Greetings beautiful!
If I listen carefully, I’m sure I can hear sleigh bells off in the distance and they seem to be getting closer. Yes, I’m excited!
One of the things most of us look forward to when it comes to Christmas is the food that we all indulge in. There is so much on offer at this time of year and it can be very tempting to throw caution to the wind and eat and drink what we want over Christmas. However, this should come with a word of warning if you suffer from sensitive skin.
Our diet can have a massive effect on our skin, so what we put in, can start to show on the outside. Over the holidays it's important to enjoy yourself and all the yummy food in a way that feels good to you, all in moderation.
Healthy Recipes for Christmas
Christmas should be a time of fun and enjoyment, and your Christmas food should be the same. My cook book, The Beauty of Eating Well™ is packed full of recipes that are tasty as well as being good for your body and your skin. If you are cooking Christmas dinner, then my delicious Prawn Salad can be the perfect starter for the whole family to enjoy. Simply place 175g of cooked king prawns, a sliced avocado, 100g of baby spinach and a courgette cut into ribbons into a bowl and sprinkle over a pinch of chilli flakes the juice of half a lemon and two tablespoons of olive oil before tossing it all together. Then simply season it with salt and pepper and serve with a handful of chopped parsley and basil sprinkled across the top.
A lot of your Christmas dinner can be heavy and fatty, which is not always great for your skin, so why not look at making a few simple swaps? This year, instead of roast potatoes, try my Baked Sweet Potatoes with baked beans and slaw instead. It is a super easy tray bake which not only gives a healthy twist for Christmas, but also makes cooking Christmas dinner a little simpler.
Preheat your oven to 200C and inside place your sweet potatoes on a baking tray, sprinkled with salt and leave them to bake for an hour. While they are cooking, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and gently fry a finely sliced onion and two finely sliced garlic cloves on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Stir in a tablespoon each of cumin and ground coriander and cook for two more minutes before adding two 400g tins of black beans, 150ml of water and a teaspoon of smoked sea salt. Stir it well and simmer for 10-12 minutes, making sure to stir it frequently until the beans have broken apart and become thick and creamy. Then squeeze in the juice of a lime and a handful of chopped coriander.
To make the slaw, mix half of a finely sliced red onion, a coarsely grated beetroot, two coarsely grated carrots, a finely chopped green chilli, a roughly chopped small bunch of coriander, the juice of a lime, two tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Once your sweet potatoes are cooked and crispy, split them open and top with the beans, slaw and an extra sprinkling of smoked sea salt.
Christmas Snacks
We all love sitting down in front of a Christmas movie with a few snacks but your skin might not. For a real treat, give my Spiced Pink Bounty Bars a go! Start by blitzing 200g of desiccated coconut, 10g of freeze dried raspberries and a teaspoon of Pitaya powder in a food processor until it becomes a pink powder. Then add a teaspoon of cinnamon, 50ml of coconut oil, three tablespoons of coconut cream and two tablespoons of maple syrup and pulse until it all comes together. Press it into a prepared baking tin to form an even layer and pop it into the freezer for 20 minutes. Once you take it out, cut it into 12 even pieces. Heat 90g of cacao butter chips, 35g of raw cacao powder and two tablespoons of maple syrup over a gentle heat and whisk together for a yummy glossy chocolate which you can spread over each bar generously. Then sprinkle over a tablespoon of freeze dried raspberries and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before sharing or keeping them all for yourself!
My Banana & Oat Bars are a great energy burst on the go. Simply preheat your oven to 180C and mash 3 ripe bananas in a bowl. Then add 225g of gluten-free oats, 75g of ground almonds, 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk, a teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, two tablespoons of maple syrup, a tablespoon of almond butter and a teaspoon of salt and mix well together. Pour the mixture into a prepared baking tin and bake for 15-18 minutes until the top is golden and slightly firm.
These are great for some healthy nibbles over Christmas, and you can even make them in advance and take them with you if you are spending Christmas with family to ensure you still have some skin superfoods to hand.
Wherever you spend Christmas, The Beauty of Eating Well™ is here to make your Christmas food healthy and fun so make sure you order it now!
Lots of love and positive vibes, Camille xx