Feed Your Skin From the Inside Out: Two Winter Recipes We Love

At St. Skin, we talk a lot about the five pillars of skin health, and "what you put in" is one of the most overlooked. Your gut and your skin are deeply connected. What you eat influences inflammation, collagen production, blood sugar stability and your microbiome, all of which show up on your skin over time.

Winter is the perfect season to lean into nourishing, warming food that supports your skin from the inside. Here are two of our favourite recipes, both designed with skin and gut health front of mind.

Everyday Gut & Skin Apple Raspberry Breakfast Crumble

A warming breakfast that doubles as skin support. High in fibre to feed your microbiome, rich in polyphenols to help reduce inflammation, and balanced with healthy fats and protein to keep you satisfied without the blood sugar spike of a traditional crumble.

Crumble Topping

• 1 cup rolled oats

• ½ cup almond meal

• ½ cup dried coconut

• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds

• ⅓ cup vanilla protein powder (optional)

• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed

• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted, or ghee

• 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

• Pinch sea salt

Filling

• 4 apples, diced (leave skin on for extra fibre)

• 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• Juice of ½ lemon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. Soften apples gently in a fry pan with a small amount of water (or in a slow cooker or microwave).

3. Place apple filling in a baking dish and scatter raspberries on top.

4. Combine topping ingredients in a bowl until crumbly.

5. Scatter the topping over the fruit.

6. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden.

Skin & Gut Benefits

• Apples provide pectin, a prebiotic fibre that feeds beneficial gut bacteria.

• Raspberries are rich in antioxidants that help protect collagen.

• Walnuts provide omega-3 fats to support skin barrier function.

• Chia and flax offer fibre and healthy fats to support digestion and reduce inflammation.

To Serve
Top with unsweetened Greek yoghurt, coconut yoghurt, or kefir yoghurt for extra probiotics.

Why It's Great for Skin

• Protein provides amino acids needed for collagen production.

• Hemp seeds contain zinc, important for skin healing and acne support.

• Cinnamon may help support healthy blood sugar regulation.

• The combination of fibre, protein and healthy fats creates a slower glucose response than a traditional crumble.

The St. Skin Upgrade
Stir through 1 tbsp collagen powder, 1 tbsp chopped walnuts and 1–2 tbsp plain kefir per serve. A breakfast that supports gut diversity, skin barrier function, blood sugar balance, collagen production and satiety, all in one bowl.

Glow From Within Roasted Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

Serves 6–8

Think of this soup as feeding your skin from the inside out. The colourful vegetables provide antioxidants, the bone broth delivers building blocks for skin repair, and the healthy fats help carry nutrients into the skin cells where they're needed most.

Roasted Vegetables

• 1kg carrots, chopped

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped

• 1 brown onion, roughly chopped

• 6 cloves garlic

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Sea salt and pepper

Soup Base

• 1 litre bone broth (beef or chicken), or vegetable stock for a vegan option

• 400ml coconut milk

• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

• Juice of 1 lime

Thai-Inspired Spice Blend

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp cumin

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)

• Or, if short on time, 2–4 tbsp good quality Thai curry paste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. Toss carrots, sweet potato, onion and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Roast for 60–90 minutes until caramelised, tossing occasionally.

4. Fry off the spices in a little oil in a large pot for a few minutes to release their aromatics.

5. Add the roasted vegetables to the pot along with the bone broth, coconut milk and ginger.

6. Simmer for 10 minutes.

7. Blend until silky smooth.

8. Stir through lime juice before serving. Add a handful of baby spinach if you like.

Protein-Packed Upgrade Options
Choose one, or combine a few:

• Shredded chicken: add 400–500g cooked shredded chicken for an easy, family-friendly option.

• Collagen support: blend in 2–4 scoops of unflavoured collagen peptides for added protein without altering the texture.

• White beans: blend through 1 can of cannellini beans for fibre, protein and creaminess.

• Silken tofu: blend in 300g silken tofu for an incredibly creamy, protein-boosted result.

Skin-Loving Toppings
Pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, fresh coriander, coconut yoghurt, chilli oil, toasted walnuts, lime wedges.

Why Your Skin Will Love It

• Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A and supports skin cell turnover and repair.

• Sweet potato provides antioxidants and fibre, helping support a healthy gut microbiome.

• Bone broth is a source of collagen-building amino acids and supports gut lining integrity.

• Coconut milk offers healthy fats that improve satiety and help absorb fat-soluble nutrients.

• Ginger and turmeric are potent anti-inflammatory compounds that support digestion and overall skin health.

The St. Skin Upgrade

Pair it with a slice of seeded sourdough or a side of grilled chicken for a more balanced winter meal.

Food and skincare work best as a team. If you're already eating with your skin in mind, the next step is making sure what's happening in clinic supports that same work from the outside in.

Our Winter Wellness Facial is designed to do exactly that, calming, hydrating and restoring the skin's barrier during the months it needs it most.

Think of it as the in-clinic equivalent of a good bowl of soup. Book your Winter Wellness Facial or ask your clinician about it at your next visit.