Pumpkin Seeds

The Benefits of Pumpkin 

By Cyndi Morel
‘Tis the season for pumpkin carving, as Halloween quickly approaches and you begin carving your pumpkins, do yourself the favor of notthrowing away those pumpkin seeds. They can be made into a delicious and very nutritious snack, especially for men.

Health Benefits of pumpkin seeds are as follows

*Promote Prostate Health
*Protection for Men's Bones
*Anti-Inflammatory Benefits in Arthritis
*A Rich Source of Healthful Minerals, Protein and Monounsaturated Fat
*Pumpkin Seed Phytosterols Lower Cholesterol

Ingredients
*A Pumpkin
*Sea Salt
*Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Instructions
1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut & Scoop & Rinse the seeds.

2 Spread olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. 

Cyndi's Leek & Potato soup

Ingredients

6 person serving size
6- Large chopped up carrots
6- Large chopped up potatoes
6- Leeks chopped up
- Cilantro (amount to your liking)
3- Chicken bouillon from Goya
1- Teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
3- Bay leaves
2- Chopped up onions
- Bunch of chopped up green onions
- Bunch of chopped up broccoli
- Teaspoon of Adobo- This is not needed
-Teaspoon of sea salt- This is also not needed and can be substituted by table salt.
-A bag of egg noodles- This is not needed

Instructions

1. Prep all your ingredients. (Wash and chop your vegetables, and make your other ingredients available.
2. Put your potatoes in with water & and your chicken bouillon (the amount of water is up to you depending on how much broth you would like, the broth in this soup is delicious. Keep in mind all the ingredients that you will be putting in the pot and the fact that some of the water will be boiled off.
3. Put the carrots, adobo, sea salt, onions, bay leaves, cilantro, and leeks in and stir every so often.
4. Once every vegetable in the soup seems soft add your broccoli and noodles.
Make sure to let your soup cook to allow the potatoes to create a creamy broth.
5. Add your olive oil right before serving. The olive oil should be put in last because its properties are very sensitive to heat, and all the nutrient of it would burn off.


To change the servings size- just divide these ingredient amounts by 6.

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I forgot to take a picture the last time I made this recipe so I have posted a pictures from another website. The picture seen above is from, http://timeinc.net

SKIN EATS Part 5: Skin Brushing

Skin Care Part 5
Brushing your skin

Brushing the skin is one of the best ways to exfoliate. This is the process where you brush off the top layer of the epidermis. This process stimulates the growth of newer, fresher skin.
It also opens your pores, making it easier for toxins to leave your body. Brushing can also help improve blood circulation, tighten, tone, get rid of cellulite, and leave skin feeling refreshed and renewed. Skin brushing also removes uric acid build up and helps our kidneys. Brushing your skin also helps your skin turn sun light into vitamin D.

After weeks you will no longer need lotion, because brushing your skin will allow your oil glands to produce enough oil for all your skin.

Update Oct 6th 2009 - I have been using this technique for about 4 days now and I am not using as much lotion as I normally need too. My skin feels amazing.

SKIN EATS Part 4: Tomato scrub

Skin Eats Part 4
Tomato scrub

I was trying to wash my face and my mom told me to use a tomato. I used it (3 years ago) and I have yet to find anything that has worked quite as well.

Tomatoes are beneficial for the skin because they help unclog oily skin, and are an organic toner.

All you really need to do is cut a tomato and rub it on your face. Then rinse.

Michelle made a how to video about this topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKrUEtk01Js&feature=related



Studies show that tomatoes may reduce the likelihood of a range of different cancers, diabetes, and even heart disease. All of this due to the presence of the caretanoid, lycopene. Another study by the Center for Food at Virginia Tech reveals that there may be a link between lycopene and the reduced risk of prostate cancer. Read more: http://skin-nail-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/natural_skincare#ixzz0T94LGBSN

Skin Eats Part 3: Ancient Asian Secret

Skin Eats Part 3
Rice Water

· Save the water that you used to clean your rice, and use it as a chemical free organic cleanser.

This solution will work as a cleanser and toner, an ancient Chinese technique that Asian women still use today. Many make up and skin care companies have tried to make products with this idea, but they always added numerous chemicals.
The best part is this will not cost you a dime, because you’re using something you normally dispose of.

