WARMING FACE AND BODY SCRUB

3 Tablespoons fine turbinado sugar (finer than sugar in the raw)
3 Tablespoons brown rice flour
2 teaspoons warming spices (nutmeg + cinnamon + a pinch of cloves)
2 Tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil (see note below)

Simple instructions: Just mix up the sugar, brown rice flour and spices in a small bowl, then add the oil and stir. Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed, and store in a glass jar at the sink or in the shower. Each batch lasts about a month of daily scrubbing. I always follow with a rinse withDr. Bronners. 

A note about the oil: Coconut oil will solidify under 75 degrees, so if you live in a cooler area, I recommend using half coconut and half olive oil; any combination will work well if you live in a warmer area. Even if it’s a bit liquidy, the sugar and the flour maintain their graininess for months, whether the oil is solid or liquid.

HERBAL OILS AS GIFTS

Because recipients often will want to save your gift, remind them that infused oil should be refrigerated and used within one week. Another option is to give a bottle of good-quality oil accompanied by your “secret recipe” of mixed, dried ingredients and the recipe instructions. The separate herb and oil combinations can be transported in a gift bag or basket without the need for refrigeration. The recipient can then mix the herbs and oils for use and store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Add a tag detailing mixing instructions and safe handling. Between using dried ingredients and directions for safe handling practices, you virtually ensure the oils will be safe. It is unlikely that well-dried ingredients would pose a threat anyway, but delaying the introduction to the oil and refrigerating creates an added level of safety.
I like to use lemony herbs and lemon zest to make an oil. Then I add a decorative slice of dried lemon to the bottle.

Uses for Infused Oils

• Drizzle over fresh tomatoes
• Toss with pasta
• Brush on meats and vegetables when grilling
• Use to make salad dressings
• Use as a dip for French bread

Tips for Infusing Oil

• Start with clean, dry herbs. Rinse fresh herbs and pat dry with paper towels.
• Sterilize jars or bottles; dry completely.
• Dried herbs, whole dried red chile  peppers, dried crushed red pepper flakes and/or peppercorns may remain in the flavored oil.
• Fresh herbs, lemon strips or zest, and sun-dried tomatoes must be removed by pouring the oil through a wire-mesh strainer and discarding the solids.
• Fresh basil, bay, chives, cilantro, dill, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, savory, tarragon and thyme may be used to flavor oils.
• For gift giving, pour infused olive oil into small, sterilized decorative glass bottles. Include a recipe, storage instructions and a note to discard oil in one week.
• Do not use flavored oils for frying.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/herbal-butters-oils-tips.aspx#ixzz2ozQY9yCX

HERBS DRIPPING OIL

Makes 3 cups
 
Serve herb-infused oil as a tasty dip for crusty bread. Be creative when choosing herbs with which to infuse oil. Blend a combination of herbs or choose a single herb. Either way, you can enjoy the taste of flavored oils at a fraction of the specialty store price.
• ½ cup herbs; choose one or use a mixture of parsley, fresh basil, thyme and oregano
• 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 3 cups extra virgin olive oil

1. Place clean, dry herbs, zest and pepper in a sterilized 1-quart jar; set aside.

2. Heat oil just until warm; slowly pour warm oil over herbs. Allow to cool. Once cool, pour oil through a wire-mesh strainer, discarding solids.

3. Cover and store in refrigerator for 1 week. Discard after 1 week.

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Patsy Bell Hobson is a freelance writer and avid gardener from Liberty, Missouri.
Click here for the main article,  Herbal Butters and Oils .

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/herbal-butters-oils-herb-dipping-oil.aspx#ixzz2ozPtft00

GARDEN HERBS BUTTER

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons chopped herbs (chives, mints, parsley, sage, tarragon)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1. Stir together all ingredients in small bowl.
2. Spoon into a small serving bowl or chill 15 minutes and shape into a log.

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Patsy Bell Hobson is a freelance writer and avid gardener from Liberty, Missouri.
Click here for the main article,  Herbal Butters and Oils .

