Are you nervous about going out to eat on Valentine’s Day with a new date because of your new aversion to dairy and soy? Everyone likes to be wined and dined, so how ‘bout we hone those acne-safe cooking skills and invite your date over for a lady and the tramp-style Valentine’s Day feast?! Cooking at home is perfect if you’re on a budget and you’ll know exactly what’s going into your body.
What to Eat
Are you debating whether you should eat out or stay in this year? It might be a habit for you to book your V-Day dinner at your favorite fancy restaurant, but your favorite restaurant may not be your skin’s favorite restaurant. Try planning a healthy acne-safe Valentine’s dinner menu for two, or a healthy potluck for you and your friends. We have a couple favorite recipes to share for your special day.
Acne Safe Roasted Beet, Ruby Red Grapefruit, and Warm Honey Salad
Recipe from Food & Wine
Warm beets and tart grapefruit come together in this bright winter salad.
Total:
1 hr 20 mins
Yield:
4
Ingredients
2 Ruby Red grapefruits
3 medium red beets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1 (1-inch) rosemary sprig
Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
Step 1
Using a sharp knife, cut the skin and bitter white pith from grapefruits. Working over a medium bowl, cut in between the membranes to release sections, and cut sections in half. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 375°. On a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, rub beets with olive oil and season with salt. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 50 minutes. Unwrap beets and let cool slightly, then rub skins off with paper towels. Cut beets into 1/4-inch wedges. Add to bowl with grapefruit. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Transfer to platter.
Step 3
In a small saucepan, warm honey and rosemary sprig over moderately low heat. Remove sprig, and drizzle rosemary honey over salad. Garnish with flaky sea salt.
Acne Safe Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon with Oranges, Olives, and Herbs
Total:
40 mins
Yield:
4
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds oranges in a mix of varieties and sizes, such Cara Cara, mandarin, and blood oranges
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) wild sockeye salmon fillet, pin bones and skin removed
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, divided
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
1 1/2 cups mixed fresh tender herbs, such as parsley, cilantro, mint, and basil
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, smashed and coarsely chopped
Flaky sea salt
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 275°F. Very thinly slice half of the oranges. Pile the slices on a large rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with a big pinch of fine salt and several grinds of pepper, and toss. Spread the orange slices in a single layer, overlapping as needed.
Step 2
Season the salmon fillet generously with 1 teaspoon fine salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and place it on top the oranges in the center of the pan, skin side down. Drizzle the salmon with 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses; use the back of a spoon to spread it over the top of the fillet, coating it evenly. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
Step 3
Bake in preheated oven until salmon is medium-rare, which can take as little as 15 minutes for a thinner fillet or up to 30 minutes if it’s quite thick. To determine doneness, insert a metal cake tester or the tines of a fork into the center of the thickest part of the fillet for about 5 seconds, then remove it and place it against your lip. If it is pleasantly warm, the salmon is done.
Step 4
Meanwhile, peel and segment any remaining mandarins, and supreme the larger remaining oranges. To do this, cut a slice from the top and bottom of an orange to reveal the flesh. Stand the orange upright and slice away the peel in wide strips, cutting downward, following the contour of the fruit, and removing all the white pith and as little of the flesh as possible. Holding the orange over a medium bowl, use a sharp paring knife to cut along both sides of each segment, releasing the segments and allowing them and the juice to drop into the bowl beneath. Pick out the seeds as you go. Squeeze any remaining juice from the pith into the bowl. Repeat with the remaining oranges.
Step 5
To the bowl of orange supremes, add the mandarin segments, herbs, olives, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon fine salt and a pinch of pepper, and set aside.
Step 6
When the salmon is done, immediately drizzle it with remaining 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses. Arrange a few of the roasted citrus slices on a platter as desired; transfer the salmon fillet to platter. Spoon the salad over and around the salmon. Drizzle everything with olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky salt for the perfect acne-safe Valentine’s meal.
Chocolate for Lovers
A good Valentine’s Day isn’t complete without chocolate! Don’t get carried away! Be careful not to over indulge and always choose dark chocolate for an acne-friendly treat.
Dark chocolate contains sugar. Sugar causes glycation damage in the skin. This reduces the effectiveness of elastin and collagen proteins, the properties that give skin a youthful, plump appearance.
Try something different! Eating more omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fatty fish, walnuts, flaxseed, and the like, can help tame inflammation and improve acne breakouts. Eat toasted wheat germ (sprinkled on salads and steamed veggies), veal liver, roast beef, roasted pumpkin and squash seeds, and dried watermelon seeds. The mineral zinc found in these foods reduce the effects of acne.
Eating Out and Being Prepared for Valentine’s Day Dinner
If you can get a heads up as to what restaurant you’ll be dining at, you can take a look at their menu in advance to find out what their acne-safe choices will be. If you’re not sure, a quick call or email to the restaurant should help inform you further!
Always be prepared. When we aren’t prepared we make choices that aren’t in alignment with what is best for our skin.
Final Note
These acne-safe Valentine’s recipes are loaded with flavor and are easy to make — because you don’t need to slave away to make a beautiful meal that will impress your date. Whether you’re practicing your cooking skills or showing off your cooking skills… There’s no better time to do it than on Valentine’s Day. Check out our blog for more acne safe recipes that will impress your foodie date & score you extra brownie points in the awesome department. Most of all, food is a way to bring people together & create a sense of connectedness. Preparing an acne-safe meal will take the stress off you & bring the love to the table.
If you’re still struggling to pinpoint what foods may be causing your acne flares, schedule your initial consultation today & let us get you started on your journey to clear skin!
Cheers to clear,
Rene