Fluffy Pancakes

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Pork Chops with Apple Rice Pilaf

ingredients

• 6 pork loin chops, rib chops, or shoulder chops, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 1-3/4 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil or olive oil
• Lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1 6-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix
• 1 20-ounce can sliced apples
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cup water

directions

1. Trim any separable fat from chops. In a 12-inch skillet brown chops on both sides in hot oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chops lightly with lemon-pepper seasoning.
2. In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish stir together the rice mix and seasoning packet. Combine undrained apples, vinegar, and water; pour evenly over rice. Top with chops. Cover dish tightly with foil.
3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until rice and chops are tender and juices run clear. Makes 6 servings.

5 Foods for Glowing Skin

What you eat is important for your health, yes, but did you realize that what you put in your mouth can have an effect on your beauty, too? Here, we identified five foods to include in your diet for glowing skin.

Sweet Potatoes

Keep your skin silky smooth by including sweet potatoes in your diet. They are rich in beta-carotene and, when ingested, are converted into vitamin A, a prime factor in keeping skin touchably soft, says Lisa Drayer, MA, RD, and nutritionist. Not a potato person? Carrots will do the trick, too.

Kiwi

Kiwi.

Any food with lots of vitamin C, like kiwi, oranges, and grapefruit, is a big skin saver, according to Drayer. Vitamin C stimulates collagen synthesis and protects against wrinkles. In a study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who had a diet high in vitamin C foods had noticeably less dryness and fewer wrinkles.

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate.

This has to be too good to be true, right? Wrong! Drayer says enjoying a small piece of dark chocolate will provide high levels of cocoa flavanols, which have been associated with softer, more hydrated skin. Notice we said small. Eating a jumbo Hershey's bar probably won't make you look or feel very good after the fact.

Yogurt

Yogurt.

Yogurt makes your skin and nails glow, according to Paula Simpson, international nutritionist and beauty expert. It's a good source of protein and has been found in clinical studies to help stimulate fat metabolism and whittle your waistline. An added bonus: Drayer says thanks to the biotin found in yogurt, it helps increase nail strength.

Nuts and seeds.

Nuts and Seeds

Snack on some almonds or sunflower seeds, says Robyn Flipse, MS, RD. They contain anti-inflammatory and immunity-enhancing nutrients, including vitamin E, that help reduce skin flare-ups.