The healthiest snack!

Aug 21, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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I have written about popcorn several times on fabulous365…. just because it’s gotten such a bad rap. Bad rap NO more! Studies have come out proving that this movie time snack….. is just about one of the healthiest foods we can put in our bodies! Popcorn… serving per serving, has more antioxidants than fruit!

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Pennsylvania Researchers…

found that there were 300 mg of polyphenols (healthy antioxidants) in a serving of popcorn…. verses 160 in a serving of fruit. Polyphenols are extremely concentrated in popcorn due to the lower water content… 4% compared to 90% in fruits. WOW! Now that’s exciting!! The hulls (those nasties that get caught in out teeth) pack the highest amounts… and are a great source of fiber!

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Microwave…

Here’s where it gets tricky…. Air pop is the best way to go. Microwave popcorn is actually dangerous…. due to the chemicals that coat the popcorn bags. The FDA has indicated that this substance called
perfluorooctanoic (PFOC) breaks down when heated in the microwave… and leaches into our popcorn and when consume it goes straight into our systems. This chemical has been linked to cancer in animals and humans…. and can be completely avoided by not eating microwave popcorn! The second issue with the microwave corn is the fake butter. So bad is it…. that there is even a disease called “Popcorn workers lung!” Are you kidding? Microwave factory workers can suffer from this debilitating respiratory disease caused from the extended inhalation of the chemicals fumes. And we are eating this stuff?
Cooktop popcorn is fattening when made with butter or oil… but at least it won’t kill you! My favorite? Grab a 19.00 air pop machine from Bed, Bath and Beyond. It’s quick, clean and so easy to use! Add a couple splashes of olive oil and and a sprinkle of sea salt… and VIOLA! One of the healthiest snacks we can put in our bodies!!

The best part?…

That happy wagon! Popcorn is a complex carbohydrate that has been shown to increase tryptophan… the amino acid that helps raise our feel good neurotransmitter…. serotonin, by 42%!

IMMACULATE Pretzel Dough

Aug 15, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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WOW!! We baked up some Immaculate Pretzels…. and some Immaculate Cinnamon Chip Scones yesterday…. to the delight of all of our taste buds! The process could not have been any easier… and any quicker! We took the pre-made strips…. twisted…. sprinkled with salt….and baked. VIOLA! Oven fresh and healthy pretzels in less than 20 minutes! This verified NON GMO baking company has a list a mile long of the products they offer…. from organic cookies to pie crusts…. with pretzels along the way! The scones were fresh and delicate… and just about as yummy of a scone… as I have tasted!

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Head to Whole Foods and get yourself some Immaculate…. I promise you will thank me!!

WWW.IMMACULATEBAKING.COM

BE AWARE!!!

Aug 7, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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And I mean that! Lately I have had several very close calls in my SUV… with men, women and children walking right behind me as I am pulling out of a parking spot. Most people think that because the SUV’s sophisticated camera systems…. that they will be seen no matter where they walk around these vehicles…. NOT! The G-Wagon I drive has blind spots all over the sides… so I really can’t see anyone that creeps up along those areas. Now here’s where it get’s really ugly…. A woman with a beautiful little 2 year old toddler walked in my blind spot two weeks ago…. I came within an inch of running them both over. Thank God… something intuitively me made me stop the car…. low and behold… there they were in my blind spot. I didn’t sleep for week thinking about that little baby girl and how I could have seriously hurt or even killed her.

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Drivers…. PLEASE beware when pulling out in your SUV! Pedestrians… Please DO-NOT walk on the sides or behind an SUV or any vehicle for that matter….. because honestly….. most of the time…. They seriously can’t see you!

My driving outfit is…. an Isabel Marant skirt, Velvet long sleeve tee, paired with a pair of Tabitha Simmons black suede slides. The black velvet shades are by Ray-Ban….

Peaches & Cream!

Aug 5, 2014 | Posted in Beauty, Chew

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Okay my Beautiful People… Let’s eat our way to glowing and beautiful skin! Eating peaches can actually help make our skin glow from the inside out.

