If sipping sun Were A Face Mask

Think like your mother & dance like your father

If sipping sun were a face mask, it would resemble both the vibrancy and complexity of our Earth Mother, combined with most provocative setting sun. Quite literally, sipping this face mask would be totally appropriate. Or more accurately, spooning small heaps into Tastebudlandia.

I prefer to make a mess of it, pawing it all over my face, imitating a sweeping dessert dust storm, in which all that flies around eventually lands.

A qualifying face mask contains only ingredients found in the pantry, herbal apothecary, or home garden. Regardless if you have any of those designated spaces, the ingredients used in a sipping sun face mask are simply the most natural, organic elements that are often found in the kitchen and used in nourishing meals. Aside from aloe vera, which this recipe requires, you can safely eat, whether purposefully or if you're a habitual spoon licker as I am.

While there is a safe way to consume aloe vera juice internally, we can talk about laxatives in another post!

Masks pair perfectly with music.

When I get inspired to develop a recipe, I'm often immersed in a completely unrelated activity or simply dancing. I love movement, and believe that moving energy around is crucial to the creative process. Similarly to how we experience negative ions during rain and thunderstorms, our minds receive the medicine they need in order to recharge and dust off any stagnation.

The essay "In Season" by Harriet Fitch Little speaks to this beautifully.

I was listening to a vinyl record by Bariş Manço when the feelings of summer and 1970's music vibes filled my aura and got me dancing around my living room. sipping sun masks tend to be messy, so I had to wait until the mask hardened before daring to ask it to dance. Dancing to music that really gets the juices flowing pairs perfectly with nourishing masks.

This concept reminds me of my morning showers in which moving (or dancing) around afterward always makes my hair behave and my makeup actually stick to my skin.

If sipping sun Were A Face Mask · BEAUTIFIES 1 to 2

INGREDIENTS:

for the mask
2-3 tablespoons mashed sweet potato
2 tablespoons whole milk yogurt (like Straus Creamery's European-style Organic Yogurt, or homemade yogurt)
1-2 teaspoons raw organic honey (like Wedderspoon's Raw Organic Manuka Honey)
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel (like Seven Mineral's Organic Aloe Vera Gel)
1 tablespoon coconut flour (like Anthony's Organic Coconut Flour)
a few threads of saffron (optional, like TooGood's Organic Saffron)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine the mashed sweet potato and whole milk yogurt in a small bowl.

2. Stir in the honey until fully combined, followed by the aloe vera gel*.

3. Finally, mix in the coconut flour until a semi-smooth paste forms.

TO APPLY:

Using your fingertips, gently massage the mask onto clean damp skin**. As this mask can be messy and flaky, you may prefer to apply it over the sink. Leave on for 10-15 minutes or until you feel the mask harden in place. Alternatively, you may apply inside the bathtub and soak in a warm, steamy bath for 15-20 minutes. Remove the mask with warm water and a clean wash cloth, using small circular motions until your skin takes a deep breath of fresh air.

Enjoy the smooth texture of your hydrated skin! Follow up with a gentle toner and favorite serum, if you desire. I've found that this mask really does all the things for my skin, so I like to allow it to air dry, or step outside while my face is still damp so that the fresh air can help seal in the natural moisturizers from all those beautiful pantry ingredients.

Recipe Notes:

* Fresh aloe vera may be used instead of the aloe vera gel. I have an aloe vera plant at home that I scrape the gel from and combine with vitamins C & E and freeze into aloe cubes. Then, I defrost one cube at a time for homemade mask recipes like this one!
** This recipe makes enough for roughly two applications, so if you feel so inclined, apply to your neck, chest, and shoulders. Follow the instructions for soaking in a warm, steamy bath.

Recipe

Aphrodite Goji & Date Almond Milk

The most sensual homemade almond milk

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love. Her essence is celebrated in each of us when we ignite and honor the depths of our femininity. A beautiful way to invite Aphrodite into your sacred space, tinting your daily experience in rose, is with aphrodisiac goji berry & medjool dates in the most sensual homemade almond milk.

Aphrodite Goji & Date Almond Milk is more than just a recipe. This deliciously simple and evocative beverage is a woman's springtime swoon and a decidedly feminine elixir. You will feel plenty more vibrant after partaking in a chalice of this pink beauty.

For some of my favorite books on goddesses, visit the "Librairie" inside Le STUDIO.

