11 minute read
CHOW BELLA
By Kimberlee Ho of kickassbaker.com
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These cookies are not only delicious and satisfying, they contain several ingredients, such as matcha, dark chocolate and coconut oil, which boast proven benefits for your overall health, skin, and nails. A cookie that’s tasty and healthy?! Bring it on!
DARK CHOCOLATE DIPPED MATCHA GREEN TEA SHORTBREAD COOKIES Servings: 18 Prep Time: 10 minutes + 4 hours chilling time Bake Time: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature • 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar • 1⁄4 cup powdered sugar • 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 cup cake flour • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons matcha powder • 6 ounces dark chocolate • 1⁄2 tablespoon coconut oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes. 2. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose and cake flours with the matcha powder. 3. With the mixer on low, mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. 4. Place shortbread dough between two pieces of parchment paper, flattening it with your hands into a rectangle. 5. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough over top of the top layer of parchment paper until the dough is 1⁄4 -inch-thick. 6. Place on a baking tray and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. 7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the refrigerated dough into two-inch circles using a cookie cutter or rim of a glass. 8. Place cut-out cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies until just golden at the edges, about 10 minutes. 9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on sheets for five minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. 10. Once cookies have cooled, melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for two minutes on 50% power, stirring halfway through. 11. Dip the cookies, allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl or use the tines of a fork to drizzle the chocolate over top of the cookies. 12. Set cookies on a wire rack set over a cookie tray to allow chocolate to set before serving.
Note: If not serving the cookies right away, store undipped cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Store chocolatedipped cookies with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each one in an airtight container for up to five days.
Food The Beauty of
By Amanda Mactas
Beauty begins from the inside out—in more ways than one. What you put into your body is just as important as what products you use on the outside. From teas to collagens, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite edible beauty products to keep you looking and feeling your best, even if you’re stuck inside.
The Beautifying Botanicals collection from one of our favorite purveyors of tea, The Republic of Tea, is comprised of specialty tea blends designed to improve and nourish the skin. The Daily Beauty Blueberry Lavender Tea blend contains blue butteryfly pea flower and blueberry, both of which promote collagen production, as well as hibiscus, rose hip, bamboo, and schizandra berry. These ingredients have hydrating, anti-aging, and hair, skin, and nail strengthening properties. Similarly, the Beauty Sleep Chamomile Rose Tea contains the same ingredients, with the addition of chamomile. The recently launched Clean Beauty Berry Aloe Tea blend includes sea buckthorn berry, aloe vera, hibiscus, rose hip, and milk thistle, which is known to detoxify and hydrate, and also boasts anti-aging and cleansing properties. All of these blends are caffeine-free, and they also sell iced tea infusions. RepublicofTea.com
Curb your cravings while enjoying a sweet treat, all while infusing
Vitamin C and collagen into your body? It sounds too good to be true, but EVERYDAZE Essential C’s Konjac
Jelly does just that. These cute squeeze pouches clock in at only 10 calories and are perfect for snacking on the go. If Jell-O and peach rings had a baby, it would taste just like this. Konjac is an herb that helps improve cholesterol and aids in weight management, while Vitamin C is one of the best skincare essentials out there. EVERYDAZE.com
Herbal tonics are great sources of nutrients—and they won’t fill you up. Sunwink is an amazing brand that utilizes plants to help your health. Ginger, turmeric, elderberry, rose, and dandelion are some of the herbs you can find in Sunwink drinks, all of which promote healthy digestion, reduce inflammation, and increase overall wellness. Many of them contain ingredients fueled with Vitamin C and collagen to boost your beauty regime. Flavors include Detox Ginger, Hibiscus Mint Unwind, Immunity Berry and Lemon-Rose Uplift. DrinkSunwink.com
The woman-owned brand Lemonkind has a handful of healthy products, all of which come in single servings and are ready to eat, mix, or drink, making them perfect for anyone on the go. Bubble tea, or boba, has become increasingly popular in the United States, and Lemonkind’s Nutriboba is good for you and your skin. The supplement bubble teas are not only low-carb and keto-friendly, they are also non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, allergen-friendly, and contain no added sugars. Unlike traditional tapioca boba, Lemonkind’s konjac root boba provides many benefits, including prebiotic properties that improve the skin. Other ingredients include organic oolong, which promotes healthy skin, teeth, and bones; vanilla powder, a natural antibacterial that can help with skin health and acne prevention; and moringa powder, nutmeg, and astragalus, all of which help to promote skin health and elasticity, all while boosting your immunity. DrinkLemonkind.com Sometimes simple is best. Joolies, the California-based, USDA-certified organic Medjool date company, knows that what grows from the ground up is always a smart choice. Dates are fueled with Vitamins C and D, which boost collagen production, as well as antioxidants, perfect for protecting against free radicals that can age the skin. Also packed into this sweet snack: skin glow-boosting pantothenic acid; iron, which helps with hair growth; and fatty acids to control inflammation.
