My Take on Lactation Cookies

After I had a baby, Pinterest started showing me recipes for lactation cookies. I was intrigued. I’ll admit it: They had me at cookies. Well, it turns out that lactation cookies are just regular cookies with a few extra ingredients that may also help nursing mamas boost their milk supply. It’s a brilliant concept. I can make a whole batch and call them lactation cookies so that my husband won’t touch them!

Sadly, many of the recipes I was drooling over had loads of butter and added sugar, which aren’t going to help me lose the last of the baby weight. So I came up with my own recipe with a few healthier swaps, like nut butter instead of actual butter and dates and shredded coconut instead of brown and white sugar. I also went the raw route so that I can eat these cookies right away (breastfeeding—and now pumping at work—leaves me around-the-clock ravenous. Anyone else?).

As for galactagogues—that’s a new-to-me word for milk-making things—I included easy-to-find (read: already in my pantry) options like oatmeal, almond butter and flaxseed. Since those ingredients are so standard in our house, I feel a bit guilty calling these lactation cookies. These no-bake bites are really for anyone in need of a healthy, easy-to-make treat—sharing still optional.

No-Bake Lactation Cookies
Yields 10

Ingredients
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3 large Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/8 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon maple syrup or as needed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Place oats in a food processor and grind into a flour.

2. Add almond butter, dates, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Process until combined into a thick dough.

3. Transfer dough into a bowl and stir in flaxseed, coconut and maple syrup. If needed, add more maple syrup to help the dough stick together. Once combined, add chocolate chips.

4. Roll dough into cookie balls, pressing any loose chocolate chips into the outside of the cookies.

Here’s another nursing-friendly recipe.

Clean Beauty: Summer Favorites

During my pregnancy, I made a huge effort to baby-proof my beauty routine by cutting out some controversial ingredients (more on that here). I wasn’t sure if I would keep up a cleaner approach to cosmetics post-pregnancy, but I actually find it just as important to use more natural products since I’m constantly snuggling up to my baby and covering him with kisses (and he’s all about putting everything in his mouth, including my hands, my knee, whatever). Thankfully, it’s getting easier and easier to find high-quality, better-for-you beauty products these days, with sites like Goop stocking clean skin-care and makeup picks and subscription services like Goodebox offering monthly samples. Here are a few new discoveries that I’ve been loving this summer.

John Masters Organics Blood Orange & Vanilla Body Milk: This luxe, lightweight lotion is full of certified organic ingredients and absorbs much faster than most organic moisturizers. It smells just like a creamsicle but without anything artificial—the sweet scent comes from the perfect combo of essential oils.

Coola Sport SPF 35 Citrus Mimosa & Coola Face SPF 30 Matte Tint: I first learned about Coola’s chemical-free sunscreens on Goop. When the authors described the face SPF as both cool and freaky, I knew I had to try it. Unlike the white veil that most mineral-based sunscreens leave behind, this universal tint disappears into your skin almost instantly (it is kind of freaky). The body sunscreen goes on without a trace, too, with the added benefit of smelling like a summer cocktail.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer: Tarte is one of the cleaner lines carried at Sephora—you can count on them for products that are free of parabens and sulfates and never tested on animals. This talc-free bronzer gives a subtle (not sparkly) glow that’s perfect not only for summer but all year-round.

Suntegrity Natural Self Tanner: I received a sample of this tanning lotion in a recent Goodebox and immediately purchased the full-sized version. The long-lasting, non-sticky formula lets you fake a golden tan from—get this—vegetables, plus it’s packed with more good-for-you ingredients like organic oils and antioxidants. The best part? No tell-tale tanner scent! Since I’m pretty fair, I mix a dollop into my body lotion for a lighter tan.

Enjoy your last weeks of summer!

Chocolate-Cherry Oatmeal

These days, I’m in extra need of caffeine (see bringing home baby). It’s gotten to the point where sometimes I make coffee and forget to drink it. Lately I’ve found that sneaking some cocoa powder into my morning smoothie or bowl of oatmeal is a more efficient (not to mention delicious) way to get that much-needed boost. Plus, just the thought of chocolate is often enough to motivate me to get out of bed (although sometimes, baby and I just stay and play in the covers).

