Peppermint Damask & Gunpowder

"It was one of those March days

when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:

when it is summer in the light,

and winter in the shade."

Charles Dickens

Early this month our local weatherman announced that this would be a colder than usual March. I think he was right. It's been chilly and cold. At least the sun shines most days and that brings a measure of cheer. It also helps to choose a cheerful teacup! My teacup today is a Royal Albert from the Old Country Roses collection. It's called Peppermint Damask, and I enjoy its minty greenness. Tendrils of wispy green leaves and a faint lattice design are sprinkled with yellow, pink, and red roses. It is classic elegance with a touch of whimsy. Today's tea is a classic green gunpowder from Guangdong province, China. It is a mild tea with a hint of smokiness that adds a distinctness that's enjoyed. Each leaf is hand-rolled into tiny pellets which unfurl into full, dark greenness. Classically delicious.

Speaking of green tea, have you read this study released earlier this week? In it researchers found that the more green tea a person drank, the more it reduced the risk of suffering a stroke. Now that's a good deal!

An Invitation

You are invited to visit my other blog, My Cozy Kitchen. It's a quiet place where I share healthy, whole-food recipes. The recipes are posted from my collection as I prepare them or as they come into focus when I am browsing through my recipe files. They are filled with antioxidants and phytochemicals, are full of fiber, and help maintain wellness and promote good health. If you stop by, please leave me a comment so I know you've been by. I'd love to share a cup of tea with you, but in blogland a few words will have to do. Happy eating and stay healthy!

Disease Proof by Dr. Joel Furhman is a site that I enjoy and is highly recommended for help with healthy eating and food choices. Don't forget the G.O.M.B.S. method for wellness!

Berry Bubble Tea

Summer is here. Although hot tea never goes out of style at our house, it is sometimes nice to have an alternative. As you'll recall, I am trying to eat the G.O.M.B.S. way and one thing that means is that I'm adding specific certain foods to the family diet. Three of these foods are seeds, berries, and green tea. This week I developed a recipe that utilizes all three of these ingredients and is a refreshing, delicious treat!

Berry Bubble Tea

16 - 24 ounces green tea

2 - 3 Tbsp. chia seeds

1 packet stevia (1/2 tsp.)

1/2 cup blueberries

Place ingredients in a quart jar. Lid and shake. Then place in the fridge for several hours. It will chill and the chia seeds will soften and expand. When ready to serve, place blueberries in a pretty glass. Pour the green tea mixture over the top and fill the glass up. Stir and enjoy! 


This is a very refreshing drink! It works well with ice, if you prefer. And I've found that Jasmine green tea is exceptionally delicious! 

While we are on the subject of bubbles, I simply must share this picture of family and friends blowing bubbles at Brandon's and Sally's wedding. It's one of my favorite pictures. Everyone is so intent upon bubble blowing, aren't they!

Beauty, Grace and Health

The hibiscus flower is beautiful and graceful, both on the shrub and in a vase in the home, but this pretty blossom also has other benefits that may sometimes be missed the the casual observer. When dried, hibiscus flowers can be used to create a rosy-colored tisane. Although tart, the flavor mixes well with the sweet herb, stevia, or other herbs to create a delicious beverage. An extract of this blossom also has been said to have the potential to prevent cholesterol deposition and may be very useful in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. God's gifts to use are always multiple in blessing. From beauty, to use for flavor or health, He created all things for our joy and benefit.

A Spa for Your Feet

A Spa for Your Feet

A soothing food bath enhances body circulation and boosts drainage of the lymphatic system. This benefits overall health and is helpful in the treatment and prevention of colds, flu, and headaches. Although alternating the treatment of feet by soaking first in hot and then cold tubs of water, the addition of warming and cooling oil blends augment the experience. Recipes using pure essential oils may vary, but two that are especially soothing are:

The Warming Blend

1 drop ginger essential oil
2 drops clove essential oil
1 drop peppermint essential oil
1 Tbsp. almond or olive oil

The Cooling Blend

1 drop Mandarin essential oil
1 drop lemon grass essential oil
1 Tbsp. almond or olive oil

Instructions for foot bath:

Gather two large basins. Fill one with hot water and another with cold water. Ice cubes can be added to the cold water if desired. Add the warming oil blend to the hot water and the cooling blend to the cold water. Sit comfortably and submerge your feet in the hot tub for one minute. Then plunge your feet quickly into the cool basin and hold there for one minute. Repeat this process at least 2 to 3 more times. Remove your feet from the cool basin last and pat try with a dry towel. Moisturize feet with lotion and put on warm socks to keep feet warm. Relax and enjoy the benefits of the spa treatment. Repeat the process several times; morning and night if necessary.

