May 20, 2012

I love the Doctor Oz Show, and record it every day like clockwork. I always learn something from it. It might be a supplement I never heard of, a medical issue to be aware of, or a new beauty product I need to try.

About a month ago, I saw a Doctor Oz segment on ancient skin secrets from other cultures. His guest was Shalini Vadhera, who has written a book called Passport to Beauty. Two of Ms. Vadhera's treatments intrigued me.

One was a Korean rice water treatment to fade brown spots. I haven't tried that one yet, but I will. Even with sunscreen, I still end up with brown spots on my face, mostly on my upper cheekbones just outside the protection of my sunglasses.

The other treatment that caught my attention is called the Indian Bridal Glow Mask. Indian women use it on their face and body to make their skin smooth, bright and soft for their wedding day. It sounds pretty simple.

Just mix 1 cup of chickpea flour with 3 tablespoons of turmeric, and add enough almond oil to make a paste. The chickpea flour absorbs oil, the almond oil moisturizes, and the turmeric is anti-inflammatory and antiseptic.

The directions are to apply the paste to your face and let it sit for a few minutes. Instead of just removing it with a washcloth, you rub it off with your hands to exfoliate, which also is supposed to take off some of the peach fuzz that most of us have on our cheeks.

I finally tried the Indian Bridal Glow Mask today, and am pleased to report that it was surprisingly effective. Dare I say it was incredible even?

My skin feels softer and smoother than I can ever remember it being, even after using my favorite exfoliator; the amazing Exfolikate by Kate Somervell. I only have a small sample size tube of Exfolikate from a New Beauty Test Tube a while back, but if I bought a small 2-ounce size tube it would cost me $85! (PS: if you aren't getting the Test Tubes, you HAVE to do it! You will thank me.)

So, I could spend $85 for 2 ounces of a fabulous professional exfoliation product, or I can spend a couple of dollars on simple ingredients that I might already have in the house (which I did). Which is more appealing?

I can tell you I'd spend that $85 if I had to in order to get great skin, but if I don't have to, I'm spending that $85 on something fun, like shoes, workout clothes, craft supplies, a kitchen gadget, or anything pink.

Back to the Indian Bridal Glow Mask. I just used it on my face, and saw amazing exfoliation. My pores look smaller, my skin texture is smooth, and there is absolutely zero irritation. Lots of heavy-duty scrubs and masks can leave behind redness, and inflamed delicate areas that can start to peel in a day or two. That is not the case with this mask.

I didn't see a complete removal of  peach fuzz, but I think some of it is gone. The demonstration on Doctor Oz showed that the mask was drier than mine was, and when it was rubbed off, it actually came off in blobs. Mine was creamier than that, so the exfoliation was probably milder on my skin. I didn't feel that I added too much oil though; just enough to make a peanut butter consistency paste.

I have lots of the mask left, so I put it in a glass jar to save in the fridge until I do the next treatment in a week. I think it should be ok. If not, then next time I'll decrease the batch by about 75%.

One huge word of caution about this mask: BE CAREFUL! I cannot tell you how messy this concoction is! The turmeric will stain everything it comes in contact with. I'm not using the mask on my body as suggested, since the turmeric would absolutely instantly cause a huge yellow stain in the shower that I don't want to imagine.

I recommend mixing the mask in a plastic or paper bowl with a plastic spoon so you can throw it all away. When I was rubbing the mask off and wiping the residue off with wet paper towels, I had a couple of layers of paper towel in the sink to catch any drips. Otherwise I would have been scrubbing a yellow sink for a while.

Make sure you wear gloves when you work with the mask. It will stain your fingers and fingernails. Strangely enough, it didn't stain my face at all. Not sure why, but it didn't.

I'll use this mask again next week, and might let it sit on my skin a little longer to dry out more. I may get a photo of it actually on my face…it's pretty scary looking!

I highly recommend this treatment and am really excited about it! I love that it was effective, inexpensive, and completely natural, and I can't wait to try the Korean Rice Water Treatment next. I think that Shalini Vadhera just might be on to something!

~BigSis

May 19, 2012

Do you know what Armed Forces Day is? We didn't, until now.

According to defense.gov, this is how, why and when it originated:

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and
thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day
to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. 

The single day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense.

If BigSis and I are being completely honest, we never knew nor could possibly understand the sacrifices that military families make on a daily basis until we had a family member in the U.S. Military. Unfortunately, we now know how hard it is to say goodbye to family, even if it's only temporary.

(To my lovely, brave daughter-in-law, who also serves in our U.S. Navy; if you're reading this, I know that being away from your hubby and your sweet baby is the hardest thing you've ever had to do. I want you to know how proud we are of you and how much we appreciate all you do for all of us. We miss you!)

