Enchantment Learning & Living Blog

Welcome to Enchantment Learning & Living, the inspirational space where I write about the simple pleasures, radical self-care, and everyday magic that make life delicious.

On Giving In To Doing Less

May 19, 2014

It is one of those days where life won't let you do anything but take care of yourself--despite the things you had hoped to accomplish before traveling, the things you had wanted to cross off your to-do list.

No matter now.

Your body has decided that you need a day to curl up in bed and read your favorite books, to eat chicken noodle soup and drink hot cups of tea. There are still things to do, but your exhaustion has caught up with you. Nothing is as important as resting.

It is as if your body wants to recharge your batteries, store up your energy for vacation--tapas in Sitges, early morning walks along the Seine in Paris, tea in London.

Soon you will be up and about again, but for now, you give into doing less. You close your eyes and snuggle deeper under your blankets.

Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!

On Things You Do to Unwind

April 26, 2014

The transition from the work of the semester to the expectation of summer at your doorstep is never as easy as it sounds--even as you plan to relax, your mind keeps going back to that one unfinished bit of grading, those future lesson plans you want to polish up, even going as far back as that one lecture that may or may not have come out right. Faster and faster your mind spins, almost afraid that if you were to leap off the merry-go-round of work, there would be nothing there to catch you.

But you've expected this, made plans, knowing full well how your mind likes to spin faster and faster if you don't take hold of it. So you do the things you do to unwind, reversing the movement, the shape of your brain from a tightly wound spool of thread to an ever-unfurling flower under the sun's caress.

First, you surround yourself with stories--old ones and new ones, movies and books, TV shows and poems. You saturate yourself in other worlds, from steampunk adventures to Nero Wolfe and Phryne Fisher's hedonistic mysteries to Rilke to sci-fi television. You let the stories of your school year fade as you breathe in other narratives of bigger worlds--a reminder that life is an abundance of experiences beyond filling out the grade sheet.

Then you cook--a lot. You decide it is high time to try a new recipe; you lose yourself in learning how to make zucchini fritters for dinner, enjoying the silky texture of shredded zucchini in your hands as you form the little cakes for frying. You play with your panna cotta recipe--the one you never quite got down, easy as it is. You toy with inventing a new cocktail.

Eventually, you lose track of time between your gentle yoga practice and tending your patio plants. You find yourself sitting on your patio watching the red-breasted finches eat fat black sunflower seeds from your bird feeders thinking only that a bubble bath would be nice. You have set aside your reading and your cup of green tea has long been finished. Your mind is pleasantly unfocused.

Without quite realizing it--between your afternoon reading on the porch or your wine with your bubble bath--you have bravely jumped off the spinning carnival ride of work and found firm ground beneath your feet. It was there all along. You only had to take the leap.

On Dreaming Deeply

April 10, 2014

You are craving it: that deep sleep that makes you forget where and who you are, and yet brings you closer to yourself.

You welcome it with the arms of a lover as you crawl into bed, already claiming it as yours before the lamp light is out. You wait for it to take you, however impatiently, knowing full well that it will take the time it wants to take--at first courting you slowly and then upon you all at once, pulling you deeper into a realm beyond your own.

It is not the sleeping you love, so much as the dreaming. You long for the stories that unfold behind your eyelids and the parts of yourself to awaken that are too often submerged in a hazy half-sleep throughout the day.

Deeper still you go, to places with no names and languages beyond your scope in the here and now, but that are yours nonetheless--yours always, when you sneak beneath your covers and let sleep take you.

Yes, it is the dreaming you look forward to, so much so that it is a wonder your waking life is not its own dream meant to pass the hours, the minutes until you can once again be claimed by that other place, that other embrace.

On Healing as Art

April 3, 2014

You must take comfort in the journey--the grace and the flow of listening to your body day by day, allowing yourself to truly embrace the task of understanding the pieces that make up who you are. It is its own art form, a daily expression of self-care, devotion to wholeness of mind, body, spirit.

The tightness in the shoulder, the twinge in the hip, the loud mind flitting from one thing to the next--these things are gifts from the natural you that is buried under the debris of the day. Gifts, yes, gifts. They are your body's way of making you pay attention, tune in, listen to your deepest self and nourish that voice to fulfillment. They are the simple melody you can't shake, the one that pulses through your veins, dances in your blood until you're left with a song, if only you pause long enough to listen to that first tentative beat, that first pang of rhythm.

