8 Essential Ingredients for Beautiful Skin

1. Avocado. A good source of biotin, avocados help prevent dry skin and brittle hair and nails. Used topically, they hydrate parched skin wonderfully. Try it yourself: Create a moisturizing mask by pitting the fruit. Puree the pulp, and pat it on your face. The  natural oils act as an emollient while skin-friendly vitamin E protects against premature aging.

2. Green tea. Green tea’s high on the list of healthy skin beverages, thanks to its impressive stockpile of polyphenols. Aim for 2-4 cups throughout your day.

3. Tomato. A German study found that lycopene-rich tomato paste helped participants prevent sunburn when they combined it with olive oil, daily for ten weeks. Besides being a great source of the antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes are considered a high-carotenoid fruit. These nutrients may help slow down cellular damage from free radicals.

Thanksgiving Showdowns

What’s the difference between brining and marinating or mashing and whipping? Find out the answers to all of your Thanksgiving dinner questions.

Written and researched by Meaghan Cameron and Amy Zerello

In or Out? Stuffing vs. Dressing

For those who believe the conventional wisdom, stuffing is the stuff that is cooked inside the bird while dressing is baked on the outside. But Chow notes that both are actually the same thing, according to the National Turkey Federation, which states, “Both terms are used interchangeably.” Since this side dish is most often discussed at Thanksgiving, we think the turkey experts at the NTF may know best. If you do choose to stuff your turkey remember that it must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees! Sources: Chow.com, usda.gov

Sweet Debate: Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes

Don’t lose your potatoes over this, but these two spuds are not related botanically. Now that you’ve digested that bombshell, here are a few more potato particulars: Sweet potatoes come in several varieties, classified as either firm or soft. Firm varieties remain firm after they’re cooked, while the soft varieties get moist and soft. The Library of Congress says these soft types are often labeled “yams,” but adds that true yams are native to Africa and it is unlikely you’ll find them at your local grocery store. Yams are starchier and drier than sweet potatoes, though they can be used interchangeably in recipes. Sources: loc.gov, rd.com

Turkey Bath: Brined vs. Marinated

Every year on Thanksgiving you hear about people brining a turkey, but not marinating it. Why is that? The difference has to do with acidic marinades versus salty brines. Acid, a strong component of marinades, tenderizes only the surface of meats, thus they are not the best way to add flavor to your large turkey. Brining is a longer, deeper process. The salty nature of the brine “adds moisture to the meat through osmosis.” The salt draws the water inside the meat out while the brine flows into the meat, adding extra water and juiciness. Want to do both? Try this Citrus Marinated Turkey recipe from Iron Chef Jose Garces, in which he first brines and then marinates the meat. Source: exploratorium.edu

Do You Remember Your First…

Ice Cream?

This adorable video captures kids first brush with ice cream. Love when the power of technology proves something to be thankful for!

On a Strawberry Swing

Is it normal to get excited for my husband to try new things I bake/cook/whip up for him? I mean, without sitting down to eat it too? This morning I ingeniously stirred our remaining strawberries into a bowl of whole grain pancake batter and threw in a pinch of cinnamon (his favorite).

As soon as the batter was ready for the pan it dawned on me: we’re out of syrup. For my husband, this was almost a deal breaker. I had to remind him, sweetly, that strawberries would make the pancakes sweet enough. He conceded and said he’d have them without the syrup, as long as I really buttered them up (no problem!). Piled on a plate, I proudly presented my creation and laughed when he got up to look in the cupboard one more time for hidden syrup. (Below, my Whole Grain Strawberry Pancakes!)

The verdict? Seems like he ate 75% of what I gave him, so I call that a breakfast victory — especially given he never lets me add fruit to my recipes. Let’s just say he’s not a fan of me modifying recipes… Maybe it’s a police thing, following the rules and all? I love theorizing.

Anyway long story short: Strawberries truly do make breakfast sweeter. I had a bite, they were delicious.