My Go-To Juice

I try my absolute bestest to juice every morning. Ideally, my morning routine is this: 20 minute of oil pulling (unless I work absurdly early, then I skip it), drink a liter of water with lemon, and have a fresh cold-pressed green juice. Admittedly, I sometimes struggle with getting out of bed those extra 20 minutes early to make my juice, but it really gets my day off to a positive start and I am always proud of myself when I do.

What do I typically juice? The following is my latest go-to juice recipe; it's what I have most mornings, though I sometimes switch it up with new and exciting recipes.

Note: This recipe does require a juicer. Making a smoothie from these ingredients would probably not be delicious =(

The Go-To Green Juice
 3-4 cups kale
1 pear, hard variety
4 Persian cucumbers (the little ones, or 1 whole large cucumber, peeled unless organic)
1 inch thumb of ginger (or more)
1 zucchini
1-2 Granny Smith apples
1/2 lemon

Juice all ingredients in the order listed, except for the lemon. Strain juice if desired (I usually do this, as I like a smooth and pulp-free juice). Squeeze in the juice from 1/2 lemon (over the strainer, to avoid getting seeds in). Drink within 15-20 minutes for maximum health benefits!

Sweet & Salty Scrub

Anybody else out there LOVE a good body scrub? I've loved them since I was a teenager...smooth, silky skin, deliciously-scented ingredients, a renewed purpose in life (okay, maybe I took that a bit far)..but seriously, what's not to love?

One of my favorite things about making my own body care products is how many of the ingredients I already have in my home...particularly, in my kitchen! I am a lover of all things food-related, so whipping up fresh ingredients into awesome personal care creations is a fusion I can't resist. Today I'm sharing a super simple, 5-minute recipe for a salt- and sugar-based scrub that will leave your skin soft, moisturized, and lightly scented. Best of all, the scent is totally customizable to your needs and preferences!

I made this batch up in an energizing, drool-worthy Tangerine Vanilla scent, but you could just as easily make a relaxing before-bed Lavender blend, an invigorating Peppermint version, or whatever tickles your (nose's) fancy. You could even leave it unscented if you prefer. Okay, I'm done babbling...here's the recipe:

Sweet & Salty Scrub
1/2 cup dead sea salt (or other sea salt)
1/3 cup raw sugar (mine is very coarsely ground, but you may prefer a finer sugar)
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (or more, depending on how "liquidy" you want your finished product to be)
30-40 drops essential oils of choice (I used 15 drops tangerine and 25 drops vanilla)

Gently warm the coconut oil, on the stove or in the microwave, until liquid. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and transfer to an airtight jar for storage. Keeps about 1 month. Make sure you label your jar with a name and expiration date! A beautifully labeled jar is more tantalizing to use from, anyway =)

To use, simply scoop out a small handful either before or in the shower and rub gently over the skin (not for use on the face!). Then rinse!

Hope you all enjoy!
<3

Evolution

Hi all!

It has been a long while, but I've been thinking lately about a natural evolution for my blog. I'd like to start including more of my own recipes for both food and personal/home care products. I just recently celebrated my two year vegan-versary, and my eating habits continue to evolve alongside my lifestyle and routines. I've been doing lots of reading up on how to make my own personal beauty, health, and home care products and it has been incredibly rejuvenating! I feel like I am freeing myself from the burdens of "big beauty," the questionable (and certifiably dangerous) ingredients, the insane (seriously, insane) amounts of money I've spent over the years as a fully committed Sephora addict, etc. I've found it so liberating to be in complete control of what I put into and on my body, what I fill my home with, and how I choose to live my life.

In light of my recent and ongoing discoveries, I've decided to slightly shift the focus of my blog more towards a lifestyle, not just sharing and reviewing meal recipes. I will be including recipes for all kinds of things that I make and use in my own home, as well as links/reviews of organic, nontoxic, vegan products that I use in my daily routine. Stay tuned, I think it'll be a blast!! =)