Tag Archives: Milk

Nourishing Banana Face Cream

Nourishing Banana Face Cream @ NancyC

One of the things I love about this DIY face cream is that it’s so simple and easy–and has just 2 ingredients that just about everyone has on hand–a banana and some milk! I found 510skQgPAgL._SX348_BO1,204,203,200_ this recipe in my review copy of The Complete Guide to Natural Homemade Beauty Products and Treatments (Robert Rose, softcover). This book includes 175 easy-to-follow recipes for a variety of skin and hair care items. And all the ingredients in these recipes are chemical-free, using natural ingredients like aromatic and medicinal plants, flowers, fruits, and essential oils. For example, there’s a Rejuvenating Bath recipe that includes dried sage, thyme, and eucalyptus leaves, along with patchouli and sandalwood essential oils. And a Lemon Hand Cream that’s made with shea butter, apricot kernel oil, castor oil, and lemon essential oil.

I decided to try the Nourishing Banana Cream for the face because it was such a simple recipe that we all could try without having to buy any special ingredients. This is actually more like a mask than a cream, because you just keep it on for 3 to 4 minutes. It really does make your skin feel nice and soft after you wash it off–it felt so refreshing, too! If your skin is dry, you’ll probably want to apply your regular moisturizer after you rinse this banana face cream off.

Here’s what the book says about bananas: Bananas are good for beauty, both inside and out. They contain a host of vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, vitamins A, C, and E and potassium. So pamper your face and try this out when you get a chance! 🙂

NOURISHING BANANA CREAM from Natural Homemade Beauty Products and Treatments

Makes 1 application – works best for normal skin

1/2 ripe banana

3 Tablespoons milk

Slice banana. In a small bowl and using a fork, mash banana with milk to form a paste (I actually found it easier to mash by putting the ingredients in a baggie and mashing it with my hands)

Using fingers, spread banana mixture over face and neck. Let stand on skin for 3 to 4 minutes.

Rinse off banana mixture with lukewarm water. Gently pat face and neck dry with a towel.

Isn’t that easy? I used a medium-size banana and it made plenty of “cream” to apply; in fact, I had some extra. So I saved the rest and used it in a smoothie!

Have you made any DIY beauty products with simple, natural ingredients?

Linked to Fiesta Friday, Weekend Potluck, Inspire Me Monday, Show and Share, Full Plate Thursday, Create It Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things.

Chai Tea Latte

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I enjoy drinking tea and recently had the chance to try three chai flavors from Choice® Organic Teas. They sent me their Chai Spice Black Tea and two of their new Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified chai flavors–Rooibos Chai and Masala Chai. If you’re not familiar with chai teas, they’re blended with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and black pepper, giving them a warm, wonderful spiciness that tastes so good on a cold day!

The Chai Spice Black tea and Masala Chai have a rich spicy flavor that I love–both are made with Assam tea. The Chai Spice tasted just a little more spicier to me than the Masala Chai. These teas are perfect for making the Chai Tea Latte recipe that I posted below!

The Rooibos Chai tea is naturally caffeine-free and has a slightly milder spicy flavor, along with a subtle sweetness. Rooibos tea is one of my favorites because it’s such a healthy tea. If you’re wanting to make a caffeine-free Chai Latte, this would be a good tea to use.

I happened to make this Chai Tea Latte on a cold, snowy day and it was the perfect beverage to warm me up! Chai Tea Lattes are a nice change from coffee and hot cocoa. If you’ve never tried making one, you’ll need to try this–it’s easy and just as good as having one from a coffee shop! And it’s a healthy drink, too, sweetened with honey instead of sugar.

CHAI TEA LATTE by NancyC

Makes 1 serving (about 8 to 9 ounces)

1 Chai tea bag

1/3 cup boiling water

1/2 cup milk (you’ll need a frother for the milk)

2 to 3 teaspoons honey (this is lightly sweet with 2 teaspoons, so use 3 if you want it sweeter)

ground cinnamon for sprinkling on top

Heat water to boiling, then steep tea bag in water for 5 minutes; remove tea bag and set aside.

