Cool Beans

Magic Under Eye Lightener Soup !!!

Don’t you just love it when someone says “You look so tired”? Really makes you feel good about yourself. Especially when it’s your mother. Or, better yet, your facialist. (Like you pay her for that crap?)

So you can imagine the giddy thrill Beauty Wonkette got when, on a recent trip to the ever-swank Susan Ciminelli Day Spa, Susan revealed her trick. No, it wasn’t a miracle cream. No kooky facial exercises. A pill? Nope.

Adzuki bean soup.

Sound like this belongs on the shelf next to the wonder zit salve or the make-you-skinny B-12? Beauty Wonkette was skeptical too. Till one recent Sunday afternoon when Beauty Wonkette donned her toque (and little else) and made Ciminelli’s legendary stew. (Part chili, part soup — all delish!)

Three hours later, Beauty Wonkette forgot all about the dark circles.

Beauty Wonkette wonders if fava bean pate could do something for crow’s-feet?




Adzuki Bean Soup Recipe:

This special Japanese bean helps to diminish the appearance of dark circles around the eyes by cleansing the body from within. Adzuki beans are wonderful for the kidneys and when the kidneys are dirty the result is dark skin under the eyes.

Adzuki beans are growing in popularity. They can be found at health food stores and a growing number of gourmet food markets.


Serves 4:
- Soak 3 cups of beans in a large pot of cold water for 24 hours or overnight. Drain.
- Add 2 quarts of cold water with the beans to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Drain the beans, then add 2 quarts of fresh cold water again.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, then add 2 Tbsp. of cumin and 1 tsp. white pepper.

- In a frying pan, sauté the following ingredients in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil until tender:
- 2 diced carrots
- 2 Tbsp. of finely chopped fresh ginger
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large, finely chopped sweet onion

- Add the ingredients to the soup, then cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until beans are cooked through.
- During the last 15 minutes only, add sea salt to taste. (Adding the salt any earlier will harden the beans.)
- Just before serving, add juice of 1 fresh lime and 3 Tbsp. of fresh cilantro.

Bon appetit!

Eat this soup at least once a week for best results. This is also a great diuretic and women need this at least once a month.