Hydrating Hair Mask

When I got home today, I was preparing for my yoga practice when I noticed how dry my hair was looking.  After wearing my hair down--something I haven't done in a long time (I might have slept past my alarm clock today...), I realized how parched it looked and brittle it felt while trying to flip it into a sloppy bun. 

I have long hair.  Really long hair.  And thick hair.  Really thick hair.  It doesn't take much to dry it out--especially during a dry, windy spring like we've just come out of.  The trick to keeping my locks shiny, moisturized, and healthy is my honey and olive oil hair mask, which I promptly slathered all over my scalp post yoga.  Both the honey and oil moisturize and nourish your hair. 

You may need to play around with the quantity of the ingredients depending on your hair type.  If you tend to have oily hair, put little to no oil in the mix (the honey adds moisture to your hair on its own).  If you have damaged or super dry hair, you made need a little more oil.  In either case, start with a little bit of this mask and then add more of either ingredient as needed--or opt for less oil the next time around.  I've also swapped out the olive oil for coconut oil--bliss!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon organic olive oil (or coconut oil) optional 

4 tablespoons organic honey

Mix ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat in microwave for 15 seconds or until warm (but not too hot!).  Gently massage mask into wet hair, using a plastic comb (makes for easy cleaning) to distribute mask over hair evenly.  Put more of the mask on the dry parts, like frizzy ends.  Wrap your hair into a bun and let sit for 30-40 minutes--it's probably a good idea to do this hair treatment when you want to linger in the bubble bath.  When done, rinse hair with your normal shampoo and conditioner routine and enjoy softer hair!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Mason Jar Southwest Salad

I like to make it a priority to eat healthy, delicious food.  This kind of nourishment is the epitome of self-care--taking the time to make yourself a meal that will feed your body and soul.  All this sounds great until mid-week comes and I'm too tired to whip up a quick breakfast or lunch.  So I came up with the idea of make-ahead mason jar meals that satisfy my need for easy and healthy meals during the week.  By far the best lunch I've come up with is this Southwest Salad.  It has all the tang and spice of a good Mexican dish with the easy of a grab-n-go mason jar.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked black beans

2 cups sweet corn

2 cups red bell peppers

1 cup chopped radishes

1 cup chopped spring onions

3 tablespoons lime juice

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon red chile pepper

1/2 cup Greek yogurt (optional)

Toss black beans in the red chile powder and set aside.  Mix lime juice and olive oil together in a small mason jar to form salad dressing.  Pour the dressing evenly between four mason jars.  Layer each ingredient into the jars, starting with the beans and sturdier ingredients that won't wilt in the dressing.  For this salad, it works best to layer it with beans, corn, bell peppers, then radishes and finally the spring onions.  If you are using the Greek yogurt, you can layer it between the beans and the corn.  Store in the fridge.  When you're ready for your mason jar meal, simply shake the jar to spread the dressing around.  You can eat straight from the jar or pour it on a plate.  Serves 4. Enjoy!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational collection of musings touching on life’s simple pleasures, everyday encahntments, and delectable recipes that will guarantee to stir the kitchen witch in you.  If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe here.

Want even more inspiration to make your dream life a reality?  Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Thanks for following!

Easy, delicious lunch on the go!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Grape-Lime Gin and Tonic

One of my favorite warm weather cocktails is the gin and tonic.  It's the perfect blend of sweet and bitter. It's not overly saccharine, and its bubbly quality always makes it feel festive.

Last summer my family and I took a cue from Spain (a country in love with the G&T) and started adding different ingredients to the classic drink to up its yum factor.  The hands-down easiest and most delicious flavor combination is limes and mashed fresh grapes (in the summer we use the ones growing in my parent's backyard).  The taste is everything the warmer months encapsulate: tart fresh fruit, refreshing bubbly, and a long afternoon sitting in the backyard, enjoying a cool breeze. 

For this recipe, I used Moscat grapes, at their peak in the spring, and best known for their role in making sweet Muscato wine.  You can also use green grapes--their tartness brings out the crisp zing of the tonic water.

Ingredients:

1 shots (1 1/2 ounces) gin

3 shots (4 1/2 ounces) tonic water

1 tablespoon lime juice

10 muscato grapes

Ice

Combine grapes, lime juice, and gin in your glass.  Muddle ingredients until grapes are mashed and combined with liquid ingredients.  Add ice.  Top with tonic water.  Stir.  Enjoy!