Here is a video from Michelle, who is a famous makeup artist and will be coming up with her own skin care line. Her how to videos are pretty great.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByP2YvqfnnI

SKIN EATS PArt 2: Organic Products

Skin Eats Part 2

Organic products
As I mentioned in another post, the skin is the largest organ of our body, and it requires special care.

Pro: Using organic lotion would be very beneficial to our health because your body will not be soaking in harmful chemical substances...
Con: A downside is that organic lotion is often very expensive…
Solution: Avalon organic products are very inexpensive.

I have been using Avalon Organics for a little over a month and it has truly made a huge difference. As a Hispanic, certain areas of my skin can get tough, within a few weeks those areas have become supple and soft. The products smell great. I purchased 3, 12 fl bottles of lotion for $12 at www.puritans.com


Honey & Milk baths are also amazing; you should treat yourself like CLEOPATRA.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4736075_soft-skin-honey-milk-bath.html

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Stay Healthy,
Cyndi

SKIN EATS PArt 1: Honey Glow face mask & cleanser

Skin Eats Part 1

Honey Lemon Glow.

Keep in mind that for great and healthy skin you should always wear sunblock of at least 15 spf, you need to intake Vitamins E and A and D whether in food or supplements, you need to exfoliate, and lubicate ( with lotion).

Ingredients:

The amount is based on what you are planning to store your new skin care solution in. I am using a 4oz bottle I purchased at Michael’s for a dollar. Because you are using milk you will have to store this solution in your fridge. However you can make a solution without the milk.

· 1/4th teaspoon sugar
· 2 table spoons Honey
· 3 table spoons Lemon juice
· Milk

Instructions:
1. Mix all these ingredients into a bottle.
2. Rub lightly on skin every day
3. Rinse

You may also use this as a leave-it-in mask for at least 10 mintues.
It is my opinion that no one should use an over night mask. When you leave junk on your face it doesn’t allow your skin to breathe. Too much thick lotion or make up will not allow your skin to breath as they clog your pores. It can also cause pimples.
You can also add baking soda which softens the skin

Make sure you rinse this solution before you go out into the sun. Lemon juice should not be used out on the sun as it can cause burning and tanning of the skin.

Why this works:
· The sugar exfoliates the skin, when you rub it on your skin the granules help get rid of dead skin.
· Lemon juice helps give you an even tone. It has been said that it lightens skin, but I believe it only brightens your skin. Lemon juice is considered a natural bleach for both the hair and skin.
· Honey heals blemishes- Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing.
· Milk- exfoliates, softens and nourishes the skin.
This skin care solution is all natural and more effective than most of those expensive products that have chemicals in them.

Another thing to keep in mind is your milk’s expiration date- you don’t want to smell rotten milk on your face so make sure you use your solutions before the expiration date.

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Stay Healthy,

Cyndi

Pineapple Chicken

Hawaiian Cyndi -Pineapple chicken

Ingredients:
This is for 2 people.

• 2 Lean chicken breasts
• 1 Pineapple
• ½ teaspoon Adobo
• Lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Slice your pineapple. Remember that you will be using all parts of the pineapple. The core and the top as well for a decorative plate.

2. Cook your chicken with a cup of water and the core of your pineapple. The core of your pineapple is the hard middle part. Doing this will allow you to use every part of the pineapple and help flavor your chicken.

3. Add a dash of lemon juice

4. Add ½ teaspoon of adobo

5. Dump the water and the pineapple core

6. Simmer your chiken with small slices of pineaaple. This will allow the pineapple to cook with your chicken providing it with more flavors.

Click on the pictures to see them larger.

Then because I am a vegitarian I made myself this beautifully delicious snack.

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Stay Healthy,


Cyndi

SKIN EATS

The skin is the biggest organ in our body, it is where we begin to detox first, and it is one of our best protectors against just about EVERYTHING. This makes it obvious that we do have to care for our skin. As I mentioned before the skin is the biggest organ of our body, so it makes sense that we stop polluting it with chemicals. We should check what our skin care products and make up contain, and even what the water we use on our skin has. This should be your first step. Researching what these chemicals can do to your body and skin should be your next step. I will begin a series of organic and natural skin care tips to help you get started. 