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I don't know if this is true to you but for me

something it gets so bad

that anything else

say like

looking at a bird on an overhead

seems as great as a Beethoven

symphony,

then you forget it and you're back

again.

(Charles Bukowski)

 

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handmade deodorant

batch #2

lavender/ylang ylang

<< orders available >>

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made a batch of

a l m o n d  m i l k

for the first time today

{ THE }

easiest thing to make, ever

and one of the most delicious

This recipe makes about 2-3 cups of fresh almond milk that will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I like to double the recipe. Store it in a glass jar or other airtight container.

1 c raw almonds

2-3 c water

3 dates

1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 nut milk bag (or cheese cloth + sieve)

DAY ONE: Soak one cup of raw almonds in water for 12-24 hours.

 DAY TWO: Drain the almonds you had soaking, add them into the blender along with 2-3 c water (the less water you add the creamier the almond milk), dates, and vanilla. Blend for a couple of minutes. Once it is completely blended, pour your almond milk through the nut milk bag (or cheese cloth/sieve) into a bowl. Squeeze as much of the liquid from the bag as possible. Once all the milk has drained through the bag you can either toss the remaining almond pulp or lay it on a cookie sheet and dry it out in the oven at 175F until it is dried out (you will have your own homemade almond meal).

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Spiced Winter Butternut Soup

A quickie soup that hits the spot on a rainy day. I just made this for lunch during Red Barn Studios' second Herbal Body Care workshop. Served with a hearty kale salad, it was the perfect creamy complement. I prefer to roast the squash ahead of time in the oven (peeling and chopping raw butternut squash is a bit labor intensive), but you can also chop the squash and add to the pot at the same time as the potatoes. If you'd like you can roast the squash a day ahead, or the morning of making the soup. You can also experiment by adding a larger amount of spices. Garnish soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and organic whole sour cream or Greek yogurt.

2 small-medium butternut squash (or combination of squash varieties)

2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 Tbsp ground or whole coriander

2 Tbsp ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

  2 Tbsp chili flakes

2 yellow onions, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced

3 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4" slices

water to cover vegetables

salt to taste

  

To roast squash: Preheat oven to 400F. Slice squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place face-up in a baking dish. Add about 1 inch water to dish, cover with foil, and place in oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough, scoop squash flesh from skin into a bowl. 

 In large soup pot, heat coconut oil and all spices on medium-high for 2 minutes. Then add onions and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, potatoes and water (about 4-6 cups) just until the level reaches top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Add all squash to pot, and a little more water if necessary. Continue to simmer until potatoes become tender. Remove pot from heat. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Transfer back to soup pot and add salt to taste. Serves 8-10.

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commitment 

to

M A N I F E S T A T I O N

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new batch of sauerkraut

with caraway and ginger

(at least i'll be prepared for end of the world?!)

 

in large bowl, toss:

 

3 heads of cabbage, chopped to about 1/2 inch shreds

(can be mixture of green + purple)

 about 1/4 c of good salt

1/2 c caraway seeds

1/4-1/2 c fresh ginger, minced

Pack tightly in sealed jars. Let sit in cool, dark place for at least a week.

If kraut is to your taste, begin to enjoy! Will keep for weeks.

More detailed information on creating sauerkraut here.

 

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Cumin Coconut Soba Noodles

I threw this dish together, served it, ate it and never stopped to take a photo.

Imagine hearty buckwheat noodles in a creamy coconut milk sauce, enriched with salty miso, warming ginger, garlic and cumin, with kale and crunchy walnuts. This dish is healthy yet somehow decadent, and the perfectly enjoyed on a winter evening alongside a crackling fire.

5 ounces soba noodles

2 Tbsp coconut oil

4 Tbsp ground cumin (i prefer grinding whole seeds)

1 tsp chili flake

1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped 

1/4 c fresh ginger, chopped

2 cloves garlic, (blends better if already minced)

1/2 c red (or white) miso paste

3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp mirin

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1 can whole coconut milk

6 stalks purple (or other variety) kale, roughly chopped

1/2 c walnuts

Place coconut oil in a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat. Once melted, add freshly ground cumin and chili flake. Stir for a couple minutes as spice aromas release. Add chopped onion to pot, give a stir, then turn heat to low and cover with lid. Fill a second pot with water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, combine ginger, garlic, miso, sesame oil, mirin, lemon juice, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on and blend until a smooth sauce is created. After onions have cooked down for about 10 minutes, remove lid and add whole can of coconut milk. Continue to simmer and add kale. Place soba noodles in boiling water and cook until al dente. While noodles are cooking, add ginger-miso sauce to coconut milk-onion pot. Once noodles are done, strain and add to sauce pot. Lightly toast walnuts in a cast iron skillet, then chop or crush (place nuts on cutting board and with the smooth underside of a large bowl, apply pressure to nuts, crushing them). Serve noodles in bowls, making sure to include some of the sauce, and garnish with walnuts. Fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, or tarragon would be delicious on top as well.

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full circle

reconnection

sunny wintry afternoons

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Lumberjack Cake

(adapted from Frances restaurant, San Francisco)

The original recipe for this cake was created by Frances restaurant. This was the first time I made it, but right away I decided to change a few things: I substituted whole wheat pastry flour for regular flour, added less sugar than it called for and used the coconut palm variety, added more coconut flakes, and also added almonds (one could also experiment with other nuts). The result was a very moist, flavorful cake, best served sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with a dollop of Kalona sour cream, freshly whipped cream, or Straus vanilla bean ice cream... A bit of orange zest glaze also makes a lovely accompaniment.

1c water

1 c dates, pitted and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 c butter, softened

3/4 c coconut palm sugar

 1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c large coconut flakes

1/2 c chopped almonds

1 apple, peeled and medium diced

In a saucepan, bring water and dates to a boil. Whisk in baking soda. Set aside to cool to room temperature. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl (or that of a stand mixer), cream butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Slowly add room temperature date mixture until incorporated. Then slowly add dry ingredients until blended, careful not to over-mix. Fold in coconut, apple, and almonds. Pour mixture into a 9-inch greased springform pan and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Rotate pan in oven and continue to bake for 10 minutes. Insert a clean toothpick into the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, rotate the pan and continue to bake.

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dry shampoo for Eyla

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amazed by the potency of

batch 1 of the

Simplest Mouthwash

Boil 2 1/2 c water in small pot.

Add approximately 1 Tbsp fresh mint,

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary,

& 1 tsp aniseed and

infuse with lid on for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Strain into desired container.