Olive Oil, Honey & Egg Yolk Facial Mask

   I love the way my skin feels and looks after getting a spa facial but I don't like having to pay a king's ransom to get one.  Therefore in my search for an inexpensive alternative, I've been making this one at home for years.  With just three simple ingredients that you'd be hard-pressed not to find in your kitchen, you've got the makings for a fabulous, moisturizing facial mask.

   I am a firm believer that to achieve healthy, glowing skin so much more depends on what you put in your mouth than what you put on your face which is why I love this easy, inexpensive mask recipe.  You don't have to spend a lot of money on expensive creams and lotions as long as you're feeding your body with proper nutrition, foods that give you a natural, healthy glow and keep you well-hydrated.  However, sometimes we need a little extra help in the "glowing" department so it's nice to know we can pamper ourselves naturally with something we can easily whip up at home.

   First, here are the benefits of the three ingredients:

   Egg Yolk - Eating egg yolks can make your skin smooth and help preserve your skin's elasticity.  When applied to your face, the egg yolk will help remove oil and dirt from your skin and will also help to make the mask smooth and creamy when you apply it to your face.

   Honey -  Honey has been used for ages as an anti-bacterial agent - you can put honey on an open wound and it will heal faster.  Using honey in the mask will gently clean your skin, making it healthy and supple by killing germs and reducing swelling and inflammation.

   Olive Oil - is there anything it can't do?  It truly is the elixir of  the Gods.  Sophia Loren is said to bathe in the stuff as well as ingest two tablespoons a day (neat) which has been attributed to her ageless beauty.  You can remove your eye make-up with olive oil, use it as a night cream and an all-over skin and hair moisturizer.  In this mask, the olive oil will nourish and clean your skin, and will easily rinse away leaving your skin moisturized and glowing.

1.)  Separate one egg  - using only the yolk - in a small bowl or ramekin

2.)  Add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of olive oil

3.)  Mix until combined and smooth;  apply to a clean face.  Rest with it on your face for about 15 minutes then rinse with warm water.  I like to do this mask right before a shower because it can get kind of sticky and hard to get out of your hair. 

   Your skin will be well-moisturized, smooth and glowing.  You can store the extra mask in the refrigerator for about a week or so and use it as often as you like.

    “Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.”  - Sophia Loren

"Everything you see I owe to Spaghetti."



Sophia Loren (photo courtesy of in.com.)



 I love this quote from the beautiful, ageless Sophia Loren:

"Everything you see I owe to Spaghetti." 

Born in Rome, Sophia grew up in poverty on the outskirts of Naples and had to eat pasta everyday to survive.  I doubt she still eats a lot of spaghetti today, but nonetheless, it's a great quote.

I love pasta and since I am Italian, it was a staple growing up.  Fortunately, we didn't have to eat it everyday to survive, but we had it about once a week and it continues to show up at family gatherings. 

These days I don't eat pasta as often as I'd like to - remember what happened to Elizabeth Gilbert in the EAT portion of her book Eat Pray Love? That's right, she had to go out and buy a larger pair of jeans while traveling in Italy.  Don't get me wrong, when I get to Italy I plan to eat my way through it as she did, but I'll just plan accordingly and pack some elastic waste-band pants.

 But seriously, there is definitely a place for spaghetti in my life even though the dreaded starchy, refined-white carbohydrates have gotten such a bad rap for a while now.  I do eat pasta, just occasionally and in smaller portions.  Also, I tend to eat the Barilla Plus pasta which is higher in fiber and protein than regular pasta, and is also enriched with the essential fatty acid ALA omega 3, making it a healthier option.  I find there isn't much difference in taste and texture to regular pasta, and I like it much better than whole-wheat pasta which tends to be too heavy and starchy. 
There are many different pasta alternatives out there to try, but you can always just stick with a smaller portion of the regular stuff and enjoy it.  When I do, De Cecco is my brand of choice.

My husband came across this recipe in Everyday Food a couple of years ago and it quickly became one of our favorites even though it calls for anchovies.  I've never been a fan of anchovies themselves: I do like anchovy paste in a Caesar salad, but when crushed in this simple spaghetti recipe, it's delicious -so much so that even my 7-year-old loves it.

Linguini with anchovies, garlic and breadcrumbs

1 pound linguini or spaghetti

6 to 10 anchovy fillets plus 2 tablespoons oil from anchovies

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

1/4 cup whole-grain breadcrumbs

2 Tablespoons of grated parmesan/reggiano cheese

fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)

red pepper flakes ( for garnish, optional)

1.)  In a large pot of boiling salted water cook pasta according to package instructions. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs and grated cheese and set aside.  When pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup pasta water then drain. Return (empty) pasta pot to medium heat; add anchovy oil and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2.)  Add anchovies and cook until they have almost dissolved, 30 seconds. Add pasta, lemon zest, and enough pasta water to create a sauce that coats pasta; season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the breadcrumbs/cheese mixture and parsley.  Enjoy!

"The Greatest Wealth is Health" - Roman Poet Virgil