Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Honey Strawberry Cream Facial Mask

Homemade Strawberry Facial Mask

Ingredients
*4 to 5 very ripe, medium size strawberries
*2 teaspoons heavy cream
*1 teaspoon honey

*Apply a bit of the prepared mask to the inside of your wrist before using on your face. You want to make sure your skin won’t have a bad reaction to it (allergies). If your skin begins to feel irritated or burning, remove mask immediately.

What to do
1. Apply a warm cloth to your face to open pores.
2. Rinse the strawberries and dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
3. In a small bowl, mash fruit with a fork. Add cream and honey, mixing well.
4. Apply immediately and leave on for 20 minutes.
5. Rinse of with lots of warm water.
6. Rinse face with cool water (to close pores)

Here are some general tips for homemade facial masks:
*When mixing food items for facials, make sure to use sterile utensils and containers.
*Wash hands really well so they’re clean before applying the skin treatment.
*Use soft water or distilled water whenever possible
*Apply the mask by beginning at the chin area and moving up to the cheeks and forehead. Apply the nose next, moving outward toward the cheeks. Be sure to leave space around the mouth, eyes, and eyebrows. Finally, spread the mask on your throat, moving from bottom to top.
*Always use it immediately! Because you don't use preservatives, the mixture can go bad and damage your skin!

Some Information To Consider While Your Mask Is Drying:
(From http://www.strawberry-recipes.com/)
"Making a strawberry facial mask is easy and has many beauty benefits for your skin. Probably everyone knows of the great nutritional benefits strawberries have, but most people do not know, that this fruit also offers plenty beauty benefits.

Strawberries contain salicylic acid that rids the skin of dead cells, makes your skin pores smaller and your face look brighter and shinier. They gently refresh and exfoliate the skin, remove impurities, and reduce redness and swelling, which is wonderful for a cleansing and skin softening facial mask.

In addition, the antioxidants in the fruit help to repair skin damage and counteract aging effects. Your skin produces millions of new cells every day, and regenerates itself completely every 30 to 40 days. But after the age of 30, this natural rejuvenating process slows considerably. At this time, the skin can benefit from a strawberry facial mask.

Further benefits of a strawberry facial mask are:
*reinforce your skin's resisting capability to environmental stress
*provide excellent allergy soothing, appeasing, preventing and relieving functions
*strengthen skin immune capability
*whiten skin (reduce age spots and things like that!)
But you have to use it at least twice a week during a longer time of at least three to six months to see lasting effects.

Let Us Know What You Think! You can email us, or leave a comment!

~T and A Farm
http://tandafarm.webs.com/
tandafarm@aol.com

Strawberry Nutrition Information

Strawberry Nutrition Information from www.strawberry-recipes.com

If you didn't already love strawberries for their delicious taste, you would start eating them for their nutrition and health benefits.

Strawberries have higher levels of vitamin c, fiber, folate and potassium than most other fruits like bananas, apples and even oranges.

Apart from the obvious health benefits, a recent study by Dr. Gene Spiller, Nutrition and Health Research Center, has shown that eating one serving (about 8-10 strawberries) a day can significantly decrease blood pressure, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Other studies showed additional benefits: Strawberries are found to reduce risk of cancer, enhance memory function and rheumatoid arthritis.

All nutrition information is based on 1 cup (8 to 10) fresh strawberries
- Calories: ca. 50
- Protein 1 g
- Fat 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates 11 g
- Sugar 7 g
- Fiber 3.5 g
- Iron 0.6 mg
- Sodium 2 mg
- Calcium 22 mg
- Phosphate 30 mg
- Riboflavine 0.1 mg
- Vitamin C 85 mg
- Potassium 240 mg
- Zinc 0.2 mg
- Niacin 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B6 92 mcg
- Folate 34 mcg



Let Us Know What You Think! You can email us, or leave a comment!

~T and A Farm
http://tandafarm.webs.com/
tandafarm@aol.com

"The Original" Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

"The Original" Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

This strawberry shortcake recipe has been adapted from a strawberry dessert recipe known since the early 1900’s!!

SERVES 8

Ingredients:
* 2 cups flour
* 3/4 cup milk
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 6 tablespoons butter
* 1 quart fresh strawberries
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Strawberries:
-Prepare strawberries an hour or two before serving.
-Rinse the strawberries under cold water; drain well.
-Slice the strawberries in halves; place in a bowl.
-Sprinkle with the sugar; cover and let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Tip: Leave 8-12 strawberries whole for decorating.
Diet Tip: Use fresh dark red strawberries without adding sugar.

Whipped Cream:
-Whip the cream until it holds a soft peak.
-Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shortcake:

-Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Set rack at center level.
-Use a large bowl to combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
-Mix thoroughly.
-Cut butter into small pieces and work in with fingertips.
-Make a well in the center.
-Stir in milk.
-Mix just until dough is moist.
-Let dough stand for a minute.
-Turn into a buttered and floured round cake pan and pat into shape.
-Brush on a little milk or cream and sprinkle tops with some sugar, if desired.
-Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until risen and golden brown.
-Test with a toothpick inserted in the center. If it comes out with dough clinging to it, lower the heat to 350° and bake about 5 more minutes.
-Remove from the pan and split horizontally with a serrated knife.

Final Steps:
-Butter the hot biscuits then top with the strawberries.
-Serve with whipped cream for topping.

ENJOY!


Let Us Know What You Think! You can email us, or leave a comment!

~T and A Farm
http://tandafarm.webs.com/
tandafarm@aol.com

Marinated Fresh Strawberries

Marinated Fresh Strawberries

Ingredients

- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons orange liqueur

Directions
Cut the strawberries into quarters

Sprinkle them with sugar.

Leave for a couple of minutes before sprinkling with lemon juice and orange liqueur.
(Substitute the orange liqueur with orange juice for kids.)

For a special taste: add some fresh spearmint.

The marinated strawberries will taste best at room temperature.


Let Us Know What You Think! You can email us, or leave a comment!

Happy Winter!!
~T and A Farm
http://tandafarm.webs.com/
tandafarm@aol.com