Orange you glad you have an excuse for a facial?

Here’s one you can do quickly and easily at home.

Grate the peel of one small orange (wash it first!) and mix it with 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add a squeeze of juice from the orange. (Squeeze it all and drink the rest!)

Massage the mixture into clean skin. The orange zest is a gentle exfoliant, removing the top layer of dead skin and revealing your natural glow. The olive oil’s antioxidants help protect your skin from free radicals.

This simple dish helps highlight the vegetable and salad you serve alongside – think about roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans. Use a variety of onions from the farmer’s market.

Farfalle (far-FALL-ay) is Italian for butterfly. The pasta is sometimes called bowtie pasta. Be sure to get pasta made from whole-grain flour, not just semolina.

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Farfalle With Caramelized Onions
Blue * Serves 4

1 pound of farfalle pasta
2 tablespoons of Earth Balance margarine
6 tablespoons of Sucanat&reg:
3 large onions, chopped
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

In a skillet over medium heat, add margarine, Sucanat and onions. Saute until the onions are soft and lightly browned – at least 15 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the drained pasta to the onions, tossing gently to mix. Add the reserved pasta water to help make a sauce. Place pasta and sauce in a serving dish, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve with a side of vegetables and a green salad.

I’m very excited to be reprising my Broadway role in The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife opposite my good friend Caroline Aaron at the La Mirada Theatre!

WHEN:
October 1-17 (except Oct 9, both shows because of a previous gig)

WHERE:
La Mirada Theatre
14900 La Mirada Boulevard
La Mirada, CA 90638

PERFORMANCES:
Tues. – Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 and 7 p.m. There will be no evening performance on Sunday, October 3.

TICKET INFORMATION:
Box office: 714-994-6310
Buy online: http://www.lamiradatheatre.com/allergists_wife.htm

Get revved up! Your workout is supposed to get your heart rate up and make you sweat!

You’ll get energized for the rest of you day if you really get into it. Plus you’ll boost your metabolic rate, and be burning more calories through the day (even when you’re sitting). So get moving – break a sweat and then keep moving so you sweat for at least another 10 minutes. Don’t forget to warm up and cool down.

Today’s workout song is a nostalgic moment (if you’re a little older) or a retro moment (if you’re younger). It’s one of our old favorites for getting all revved up!

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You may live on a tight budget, but don’t cut your grocery budget. People who spend more on food – whole food, the way it grows – tend to weigh less because nutrient-rich vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean proteins cost more than empty-calorie choices.

To save cash and eat well, fill your freezer with healthy bargains. Stock up on lean proteins when they’re on sale, and freeze half for later. Buy fresh fruits and veggies in season and learn to freeze or can them yourself. Buy frozen fruits and veggies when they’re out of season – less expensive with almost the same nutrient value.

If any of the food in your house looks like it could stock a bomb shelter, toss it. It’s only preservatives, disguised as food.

Do you cook for other people?
Do they think your food is a little weird?
Are you looking for ways to jazz up your meals?

Our next class is all about making your family happy. And “family” means all those people you cook for – spouse and children, roommates, in-laws, co-workers, partners or significant others, neighbors, friends. When they don’t think they want to eat healthy meals, and you love them enough to want them healthy – for a long, long time – what do you feed them? This class will show you.

The Family Class starts Monday, October 11, and runs through Friday, October 15. Coach Beth Miriam – wife and mother of two – will help you redefine and realign family meals.

Sign up now to get tips and tricks for making your healthy meals enticing and inviting, no matter who is around the table.

This is a heartier main dish that makes great leftovers.

Be sure to make your own breadcrumbs from whole-grain bread. It’s easy with a food processor (and only a little trickier with a blender). Just tear up the heels of bread and pulse them in the food processor using the blade. Voila – fresh bread crumbs. Keep them in the freezer so you have them whenever you need them. If you’re using a blender, just do a little at a time, so the bread doesn’t get stuck around the blade.

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Chickpea Broccoli Casserole
Blue * Serves 8

3 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 large onion
3 large carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1/2 cup bread crumbs (preferably whole wheat)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl mash the chickpeas well, using a potato masher or a firm fork; it takes about 2 minutes to get the right consistency. Add the vegetables and mix well. Add the bread crumbs and mix, then add the oil and mix again. Finally, add the vegetable broth and salt, and mix one last time.

Transfer all the ingredients to a 9×13″ glass or ceramic casserole dish. Press the mixture firmly into the casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve hot; leftovers are also good cold.

Do not flush old medications down the toilet. Our water treatment facilities aren’t equipped to handle the volume or variety of drugs that need to be disposed of.

Your community may have a prescription drug collection – if so, take advantage of it. Clean out your medicine cabinet, and drop off the old drugs. You’ll want to remove your name and the prescription number from the container (remove the label or use a permanent black marker to mark it out).

If you need to dispose of old medications at home:

1. Keep the medication in its original container. Again, remove the label, or black out the patient name and prescription number.
2. Modify the medication to discourage consumption. For pills or capsules, add some water to partially dissolve them. For liquids, add something like salt, flour, charcoal, turmeric, or dried mustard to make a pungent unsightly mixture that discourages anyone from eating it. For blister packs, wrap in several layers of duct tape.
3. Seal the container with duct tape, then place it in an opaque bag or empty margarine tub (or other opaque container) so the contents cannot be seen.
4. Discard the container in the trash. Do not recycle it.

Relax and enjoy the day.

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I’m very excited to be reprising my Broadway role in The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife opposite my good friend Caroline Aaron at the La Mirada Theatre!

WHEN:
October 1-17 (except Oct 9, both shows because of a previous gig)

WHERE:
La Mirada Theatre
14900 La Mirada Boulevard
La Mirada, CA 90638

PERFORMANCES:
Tues. – Thurs., 7:30 p.m.; Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:00 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 and 7 p.m. There will be no evening performance on Sunday, October 3.

TICKET INFORMATION:
Box office: 714-994-6310
Buy online: http://www.lamiradatheatre.com/allergists_wife.htm