Enchantment Learning & Living Blog

Welcome to Enchantment Learning & Living, the inspirational space where I write about the simple pleasures, radical self-care, and everyday magic that make life delicious.

On Everyday Enchantment

January 16, 2015

Enchantment. A spell wrapped in a noun. Three syllables. One state of being.

To live with Enchantment is to see beyond the brick and mortar that make up your home and into the magic infused within its frame. It is to peel back the layers of your day-to-day and search for that elusive energy that winds its way up your spine and outward into your life.

To learn from Enchantment is to listen to Coyote's call when he plays his tricks. He is a messenger really--there to make you listen. To trust in the power that is you, that is the earth; the power that is the beating of your heart, a rhythmic tattoo that forever pounds out your path regardless of how many times you try to stray from it. It is to absorb the wisdom of the moon and the stars, and the prophesying of the seeds burrowed deep in the dirt.

It is to conjure. To create. To believe that the bulk of your day--the most important parts--occurs in the moments and spaces others can too easily overlook. Because when you are looking for everyday enchantment, it finds you. Always. It nourishes you. It makes its home inside your skin and feeds your soul.

Yes. That's Enchantment. A spell wrapped in a noun, planted in the earth and nourished with moonlight, roots stretching to the underworld and leaves unfurling towards the heavens, creating a waking dream in the here and now if only you are open to it.

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 Wings

January 14, 2015

You felt them growing underneath your skin right along your shoulder blades.

At first, your thought it was only tight shoulders, muscles that needed to be loosened. But at the pain grew and little bumps began to form on either side of your spine, you knew. And when the skin broke revealing bits of blood and bone and feathers you could no longer deny your wings.

They grew out of hope and lessons learned the hard way, out of holding on and letting go. They are nourished by the warm caress of the sun and a growing sense of self. Delicate, yes. Ephemeral spans of imagination and bone. But strong, unbreakable as they unfurl from your back and stretch wide, parts of them still coated with the blood and skin they took as they pushed their way out of your back.

They are an almost weightless pressure now against your shoulder blades, a whisper of feathers and tendons behind you that will only grow stronger, bigger each time you dare to be just a little more you.

On Living Soulfully in the New Year

January 9, 2015

This time of year is always full to bursting with new year's resolutions--most of them overwhelming and along the lines of do more, be more, work harder, push harder in order to feel like we are Living Well or Growing.

This is probably why most of these resolutions get tossed out the window by the end of January. They're too much pressure! I can't just eat mung beans and green smoothies morning, noon, and night or pump iron two hours a day to prove my commitment to my health, nor can I glue myself to my writing desk or force myself fill every bit of free time I have in an effort to nourish my intellectual growth.

In fact, I'm convinced that these goals are as detrimental to us as eating fast food, never exercising, and giving up on learning new things in our day to day lives. Why? Because they don't allow us to truly find the fullest expression of ourselves but merely perform our desire for change to others. And in performance lies pressure--we want to show the world that we can be the best of the best, whatever that means to each of us individually.

As I've been mulling this over the past few weeks, I've decided to shape my own new year's resolution on this simple concept: Living Soulfully. This ephemeral idea cannot be measured in terms of how many hours spent at the gym nor how many words I commit to a page, but in how I feel when I wake up in the morning. Am I full? Do I feel like I am living authentically? Do I feel like my soul is nourished or am I, as Bilbo Baggins once stated, "like butter scraped over too much bread"?

In essence, this resolution deviates from its do more, be more cousin and insists on the value of doing less, listening more. And so I will. I will tune out the white noise that says I must be this or that in order to be considered a successful, healthy woman and instead listen to what brings me joy each moment of each day.

That is a resolution worth keeping.

Join Me for Another Year of Blogging Adventures!

January 7, 2015

Well, I'm back in the saddle after a few days off of writing--which, to be honest, felt a little strange since I was so used to writing every. Single. Day. Yep, I did it! Last year I committed to writing a blog a day--that's 365 inspirational posts!--on the little things in life that give us pleasure like an afternoon cup of tea or reading in bed. I even sprinkled my posts with healthy recipes (Chickpea & Mushroom Salad anyone?) and DIY beauty treats (hello E asy Peasy Baking Soda Face Scrub!) to celebrate the small acts of self-care we can fold into our everyday life which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Whew! What a year it was! If you want to look back on that journey we took together or read some of the posts that you didn't get to the first time around, you check out my Blog and Recipe Indexes.