My favorite breakfast at the moment is chocolate oatmeal topped with sweet cherries and chia seeds. The combo of cocoa powder and cherries makes this rich in both flavor and antioxidants, while chia seeds add a slight crunch along with some fiber and good-for-you fat. Since the healthy kind of chocolate needs some sweetening, I like to top it all off with a little pure maple syrup. In addition to being a healthy start to the day, it’s also super easy to make—I can do it one-handed while holding my newborn.

Chocolate-Cherry Oatmeal
Serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup frozen sweet cherries, thawed and sliced
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons maple syrup

Cook oats with almond milk in the microwave until thickened. Stir in cocoa powder. Add cherries and chia seeds, then top with maple syrup.

Healthy Date Shake

Have you ever had a date shake? A southern California staple, this creamy treat typically contains a blend of vanilla ice cream, whole milk and the sweet, caramel-like dates grown in the Coachella Valley. Date shakes are also a tradition in my family. My dad, who grew up in the desert, would whip them up almost every Sunday when I was a kid. Nick and I kept the tradition alive on our recent babymoon in Palm Springs, which included a mandatory trip to a date orchard to get our date-shake fix. If I give birth to a 10-pound baby, this decadent drink may be to blame.

Thankfully, it’s possible to make a healthy version of the date shake at home. Dates are packed with potassium and fiber, making them a wonderful source of natural sweetness and a mainstay in many health-conscious desserts (see exhibits A, B and C). To thicken up this shake without ice cream, I used frozen banana (more potassium!) and raw cashew butter, which tastes like cake batter but better (no salmonella, way more protein). Almond milk adds calcium without dairy, while a little vanilla extract and sea salt finish things off in the flavor department. The result is a creamy, vanilla-caramel shake that’s actually good for you.

And there’s even better news for expecting mamas. A study showed that women who ate dates during pregnancy had easier labors, so drink up!

Healthy Date Shake (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Serves 1

Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 pitted Medjool dates
1 heaping tablespoon raw cashew butter
1/2 ripe, frozen banana
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

To shake things up, add a shot of espresso to make creamy date coffee, or blend in a teaspoon or two of raw cacao powder for a chocolate-flavored shake.

Cleaning Up My Beauty Routine—for Pregnancy and Beyond

There’s a laundry list of things that are off-limits when you’re pregnant. Many of them are pretty well-known—booze, sushi, quadruple-espressos—while others might come as a surprise. Did you know that you’re not supposed to eat deli meat when you’re pregnant? I also learned that you should be just as careful about what you put on your body as what you put in it. Up there with cocktails on the don’t list: retinoids and salicylic acid. There’s also a load of controversial cosmetic ingredients that more and more sources are saying everyone—not just moms-to-be—should avoid. These include parabens, sodium lauryl sulfates and phthalates, just to name a few, and more chemicals that have been linked to cancer and other health problems (what?).

So when I found out I was pregnant, I decided to clean up my beauty routine. The biggest challenge was learning how to decipher an ingredient list, which might as well be in Russian. Thankfully, my brother’s girlfriend studied toxicity in the (largely unregulated) industry for personal-care products and pointed me to some wonderful resources, such as the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database, which provides safety ratings for thousands of products. They also have an app so you can easily scan products to see how they stack up. It turned out that almost all of my go-to products, including some that claimed to be dermatologist-recommended, contained not-so-good ingredients. Some even had known carcinogens!

Finding replacements has been a long process, and it’s one that I’ve certainly not completed yet. If you decide to go down this road too, I’ll warn you that it can be overwhelming at first, but here’s a helpful tip: Focus first on swapping out the products that you use most frequently and that cover the most surface area. For example, I use body lotion almost daily—and it covers a lot more ground than eye cream—so finding a new body lotion was first on my list. To keep my sanity in check, my goal is limiting my exposure to the bad stuff instead of aiming for perfection.