One moment your are on the mend, the song of your essence thrumming deep inside you, filling you up and giving you wings; then just as suddenly you forget to listen to that simple melody, that quiet beat of your body as louder noises, bigger demands call to you--distractions from your art. It is then that your body must get louder, then that it cries out, feeling neglected, for you have tuned out the rhythm, the song of your body.

Healing is the poetry of the self, every tendon mended is a loving word inscribe on your body. It is a continuous journey, the deepest expression of self--a ritualized performance art that you cannot stop doing, or the very fabric of your essence unravels like a thread from a sweater until you are nothing but a pile of string, no form, no shape, no essence, no song.

You must be the healing art to live, to thrive, to sing.

On Hot Yoga

March 19, 2014

It starts when you unfurl your mat in a hot room--the heater is on, the sweat already beginning to trickle down your back. It's your personal sauna, a detox hot box. You need it. You have been made up of too many hard thoughts lately. Too much given out. Not enough taken in.

You know not everyone can take the heat--not everyone can float through sun sals while feeling as if that same sun coats their skin. But you know that the heat, fiery beast that it is, goes beyond just dragon's breath and hot coals under your feet. It is really a gentle mistress--albeit under the guise of a hard-hearted dominatrix. She wants you to feel good, even if it has to hurt a little first.

Slowly, you feel your muscles melt under the heat, the cares you've carried around in your tendons and tissues weeping out of your skin, coating it in a healing balm of salt and sweat. Even if at first your mind hums, your thoughts racing from past to present to future, the heat inevitably slows you down, pushing you back into your body. Connecting you to your spirit.

You are beyond rational thought. Beyond the need to focus on the small events of your day, only the heat on your skin and the flow from one yoga posture to the next. You have found your way back to yourself. And that is enough.

DIY Home Spa Day in 5 Easy Steps

March 15, 2014

Sometimes I find it hard to transition from being all work to being all play. Even though I *want* to play and am physically removed from my work environment, I need a little time for my brain to catch up. I've found over the years that one of the best ways to make this transition is to have a home spa day--it's simple, fun, low cost, and relaxing. It has all the perks of a fancy day spa without the bother of needing to leave the house (yes, sometimes that is too much for me when I need to recharge my batteries!). So I've compiled a list of five easy steps to help you make your own spa day. Enjoy!

1. Set the mood with music and aromatherapy. You know how all those spas have that gorgeous mellow music play in the background to help you relax? Well, that's what you need at home, too. I like the Bebel Gilberto station on Spotify or a calming instrumental station. Another thing spas do well is the aromatherapy--they have that soothing smell of gardenias or lavender wafting through them. Scent your home with candles or essential oils that help you relax. I personally love lemon or lavender oils, especially in the spring.

2. Keep it clean....and by 'it' I mean your food. One of the most important parts of a spa day is detoxing, so treat yourself to simple light meals and fresh fruit. You want to finish your day feeling lighter and brighter.

3. Hydrate. I'm a big fan of lemon water (sparkling water too!) or water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it. Both drinks help your body detox and re-energize. I also like a mellow herbal tea like mint or chamomile to help your body adjust to your more relaxed pace.

4. Take a detox bubble bath! Plan to be there awhile. We seldom get to linger and just be so really take some time to do that in the bath. Bring a book--or two--and a big glass of water or tea. Now would also be a good time to indulge in my honey face mask or other simple beauty treats like my easy peasy baking soda face scrub, which can also double as a gentle body scrub.

5. Ritualized the spa day. Start it with a gentle exercise, yoga, or meditation (or all of the above!). Really take the time to consciously focus on your personal wellness. End the day with a long nap and simple dinner (chia seed pudding might even make a healthy evening treat).

At at the end of the day, what you are doing is creating a soothing healing zone in your home using all five of your sense. A spa day is a good day to indulge in self-care and quiet--two things the world seldom values over busyness and noise. Yet if we don't take time to care for ourselves, we cease to enjoy the pleasures of everyday life.

What is your favorite home spa day ritual?

Rose-Tulsi Breakfast Quinoa

March 11, 2014

So I am addicted to my weekday morning quinoa for breakfast. I cook it just like oatmeal but find the hearty little grain holds me better than your average oatmeal. It's simple. It's healthy. It's homey. It's full of good-for-you fats and proteins while being gluten free. How can breakfast get any better? Still, even this perfect weekday breakfast can use a little twist now and then to shake things up. I got totally inspired byNatural Vitality Living's Overnight Earl Grey Porridge--what a wicked combination of the soothing morning oatmeal with the sophistication of Earl Grey tea. Even better, I thought, would be tea like Rose-Tulsi, a blend of rose petals and holy basil, to infuse my breakfast quinoa with the taste of spring. Top that off with some Greek yogurt and fresh berries and you have the perfect recipe for a good morning!