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/herbal-butters-oils-garden-herb-butter.aspx#ixzz2ozPVW6qW

TARRAGON BUTTER

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1. Stir together all ingredients in small bowl.
2. Spoon into a small serving bowl or chill 15 minutes and shape into a log.

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Patsy Bell Hobson is a freelance writer and avid gardener from Liberty, Missouri.
Click here for the main article,  Herbal Butters and Oils .

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/herbal-butters-oils-tarragon-butter.aspx#ixzz2ozOuPj2J

ROSEMARY IN KITCHEN

Rosemary is a classic flavor partner for poultry and pork, but did you know it can add a delightful note to biscuits and dumplings, too? Here are a few other ways to appreciate the essence of rosemary in the kitchen.
 
1. Rosemary Bean Dip: Puree a can of rinsed white beans with rosemary, garlic, and enough lemon juice and olive oil for dipping consistency.
 
2. Gourmet Game: Generously rub duck or venison with a half-and-half mixture of finely chopped rosemary and kosher salt. To add subtle flavor highlights, add a few crushed juniper berries when making a rosemary-salt rub for lamb, pork or poultry.
 
3. Luscious Leftovers: Leftover turkey sandwiches become special when slathered with rosemary sandwich spread. Mix 1 teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary with ½ cup mayonnaise and a squirt of spicy mustard.
 
4. Rosemary Pesto: Try a blend of walnut oil, walnuts and rosemary on pasta. A pesto of olive oil, kalamata olives and rosemary makes a great accompaniment for poultry or fish.
 
Contributing editor Barbara Pleasant, author of The Whole Herb (Square One, 2004), writes and gardens at her home in Virginia.
For the main article, The Essence of Rosemary, click here.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/essence-rosemary-in-the-kitchen.aspx#ixzz2ozMdDwjG

VACUUM BAG SACHETS

To make your own, you will need small cotton tea bags (the kind with drawstrings work best), an essential oil and some herbs and spices. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can change it according to what you like best or what you have on hand. You should be able to find the tea bags and an assortment of essential oils at the health food store.
In a small bowl, combine:

• 1 cup cedar shavings (i.e. hamster bedding from the pet store)
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice, slightly crushed)
• 15 drops of your favorite essential oil (mint or lavender work well)
• 1 cup of your favorite fragrant herb, dried (i.e. mint, lavender, lemon verbena or rosemary)

1. Mix well and then fill each of your cotton tea bags with a few tablespoons of the mixture. Store the filled bags in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

2. Add one sachet bag to each vacuum bag when you are changing out the bag.

3. If you ever find that a bag has lost its scent before you get a chance to use it, squeeze it to crush the herbs or add a drop of essential oil to the outside of the bag before you use it.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/natural-health/diy-natural-air-freshener.aspx#ixzz2ozKR9t1K

HERBAL SLEEP PILLOW

With these instructions for an herbal sleep pillow, you'll be on your way to a better night's sleep in no time.

1. Cut a fabric piece 12 inches square for the pillow front. Cut two 9-by-12-inch pieces for the back.

2. Fold under 1/4 inch, then 3/4 inch on a long side of each back piece; hem.

3. Right sides together, lay the back pieces on the front, overlapping hems. Stitch together.

4. Sew together two 12-inch muslin squares, leaving an opening on one side. Turn right side out.

5. Fill the muslin insert with dried sedative herbs: lavender, hops, marjoram, rose petals, thyme, rosemary, peppermint, lemon-scented herbs or chamomile. Sew opening shut. Tuck the insert into the outer pillow. When the fragrance fades, refill the insert with new herbs.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/diy-projects/try-this-herbal-sleep-pillow.aspx#ixzz2ozIV2NaW

CORK BULLETIN BOARD

Instead of tossing old corks, save them to make fun wine cork crafts. Try your hand at turning old corks into a fun, functional DIY bulletin board with this craft project, excerpted from RECYCLO-GAMI: 40 Crafts to Make Your Friends Green with Envy! by Laurie Goldrich Wolf (Running Press, 2011). The excerpt is from Chapter 4: Bedazzle Your Bedroom. 

Why toss corks when you can use them to create a cool and functional corkboard? Use it to display photos, post messages, or showcase souvenirs.

