Beauty Food: Coconut Lime Rice Bowl

Every time I visit Colorado I come back with some major skin woes- dryness, peeling, redness and windburn. A combination of the dry, thin air, braving the elements on the slopes all day, and getting a bit dehydrated in the high altitude are all the usual culprits. While moisturizers and botanicals products bring topical relief and contain their own special healing magic, the deeper healing that must happen always starts on the inside!

Since getting back to sea level, I have been making sure to eat and drink a variety of foods that contribute to inner and outer beauty and that reduce inflammation. Some of my all time favorite beauty foods include coconut, turmeric and avocado (among many others).

COCONUT products contain lauric acid, a powerful fatty acid that supports skin health (among many other things) and acts as an internal moisurizer and anti-aging compound. Coconut oil is beneficial taken internally and also used externally- feel free to rub any excess into your skin while cooking!

TURMERIC is the master inflammation-reducer when taken internally thanks to the compound curcumin. This vibrantly-tinted powder is also a beautiful way to tame allergy symptoms due to it's immune-boosting effects.

AVOCADOS are chock-full of healthy fats that support skin health and glowiness and keep blood sugar levels stable for the ultimate internal stress-reduction.

With these healing foods in mind, I concocted one of my best bowls to date (following the Magic Plate template, of course): Coconut-lime rice, roasted turmeric cauliflower and roasted curry chickpeas, raw kale and cabbage, carrots, and topped with avocado and sliced almonds.

Here's how you make it:

COCONUT LIME RICE

• 1 cup basmati rice, white or brown
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1 lime
• Sea salt to taste

• Combine rice, coconut milk and water in medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
• Bring down to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until rice is cooked and water is absorbed. 
• Continue to add 1/4 cup water if needed, until rice is soft.
• Squeeze in juice of one lime and add salt to taste, stirring to combine.

ROASTED VEGGIES

• 1.5-2 cups cauliflower
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and peeled
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 Tbsp turmeric
• 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
• Sea salt to taste

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• On a baking sheet, drizzle cauliflower with coconut oil, a pinch of salt, and turmeric and combine until well-coated (wash hands immediately if in contact with turmeric, as it is staining). On the other side of the sheet, combine chickpeas with a drizzle of coconut oil, a pinch of salt and curry powder. Combine until well-coated.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cauliflower is soft and chickpeas are crispy, stirring occasionally.

BULIDING YOUR BOWL

• Greens of your choice- I used kale and cabbage for extra crunch
• handful of sliced carrots
• handful of sliced almonds
• 1/2 avocado

• In a bowl, top one cup of rice with roasted veggies, greens, carrots, avocado and sliced almonds. Enjoy!