Fear not, however--a new year does not mean I'm giving up on my blogging. In fact, it means the opposite: I'm looking forward to more writing adventures! Instead of daily posts, I'll be blogging bi-weekly, typically on Tuesday and Friday. There will still be plenty of flash essays on everyday magic and new recipes to enjoy throughout this year, just a little more spread out. Now is also a good time to subscribe to my blog (simply enter your email address in the box provided below or click here and enter your email address) to get each new post delivered to your inbox.

As always, thank you for your support and for following me last year as I embarked on this wild journey of blogging and savoring the everyday magic that surrounds us if only we take the time to look for it. Here's to another year of enchanted living and learning!

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2015

Thanks to all my readers for following me on my wondrous year of daily blogging! I look forward to another blissful 365 days of writing about everyday magic and simple pleasures--more on that next week. In the meantime, be well!

Happy New Year's Eve!

December 31, 2014

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! I hope your evening is full of bubbly, celebrations, and all the good things that help say goodbye to last year and ring in the new one!

On Looking Forward to the New Year

December 30, 2014

Although I love the winter holiday season and have thoroughly enjoyed my time resting and celebrating with my family, I find there is something equally delicious about looking forward to another new year--so much promise, so many new adventures on the horizon!

The new year is ripe with possibility, the perfect blank slate. As you prepare for your own new year, your own blossoming adventures, I leave you with last year's musing on the glory of a clean slate.

Best Hits: Reading & Writing

December 28, 2014

I am a woman of words as well as flesh and blood; I write because I have to. Too long away from the words and I turn as parched and fragile as old paper. The same with stories. I need novels and books to sooth me to sleep at night, to guide me during the day, to disappear into when I need a respite from this world--and when I need fresh eyes to look at my life and then dive in and enjoy it!

All that's missing is a fat mug of tea to drink as you read through these short essays on the divine power of reading, writing, and a good story:

1. On Writing in the Second Person

2. On Thunderstorms & Gothic Novels

3. On Being the Heroine of Your Own Life

4. On the Hunt for a New Read

5. 5 Things I've Learned from Miss Phryne Fisher, Lady Detective

Best Hits: Self-Care

December 27, 2014

Self-care is an art form--something I've learned in this past year of daily blogging. It requires your full devotion and attention as you listen to your body, your heart, your mind, your soul to understand what practices make you the happiest and healthiest person you can be.

These five posts honor the various ways we take care of ourselves, from an indulgent bubble bath to a much-needed yoga, to simply tuning into ourselves and how we are feeling at the moment:

5. On Things You Do to Unwind

6. On Early Morning Yoga

Best Hits: Everyday Magic

December 26, 2014

Over the course of my year of regular blogging, I have come to discover (or perhaps re-learn) that real magic--the kind that is felt deep in your bones, courses through your blood, and fills your soul--is in the everyday. It's in the thoughts we nourish and the ones we don't; in the things we choose to enjoy and the things we choose to let go of; it's in the synchronous moments that cross our paths and the dreams that guide us. Everyday magic is, ultimately, about learning to live and love as our most authentic selves.

Here are some of the most popular posts this year that highlight this--enjoy!

1. On Belief

2. On Burning Old Man Gloom

3. On the Blood Moon Eclipse

4. On Letting Go of Past Lives

5. 5 Things I've Learned About Everyday Magic from Blogging

Have an Enchanting Holiday!

December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas Eve!

December 24, 2014

Today finds me cooking a traditional New Mexican Christmas Eve dinner of tamales, posole, and biscochitos with my mom, sister, and baby niece while watching old movies--then on to feasting and celebrating with family tonight. I hope your evening is just as wondrous!

Biscochitos

December 23, 2014

Christmas in New Mexico is nothing without biscochitos, shortbread-like cookies laced with anise seeds and spices. I've been making these treats for my family for as long as I can remember; my trusty guide was always a slim bound cookbook called Cocinas de New Mexico, published by our local electrical company (the recipes are written by the employees and the proceeds go to paying the utility bills for struggling families).

Naturally this means I've developed my own spin on this cookie over the years, swapping out the traditional brandy for local Silver Coyote Whiskey (a magical twist discovered when I was making cookies last year and found myself out of brandy but with plenty of my favorite tipple from Santa Fe Spirits--they also have a wickedly good gin).

