How healthy is your skin?
Body organs aren't all internal like the brain or the heart. There is one we wear on the outside- skin. Adults carry about 8 pounds and 22 square feet of it. This fleshy covering does a lot more than make us look human. In fact, without it, we'd literally fall apart.
Skin acts as a waterproof insulating shield. Your skin guards your body against extreme temperatures and damaging sunlight. It also exudes antibacterial substances that prevent infection and manufactures vitamin D for converting calcium into healthy bones. Skin additionally is a huge sensor packed nerve system that keeps the brain in touch with the outside world. Keeping your skin healthy and resilient is beneficial and easier than one might think. There are only three simple steps to achieve healthy skin: cleansing, moisturizing, and sunscreen.
The purpose of cleansing is to surround, loosen, and make it easy to remove dirt, debris, germs, excess oils, and left-over products applied to the skin. It is however, important to choose the correct cleanser for your skin type. The wrong cleanser may not be effective enough, or be too rough, and actually damage your skin. One should use the mildest cleanser possible for their skin type. Moisturizing is an essential step in good skin care. The purpose of moisturizing is to stop the dry skin cycle from spiraling into cracked, thick, flaky skin. It replenishes skins’ natural ingredients, cuts down on damage from free-radicals and helps cells function normally. The best moisturizers will have a combination of ingredients that include glycerol, ceramides, hydroxy acids, and niacinamide. The most forgotten step in skin care is the most important- sunscreen. Most of the damage from UV rays lies under the skin, but sooner or later, they will start to show. Even a walk from the house to the car can result in unwanted damage, especially in Florida. It is important to understand the UV index and what SPF is appropriate for everyday wear, and being in the sun all day. Either way, if you’ve worked hard to take care of your skin, don’t undue it by not wearing sunscreen.
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Recipe of the month: T-Bone Tagliata with steakhouse salad
- 4 bulbs garlic, remove 1 large clove from 1 bulb and peel it
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for liberal drizzling, plus about 1/3 cup
- 8 sprigs rosemary, divided
- 2 large Russet potatoes
- Grill seasoning, such as McCormick brand Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 2 T-Bone steaks
- Salt and coarse black pepper
- Balsamic drizzle
- 1 shallot, peeled
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- Hot water
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, chopped or quartered lengthwise, then very thinly sliced
- 1 generous bunch watercress or Upland cress, trimmed
Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
Cut the ends off the bulbs of garlic to expose all of the cloves. Set them on a piece of foil big enough to wrap up and over the bulbs and drizzle with a little EVOO to lightly coat the garlic. Break two sprigs of rosemary in half and place a half-sprig on top of each garlic bulb; wrap and seal the foil into a pouch around the garlic. Place the garlic in the oven and roast for 45-50 minutes, until very tender.
Cut the potatoes into 10 wedges each, then cut the wedges into bite-size spears. Dress the potatoes in just enough EVOO to lightly coat the spears, a couple of tablespoons. Season liberally with grill seasoning and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until tender and brown and crispy at edges, flipping only once. Remove the potatoes from the oven and cool.
Pre-heat a grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare an outdoor grill.
Take the chill off the steaks and allow them to come to room temperature. Pat the meat until very dry, then season with salt and pepper. Finely chop the remaining rosemary. Grate or finely chop the one large clove of garlic and mash the rosemary with the paste. Place in small bowl and cover with EVOO. Dress the meat with a brush of rosemary oil and grill for 8-9 minutes total for medium-rare doneness, basting occasionally with the rosemary oil. Grill for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, for medium-well doneness. Let the steaks rest to allow the juices to redistribute, then cut the meat away from the bone and thinly slice the steaks against the grain.
Grate the shallot into bottom of a salad bowl using a Microplane or the small side of a box grater. Place the tomato paste in a small cup and add a splash of very hot water, stir to combine and add to the bowl along with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Whisk in the EVOO, about 1/3 cup. Season the dressing with salt and lots of pepper. Add the romaine, tomatoes, onion, watercress, and potatoes to the bowl and toss to combine.
Arrange the salad on dinner plates. Dress the meat with any remaining rosemary oil. Divide the sliced meat into four portions and arrange alongside the salad with a head of roasted garlic to eat with the meat.
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