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

2-3 tablespoons honey (to taste)

2 heaping tablespoons or two bags Rose-Tulsi tea (I used Organic India Sweet Rose Tulsi Tea found in most health food stores)

Toppings of choice (I like plain Greek Yogurt and fresh berries)

I typically cook this on Sunday and store it the fridge for the workweek. It stores well and makes for a hearty breakfast on the go. The night before, bring the water to a boil and steep the tea for at least five minutes. Remove the tea bags (or strain the loose leaf tea) after steeping and allow to cool. Mix the quinoa and cooled tea together in a resealable container and let soak overnight in the fridge. In the morning, cook quinoa on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes or until grains are soft. Stir in honey to desired sweetness. Serve with fresh fruit and yogurt for a delicious, satisfying breakfast!

Makes 4 servings

On Healing a Shoulder Injury

March 5, 2014

It is an exercise in patience.

You feel the twinge of an old injury--one made years ago from overwork and an addiction to busyness that still haunts you. It comes and goes in time with the rise and fall of the semester.

The overachiever in you was once tempted to strengthen that shoulder with weights and more complex yoga postures and more time on fancy workout machines. You know now how futile that all is. It only buries the pain deeper inside your tissues.

No. The answer to your injury is at once more simple and more profound than that: you must listen to your body. Your shoulder, like a wing stretched too tight around your back, is remembering how to unfurl itself, how to let one feather after another relax its grip on your ribcage and do what it was meant to do. Let it reach skyward even as you lay your roots in the earth.

Your shoulder. Full of infinite strength but too often asked to carry more than it should. With each feather that unwraps itself from your body, each gentle exercise that allows you to move your shoulder back into its place, you let go of the weight that has held your shoulder down for too long. You let go of the memories embedded in the socket, the feelings your body remembers but that your mind strives to forget.

And at the end of your work you are left with this one answer, this one truth: your body heals only when you stop trying to forget. When you stop. When you listen. When you truly let yourself mend.

On an Afternoon Walk

March 4, 2014

You hadn't planned to take a walk.

There were things to do, tasks to accomplish. But the afternoon called to you, beckoning you from your perch at your desk, luring you outside to bask under the tender caress of the soft spring sun like a kitten stretched out under a plot of light by the window.

It is fresh air you needed. You know that now that you are walking--the cool breeze with the faint hint of spring in it, the smell of dirt and dry grass and sunlight. You take in one long breath, then another, and another, letting your chest expand with this intoxicating air.

Gradually, you become aware of other things--the birds singing: finches, doves, sparrows pleasantly clamoring for attention all at once. The sharp cries of a hawk, too, are a welcome presence as you stroll around the park. You watch people walking their dogs or playing sports or circling the park just as you do. Admire how the sun seems to melt away their cares; even the normally frazzled soccer moms look fresh, vibrant with the promise of spring in the air.

With each lap, you admire the homes--especially the tenderly cared for adobes--and the grounded, calm energy they represent. Soon it is time to wind your way back to your home, the cares of your work left scattered on your desk, all but forgotten by you.

On Red Chile Stew

February 27, 2014

It is your medicine.

It is the cure-all that warms your bones and mends your heart, more chicken noodle soup than chicken noodle soup. It is memories of a kitchen filled with the scent of cooking pinto beans, a counter coated in flour as your roll out one fresh tortilla after another. It is the taste of good Mexican beer and lively conversation on your tongue. It is the feel of the desert in your bowl, a treat so little appreciated beyond the borders of your realm.

You grind your red chile pods, already softened from a long soak in warm water, and run them through a sieve until you are left with nothing but a velvety red liquid to fill your soul as it fills your bowl. Although you will later spoon beans into your bowl of chile, you take a moment to enjoy the simmering treat at its best: hot on the stove, a fresh tortilla dipped into the pot to scoop up the ruby liquid.

You take one bite, then another. The spiciness hits your tongue first, then the earthy sweetness of the chiles. The steam from the pot washes over your faces, coating it in the soothing smell of a New Mexican home--your chile, your beans, your tortillas all cooking on the stove to create a rich perfume of the southwest.

It is home. It is healing. It is the desert.