After months of trying dozens of sunscreens, lotions and lip balms, here are my favorite better-for-you finds for skin care and makeup so far, which I’ve found to be just as effective as their chemical-packed counterparts.

1. Makeup remover: S.W. Basics Makeup Remover, which has only three ingredients—all plant oils ($14).

2. Cleanser: 100% Pure Organic Lavender Honey Cleanser, a gentle, foamy wash that doesn’t strip your skin ($21). 

3. Exfoliant: Tatcha Rice Enzyme Powder, a geisha-inspired exfoliant that leaves skin super smooth—it’s worth the splurge, especially if you’ve tossed your chemical exfoliants ($65).

4. Toner: 100% Pure Organic Rose Hydrosol Facial Mist, which smells like a rose garden without any artificial fragrances ($15).

5. Serum: Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum, an incredibly lightweight wrinkle-reducer that layers easily under moisturizer or makeup ($45).

6. Eye cream: Dr. Hauschka Daily Hydrating Eye Cream, a super-hydrating cream with botanical wrinkle-minimizers ($52).

7. Spot treatment: MyChelle Dermaceuticals Clear Skin Spot Treatment, a sulphur-based formula that clears blemishes quickly without over-drying ($16).

8. Moisturizer: 100% Pure Red Wine Resveratrol Nourishing Cream, which contains as much resveratrol as 30,000 glasses of red wine, making it a safe way to load up on the anti-ager when wine is off the table ($38).

9. Face oil: Josie Maran Argan Oil, which has nothing but this natural, nourishing oil that can also be used to moisturize hair and nails ($48).

10. Face sunscreen: MyChelle Dermaceuticals Sun Shield SPF 28, a chemical-free sunscreen that blocks rays with a translucent form of zinc oxide—no telltale white sheen here ($20).

11. Body lotion: Nourish Organic Body Lotion in Almond Vanilla, a naturally sweet-scented moisturizer that has the USDA’s stamp of organic approval ($12).

12. Body sunscreen: Juice Beauty SPF 30 Sport Moisturizer, a chemical-free, water-resistant sunscreen that goes on white at first but absorbs quickly and easily ($16).

13. Tinted moisturizer: Josie Maran Argan Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 30, a multi-tasking tint with pretty coverage, natural sunscreen and moisturizing argan oil ($38).

14. Concealer: Josie Maran Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon, which makes covering up dark circles and blemishes as easy as coloring ($20).

15. Highlighter: RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, an oil-infused illuminator that gives skin a dewy, model-worthy glow (also available at J. Crew) ($38).

16. Eyeliner: Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner, a last-all-day liner that comes in seven smooth, clay-based shades (I’m loving Moonstone Brown) ($19).

17. Lip balm: Kari Gran Lip Whip in Naked, a food-grade gloss that’s good enough to eat (because apparently we swallow pounds of this stuff a year) with two flavors, peppermint and cinnamon-pimenta berry ($15).

A few more things: I also signed up for a monthly subscription to GoodeBox—think Birchbox but with all clean products—which has been a great way to discover and sample everything from organic eye shadow to non-toxic nail polish. Animal lovers will also be happy to know that most natural lines are cruelty-free (yay!), making this process even more worth the effort. To learn more about cleaning up your beauty cabinet, I recommend reading a recent interview on Goop with the co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

I’ve also discovered some better-for-you body washes, hair products and even a natural deodorant that really works (promise!), but I’ll save that for another post. In the meantime, I’ll continue researching and trying out healthier beauty swaps. Do you have any clean products that you love? I’d love to hear all about them!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I’m looking forward to indulging in my fair share of pumpkin pie. The good news: There are plenty of reasons to go back for seconds. Pumpkin boasts a cornucopia (couldn’t resist) of health benefits, like warding off wrinkles, boosting your immune system and even aiding in recovery after a tough workout (did you hear that, Turkey Trotters?). But no matter how you slice it, that delicious crust—with whipped cream on top—doesn’t stack up in the nutrition department.

