Pomegranate Seed Oil Massage Butter

Pomegranate Seed Oil can be used on its own as a beautiful massage oil, but also makes a wonderfully soothing massage butter – give it a try!  

6 Tablespoons Shea Butter
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Avocado or Coconut Oil
2^1/2 Tablespoons Pomegranate Seed Oil

Melt all ingredients on stove in a small saucepan making sure they reach 180 degrees.  Take off the heat. Allow to cool off until just warm, and mix well.

Pour into a 4 ounce jar. In a few hours at room temperature, it will be ready for someone to give you a luxurious massage!

The power of red!

We all know that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is essential to our health. Did you know that the colour of the foods we eat is also important? Each different coloured fruit and vegetable contains unique components that promote good health and wellbeing.

Pomegranates are considered one of today’s Super Reds! Red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, cranberries, red apples, beetroots, cherries, red grapes, red onions, strawberries, watermelon and more contain a range of beneficial nutrients.

Some of these include lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals, and support join tissue in arthritis cases.

Read more about the colour wheel of fruits and vegetables at http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/fruits-vegetables.shtml

Revitalise your skin!

Did you also know that Pomegranate Seed Oil is an excellent skin moisturiser and proven anti-ageing product that works without the use of harsh chemicals?

Cardea’s 100% pure, organic Pomegranate Seed Oil has natural estrogenic properties that will help restore, renew and revitalise your skin. It will help smooth fine wrinkles, leaving your skin looking and feeling radiant.

Rich in natural antioxidants, Pomegranate Seed Oil offers major anti-aging benefits, fighting against free radicals and damaging environmental effects. It stimulates keratinocyte production and promotes the regeneration of the skin’s epidermis.

Best of all, it gives your skin a youthful glow, keeping your skin toned and hydrated. 

Simply apply a small amount directly onto your skin or add it to your own creams and lotions for great results. Smooth it onto your face before bedtime to refresh and awaken your skin for the morning!

Pomegranate jellies

With their bright festive colour, these delightful jellies are a perfect dessert for Christmas dinner

Serves 4

4 large pomegranates, seeds removed
2/3 cup (140g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) cold water
5 tsp (16g) powdered gelatine

1. Reserve 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds. Use a food processor to process seeds until a coarse puree forms. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing with back of a spoon to extract juice. Discard solids. Line a sieve with muslin and place over a bowl. Strain juice through sieve. Measure juice. Add enough water to make 600ml of liquid.
2. Place pomegranate mixture and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, place cold water in a heatproof cup. Sprinkle with gelatine and set aside until gelatine softens. Place cup in a saucepan of barely simmering water and heat for 2-3 minutes or until gelatine dissolves. Add gelatine to pomegranate mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside to cool to room temperature. 
3. Divide mixture among four 150ml-capacity jelly moulds. Place on a tray in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight to set. Turn jellies on to plates and sprinkle with reserved pomegranate seeds

 Tip: To extract pomegranate seeds, cut fruit into quarters, place in a bowl of water and separate the seeds from the membrane. Scoop off and discard any membrane that floats to the surface, then drain the seeds.

Pomegranate Seed Oil joins the fight against diabetes

A new study has been published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggesting that pomegranate seed oil may have increased insulin sensitivity.

Researchers believe this may be due to the seed oil’s high concentration of CLA (conjugated linolenic acid) which could be the component that accounts for a reduced risk of developing diabetes.

Studies to date have only been undertaken with mice, so it’s a little too early to confirm whether pomegranate seed oil significantly reduces the risk of developing diabetes in humans. But it’s certainly positive progress in the right direction – stay tuned for further studies! 

A summer spritz?

Pomegranate seed oil isn't just for women. Cardea's fragrant-free, pure pomegranate seed oil offers excellent benefits for men as well. Why not try this great cologne spritzer or make it as a gift for someone special this Christmas.   

COLOGNE SPRITZER

for all skin types

 

Ingredients

70ml 100% proof vodka

30 drops Cardea pomegranate seed oil

4 drops cedarwood essential oil

6 drops sandalwood essential oil

3 drops ylang-ylang essential oil

30ml distilled water

 

Method

Combine all the ingredients except the distilled water into a dark bottle

Shake well and leave to stand for up to 48 hours

Add the distilled water

Leave for at least 48 hours

 

The cologne will be much stronger if you let it stand for 2-3 weeks

To use, spray all over you body, avoiding your face

Something Saucy!

Try this simply stunning pomegranate sauce with your favourite dessert or icecream!  

• 2-3 ripe pomegranates
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs white sugar

Cut pomegranates in half and squeeze the juice using a citrus squeezer. To use the seeds, place them through a juice extractor. Place everything into a stainless-steel saucepan and simmer for just a few minutes – be careful not to simmer for too long or the sauce will become like syrup. If this happens, don’t dispair, you can use the sauce as an excellent marinade for duck!

How to I eat a pomegranate?

From fresh food markets to your local supermarket, Pomegranates are popping up everywhere! As one of today’s most studied super fruits, pomegranates are sweet, juicy and bursting with flavour. Here are a few helpful hints on how to prepare and eat a pomegranate!

1. CUT the crown end of the pomegranate to allow the seeds to show
2. SLICE the rind into but be careful not to slice all the way through 
3. SOAK the pomegranate upside down in a bowl of water and let it sit for five to ten minutes. This will help release the seeds so that they sink to the bottom of the bowl 
4. BREAK the rind apart and remove the membranes and flesh to allow any remaining seeds to sink to the bottom of your bowl.  
5. DRAIN the water from the seeds using a colander, then pat them dry with paper towel.  The seeds are now ready to eat! They can also be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for two days.

Eat them as they are, add them to yoghurt or your favourite pomegranate seed recipes – keep an eye on our blog for new recipe postings or share some of your own with us!

How to extract the juice from a pomegranate

Press the fruit on your kitchen bench or a chopping board and roll it back and forth. This will help the kernels release the pomegranate juices. Puncture the pomegranate at the crown or cut a small portion of the crown. Then, simply squeeze out the juice and enjoy!

Pomegranate and Orange Salsa

For a delightful summer side to fish or chicken, this fresh and zesty Pomegranate and Orange Salsa is as delicious as it is healthy!

1 lg Pomegranate
2 lg Orange; peeled, sectioned & chopped
1 Jalapeño chili; deveined & finely diced
1 lg Tomato; peeled, seeded & diced

1 ts parsley
2 tb Scallion; thinly sliced
1 tb Lime juice
1 ts Cilantro, fresh; minced
1/2 ts Cumin, ground

Break the pomegranate apart to release the seeds. Discard membranes and skin. Drain seeds and pat dry on paper towels. Place in a medium bowl. Add the oranges, jalapeño, tomato, scallions, lime juice, coriander, parsley and cumin. Stir well. Cover and chill at least two hours.

Share with us your delicious pomegranate recipes!