Wholesome Homemade Body Care

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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Tender Care For Skin & Hair

Now that Mom’s in hospice care, she gets professional bed baths several times a week. The idea is lovely and so are the folks who perform these ablutions, yet the products they use are anything but. That seems so weird; after all, the skin is our largest, most absorbent organ, affected by everything we use on our bodies. I suppose that such concerns may seem irrelevant when one’s time on the planet is short, but to me, using wholesome ingredients  feels as important as ever at life’s end.

Happily, it’s surprisingly easy to make your own body care products with safe, mainly plant-based ingredients, from skin cream to shampoo and deodorant. I find it pleasant and pleasurable to create and use soothing body and hair care products, for myself, for Mom, and for little gifts. As winter approaches, indoor environments are apt to be especially dry, thanks to more active heating systems (forced air heaters especially). Those of us who keep gardening despite the weather can also develop chapped faces and hands as well as dull, damaged hair.

Quick & Simple DIY

The good news is that most gardens and kitchens contain safe, natural ingredients that can ease discomfort and help heal dried out hair and skin. Homemade, plant-based body care items are far better for our precious bodies than most commercial products. Bizarrely enough, a surprising number of common ingredients in shampoos and conditioners are genuinely harmful to our health. Remember, whatever we put on our skin and scalp is taken into the body very efficiently. Read a few labels closely and you’ll quickly see the value of organic skin and hair care products.

If DIY feels daunting, do at least check those labels carefully. Choose products made only with organic ingredients and avoid products that contain known carcinogens such as sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), parabens, formaldehyde, and DEA, MEA or TEA, as well as hazardous materials such as polyethylene glycol. To learn more about what’s in the products you use, check out the Enviromental Working Groups’ Skin Deep data base, which lists and rates ingredients for body care and cosmetic products and is updated frequently. Here’s the link:

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/browse/OTHER/

Soothing Kitchen Ingredients

The good news is that some of the wholesome, healing ingredients in your pantry work equally well for food and body care. Organic virgin olive oil is not only anti-inflammatory and cholesterol lowering, it can also do wonders for your skin and hair. After soaking your feet in warm water, massage them with virgin olive oil, then slip on warm socks. Olive oil smoothes rough skin on hands and elbows and makes an enriching conditioner for dry hair, as do organic avocado ad grapeseed oils.

Rich in antioxidants, virgin coconut oil is similarly healing for skin, melting quickly at body temperature to make a light, easily absorbed oil that can be used on your face and body. Rub some on your hands, then run your fingers through your hair to give it a healthy sheen and combat dryness. If you want to try a few of these recipes, make small batches to see which best suit your skin. Package them in squeeze bottles or small canning jar with screw-on tops for ease of use (the tiny quarter- or half-cup ones are great for skin creams and conditioners).

No BO Deodorant

Virgin coconut oil is the base ingredient in this paraben-free, unscented deodorant (or it can be lightly scented with essential oils if you prefer). It’s very effective even for folks who tend to have strong body odor. The mixture is firm to the touch except in hot weather, when it may melt in the jar but don’t worry, it’s still good to go.

Coconut Oil Deodorant

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil (solid)
1/3 cup organic tapioca starch
2 tablespoons baking soda
4-6 drop pure essential oil (optional)

Warm oil in a glass bowl over hot water until it melts, then stir in other ingredients until well blended. Pour into a small jar (I use half-cup canning jars), let cool and cover tightly. To use, lightly massage 1 teaspoonful into each armpit (or wherever) after bathing.

Self Soothing With Coconuts

I really care about skin care, in part because I have rosacea, a sometimes-painful facial skin condition that can make you look like a heavy drinker and even give you a big W.C. Fields nose over time if untreated. After spending way too much time trying conventional medicine’s treatments without success, I finally switched over entirely to using organic cold pressed coconut oil. No more soap, only water and coconut oil. The rosacea even affects my eyes, which can get red and swollen when inflamed. Happily, a combination of flaxseed oil and salmon oil, taken daily (by mouth) has nearly cleared up my eyes, and even improved my vision by reducing ocular inflammation.

