GAL APPROVED Wkd: Cook Like A Swede; Spin To A New Bod & Smooth That Skin!

By Delaina Dixon | July 11, 2014 | Gal Approved

TASTE. The World Cup is inspiring us to think globally, especially in our kitchen. We recently had a chance to meet Swedish celebrity chef Ulrika Bengtsson, who showed us how we can get creative in our kitchens with a little help from some popular Swedish food products. She topped KRISPROLLS┬«, a hearty bread made with healthy ingredients like golden wheat, with homemade spreads topped with Gravlax, a Nordic dish of raw salmon cured in salt and sugar. She then crushed the tasty grains in her hands to make the crumble for a rhubarb pie, which got its sweetness from Felix Jams ΓÇô we got introduced to the Lingonberries flavor — and a pinch of Falksalt. Made in Cyprus, these infused/organic salt crystals are a fun way to spice up your recipes. We can’t get enough of the Rosemary. Now we know what to make while watching the next episode of Welcome to Sweden on NBC! See more pics from the cooking event on our DivaGals FB page.

SWEAT. Every DivaGal knows she’s got to get her sweat on regularly. Figuring out how is the challenge. That’s why TV DivaGal found herself on a spin bike in the front row of a class at Cyc, an indoor cycling and social fitness club nestled inside David Barton Gym in downtown Manhattan. Created by Keoni Hudoba who lost more than 100 lbs. with his program, Cyc is designed to work the entire body. The 45-minute ride incorporates light hand weights and movements inspired from other workout regimens, like boxing and swimming. Devon, my class instructor, helped me clip in my bike shoes, explaining that we’d be stretching upwards a lot to engage our core. And then it began. The pedaling was fast and furious and I huffed and puffed to keep up with the Cyc disciples who were spinning at a rapid pace. Sure, we slowed down the legs, but only so we could jab and hook to work our arms and shoulders to their limits. Devon then turned off all the lights, so we could only compete with ourselves. And that’s when I really pushed myself. In the end, I felt conditioned from mind to toe. And it was so nice to take a steam afterwards inside Cyc’s very dope locker room.

SMOOTH. Image Gal is always on the lookout for ways to make my skin flawless. NIA24 by NIADYNE is a line of Niacin-powered skincare products, and 25 years of biomedical research have led the company to develop a molecule called Pro-Niacin. Intensive Retinol Repair is an intensive repair treatment formulated with Pro-Niacin and Retinol to address multiple signs of aging such as deep-set wrinkles, firmness, skin tone, texture and overall radiance. The cream smells fabulous and feels really nice on your skin. Another outstanding product is the Sun Damage Prevention Broad Spectrum SPF 30 100% Mineral Sunscreen (yes, girls of hue need sunscreen too!). It’s weightless, dries with no residue and can be worn right under your makeup. Not only does it protect your skin from sun damage, it actually repairs previous sun sins! It also works to brighten skin tone. More than hope in a jar, it’s real results I could see and feel after just one week of use. Now my skin is baby smooth and red carpet ready!