Serving size: One (so invite a friend over and double the recipe!)

You might be wondering how to fill a glass this tall...easy: add more gin and tonic!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

She Works Hard for the Money Power Muffins

During a busy teaching day, I like to stay fueled with these power muffins--they're tasty, easy to make, and so packed with vitamins and nutrients that they can hold me for a long time.  This is especially important for the days I'm teaching back-to-back classes and don't get to my lunch until later in the afternoon.  If you, too, find you need a healthy snack between meals, whip up a batch of these She Works Hard for the Money Power Muffins!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

2 tablespoons almond meal

2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

3 tablespoons chia seeds

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup vegetable oil or coconut oil

1/3 cup coconut milk

2 eggs

1 shredded granny smith apple

2 shredded carrots

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. 

Oil muffin tins.  Combine all dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, mix all wet ingredients.  Slowly combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients.  Fill greased muffin tins about two-thirds full with batter.  Bake until lightly browned, about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Let cool for 15 minutes.  Enjoy!

Muffins fresh from the oven!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Cooking an Onion

Ah yes, dinner. 

You don't know what you feel like and, at the end of the day, are incapable of making any real decisions.  But you know, just as well, that you must eat.  So you turn to a kitchen ritual so old you don't remember who you learned it from--your mother, most likely, or perhaps your Florentine sister teaching you yet another Italian custom.  In any case, you know what must be done. 

You need to cook an onion.

This onion is your culinary oracle.  Once gently simmering in your pan it will divine the future of your kitchen table, wake up your palate and reveal that which you most desire--for tonight. 

So you deftly move through you conjuring ritual with the ease of someone who has done it often.  You pull a sweet onion from your cupboard and lovingly chop it up on your cutting board.  You heat up oil and slide your offering into the pan--a gift to the culinary gods.  

There is nothing left to do but let that humble kitchen staple begin to caramelize and wait for that moment of inspiration.  You feel the pungent scent of these bulbs drift through your home, conjuring up memories of comforting meals like rich soups and ratatouille and roasted root vegetables.  But it is dhal you finally settle on--yes dhal, cooked to perfection only once the onions are added to the lentils, along with garlic and cumin.  Yes, dhal.

The oracle has spoken.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Baking

Outside it is a calm, cool, almost cloudy spring day.  You woke up feeling relaxed, deliciously unfocused.  Your body is pleasantly sore from a week of strengthening and healing.  It is the kitchen that eventually calls to you between nursing your last cup of coffee and tinkering with words at your writing desk.  You want the pure comfort of baking.

You put on the kettle for tea.  Your rummage through recipes--both in the books stacked against one wall of your kitchen and in the files of your mind--until you land on another idea entirely: time to play, toy with a new muffin recipe.

Slowly, you gather your supplies.  Two kinds of flour and too many seeds to keep track of, shredded carrots and apples, your favorite spices, cinnamon, and ginger.  You whisk together eggs and milk, flour and spices.  When your mix is ready, you spoon it into your muffin tins, already anticipating the warm treat that awaits you soon, so soon.

You pop your muffin batter into the oven and set the timer.  While you putter around the house--washing your baking dishes and flipping through your bookshelf--the rich scent of cinnamon and brown sugar waft through the oven, perfuming your home with a sense of comfort and well being.

It isn't until you pull the muffins out from the oven and bite into the still-too-hot treats that you feel the warmth in your belly, the cozy tingling in your spine that tells you all is well with the world.

You are at peace.  You are at home.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Coconut Water-Kiwi-Lime Cocktail

That's right, I said it.  All us hippies can feel free to have our coconut water and drink it too--in cocktail form!  It makes drinking cocktails feel almost healthy, because, hey, there are tons of good-for-you vitamins and electrolytes in your glass, thanks to the coconut water.  If you're feeling extra virtuous or pregnant, feel free to leave out the vodka--the drink is equally delicious sans alcohol. 

Ingredients:

1.5 oz vodka (1 shot)

3 oz coconut water (2 shots)

1 squeeze of lime (about half a teaspoon)

One skinned chopped kiwi

Ice

Pour vodka, lime, and kiwi in a glass and muddle ingredients until kiwi mixes with liquids.  Add ice.  Top with coconut water.  Stir.  Enjoy!  Makes one serving (so you should probably double it and share with a friend).