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Other foods that can help us glow from the inside out? Any fruit or vegetable that is orange or red usually has beta-carotene…. which is beneficial in helping get that “glow” factor…

laura-dunn-peaches-2 Other Super Foods that will help our skin glow….. Spinach/Blue Berries…. and Super Star Tomatoes, that will help eliminate free radicals caused from UV rays…

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Grapefruit…. The Fountain of Youth

Jul 30, 2014 | Posted in Beauty, Chew

laura-dunn-grapefruit-4 This is a story that I love so much…. that this is the third time I am writing about it. A scent that makes us appear to look younger than we are? YES!!! The scent of grapefruit has been proven to make us appear 7 to 10 years younger than our actual age. By just dabbing on a few drops of Essential Oil of Grapefruit, we can actually be perceived to be younger than we are. Those brilliant scientists at The Smell and Taste and Treatment Foundation in Chicago did this research in 2005 and it’s a tip that stands up to the test of time.

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From the 2010 www.fabulous365.com Archives:

In June of 2005 the AP published a story about how The Smell and Taste Institute in Chicago conducted a study to determine what makes a woman smell young. The scents of Lavender, banana, broccoli (what were they thinking on that one?) and spearmint were sprayed on several mid-age women, but not one of those scents made any difference to the men that they had brought in for the study. Then came the almighty grapefruit…… To everyone’s surprise the scent of grapefruit on the women made them appear 6 to 10 years younger than their actual age! The article went on to say “that the scent of grapefruit remarkably changed men’s perception.” 6 to 10 years……. AMAZING!

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My all time favorite Essential Oil of Grapefruit is “Now.” This oil is as close to the real scent of grapefruit as I have smelled.

Please give this one a try… get a bottle of the Essence of Pink Grapefruit, dab and go… see if you get more attention than before… I did and think you may be surprised also. Do comment and let us know if this worked for you!

Chew Report… The Luxe Hotel/Bistro Lounge

Jul 28, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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Our photographer Ana Ochoa, and I had just finished shooting one afternoon two weeks ago. We decided we needed to eat… fast. I suggested we kill two birds with one stone and do a restaurant review on one of my favorite places to eat. I called Chef David of The Luxe Hotel and gave him a 15 minutes notice to get 3 not so easy dishes ready for a shoot. Ready… Set… Go…. within 15 minutes Chef David pulled together 3 of my favorite dishes off the menu…. and had them beautifully styled and camera ready!! Who does that in this city? Chef David does….

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Let’s start with my all time favorite, The Sloppy Joe Slidder… Luxe Style. All I can say is… You have to try it to believe that a Sloppy Joe could have this much flavor. The different flavors explode in your mouth… all at the same time. Made with incredibly lean beef and a dainty little brioche buns… this sloppy joe almost tastes healthy… not really but who cares!! Talk about a happy girl…. two of these babies…. and I am smiling for days!!

Onto The Drunken Shrimp. The sauce on this dish was one of Ana’s all time favorite sauces. Loaded with citrus and tequila… The subtle… yet spicy flavor hits your mouth and changes as you chew. The shrimp were cooked to perfection and I swear….. people down the block could hear the moans of Miss Ana Ochoa… as she ate.

The third dish on our “last minute taste testing” was the Burrata, Beet and Arugula Salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. The dressing is light and airy allowing the flavors of the burrata, arugula and beets to come through. This salad is the perfect accompaniment to go with any dish on the menu….. Delicious!!

We did not have the cheeseburger on this tasting… But let me tell you. If you are looking for one of the best cheeseburgers in all of Los Angeles… head over to The Luxe Hotel… You will Thank me… I promise!! Last but not least…. The service at this adorable little outdoor dining area… is superb! The staff is standing by ready willing and able to accommodate any of your needs. And they rolled out the red carpet for us!

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Thank you Luxe Hotel and Chef David for making two hungry girls very very happy… and very very full!!

Luxe Hotel

360 N. RODEO DRIVE
BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210
310-273-0300

Chew Report….. Soupelina

Jul 21, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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We had the distinct honor of meeting with Elina Fuhrman…. founder/owner of SOUPELINA… last week in the Fabulous365 kitchen. Elina brought over all the ingredients to make two of her best selling soups…. and also brought several of her (just made) soups for us to try. With names like….. “Beet the Heat…” “I Yam Who I yam”…. “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butternut”… “Don’t Squash My Dreams” it’s no wonder that “Soupelina” is owning the fresh, organic soup market in Los Angeles.

With door to door service…. we can all enjoy the healthiest soups to ever grace my lips.

In 2009 Elina began cooking healthy soups in her own kitchen while fighting an aggressive breast cancer. What began as a healing experiment for herself turned into gourmet magic that had her friends not only calling her “the soup guru” but asking to buy her one-of-a-kind creations. And just like that… Soupelina was born. Soupelina soups are nutritional powerhouses, loaded with vitamins and nutrients, high in fiber, calcium and protein. They are delicious, healthy and organic: they nourish your body, calm your mind, excite your taste buds, boost your immunity and make your spirits soar. Not to mention they make your body lean and let your natural beauty shine through. One taste and you will feel loved, comforted and on top of the world. Plus, the flavors are so addicting, you won’t believe that something that tastes so good….. could be also so good for you.

