Plate It Up! Catering and Shear Elegance Beauty Spa highlighted how diet influences skin health while preparing a quinoa salad recipe. Chef Felicia Grady and her sister, esthetician Ursurla Shelton, run the Tasty Teens Collective, a camp designed to teach kids about the importance of nutrition and skincare.

As they prepared the salad salad, Shelton, owner of Shear Elegance Beauty Spa, emphasized the connection between diet and skin health. “You are what you eat,” she explained, encouraging viewers to see healthy food as essential for clear skin. Shelton shared that the camp’s goal is to give kids a hands-on education in choosing nutritious foods and establishing skincare routines. “We want to educate kids on how to eat right and take care of their skin,” she said.

Chef Grady of Plate It Up! Catering then demonstrated how to make the quinoa salad, which combines red quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, and green onions, all topped with a zesty Italian vinaigrette. She explained that the Tasty Teens Collective camp introduces children to foods like quinoa that they may not have tried before, expanding their culinary horizons.

Following the quinoa salad, the sisters shifted to granola bars, a versatile snack packed with nutrients. Grady showed how to combine nuts, seeds, dried fruits, honey, and a bit of oil to create a customizable, homemade granola mix. “Granola bars are not only a healthy snack, but they’re also easy to make and can satisfy your sweet tooth in a nutritious way,” she said. The duo offered variations, including a savory option with curry and pineapple, showcasing the flexibility of the recipe. “We’re big fans of recipes that you can tweak to your taste,” added Grady, encouraging participants to experiment with their own flavor combinations.

The sisters also discussed the advantages of starting skincare education early. “Kids often feel insecure about skin issues, but they’re usually unaware of how much their diet can impact their skin,” Shelton added. The camp addresses these insecurities, giving both kids and parents tools to make better dietary choices. Shelton noted that many parents are surprised by how diet affects skin health, highlighting how the camp can benefit the entire family.

Beauty & Bites, aims to foster healthier habits and educate the community. According to the event page, attendees will gain “culinary lessons geared toward cooking with ingredients that promote beauty, such as antioxidants, collagen-boosting foods, and vitamins.”

Registration details for the Beauty & Bites are available on eventbrite.com.