My hair was also getting stiff and dry from weather exposure (ok, and maybe age). I find the simple shampoo recipe below to be especially healing, and it works wonders for chemo patients whose scalps have become uncomfortably sensitized to commercial shampoos. To revitalize dry hair, wet hair completely, then wash with a teaspoon of this mild, castile-based shampoo. Gently massage your scalp (fingertips only; no nails) as you wash and rinse your hair. This increases blood circulation and unclogs sebaceous glands, both of which improves hair health and appearance. Rinse well, gently towel hair dry, then let air dry completely. Use an olive or avocado oil conditioner weekly until hair luster is restored, then monthly or as needed.

Super Natural Shampoo

This gentle shampoo does wonders for dry hair, eliminating dandruff and itchy scalps. It also adds body to thin hair and is especially helpful during and after chemo treatments. It’s also pleasant as a body wash, leaving skin feeling soft and supple. If you like a little fragrance, use a scented Dr. B’s, which comes in rose, orange, lavender, and various other scents.

Simple Homemade Shampoo

1 cup plain liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s)
1 tablespoon organic cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup water

Combine in a bottle with a flip-top or squirt nozzle. Shake gently, apply 1-2 teaspoons to wet hair and work in well; mixture will be rich and very lathery. Rinse thoroughly while massaging scalp. Hair will not be “squeaky clean” because the natural oils will not be stripped out (so you may not need to use conditioner as often). Don’t worry; when toweled dry, hair feels soft and is not at all sticky.

Rosemary & Lemon Balm Shampoo

1/3 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons dried lemon balm foliage
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary sprigs
1 cup plain liquid castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s)
1 tablespoon organic cider vinegar
1 tablespoon organic avocado oil

Pour boiling water into a glass bowl with herbs and steep, covered with a plate, until cool. Strain liquid, adding water if needed to make 1/3 cup, and proceed as above.

Olive Oil and Honey Conditioner

2 tablespoons organic olive oil
2 tablespoons honey

Combine ingredients in a glass bowl and warm gently over hot water, stirring well to blend. Work into through damp hair, gently massaging your scalp. Wrap your head with a hot (old) towel or wear a shower cap  while you relax or take a bath for 20-30 minutes. Wash with gentle shampoo and rinse well.

Herbal Avocado Oil Conditioner

2 tablespoons rosemary, snipped
2 tablespoons lavender (fresh or dried)
1 cup organic avocado oil

In a saucepan, combine rosemary and lavender with 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and steep for 15-30 minutes. Strain liquid, pressing herbs firmly, combine in a food processor or blender with oil and blend well. To use, shake mixture well, then put 1/4 cup of it in a glass bowl over hot water and warm to wrist temperature. Comb through damp hair, wrap head with a hot (old) towel or shower cap and relax for 20-30 minutes. Shampoo hair with gentle shampoo and rinse well.

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An Epic Fail

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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Why FIFO Is Critical To Good Food

This weekend my brothers came to visit Mom and me. They brought their hefty tool kits and spent an afternoon fixing and mending all over the house, an engaging and much appreciated enterprise. Then my brother Eben made a remarkable dinner for us all, starting with a plump organically raised chicken (unnamed but no doubt cherished), which he roasted in a solidly made cast iron Dutch oven. He very kindly brought one of his spares along to replace my beloved old one which had mysteriously vanished sometime in the past few years (along with my squeez-o strainer…but that’s another story). The lovely chicken was nestled into a nest of onion, carrots, and celery, with all the flavorful foliage added for extra savor.

Noticing my impressive collection of ripening tomatoes, tucked neatly into open egg cartons, he also made a gorgeous tart. He crafted a buttery crust, lively with pepper and grated cheese, layered in sliced Asiago, then thinly sliced onions, zucchini, and tomatoes, interspersed with soft goat cheese and drizzled with a fragrant blend of cider vinegar, avocado oil, and home-smoked paprika. While he was doing all this, I sat with Mom and told her what the guys were doing, as she could only vaguely hear their merry banter.

