A Homemade Day at the Spa

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

Is this long, cold winter dragging you down? As we face a couple more months of chilly and cloudy weather, a day at the spa sounds heavenly. But if you have no professional spa treatments in your plans or budget, then it's easy to re-create the experience at home with some spa influenced foods and recipes.

Start with one of the most well known home spa remedies, placing cold tea bags or cucumber slices over the eyes to reduce puffiness. Most people have tried this at one time or another. The antioxidants in both remedies reduce irritation while the coolness helps bring down swelling. Whether or not it's proven effective, it sure feels good!

While you're at it, add some sliced cucumber along with other flavor brighteners, such as ginger, mint or citrus, to a pitcher of cool water. Drinking plenty of water is key to good skin and overall health. These refreshing additions make it easier to sip the required eight glasses per day.

Before you step into the shower, you can use cut citrus fruit to slough dry skin off your heels skin, or elbows. Or try a homemade version of my favorite exfoliating brown sugar scrub: mix a quarter cup of olive or coconut oil with a half cup of brown sugar (add just a drop of vanilla if you like) and you’ll have a delicious smelling homemade scrub.

After showering, transport yourself to the nearest tropical beach when you slather some moisturizing coconut oil over your body. In the winter we spend so much time indoors and all that dry heat is terrible for the skin: this is just the remedy.

Multipurpose and chemical-free coconut oil also works wonders as a lip balm, eye makeup remover, or to use on dry hair. Along with moisturizing, it has antifungal and antibacterial properties and can be used to treat all kinds of common skin ailments such as psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis. Pure, raw coconut oil has recently become trendy for all of its health benefits, both in the kitchen and in a beauty regimen.

Try an at home facial steam, by mixing your favorite essential oil or dried lavender into a sink or basin filled with steaming hot water and drape a towel tent over your head to steam and refresh your pores and sinuses. Then do an all natural manicure with products you find in your kitchen. Soaking hands in whole milk softens cuticles and removes dead skin cells. Follow it up by rubbing moisturizing almond, avocado, or light olive oil into your hands.

After you have used all these ingredients to moisturize and polish your skin, it's time to move into the kitchen and start cooking. Try some of your favorite healthy recipes to work from the inside out in brightening up how you look and feel.

If you are looking to add some extra nutrients to your spa day diet, choose foods that are colorful, fresh and flavorful, and take care to avoid extra salt and refined sugar. One food famous for offering detoxifying benefits is the Japanese adzuki bean; it is said to lighten under-eye circles by cleansing the body from within. You can try it by steeping into a tea or making a flavorful homemade soup. But really any food that nourishes both the body and the spirit has a place on your spa-centric menu and routine.

So forget your cares for a morning, or better yet, invite a few friends over for a do it yourself spa pampering party. Doesn’t that sound like just what the doctor ordered for a blustery winter day?

Serves/Makes: 4

• 3 cups adzuki beans, soaked overnight in cold water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lime, juiced (optional)