Goji Berry & Date-sweetened

This recipe contains naturally sweet ingredients like soaked almonds, goji berries, and medjool dates. Combined with almond extract, bee pollen, and a pinch of salt, the resulting almond milk is pleasantly smooth, sweet, and satisfying. I love that I can enjoy this elixir in its purest form, however, for a touch of sweetness, I would recommend drizzling raw organic honey or propolis blend such as BEEKEEPER'S NATURALS Superfood Honey, as it supports immune health, mental clarity, and boosts energy & athletic performance.

Another ingredient in Aphrodite's Goji & Date Almond Milk is tocotrienols. Tocotrienols is a rice bran soluble powder that delivers vitamin E in a creamy, sweet (although unsweetened) way. It's lovely blended into a coffee as a vegan creamer (as mentioned in High Vibrational Beauty), and in the sensual homemade almond milk recipe below.

Aphrodite Goji & Date Almond Milk · ELIXIR for 2 to 4

INGREDIENTS:

for the overnight soak
2 cups organic, unsalted almonds (like Terrasoul's Organic "Mylk Grade" Almonds)
1 cup goji berries (like Viva Naturals's Organic Goji Berries)
2 medjool dates, pitted (like Del Real's Organic Dates)
purified water for soaking

for the blender
1 teaspoon almond extract (like Nielsen-Massey's Organic Pure Almond Extract)
¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt (like Wild's Himalayan Pink Salt, Fine Grain)
1 teaspoon raw bee pollen granules (like BEEKEEPER'S NATURALS Bee Pollen)
1-2 tablespoons tocos powder (like Terrasoul's Tocotrienols Rice Bran Solubles Powder)
3 cups spring water (like Mountain Valley's Spring Water)

for the garnish
raw bee pollen granules, for a sweet & tasty crunch
goji berry powder, dusted (like Yupik Organic Goji Berry Powder)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place the almonds, goji berries, and dates in a medium bowl, covering with purified water by 2 inches. Cover with Bee's Wrap and soak overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Strain the almonds, goji berries, and dates through a mesh sieve. Then pour the mixture into a blender.

3. Add the almond extract, pink salt, raw bee pollen, tocos powder to the blender and cover with the spring water.

4. Start the blender on the lowest speed setting, slowly working up to medium-high speed. Every blender will differ, so use your judgement in regards to the speed dial. Blend for 1-2 minutes, or until all of the ingredients have completely liquified.

5. For a thicker, creamier milk leave the water ratio at 1:1. To increase your batch and for a thinner milk, slowly stream in extra spring water until you've reached your desired consistency.

6. Strain through a nut milk bag into a clean bowl or tall vessel. With a pair of clean hands, gently squeeze the pulp inside the nut milk bag until all of the liquid as been unleash. Unleash your feminine along with it.

7. Because this beautiful Aphrodite Goji & Date Almond Milk tends to separate as it sits, use an immersion blender (or pour back into your rinsed blender) until a micro foam occurs. Then, pour into your favorite glass or ritual chalice.

8. Garnish with a pinch of raw bee pollen or a dusting of goji berry powder, if desired.

TO SERVE:

Find a comfortable seat on the floor of your living room, where the afternoon sun pours in through your windows, and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Exhale through your nose.

Call upon Aphrodite with a short prayer. Ask her to join you for today's ritual, to ignite your passion, help you to connect with yourself, and to unleash your feminine. Amen.

Take a sip of your decidedly feminine elixir, feel the smooth almond milk kiss your lips, coat the inside of your mouth, lubricate your throat chakra, and massage your heart·space as it journeys towards your sacral chakra. Allow this moment to be a reminder of your ability to be playful, fluid, and light.

RECIPE NOTES:

To begin this recipe as a ritual, turn on playful music, light a candle or vanilla & sandalwood incense. After soaking the almonds overnight, gently slip them out of their earth-colored skins. Using blanched almonds is always an option, however, it may appeal to you to spend a few moments breathing deeply while you peel each almond. Time is an illusion. Give yourself permission to be.

ELIXIR, Recipe

Witchy Woman Cardamom & Rose Cocoa

For the modern day witchy woman, cardamom and rose both soothe and uplift in this cocoa recipe. When Grandfather Sun lays to rest, Grandmother Moon gracefully illuminates the plane in which and our Star Sisters gather for ritual dance. Their glowing lanterns dance to the rhythm of the winding flowing feminine. The quiet blanket of our Nightly Father Sky encourages deep, dark introspection and candlelit cookery.

The earthbound witchy woman is an intuitive healer who concocts Mother Earth's medicine for body, spirit, and heart. All herbal medicine is brewed with intention to serve one's desires, or to remedy an imbalance within the body. Witchy Woman Cardamom & Rose Cocoa can do both.