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Bubble Bath

Apple cider vinegar, like baking soda, is one of those all-purpose miracle kitchen staples, good for everything from salad dressings to facial toners.  For it to really work, though, you need to make sure that you buy only the raw organic kind, like Bragg, because of the natural minerals, vitamins, and enzymes in it.  Apple cider not only reduces inflammation in the body and draws out toxins, but also soothes and moisturizes the skin.  It is likewise the all natural secret to brighter, clearer skin--it has long been purported to cure acne and fade sunspots.  What most people don't know about apple cider vinegar is that it also absorbs and neutralizes odor, making it one of the best forms natural deodorant, right up there with baking soda. 

...which is my long way of saying that it makes a great detox bath--bubbles optional (but really, what bath is complete without bubbles?).  If you are worried about smelling like you spent the day in a pickle jar post-bath, don't be!  The vinegar smell doesn't stick to you like most people think.  You can always add some essential oils to your bath to balance out the vinegary smell as well.

Ingredients:

1 cup apple cider vinegar

essential oils of your choice (optional)

favorite bubble bath (optional)

Simply add one cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath, along with your essential oils and bubbles if desired.  Plant to soak for at least half an hour to get maximum benefits.  Enjoy!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Check Out My New Recipe Index!

Now that I am finishing up month three of my daily blogging on simple pleasures and life lessons, I've decided to put together a recipe index to help readers (and me, to be perfectly honest) keep track of the DIY beauty recipes, tea blends, and healthy treats I post on my blog. 

So if you've wanted to try that body scrub or tea blend, but don't remember what day I posted it, you can check out my new Recipe Index here, rather that sift through past blogs. Woohoo! Of course, this also encourages me to keep cooking up fun in my kitchen--from more DIY beauty treats and teas, to fun summer cocktails (and mocktails!) and simple, healthy meals.

As always, thanks to everyone for your support!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational collection of musings touching on life’s simple pleasures, everyday enchantments, and delectable recipes that will guarantee to stir the kitchen witch in you.  If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe here.

Want even more inspiration to make your dream life a reality?  Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.  Thanks for following!

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

DIY Home Spa Day in 5 Easy Steps

Sometimes I find it hard to transition from being all work to being all play.  Even though I *want* to play and am physically removed from my work environment, I need a little time for my brain to catch up.  I've found over the years that one of the best ways to make this transition is to have a home spa day--it's simple, fun, low cost, and relaxing.  It has all the perks of a fancy day spa without the bother of needing to leave the house (yes, sometimes that is too much for me when I need to recharge my batteries!).  So I've compiled a list of five easy steps to help you make your own spa day.  Enjoy!

1.  Set the mood with music and aromatherapy.  You know how all those spas have that gorgeous mellow music play in the background to help you relax?  Well, that's what you need at home, too.  I like the Bebel Gilberto station on Spotify or a calming instrumental station.  Another thing spas do well is the aromatherapy--they have that soothing smell of gardenias or lavender wafting through them.  Scent your home with candles or essential oils that help you relax.  I personally love lemon or lavender oils, especially in the spring.

2.  Keep it clean....and by 'it' I mean your food.  One of the most important parts of a spa day is detoxing, so treat yourself to simple light meals and fresh fruit.  You want to finish your day feeling lighter and brighter. 

3.  Hydrate.  I'm a big fan of lemon water (sparkling water too!) or water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it.  Both drinks help your body detox and re-energize.  I also like a mellow herbal tea like mint or chamomile to help your body adjust to your more relaxed pace.

4.  Take a detox bubble bath!  Plan to be there awhile.  We seldom get to linger and just be so really take some time to do that in the bath.  Bring a book--or two--and a big glass of water or tea.  Now would also be a good time to indulge in my honey face mask or other simple beauty treats like my easy peasy baking soda face scrub, which can also double as a gentle body scrub.

5.  Ritualized the spa day.  Start it with a gentle exercise, yoga, or meditation (or all of the above!).  Really take the time to consciously focus on your personal wellness.  End the day with a long nap and simple dinner (chia seed pudding might even make a healthy evening treat).

At at the end of the day, what you are doing is creating a soothing healing zone in your home using all five of your sense.  A spa day is a good day to indulge in self-care and quiet--two things the world seldom values over busyness and noise.  Yet if we don't take time to care for ourselves, we cease to enjoy the pleasures of everyday life. 

What is your favorite home spa day ritual?