The better news: You can have your pumpkin pie and drink it, too, with this nutritionally-loaded smoothie that tastes just like a Turkey Day dessert. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that you pass on the pie and be that person who brings a Vitamix to Thanksgiving dinner (my family would disown me), but instead, add this recipe to your repertoire no matter what the season. With this sweet smoothie, you can easily enjoy pumpkin’s many perks year-round. Now that’s something to be thankful for.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Serves 1

Ingredients
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 frozen banana
2 dates
1 small chunk fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice

Note: If you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can use that instead of the spices listed above.

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Healthy Carrot Cake Smoothie

We’ve only had a few days that actually feel like fall around here, but that’s enough to have me craving new flavors (or maybe that’s just pregnancy—hard to tell). While I love a good green smoothie, I’ve been inspired to create more seasonal varieties lately. Though pumpkin may be fall’s reigning flavor, I’d say carrot cake—with its orange interior and layers of warming spices—can feel just as festive. Plus, if you’re going to attempt to turn a dessert into a healthy smoothie, a dessert whose star ingredient is a vegetable seems like the right place to start.

In addition to carrots, this smoothie contains pineapple, orange, and banana for necessary sweetness, cashew butter as a stand-in for cake batter, coconut oil and vanilla to serve as the hint of frosting throughout, and a mix of fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for that signature carrot cake kick. That means you’ll get a whole lot of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium, plus a healthy dose of good-for-you fats, from this tall glass of cake. I’ve been topping mine off with some shredded coconut to make it feel even more like dessert.

Carrot Cake Smoothie (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Serves 1

Ingredients
1 cup water
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped, or 8 baby carrots
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1 orange, seeds removed
1 ripe banana
1 thin slice fresh ginger
1 tablespoon raw cashew butter
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1 dash cloves
Unsweetened shredded coconut flakes for topping

Place all ingredients into a blender in the order listed (except for the coconut flakes) and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and top with coconut flakes.

Note: Even if you’re not a carrot cake fan, you can still enjoy this smoothie. My husband is hugely opposed to cake with carrots but loved this combo. Plus, what could be more fitting for October than an orange-colored smoothie?

P.S. Another orange-enhanced smoothie.

Moussaka That Won’t Ruin '300' Abs

A few months ago, Nick asked if I’d like to eat Greek food and watch a documentary about ancient Sparta for date night. And by documentary, he meant the 300 sequel, Rise of an Empire. If you haven’t gleaned this already, Nick has a thing for Sparta. He has a Spartan helmet—the kind worn by Gerard Butler and 299 super-fit dudes while holding off the army of some creep who I refuse to believe is Karl from Love Actually—and there’s a Spartan shield inked on his shoulder. We did something called the Spartan Race, which I’ve tried to erase from my memory but for the sake of this story, I’ll recall a few details: barbed wire, javelins, fire. And then, there was a trip to Sparta. As in the actual Sparta. Yes, you can go there, and it’s the only place on the planet where you can yell: “This. Is. SPARTA! No really, guys, it actually is!”

On our first day in Sparta, I had what was the best meal of the entire trip: a vegetable moussaka so cheesy and creamy and delicious that I’m certain no Spartan warrior, real or from Hollywood, ever ate it or else they wouldn’t have had those abs. So, back to date night. When Nick suggested that we eat Greek food before the movie, I tried to create a healthier version of this memorable meal. My first attempt was kind of spartan (couldn’t resist) when it came to taste and to make up for it, we went to a Greek restaurant instead.

Still, I was intent on making a delicious, healthy version of this dish and continued experimenting for months. I’ve since combined multiple recipes to finally land on one that we love. The base consists of eggplant layered with a hearty puree of lentils, tomatoes, onion and spices, and it’s topped off with a cauliflower sauce to stand in for bechamel. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and totally healthy, so if you have plans to get 300-inspired abs, this moussaka won’t derail your efforts.