I like to use whole wheat flour and quality organic ingredients--they make all the difference for flavor and health--and I mix more anise than the traditional recipe calls for. But you know me, I'm a spice whore and like it that way, so much so that I put in cinnamon and ginger in my batter--also my own twist.

Ingredients:

For cookies:

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons anise seeds

1 egg

1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup Silver Coyote Whiskey or brandy of your choice

1/4 cup water (if needed)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

For cinnamon-sugar dusting:

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening, sugar, anise, cinnamon, and ginger in mixing bowl. Add egg until combined. Mix together remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Alternate adding dry ingredients and whiskey to your mix until everything is combined. You might need to add a little water for the dough to complete take shape after that. If that is the case, add a few tablespoons of water at a time until you get desired consistency, a semi-firm dough that you can easy roll on a floured surface.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut dough into festive shapes and placed on unlined cookie sheet. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. While they cook, combine remaining cinnamon and sugar and set aside in a shallow bowl. Let cool for about two minutes before dipping into cinnamon-sugar mix. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen. Keep for up to one week. Enjoy!

A Cocktail Lover's Gift Basket

December 22, 2014

I love cocktails. Like a lot. And I know confessing that makes me sound like a lush. In reality, it's not about trying to drink as many as possible, but to enjoy the ritual of crafting a unique cocktail and savoring its liquid beauty.

This basket is dedicated to those amateur bartenders like me who relish quality cocktails and tinkering with new recipes. You can even include a few recipes to whet their appetite or a funky shaker to concoct the perfect drink!

1. Small Batch Limoncello

2. Ginger Simply Syrup

3. Cranberry & Lime Vodka

4. Orange & Rosemary Gin

On Winter Solstice

December 21, 2014

It is the darkness that brings light. Even on the darkest night of the year, the longest, we have the stars to cast their brightness on this earth, reminding us that we cannot fully understand the light without shadows.

And these shadows, on this day, are not harbingers of gloom but messengers of the underworld, that deep cave where rest and contemplation and dreams call to us. As we reach into those depths, we cast off the debris of the year and recharge our souls in the spring of imagination and intuition, that private place unique to each individual, forever found among the stars and in the shadows.

And when the dawn breaks the day after solstice, we find ourselves once again turning towards the sun, each day progressively longer, each strand of light reaching us all the way down in the underworld, where we rest and recharge and dream.

Kitchen Lovin' Gift Basket

December 20, 2014

This basket of treats is perfect for the hobbit in your life who likes nothing better than to tinker in the kitchen. It's packed with fun things like fancy salt, special olive oil, and a few other goodies to spice up their kitchen conjurings.

I like to add a little extra oomph to these gift baskets by throwing in a fun dish towel or a few recipes that use the ingredients I've included. I will even add hard-to-find indulgences like caper berries (I'm addicted to them!) which you can track down online or at your local specialty foods store. The big thing is to create a gift that inspires tinkering!

Best of all, your favorite cook will probably invite you over to try some of the dishes he or she whips up from this gift basket. It's a win-win situation. Keep in mind some of the things I list here need refrigeration, so don't package this until right before you want your receiver to open it.

1. Chile Olive Oil

2. 3 Citrus Himalayan Salt

3. Ghee

4. Homemade Pickles

5. Basil-Nutritional Yeast Pesto

Orange & Rosemary Infused Gin

December 19, 2014

It's no secret that I love a good cocktail--and crafting my own. There's no better way to add your own special touch to a drink than to infuse your own liquor. It is seriously so easy that I can't believe I haven't been doing this sooner!

It is super fun to play around with tastes--spices, fruits, even chile peppers!--to get the right kiss of flavor for your next bar concoction. Naturally, DIY-infused liquor also makes a great gift for the cocktail buff(s) in your life. Start with a good quality alcohol and always use organic ingredients.

I love this infusion of orange peels and rosemary here because these ingredients play off the herbaceousness of the gin. They are likewise a distinctly festive flavor perfect for the gin and tonic or martini lover. These infused alcohols can also be enjoyed neat or with a splash of club soda so that you can enjoy the full depth of their flavor. I typically make enough to fill a 160z mason jar (enough to enjoy, but small enough that I can try new infusions) but if you want more, simply double the recipe!