What You’ll Need:
thick piece of foam board or packing material
glue
80 to 120 champagne and wine corks
scissors
ribbons

1. Collect enough corkboards to cover your entire piece of foam board or insulated packing material. Ask your friends and neighbors to save their corks, too! Broken corks can also be used—just stand them on their ends rather than laying them on their sides. Find a roll of ribbon left over from a holiday or birthday party.

2. Glue the corks to your piece of foam board or packing glue. Make a pattern or place the corks in a random order. Then wrap the ribbon around the outside of your corkboard. Beginning at the top left corner and moving clockwise, glue the ribbon on each side of the corkboard.

3. When you reach the top left again, unroll and cut enough extra ribbon to use for hanging the corkboard. Apply glue to the end of the ribbon and press it against the underside of the top right corner of the corkboard.

Reprinted with permission from RECYCLO-GAMI: 40 Crafts to Make Your Friends Green with Envy! by Laurie Goldrich Wolf, Running Press, copyright © 2011.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/diy-projects/try-this-recycled-corks-bulletin-board.aspx#ixzz2ozHmsAkh

HERBAL BUTTERS AND OILS

Makes 3 cups

Serve herb-infused oil as a tasty dip for crusty bread. Be creative when choosing herbs with which to infuse oil. Blend a combination of herbs or choose a single herb. Either way, you can enjoy the taste of flavored oils at a fraction of the specialty store price.

• ½ cup herbs; choose one or use a mixture of parsley, fresh basil, thyme and oregano
• 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 3 cups extra virgin olive oil

1. Place clean, dry herbs, zest and pepper in a sterilized 1-quart jar; set aside.

2. Heat oil just until warm; slowly pour warm oil over herbs. Allow to cool. Once cool, pour oil through a wire-mesh strainer, discarding solids.

3. Cover and store in refrigerator for 1 week. Discard after 1 week.

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Patsy Bell Hobson is a freelance writer and avid gardener from Liberty, Missouri.
Click here for the main article,  Herbal Butters and Oils .

RASPBERRY JAM

The following is an excerpt from Tart and Sweet: 101 Canning and Pickling Recipes for the Modern Kitchen by Kelly Geary and Jessie Knadle (Rodale, 2011). The excerpt is from Chapter 6: Summer. 
The summertime classic! What’s better than a generous, gooey smear of raspberry jam on a muffin, biscuit, or piece of toast? This recipe is pretty versatile—it will work for a variety of berries. Try substituting blackberries, boysenberries, dewberries, loganberries, or youngberries if you prefer.

3 pounds (10 cups) raspberries
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups sugar, divided
5 teaspoons calcium water (see note)
5 teaspoons Pomona’s Universal Pectin powder

1. Place the berries, lemon zest and juice, and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir and mash until mixed well. Once the berries come to a boil, turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the bottom from burning.

2. After simmering, you will have approximately 2 quarts (8 cups) of raspberry mixture. Strain half (1 quart or 4 cups) of the berry mixture, which should yield about 3 cups. Discard the seeds and pulp. Pour the strained berries back into the saucepan with the unstrained berries and add the calcium water. Bring the mixture to a boil.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the pectin powder and the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Add to the raspberry mixture. Stir to completely dissolve. Return to a boil, stirring often until the jam thickens. Skim off any foam. Test for doneness using a chilled plate.

4. Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Check for air bubbles, wipe the rims, and seal. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for elevation.
YIELD: 5 half-pints

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/home-canning-recipes-raspberry-jam.aspx#ixzz2ozFGkaXc

CHAMOMILE VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS

Homemade Chamomile Vanilla Marshmallows are the perfect way to step into an old-fashioned sense of nostalgia.

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup chamomile flowers
• 1 tablespoon gelatin
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Pinch cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. To brew chamomile tea, bring water to a boil in a small pot. Remove from heat and add chamomile flowers. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain flowers from the tea and chill in the refrigerator until liquid is cool.

2. Pour 1/4 cup of chilled chamomile tea into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle gelatin over the tea and let sit for 10 minutes.