Note: This dish takes about two-and-a-half to three hours from start to finish, depending on your multitasking skills—think pureeing lentils while boiling cauliflower while baking eggplant. I’ve broken down the instructions into five easy sections to help you power through it like a kitchen warrior.

Healthy Vegetarian Moussaka (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Yields about 9 servings

Ingredients
2 medium eggplants
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups vegetable stock
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup green lentils
1 large onion, chopped
1/8 to 1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
Salt & pepper

1. Prep eggplant: Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.

2. Prepare lentil-tomato sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, lentils, oregano, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until lentils are cooked, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf and cinnamon. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until chunky (if your food processor is small like mine, you may have to do this in batches). Season with salt and pepper.

3. Bake eggplant: Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through. Set aside to cool.

4. Prepare cauliflower sauce: Add cauliflower florets to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Strain cauliflower and let cool. Add cauliflower, 1/8 cup almond milk, nutritional yeast and nutmeg to a food processor and process until smooth, adding more almond milk as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Assemble and bake moussaka: Reduce oven to 350˚F. Spread a thin layer of the lentil-tomato sauce on the bottom of a deep baking dish (I used a 10x10 dish) and top with a layer of eggplant. Spread 2 cups of the lentil-tomato sauce on top. Add another layer of eggplant and top with the remainder of the lentil-tomato sauce. Spread cauliflower sauce on top. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 475˚F. Return dish to oven for an additional 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

P.S. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our time in Sparta. I thought Nick was joking when he suggested that we climb the tallest mountain in all of Sparta—since that seemed like something King Leonidas must have done—but I was wrong.

 This way to some ancient ruins...and glory!

 The city’s statue of King Leonidas—abs and all.

 Here I am looking really excited about hiking this mountain.

 But we made it to the top. Victory! 

This recipe was adapted from Vegetarian Times, Peachy Palate, Craving Greens, and My Recipes.

5 Summer Beauty Favorites

Nothing says summer to me like beach hair and a tan. But gone are the days when I’d put the top down on my Cabrio convertible, round up my best girl friends, and head to Santa Cruz with nothing but our bikinis and a bottle of Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil. That practice stopped sometime after college, when we traded lazy beach days for careers and tanning oil for anti-aging sunscreen. But even though I now spend most days landlocked at a desk and wear SPF year-round, I still want bronze skin and windblown waves come summer. Thankfully, there are plenty of products that’ll recreate that fresh-from-the-beach look, without a day of playing hooky. Here are five of my favorites.

1. Bumble & bumble Surf Spray. It’s no secret that this salt-infused spray is beloved by beauty editors, stylists and anyone who’s after beachy waves. It gives your hair the kind of windswept texture and matte finish that usually only come from a dip in the ocean.

2. Alterna Cleanse Extend Dry Shampoo. Another way to get beach-babe hair is to forgo washing it. This dry shampoo goes on sheer and smells like a vacation-ready mix of mango and coconut. If you’re like me and go through dry shampoos pretty quickly, this is a great one to rotate in for summer.

3. EltaMD UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40. I recently swapped my Skinceuticals SPF for this EltaMD formula because I wanted a daily sunscreen with a bit more moisture, and this one came recommended by my dermatologist and my friend who’s an aesthetician. Thanks to the addition of hyaluronic acid, it’s hydrating but lightweight and has a tint that borders on bronze, which is just what I need to fake a sun-kissed look.

4. St. Tropez Everyday Gradual Tan for Body. My beauty-writer friend first introduced me to St. Tropez self-tanner, and I was thrilled to learn that they make a gradual version. With my pale skin, there’s less margin for error (read: streaks) with tanners that build a glow slowly. This one dries quickly and is a step up from the drugstore varieties—and much better-smelling, too.

5. Colorescience Sunforgettable SPF 50. For those summer days when I am in the sun, I always pack this SPF powder. Because we all know that we’re supposed to reapply sunscreen throughout the day (right?), but who wants to mess up their makeup midday with another layer of sunscreen? This mineral version, complete with a handy brush, is perfect for sunscreen touch-ups.