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

10 Things I Say I Will Accomplish Over Spring Break...

It's that time of year again--the time when spring is at your door and almost begs you to make lofty plans to soak up some of the extra energy and lightness you feel.  Spring break is always like a second round of New Year's Resolutions for me; I get inspired by the time change and the birds chirping and want to do spring cleaning and tackle all sorts of long-put-off projects and adventures.  So, here is my granted over-the-top-hopeful list of things I'd like to accomplish over spring break (assuming I don't just sleep my way through it).

1. Spring cleaning!  It's time to dust all those nooks and crannies again--what better time to do it than when I have a whole week off from teaching?

2.  Get caught up on those lesson plans!  Yes, all teachers at one time or another have the faint hope that this will be the break they get completely caught up on all grading, planning, and organizing.

3.  Wash the car.  Seriously, it needs it.

4.  Bake.  Fresh bread, healthy-for-you muffins, delicate tea scones.

5.  Make more body butter. Yes, it always feels great to whip up another batch of my favorite body butter, especially when I can lace it with the smell of spring.  Mmmmm...lavender-lemon body butter....

6.  Organize all those files that sit in my closet, slightly disheveled and feeling more or less abandoned.

7.  Try new recipes--cook up a storm.  Maybe even be wild and attempt some veggie sushi.

8.  Tackle that new crafting project.  Hell, if glitter is involved, what's *not* to enjoy?

9.  Practice my Spanish.  Who knows--it could very well come in handy for travel.

10.  Begin organizing my planter garden.  Pots need to be picked, seeds purchased, soil gathered so that I'm ready to plant when the time is right.

Ambitious?  Heck yes!  But sometimes these wild fantasies of what we hope to get done are half the fun of anticipating a mini-holiday.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Rose-Tulsi Breakfast Quinoa

So I am addicted to my weekday morning quinoa for breakfast.  I cook it just like oatmeal but find the hearty little grain holds me better than your average oatmeal.  It's simple.  It's healthy.  It's homey.  It's full of good-for-you fats and proteins while being gluten free.  How can breakfast get any better?  Still, even this perfect weekday breakfast can use a little twist now and then to shake things up.  I got totally inspired byNatural Vitality Living's Overnight Earl Grey Porridge--what a wicked combination of the soothing morning oatmeal with the sophistication of Earl Grey tea.  Even better, I thought, would be tea like Rose-Tulsi, a blend of rose petals and holy basil, to infuse my breakfast quinoa with the taste of spring.  Top that off with some Greek yogurt and fresh berries and you have the perfect recipe for a good morning!

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

2-3 tablespoons honey (to taste) 

2 heaping tablespoons or two bags Rose-Tulsi tea (I used Organic India Sweet Rose Tulsi Tea found in most health food stores)

Toppings of choice (I like plain Greek Yogurt and fresh berries)

I typically cook this on Sunday and store it the fridge for the workweek.   It stores well and makes for a hearty breakfast on the go. The night before, bring the water to a boil and steep the tea for at least five minutes.  Remove the tea bags (or strain the loose leaf tea) after steeping and allow to cool.  Mix the quinoa and cooled tea together in a resealable container and let soak overnight in the fridge.  In the morning, cook quinoa on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until grains are soft.  Stir in honey to desired sweetness. Serve with fresh fruit and yogurt for a delicious, satisfying breakfast!

Makes 4 servings

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Double Yolks

The skillet is hot--as hot as the bluegrass playing in the background, as hot as the coffee in your cup.  Today is a day for a bold breakfast.  You shake off your usual weekday oatmeal in favor of eggs over easy, chorizo, and toast, a perfect gourmet diner breakfast made all the better for coming from your kitchen.

You crack one egg and pour it into the pan, then another.  And there it is, in the second egg: a fat golden double yolk.  The orbs sit piled atop one another as if caught kissing before they could disentangle themselves.  You marvel at how so much yolk could fit into such a tiny little eggshell such as the empty one you now hold in your hand.

You watch your eggs cook, and a sly voice inside your head--the one who loves a good story, a good superstition--coyly whispers that double yolks are good luck, harbingers of double the grace, the plenty, the fortune.  These are the stories of old wives and crones and witches that you are half-tempted to believe if only because these fat yolks nestled together in front of you seem nothing short of magic themselves.

