Recipes
For caring for yourself, loved ones and living in connection with the natural world.
My recipes are a fun act of love, inspired by nature.
I want to share my recipes for inside and outside care with you plus some magic. They range from staple year round recipes to ones that honor seasonal botanicals. My aim is for these recipes to be fun and an act of love, not overly laborious and daunting. They are steeped in a deep reverence for the natural world and I hope they resonate with you and you make them your own for years to come. Please feel to email me if you ever have questions or comments. I always say “follow your nose” so I hope you put your personal touch on these!
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Fresh & Dried Botanical Infused Oils
Infused botanical oils are a gentle but powerful way to care for and heal our bodies harnessing the magic of plants. Every step of the process of creating a plant infused oil feels wonder filled. From harvesting plants, to infusing them by the moon cycle and witnessing the alchemy of botanicals and plant oil make a new creation, it is a beautiful practice to learn and be steeped in at any age. Here I give instructions for making infused oil with dried or fresh botanicals.
Seasonal
Milka’s Fir Tip Wellness Syrup
This syrup is a rendition of one that was made annually by my Baka (grandmother in Serbo-Croatian) Milka. Conifers send the bright green tips out in the spring as a sign of new growth. These tips are very high in Vitamin C and are known to help ease respiratory ailments, coughs and colds.
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Elderberry Syrup & Elderbears
Berries from the Elder (Sambucus Nigra) have been used for centuries in wellness preparations. Its use dates back as far as 400 BC, where the “Father of Medicine” Hippocrates referred to elder as a “medicine chest.” Elderberry indeed makes some tasty medicine! This is a delicious recipe for elderberry syrup which helps fortify our immune system as well as an easy recipe to transform the syrup into wise and yummy Elderbear gummies.
Seasonal
Essential Lotion
This everyday lotion is an essential remedy for dehydrated skin. My number one recommendation for dry skin is to drink more of the elixir of life, water. My second recommendation is don’t be shy to use natural lotion and oils generously on your skin daily. This simple lotion recipe is endlessly useful and soothing for cracked and dry skin but also light enough to easily absorb into our faces.
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Nettle, Raspberry Leaf & Oatstraw Daily Vitamin Tea
This is recipe for a highly nutritive tea that is great to drink during pregnancy, postpartum and a perfect everyday tea for everyone (my kids like it too!). The taste is green, slightly fruity and a little sweet. I started drinking this tea when I was pregnant with my daughter almost ten years ago and it continues to be a daily staple for me.
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Emerald Sea Detox Bath
This dreamy green bath will envelop your senses and balance your body. Nourishing sea kelp stimulates blood flow and draws impurities out of skin. Antioxidant-rich spirulina fights free radicals, retains moisture, and creates a beautiful jade-green hue over the bath. Epsom salt relieves tired muscles and eliminates toxins, while mineral-rich sea salt balances skin moisture and improves circulation.
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Mer-Made Energy Drink
Spirulina has been harvested and consumed worldwide for its nutritional benefits. It is extremely high in protein, iron, calcium, amino acids, B-complex vitamins, and antioxidants.
With both internal and external benefits, spirulina helps eliminate toxins from the skin, increases skin metabolism to hasten skin-cell turnover, and boosts healing. Known as a natural remedy for acne-prone skin, it helps prevent the growth of candida bacteria that can lead to breakouts.
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Sea Salt & Sunshine Body Scrub
A good salt scrub is a necessity in my opinion. Mineral-rich sea salt helps exfoliate skin, slough off dead skin cells, helps with cell regeneration, reduces inflammation, and improves circulation. Dry, flaky skin becomes soft and glowing. Coconut oil adds moisture and is delightful combined with sweet orange essential oil. This is great to use before shaving for a much smoother shave. I also love this for exfoliating lips when they are dry and chapped.
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Shining Waves Hair Oil
Just like face oil, this hair oil imparts moisture and glow. It instantly adds shine and prevents frizz and flyaways. This potent blend of hair-nourishing carrier oils and essential oils will bring life and softness to your mane.
Seasonal
Smell the Roses Face Toner and Body Mist
This refreshing mist helps hydrate and clarify skin and smells like a rose bush. It is perfect to put on skin to prime it for face oil. It is best kept in the fridge for freshness and is best enjoyed cold. It is also a great hair perfume and mist. Nothing is more invigorating than a spritz of cool rosy mist on your face, body, and hair on a hot summer day!
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St. John's Wort Solstice Oil
One of my annual solstice rituals is to prepare St. John’s Wort infused oil on or around the solstice when the sun is high in the sky. St. John’s Wort is revered for its antibacterial, antioxidant, antiviral, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The topical oil is a well-known healer that has been used for centuries to treat wounds, burns, sunburns, bruises, eczema, and soothe inflamed and dry skin. I love to use the rich oil as face and body oil and as an ingredient in salves and balms.
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Jewelweed Salve
The leaves of Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) can be used to treat poison ivy rashes, eczema and dermatitis. You can use the deep green infused oil to make a powerful salve you will be reaching for year round.
Loosen the Knot Tension-Release Blend
This powerful blend of essential oils is great for relieving anxiety, tension, headaches, migraines, and PMS. Dab onto wrists and temples, breathe in, and close your eyes.
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Lemon Balm Tea Party Blend
Summer always brings many celebrations and this tea is a fun way to mark them. This tea is wonderful blend for birthdays, tea parties or anytime to brighten your day. Nerve calming lemon balm is the heart of this tea paired with blooming flowers of the season. Rose petals and chamomile aid lemon balm in brightening the day and soothing your spirit.
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Valerian Rose Glycerite
This calming glycerite recipe is made with valerian root and rose and is a perfect tincture to take to wind down and lull you to sleep or anytime you need to calm your nerves. It is also safe to aid children at bedtime. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) helps with relaxation, nervous tension and is a mild sedative. Rose mellows the taste of this tincture with its dreamy and delicious floral notes and works on softening and healing our hearts as well.