Romesco sauce make for a great skin-saving sauce
I first ate Romesco sauce at a Spanish tapas restaurant here in Houston. It has a wonderful flavor. And after looking at the ingredients, I realized it's a great skin-saving sauce also.
Why do I consider it a skin-saving food? Because it matches my 3 main guidelines on eating for healthy skin.
1. Eat power. This sauce contains roasted red peppers, tomato paste, and paprika, all of which contain powerful antioxidants. It also contains almonds and olive oil, which supply power fats.
2. Stop sugar spikes. The combination of fiber and healthy fats in this sauce helps keep blood sugar levels stable.
3. Stop skin sabotage. There's no added sugars or deep-frying used in this recipe.
I've seen this sauce served on top of grilled chicken and fish. I've used it myself as an appetizer dip, served along with roasted cauliflower. I like this combination, because roasted cauliflower makes for a great skin-saving side. (Cauliflower is considered a powerhouse of nutrition, and roasted cauliflower is such a simple recipe.)
Ingredients
1 slice bread
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 roasted red pepper (if using from jar, drain first)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (or substitute other vinegar, such as apple cider)
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, crushed [optional]
Directions
1. Toast bread and almonds. For almonds, you can toast in a toaster oven on a medium setting, or toast over medium heat on a dry skillet for 3-4 minutes, , stirring frequently, until brown. You can also bake for 400 for 3-4 minutes [stirring occasionally]. [Make sure to watch closely, because almonds can quickly go from toasted to burnt.]
2. After toasting, add bread and almonds to food processor
3. Add all other ingredients and process
Dr. Rajani Katta is the author of Glow: The Dermatologist's Guide to a Whole Foods Younger Skin Diet. To receive future updates on preventive dermatology and the role of diet, sign up here.