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Hand-crafted from farm fresh, organic seasonal ingredients, the soups are gluten free, soy, sugar, nut, and dairy free, vegan, and don’t have any preservatives or additives. You see, Elina believe that almost everyone prefers to eat healthy. They also believe that there has to be a better option than canned soups or soups from grocery stores.

Soupelina soups… come in healthy pint sized containers and cost $13.00 a pint. And may I say… they are worth every single penny! Delivered in Los Angeles areas: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Burbank, Toluca Lake, and Valley Village. If you would love to receive Soupelina soups and live outside those areas, please email them…. they want to know where their soup is desired for future growth.

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I cannot sing the praises loud enough…. for this beautiful, organic, healthy soup. Thank you Elina for sharing with us what is some of the best soup we have ever tasted and Congratulations on your amazing soup creations! You have us hooked… lock, stock and pint sized bowl!

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Soupelina.com

Fresh & Easy Spring Rolls

Jul 15, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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Our Creative Director Niz…. came over with all the ingredients…. and proceeded to teach me in no time flat…. how to make these delicious, simple and easy spring rolls. The instant we finished making them… they were gone! So yummy and so healthy are they…. that these babies will become a staple in the Dunn Family home… and should be in your home also! Thanks for the FABULOUS recipe Niz!! And….. YUMBO!!

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Directions

1. Put hot water in a plate. You will use this to soften the rice paper.

2. Dunk the rice paper into the plate for about 15 seconds or until it softens.

3. Place your sheet of rice paper on a dry & flat surface or plate.

4. Arrange vegetables and noodles at the bottom of rice paper. Layer in any order you would like!

5. Now fold the rice paper over, starting from the edge that your ingredients are placed. Keep rolling… just as you would an egg roll! Optional* Half way through rolling the paper, you can stop to fold in one side of the paper for a closed edge and continue to roll.

6. Dip into sauce and enjoy a light, fresh & healthy chew!

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A little Parisian Escape: Le Mervetty

Jul 7, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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The Pleasure of your Company is Requested at…. Le Mervetty! I stumbled upon this sweet shop one fine evening while strolling down Canon Drive…. and have been obsessed ever since! Le Mervetty is the newest and most unique dessert shop to open in Beverly Hills… in ages! Specializing in Meringue Cloud Cakes…. renown ballerina and meringue muse, Anna Pavlova and pastry chef Etty Benhamou have created a heavenly little oasis… Parisian style. Serving 6 or 7 different flavors of cloud cakes on any given day… with tasty flavors such as… The Nutella, The Praline, The Coffee…the list goes on… but it’s The Fresh Strawberry and whipped cream that have stolen my heart!!

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We just had to pay homage to Le Mervetty’s beautiful interior by dressing for the occasion!
Our Louis Vuitton sequin knit polo dress (From Laura’s Closet) looked like it was made for dining on meringues at Le Mervetty. We kept it simple by pairing with a vintage pair of Christian Dior Pumps from ages ago. These pumps are one of our go to “classics” that have stood up to the the test of time. Our black leather and large gem Mui Mui bracelet… finishes off our Le Mervetty outfit!

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Get Gardening!

Jul 6, 2014 | Posted in Chew

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Gardening for stress… for happiness… for peace.. for calm…. for love and joy! Yes My Beautiful Peeps…. Gardening has many benefits!! Who knew right? All we need to do is get out there and start digging… with our bare hands.

Soil touching our bare hands… is one of the best ways to ground and center ourselves. The sensory experience of earth on skin…. allows us to connect to our primal state. As we absorb minerals and microbes when gardening with bare hands… we help build our immune systems… thus helping prevent disease.

Being in the sun and the fresh air helps reduce stress… and the physical activity will help us lose weight… which makes this a great activity for new moms who want to drop that baby weight and de-stress.

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In a study done at Texas A&M it was found that gardeners had a better “Zest” for life compared to the non-gardeners.

Gardening also helps raise serotonin levels (that feel good hormone in our brains) enough so that in a study conducted…. frequent gardeners we able to reduce antidepressants.

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There you go…. reasons to get out there and garden today!! Don’t forget… ditch the gloves for a better immune system!