Drizzled Caramel Apples

ABSOLUTELY darling, delicious and decadent, these are the perfect twist on the traditional caramel apple recipe we all enjoy during the autumn season!  Perfect to indulge in yourself of give as cute gifts - just LOVE the ribbon decor!

Whether dressed with drizzled melted chocolate as pictured, or rolled within crushed cookies, coconut, mini chocolate chips and the like, both kids and grown ups will have a serious BALL creating these, so gather some apples and enjoy creating them along with making some super fun memories... I know I will be!
 
I LOVE this blog - such fun ideas and yummies!

http://www.brownpaper--packages.com/2011/10/caramels-apples-tips-tricks-recipes.html

Scentsational Autumn Aroma!

Welcome Autumn by filling your home with a "scentsational" ambiance! Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer orange slices/peels, ground cinnamon/sticks, whole cloves, vanilla extract, a few cranberries and a dash of nutmeg in water for a while, replacing the water frequently as it simmers to create a natural, lovely, easy and simply DIVINE autumn aroma to enjoy!

Love the scent of baked cookies? Add a bit of brown sugar!

Beautifying Pumpkin Facial

{Sigh} This lovely summer is coming quietly to a close, autumn is just around the corner, and with the turning leaves, changing weather and pumpkin patches boasting multitudes of bright dots of orange, comes along also our inevitable, dreaded changing skin.
"YEY, my skin is crispy!!", said not one woman EVER! {Haha...}

Most of us experience it as the seasons change and we stock up on extra body creams and body oils, but our faces need replenishment too. From the dewy, soft, summery skin to the drier, thirsty and tighter tone, our skin SCREAMS for pampering throughout the autumn and winter months, and what better time to post a FAV "Pumpkin Facial" that I love to create and enjoy than now?

Photo from my online gallery, www.tracywagstaffphotography.blogspot.com

I discovered this simple and fun "Autumny" {not a real word, but I am using it as it just fits} facial mask recipe while collecting others that also involve honey, yogurt, avocado and bananas on my previous post HERE.  Whichever facial you choose to create, your skin will feel AMAZING, it will look RADIANT, you will simply GLOW
- and you will smell and taste delicious too!

2 Tbsp Pumpkin {fresh or canned - I refer to use canned}
1 Tbsp plain yogurt {my favorite is FAGE Greek Yogurt}
1/2 tsp raw honey 

{Yummy Tip: Dish up a 1/2 Cup of the yogurt drizzled with some honey to enjoy while relaxing!}

Fold together ingredients and apply to skin freshly washed with warm water. You will need to allow it to set for about 10 minutes, so go sit/lie down and RELAX... have a cup of vanilla spice chai, flip through a magazine or just breathe and enjoy! After 10 minutes or so, place a moist, warm washcloth onto face for 2-3 minutes prior to removing the mask - OHHHH that feels SO nice! - the warmth activates the pumpkin's enzymes which hydrates, nourishes, replenishes and exfoliates the skin as well. Pumpkin is a great source of Vitamin A which soothes irritated and dehydrated skin, and it contains zinc to heal inflammation. Yogurt contains lactic acid and enzymes that work together with the pumpkin. Raw honey - DELISH! - acts as a natural sealant, and it is one of nature's finest natural moisturizers, is full of humectants and has wonderful healing properties for the skin. Finish with your favorite moisturizer, a dash of mascara, your favorite lip color and a tousle to your hair and embrace your RADIANCE, because after all,  

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Add Garlic For Good Health!

I LOVE to enhance my recipes - and subsequently my health - with garlic in every fabulous way: sliced, minced, crushed, powdered, roasted, marinated, sauteed... Mmm!  Garlic adds kick, flavor and fantastic fat burning properties to your meals, and has AWESOME medicinal benefits to boot!  Read this informative article regarding the power of adding garlic daily to your diet and enjoy adding it to enhance YOUR health too!

  

The Medicinal Benefits of Garlic, by Nicola Menke, dpa, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Berlin Copyright 2012

Garlic can ward off vampires, according to an old superstition. Modern science also ascribes protective powers to the pungent bulb -- against health problems. "Garlic was cited as a remedy in ancient Egyptian writings as far back as 1550 BC, and it's regarded to this day as a prophylactic agent and remedy for many illnesses," noted Margret Morlo, a member of Germany's Nutrition and Dietetics Association. Garlic owes its medicinal powers to its components. It contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B and C as well as potassium and selenium. It also has a number of beneficial phytochemicals, such as polyphenols and sulfides, and a comparatively high content of adenosine, a biochemical compound important for cell metabolism.

"Since garlic is usually consumed in small amounts, not all of its health-promoting components carry weight," remarked Stefan Weigt, a member of Germany's Independent Health Advice Association. So it is with its vitamins and minerals, he said. To meet the daily requirement of vitamin C, for instance, a person would have to consume nearly 800 grams of garlic. "It's a totally different matter as regards phytochemicals, though. Here the bulb is really outstanding - especially with sulphides," Weigt said.

Sulphides are sulphur-containing compounds that "can have a beneficial effect on health in many ways. They're antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory" and thus help to guard against or fight infectious diseases, said Antje Gahl, a nutritionist at the German Nutrition Society. Studies by the University of Arizona in the United States have shown this to be true in the case of colds. According to studies by the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, garlic can help prevent periodontitis and other diseases of the mucous membrane of the mouth.

The sulphides in garlic have positive effects on the cardiovascular system, too. "It's been proven that they lower the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood and blood fat levels," Morlo said. A team at the National Cardiological Research Centre in Moscow found a 7.6 per cent drop in total cholesterol in 42 test subjects after 12 weeks of garlic therapy. This means regular consumption of garlic may help prevent atherosclerosis -- a narrowing of the arteries due to a buildup of fats and cholesterol - "and therefore cardiovascular disorders like blood clots, strokes and heart attacks," Weigt added. Some studies have not confirmed garlic's cardiovascular powers, however.

"Garlic is also said to help inhibit cell damage and the development of tumour cells thanks to the antioxidant effects of its phytochemicals," Gahl noted. Antioxidants have the ability to neutralize free radicals, which are atoms or groups of atoms that attack cells and can cause them to degenerate. "There's not complete certainty on this," she pointed out. "But an analysis of animal tests and statistical surveys suggests that garlic lowers the risk of cancer." This has been virtually proven in the case of stomach and intestinal cancer, she said. To get garlic's health benefits, "it's extremely important to consume it regularly, preferably every day," Morlo said.
   
FABULOUS info, right?!  Simply by adding sliced garlic to a veggie saute', placing chopped garlic atop a chicken, artichoke and smoked Gouda pizza (Gouda cheese is also an excellent cancer preventer!), minced into chili, scrambled eggs or folded into softened Neufchatel cheese with minced spinach, chopped artichokes, chiles and lemon juice for a great veggie dip are a few super easy ways to enjoy garlic - and its INCREDIBLE health benefits for yourself!  ENJOY!