On Camel Pose

February 10, 2014

You take a deep breath and stretch your body upward even as you kneel, shins planted firmly into the ground, the top of your feet glued to the floor. Your hands are anchors pressed soundly into your lower back.

Each slow sip of breath helps you reach higher into the sky until you must bend. Your spine curves in a backward swan dive; your chest is open, more open than you've dared let it be all day. It is as if the backward movement peels back the layers of your day like fragile onion skins from your body. Slowly your hands fall from your back to cup your heels, grounding you so you can fly. Your arms have become wings that lift you from your day.

You can feel your heart beating through your rib cage, light seeping through the slats of your chest bones. The well of emotion tumbles out of you, starting first in your belly, then traveling up your spine, and pouring out of your heart; it is a song you had forgotten you could sing. Your throat tightens then opens, ready to receive this luminous gift--the breath, the song, the slow dance--of camel pose, releasing all that has been buried in your soul, covered in a layer of dust, to be purged through your open chest, a ball of cleansing light.

Women's Soothing Mint Tea Blend

January 31, 2014

This tea is dedicated to all the ladies in my life who need a little extra TLC now and then. It has the soothing flavors of mint kissed with cinnamon and orange peel, with the healing power of raspberry leaf--a plant traditionally considered a healing tonic for women. Personally, I drink this tea pretty much nightly before I go to bed since it's caffeine free. Drinking it regularly allows me to get the maximum health benefits of the blend.

Ingredients:

1 cup raspberry leaves

1/2 cup peppermint leaves

1/2 cup spearmint leaves

1/2 cup cinnamon bark

1/2 cup dried orange peel

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container. Keep away from direct sunlight and heat. To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water. Add more tea per cup of water for a stronger brew. Enjoy!

Health properties of herbs:

Cinnamon: antiseptic, aids digestion, calms nervous system, anti-inflammatory.

Dried orange peel: contains vitamins A, B, and C; unblocks stagnant energy.

Peppermint: a cure-all herb for headaches, cramps, sore throat, and stomach aches.

Raspberry leaf: rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, magnesium; tones uterus; relieves tension.

Spearmint: soothes nerves, motion sickness, along with the properties associated with peppermint; stronger flavor than peppermint.

Energizer Bunny Bars

January 29, 2014

On the days I teach three classes in a row, I need a little snack to get me from my 6 am breakfast to my 1:30 pm lunch. This is especially important since I'm not the type of person who can function while hungry (that's the hobbit in me). Plus, getting too hungry can lead to grabbing easy but often unhealthy snacks on campus...so I Iike to have my stash of readymade delicious, healthy treats I can take with me to school.

One of my new favorites is this Energizer Bunny Bar, packed full of chia seeds, oats, and all sorts of good-for-you nutrients. I adapted it from the Healthy Family and Home's raw hemp and chia seed bar, supplementing ingredients with what I had on hand. What can I say? I'm an improviser. These bites store well in the fridge and freeze well too. Remember, this raw bar is full of fats--good for you, yes--but stick to a small 2inx2in square for your snack so you aren't eating more calories than you can burn. To learn more about the health properties of these ingredients, check out the link to the raw hemp and chia seed bar above.

Dry Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups multigrain oats (rye, barley, wheat)

1/2 cup organic blue corn meal

1/2 cup organic chia seeds

1/4 cup organic flaxseed meal

3/4 cups organic almond meal

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 cup organic honey

1/2 cup organic applesauce

3/4 cups organic peanut butter

1/4 cup organic coconut oil (melted/liquid)

2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract

Mix all wet ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Then slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring frequently (you may also need to get in there and mix it up with your hands). Put mixture into a 9x10 baking dish or piece of Tupperware and press down firmly until the mixture spreads out evenly. Let chill in the fridge for at least one hour to firm up (you'll want to continue to store them in the fridge because they soften at room temp). Cut into little squares and enjoy!

Makes approximately 12 squares.

On Hobbit Feet

January 22, 2014

There is still a part of you that would give up shoes forever if you could--abandon the heels and leather in favor of the ground firmly under your feet.

You would relish thick soles that absorb the friction between you and the earth, the natural burlap coating that protects your feet from the elements. They would be too big for shoes, too big for something as mundane as sifting through your emails or filing your taxes.

Your toes would wriggle free from the ribbons and laces that bind them; instead, they would hug the ground with each step, grateful for their own space, no longer squished together under the pretense of civilized dress.

