Bentonite Clay Deodorant

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It’s been over a year since my first foray into homemade deodorant and last week, I finally ran out and decided it was time for an upgrade.

My original recipe was way too moody. During the summer (especially in my un-airconditioned apartment) it completely melted and all the solid bits slid to the bottom. During the winter, it was so rock-solid that part of my morning ritual became using a knife to pry a pea sized amount of the stuff out of the jar, sticking it under my arms, and brushing my teeth while I waited for it to melt before rubbing it in.

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Things I Found In the Closets of my Childhood Bedroom (And Have No Intention of Throwing Away)

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Yesterday I arrived in the unnamed portion of Ohio that I called home for fifteen years of my life. If you’re wondering, it’s not “unnamed” because I’m trying to protect my privacy; it’s unnamed because it’s a vast expanse of suburb that quite literally has no name. We’re not quite Loveland (unfortunately. Can you imagine living somewhere named love-land?) and we’re not quite Mason (because Ma$on is fancy). Kings is the school district but technically Kings is the tiny little neighborhood directly surrounding the Junior High and High School. And my mailing address might be Maineville, but Maineville is really a few miles north.

But that’s neither here nor there. The point is: I’m home!  Continue reading →

Butterfruit Margarita Cookies

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Not-so-fun fact: Avocados are named after the Aztec work for testicle.

Actually fun fact: In some parts of the world, avocados are called butterfruit. The good thing about this name is that it a) has nothing to do with testicles and b) provides a sneaky way to name your cookies without people realizing that there’s avocado in them until after they’ve eaten one and fallen in love with it. Continue reading →

Quick and Dirty Oilcloth Travel Bags

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Living in cities for the past seven years has taught me that a good bag can mean the difference between aching shoulders and complete comfort or the difference between buying a new metro card after losing it in my bag (again) and getting to work on time, cool and collected.

I handle a day out with the matryoshka method: bags within bags to keep things organized. In the past I’ve used ziploc bags and bandanas, but in my new capacity as a Working Woman, I decided I needed something a little more official. Desafortunadamente (say it, it just rolls off the tongue), tiny bags cost way more than they should. Afortunadamente (considerably less fun to say), bags are really easy to make.

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Conversion Aversion: Dealing With The English System of Measurement

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The other day, I saw this handy conversion chart on The Kitchen:tumblr_n5w9ukYfmz1qzzlrvo1_1280

I loved the idea, but decided that it was a little complicated to read when I wanted to convert more than a single unit. Since I’ve been working on nailing down recipes – and not just mixing a little of this and a little of that and getting frustrated when I end up with exactly what I want and no idea how to duplicate it – for salves, deodorant, and chapstick, I thought I might go ahead and make charts for myself.

The volume chart includes “English” (because as far as I can tell, Americans are the only ones stupid enough to measure in cups and pints) and metric measurements, as well as drops if you’re using something pungent like an essential oil. It also includes common items that approximate each unit of measurement since not all of us know what a quart looks like.

volume conversions

Click for a full-sized image

Luckily, mass is not quite as complicated. Most of us are familiar with what an ounce and pound feel like, if not a gram.

When measuring for body products, mass is really the best way to ensure that you’re mixing proper ratios. A tablespoon of beeswax, for example, weighs half as much as a tablespoon of olive oil if you pack it lightly, but up to the same weight as olive oil if you pack it tightly or melt it. Cooking by mass doesn’t hurt either, but most American ingredients tend to be measured by volume.

Measuring by mass also reduces your clean up at the end. Rather than using a separate measuring cup or spoon or different ingredients, you can tare a scale to the cup you’re using to mix and throw everything in.

mass conversions

 

Tofu For Everyone (Even People Who Hate Tofu)

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Tofu is a polarizing food. Between people who are anti-soy and people who are convinced that tofu’s only good for hippies, it’s not exactly the most popular kid on the playground.

The first good tofu I had was made by my then-girlfriend’s dad. Thank heavens for social conventions. If I hadn’t been so polite, I would’ve never known how good tofu could taste. Since then I’ve been on a mission to make tofu as good as his and in the past three years, I’ve developed a fail-proof method.

Before we get started, let’s talk about a few quick tips. Although there are different types of tofu, I start out with a firm or extra firm block. Also, tofu is more protein-dense than most meats, so it shouldn’t be substituted 1:1 if you’re turning a recipe meatless.

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