Uh Oh

Eben knows his way around my kitchen, which is organized by category: baking corner here, cookery stuff there, utensils in these drawers, salts on THIS shelf, peppers on THAT shelf… However, the frequent presence of my toddler grandson has caused some shifting, as anything breakable and/or dangerous has moved steadily upward, increasing with the length of his considerable reach. Several categories had to move altogether, which required some major rearranging. Thus, Eben was stumped a few times but quickly found what he needed, and an amazing dinner was born.

As he dished up the tart, Eben was wondering whether he had messed up his proportions, but a stick of butter to 2 cups of flour should be about right for rich biscuits or crust. When we sat down to enjoy it, however, it was quickly apparent that something was Not. Quite. Hmmm… Though the filling was sublime, the crust was curiosity gritty, with an oddly musty flavor. Sam said he thought it tasted like tapioca, an astute comment, as it turned out. When I asked Eben what he had used for flour, he brought out a tub labeled ‘Bread Mix B’ which he had found tucked back on an upper shelf in the baking section.

An Oldie But Not Very Goodie

Oh my. That tub was a flash from the past: Bud had been experimenting with gluten free baking for a year or two before he died. Later I did not have the heart to toss his collection, but stuck his bits and pieces out of sight on the highest shelves far over my head. He had been baking often in his last weeks and when he died, the countertop where he kneaded bread still bore the marks of his floury hands. I left that corner untouched for an embarrassingly long time until a kind friend gently undertook to wash it for me.

Bud died 5 years ago this Halloween, so that vintage collection of baking ingredients is now at least that old and it’s a wonder it wasn’t totally rancid. I was a bit shocked, since I fondly imagine that my kitchen is pretty clean and tidy. Indeed, Mom’s recent move into my home necessitated a complete reorganization of my refrigerator, freezer, and pantry in order to accommodate her particular favorite foods. While I am pretty good about keeping my herbs and spices up to date, my fridge had been packed with oddments; novelty condiments I’d used once or twice, salad dressings and marinades that were ok but not great, a clutter of little jars filled with crusted dabs of something wonderful that I had been ‘saving’, sometimes for years…eeep.

Sell By & Use By

The result was immediate: my reefer and cupboards are uncluttered, you can find things quickly, and they are not scary when you do. Plus, everything tastes better and there’s a lot less waste. It’s such a basic lesson: first in, first out. Use it or lose it. If in doubt, throw it out. Right? Why was that so hard? Now Eben’s inadvertent debacle pushed me to do a thorough review of the last enclave; those high cupboard shelves. I had to use my long-handled pasta fork (my favorite fetch tool) to get things down, but I found a motherlode of outdated grains, gluten-free mixes, and mysterious jars of unidentifiable ingredients that all made their way into the compost.

As Eben pointed out, all this begs the question of why he, a cook in a cook’s kitchen, ignored the clearly marked containers of fresh flours (three kinds in active use) in the cupboard above the fridge and went rummaging behind a funkier collection of goods (or not-so-goods) on a high shelf in a less-accessible cupboard. I like to think he was somehow prompted by Bud’s bread-making spirit that longed for refreshment. Indeed, the episode encouraged me to try my hand at making bread again after a many-year hiatus. Why bake bread when you live alone? Now that my house is frequently full of hungry people, it makes sense to cook in quantity again, so here’s what I’m baking today:

No-Knead Double Oat Bread

1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup dark molasses
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/4 teaspoons or 1 packet dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, combine oats, butter, molasses and salt with 2-1/2 cups boiling water. Cover bowl with a plate and let stand for 1 hour. Add yeast and flours and mix well. Let rise in an oiled bowl until doubled in bulk (about 2 hours). Stir well and divide between 2 oiled loaf pans. Let rise again until doubled in bulk (about 1-1/2 hours). Bake at 350 degrees F until done (40-50 minutes, or to internal temperature of 180 degrees F). Makes 2 loaves.