Better still, your hobbit feet would be built for roaming--through the mountains, past the plains, to distant forests. They would certainly never be at home in the confines of steel and concrete, though always welcome in a cozy hobbit hole built for ease and relaxation.

But there are customs to be observed, social rituals to follow, so you keep your shoes, taking comfort in the fact that if you must wear them, they are least second skins, singular works of art that tenderly cup your feet. For now, you settle for your barefoot mornings and shoeless evenings, even as the temptation of fashioning your small feet into large rough hobbit pads calls to you midday when the path from classroom to office seems longer than it is. Yes, you will love your shoes, but often think that hobbit feet would not be such a bad idea.

Easy Cinnamon-Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

January 21, 2014

There are two things I absolutely love in my diet: chia seeds and the occasional desert. I say "occasional desert" because as much I am sometimes tempted to abandon myself to the pleasures of a decadent treat, I am rational enough to know that my waistline can only handle so much indulgence...so what's a woman to do? I've found the perfect answer to this question in chia seeds, the nutritional powerhouse loaded with antioxidants, calcium, and omega fatty acids.

And while we're on the subject of things I love, I'll add that I simply adore good, healthy food--fast. I enjoy cooking, yes, but if it gets too complicated than its a no go. Cooking should be relaxing, after all, not another homework assignment.

...so, back to chia seeds and my desert dilemma. I've found that when soaked in milk, these seeds soften to resemble the consistency of tapioca, making them a perfect base for a quick, healthy pudding when I feel like an easy, healthy treat.

I was inspired by chia seed pudding recipes from A Beautiful Mess and Food Fanatic but tweaked a few things based on what I had on hand in the kitchen and my love of cinnamon. I also like to top the pudding with fresh (or frozen and thawed) berries when I have them for that extra kick.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp honey (plus more to taste) 1/2-1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar with a lid. Screw the lid on the jar and shake vigorously. Allow ingredients to sit in the fridge for at least one hour, making sure to flip the mason jar occasionally so the honey mixes with the other ingredients. To serve, divide the pudding between two bowls and top with more honey and fruit if desired. Makes two servings.

On Long Weekends

January 20, 2014

There is no school today. Still, the fact that you get to sleep in on a Monday gives you the sense that you are playing hooky--giving up on rules and restrictions and deciding to play the day away while others toil their way through nine to five (although you love your nine to five too).

The day is an open book. Where to go...what to do?

The sunlight beckons you out of doors, while the kitchen calls you to conjure up meals--here some breakfast quinoa, there a salad safely tucked inside a mason jar, perhaps even some roasted veggies for dinner. You toy with the idea of crafting, coating paper in glitter and ink, wrapping unused jars in ribbon--a holder for your loose buttons and ephemera.

You briefly entertain the idea of getting ahead on your work, from revising old prompts to organizing cabinets--but quickly dismiss the idea. It would only spoil the day. And you know the thought is only brought on by some vague sense that you should be doing something useful, productive, keeping up that facade of busyness.

No, today is not a day for extra work, but for indulging in those weekend-like pleasures Monday doesn't usually afford--a leisurely breakfast, a morning in the kitchen, an afternoon at the park and visiting family. There will be plenty of other Mondays to refine those lesson plans, to enjoy your cruise to work, but for today you savor the long stretch of time rolled out before you that will be filled on a whim, moment to moment, each impromptu plan a distillation of pure enjoyment.

On Long Walks

January 19, 2014

You wake up with an expansive feeling in your chest, a longing to roam to the farthest reaches of your territory. You want the sun on your skin and fresh air to tickle your nose. There is simply nothing to do but wander wherever your feet will take you--perhaps here to the neighborhood bookstore, or there to the park, full of families playing games and couples walking their dogs. All you know is that you must walk until the bright energy in your chest reaches your toes and your whole body sings with the fullness of life.

The birds support this plan, luring out of your home with their playful chatter and accompanying you as you drift through the city, one step at a time. The naked tree branches remind you that it's still winter, although it feels more like the first kiss of spring in the air.

You pause at each turn to consider your next direction; your decisions move you toward an unplanned adventure, the promise of an unexpected delight. Even as you move forward, a part of you is waiting expectantly, longing for a joyful surprise hidden behind each fork in the road, a mystery to be discovered, a hidden gem of something or another to be revealed. Because today your city is more than just a map of routes that get you from A to B, but a nest of haunts and jewels to be savored, lingered over, like a cup of tea on a cold day.