While tea is steeping, add milk and honey in a microwave-safe container. Heat in microwave for 60 seconds or until hot (I heated mine for 60 seconds plus an additional 15 seconds). Stir milk and honey with spoon, blending well, then froth the mixture with a frother to make it light and foamy.

Pour the steeped tea into your serving cup (if it has cooled off, reheat in microwave for 15-30 seconds), then add the milk mixture to the tea. Sprinkle ground cinnamon on top for garnish.

Do you drink chai tea? What about Chai Tea Lattes? This was the first time I tried making one, and I have a feeling I’ll be making many more! 🙂

Linked to Full Plate Thursday, Tea Time #7 at EclecticOdds n Sods, Thursday Favorite Things, Lets Get Real Friday, Inspire Me Monday.

Cocoa Banana Smoothie

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I think this just may be the hottest week of summer. And that calls for a smoothie–even better, a chocolate smoothie! There’s a soy and non-soy version for this recipe, so you can take your pick. The smoothie I made pictured here is the soy version. I’ve never made a smoothie with tofu before, and it does give the smoothie a nice creaminess. It’s not super-thick, though, so if you’re expecting a smoothie like that, you’ll be disappointed. But it has a lightly creamy texture from the tofu and banana, and the unsweetened cocoa powder gives it a rich chocolate flavor. The honey gives the smoothie a light sweetness that’s just right–not too overly sweet. But if you do want it sweeter, you can always add in a little more honey!

COCOA BANANA SMOOTHIE by NancyC, adapted from EatingWell.com

Makes 1 large or 2 small servings, about 14 to 16 ounces

1 medium size banana, cut into slices or chunks and frozen (for about 3 to 4 hours or overnight)

1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon soft silken tofu (for a non-soy version, use plain or vanilla Greek yogurt)

1/3 to 1/2 cup soy milk (plain or vanilla–for a non-soy version, use regular milk; use 1/3 cup for a slightly thicker smoothie)

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey

4 ice cubes

Slice banana and freeze until firm (about 3 to 4 hours or overnight). Blend tofu (or greek yogurt), soymilk (or milk), cocoa, and honey in blender until smooth. Add in the frozen banana slices and blend; then add in ice cubes and blend until mixture is smooth.

Smoothies always sound good to me on hot summer days! What’s your favorite healthy warm-weather treat?

Very Berry Smoothie and Whole Food’s Frozen Berry Blend

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Do you ever shop at Whole Foods Market? I love going there whenever I have the chance! The closest one to me is about an hour and a half away, so I stock up on things when I go. I recently heard about some new products in the Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value brand of organic frozen fruits and veggies. I was excited to have a chance to try some out, too, compliments of Whole Foods!

The new item in their organic frozen fruit selection is the Frozen Berry Blend, which I used in my Very Berry Smoothie recipe. I also picked up some frozen blackberries to make a Blackberry Crumble, and I’ll be sharing that recipe with you soon. There’s also some new organic frozen veggie blends that I’ll be trying out and telling you about …the Organic Southwestern Blend, Mediterranean Blend, and Leafy Greens Blend. Don’t those all sound good and healthy?

But for now, I’ll tell you more about the smoothie I created with the Frozen Berry Blend, which is a delicious combination of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I just love this smoothie–it’s one of the creamiest, smoothest, smoothies I’ve made! I’m sure the organic frozen fruit made a big difference in the taste, too. When it comes to berries, it’s good to use organic since so many pesticides are used on berries grown the conventional way.

Here’s the smoothie recipe…I hope you get a chance to try it out! It’s great for breakfast or anytime you’re wanting a healthy snack.

VERY BERRY SMOOTHIE by NancyCreative

1 (10-ounce) package (or about 2 1/2 cups) frozen blend of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries
1 medium banana
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 to 2 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup low-fat milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Since this is a thicker smoothie, you may need to stop the blender and stir the mixture with a spoon or spatula to help it along. Then continue blending. Makes 2 servings.

Do you like to eat healthy? What’s your favorite healthy snack?