The Perfect Summer Superfood

Next up in our Perfect Summer Series, we reached out to our favorite plant-based foodie, Nicole of Bonberi, to curate the perfect summer salad.

Summer is all about fresh, vibrant fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants. We all try to sneak in as many of these superfoods as we can into our diet — but are you reaping the benefits of these ingredients in your skincare regimen too?

Typical to our more is more philosophy … we do both!

We don’t just eat our daily superfoods, we also feed our skin with nourishing botanicals that make our cells happy and our skin glow.

And, we’ll let you in on a little secret: sometimes the most powerful superfoods don’t come in the form of an expensive powder or supplement — instead they can be found right in our own summer gardens!

So, to celebrate the season, here’s our favorite way to toss up a skincare salad … and eat a delicious salad with Bonberi, too!

So, what feeds your beauty? 

Just like the antioxidant-rich plants you eat, our Resurfacing Family is packed with superfoods for complete skin nourishment and major glow. Some of these skin-loving natural ingredients include:

Tomato Carotenoids to Brighten

The carotenoids in our tomatoes are the ultimate glow-givers, with a unique ability to correct natural color. Carotenoids are known to absorb UVA and UVB and, when exposed to sunlight, they emit a green light that immediately cancels out redness to make skin look brighter.

Kakadu Plum for Extra Antioxidants

You heard it here first: Kakadu Plum may just be the new Vitamin C for skincare! In fact, it’s the highest, most concentrated source of fruit-based Vitamin C on earth. That gives these potent little plums some serious luminosity and skin brightening benefits.

Squalene to Smooth & Soften

Our squalene is derived from olives, but it’s also a natural component of skin sebum. Squalene is a skin quencher known for its moisturizing properties, it conditions skin to restore softness and smoothness and helps keep your skin hydrated without leaving an oily residue.

Eat Beautifully at Bonberi 

Looking to glow from the inside out? We believe in superfoods that do it all.

We sat down with Nicole Berrie, founder of Bonberi (our go-to guide to all things food and wellbeing), to get the inside scoop on fresh, beauty-boosting seasonal ingredients. After all, eating the right foods has a powerful effect on the way you look and feel! True to Bonberi’s mission, Nicole is focused on bringing awareness to food choices that nourish and deepen your glow, rather than depleting your energy or dulling your complexion.

Q&A with Nicole Berrie: 

Q: Tell us more about Bonberi!

A: Bonberi is New York City’s first plant-based bodega featuring vegan and organic grab-and-go items, alkaline beverages, non-toxic beauty and housewares, and all-natural pantry items. Our goal is to make clean eating and non-toxic living easy, approachable, and convenient! Basically your average corner store — but healthy.

Q: What are your favorite fresh, seasonal ingredients to eat from the garden?

A: The list goes on! Jersey tomatoes, stone fruits, fresh herbs, summer squash, Jersey melons, watermelon … I want it all!

Q: At Tata Harper, we love the renewed energy of summer on the farm when our gardens come back to life. Is it true that summer is truly the ‘beauty-boosting season’?

A: Absolutely! Particularly in New York, the produce wakes up and there is so much bounty to enjoy. When we eat ripe, in-season, local fruits and vegetables, the nutrients are at their height and they hydrate our cells and skin.

Q: Tomatoes are one of our favorite skin superfoods! Do they also have internal beauty benefits?

A: Tomatoes are rich in a number of bioactive components, including vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids and flavonoids. So, yes, they contribute to the summer glow we all crave!

Q: We hear so much about perfect pairings and foods that complement each other not only in their taste, but also in their additional nutritional benefits. Which foods pair best with summer garden tomatoes?

A: Tomatoes are a wonderful vehicle to highlight fresh herbs like mint, basil, and parsley. I also love pairing tomatoes with watermelon for a little fresh sweetness and a hydrating boost. For this salad, I added fresh sheep’s milk feta. The saltiness of the cheese cuts the sweetness of the fruits beautifully and is easier to digest than cow’s milk, making it an ideal de-bloat recipe for summer!

Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad with Sheep's Milk Feta

Dressing:

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 whole lemon

Garnish:

• Smoked Chili Flakes (regular chili flakes will do!)
• Flaky Sea Salt

Slice tomatoes into ¼-inch thick slices and watermelon into ¼-inch wedges. Roughly chop herbs. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cover thinly sliced red onions with apple cider vinegar. Massage well with hands and allow them to have a “quick pickle” for about ten minutes.

Spread pumpkin seeds (pepitas) on parchment paper and bake at 375 for 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a small bowl and season with chili flakes (or paprika), nutritional yeast and sea salt. Set aside.

On a large serving platter, form a bed of arugula as the base of your salad. Across the top, arrange tomato and watermelon slices, alternating between the two. Top with crumbled feta, toasted pepitas, herbs, and a sprinkle of chili flakes and sea salt. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil and serve right away!