An Oldie And A Goodie

As a child growing up in New England, I loved old fashioned cornmeal-based Anadama bread, which dates back to Colonial days. I never see this earthy, slightly sweet bread here in the Northwest but it’s easy to make, smells and tastes marvelous, and makes terrific toast, hearty sandwiches, and especially toothsome poultry stuffing.

Anadama Bread

1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons soft butter or canola oil
1/3 cup molasses
1-1/4 teaspoons or 1 packet dry yeast
4-1/2 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, combine cornmeal with 2 cups boiling water. Let stand 1 hour. Stir in molasses, butter, salt and yeast, then blend in 4 cups flour. Let rise in an oiled bowl until doubled (about 2 hours). Knead into 2 loaves (about 5 minutes each), adding remaining flour as needed. Let rise until doubled in bulk (about 1-1/2 hours). Bake in well-buttered bread pans at 350 degrees F until done (40-50 minutes, or to internal temperature of 180 degrees F). Makes 2 loaves.

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Splendid Simplicity

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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In Praise Of Concentrated Flavors

I’m gloating over the end of summer bounty in my kitchen, revealing in overflowing bowls of tomatoes, a peck (ok, more like half a peck) of peppers, a sack of handsome potatoes, some striped Delicate squash, a chunk of wasabi root, a few leeks, and a big bundle of kale. Since my edible garden consists of a row of big tree pots on my back deck, this feels like an amazing abundance to gather on a soggy October day. Some things (kale, herbs, that fiery wasabi) will carry on through the winter, but most of the pots are ready to be cleaned up and given a restorative topping off of aged compost.

I’ll start by washing everything and sorting anything that needs using soon from the keepers. I fill egg cartons with small tomatoes, turning them often and using them as they ripen. Bigger tomatoes will get slow-roasted and frozen in small batches for soups and sauces. Soup is often on the menu here, especially now that my Mom is here. My sons and daughter-in-law help with her care daily, as do a few dear friends, so the house is a lot fuller than it used to be. That suits me fine, since I find it far more fun to cook when I know the meals will be deeply enjoyed by others.

Simply Marvelous

A friend recently asked whether living with death was depressing. In fact, though Mom is indeed on her way, the house is quite lively. My grandson is a very busy toddler, and his parents spend a lot of time here, studying as well as helping out. Hospice folks are here several times a week, and friends drop by as well. Since I don’t have hours to spend in finesse cookery, I most often make food that’s simply delicious. I have been a bit amused to learn that while some folks appreciate ideas for quickly made, tasty food, others comment that many of my recipes seem too simple to be any good.

Well, it’s absolutely true that very simple recipes are only as good as the ingredients. A perfect example is the French version of potato leek soup that I adapted a few weeks ago: Made with plump, pungent, local leeks and newly harvested, golden potatoes, it’s solidly satisfying and addictively delectable. No wonder ordinary French families eat it almost daily in season. Made with elderly leeks and potatoes that may have been stored under less than ideal conditions, then shipped half way around the world, it’s no doubt pretty meh.

Grace Is In The Details

Even the salt can matter in a recipe of such exquisite simplicity. A mild yet sparkly San Juan Island sea salt or a softly smokey Malden sea salt adds much more to a dish than the slightly bitter, metallic tang of most table salt. Ditto the dab of butter: run-of-the-mill butter lacks any distinctive flavor and at best tastes mildly greasy, where as pastured butter made from organic milk balances the sweetness of pure cream with a faint flavor of grass. Pepper, too; musty, stale peppercorns yield heat that’s lacking in complexity. Fresher whole or dried peppers of many kinds lend mysterious savor and depth to simple dishes. That’s why it’s wise to buy herbs and spices in small batches and toss any that are more than a few months old.

