Thursday, May 14, 2009

Home Facial Recipes

Thanks Austin for these great recipes! Just to clarify... these are not for eating :)
Body scrub
1 avocado
dry oatmeal
1/3 cup honey

Exfoliator
sea salt
olive oil

Honey Mask for Cleaning and Toning (for all skin types)
3 T honey
1 drop rose essential oil
2 drops lavender oil
1 drop lemon oil
Combine all ingredients and apply mixture evenly on face and neck. Leave on for at least 7 minutes and rinse with warm water. Pat dry and apply the following aromatic blend, prepared in advance in a 10 ml bottle filled with vegetable oil: 1 drop rose oil and 3 drops geranium oil.

Clay Mask ( good for oily complexions, use once a week for one month)
3 T either green, white or pink clay
2 drops rosemary essential oil
2 drops lemon oil
Combine all ingredients and apply mixture evenly on face and neck. Leave on for at least 7 minutes and rinse with warm water. Pat dry, and apply the following deep cleansing aromatic blend prepared in advance in 10 ml bottle with vegetable oil: 2 drops lavender oil, and 2 drops geranium oil.

Aloe Vera Mask for Healing and Soothing (great for sensitive and dry skin, especially after sun bathing)
3 T pure and organic aloe vera juice
1 drop Helycrisum oil
1 drop rose oil
Combine all ingredients and apply mixture evenly on face and neck. Leave it on for at least 7 minutes and rinse with warm water. Pat dry and apply the following aromatic blend, prepared in advance in a 10 ml bottle filled with vegetable oil: 1 drop Neroli oil, and 3 drops lavender oil.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

This is awesome... thanks Michelle!!!

IF YOU OWN A CROCK POT...

