Is the heat and sweat hurting your skin? Keep your skin healthy from the inside out with juicy, ripe peaches and melons (summer’s beauty secret). Want your skin to look and feel better this summer, walk past that drug store and head to a Harvest Home farmer’s market near you.  Grab luscious peaches and melons, they are not only great for you skin but taste delicious.

Peaches and melons have vitamins A, C and E, which gives your skin a summer glow. Vitamin A is essential for repairing skin damage; Vitamin C makes your skin firm, and Vitamin E protects it against free radicals that cause wrinkles.

Peaches and melon are juicy treats by themselves and make refreshing frozen snacks.

• Popsicles:  Basic recipe: Blend 2 cups of chopped peaches and two cups of melon, (honeydew or cantaloupe) with one cup of water. Freeze in small paper cups, a popsicle mold or ice cube tray. Do not fill to the top of your container. Mixture expands as it freezes.

• Creamsicles (frozen Smoothies): Blend 3 cups of melon and peaches or just melon with ½ cup of plain Greek yogurt, ½ teaspoon lemon juice and ½ teaspoon honey. Leave space in the cubes for the mixture to expand.

You can also add juicy peaches and melon to salads, salsas, or any smoothie; mix them with veggies; pair them with chicken. Savory and refreshing.

Other uses: Try a quick face mask to keep oil under control and fight off germs that cause acne and pimples.

• Mix two teaspoons of watermelon juice with one teaspoon of lemon juice. Dab on your face with a cotton ball and let dry for 20 minutes. Rinse off with cool water. Use every couple of days to help manage oily skin in the summer.

For more face masks visit Watermelon.org

Summer Beauty

RECIPE: Chicken with Peaches

Serve it hot or cold. Good with rice

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

• ¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion

• ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

• ⅓ cup brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon salt, divided

• 3 medium ripe peaches, pitted and chopped (peeling is optional) (about 2 cups total)

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• Garnish if you like: additional chopped fresh rosemary or other fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, or basil

TO MAKE:

• In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, pour in 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan and swirl it around to coat.

• Sprinkle the chicken with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan; cook for about 7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

• Remove the chicken from the pan; set aside on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

• Do not clean out the skillet. Add another 1 ½ teaspoons of oil. Add the onion and rosemary; cook for 1 minute or until lightly golden, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the skillet as you stir.

• Add the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, and the chopped peaches; cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the peaches are soft.

• Return the chicken to the pan; heat just until warm, spooning the sauce over the meat.

Note:  Serve cold on a hot day

tips and tricks

More Beauty from “ the Inside” :

These in-season veggies are especially good for your skin: Leafy greens, cucumbers, yellow peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, walnuts and oatmeal. Add them into your favorite dishes or sere on the side.

More Beauty from the ‘Outside”

Refresh and wake your skin with avocadoes: A great way to use up overripe avocados

• Moisturizing Mask: Mash together ¼ ripe avocado, 1 teaspoon of plain organic yogurt and ½ teaspoon of honey. Stir them well until you get a paste of uniform consistency. Apply the mask onto your skin for 10-15 minutes or until it dries out.

• Cleaning Mask: Mash together ¼ of an avocado with a teaspoon of oatmeal

Moisturizing “Magic”: Plain Greek yogurt can work wonders on dry skin. Apply as a face mask or even any place you have dry skin. Leave on for 10-30 minutes.  Gently rinse off with warm water.  To keep skin moist repeat once a week.

Coconut Oil: In your food or on your hair, there are a lot of benefits click HERE to read more.

Add real shine to your hair: Rub a pea-size amount of coconut oil on your hands and then on the tips of your hair or even half-way up the shaft. It reduces frizz and helps split ends.