Yummies: Oh Summer Fruits! Please don't go! We heart you! Berries and peaches and tropicals...oh my!

You've heard it before and now we say it again...(this time with tears welling up in our eyes from sadness...or maybe that's just from the horrible fires) we are summer lovers and heart everything that glorious summer has to offer...the beach, weather, the beach, bbqs, picnics, bikinis, flowers...but what we will miss the most about the end of summer?...

The glorious fruits!

We uber HEART summer fruits!

There is nothing juicier, sweeter, higher in antioxidents, more versatile and just plain more fantastic to eat than summer fruits...

So why don't we take advantage of Miss Summer (it has to be a woman...so warm and bright...sorry boys) and run to your nearest farmers market (best and most fresh fruits and veggies there...they actually taste like what they are supposed to) and load up on her fruits.

Take said Summer Fruits and cook like you have never cooked before...you will be in Summer Fruit heaven...

Oh P.S. you don't even have to cook...just wash and devour!  But keep a napkin handy...they are messy (in the best most juiciest way possible!)

So with out further adieu, here are just a sprinkling of our most favoritest summer fruit recipes...

Nothing says summer like ripe delish berries...so easy, so juicy, so tasty and tartly sweet...perfection!

If you are in the mood to bake with them rather than just finish the basket off while driving home from the market (not that, that's what we do..just sayin) we found and tried an amazing Berry Lemon Shortcake recipe.

It's soooo good you will be the toast of the town...or not if you eat the whole thing like me with out sharing...hey...it's that yummy!

It's filled with berries and custard!!!!!!!!! Done and Done!


OMG what we wouldn't give to have a ripe juicy peach right now!!!

Uggh...why did I have to eat them all yesterday?  Oh well...at least I still have time to go get more :) and I will buy extras so I can make one of our most fanstastical favorite desserts ever! (Yes it's that good!)

Fresh Peach Cobbler!!!  

Here you go!  Just don't drool into the bowl you are prepping in!

4 cups of fresh peaches, sliced.
1 ¼ cups of flour.
1 cup of sugar.
½ cup of brown sugar.
½ cup of margarine.
1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
1 teaspoon of lemon peel.
½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
¼ teaspoon of salt.

Preparation Instructions:

Combine 1 cup of flour, ½ of cup sugar, the salt and the cinnamon.

Cut in the margarine until the mixture resembles corn meal.

Combine the sliced peaches, lemon juice, lemon peel, ½ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of flour; then spoon into greased nine-inch square dish.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over top of the peaches.

Cover and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for another 40 minutes.

Go here for the whole recipe ;)  you will be super happy you did!

Speaking of the gloriousness of peaches...

We found an amazing way to start your day or just an amazing way to make all of your friends and neighbors fall into heartville with you when you give them the slice of this delish Yogurt Peach Almond Cake.  Yup you read that right...now stop drooling ;)

Lurving Almost Bordain Site!  Sooo great!


Oh cherries!  Why do you tease us so?  You are so crispy, juicy, sweet, tangy, bright, flavorful and portable.  And why oh why do we finish the whole bag you come in before we can even make this next delish recipe?

How amazing is a fresh cherry pie? (No not the song silly boys)

If you say not..then chances are you have not had a fresh one!  Just try Summer's most famous dessert and you will be a fan for life.

Up next is one that actually hurts my heart.

My mom used to make this for me during summer parties and again, sharing was tough for me.  It is by far one of my most favorite desserts ever created and now I pass the Fruit Pizza torch to you...enjoy and you're welcome!

The crust is made from Sugar Cookie dough...ding!  The fresh summer fruits are coated in a zesty citrus glaze...ding ding!  And they sit atop a ridiculous sweet cream-cheesy filling!  DING DING DING!!!

Here is the recipe...take care of it!  (tear)

Hello Pineapples!  We super heart you too!  Why do you have to go??!?!??!!

Well, before you do we will make an amazing Pineapple Sorbet to celebrate your gloriousness...how's that sound?

  Um yum!  We got this one off of one of the cutest sites ever!  Kissmyspatula!

Fresh Pineapple Sorbet
Tweaked from The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz

Ingredients

• 1/2 ripe pineapple, peeled and cored (about 2 cups)
• 8-10 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• small squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)

Method

Slice the pineapple into chunks and puree in a blender with 8 tbsp of sugar and water until smooth.  Taste, then add up to 2 tablespoons additional sugar, if needed.  If the pineapple is fairly ripe, you should be good to go.  You don’t want to add more sugar than you need or the sorbet will end up tasting far too sweet.

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Eat right away if you like your sorbet on the softer side.  For an icier treat, leave it in the freezer for 3-4 hours before serving.

Oh...this one would be amazing at your next dinner party!

Yummy yummy in our tummies!!!!!!!!  

Don't feel like baking anything to enjoy the fruits of summer?  Just toss them all into a bowl and eat...easy breasy and unbelievable!!!