Crock Pot - Beef
All Day Crock Pot Beef
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Beef and Pasta Casserole
Beef Diablo Beef Fajitas
Beef Ragout Over Rice
Beef Tips
Beer Braised Beef in Crock Pot
Burritos Crock Pot Style
California Tamale Pie
Cattleman's Beef and Beans
Cheeseburger Sandwiches
Cheesy Meat Loaf
Chili Beer Brisket of Beef
Classic Swiss Steak
Complete Crock Pot Dinner
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Country Swiss Steak
Cowboy Casserole
Cranberry Pork Roast
Crock Pot Beef Burgundy
Crock Pot Beef 'n Peppers
Crock Pot Beef with Mushrooms
Crock Pot Beef Roast
Crock Pot Cabbage Rolls
Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Crock Pot Creole Steak Strips
Crock Pot Delight
Crock Pot Easy Swiss Steak
Crock Pot Enchiladas
Crock Pot Fajitas
Crock Pot Fajitas II
Crock Pot Italian Beef
Crock Pot Meatballs
Crock Pot Rump Roast
Crock Pot Sauerbraten
Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce
Crock Pot Swiss Steak
Crock Pot Taco Casserole
Fiesta Tamale Pie
Glazed Corned Beef
Glazed Corned Beef #2
Harvest Dinner
Harvest Pot Roast with Tomato-Wine Sauce
Hot-and-Spicy Sloppy Joes
Lean Crock Pot Beans
Nina's Beef and Beans
Pot Roast Dinner
Old Time Beef Stew
Pot Roast with Noodles
Ranch Style Beef Reuben Casserole
Roast Cooked with Coke
Roast with Veggies
Sage Pot Roast
Salsa Swiss Steak
Savory Pepper Steak
Savory Stewed Beef
Slow-Cooked Beef Stifado
Slow Cooked Pepper Steak
Slow Cooked Steak Rolls
Slow Cooked Swiss Steak
Supper Slow Cooker Italian Spaghetti Sauce
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Slow Cooker Swiss Steak
Slowly Deviled Beef
Smothered Steak Strips
Spaghetti Sauce Italiano
Spicy Wine Pot Roast
Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
Stuffed Pasta Shells
Swiss Bliss Swiss Steak
Teriyaki Steak
Three Pepper Steak
Three-Way Beef
Yankee Pot Roast and Vegetables
Crock Pot - Pork
Casserole in the Cooker
Chicken Lickin Good Crock Pot Pork Chops
Chinese Style Country Ribs
Country Pork with Mushrooms
Cranberry Pork Roast
Crockpot Apricot Pulled Pork for Sandwiches
Crock Pot Festival Sausage
Crock Pot Hawaiian Pork
Crock Pot Pork Chops Supreme
Crock Pot Sausage & Potatoes
Crock Pot Sausage and Egg Casserole
Crocked Cherry Pork Chops
Polish Kraut and Apples
Pork Chop Delight
Pork Chops and Mustard Sau ce Potatoes
Pork Chops with Corn Stuffing
Pork Stew with Vegetables
Rosemary Potato Pork Chops
Sauerkraut Supper
Slow Cooking Pork Chops
Soy-Glazed Spareribs
Super Easy Pork Chops
Sweet and Spicy Kielbasa or Polish Sausage
Sweet 'n' Sour Ribs
Sweet 'N' Sour Sausage
Crock Pot - Poultry
90s Style Crockpot Coq Au Vin
Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Baked Cajun Chicken
Baked Chicken Breasts in Crock Pot
Basil Chicken Broccoli Rice & Chicken
Caf?? Chicken
Cantonese Sweet & Sour Chicken
Caribbean Chicken
Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken
Chicken & Cherries Jubilee
Chicken a la King
Chicken and Cherries Jubilee C/P
Chicken & Rice Casserole
Chicken and Artichoke Casserole
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken Breasts Supreme
Chicken Creole
Chicken Crock Pie
Chicken Curry
Chicken Curry #2
Chicken Curry Hurry
Chicken Hearts Crockpot
Chicken in the Crock Pot
Chicken Marengo
Chicken Merlot with Mushrooms
Chicken Ol??
Chicken Paprika
Chicken Parisienne
Chicken Parmigiana
Chicken Sesame
Chicken Stew
Chicken Stroganoff in Crock Pot
Chicken Taco Filling
Creamy Chicken with Vegetables
Crockpot Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
Crock Pot Chicken
Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore
Crock Pot Chicken Dinner
Crock Pot Chicken in Mushroom Gravy
Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki
Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla
Crock Pot Garlic Chicken
Crock Pot Lacquered Chicken
Crock Pot Robust Chicken
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Forty-clove Chicken
Garlic Lemon Chicken
Ham 'n' Swiss Chicken
International Chicken
Italian Chicken and Potatoes
Italian Chicken Breast
Lemonemonade Chicken
Lemony Roasted Chicken
Lo-Cal Crock Pot Chicken
Low-Fat Glazed Chicken in Crock Pot
Mama's Chicken Stew Pat's Creamy Chicken
Portugese Garlic Chicken
Turkey Casserole
Turkey Rice South with Tomatoes
Working Woman's Chicken and Rice
