Behold The AMAZING Pomegranate!

In the midst of our winter funk, I've been so thankful that pomegranates are in season. We've been eating them by the truckload and smiling all the way (how can a pomegranate not make you smile?)!

Good for us, pomegranates are LOADED with free-radical fighting antioxidants (primarily Vitamin C) and polyphenols (tannins and flavanoids) that skin loves. The juice has shown benefits for both acne conditions and to help fight the aging process. The edible seeds of the fruit also contain tons of fiber, which helps to clear toxins out of your system that could lead to sluggish skin. In addition to skin benefits, the pomegranate has shown potential in fighting heart disease, cancer and diabetes. And pomegranate extract has even been touted as a sexual tonic! Yes, please!

The pomegranate has a history in just about every ancient culture and religion. In ancient China, it was a symbol of fertility (due to the tons of seeds!). The Hindu's thought of it similarly as both a sign of fertility and prosperity, as well as a medicinal plant which they used in the ayurvedic tradition. There are several biblical references to the pomegranate and it is thought by some to be the actual forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. The pomegranate also shows up throughout history on money, in famous works of art and even as decoration at Greek weddings and funerals. Crazy!

While we also use the pomegranate to decorate our home during the holidays, what we really like to do is eat it! Our favorite way is straight up, right out of the shell. The easiest way to get out the tasty seeds, called arils, is to break open the fruit while it is submerged in a bowl of water. Break all of the little seeds away from the shell and membrane, then give a quick rinse and drain in a colander. This technique avoids seeds flying all over the kitchen and juice squirting in your eye!

If it is the amazing pomegranate juice that you are seeking, the best way to capture it is exactly how you would squeeze an orange. Cut the pomegranate in half and use a manual orange juicer to squeeze out the beautiful blood-red juice.

Here are a few experimental recipes that I've created using pomegranate juice both internally and externally, for a double whammy! Hope you enjoy!

Pomegranate Skin Toner

Juice of 1  large pomegranate
Distilled water

Blend pomegranate and distilled water 1:1 (same amount of water as juice). Pour into a spray atomizer bottle and store in the refrigerator. Spritz your face throughout the day for some pomegranate lovin!

Pomegranate Lemonade

Juice of 1/2 large pomegranate
Juice of 8 small lemons
3 cups pure water
1/2 cup agave sweetener

Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and stir thoroughly. Serve over ice with a sprig of mint. Turn on your shower until the bathroom is all steamy, sit and sip your pomegranate lemonade while pretending you are somewhere in the tropics!

Mask of the Month: Traverse City Dreamin'

The "Winter Blues" are officially starting to set in. While I adore living in Michigan, the winters here are long and gray and from about mid-January to mid-March, you want to either 1) hop a direct flight to the tropics OR 2) ease the pain with a gallon of ice cream, a bottle of red wine and a bucket of macaroni and cheese OR 3) jump out a window.

It is about this time every year that I long for summer days spent in Traverse City, Michigan - the beauty of the northern Lower Peninsula known for its amazing cherries (and the Cherry Festival held each July). In my 20s, my mother and I would plan a mother-daughter trip to Traverse every summer. It was a long weekend full of quality time that I will hold dear for the rest of my life.

We would spend lazy days shopping under the warm Michigan summer sun at the local boutiques and art galleries, tasting wine at the several local Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsula wineries, munching on fresh baked bread from Stone House Bread slathered with local cherry preserves and sleeping in late at our favorite bed and breakfast by the water - The Omena Sunset Lodge.

After I had my two beautiful daughters, times changed, priorities shifted and these trips have come few and far between. It is on days like today that I think back to those carefree trips and the unmatched beauty of up-north Michigan summers. To take me back to those days and escape from the cold outside, I whipped up this month's simple, easy breezy mask - Traverse City Dreamin'.

The cherries in this mask are loaded with antioxidants to fight those nasty free radicals that age our skin. Their natural astringent action also help to tone and tighten skin tissues. The addition of honey hydrates and nourishes.

While a bottle of wine to accompany your mask experience is purely optional, may I recommend my fave for a summer's day - Chateau Grand Traverse Riesling!

Traverse City Dreamin'

10 fresh pitted sour cherries (or you can use thawed frozen ones)
1T raw honey

Blend the cherries and honey in a blender until smooth. Apply mask to freshly cleansed skin and leave on for 15 minutes. Kick back, close your eyes and imagine you are being bathed in sunlight. Remove mask gently with a warm, damp cloth. Follow with your favorite toner and moisturizer.

Where are you dreamin' to be right now???