You flip your eggs and decide to let your fanciful imagination run away with you.  Double yolks are good luck.  Yes, you commit to the idea.  Already, as you plate your breakfast, your mind turns to the possible adventures these double yolks foretell.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Lemon-Mint Sleepy Time Tea

...because sometimes we need a little variation to our sleepy time tea. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup skullcap

1/2 cup hops

1/2 cup chamomile

1/2 cup lemon balm

1/2 cup peppermint leaves

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container.  Keep away from direct sunlight and heat.  To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water.  Add more tea per cup of water for a stronger brew.  Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups of tea.  Enjoy!

Health benefits of ingredients:

Chamomile: anti-inflammatory; sedative; skin softening; all around body soother.

Hops: contains calcium and magnesium among other vital nutrients; sedative; soothes PMS symptoms; diuretic; antispasmodic.

Lemon Balm: antihistamine; antibacterial; nerve tonic; digestive stimulant.

Peppermint: a cure all herb for headaches, cramps, sore throat, and stomach aches.  

Skullcap: nerve tonic; tension soother; contains calcium, potassium, and magnesium, among other vital nutrients. 

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Pasta Making

It is made up of nothing but eggs and olive oil and flour and a flick of the wrist.

There the ingredients sit in a pile on your kitchen counter, ready to be molded into Sunday's most glorious indulgence: fresh pasta.  Sunday dinner is never a real meal without it.

You pour double zero flour on your clean counter, pushing the fine powder into a small mountain.  With your fingers, you create a large well in the middle of the pile--the new home to your eggs and olive oil.  You crack three eggs, letting them slip from their shell into the flour nest.  Next is the olive oil, the golden liquid dropping from its spout to wrap itself around the raw eggs.

Gently, you poke the yokes with a fork and whisk the eggs and oil together until they look like a rich yellow custard.  You let the fork scrape the flour edges of your well a little at a time until you've got a soft dough forming on your counter.  A fork will no longer do.  You use your hands, folding in the last of the flour and kneading, relishing the feel of the tender pasta dough on the pads of your fingers and palms. 

You are up to your elbows in flour.  That is when you know it is time to let the dough rest as you put together the pasta maker, your steel jewel that transforms the golden ball into fine strands of heaven. 

You take a small piece of that ball and roll it through your machine, first once, then twice, then three times until it is a thin strip.  You dust the dough again in flour then roll it through one final time so that it breaks into thin strands.  You do this again and again, growing your pile of pasta until you have no more dough left. 

All that remains is a pot of boiling water to transform your raw strands into edible perfection. 

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Honey Face Mask

I woke up this morning feeling like a simple home-spa day.  It was a full week, and happily so, finished off by an all-day conference downtown yesterday.  Now that I've got all sorts of professional inspiration to bring into next week, it's time to unwind and recharge.  So after my yoga, a bubble bath is in order, followed by an afternoon of reading and tea drinking and yes, napping. 

But before we get to the naps, I've got plans to enjoy a simple honey face mask during my spa hours.  This is literally the easiest face mask on the planet--and so good for you!  Antioxidant-rich honey is soothing and moisturizing for dry skin and does a great job of adding a natural glow to your face.  It is also antibacterial, making it great for fighting acne and unclogging pores.  Best of all, honey is gentle so it won't irritate sensitive skin.  You can even add a little cinnamon to your honey to get even more antibacterial benefits, but be careful as cinnamon can irritate sensitive skin.

Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons organic honey

A pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Apply honey liberally to clean face and let sit for 20-30 minutes.  Rinse off with warm water and moisturize.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Grocery Lists

There it is, a little blackboard sticking to your refrigerator door, a continual work in progress. 

You use up your last sweet onion, caramelizing it for a mushroom pizza.  As the onions simmer in the pan, filling your kitchen with their savory aroma, you take a moment to write 'onions' on your grocery list in thin white chalk.  It is then you see that you also have nutritional yeast on the board and you erase it, having bought more of the cheese-like miracle on your previous grocery trip.  There is now a blank space over blue corn tortillas, those kitchen staples you have had on your list for some time, the ones you keep forgetting to pick up with each trip to the grocery store. 

It is your daily work of art, the truest expression of your life: the recipes you cook to nourish self and family, the ingredients that make up your week--here a wedge of aged cheddar, there more radishes because you can never keep enough of them in your refrigerator.  Spinach, your perennial favorite, never quite erased from your list because you always need it. 

It occurs to you as you finish caramelizing your onions that your life is made up of a series of grocery lists, each one building on the other, like layers of paint on an artist's canvas.  Your life is made up of caramelized onions and red wine, chia seeds and fresh blackberries.  Your life is made up of a deep desire to nourish and be nourished. 