Witchy Woman

As an intuitive healer, the witchy woman honors her female body, allowing nature to influence her cycles. Quite literally, this cocoa recipe can provide comfort to you during menstruation when your symptoms are exaggerated. If you're anything like me, you crave a lot of grounding foods, such as nourishing milk tonics, during menses. Rose, vanilla and cardamom are the flavors that I gravitate towards during these phases.

Inside each woman is an inner witch. Listen to the voice within and let her guide you and your choices. You may find that your inner witch sounds just like you. She is the crone whose energy is witchy wisdom, and her purpose is to help you navigate and learn from every new or repeating experience. The youthful energy of the maiden is best harnessed in times that require you to be curious.

So, when your body seems to disagree, get curious. Ask your inner witch what she wants. Become familiar with her language, and as a result, you'll have activated your "witch switch". JJ Martin (La DoubleJ) explains "How To Activate Your Witch Switch" in this video.

Maiden, Mother, Crone

From maiden, to mother, to crone, the witchy woman is the embodiment of pure magic at all phases of her life. These phases of womanhood are illustrated through five goddess archetypes in the book, Evolution of Goddess by Emma Mildon. As a Moon Goddess Archetype, I often refer back to this resource, gaining further insight into my evolution as it is right now.

Whether you're surrendering to the cycles of nature as a maiden, reflecting in self-awareness as a mother, or caring for all things living as a crone, the witchy woman is alive in you. She requires the same loving care as you would nurture an infant, responding empathically to her needs. So, give yourself the grace and compassion you need in order to soothe the body and uplift the spirit.

Cardamom & Rose

Cardamom is a carminative, warming the body, relieving bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort. Rose's astringent qualities and delicate aroma offer love to the skin through topical applications and to the inner body as witchy medicine. I like to use rose as a uterine tonic during menses. When added to this cocoa recipe, rose delivers the added nourishment a woman's body requires, easing tension in the region of the second chakra.

Rose is known for its age-defying properties, which is a perfect reminder that rose is for all women, not only the crones.

Cocoa

Homemade cocoa is a nourishing luxury that even the maiden witchy woman can create. Cacao is both stimulating and grounding, as it contains traces of caffeine combined with the sensual vibration of the feminine. Because of the caffeine content of the raw cacao, preparing or consuming this witchy woman cocoa in the morning may be a wise choice.

This cocoa recipe contains vanilla, cinnamon, and black pepper. Vanilla is a nervine, supporting the nervous system through its stimulating actions within the body. Just like rose, vanilla can help to balance hormones in the body. Cinnamon raises the temperature of the body while its volatile oils are antimicrobial and contain antioxidants, all of which maintain your youthfulness.

"Go be a witch about it."

- JJ Martin

Witchy Woman Cardamom & Rose Cocoa · UPLIFTS 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

for the decoction
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon crushed dried rose petals*

for the cocoa
2 heaping tablespoons unsweetened raw cacao powder
4 tablespoons light brown coconut sugar
2 ounces dark chocolate (70-85%), chopped, grated, or callets
pinch of salt (I use finely ground grey Celtic Sea Salt)
freshly cracked black pepper

for the garnish
freshly ground dried rose petals
freshly cracked black pepper
ground cardamom
sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, cardamom seeds, and rose petals* over medium heat in a 2-quart sauce pan, uncovered, until it starts to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking frequently for 20 minutes**.

2. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.

3. Strain milk mixture through a fine mesh strainer with cheese cloth and rinse the sauce pan, returning the strained milk to the stovetop.

4. Add the raw cacao powder and whisk over medium-low heat until fully combined.

5. Whisk in the coconut sugar until completely dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.

6. Reduce heat to low and carefully add the dark chocolate, a little at a time, whisking constantly until it melts completely. Add a pinch of salt and continue stirring until you've reached your desired thickness. The longer you simmer the thicker the cocoa will be.

7. Remove Cardamom & Rose Cocoa from the heat and add freshly cracked black pepper to the pot. Whisk for one minute to combine and to activate the pepper's volatile oils.

TO SERVE:

For best results, allow cocoa to cool completely before storing in the fridge overnight and up to 5 days. This gives the chocolate time to really absorb the flavors of the brew. For immediate comfort, pour freshly made Witchy Woman Cardamom & Rose Cocoa into a handmade ceramic mug. I suggest serving the cocoa while it's hot to the touch, but not so hot that it burns the tongue. This would certainly distract from the otherwise soothing experience for which this recipe is intended. Top with your preferred garnish and cackle at the brilliance of this brew! sip sun, Star Sister.

