Eat Your Lavender

Holy crap it’s been a busy week. But, I still managed to make a batch of lavender soap, which turned out just lovely. I’ll post pics of it soon. I heart lavender in a big way and always have stashes of it in the house.  It just makes me happy.

I already use lavender in soap or products I put on my body (like in this post or this post), but I tend not to use it as much in food.  Lavender in food ?! ! What the junk??! Okay, I hear you…for some folks, lavender in food is not at all appealing and I get that. I don’t really enjoy roses/rosewater in food because I feel like I’m eating perfume. Yep, just can't do it. But, for me, lavender is another story entirely. I find it adds just a hint of can’t put your finger on it flavor if it’s used in moderation.  Key word here: moderation. Lavender can easily overpower something, so use it sparingly.

A really simple recipe to ease into if you want to start exploring lavender in food is lavender lemonade. I made a batch last night and it was delicious.  A perfect little spring drink. And, it would probably be tasty with some vodka in it. Just sayin'.

Here’s how I made it:

1) Boil 2 c. of water. Turn off heat and add 1 T of dried lavender buds. Let steep for about 20 min.

2) While that’s happening, juice about 6 lemons into a pitcher.

3) Once the lavender is done steeping, stir in about ½ c. sugar (or agave or honey or whatever sweetener you like).

4) Combine the lavender tea with the lemon juice and add cold water until the strength tastes right to you.

5) Adjust sugar if you need to. Pour over ice and enjoy the herbal goodness.

  

Here are some other edibles I want to make that use lavender:

Lavender honey and here’s a great video on how to make it yourself.

Crackers and fruit would taste amazing with this recipe.

Make my own Herbes de Provence and sprinkle it over roast chicken (my fave) or give away as gifts.

Add a little lavender to my favorite lemon curd recipe. I like to eat lemon curd stirred into yogurt, on top of cheesecake or straight out of the jar with a spoon while I'm standing in my kitchen. Be warned, lemon curd is like my own personal form of crack and might become yours too. It's damn good.

So, give it a go. Add a little lavender to your life. I know I'm going to try!  

What other things do you like to add lavender to?

How -To: Facial Cleansing Grains

Yep, it’s hailing outside as I write this post. Classic Flagstaff spring weather. Last Friday we were barbecuing in the back yard in t-shirts and flip flops and this Friday there is a 100% chance of snow. But I’m still psyched! And this weather might mean one more good weekend of hot toddies, knitting and watching really bad Jean-Claude Van Damme movies on the couch with Matt before it's too late.

And since I might not be the only one puttering around the house this weekend, methinks a 'how-to' is in order. I’m going to show you how to make one of my favorite things ever. Okay, that’s an exaggeration because strawberry milkshakes currently hold that title, but these facial cleansing grains are pretty awesome. They leave your skin incredibly soft, smell great and are super simple to make. In fact, you might have everything in your kitchen to make them right now!   I usually wash my face with my own soap, but sometimes I want a little scrubby, exfoliating action happening so I use these.  They would be great to use before the facial steam I wrote about previously. And they make great gifts!

plain ol' fashioned goodness

This recipe is based on Rosemary Gladstar’s  ‘Miracle Grains’ found in the book Herbal Healing for Women.  This book is a gem and all the herbal recipes in it are simple, user-friendly and wonderful.

Ingredients:

1/8 c. Lavender buds

1/8 c.  Roses

1/2 c. Oats

1/4 c. Clay (I used French green clay, but use your favorite)

A few drops of essential oils (sweet orange and lavender are nice choices)

Directions: Grind lavender, roses and oats in a spice grinder until finely powdered.  Mix with the clay and add essential oils if desired. The herbs smell so good on their own that I rarely add them. When ready to use, mix 1 or 2 tsp. of the grains with plain water (or rose water or honey or both!) to make a paste. Massage onto skin and rinse off.  Or leave on longer for use as a facial mask. Store grains in a jar.

Finally found a use for this sugar shaker!

NOTE: You can be as creative with this recipe as you want! There are no hard and fast rules. The original recipe calls for ground almonds, but I didn’t have any so I left it out. Blue cornmeal would be great. Maybe some ground adzuki beans? Some other ground herbs such as comfrey, sage or calendula might be nice too. Go wild!

Let me know how you like them. Happy Scrubbing!

How-To: Herbal Facial Steam

Okay, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Cleansing and caring for your skin does not have to be complicated or expensive AT ALL to be effective. Simple is best when it comes to your skin, in my humble opinion. You might already know this, but maybe need some guidance in putting those sentiments into action. Fear not! I'm here to help. Today we are going to look at the wonders of the facial steam. Ahhh...

Ok, so what is a facial steam? Essentially, it is holding your head over a pot of boiling water and "tenting" the steam with a towel so it can't escape. Kind of like a sauna for your face.

Why would you want to do this? For starters, they feel wonderful! Typically, you add fragrant herbs and/or essential oils to tailor the steam to your skin type and preferences.  Also, they are really relaxing (trust me-I just did one), open your pores and can increase circulation to your skin. And, they can be really helpful when you have a stuffy nose or a headache. Are you sold yet?

So, let's look at what you'll need...

Your Basic Ingredients:
For my typical steam, I use whatever herbs I have on hand that I think smell amazing. Today that happened to be lavender, rose petals and chamomile flowers. If I had a stuffy nose, I might throw in some eucalyptus or peppermint.Other good choices are comfrey leaf, calendula flowers, sage and even pine needles.  A few drops of an essential oil you like can be a nice touch too. And if you don't have any of those ingredients, you can use plain water.

facial steam herbs: chamomile flowers, lavender, roses

Have all that? Ok, let's get to steamin'....

Technique:
1) Boil water in a large pot and then remove it from the heat source.
2) Add a few handfuls of your herb(s) or drops of essential oil to the pot.
3) Slowly lower your head over the pot and place a towel over your head to form a "tent". Key word SLOWLY. The steam is hot, people!
4) Bask in the steamy goodness for about 20 min. Take a break if you need one or lift the towel slightly if it feels too intense.
5) Pat your skin dry or let air dry. Follow with a facial mask if desired.

a big ol' pot of herbal tea for your face!

That felt damn good didn't it? Yeah, I know. I try to do a steam once a month, but once a week is ideal.Give your skin a little lovin'-you deserve it!

Places I like to buy herbs and essential oils:
**If you live in Flag, you can get most of your herbal and essential oil  needs met at Winter Sun Trading Company. Great folks work here and I always love stopping in.

**I also buy many supplies from Mountain Rose Herbs based out of Eugene, OR. They have stellar customer service and their herbs are top notch organic goodness. They even sell facial steam herbs ready made.

*Last but not least, try growing your own herbs! You can buy seeds here.