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Orange Lavender Tea

This time of year, I always have the faint longing for spring.  I eye the ground hopefully, looking for that first almost-there flower bulb peeking out of the earth, its green shoots braving the cold winter air, while its roots stay firmly snuggle underground.  I begin to think of my garden, of the radishes and lettuces I wish to plant.  I find there is no better remedy for this early spring fever than a cup of Orange Lavender tea--it has the subtle brightness of spring from the citrus and the soothing floral aroma of winter's passing from the lavender.  So when you find yourself longing to be in the dirt sowing those first seeds in your garden even though spring is still a long way off, console yourself with this gently fortifying blend.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup tulsi

1/2 cup dried orange peels

1/4 cup lavender

1/4-1/2 cup spearmint (depending on how minty you want it to be)

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container.  Keep away from direct sunlight and heat.  To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water.  Add more tea per cup of water for a stronger brew.  Makes approximately two cups of tea.  Enjoy!

Health properties of ingredients:

Dried orange peel: contains vitamins A, B, and C; unblocks stagnant energy.

Lavender: a traditional nerve tonic and relaxant; antiseptic and antibacterial.

Spearmint: soothes nerves, motion sickness; cures headaches, cramps, sore throats, and stomach aches.

Tulsi: helps body adapt to stress by balancing out cortisol levels, antibacterial, and anti-fungal. 

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Preparing a Dinner Party

You feel like Mrs. Dalloway on the morning of her party: fresh, excited, ready to relish everything from the flowers at the market to the bright red radishes you will pair with your Toscano cheese for appetizers. 

You get to use your fancy dishes--the elegant salad bowl, a gift from your parents; the cheese tasting slate board, a new-home-splurge; and the rich gold and teal cake stand, the perfect accent for your chocolatey desert. You are even pleased that your pantry is fully stocked, ready for an impromptu dinner party without much fuss.  It takes only moments to sift through the contents of your freezer and refrigerator and put together a menu--braised pork chops with winter vegetables, a salad with pistachios and beets, a platter of artisanal chocolates and citrus. 

Menu complete, you turn your attention to your apartment.  It is clean and tidy, as it always is. You must only tuck away your knitting and blankets, leaving your couches free for guests.  You pick out the records that will best fit the evening: Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan.  They are the perfect backdrop for a dinner with family, mellow but festive.  They won't overshadow the laughter or the conversation. 

The food preparations complete, your apartment fragrant with the scent of pork chops simmering in apple cider, the only thing left for you to do is don your festive dress and put on some records while you wait for your guests to arrive.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

Energizer Bunny Bars

On the days I teach three classes in a row, I need a little snack to get me from my 6 am breakfast to my 1:30 pm lunch. This is especially important since I'm not the type of person who can function while hungry (that's the hobbit in me).  Plus, getting too hungry can lead to grabbing easy but often unhealthy snacks on campus...so I Iike to have my stash of readymade delicious, healthy treats I can take with me to school.

One of my new favorites is this Energizer Bunny Bar, packed full of chia seeds, oats, and all sorts of good-for-you nutrients.  I adapted it from the Healthy Family and Home's raw hemp and chia seed bar, supplementing ingredients with what I had on hand.  What can I say?  I'm an improviser.  These bites store well in the fridge and freeze well too. Remember, this raw bar is full of fats--good for you, yes--but stick to a small 2inx2in square for your snack so you aren't eating more calories than you can burn.  To learn more about the health properties of these ingredients, check out the link to the raw hemp and chia seed bar above.

Dry Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups multigrain oats (rye, barley, wheat)

1/2 cup organic blue corn meal                                         

1/2 cup organic chia seeds                                                 

1/4 cup organic flaxseed meal 

3/4 cups organic almond meal

Wet Ingredients:  

1/2 cup organic honey    

1/2 cup organic applesauce 

3/4 cups organic peanut butter 

1/4 cup organic coconut oil (melted/liquid)      

2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract

Mix all wet ingredients together.  In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.  Then slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring frequently (you may also need to get in there and mix it up with your hands).  Put mixture into a 9x10 baking dish or piece of Tupperware and press down firmly until the mixture spreads out evenly.  Let chill in the fridge for at least one hour to firm up (you'll want to continue to store them in the fridge because they soften at room temp).  Cut into little squares and enjoy! 

Makes approximately 12 squares.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!