Meet Your Ultimate Kitchen Multitasker: Homemade Greek Yogurt
In the world of handy homemade kitchen companions, Greek yogurt is a real stand out. In my home, we’re never without this indispensable multitasker. No exaggeration, I use it every day in one way or another. Greek yogurt’s lovely thick consistency makes it a versatile workhorse in both sweet and savory dishes — and everything in between.
Becoming a Fabric Snob
Imagine a wardrobe filled with beautiful, high-quality, classic clothing that not only makes you look and feel your best, but also simplifies your life… and possibly even contributes to your overall health? (what?)
“Balanced Bliss” Adaptogen Hot Cocoa Mix
Commercial hot cocoa mixes, while convenient, typically contain high levels of refined sugar (and/or artificial sweeteners), corn syrup solids, GMOs, hydrogenated oils artificial flavors and other highly processed ingredients. We can do better than that! It’s super-easy and cost-effective to make your own healthier hot cocoa blends using high quality ingredients. This recipe combines cocoa powder and maple sugar (aka dehydrated maple syrup) with a selection of adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms, which create a lovely, complex flavor in addition to giving the hot cocoa an added health boost.
Nourishing Herbal Infusions
A nourishing herbal infusion is a special type of herbal preparation that involves steeping nutritive herbs for an extended period of time in order to extract their vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. They’re a great way to support overall health and well-being. Some use NHIs as a whole-food multi-vitamin substitute. Depending on the herbs you choose, they can help to boost the immune system, increase energy levels and promote good digestion.
Oil Cleansing + a Simple Creamy Vanilla Bean After-Shower Skin Serum
I don’t know why it took me so long to think of trying this, but OMG y’all, I think I’m in love. My “skin twin” sebum mimicking oil trio makes a killer shower oil with a lovely “creamy” texture. The tallow thickens and gives a bit of body to the lighter jojoba and squalane oils and the result is a lovely creamy oil blend that resembles a cross between a lotion and an oil and is thick enough to dispense nicely from a pump bottle.
Tincturing Beyond the Folk Method
Herbalists who practice the folk method rely on their senses and experience instead of precise measurements and formulas. It’s simple, intuitive and flexible and, because it doesn’t require a lot of measuring and math, it’s appealing to those of us who prefer a more natural and less technical approach to herbalism. The folk method produces a perfectly good tincture for personal home use, but there are times when the folk method just isn’t sufficient.
Fermented Hot Honey
Hot honey is one of those culinary wonders that is just as home in the medicine cabinet as it is in the kitchen. Melding the sweetness of honey with the spicy heat of peppers, fermented hot honey creates a unique and complex, yet well-balanced flavor profile. The result is a glorious spicy ambrosia that has countless culinary and medicinal uses!
Easy GAPS-Friendly Cranberry Sauce for the Instant Pot
Ready or not, the holiday season kicks off in 3… 2…. 1… Here’s another simple and clean recipe for your holiday spread: honey-sweetened cranberry sauce for the Instant Pot. This one also happens to be GAPS friendly for stage-6 introduction and beyond. (Woot!)
Why Go to the Trouble of Making Your Own Skincare?
With so many “natural” skincare products available on the market today, you may wonder why anyone would go to the trouble of making their own.
Stocking Your Herbal Apothecary
For the majority of our history, we’ve relied on the inherent wisdom of plants for both medicine and nourishment. Even as modern pharmaceuticals become widespread, nature continues to provide a plethora of safe, effective remedies to those who know where to look.
