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Nourish Your Face with Real Food!

We all know how good real food is for our bodies, but have you ever thought about what it can do for your skin?

Yes, eating healthy can really put a glow on your face, as well as a spring in your step. But putting real food ON your face has lots of healthy benefits too! (For example, see my Real Food Moisturizing Mask below!)

Our skin is the gateway to our bodies – everything we put onto our skin goes into our bodies – so it’s important to ensure that our skincare products are free of harsh chemicals and toxins.

That’s why I’m at Keeper of the Home today sharing how you can use everyday real foods to nourish your skin. Not only is making your own homemade real food facial care healthier for your skin and body, it’s far less expensive too, since you most likely have everything you need right in your own kitchen!

So join me over at Keeper of the Home to learn how to “Nourish Your Face Naturally.” I’ll be sharing my favorite Age-Fighting Moisture Mask recipe, as well as links to lots of other great skincare recipes from other DIYers across the blogsphere!

But first, don’t forget to check out my Real Food Nourishing Moisture Mask below … something special I whipped up just for you (and myself)!

Real Food Nourishing Moisture Mask

Yield: 2 applications

Works well for *most skin types to help provide rich nutrients, deep moisturizing, detoxifying, and skin toning/tightening benefits.

Ingredients

1/2 ripe avocado
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp melted coconut oil
1 egg yolk

Instructions

Mash avocado, honey and melted coconut oil together until well blended and creamy.
Then stir in the egg yolk until well combined. Let stand five minutes.
Use that time to clean your face and decollete, if desired.
*Smooth mask over clean face and décolleté. Wait 5-10 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Gently pat skin dry with a soft towel and apply your favorite facial moisturizer. "Ahh, look at her skin glow!"

Notes

Mask will keep 4-5 days in airtight container in fridge.

* Remember, even with all-natural skincare products, it’s always important to test a small area of skin first to make sure you are not sensitive to it before using it on your entire face/body.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/04/nourish-face-real-food/

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Get Inspiralized! {discovering the art of spiralizing}

By Kelly · 14 Comments

I have a new love in my life … I’m not ashamed to tell you that it’s yet another amazing kitchen tool. And why should I be shy about sharing the joys of newfound culinary delights! Especially since this one has brought such joy to my plate and palate, because ever since I went grain-free, I’ve seriously been missing noodles!

That was until I got “Inspiralized!”

I first learned about this amazing little kitchen gem called the Spiralizer when I read an intriguing guest post at Against All Grain by Ali author of the beautiful and delicious cookbook Inspiralized. The photo made my heart leap – could those little zucchini noodles really fill the void in my tummy {heart} for noodle slurping fun?

Oh yes, my friends! It’s true! I was even tempted to take a photo of my hubby and I slurping up a zoodle together just like in Lady & the Tramp … but my hubby gave me the eye-roll and I’m pretty sure you’re probably doing that right now. But I’m betting that with just one zoodle slurp, you’ll be hooked too!

Meet my new friend Ali author of Inspiralized. She’s helping inspire families everywhere to eat healthier with each tasty twist of her spiralizer. And I’m betting that after just one bite, you’ll be inspiralized too!

That’s why I’m so excited to introduce you to THE ultimate source of my inspiralization – my new friend Ali author of Inspiralized. She also has an amazing blog completely dedicated to teaching us how to use the spiralizer to create amazing culinary delights that are certain to not only put more veggies on your plate, but a smile on your face and a warm-fuzzy in your tummy too!

So to kick-off this special Oodles of Zoodles Spiralizer Series, Ali is sharing one of her easy and delicious zoodle recipes that’s so good even the skeptics in my house were asking for seconds.

But before we get to the recipe, I asked Ali a few questions …

Kelly: In a nutshell, what is spiralizing all about?

Ali: By definition, spiralizing is about turning vegetables into noodles. However, spiralizing goes beyond that. By spiralizing vegetables, you no longer have to sacrifice flavor for health. Spiralizing allows you to transform real, whole ingredients into big bowls of your favorite pastas, noodles and rices.

Instead of having to make tasteless or chewy noodles with flavorless sauces, you can eat a restaurant-sized portion of recipes like this delicious Turkey Bolognese – without the heavy calories, carbs or sugars. In reality, spiralizing is a new cooking method that allows us the freedom to eat healthy, creatively and deliciously!

Kelly: Tell us about your incredible site Inspiralized …

Ali: Inspiralized is the only online resource devoted 100% to spiralizing. You can find tutorials and videos for how to spiralize vegetables, daily recipes and other related content. When you first open your spiralizer, you should have your browser set on Inspiralized.com! And better yet, grab a copy of my new cookbook, Inspiralized!

My mother actually discovered the spiralizer. One evening in spring of 2013, she made me a simple zucchini noodle dish. I was so blown away that I took her spiralizer that night, went back to my apartment and made dinner for my boyfriend and I the next day. When he tasted it, he was amazed and literally told me to quit my job, saying “This is revolutionary!” A couple months later, I quit my job and the next day, I went to a local coffee shop, bought the Inspiralized.com domain and started blogging!

