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Elizabeth TenHouten is the author of unique beauty cookbook, Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin. Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin harnesses the scientifically proven benefits of antioxidants for skin health, providing its readers with delicious recipes, "Beauty Bytes", and meditative exercises for achieving glowing, radiant skin from the inside out.

Elizabeth is a former model and the Editor-in-Chief of Celeb Staff Magazine, where she covers many of her charitable events. She is a passionate animal rights activist and is involved with many animal charities such as IDA-Africa, PETA, ASPCA, and the HSUS. She resides in California, New York, and Florida, with her husband, Christopher Dobson.

Thank you Elizabeth for this interview!  Please tell us about your unique beauty cookbook.
 
I am a passionate writer and natural chef.  My book, Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin has a publication date of November 10, 2009, and it is also available for order through my website: elizabethtenhouten.com.  It is filled with delectable recipes, rich in antioxidants for glowing skin, are offered as a method of cooking for beauty.
 
Outer beauty radiates from inner beauty, so the more a person works on her inner self, the more beautiful she will become. Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin redefines beauty as one's inner authentic self.  I want to raise people’s spirits and provide them with a platform to understand their true beauty, and the beauty that is within each and every human being. I hope that with this understanding of authentic beauty, people will feel happier, have a newfound appreciation for their body and their spirit … and will feel beautiful.

Those who read Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin will be inspired to cook for the sake of their beauty and health, which I believe are synonymous. I want people to know how miraculous our bodies are, and why it is so important to care for ourselves, body and soul. Caring for ourselves is how we truly connect with our authentic, inner beauty.

Do you also do speaking engagements, or seminars?

Yes.  I am available for speaking engagements in the Los Angeles, New York, and Miami areas.  I will be at the Green Marketing Event, "Sustainable L.A.", August 20, 2009.  For more information or booking, please contact my publicist, Mary Woodward: mary.woodward@hatherleighpress.com.
 
How has your educational background helped you in your writing career?
 
I have my Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University, and was a member of the Phi Sigma Tao, the Philosophy Honor Society.  Conceptually, Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin is rooted in the existential philosophy that one is always in a state of becoming.  So, as I researched for my book and the health benefits of antioxidant ingredients, I always kept in mind that cooking with antioxidants was a means to an end, and the end being health and longevity.  I feel that the philosophy in my book relates directly to cooking well for the sake of skin health and beauty.

Is there any aspect to your profession that gets you in touch with your readers directly?
 
Absolutely.  My antioxidant-rich recipes for glowing skin and my "Beauty Bytes" are featured online as well as in numerous print publications, namely: Healing Lifestyles and Spas magazine, Discovery's PlanetGreen.com, Working Mother magazine, Fit Parent magazine, among others.
 
I love the "grass roots" approach to reaching my readers, and I will be cooking and educating the public about the health and beauty benefits of Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin at the L.A. Film Festival "Sustainable L.A." Green Event on August 20th.  I love connecting with people about my book on a personal and more direct level.

What will your next project be?
 
I will be doing an interview as a beauty expert on Beauty Now Radio with host, Teri Hausman.  I will be promoting Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin and offer listeners tons of great beauty tips.  You can listen in on PersonalLifeMedia.com!  

Who inspires you on a personal or business level?
 
I am inspired by those with an unending capacity for love and charity.  On a personal level, my mother, is a shining example of such beauty and generosity of spirit.  She encouraged me to pursue my dreams and find happiness within myself.  From her, I learned the value giving and reciprocity outward to the universe as a way of cultivating one's own sense of self.  It is simple and true that there is inherent worth in the act of giving, itself.  Cooking a healthy meal for someone you care about is an extension of love.

What type of work is the most rewarding or satisfying for you?
 
Charity is the most rewarding focus in my life.  I am a passionate animal rights activist and feel very drawn to give a voice to suffering animals, who cannot speak for themselves.  Beyond lobbying and writing letters, I attend numerous charity events and galas, such as Born to Be Wild, the Genesis Awards, the 2009 National Animal Rights Conference, as well as local shelter events.

What can you recommend for writers who are just getting started and are trying to make a name for themselves?
 
Write what is close to your heart, and allow yourself and your words to reflect your personal vulnerability.  I love to cook, and I value beautiful skin and health.  So, I morphed these loves of mine into a beauty cookbook.  You must write what you know.  My advise when writing is to not restrict yourself to a rigid outline, but rather, to allow yourself to "go off on a tangent", because the "tangent" might become a breakthrough to a new chapter, both on the page and off!  Once you have a manuscript that you are pleased with, start submitting it to agencies, and do NOT give up.
 
What is your favorite recipe from your book, Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin?
 
My ultimate, favorite recipe of the moment, is my Scallop and Beet Tower.  Let your tower stand tall, eating it layer by layer, or knock it down and enjoy blending your bites!  I am a huge fan of drinking fresh vegetable and fruit juices.  So, I recommend enjoying this seafood delight with a glass of red beet juice.  It is best to drink with a straw to prevent teeth staining.  Or, you can opt for water, the true drink of the gods!

Who is your favorite cookbook author?
 
Denise Vivaldo, is a masterful chef and a beautiful person.  I love her creative recipes, and I just bought my copy of her new book, The Entertaining Encyclopedia.  She is a marvelous friend and my mentor.  She was there when Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin was merely my vision, yet to realized.

Finally, a most important question: what was the last song you sang out loud when you were by yourself?  :)
 
I will preface my response by indicating that I indeed, sang along with my ipod!  The song was, "Black Metallic" by Catherine Wheel...I like to think of myself as a rockstar! ;)

Thank you Elizabeth! We wish you great success with your unique cookbook!