Crock Pot - Fish & Seafood
Bayou Gumbo
Bouillabaisse
Cheese-Shrimp Chowder
Cioppino (Fisherman's Stew)
Crock Pot Bouillabaisse
Crock Pot Citrus Fish
Crock Pot Clam Chowder
Crock Pot Clam Chowder #2
Crock Pot Crab Soup
Crock Pot Fish Stew
Crock Pot Manhattan Style Clam Chowder
Crock Pot Shrimp Marinara Jambalaya
Louisiana Gumbo
Mediterranean Fish Soup
No Clams Clam Chowder
Oyster Bisque
Seafood Naples
Shrimp Creole for the Crock Pot
Shrimp Creole
Shrimp Curry Macaroni Salad
Slow Cooker Seafood Chowder
Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Swiss Crab Casserole
Tuna Casserole
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Crock Pot - Soup, Stew & Chili
Barley Soup
Bean Soup for the Crock Pot
Bean Soup Italiano
Beef-Barley Stew
Beef Chowder
Beef Ragout
Black Bean Chili with Beef
Busy Day Stew
Calico Ham and Bean Soup
Chicken and Vegetable Chowder
Chicken Vegetable Chowder
Chili
Chili con Queso
Confetti Yellow Pea Soup
Cowboy Sausage & Beans
Crock Pot Bean Soup
Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup
Crock Pot Beef Stew
Crock Pot Beef Stew #2
Crock Pot Beef Stew #3
Crock Pot Beef Vegetable Soup
Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup
Crock Pot Chowder
Crock Pot Broccoli Soup
Crock Pot Chili
Crock Pot Chili #2
Crock Pot Cock 'n Bull Stew
Crock Pot Corn Chowder
Crock Pot Dumpling Soup
Crock Pot French Onion Soup
Crock Pot Hamburger Soup
Crock Pot Hearty Beef Stew
Crock Pot Homemade Chicken Soup
Crock Pot Onion Soup
Crock Pot Potato Soup
Crock Pot Split Pea Soup
Crock Pot Stew
Crock Pot Wild Rice Soup
Debbie's Potato Soup
Easy Crock Pot Chili
Favorite Beef Stew
Greek Beef Stew
Healthy Chili in Crock Pot
Hearty Bean Soup
Italian Bean Soup
Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup
Jolene's Chili
Lentils & Vegetable Stew
Low-Fat Potato Soup
Minestrone Soup from the Crock Pot
Navy Bean Bacon Chowder
Polish Hunter Soup
Pork Chop Stew
Possum Lodge Firehouse Chili
Potato and Mushroom Chowder
Ranch Style Stew
Red Beans, Barley & Sausage Stew
Slow Cooked Texas Stew
Slow Cooked Two Meat Chili
Slow Cooked Tex-Mex Chili
Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Soup
Slow Cooker Mexican Beef Stew
Southwest Stew
Southwestern Corn Chowder
Southwestern Chicken and Bean Stew
Spicy Black and Red Bean Soup
Spicy Cajun Gumbo
Taco Soup
Tex-Mex Chili
Tomato-Bean Stew
Tortilla Soup
Vegetable Barley Soup
Vegetable Beef Barley Soup
Vegetable Gumbo
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Waldorf Astoria Stew
Crock Pot - Barbeque
B-B-Q Beef BBQ Chicken in a Crock Pot Barbecue Crockpot Meatballs Barbecued Beef Barbecued Beef Barbecued Beef 'N Beans Barbecue Beef Sandwiches Barbecued Meat Loaf Barbecued Pot Roast Barbequed Spareribs Crock Pot Barbeque Crock Pot Barbecue Chicken Crock Pot Barbecued Beef and Beans Crock Pot Barbecued Pork and Beans Crock Pot Bar-B-Que Beef Crock Pot BBQ Beef Sandwiches Crock Pot Pork Barbecue Crockpot Pork Barbecue Crockery Cooker Barbecued Ribs Marinated Barbecue Brisket Pulled Pork with Root Beer Ba rbecue Sauce Crock Pot - Side Dishes
Aztec Black Beans Barley with Mushrooms & Green Onions Bean and Cornbread Casserole Bean Pot Medley Bean Ragout with Cilantro-Cornmeal Dumplings Best Crock Pot Beans Bourbon Baked Beans California Rice Cavatini Cheese and Potato Casserole Cheesy Creamed Corn Chuck Wagon Beans Corn, Ham and Potato Scallop Cottage Potatoes Cowboy Beans Creamy Green Beans Creamy Scalloped Potatoes Creole Black Beans Crock Pot Baked Beans Crock Pot Beans Crockpot Boston Baked Beans Crock Pot Casserole Crock Pot Cauliflower and Broccoli Casserole Crock Pot Cheese Potatoes Crock Pot Corn Crock Pot German Potato Salad Crock Pot Mexican Dish Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes Crock Pot Spanish Rice Crock Pot Tijuana Pie Double Squash Combo Enchanted Beans Frijoles (Pinto Beans) Frijoles Borrachos Herbed Squash AuGratin Layered Dinner Mexican Red Beans Mormon Beans No-Fuss Party Potatoes Pineapple Baked Beans Pizza Beans Potatoes Au Gratin Prysnac Serbia (Broccoli Casserole) Rice Risi Bisi Saucy Green Peas with Onions Scalloped Corn Slow Cooker Oven Bean Salad Spanish Rice Spinach Souffle in a Crockpot Sunshine Bean Casserole Thelma's Beans Vegetable Casserole Vegetable Enchilada Vegetable Spaghetti Wild Rice Casserole Zucchini Parmigiana

