegal to Ethiopia.

Its many beneficial properties range from healing dry skin, dark spots, discoloration and chapped lips, to minimizing stretch marks and wrinkles. It is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which make for effective treatment of scars, burns, rashes, eczema, acne, and blemishes.

Shea butter restores smoothness, softness, and shine to hair and skin by retaining moisture and promoting cell grow. Unlike some body care ingredients, Shea butter melts at body temperature and is quickly absorbed by the skin, so it doesn’t leave that dreaded greasy feeling.

Shea butter can be found in soaps, hair care products, moisturizers, and lip balms. How many of your skin, hair, and body care products contain Shea butter? Probably more than you realize!


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