Eventually, when your legs tire and your appetite for an adventure is sated, you wander home, happy with roaming, but happier still to return to your sanctuary, the promise of a hot bath awaiting you.

On Sundays

January 12, 2014

A day in the kitchen.

There is no other way Sunday should be spent. You linger amidst your pots and pans, oven and stove, concocting medicine for the week in the form of hearty winter soup for your dinners and lentils with roasted veggies for your lunches. You even tinker with your herbs and spices, lazily dreaming up another tea blend--a treat to finish off your evenings before drifting off to sleep.

It is a day of devotion to nourishing yourself and your loved ones, filling up your soul as you fill your belly, fortifying yourself for the week ahead.

A nap is in order while the soup simmers on the stove and the roasted veggies cool. You allow yourself to drift on the couch, an abandoned book limp across your chest. You relish the afternoon quiet and sink into the deep pleasure of no real agenda, no need to be on for anybody, no reason to wear restrictive clothing.

Tomorrow you will greet the world, ready for the noise and bustle--yes, even ready to wear real clothes with zippers and buttons on them. But for now, you let the smell of your winter stew tickle your nose as your mind dances between the dream world and wakefulness.

It will only be the promise of a bubble bath that inevitably lures you from the couch and the ritual of homemade pasta for dinner that steals you from the delicious hot bath. The slow easy pace of the day and luxurious family dinner will always be your restorative tonic to start the week.

Winter Wellness Tea Blend

January 11, 2014

This is another tea blend I made my family for the holiday. It's packed with everything your body needs to fight, or ideally prevent, a cold. During the winter months, I drink this tea several times a week--usually before bed, since it doesn't contain caffeine--to boost my body's immune system. The tufts of marshmallow root in the blend look like mounds of snow, adding a fun winter touch to the tea and making it a festive gift for those you know who need a little extra winter TLC.

Winter Wellness Tea Blend:

1 cup tulsi (holy basil)

1 cup marshmallow root

1/2 cup ginger

1/4 cup cinnamon

1/2 cup elderberries

1/2 cup calendula

1/2 cup rosehips

1/2 cup rose petals

Blend all ingredients in a bowl and transfer to an airtight container. Keep away from direct sunlight and heat. To brew, use a heaping tablespoon per cup of hot water. Enjoy!

Health benefits of ingredients:

Tulsi: helps body adapt to stress by balancing out cortisol levels, antibacterial, and anti-fungal.

Marshmallow root: anti-inflammatory (especially for throat); contains protein, vitamins A, B1-3, and C, magnesium, potassium, and other vital nutrients.

Cinnamon: antiseptic, aids digestion, calms nervous system, anti-inflammatory.

Ginger: soothes stomach pain; anti-inflammatory; aids digestion.

Elderberries: clears respiratory tract, reduces phlegm and congestion; eases throat pain; reduces fever; contains vitamins A and C.

Calendula: anti-inflammatory, aids digestion, reduces swollen lymph glands, soothes irritated skin.

Rosehips: anti-aging; contains vitamins A, D, B, C, E, and K, iron, calcium, zinc, and other vital nutrients; promotes healing and boosts energy; antibacterial.

Rose petals: contains vitamins A, B, C, D, and E; mild sedative; anti-inflammatory; antibacterial; cleanses system of toxins.

On Grocery Shopping

January 10, 2014

It's the fruit and veggies section that draws you in first--piles of oranges and grapefruits vying for your attention over mounds of ripe tomatoes and lush eggplants. And then there it is--the artichoke that seduces you with its layered petals and the promise of the fleshy heart tucked in the center of its thorny armor. On impulse, you abandon the tight outline of your shopping list and commit to the artichoke. You throw in Brussels sprouts for good measure, already planning the meal centered on those crisp sprouts sautéed with nutritional yeast and pomegranate seeds.

Each item added to the cart is a promise to nourish, to indulge, to create. You imagine each meal: from the wine you sip as you steam the artichoke and cook the quinoa, to the quick-sautéed spinach leaves fragrant with the aromas of garlic, ginger, and chile peppers, to the morning oatmeal filling the belly after yoga has filled the soul.

You even let yourself be taken in by the decadence of the cheese section--surely the weekend is not a weekend without aged Gouda--even as you ignore the cheap thrills of the chips and candy aisles. There is no room in your cupboard for food devoid of soul.

At home, you unload your culinary loot, a warm sensation spreading through your belly as your fridge fills with edible jewels, vibrant tokens of self-care and wholesome indulgence.