Minty Lippy

Several months ago, I bought a whooooooole mess of supplies to make my own bar soap.  Unfortunately, it was a fail.  On the bright side, I decided to make some lip balm out of some of those supplies today.

It was easy.  I'm so glad I did it.  My lips are going to thank me this winter!

Put a regular, eating utensil spoon in the freezer 30 minutes prior to making lip balm.

2 ounces food grade soy flakes (got on amazon)
1-1/4 ounces raw cocoa butter (also amazon)
10 drops oil of peppermint (found in baking aisle)
Ten little glass lip balm jars with lids

Melt the soy and cocoa butter.  I have a glass Pyrex measuring bowl with a pour spout that works well.  The cocoa butter will take a bit longer to melt so just stir it around with silicone spactula until melted when the soy turns to liquid.

My microwave took about 2-1/2 minutes to melt this amount of product.  Go slowly, 30 seconds at a time.

Using a silicone spactula, stir until melted.  Stir in the oil of peppermint.

SoapQueen.com gave me an awesome tip to tell if your lippy is the right texture for you.

Using that spoon from the freezer, dip the tip into the melted lip balm mixture.  Allow to cool.  Use your finger and apply to lips.  If it is waxy enough for you and minty enough or soft enough, you're ready to pour.  If you'd like it softer, add a little more cocoa butter. More flavor? Add a drop more mint.

I didn't want mine too soft and risk it melting too much in my purse.  This gave me a nice, firm jarred lip balm that I also think would make an excellent stick kind.

It is long lasting on my lips which I love.  I had only been using my facial moisturizer on my lips which isn't cutting it in negative temps and wind chills.

Pour into jars.  I also got these on amazon.  Allow to cool and you're ready to go.

I'm really super excited about these!

I had a bit extra and poured it into a 2 ounce mason jar.  I will use this on my cuticles!

Fro Zen A Voca Do

Another frozen treat!

Avocados are wonderful, and wonderfully frustrating, but so versatile!   This ice cream is rich and creamy and velvety.  I haven't had ice cream with such great texture in A LOT of years.

It's super easy with only 3 ingredients.  I always have a lot of avocados and no matter how hard I try to keep them in different stages of ripeness, there's always one ripe enough for ice cream!

One large or two small ripe avocados
1/3 cup dehydrated cane juice or sugar
1 cup vanilla soy milk or milk of your choice

Blend the ingredients either in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender like I did.  It should resemble pudding.  If too thick, add a bit more soy milk.

Not only does it look like pudding in this state, it tastes like damn delicious pudding too!  Since I was determined to make ice cream, I refrained from eating it all before it hit a freezer.

I used my Zoku freezer cup to turn this into ice cream right away.

I then put the remainder of the mix in a freezer safe container with a lid, placed it in the freezer, and removed and stirred it every 40 minutes until firm.

However you freeze it, it is ice cream dammit!  It is ice cream and it is delicious! 

Sweet, Simple Summer

I've been enjoying a sweet taste of summer this year... Watermelon!  I've finally done something a little more with it than shove it in my mouth over the kitchen sink too.

After balling half a watermelon, I decided to make granita with what was left after scraping down the sides.

2 cups watermelon

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice or sugar

Combine the melon and sugar in a blender or a bowl with an immersion blender.

Pour into a shallow, freezer safe container with a lid and place in the freezer.  Every hour for three hours, remove from freezer and scrape, or rake, the granita.  Scrape before serving too.

It may not be Taylor Street, but it tastes like summer to me!

Sweet, Simple Summer Granita

I've been enjoying a sweet taste of summer this year... Watermelon!  I've finally done something a little more with it than shove it in my mouth over the kitchen sink too.

After balling half a watermelon, I decided to make granita with what was left after scraping down the sides.

2 cups watermelon
1/2 cup evaporated cane juice or sugar

Combine the melon and sugar in a blender or a bowl with an immersion blender.

Pour into a shallow, freezer safe container with a lid and place in the freezer.  Every hour for three hours, remove from freezer and scrape, or rake, the granita.  Scrape before serving too.

It may not be Taylor Street, but it tastes like summer to me!