You may consider olive oil a humble condiment, but this delicious oil is a crucial ingredient for healthy skin. A cornerstone of the über-healthy Mediterranean diet, olive oil helps fight oxidative damage (from the sun or pollution) and prevents inflammation, one of the main causes of premature aging — and research shows that increased olive oil consumption helps hydrate your skin from the inside. Plus, this healthy skin food is also a great beauty product: Apply it directly to skin and hair for an intense moisturizing treatment.






Use olive oil to increase the skin-healing power of this grilled chicken recipe.

Grilled Lemon-Thyme Chicken and Veggies
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup oil, olive
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper, black, ground
2 Tbsp thyme, fresh, chopped
1 1/2 pounds chicken, breast, skinless
1 medium pepper, red bell, cut into thick strips
1 medium pepper, green bell, cut into thick strips
1 medium onion, cut into thick strips
1 medium squash, summer, cut into strips

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill to high heat.
2. In a large glass bowl or baking dish, combine the lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir together. Reserve 1/3 of a cup of this mixture for basting.
3. Place the chicken breasts in the remaining mixture and let marinate for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.
5. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the vegetables over indirect heat (away from the flame) either on the grate or in a metal basket. Baste the vegetables using the reserved marinade. Turn the vegetables once during cooking, being sure to avoid burning them.
6. Place the chicken breasts over high heat and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. As it cooks, baste the chicken using the reserved marinade.
7. Remove chicken and vegetables from the grill and serve immediately.