At home facial

It's really easy and rewarding to give yourself an at home facial. I found these steps in an allure article several years ago and i've added some steps on my own. To get started..

You'll need:

• clay mask
• apricot scrub (w/ salicylic acid)
• toner
• skin oil with vitamin E 
• anti-wrinkle night cream
• blemish extractor
• large pot and water
• tea (chamomile is most relaxing)
• orange juice

Step 1) boil some water (enough to make steam) with the tea and add about 1/4 cup of orange juice. The tea will serve as aromatherapy while the vitamin c in the orange juice will invigorate and refresh your skin. As this mixture is coming to soft a boil, massage the apricot scrub into your face and don't wash it off. The salicylic acid in the scrub will open your pores so more dirt and bacteria can be removed.


step 2) Hold your head about a foot above the pot inorder to expose your face to the steam for about 5 minutes.


step 3) rinse your face and pat dry with a towel. Use the blemish extrator to remove any white or black heads (most are usually on your nose) here's a tutorial on how to properly use the extractor

step 4) apply the clay mask (I prefer a mint julep mask) and let sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.


step 5) apply the skin oil to your face and let sit for about 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water.


step 6) clean the rest of the oil from the face using the toner on a cotton ball. then, lastly, apply the night cream.

Veggie Fried Rice

I just found great instant brown rice with quinoa from costco. (4 packs for $7.99) I wanted to make something good with brown rice but wasn't sure what to add. Then I thought of fried rice. After watching the chefs at Samurai cook fried rice on the stoves right at your table a few times, I knew it was pretty easy. This is my healthy version..


you'll need:

• 2 packs of instant brown rice (the one above that already has a great garlic flavor)
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 medium green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1/4 broccoli florets
• 9 baby carrots (chopped)
• about 4 tbsp chopped green onion
• 3 tbsp smart balance spread (or butter)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium) 

Add the smart balance to saucepan and set the heat to medium low (level 3). Once the spread has melted, add the white onion, green pepper, carrots, and broccoli and sauté until the veggies are soft and a darker green (about 8 min) Then add the egg whites and soy sauce, scrambling the veggies and eggs evenly with a spatula. 

While the veggies are sautéing, cook the instant rice (takes 90 seconds). When the rice is finished, pour into a bowl and add the green onions. Then combine the egg/veggie mixture to the rice, stir and enjoy =]

I love lemons

For lunch I made a spring mix with a lemon/ olive oil dressing. (very simple: just equal parts lemon juice and olive oil) I added some tomatoes, green olives, red onion, and finely chopped raw broccoli - chopping it up and putting it in my salads is the only way I can eat broccoli 

Then, I made the same lentil and quinoa soup as before but piccata style. Usually you'll find this flavor with a chicken piccata dish. You'll need:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 can lentils
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (chopped)
• 2 med cloves of garlic (minced)
• 3 tbsp capers
• 1.5 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

In a saucepan, add the olive oil, rosemary, and garlic and raise temperature to medium heat. Allow the garlic and rosemary to simmer a bit (about 5 minutes) then add the chicken stock. Bring to a slow boil then add the quinoa, cooking for about 8 minutes or until the gem of the quinoa emerges.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the lentils. Let cook for about 15 minutes on low heat. Then mix in the lemon juice and capers, enjoy =]

No lemons here =[ but I did whip up a small blueberry yogurt parfet. This is great for breakfast or dessert. You'll need:

• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt (plain)
• 3 tbsp mascarpone cheese
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• sliced almonds (for garnishing)

Take the blueberries and sugar and mash with a fork till you form a thick consistency.

In a separate container mix the mascarpone, yogurt, and vanilla. Then layer a small whiskey glass with the yogurt then blueberry mixture. Garnish with almonds and enjoy!

Art Walks & Food Trucks

Tonight I went to Miami's Design district in Mid town for the art walk. A bunch of galleries were open to everyone. They offered art, drinks, and good company. In the center of the event were a bunch of gourmet food trucks. I had never eaten food out of a truck before... but it's the greatest ever! 

 The BEST burger I ate came from Michael Schwartz's Genuine Food & Drink. Fresh heirloom tomatoes, vermont cheddar, and bacon.

To find where his truck will be next, follow him on twitter @chefmschwartz

or check his website

His personally made "ass burn sauce" (I didn't try it...because of the name alone) lol

Most INCREDIBLE pork tacos from SakayaKitchen's Dim Ssam a gogo truck

Pretty cool truck.. look for it around miami or follow them on twitter ( @SakayaKitchen)

And for dessert...

