Happy Skin from Within

From a young age we're told that we must eat our fruit and veg. "It's good for you!" we heard so many times. But not only is fruit and veg good for your insides, some are especially nourishing for the outside. Last week on our Instagram we've introduced a few facts about some of our favourite food-for-skin ingredients, so this post has a few delicious recipes to try!

Avocado, king of the good fats! Avocado is not only great to smear all over your face in a chunky mask during your self-care ritual, but also a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. Here are two of our favourite recipes using avocado:

Avo-choc Mousse 

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados 

½ cup of raw cacao powder

¼ melted dark chocolate

4-5 tablespoons oat milk (or any milk of your choice)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup of maple syrup or agave

Steps:

1. Mash the avocados with a fork, or blend using a food processor.

2. Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water

3. Add all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix together 

4. Decant the mousse into small jars and leave to set in the fridge for at least one hour

5. Enjoy on its own, or with a dash of coconut or soya cream

Avocado-Matcha Smoothie 

Ingredients:

1 frozen ripe banana

½ frozen ripe avocado 

1 cup non-dairy milk

2 teaspoons matcha powder

1. The night before, cut up your ripe avocado and banana into chunks and pop into a box in the freezer

2. When you're ready for your smoothie, blend the frozen banana and avocado together with your choice of milk and matcha powder

3. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

Avocado has a high level of fatty acids which are deeply moisturising and keep skin looking soft and supple. Avocado also has lots of Vitamin A and E which help cell renewal and aid repair, as well as natural anti-inflammatory properties and a level of UV protection. So how can we say no to a chocolate mousse, or a matcha smoothie when we know all this?

Another hero ingredient that we love for both inside and outside is cucumber. A totally underrated fruit. You know that age-old trick, that seems like a myth, of putting cucumber on your eyes to de-puff and relax? People actually do it because it works...

Cucumber is a great anti-inflammatory with anti-oxidants that works well around the delicate skin around your eyes, as well as fighting bacteria and calming irritation all over the body. Cucumber is also wonderful for anti-aging as it contains an enzyme that inhibits the breakdown of elastin, prompting bouncy, glowing skin.

With hot days on the horizon, here's one of our favourite salad recipes, enjoyed with roasted veg like squash or aubergine, or paired with Asian dishes:

Cucumber Side Salad

Ingredients:

1 cucumber

2 radishes (or a beetroot if you're not a radish fan)

1 lemon 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons oregano (preferably fresh, but dried is good)

A pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Steps:

1. Using a potato peeler, peel the cucumber and radishes (or finely slice your beetroot) into thin layers

2. In a small bowl squeeze the juice of a whole lemon, mix in the oil, mustard and salt. 

3. Pour the dressing over the cucumber and radishes and sprinkle some oregano

4. Enjoy the crunchiest and zingiest salad you’ll ever have!

Do you have any favourite avocado or cucumber recipes you'd recommend? Let us know!