I can look at my simple homegrown ingredients with utter satisfaction, knowing that, with just a few additions, they can be combined into an astonishing variety of meals. If that seems unlikely, consider classic Italian cookery, based on a relatively restricted ingredient palette, yet enchantingly varied in results. The secret, if it can be thought of that way, is to use prime ingredients and to treat them in ways that bring out their essence. That’s why I prefer self-stocks over heavy, greasy broths; the true flavors can sing out cleanly and clearly in a celebration of themselves.

Like what?

One of my family’s favorite store bought soups is a boxed version involving roasted red peppers and tomatoes. Though nicely balanced and lively with vegetables, it’s milk-based, which doesn’t work for everybody here. Thanks to slow roasting and some umami-savory nutritional yeast, this vegan version captures the full garden flavors without sacrificing depth or richness. If your freezer holds some roasted veg, it’s easily made and heartily pleasing.

Vegan Roasted Pepper and Tomato Soup

1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 stalks celery, chopped (leaves included)
1 red bell or sweet pepper, chopped
1 cup roasted red peppers (see below)
2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes with juices
2 cups roasted red tomatoes (see below)
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
3 tablespoons brown rice flour (I like the Bob’s Red Mill version)
1/4 up flaked nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon hot or smoked paprika (or any)

Combine oil with onion, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt in a soup pot over medium high heat and cook to the fragrance point (2-3 minutes). Reduce heat to medium low and cook until soft (10-12 minutes). Add celery and red pepper and cook until soft (8-10 minutes). Add roasted peppers, ripe and roasted tomatoes, and honey or maple syrup, cover pan and cook for 10 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a simmer. Blend brown rice flour with 1/2 cup cold water until smooth, then drizzle in while stirring gently until thickened. Stir in nutritional yeast, then season to taste with salt and paprika. With a stick blender, puree to desired consistency. Serves 4-6 and tastes even better the next day.

Slow Roasted Red Peppers

8 sweet or hot peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place peppers on a rimmed baking sheet, toss gently with oil and sprinkle with salt. Arrange cut-side-down and bake at 300 degrees F. for an hour, or until slightly caramelized on cut side and well browned on skin side. Let stand for 15 minutes, then peel off skin. Makes about 3 cups.

Roasted Red &/Or Green Tomatoes

2 quarts medium red &/or green tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Rub each tomato, (skin side only) with oil, sprinkle with salt, then place them cut-side-down in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees F until soft and edges are lightly caramelized (about an hour). Pack in jars as is and seal or puree first for a smoother sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months (use straight-sided jars and leave an inch of head room). Makes about 4 cups.

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Last Gasp Gardening

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Ann Lovejoy
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Savoring The End Of Season Harvest

Yesterday I gathered several gallons of tomatoes in various shades of orange, red, tan, black, and green. Carefully washed and dried, they now nest in cardboard egg cartons on the counter where I can monitor their ripening. Some will be made into green tomato jam, others roasted for sauces and soups, and some will end up in pizza or focaccia with lots of roasted garlic and basil salt. (Try a sprinkle of basil salt on fresh tomatoes with fresh goat cheese on crusty bread; instant yum!)

You can make flavored salt with all kinds of herbs, from parsley and cilantro to fennel and dill (use the greens). For variety, try small batches until you find combos you love. I like to use a blend of rosemary, thyme and a little lavender in salad dressings and marinades for fish, while oregano, garlic and pepper salt is delightful on pizza and pasta. Keep the proportions roughly the same; about a cup of herbs and spices per cup of salt. Bake in a slow oven until dry but not over-cooked: salt blends should be completely dry but still green (or whatever) colored, not browned.

Basil Salt

1 cup fresh basil leaves with stems (any kinds)
1 cup coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to bake 225 F. Combine basil and salt in a food processor and grind until fine (mixture will be bright green). Spread evenly in a thin layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 225 degree oven.