I’ve always loved to write and cook, so it only seemed natural to start a food blog. However, the real joy in blogging comes from everyone’s excitement and relief when they realize they can eat healthily and deliciously. We’re too caught up on trying to portion control our favorite foods (ie pasta) and this gives everyone the opportunity to pack in their nutrient-dense veggies in a delicious way. Every time I receive a kind e-mail from a reader about how my blog has changed his/her life (whether they’re gluten-free, grain-free, on a low-carb diet, or just trying to eat healthier and more creatively), I’m reminded of the power of spiralizing and my mission to make it a common way of preparing food!

Kelly: Thank you for being our guest today, Ali! You have such a wonderful talent for creating amazing dishes that are nutrient-dense and incredibly flavorful.

Speaking of which, I’m super excited to share with ya’ll one of Ali’s amazing pasta transformations … it’s her world famous Turkey Bolognese recipe. A perfect way to introduce your family to the joys of spiralizing.

And … Can I tell you a little secret? This amazing little device does more than just noodl-ize zucchini, as Ali mentioned, it can turn virtually any veggie into a noodle and have you noticed how much kids like noodles?

Even my finicky preteens gave the veggie noodles a shot and had to admit they’re pretty awesome! Yes, getting more veggies into my boys is proof enough for me that this new kitchen tool ROCKS!

So I invited you to jump in with me to the delicious world of spiralizing. Each week, during the month of April, I’ll be sharing how I’ve transformed one of my family’s favorite pasta dishes using the spiralizer.

Are you a spiralizer fan too? If so, what are your favorite ways to use this amazing kitchen wonder?

Disclosure: The above links to the spiralizer kitchen tool are amazon affiliate links. By purchasing via these links The Nourishing Home receives a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make a purchase, but if you do, please know that it helps to support this site and ministry. Thank you!

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Make Your Own Enchilada Sauce (GF, DF)

By Kelly · 10 Comments

Today, I’m over at Keeper of the Home sharing a super easy Enchilada Pot Pie recipe that was an idea cooked up by my youngest son. He’s such a genius!

The base of the recipe calls for enchilada sauce, of course. But rather than rely on those canned sauces with sketchy ingredients, I took some time to perfect a delicious healthy enchilada sauce that can easily be adjusted to thick or thin, whichever you prefer – and it only takes 30 minutes or less to put together!

I know, I know. Time is always an issue. Believe me, as a Stay-in-the-Car Mom, constantly carting boys here and there, I’m pressed for time too. But seriously, let me share 3 great reasons to commit 30 minutes to make your own enchilada sauce: (recipe below)

1. Again, have you taken a look at the ingredients in canned enchilada sauces out there? yikes!
2. It’s super easy and a big batch can easily be divided up and kept frozen for months. bonus!
3. The taste is amazing and for me, that’s reason enough to make my own homemade sauce! yum!

So I encourage you to schedule a little time on your next prep day to cook up a batch or two of this sauce recipe I’m sharing below. Then be sure to pop over to Keeper of the Home for my awesome Enchilada Pot Pie recipe. This hearty satisfying meal will bring a smile to your family’s faces and perhaps a sweat to their brows, depending upon how hot you make the sauce!

Homemade Enchilada Sauce (GF, DF)

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 cups homemade chicken stock
3/4 cup organic tomato paste (or use tomato sauce, see *note below)

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent (4-5 minutes). Then add garlic and stir until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt. Stir using a wooden spoon, cooking for about 30 seconds.
Add chicken stock and tomato paste, or for a thinner sauce, see recipe variation below. Continuing to stir to combine. Bring sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to gently simmer covered for 15 minutes.
Adjust the seasonings, adding more salt to taste and additional chili powder to increase heat, if desired.
If you prefer a non-chunky sauce, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much sauce as possible.
Then serve atop your favorite enchiladas. Or try it in my Enchilada Pot Pie or Enchilada Casserole recipes. (Recipe inspired by Emeril Lagasse.)

Notes

* Recipe Variation: If you prefer a thinner enchilada sauce, you can substitute the tomato paste called for in this recipe with 2 cups of organic tomato sauce. Just be sure to reduce the chicken stock to 1 cup. Also, because tomato paste is much sweeter, you may wish to add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or honey to add a little sweet undertone.

Also note: This sauce tastes best the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld. So I recommend making it the night before you plan to use it, or why not make a big batch to save time on future recipes.

To store for future use, allow sauce to cool and then add to mason jars or freezer-safe containers. Sauce can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for several months.

https://thenourishinghome.com/2014/03/make-enchilada-sauce-gf-df/

P.S. Not only is the enchilada sauce perfect for freezing, but so is my Enchilada Pot Pie recipe. Just check out the recipes notes at Keeper of the Home for details.

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