P.S. The best thing about Summer Fruits and eating all of these recipes???  The weather is warm enough to just go outside and exercise the desserts away!

P.P.S. Sorry for the late post!  We Labored all day yesterday we broke our brain!

xoxo t.w.h.

Yummies: We totally heart fun foods that are good for your skin!

Dearest loyal readers... oooppsie daisy!  So sorry we missed Monday's post :(  

Not only was there an earthquake on Sunday (right under our house!) but the T.W.H. Internet was not behaving.  But there is good news!  We decided to combine Beautifuls and Yummies into 1 post for your reading pleasure.  

In case you are a new reader, (hello there!)  Mondays are dedicated to beauty and Tuesdays are for food...just to keep you in the loop.

OK,  thats it... here we go!

FYI,  there are super yummy foods that are good for your skin..and we are not just talking veggies, water and fish (even though those foods are the best for your waist line and cellulite... ewww sorry ..they aren't always the most fun to eat)

First up on the yummy train is a fruit that is soooo good for you and sooo sweet you may never miss processed sugar (which is HORRIBLE for skin...if I could only remember that every time i see candy in my path)... we give you berries!

 

Berries are so super filled with good for your skin antioxidants/vitamins like C and E.

Vitamin C is a great skin restorer.  It helps your collagen rebuild itself and keeps skin bright and plump.  Soooo the more you eat the better your skin and waist.  

They are also amazing when added to yogurt with honey and spread on skin after sunbathing.

Speaking of yogurt,

it too, is great inside or outside of your body.  

The real kind...not the sugar filled ones... are full of Vitamin A and probiotics that will leave skin softer, smoother and less prone to breakouts! Yippie!  And eat the low fat, low sugar kind... your belly and thighs will thank you too! 

One of our favorite beauty brands makes an amazing mask (do not eat)

but then again if you are a recessionista like us, yogurt is the best ingredient to add to at home masks. WOO HOO!

If you like pina-colada then you will lurve this next one!  

Pineapple (yummmm) is filled with good for your skin and belly vitamins and minerals.  

Thanks to Vitamin C and pectin not only will your skin glow, but it aids in digestion and helps you from being bloated.  

Now there is another fun ingredient in pineapple that is super good too, Bromolina, it is an enzyme that is amazing for skin and muscles and an anti-inflammatory! Yippie...bye bye crazy dimpled tushie!

When this juicy fruit is applied to the skin it helps get rid of dull and dry skin while cleaning and softening... yup we are excited as we are reading this too!

Here is a great pineapple mask..you could eat it when its done working :)  ...just saying ;)

Pineapple exfoliate moisturizing mask

Note: honey is a powerful astringent and moisturizer.
Ingredients

* 4 large pineapple chunks

* 3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil

* 1 tsp raw honey

Blend all the ingredients in a blender until the mixture is smooth.
Apply on the face and leave on for 10-15 minutes.
Rinse with cool water and pat dry.

P.S. add egg white (don't eat that part..salmonella anyone?) to help tighten the pores. 

Now the moment we have all been waiting for...CHOCOLATE!!!  

YES..you did hear (read) that correctly... chocolate is good for your skin!  

OK, before you (we) go running out and dunking our heads in a huge bag of M&Ms, keep reading.  

Not all chocolates are created equal and usually the ones in fun colored, bite size pieces are not usually the good ones... but dark chocolate that is organic and less processed can be uber good for you and your skin.   

Just be careful not to eat a crazy amount :)  cellulite (i know..sorry..its out of love)  is known to follow crazy sugar consumption.

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and flavonoids that do amazing work.  Not only do they help block some UV rays to keep skin young, but it can keep skin moist, smooth and less scaley. UUMM...yes please...(hand reaches into a bag of dark chocolate chips).  

Go here for more info. on how great choc is ;).  You're welcome.

If you do want to keep the gross cottage cheese (which when you eat the food kind,is also good for your skin) at bay here is a great chocolate mask for you. 

Chocolate face mask recipe

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons of heavy cream (sour cream will work as well)
• 3 teaspoons of oatmeal powder

Preparation

Mix all the ingredient until the mass in consistent. Apply on the face, gently massaging it so that oatmeal can start exfoliating the dead skin cell layer. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water.

In case you are wondering, there is a reason oatmeal and honey are added to this mix. Similar to its use in body scrub recipes, oatmeal it is recommended for sensitive skin, but can be used in preparation of facial masks for any skin type, as well as for preparation of facial exfoliants as it is gentle on the skin, yet highly powerful.

The added honey is great for skin, it helps open up pores and has great anti-bacterial properties.

P.S. Avocado is super good for your skin too!  (we didn't add it and now we made it feel bad...s0rry Avocado.. we didn't want our readers to fall asleep!)

Now get out there and eat well...look great and feel amazing!

xoxo t.w.h.