Recipe Notes:

*Alternatively, you can use food grade rose water or rose extract for a stronger rose flavor profile. For the rose water, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon to the milk mixture just before steeping. For the rose extract, add 1/2 teaspoon to the milk mixture in Step 1, and reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon.

** I love making this recipe because I get a great arm workout. Switch arms every couple of minutes to tone your muscles and bring healing power to your creation. For added strength building benefit, continue to stir your final cocoa concoction until it completely cools, reducing the probability of a film to form over the top of the brew.

Recipe, UPLIFT

How To Make Homemade Yogurt

Use your intuition to make this beautiful, simple recipe

I believe homemade yogurt is one of the most beautiful, simple recipes you'll ever learn how to make. The process of making homemade yogurt is slightly intuitive; you'll get a feeling for how it all comes together the more you make it. Tap into your maternal instincts and watch this baby come to life.

Sweet vs. Tangy

What I've discovered, is that the first batch of homemade yogurt results in a dessert-like sweetness. This is because there's a "newness" to the cultures that require a little mothering before they mature. You'll likely detect that creamy, buttery consistency of unpasteurized raw milk. In this case, I like to eat it right out of the jar, or use it in a face mask recipe.

The second and third batches deliver that tanginess you want to achieve when making homemade yogurt. Personally, I prefer yogurt this way because it's neutral enough to be an ingredient in, or a side to, savory meals. And, it can be sweetened any time with local organic raw honey or pure maple syrup, jam, or lemon curd.

The Goddess of Cultures

I loved learning about the history of butter in the book, Bread & Butter. Its history is rich with folklore, cultural traditions, and was even considered a rare commodity, making butter a privileged luxury. Basically, butter was an accident that only certain regions were able to make.

Thanks to the waddling nature of donkey bottoms, butter exists to satiate our palates, contributing to our enthusiasm for life! Raw milk was transported inside leather sacks to nearby villages for a variety of dairy productions. Unbeknownst to the farmer, the sloshing motion churned that milk into a thick, spreadable cream.

Probably, after days of traveling, the farmer was disappointed to find that his precious milk agitated itself into a weird, fatty clump; until he spread that clump onto a piece of fresh bread! (Cue the salt.)

I believe that yogurt is a refined production of another ancient milk accident. Consequentially, humanity was gifted with the perfect probiotic for skin and gut health, crowning woman the Goddess of Cultures. Get a taste of that.

So, babe, I'll let you in on a few secrets that will get you intuiting how to make homemade yogurt in just 24 hours. If you think this couldn't be more simple, you can prepare Anne's Turkish Yogurt Soup in 25 minutes!

Homemade Yogurt · NOURISHES again & again

INGREDIENTS:

for the yogurt
non-homogenized whole milk (I use Straus Creamery or Alexandre, cream tops)
leftover yogurt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat milk* over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Do not stir.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low (or low) and gently simmer for 15 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure the milk doesn't boil over.**

3. Remove the hot milk from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

4. When the milk is still hot (but cool enough to hold the tip of your pinky finger for 6 to 7 seconds below the surface), pour it into jars, leaving an inch of space from the top.

5. Using a wooden spoon (not metal!), stir 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of leftover yogurt (the thick last bits at the bottom of the container) into each jar until fully combined.

6. Cover each jar with cheesecloth and tighten with a rubber band or mason jar lid without the seal. Do not use an airtight lid as the milk must breathe in order to cool into yogurt.

7. Place yogurt jars into a small casserole dish, covering with a small blanket or dish towels to insulate, and set in a cold oven with the pilot light on*** for 8-10 hours, or overnight.

8. Remove the coverings and check that you have indeed produced yogurt. The consistency should be thick and not sloshing around. Be careful to not disrupt the yogurt before refrigerating.

9. Refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight. A general rule is that if you want yogurt to be ready by morning, prepare the morning before. If you want yogurt to be ready for dinner, prepare after dinner the night before. Give your yogurt 24 hours to set.

TO SERVE:

Do not stir your yogurt in the jar. Scoop into small ramekins for serving, spooning some of the yogurt liquid into each dish. Alternatively, eat right out of the jar! Use in recipes that you would normally use yogurt. Stir yogurt once it's in a serving dish so that the original product remains as natural as possible.

Recipe Notes:

*You cannot make yogurt with homogenized or ultra-pasteurized milk. The heating process for pasteurization removes any naturally occurring bacteria in the milk, rendering it useless for binding into a healthy solid product. Look for "vat pasteurized" non-homogenized cream top whole milk.