My Cozy Kitchen

You are invited to visit my other blog, My Cozy Kitchen. It's a quiet place where I share healthy, whole-food recipes. The recipes are posted from my collection as I prepare them or as they come into focus when I am browsing through my recipe files. They are filled with antioxidants and phytochemicals, are full of fiber, and help maintain wellness and promote good health. If you stop by, please leave me a comment so I know you've been by. I'd love to share a cup of tea with you, but in blogland a few words will have to do. Happy eating and stay healthy!

The Full Plate Diet

The Full Plate Diet

I've been reading The Full Plate Diet, a book published by Lifestyle Centers of America. The book promotes a healthy lifestyle, achieved by adding fiber to the daily diet. Acording to the authors, you can eat until you no longer feel hungry. The goal is to get enough fiber each day for optimal health. Since fiber is filling, there's no need to count calories, carbohydrates, or protein. They take care of themselves when fiber goals are met. The book is colorful, inviting, and easy to read. The information inside the cover talks about the full plate concept, the health benefits of the program, how to get started, and all about adding fiber to foods. It is a healthy eating program, although also touted as beneficial for weight loss. The book shares great recipes and excellent tips for incorporating fiber at work, in restaurants, and on the road. I love the book! The program is right on! But the thing I like the most is a handy little gadget that they have online that helps those 'new to fiber' achieve their 'fiber goals' each day. It's a fiber calculator which helps you determine your fiber score each day. A thermometer on the side registers red, yellow, and then green as it goes up the scale. Green is the goal! There's no measuring, no counting calories, no fussy charts. Just fiber in the most delicious forms: legumes, grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. If you'd like more information about this program, check out The Full Plate Diet website. Starting on August 15, they will be giving free access to the electronic version of the advanced reading copy of this book.

I am challenged to start counting my fiber ingestion daily. With fiber the goal, making meal choices becomes simple. My fiber calculations are started for the day. Here's what I had for breakfast this morning:

Fruited Quinoa

4 cups quinoa, cooked

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

2 bananas, sliced

1 packet stevia powder (NuNaturals brand)

1 tsp. cinnamon

Stir until well blended, but be gentle with the bananas. Dish into a bowl and then add about 1/4 cup soymilk. For added flavor and fiber, add 1/3 cup pineapple chunks.

The original recipe serves 6 (about 1 cup servings).

*To hear more about my Full Plate adventures, check my cooking blog. I'll be posting at My Cozy Kitchen as time goes on. . .

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

It's that time of year; the time when cold weather arrives, creating parched, flaky, itchy, or cracked skin. Oh to have the flawless, perfect skin of our youth --- year-around! Aren't these young beauty queens pretty? I love their perfect skin.

Counteracting winter's dryness can be accomplished with special care. Wearing lotion on your feet and covering them with cotton socks to sleep in all night helps sooth cracked and weary heels. But hands can sometimes be more difficult to keep soft because we get them wet frequently throughout the day. Cracked, flaky lips are another problem when temperatures drop. A Haven for Vee has been experimenting with using white vinegar to rinse her face, and she says that it seems to have a skin softening effect. It's amazing how many things vinegar can be used for!

There are ways to help retain moisture in our skin. Flaky lips are sometimes caused by an allergic reaction to lipstick or other lip coverings. Once you've decided that's not the case, gently lift off the flecks and then apply a soft, wet and warm cloth between lips and hold there for about 30 minutes. It will sooth and apply moisture to this area. Although hot bubble baths are relaxing and may be inviting on a cold winter day, caution should be used if you have dry skin. Too long in a hot tub will leach moisture from your skin and make dryness worse. Adding bath oils may help, but a better solution may be to take a short, lukewarm shower and then gently pat dry. Rubbing briskly with a terrycloth towel will only make things worse. Lotions and body oils are all helpful in replenishing moisture, and are best applied for most effect within 15 minutes of showering. Hydrating from the inside helps as well. Pure water works from the inside, out.

There are many fancy products out there that can help. I have been fighting dry skin with Arbonne Night Cream (morning and evening), Body Serum, and Hydrating Body Lotion. They do a nice job, but don't necessarily fall into the category of 'economy'. Simple homemade remedies may do just as well. Vaseline is frequently used successfully by bargain hunters to coat hands, lips, and feet that are dry in an effort to retain moisture. Simple sugar scrubs made with baby oil and essential oils are a great way to smooth dry skin. Recently I've heard of an inexpensive little miracle worker called Smith's Rosebud Salve. Have you used it? It comes in a little aluminum tin and works not only on cuticles, but on hands, feet, and lips to help remedy chapping. It's even said to help with diaper rash. Developed in 1895, who says products need 'new technology' to be good!

Although those of us under thirty might not be able to retain the flawless skin of our youth, there are wonderful ways to take keep our skin soft and pretty without spending a fortune! Diligence and a little extra effort can give us happy skin year around. Now, if we could only turn back the clock a little bit. . .