Bye Bye Tomato Pie

End of season tomatoes are usually variably ripe, but in this Italian torta, that variation only adds to the tastiness. I use all kinds and sizes of tomatoes, sliced to more or less the same thickness so they cook evenly. Whole grain bread crumbs gives the heartiest flavor, but sourdough crumbs are equally toothsome (rosemary sourdough especially). Gluten free bread does not work well in this recipe, but polenta crumbs are great in it. You can add some thinly sliced leeks if you like, but not onions (they make the tart too watery).

Italian Tomato Tart

1 pie crust (gluten free or any)
4 cups sliced tomatoes with juices
1/2 teaspoon basil salt
2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups fresh bread crumbs or polenta crumbs
3-4 ounces fresh goat cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. While it heats, line a pie dish with crust, set aside. Sprinkle tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon basil salt, set aside. In a bowl, combine oil and garlic with remaining basil salt, let stand 2-3 minutes, then gently toss with fresh bread crumbs. Fill crust with alternating layers of crumbs, tomatoes, and goat cheese (if using), beginning and ending with crumbs. Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 F and bake until browned and bubbling (30-40 minutes). Serve hot or warm. Serves at least one.

Smoke Your Own Paprikas

I got a bumper crop of plump but thin-walled Alma paprikas, which are generally held to be the best for drying and smoking. Almas are also amazingly flavorful at every stage, from green to white to tan to orange to deep red, at which point they are also the hottest. Thus, you can harvest a handful of different colors and smoke them (or just dry them) to get a variably sweeter or hotter paprika powder. Low, slow heat is the key to success with both drying and smoking (which does both at the same time). Slow, low heat is perfect, so I get a pal to smoke my paprikas when he smokes salmon, which works out perfectly.

Jammin’ Green Tomatoes

Of course you can fry green tomatoes (or ripe ones, for that matter) but they also make great pies (used in an apple pie recipe, many people can’t tell the difference) as well as conserves and jams. Like green apples, green tomatoes are rich in pectin, so you don’t need to add any. This sweet-tart, slightly spicy-hot version is my current favorite, but you can leave out the smoked paprika if you want a more traditional flavor.

Sweet-Hot Green Tomato Jam

4 8-ounce jam jars with lids
2 pounds (about 5 cups) finely chopped green tomatoes
2 cups coconut sugar OR brown sugar
1 organic lemon, juiced, rind grated
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked hot paprika

Sterilize jam jars in boiling water, put lids in hot water, and prepare a large pot of hot water for sealing the jars. In a soup pot, combine green tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice and rind and salt over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until mixture is very thick and reduced by about 1/3 volume (30-40 minutes). Stir in paprika and cook 5 minutes. Spoon hot jam into clean canning jars and seal, then immerse in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Makes about 4 cups jam.

And Of Course, Soil Building

After the last harvest, it’s time to rebuild summer-weary soil. Because I want my gardens to flourish, I focus on feeding the soil, knowing that as I do, I am encouraging billions of beneficial bacterial and other soil dwellers who will nourish my plants in turn. Thus, each spring and fall I cover the garden with mulches of leaves, grass clippings, bedding straw, and all manner of humus-rich materials. If you are building new beds, consider sheet mulching with all of the above, spread in generous layers as deeply as you can. By spring, the undersoil will be open enough the plant and the top material can be left in place to continue its slow breakdown into root-nourishing compost.

If you have made or have access to aged mature compost, that is the best soil treatment and plant treat of all. Spread now, and again in late winter or early spring, compost will open and enrich the soil, nurture soil biota and plants, conserve winter rain, encourage root growth, and promote plant resilience all at the same time. If you don’t, use what you do have, whether fallen leaves alone or mixed with garden wastes of various kinds. Left alone, it will spend the winter quietly degrading into usable nutrients while we dream and scheme about next season.

Cherish The Soil

For a more playful, provocative look at soil cherishing, check out this soil arts blog:

https://soilarts.wordpress.com/

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