Sunday, January 31, 2010

Josh Rosebrook: Purifying and Beautifying the World One Exfoliator at a Time...

Josh Rosebrook, hair stylist turned skin care guru, is set to debut his organic skin care line, appropriately named Josh Rosebrook, in March 2010. His skin care line represents a lifestyle that includes a healthy diet, meditation and yoga - “living in alignment,” per its creator. “You reflect your health in your skin, body and spirit.”

The line is made with “certified organic, organic or wild-crafted ingredients,” all of the packaging is recyclable and products have about a 14 month shelf life. In addition, all products are “chemical free" because, according to Rosebrook, chemicals are not anti-aging and the body cannot process synthetic materials in the same way it does natural products. “Society as a whole needs to get off chemicals,” he argued, as consumers “…don’t know what they’re getting…and that what they are getting is not ok.”

“We use processes that do not kill any "actives" in our products…” Rosebrook said. Rather, his skin care products undergo “cold processing” which means that products are processed below 102 degrees Fahrenheit. In doing so, nutrients are protected from being damaged by heat, thus remaining “active.”

Rosebrook believes that people are deceived when it comes to both the organic and conventional market. He disagrees with the way that companies try to sell the idea that you can get everything you need from one product: “It’s not all in one jar, ever, and I’m not going to try and sell that…this is beyond the miracle ingredient approach.”

Rosebrook plans to launch his line with his Enzyme Exfoliator. “It’s hard to find an exfoliator with the right amount of granules,” he said. The exfoliator is made up of walnut shells, herbal extracts, plant enzymes, and essential oils, among other organic materials. According to Rosebrook, the exfoliator will help to open pores, and stimulate blood circulation, as well as collagen production.

Next to debut, a Nourishing Anti Aging facial Oil and a Cacao and Co Enzyme Q10 MASK. Rosebrook is currently working on an organic and chemical-free hair care line as well.

Rosebrook graduated from cosmetology school in Portland, Oregon and currently works as a hair stylist at the The Parlour on 3rd in Los Angeles, where you will be able to purchase the Josh Rosebrook skin care line.


Thursday, January 21, 2010

Cooking up a Winter's Storm

Puree that broccoli; bake that butternut quash; and savor those beets! Now that you know how important it is to buy produce that is in season (see Seasons Come...and Produce Grows), make the most of all those juicy fruits and veggies while you still can!


Roasted Broccoli Soup*
Created by Kimberly Garr of C'est La Vegan
Submitted by Carol Robinson, of GoodSkin LA

Ingredients:
2 large heads broccoli (about 2 pounds)
2 large cloves garlic
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
4-5 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
A few cracks lemon pepper, or fresh grated lemon zest

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the broccoli florets from the stems (you don’t have to cut them small), and place them on baking sheet. Slice the stems thinly and place them on a separate baking sheet. Peel and slice the garlic, and sprinkle it in with the florets. Drizzle the olive oil over both trays (use more than 2-3 Tbsp if you need to), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the florets and stems in the oil and put them in the oven to roast until they’re browned. (The stems take about 15 – 20 minutes, and the florets take at least ten minutes more. Turn both halfway through the cooking time, and take them out once they’re good and browned.)

Put the florets and stems in a pot with 4 cups of veggie broth and the thyme, and heat until the broth comes to a boil. If the broth doesn’t almost cover the broccoli, you might want to add the extra cup at this point, or you can wait to add it after blending if you want a thinner soup.

Once the broth has come to a boil, transfer the whole thing to a blender and puree. (You might have to do this in batches. And remember to be careful when blending hot liquids!) Return the soup to the pot.

You can add more broth at this point if you want it thinner, or simmer for a bit if you’d like it a bit thicker. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if you need to. I had some lemon pepper which was a nice addition. You could also add a bit of lemon zest to taste to brighten up the flavor.

Servings: 4 small or 2 large


Steamed Chard

Chard is a great alternative to baby spinach. You can use it in a mixed green salad, or steam it and prepare as a side dish.

Ingredients:
1 Bundle of Chard
1/4 Lemon
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

First, cut the leaves off the stem (you can eat the stems, however they take longer to steam than the leaves). Steam until leaves are damp and soft. Put the chard on a plate, squeeze some lemon over it (be careful, though; chard already has a bit of a tangy taste so you don’t want to put too much on). Add a pinch of sea salt & pepper and you have yourself one easy healthy side dish!