We both want to take this opportunity to thank every Veteran, every family member of a Veteran who has lost their life while serving our country, and every single man and woman who serves in our U.S. Military today.

We appreciate and respect the daily sacrifices that each individual and their family makes to protect every one of us individually and our country as a whole.

Last year on Memorial Day, I mentioned Operation Appreciation that was held here at the Oceanside Pier in honor of Military Appreciation Day. My son who is in the U.S. Navy participated in a demonstration that day and I was so excited to finally be able to see just a little bit of what he does when he's on the job. Here's a photo of him in action during that demonstration.

This was a proud moment for me.

And the day I saw him graduate from the U.S. Navy was one of the proudest days of my life.

Our family couldn't be more proud of what he and his wife have accomplished during the past two years.

Again, thank you all from both of us.

Thank you for your service and for your sacrifice!

~LilSis

May 18, 2012

When BigSis was here in CA last month for my birthday week, we made our usual trip to Trader Joe's. We always try to pop in so BigSis can pick up a few favorite items since there's not a TJ's in Texas…yet!

Yes, Texans, get ready!  Trader Joe's is coming to Texas. There are five confirmed locations in Texas so far. The first stores will open in Fort Worth, Houston and Plano, then in Fall 2012, they'll open in Dallas and San Antonio. (I bet BigSis is first in line when their doors open at the one in Dallas, which just so happens to be pretty close to her house.) 🙂

When she was here, BigSis picked up some of these Wasabi Roasted Seaweed Snacks since she regularly buys the wasabi flavor in the Annie Chun's brand, and loves them. I've tried the plain ones without the Wasabi before and even though I did like them, they smelled a little fishy so I never bought them again.

Can you see how yummy and crispy these are? Not only are they a great snack, but this is my new favorite quick and easy, healthy lunch.

Two or three of these simply wrapped around a half a slice of  TJ's low sodium turkey breast makes a perfect lunch.

Here are a couple made with TJ's no salt Solid White Tuna.

I've been making these almost every day with either the tuna or the turkey, depending on what I have on hand. It's a great alternative if you're trying to cut back on the carbs. For vegetarians, I've made these wrapped around an avocado and tomato slice and they're super good!

I'm sure I could get even more creative with these; maybe crab and avocado like a California roll? Yummy!

If you're lucky enough to have a Trader's nearby and you like Wasabi, pick these up on your next trip and let me know what you think.

An added bonus is that they're only 99 cents!  And, maybe the best thing is that they satisfy our cravings for a salty crispy snack, but they are actually low in sodium at only 65 mg per serving.

(Just so you know, this is not an “paid” endorsement for Traders, I just love their products and they have great options for low sodium products!)

~LilSis

May 13, 2012

Whatever your heart desires, we wish it for you today.

Happy Mother's Day!

~BigSis

May 5, 2012

If you still haven't decided what you'll be making for your Cinco de Mayo dinner tonight, here's a super simple Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe that I make quite often for my hungry guys. And, if you happen to be hosting a party, I promise you that this one is always a crowd-pleaser.

Super Simple Chicken Enchilada Casserole

4 chicken breasts (boiled and shredded)
1 lb. grated cheese (I use a 3 cheese blend)
8 oz. sour cream
1 bottle enchilada sauce
1 pkg. corn tortillas, cut in half

Put a few spoonfuls of the sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan. Line the pan with tortillas. Mix together the sour cream, chicken, and almost all of the sauce. (Save a little sauce for later.)

Layer half of the chicken sauce mixture, then cheese, then tortillas. Finish with the last half of chicken sauce mixture, cheese, and tortillas. Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce on the tortillas and top with more cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until cheese melts.

This is one of those recipes that you can very easily adapt to your liking. I've added green chilies to the chicken mixture a few times and I usually put sliced black olives on the top with the cheese. You could also add chopped bell pepper, onion, or any favorite veggie to this casserole.

I got the original recipe for this casserole from Trader Joe's years ago and it called for their canned chunk white chicken instead of the boiled chicken. So, if you don't have the time to boil the chicken, you can use a good quality canned white chicken and it still turns out very good. I made it that way originally but my guys wanted more chicken so if I have the time, I prefer to boil and shred chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins.

Even if you don't make it for Cinco de Mayo, this is a great everyday “go-to” chicken casserole that you can put together and have on the table in no time at all!  Serve with some chips and salsa or guacamole and a salad and you've got dinner!

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

~LilSis

May 4, 2012

Do you remember Mexican Wedding Cookies? When we were kids we also used to call them Snowballs or Almond Crescents. They were essentially the same recipe: flour, butter, powdered sugar and chopped pecans. We rolled them into small balls or crescent shapes, baked them, and then rolled them around in more powdered sugar.