Ingredients:

Peel of one organic orange

2 springs organic rosemary

15 oz quality gin such as Hendrick's or, for a less herby taste, Amsterdam

Scrape off any of the white pith on the orange peel--this minimizes bitterness. Then combine ingredients in a 16 oz mason jar. Let sit for at least three days and up to two weeks, making sure that you shake it periodically. The longer you let it sit, the stronger the infusion will be. Strain mixture through cheesecloth or strainer to remove peels and rosemary. Store in your mason jar in a cool, dry place or the fridge if you want to keep it chilled. Makes about 15 oz. Enjoy!

Chile Olive Oil

December 18, 2014

Chile. It's a way of life here in New Mexico. We put it in pretty much anything--so why not use it as a base for a spicy olive oil? I love the idea of infusing your own olive oils for the same reason I love to infuse my own alcohol: you can make it just the way you like it!

This recipe is a riff off of "chili" olive oil (yes, there is a difference between chil-i and chil-e, but don't get me started!). I simply add dried red chile pods and a few teaspoons of dried red pepper flakes to the olive oil, and I get a nice finishing oil filled with multiple layers of spice. The heat comes from the chili seeds while a smokey sweetness is added from the chile pods. I like to use red chile from Sichler's Farm, but feel free to use and dried chile you can find at your local store.

This is an ideal gift for the spice lover in your life. It goes great drizzled over pizza or salad, or even as a quick appetizer with crusty bread and a sharp cheddar cheese. Use your imagination!

Ingredients:

2 cups extra virgin olive oil

3 red chile pods

4 heaping teaspoons dried red pepper flakes

Heat ingredients on stove on medium-low heat until little bubbles start to form around the chile pods (this lets you know it's getting hot), about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Using a cheese cloth draped over a strainer, strain oil, and its contents into a clean, dry container. Store in fridge for up to a year. Makes about 2 cups. Enjoy!

Add first three ingredients in a food processor until roughly chopped and blended. Then add oil and mix until combined. Finally, add in nutritional yeast (and salt if using) and combine. Transfer to bowl or mason jar. Store in fridge for 2-3 days or up to three months in freezer using ice cube trays. Enjoy!

Cranberry & Lime Infused Vodka

December 17, 2014

Cranberries are right up there with pumpkin pie or chestnuts (or piñon, if you're a New Mexican!) when it comes to signaling Yuletide fun. And if you love a good Cosmo or any vodka-based cocktail, then this cranberry and lime infused alcohol is the perfect treat.

I use Organic Prairie Vodka as my base but feel free to use your favorite vodka brand so long as it is good quality. I also poke holes into the cranberries because their wax-like exterior can make it harder to infuse in your alcohol. A pinch of sugar draws out their flavors even more. As always, make sure your produce is organic so you maximize the flavor without the chemicals. Don't be surprised if it slowly starts turning a rich red in color--that just ups the festive quotient! And don't throw away the cranberries after their soak--freeze them to drop into champagne cocktails or use them for a tasty and boozy cranberry sauce.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups organic cranberries

peels of 3 organic limes

pinch of sugar

15 oz vodka

Make sure the white pith is removed from lime peels to avoid bitterness. Poke holes in the cranberries (this will help vodka absorb their flavor). Combine all Ingredients in a mason jar or other airtight container. Let sit for at least three days and up to two weeks, making sure to shake it periodically. The longer you let it sit, the stronger the flavor will be. Pour mixture through a strainer to remove berries and peels and return to mason jar. Store in fridge or liquor cabinet. Makes about 16 oz. Enjoy!

3 Citrus Himalayan Salt

December 16, 2014

I've given up on straight up table salt after reading about all the scary chemicals and additives they put into good ol' Morton and similar brands to prevent the salt from clumping and to keep it nice and white...I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons for this. In fact, most traditional table salts have zero nutritional value. Yuck!

That's why I only use natural sea salt, or my family's personal favorite, Himalayan salt, a pink coarse grain renowned for its health properties. It's naturally mined and is chock-full minerals like magnesium. In fact, the only way to make it better is to add your own flavorings to it to create a nice finishing salt for your meals.

I like to use a combination of organic citrus zest to pop out the taste of the salt. This blend works well on salads, fish, and other light dishes that need a little burst of bright flavor. This pink of the salt adds a fun dose of color that compliments the zest nicely.

Ingredients:

1 cup coarse Himalayan salt (or good quality sea salt)

Zest of 1 organic orange

Zest of 1 organic lime

Zest of 1 organic grapefruit

Combine all ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Spread salt and zest on a pan lined with parchment paper. Bake until zest dries completely, around one hour. Makes 1 cup. Store in a small mason jar and use within three months. Enjoy!