Bridal Indian Mask

Okay ladies, this mask came from India....it's known that bride to be's use this daily for a week until the wedding day to get that natural glow, it's ritual in India for all brides.  So let's try this at home and do it once a week.  Do it on your spa day chez toi or on a really hot day like today - the cooling mask refreshes my skin and the Tumeric Powder is a natural antiseptic.

Ingredients:

Sesame Oil

Chickpea Flour

Tumeric Powder

Almond Oil

Yogurt - for normal to oily skin

or

Milk - for dry skin

Ingredients for Indian Mask

Slab on a bit of Sesame Oil on your face and let it soak in...since I'm doing my Watermelon fast today  the Sesame Oil is smelling kinda good right about now and I'm dreaming of Asian food.....

Mix the Chickpea Flour and Tumeric Powder together in equal parts (just enough to cover your face).

Half of this amount should be just fine!

Mix a little bit of yogurt or milk and the almond oil.  Make sure the consistency is thick and pasty like mud!

Now slab it on your face and let it dry...30 minutes should be good

Nice and Bright

Once it's dry, wash it off with a face cloth and water.  I did it over the kitchen sink because I was afraid it'll clog my bathroom sink since there's no strainer.  

Awww....my face feels so fresh and clean and glowing!  Now put away the ingredients until next week - at least you can still use these ingredients for cooking...well, maybe not the Almond Oil. 

Yogurt Vinaigrette

Hmmmm.....what's in my fridge?  Not much but I'm craving a creamy dip or salad of some sort.

Here's my concoction of a creamy yogurt vinaigrette:

1 large Egg Yolk
about 6 tablespoons of Greek Yogurt
Sea Salt & ground White or Black Pepper
3/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of a 1/2 lemon
Sesame seeds for serving

You can make this dressing, essentially a mayonnaise, in a blender or food processor but I just used a whisk (it's less clean up).
Put the egg in the bowl
Add 1 tablespoon of yogurt
Season with salt and pepper
Whisk to blend....whisking constantly, add the olive oil drop by drop.
When mixture starts to look like mayonnaise, you can pour in the oil in a steady but gentle stream.
After adding half of the olive oil, whisk in the juice of the lemon, then continue with the oil.  Add the remaining 6 tablespoons of yogurt and season to taste by adding more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice.

You can make this a day ahead and store and refrigerate. Make sure to whisk before using.

Don't laugh but I didn't have much veggies in the fridge so I ended up with chopped Romaine Lettuce and green apples, then I sprinkled some sesame seeds on top!  Cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, beets and corn would have been nice!  Enjoy your Yogurt Vinaigrette as a dressing or as a dip!

Lemon Bars

Pre-heat oven 350 degrees

Grease 9 x 11 pan

For Shortbread:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

12 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

For Topping:

4 Eggs

1 2/3 cups white granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 large lemons juiced

zest of lemon

Sift flour and sugar in bowl.  Add salt and melted butter.  Mix well and evenly press on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown.

Whisk eggs until light, pale and fluffy.  Add sugar, salt, stir well.
Sift flour in and whisk until smooth. Strain lemon juice.  Whisk in lemon zest.  Pour mixture in cold or warm shortbread.

Bake for 25-35 minutes.  Top should be set but slightly jiggly and slight golden brown.
Cool thoroughly, top with powdered sugar.