EDIBLE FLOWER & CHAMPAGNE GRAPE PARFAIT

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH | RECIPE CARD

It's true, edible flowers aren't usually much of a flavor changer but in a parfait like this they are subtle but aromatic. And champagne grapes are great because they don't necessary need to be de-stemmed. You'll see in a couple of the photos below that the stems are still attached but take my word, you don't even notice them.

I made a couple variations of this parfait because I loved it so much. It's refreshing due to the flowers and mint; you have the light and sweet champagne grapes; and light yoghurt because nothing beats homemade granola.

You could certainly beef it up and add more fruit, hemp seeds, nuts and more. 

FRESH FLOWER & MINT TEA

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH | RECIPE CARD & BEVERAGES

You can find edible flowers at natural food stores or local markets. This fresh flower mint tea is really simple and adaptable. I tasted a couple of the flowers to find my favorite, added a sprig of mint and steeped them both in hot water for a few minutes until fragrant. This tea is especially delicious with homemade or store-bought syrups.

ANN ARBOR FARMER'S MARKET

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH | TRAVEL

Labor Day Weekend in Ann Arbor. Chicagoans can be pretty nice people but I definetly feel a shift when I get into Ann Arbor. It was a nice surprise to see the farmer's market was going on across the street when I saw Zingerman's line was out the door and around the corner and I wasn't quite in the mood to wait. 

SURVIVE ON THESE THREE ITEMS 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 31ST 2012 | SURVIVE ON THESE THREE ITEMS

Jojoba Oil, Rosemary Oil and a Soap-Shampoo Bar

There are a ton of simple ingredients that can be used for various purposes, cutting down on the amount of items you have in your cupboards. One of my favorites is Jojoba Oil.
Jojoba oil can be used for your hair and your body. To the oil I add a couple of drops of rosemary essential oil- mainly for fragrance, but the herb is also good for your skin and hair.
The last hair and body staple is a Shampoo Bar. Shampoo bars can be surprisingly clean and simple products. And there are some that can double as your body soap that use jojoba or shea butter as a base and essential oils.

So, with these three products I have a bar of soap, shampoo, skin moisturizer, hair conditioner, and a nice solution to add to a detoxifying bath.

And being the aesthetician that I am, I put my jojoba and rosemary concoction in re-purposed glass jars. One for spritzing on hair, one for the body, and one that holds epson salt doused with a generous amount of jojoba oil and rosemary oil. If you can find a pretty enough bottle, like an empty bottle of fancy wine, they can make beautiful handmade spa gifts.

LULA CAFE

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH | DINING

Mornings in Chicago are cool now. You can feel Fall coming. This morning I sat out on my porch with tea and a scarf. Then, headed to lula for a chai latte and to write a little bit. But of course I had to get breakfast too.

LINE-DRIED LAUNDRY

MONDAY, JULY 2ND 2012 | NATURAL ALTERNATIVES

Line-dried laundry really feels and smells different. And the current Summer weather couldn't be better for it. I struggled for a while to find ways to line-dry in my previous apartments when it finally dawned on me that I don't need anything too fancy to get the job done. My new place has an outdoor patio where I've tied some twine I had in the apartment to a railing and a bar in a wall. I spent $0 setting it up and $0 on drying my clothes in a machine. But there are other simple ways to line dry indoors: by using existing objects to hang dry (the common practice), tying up indoors, or by constructing a very simple dry rack.

HOMEGROWN HERB SALAD

THURSDAY, MAY 31ST | RECIPE CARD

So, my salad greens have finally matured and here are the first cut from my window planter. I planted a basic salad greens mix, spinach and some herbs which have been thrown into the salad. Herb Salads are my favorite. The simple herb salad recipe is below.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

THURSDAY, APRIL 19TH 2012 | TRAVEL

Living in the Midwest, I've started to find certain things nostalgic: fields of crop, winter, ponds and marsh. And for a while, I thought there was absolutely nothing better than what makes the Midwest, the Midwest. But after visiting the Northwest coast out in Washington and northern California for the first time, somehow life on a harbor with tugboats, foggy overcasts and the smell of fresh open water, somehow that life feels like something I've lived before and my body yearns to be a part that strange reverie.

CHEESE PLATTERS

TUESDAY, APRIL 3RD 2012 | HOW TO

Cheese platters are so simple and fun to assemble. I typically look for one hard, aged cheese, a soft spreadable cheese and a blue cheese. 

RUSTIC KALE THREE WAYS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28TH 2012 | RECIPE CARD

Personally I love kale. Especially rustic kale (also referred to as dinosaur kale). And there's a lot you can do with it.