I've always loved these cookies. They're tender, crumbly, gently nutty, and powdery sugary, but just barely sweet and perfectly bite-size!

When I was thinking about baking something sweet for Cinco de Mayo, I thought of Mexican Wedding Cookies. With a twist. How about a touch of chocolate? And cinnamon. And almonds. And vegan, of course. Done.

Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cookies (Vegan)

adapted from Williams-Sonoma

2 sticks Earth Balance, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar (divided usage)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups less 1 tblsp all-purpose flour
2 tblsp cocoa (divided usage)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup ground blanched almonds

~BigSis

May 2, 2012

We talk all the time about our love of Mexican food, and we don't need ANY excuse to indulge. This weekend is Cinco de Mayo though, and I'm inspired to get in the cocina and rattle some pots and pans instead of just heading to the nearest tacqueria and trying to find something without meat, lard or cheese.

One of my favorite everyday go-to quick meals is Super Speedy Mexican Stew. It's essentially just canned tomatoes, corn, kidney beans and green beans with any spices that strike me. It's not fancy and I can't really even call it cooking; it's just decent food on the table and in my tummy in literally 15 minutes on a weeknight.

My new go-to Mexican veggie stew when I have a touch more time is Terry Hope Romero's Quick Red Chile Posole from Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers.  This is the first recipe I've tried from Terry's book, but it won't be the last.

It takes my simple little dish and turbo-charges it with flavor. It has a tomato base and includes a can of pinto beans and a can of white hominy. I just learned that the hominy is what makes it “posole”.

There's magic though in the combination of onion, garlic, poblano pepper, chile powder, mexican oregano, cumin and lime. I followed the recipe precisely, and was really amazed at how tasty this little stew was after just 25 minutes of simmering.  It's warm, spicy, creamy, chunky and bright…all at the same time.

Traditionally, you would top the posole with a variety of garnishes: onion, cabbage, tomato, radishes, cilantro, or tortilla chips. I initially thought I would add a pinch of Daiya pepperjack shreds, a dollop of vegan sour cream and some avocado.

After just one bite of the posole I decided that it needed nothing…except to be devoured. Quickly. So I could refill my bowl, and repeat.

I'll definitely add this dish to my rotation and hope you'll give it a try for Cinco de Mayo or any old time!

~BigSis

April 30, 2012

I cannot believe that tomorrow is already May 1st. I knew this year would fly by since it's our baby's Senior year but the past four months are almost a blur. Before we know it Summer will be here, which happens to be my favorite season; but I don't want to get ahead of myself. Let's talk about Mexican food.

If we've said it once, we've said it a million times, we sisters LOVE our Mexican food! Whether I'm visiting in Dallas or BigSis is here in San Diego, we always treat ourselves to Mexican food at least once every day! (It's impossible for us to ever get enough chips, salsa, guacamole and nachos.)

As most of us know, this Saturday is Cinco de Mayo, the official Mexican food eating holiday.  We thought this would be a great time to share with you some of our favorite recipes that are perfect for a Cinco de Mayo party or if you're just cooking for family or friends.

Shrimp with Garlic and Chili Pepper

Roasted Garlic Dressing with Green Chili

Ceviche Salad with Avocado, Cilantro, and Green Chili

Hatch Green Chili and Garlic Goat Cheese

Classic Tortilla Soup

Super Speedy Mexican Vegetable Stew

Spinach Mushroom Enchilada

And we can't forget about a little something for dessert!

Mexican Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

We're both busy in our cocinas trying to whip up a couple of new dishes; so if all goes according to plan, we'll be back in a day or two with a few more ideas for your Cinco de Mayo menu. 🙂

~LilSis

April 27, 2012

~ If all you can do is crawl, start crawling. – Rumi

~ There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth… not going all the way, and not starting. – Buddha

~ Dare to believe that something inside you is greater than your circumstances. – unknown

~ Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. – George Bernard Shaw

~ The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor touched but are felt in the heart. – Helen Keller.

Photo credit: intent.com

~LilSis

April 22, 2012

There's a good reason why BigSis and I were missing in action for over a week.

IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY WEEK!

Last Saturday, I had an wonderful lunch with my girlfriends at one of my favorite spots by the beach; then when we returned home from lunch, I was surprised with an amazing birthday party!

I couldn't believe it when I realized that my sister was here in California for my party. 🙂  BigSis left on Saturday after a week of much needed ‘sister time' and lots and lots of yummy Mexican food! (We went to a different spot every day.)

For many reasons, the symbolic butterfly has a very special meaning to me on this birthday. I've had a super fun birthday week full of wonderful family, the best of friends and many butterfly surprises.

(We're both returning to work tomorrow; but I hope to share a few photos at some point this week.)

~LilSis