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Chocolate info...

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:
Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:
Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.

Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate:
Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:
it tastes good
it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

Doesn't Chocolate Have a lot of Fat?:
Here is some more good news -- some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:
Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol. Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.
That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.

Chocolate Tip 1 - Balance the Calories:
This information doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits.
One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.
Chocolate Tip 2 - Taste the Chocolate:
Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.
Chocolate Tip 3 - Go for Dark Chocolate:
Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. These other two chocolates cannot make any health claims. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content.
Chocolate Tip 4 - Skip the Nougat:
You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.
Chocolate Tip 5 - Avoid Milk:
It may taste good but some research shows that washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.

Chocolate Recipe Substitution: When a recipe calls for chocolate, use dark chocolate (usually less sugar) or even better cocoa powder. To substitute 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 Tbsp of dry cocoa + 2 Tbsp of sugar + 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil.

Sources: Chocolate Manufacturers Association; Journal of the American Medical Association

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Call for more Ethnic Recipes!

I would love to get some more ethnic recipes that you have! This is a great way to branch out and cook something different. I don't know about you, but I get tired of the same things! You can email me wellsalecia@yahoo.com if you have any you want to contribute.

Ethnic Recipes


Chocolate Hazelnut Ravioli
Ingredients:
16 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Vegetable oil, for frying
16 fresh mint leaves
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Granulated sugar, for dredging
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal. Place the ravioli on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.
Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Then, transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli. (The fried ravioli can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, then cover and refrigerate. Before serving, place them on a baking sheet and rewarm in a preheated 375 degrees F oven just until they are heated through, about 7 minutes.)
Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray. Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly.
Arrange 2 fried ravioli on each plate. Dust the ravioli with powdered sugar. Garnish with the sugared mint leaves and serve.


African Chicken Stew
Half the meat from a rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1 large potato, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 cup water
3/4 cup peanut butter (creamy)
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained, and rinsed
In a large skillet, with a tight-fitting lid heat oil over medium low heat, add garlic, onion, and potato to the pan. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Season with cumin, coriander, balck pepper, red pepper, and salt. Do not let garlic brown.Mix in water and chicken. Place lid on skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.Remove lid and stir in the peanut butter and garbanzo beans. Make sure the peanut butter is blended in. Replace lid to simmer for 10 more minutes or so. Remove from heat, and serve. I usually serve with steamed rice, but not necessary.

Basic English Trifle
Angel food cake or pound cake
Vanilla pudding
Cool whip or whipped cream
Mixed berries

Cut cake into ¼ inch slices. Layer about 1/3 of pieces in the bottom of bowl. Then put 1/3 of the whipped cream mixture and ½ of the pudding. Continue layers as desired. You may layer the berries as well, or just sprinkle on top. Refrigerate at least a half an hour. Serve.

Chicken Pineapple Curry
2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
1 quart water
1/4 cup red curry paste
2 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into thin strips
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1/2 red bell pepper, julienne
1/2 green bell pepper, julienne
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
DIRECTIONS
Bring rice and water to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes.
In a bowl, whisk together curry paste and 1 can coconut milk. Transfer to a wok, and mix in remaining coconut milk, chicken, fish sauce, sugar, and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil, and cook 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear.
Mix the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onion into the wok. Continue cooking 10 minutes, until chicken juices run clear and peppers are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in pineapple. Serve over the cooked rice.