Enjoy Joolies dates on their own or use them in recipes for cooking and baking. Joolies.com
If you’re looking for a fancy treat to amp up your beauty route, Imperia Caviar is filled with beauty boosting properties! Vitamin B12 is great for your hair, skin, and nails, and selenium fights against free radicals and prevents wrinkles. Vitamins A and E are also found in caviar, which produces collagen that can protect your skin from the sun and aging. Caviar also contains magnesium, shown to help lower cortisol and level out hormones, thus reducing acne. What could be better? ImperiaCaviar.com
It’s no secret that bone broth is full of health benefits. The nutrient-dense food is packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, and collagen, making it the perfect thing to sip on year round. Parks & Nash makes tasty instant bone broth soups that deliver all of the benefits in the form of a delicious meal. Flavors include Coconut Thai, Tusan Vegetable, Southwest Tortilla, Spicy Chili and Tomato Basil. In addition to boosting your immunity and improving gut health, sleep, and energy, bone broth is also known to reduce inflammation, leaving you looking glowing, youthful, and chiseled. BoneBrothSoups.com
Beauty Boost with Supplements We Love The plant-based bars from TRUWOMEN, crafted by women for women, are a great alternative to your typical protein bar. Focusing equally on ingredients and taste, these bars come in delicious flavors like Oh Oh Cookie Dough, Zamn Good Zesty Lemon and Daydreaming About Donuts, to name a few. Ingredients like cassava help to boost your metabolism and contain a healthy dose of Vitamin C, which is great for your skin. It’s used in place of flour and contains a number of other health benefits, including fiber, protein, and minerals that help reduce inflammation and redness and repair damaged cells. Another perk of plant-based proteins: They help to keep you full, build and maintain muscle, and are great as a pre- or postworkout snack! Truwomen.com Hydration is one of the most important things you can do to keep your skin glowing and looking its best. Take it up a notch with ALO Drink’s Jèn Collagen + Aloe Vera Water. These recently launched drinks have infused two of the most popular healthy, youth-boosting ingredients, which will help your body stimulate collagen production and maintain a youthful glow. The water comes in fun flavors like blood Orange & Lemon, Apple & Lychee, and Peach & Plum. TheAloStore.com
Ultimate Living Green Miracle Powder
$50, ShopULTLiving.com
Mindbodygreen Grass-Fed Collagen+
$76, shop.mindbodygreen.com
Aura Inner Beauty Radiance
$55.46, AuraInnerBeauty.com
BOTTLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD Seasonal Sips:
By Amanda Mactas
Trying to find the silver lining during these trying times can be difficult, especially when you’re stuck indoors. But look on the bright side…it’s the perfect time to try out new flavors and recipes. Within these bottles you can discover flavors from around the world without splurging on a plane ticket.
Horse Soldier Signature Bourbon Whiskey The inspiration for this whiskey? None other than the 12 Green Berets who entered Afghanistan on horseback days after 9/11 and fought in our generation’s war. Along with a monument at Ground Zero, this bourbon is a commemoration to those soldiers. Created by some of the former Green Berets and crafted in the United States, each bottle is formed in molds of steel recovered from the World Trade Center. Notes of vanilla, ginger, and cherries are apparent in the full-bodied bourbon. $59.99
ENJOY IT IN A COCKTAIL SOLDIER’S COFFEE 1.5 oz. Horse Soldier Bourbon 1 oz. cold brew coffee 0.5 oz. simple syrup Combine, shake with ice, and serve, garnishing with coffee beans.
Les Clans Côtes de Provence Rosé Perfect for pairing with food, this refreshing rosé will transport you right to the coast of Provence. Comprised of primarily Grenache, Vermentino, and Syrah grapes, this blend has notes of cherry and oak. $69.99
Disaronno Velvet Liqueur Born from one of the oldest Italian spirits brands, the brand new Velvet Liqueur—a creamy iteration of almonds, chocolate, and vanilla—will attract a whole new crop of consumers to Disaronno. Plus, it’s gluten free! $29.99
Clase Azul Plata Tequila This artisanal tequila brand is not your run-of-the-mill tequila. Using 100% organic agave, Clase Azul employs 100 artisans to meticulously hand-sculpt and hand-paint each bottle. The smooth, herbal and citrusy tequila is a true statement piece. $89.99
ENJOY IT IN A COCKTAIL PINK GRAPEFRUIT PLATINI 2 oz. Clase Azul Plata Tequila 2 oz. fresh pressed pink grapefruit 0.5 oz. agave nectar Shake over ice. Strain into martini glass and garnish with large pink grapefruit wedge.
The GlenDronach Revival 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch This iconic expression, which was re-released after much anticipation back in 2018, has won numerous accolades. Notes of honey, dark fruits, and chocolate make for a complex sip. $92.99
Highclere Castle Gin This gin is named for the real-life Downton Abbey,
Highclere Castle, where it is produced. Made in
England’s oldest gin distillery and utilizing the juniper grown on the castle’s estate, this gin includes botanicals such as lavender, lime flower, and orange peel, as well as oats. $48.99
ENJOY IT IN A COCKTAIL
THE WHITE LADY 2 oz. Highclere Castle Gin 1 oz. triple sec (Cointreau preferred) 1 oz. lemon juice 1 egg white (optional, but splendid)
Tussock Jumper 2018 Chenin Blanc Tussock Jumper is a premium wine brand that sources unique wines by small producers from all around the world. Their Chenin Blanc comes from South Africa, and features tropical flavors such as guava, peach, and pineapple. It’s perfect for pairing with spring dishes. $12
chow BELLA | drink Sip Up Some Love
We could all use a little extra love in our lives this season (and, let’s be honest, some bubbly!). The palettepleasing vintners behind Prosecco DOC are always serving up the most drool-worthy, delectable cocktail recipes, and we think this one is in full-bloom for spring. While love is in the air, so are the enchanting aromas of blackberries and prosecco in The Love Potion Cocktail!
THE LOVE POTION COCKTAIL
Recipe: Jacquelyn Clark of Lark & Linen blog (JacquelynClark.com) Photo: RaeAnn Serra
INGREDIENTS: • 1/3 cup blackberries, plus 8 more for garnish • 1/3 cup water • 1/3 sugar • 1 bottle of Prosecco DOC • 4 sprigs of thyme
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small saucepan, bring the blackberries, water, and sugar to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat. Strain blackberries and let syrup cool.
2. Add 2 tbsp of syrup to the bottom of each glass. Top with Istituzionale Prosecco DOC and add in a sprig of thyme and two blackberries.