DEEP FRIED OREOS.. from Sugar Rush (Sweetness Bake Shop & Café in Kendall)

I know I try to be very healthy, but there's nothing wrong with a little occasional indulgence ;) 

Comfort food

I absolutely love pasta and I was looking for some new way I can add some healthy vegetables. I picked up a bag of sweet baby peppers (orange, yellow, and red) and one green bell pepper. In a saucepan, I sautéed some onion, minced garlic, and small dices of each pepper. I cooked them down at a low heat until they were soft and the onions were transparent. I Although cooking anything reduces the nutrient density of foods, a lot of vegetables are better when cooked. Here's an article by Scientific American.  I added the veggies to pasta with my favorite alfredo sauce by Bertolli. I've tired a few pre-made alfredo sauces and Bertolli's is definitely my favorite. *And a little thing you might not know, a yellow pepper has more vitamin C than a lemon.

Inspired by my friend Andrew, I wanted to make popcorn from kernels in a skillet. It has an all-natural taste with no flavor so that you can add whatever you'd like. I cooked the kernels (1/3 cup) in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I poured it in a bowl and seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fresh grated white cheddar cheese- just the way Andrew seasoned it but i added the cheese ;) This is simple, delicious, light and healthy! (Definitely give this a try)

All about asparagus

So I bought a huge bulk of asparagus at costco a few weeks ago so I've tried to come up with some tasty ways to incorporate it in my diet. I'm sure you know any green veggie is great for you, but here are some specifics: 

Nutrient Values:   % of USRDA Serving size 5.3 ounces Protein 6% Calories 20 Vitamin A 8% Protein 3 grams Vitamin C 20% Carbohydrate 3 grams Thiamin 15% Fat 0 grams Riboflavin 6% Cholesterol 0 milligrams Niacin 6% Sodium 5 milligrams Calcium 2% Potassium 400 milligrams Iron * Dietary Fiber 3 grams Vitamin E *

Last night I wanted something quick and could only use the ingredients I had (i'm pinching pennies at the moment) so I cooked some asparagus with minced garlic, canola oil, and about a teaspoon of seasoned salt. Then poured that over some thin spaghetti with 1 tablespoon of smart balance butter (light with FLAx) and pecorino romano. -I have to add how much I love smart balance. The one that's made with flax seed is SO great for you because it provides you with your essential fatty acids (mono & poly unsaturated fats) these are the good fats that lower bad blood cholesterol.

Then tonight I made some brown rice and quinoa with asparagus and caramelized onion mmm. you'll need:

• 2 shallots (chopped)
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup asparagus (about 15-20 stalks)
• 2 limes (squeezed)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 medium clove garlic

Heat a skillet or saucepan to medium/low heat (about 3.0) and add the canola oil, garlic, and shallots. Let the onions simmer in the low heat, keeping an eye on them until they start getting soft and turning light brown (about 14 minutes) the idea is to cook them very slow over a low heat. Then as soon as they're soft, add the asparagus and seasoned salt and  let cook for about 4 minutes.

Cook the rice and quinoa (however directed on package) and place in bowl. I use instant brown rice and organic dried quinoa. Once asparagus is ready, pour the asparagus and onions over the rice. Add the lime and soy sauce, toss, and enjoy =]

Smart Snacking

This is what i ate today (mid-day) over the course of several hours. It's actually best to have small snacks periodically than to stuff yourself in one sitting so that you can stay more satisfied and prevent drops and spikes in your blood sugar. For my first lunch snack I ate the sweet berry couscous. Then about an hour later, I enjoyed an orange spinach salad with oranges and orange vinaigrette. Then almost two hours later I prepared the lentils with rosemary and garlic but added organic quinoa. The coolest part about Quinoa (I think) is how the sprout germs out of the quinoa seed once it's fully cooked.

AND: 1 cup cooked quinoa has:

•  155 calories
•  30 g carbohydrate
•  3 g fat
•  3 g dietary fiber 
•  5.5 g protein

It's delicious and you can easily add it to all sorts of foods. Quinoa is also gluten & wheat free and is a GREAT source of magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus.

The lentil soup recipe was exactly like the lentil salad I posted earlier except I added about a cup of chicken broth to make it a soup.

*the recipes for the first 2 pics are in older posts as well*