3. Combine sugar, 3 tablespoons chamomile tea, honey and cream of tartar in a pot. Over medium heat, gently stir the mixture until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking sugar mixture, without stirring, until it reaches 234 degrees on a candy thermometer.

4. Immediately turn on the stand mixer to its lowest setting while pouring a thin stream of hot sugar mixture into the center of the bowl. When all the sugar is poured, turn the mixer on high and let run for 10 minutes. It should double in volume.

5. Line an 8-inch by 8-inch pan with parchment, spray with cooking oil.

6. One minute before removing the marshmallow from the mixer, add vanilla extract. Scoop the marshmallow into the prepared pan using a buttered spatula and pat down with buttered hands to create a smooth surface. Let cure for at least 4 hours.

7. Turn out the marshmallow sheet onto a surface sprinkled with combined confectioners’ sugar and cornstarch. Using a knife dipped in hot water, cut 1-inch strips vertically through the sheet. Continuously dipping the knife when sticky, cut the strips into 1-inch cubes. Coat each cube in the sugar-cornstarch mixture, shaking off excess.
Chamomile Vanilla Marshmallows keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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Sarah Goldschmidt whips up herbal candies for lucky family and friends. She is looking forward to her first curated exhibit and the launch of an artisanal marketplace called Aeolus Studio. 
Click here for the main article, Sweet Botanicals: Homemade Herbal Candy.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/cooking-methods/vanilla-marshmallows-recipe-zmrz12aszdeb.aspx#ixzz2ozEQCHy7

COLOURED BATH SALTS

You can create dozens of different bath salts in no time at all. All you need is a combination of natural salts, such as Epsom salts, sea salt and kosher salt, and some food coloring—look for the pastel varieties used in cake decorating or investigate natural sources of color. You also can scent your colored bath salts. The result will be a gift to rival any store-bought bath salts. 
MAKES 12 OUNCES

• 1 cup Epsom salts
• 1/2 cup rock salt or kosher salt
• 3 to 5 drops food coloring
• 4 to 5 drops essential oil

1. Stir all ingredients together until well-mixed. I like to do this in a large plastic resealable bag, as you can seal it and massage the mixture until the color and scent are evenly distributed. Check out the color and add more food coloring if you like, or, if the color is too dark, add more salt. Pour bath salts into a clean jar or pretty gift container.

2. To use: Pour about 1/2 cup of bath salts under running water while drawing a bath. Relax in the tub and enjoy!

Tip: Use your favorite essential oils to bring natural scent and aromatherapy benefits to your colored bath salts. Try eucalyptus to stimulate the senses, peppermint to relieve fatigue, sandalwood to dispel tension or ylang ylang to create a sense of euphoria.

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Reprinted with permission from EcoBeauty: Scrubs, Rubs, Masks, and Bath Bombs for You and Your Friends. © 2009 by Lauren Cox and Janice Cox. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA. Photo Credit: Angie Cao. 
Click here for the main article, Body & Soul: Shine Through to Spring with Natural Beauty Recipes.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/natural-beauty/colored-bath-salts-zmrz12fmzwar.aspx#ixzz2ozDiEWQw

VERY VANILLA LIP GLOSS RECIPE

• 1 teaspoon grated beeswax
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/8 teaspoon vitamin E oil
• 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla-flavored oil

1. Put beeswax, coconut oil and vitamin E oil in a small microwave-safe container and microwave on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until beeswax has melted. To make on the stovetop, put first three ingredients in a glass measuring cup and place it in a pan with a few inches of water. Bring water to a simmer until ingredients melt. (Or use a double boiler to make multiple batches at once.)

2. Add vanilla extract and stir until well mixed. Pour mixture into a small, clean container and let it cool completely.

3. To use: Spread gloss onto your lips and enjoy!

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Recipe reprinted from EcoBeauty: Scrubs, Rubs, Masks, and Bath Bombs for You and Your Friends (Ten Speed Press, 2009) by Lauren Cox and Janice Cox.

Read more: http://www.motherearthliving.com/health-and-wellness/beauty-recipes/vanilla-lip-gloss-recipe-zmez12ndzmel.aspx#ixzz2ozCR2bhw