As most of us know, our energy levels and skin tend to reflect our eating habits. Luckily, the current food-conscious climate is buzzing with an increased appreciation of natural ingredients’ unique benefits; for example, honey and its ability to revitalize us both inside and out. One of the most popular trends these days is juicing…and we don’t mean the type you make with a few oranges and a citrus press. The kind of juice we’re talking about is the one with a variety of ingredients that are combined to reinvigorate you and give you the feeling that you can handle anything that comes your way. With this feel-good inspiration in mind, the National Honey Board and Laura Termini (Board Certified Beauty Counselor AADP and Holistic Nutritionist) have created five new juice recipes with honey that will add an extra bounce to your step and make you feel more than just comfortable in your own skin. The National Honey Board and Laura Termini offer five, two-part recipes with honey that will hydrate your skin and energize you for the day ahead. For starters, here are two of our favorite recipes:
Green Juice with Honey
A snack for a mid-day energy boost.
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons honey (divided)
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
3 kale leaves
2 cups fresh spinach
2 celery stalks
¼ cabbage
2 tablespoons parsley
1 aloe vera leaf
Preparation:
Wash all greens. Carefully slice aloe vera leaf in half to expose the pulp. Scrape out pulp and place into a bowl. Set leaf aside for use in the beauty recipe. Juice all the greens and aloe vera pulp in a juicer. Pour juice into a tall glass. Add 1 tablespoon of honey and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir well before serving.
*If you do not own a juicer, you can create a tasty green smoothie instead: Roughly chop the kale, spinach, celery, cabbage and parsley into pieces and place all into a blender. Add ½ cup of water and blend until smooth, adding additional water as needed. Stop blender and add honey and pinch of cayenne pepper. Blend for an additional 10 seconds to incorporate the added ingredients. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.
Beauty recipe: Nourishing facial mask
Add remaining honey onto the exposed side of the aloe vera leaf, spreading evenly. Gently rub this exposed, honeyed side onto your face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
Beet, Carrot and Orange Juice with Honey
Honey can help soothe the irritation of a cough as it is a natural cough suppressant.
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons honey (divided)
1 beet
4 carrots
4 celery stalks
1 ½ oranges
Preparation:
Wash all of the vegetables and fruits. Peel the beets and carrots. Peel the orange and roughly chop. Juice the beets, carrots, celery and oranges in a juicer. Serve in a tall glass and add 1 ½ tablespoons of honey, stirring until incorporated. Can be served over ice, if desired.
*If you do not own a juicer, you can create a delicious smoothie instead: Chop the beets, carrots and celery into small pieces and place all into a blender. Cut the orange in half and manually squeeze the juice into the blender. Add some of the orange pulp if desired. Add ½ cup of water and blend until smooth.
Beauty recipe: Facial cleanser for glowing skin
Place the leftover orange peel into a small bowl and squeeze it a bit to release its essence. Add remaining honey and apply to face. Leave on for ten minutes. Rinse with warm water. Apply your regular face cream and sunblock per usual to protect the freshly cleansed skin. Check out all of the juice recipes and beauty treatments on www.mielpura.org and learn more about honey as a natural humectant.