**The milk may create a dome-like bubble while it simmers in the pot. This, and the natural milk film that occurs, is normal and an indication that you're making ~~magic~~ yogurt. Just be sure the bubble doesn't pass the brim of the pot to avoid an unwanted mess.

***The yogurt must rest in a warm, undisturbed place. My mother-in-law places a tray of recycled glass jars, wrapped in blankets, either on top of a cabinet in her kitchen in the summer, or in another room that is sure to be kept warm during winter.

Lastly: Save the last tablespoon or so for your next batch of yogurt! The cultures and probiotics cultivated in homemade yogurt is like the "glue" and the most important bacteria for future yogurt production. Enjoy intuiting how to make homemade yogurt // may it nourish you again & again.

NOURISH, Recipe

Anne’s Turkish Yogurt Soup

My mother-in-law, Anne, is a pure example of Turkish hospitality and her yogurt soup recipe is proof.

Every day she relentlessly prepares homemade meals for her family. It's a rare occasion when she doesn't cook. That's never stopped her, though, from stewing over leftovers and piecing together random ingredients for a whole new nourishing meal.

I lived with my husband and his parents for nearly two years in Turkey, where we were spoiled with his mother's cooking.

We reminisce about the days when we hovered over thousand-piece puzzles and were suddenly overwhelmed by plates of fruits and nuts, hot tea, and cheeses after dinner. In the winter, we looked forward to homemade mantι (a Turkish ravioli), musakka, and many simple, yet delicious soups.

One of the first soups I learned from Anne (pronounced "ah-neh", meaning mother), was yogurt soup.

The main ingredient for Anne's Turkish Yogurt Soup is yogurt. And, as one of the staple foods in Turkey, women make homemade yogurt every week or so as toppings for pastas or dipping sauces for köfte, to blend into ayran, or to enjoy as a side dish to any meal.

Yogurt to Turkey is like ketchup to America. This explains why my husband loves ranch dressing so much.

Well, for this recipe, Anne will actually buy a strained yogurt from the market. Homemade yogurt is quite light and airy, and so when shopping for this recipe, look for "Greek style" or "strained" yogurt. You want to make sure it's thick and dense.

This recipe is one you'll want to memorize and have on hand throughout the winter months. We're even know to make a pot of yogurt soup during the summer, it's that good!

Anne's Turkish Yogurt Soup · NOURISHES 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

for the soup
5 cups water, divided
3 tablespoons jasmine rice
500 grams strained yogurt (I like Siggi's 4% or Fage 5%)
1 pasture-raised egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
salt (I use finely ground grey Celtic Sea Salt)

for the topping
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt
ground cumin (optional)
water

for the garnish
dried spearmint leaves
freshly cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add 4 cups of the water & white rice to a medium-sized sauce pan. Turn the fire on high, uncovered, and set a timer for 15 minutes. Whisk occasionally to keep the rice from sticking.

2. In a tall vessel, combine the yogurt, remaining 1 cup of water*, the egg and the flour using an immersion blender or whisk. The consistency should be completely smooth and "thick like boza" (which is a traditional fermented Turkish beverage served in the winter). If you've never had boza, strive for the consistency of eggnog!

3. Add a couple pinches of salt to the rice water and stir.

4. When the timer goes off, slowly stream the yogurt mixture into the boiling rice water, whisking constantly until all of the yogurt mixture has been added. Continue whisking until the soup returns to a boil (lift the whisk out of the pot every minute or so to catch sight of the bubbles).

5. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan (or butter warmer) over medium low heat. Add the tomato paste and roast gently until the mixture darkens slightly and the aroma of the paste evolves from bland to OH MAN! Add a bit of salt, a pinch of cumin (if using) and roast for about 30 seconds. Stream in a tablespoon of water at a time and mix until the sauce thickens, but a layer of oil remains around the edges.

7. When the soup is ready, taste and add salt if needed. Add hot water to the soup to loosen it up to your preferred consistency (but not too thin!)**.

TO SERVE:

Ladle Anne's Turkish Yogurt Soup into bowls, top with a swirl of the sauce (be sure to get some of that floating oil on the spoon as it adds a beautiful presentation), and garnish with the mint and black pepper. Serve immediately & sip sun.

Recipe Notes:

* To help the yogurt mixture acclimate more quickly to the boiling rice water, add hot water from the kettle.
** The soup will thicken as it cools. It's common to thin each bowl of soup rather than thinning the whole pot of it. This is usually the case when scooping leftovers from the fridge as well. Just remember, you want to drink the soup, not eat it.

NOURISH, Recipe