Winter
Stir-Fry/
Co
conut
C
urry

Submitted by Laurie Roderick


Ingredients:
10 shoots of Asparagus
1/2 Head of Broccoli
1/2 Package of Tofu (Firm)
1/2 lb. Green Peas (shelled or unshelled)
1/2 lb. White Mushrooms
3 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
Green Onion (for garnish)
3-5 tbsp. Coconut Milk
2 tsp. Garam Masala or Yellow, Red, or Green Curry
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cut off stems of asparagus shoots. Chop the asparagus 2-3 times into 1-inch pieces. To prepare the broccoli, cut the stem from the head. Chop the stem up into about ½” disks, and then separate the head into mouth-sized pieces. Next, chop the mushrooms into 1/4” slices. For the tofu, cut into 1/2” slices, and place the slices on a paper towel to drain some of the water. Cut the green onions into small slices for garnish

Take a large (preferably Teflon) sauté pan and fill with ½-1” of water. When the water starts to boil, throw the asparagus pieces, broccoli, and peas into the water. Boil for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. Timing will depend on how soft or crunchy you like your vegetables in a stir-fry. When they get softer but still retain some integrity, take them out and let them sit. Drain the water and wipe the pan of water.

Next, place some olive oil in the pan. 1-2 tablespoons usually suffice. When the oil is hot, place the tofu in the pan, and allow to cook until browned on both sides (usually 5 min per side). When the tofu is done, take it out and cut into squares.

Heat some more oil in the pan. When this is hot, throw in the sliced mushrooms, stirring frequently for about a minute or two. Then throw the broccoli, peas, asparagus, and tofu back into the pan. Stir in the garlic once vegetables have slightly browned. Towards the end of the cooking process, pour in the coconut milk and season to taste with the masala or curry spices. When the milk has coated the veggies and is warmed through, it is ready to be served. Garnish with the sliced green onions.


Baked Butternut Squash*


Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut squash lengthwise down the middle. Scoop out seeds and other “gook.” Lightly coat cut side with olive oil. Add a dash of salt, pepper and cinnamon (if you dare). Fill a baking pan with about an inch of water and place cut side up in oven. Check back in an hour. The squash should be slightly browned and “tender” (if you are able to easily stick a fork into the meat of the squash it should be done).

Two ways to serve the squash: mashed (think “squashed potatoes”) or cut into quarters in the shell.


And, because no meal is complete without dessert...

Beet Cake
with

Cream Cheese
Frosting
**





Cake Ingredients:
1 pound beets (about 2 medium)
Cooking spray
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk

Frosting Ingredients:
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare cake, peel beets using a vegetable peeler. Grate beets, using the large holes of a grater, to measure 2 cups.

Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray.

Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add beets; beat well. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Carefully peel off wax paper, and cool cake completely on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, beat orange rind, vanilla, and cream cheese with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat).

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting; top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle nuts over top of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

Servings: 18 (serving size: 1 piece)

*Recipe originally found on HubPages
**Recipe originally found on MyRecipes from Cooking Light

Images via:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurelfan/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/williumbillium/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Monday, January 18, 2010

Seasons Come...and Produce Grows

As Project Runway’s Heidi Klum would say, “…one day you’re in and the next day you’re out.”While Klum refers to fashion, the same holds true for what you put on your plate. By now you’re probably well aware of the importance and benefits of buying local and organic produce: it is free from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), hormones, and antibiotics; promotes ecological diversity; supports your local farmers (as opposed to giving money to some large-scale corporation); puts money back into your community; and has less of an impact on the environment (less gas used in the transportation of the produce). It is also important, however, to buy what’s in season.

Green in L.A. stopped by The Wednesday, Santa Monica Farmers’ Market to find out why it is so important to buy seasonal produce and what’s “in” now. Check it out:




For a list of what's fresh in your area, visit NRDC: Eat Local

To find a Farmers’ Market in the Los Angeles area, go to: Support Your Local Farmers' Market


Coming Soon: Some of our readers’ favorite Seasonal Dishes & Recipes!