Have a beautiful summer!

Sparkling Strawberry, White Peach & Rose Water Punch

Do you like to impress your friends and family? Do you get tired of plain old H2O? Do you have five minutes? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I’ve got just the recipe for you. It’s perfect for all of your upcoming summer get-togethers, whether you’re hosting or hope to be the host’s favorite guest, as well as those hot afternoons when you want to sip something with a little pizazz.

I blended up this pink punch when hosting dinner for our families and tricked everyone into thinking that I was some kind of Martha Stewart. A combo of strawberries, white peach, rose water, and sparkling water, this drink is a hit because it’s pretty, fizzy, and filled with layers of flavors both fruity and floral. The best part? It takes no more than five minutes to gather the ingredients, plop them in your blender, and slice up some fruit for garnish (new discovery: a fruit garnish is one of the easiest ways to make a drink look fancy in less than three seconds; a fun straw is another). And if you want to really go above and beyond, you can pretty up your ice cubes by freezing rose petals into them.

Sparkling Strawberry, White Peach & Rose Water Punch
Yields about 4 servings

Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed
1 white peach, sliced (plus 1 more for garnish, optional)
1/4 cup homemade rose water*
3 cups sparkling water
Stevia to taste (optional)

1. Add strawberries, peach, rose water and sparkling water to the blender and blend until smooth. Add stevia to taste.
2. Serve over ice and garnish with remaining peach slices.

*Rose water is easy to make (here’s my do-it-yourself guide) and a lovely staple for both your kitchen and your beauty cabinet. You can also find rose water at various grocery stores, but it’s much more potent, so you’ll want to decrease the amount or else you’ll end up with perfume instead of punch. I’d recommend starting with a teaspoon, adding an additional fourth a cup of sparkling or still water, and adjusting from there.

I tripled this recipe for our gathering of seven, and everyone went back for refills. If you want to shake things up and add a little booze, Hendrick’s Gin is a great option because it’s infused with rose and mixes perfectly with this slightly rosy punch. Happy summer sipping!

DIY: How to Make Rose Water

Spring has certainly sprung in the Bay Area, and our rose garden is in full bloom. A friend had the brilliant idea that I should make rose water, which has long been used as a facial toner, among other things (more on that later). I once adored the now-discontinued rose-water toner made by Kiehl’s, so I loved the idea of creating my own floral face freshener. Plus, Refinery29 just called rose the “unofficial skin-care ingredient of spring 2014.” The flower has been praised for its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging properties, not to mention its sweet scent.

I consulted at least ten different sites for instructions, combining tips and tricks from all of them. Here are the steps I took to make this multitasking water by distilling rose petals with steam. Don’t worry, it’s easier than it sounds.

Gather enough roses to yield about ten cups of petals. Our roses are kind of colossal, so I only needed five. Tips: Be sure to use organically grown blooms to avoid pesticides, and choose the most fragrant of the bunch. The more fragrant your roses, the more fragrant your water will be.

Pluck the petals and rinse with cool water.

Next, you’ll set up your own still. You’ll need a large pot with a lid, a heat-safe bowl that fits inside the pot, and something to elevate the bowl. A few sites suggested using a brick to elevate the bowl. Since I don’t keep spare bricks around the house, I used two glass nesting bowls, placing the smaller nesting bowl in the center of the pot and the larger bowl on top, making sure that the top bowl still fits within the pot. Place the petals in the pot around the elevated bowl setup and add just enough filtered water to cover the petals. The top of the elevated bowl should be at least a couple inches above the water-covered petals.

Then create a little science experiment on your stove. Bring the water to a bowl, reduce it to a simmer, cover the pot with the lid upside-down, and place ice on top of the lid. When steam hits the cold, inverted lid, it condenses and drips into the elevated bowl, leaving you with pure rose water. Let the bowl collect this water for two hours. As the ice melts, carefully spoon away the ice water to be discarded (be sure not to spill any into the bowl or pot) and continue to add more ice.

After two hours, remove the bowl with distilled rose water. I ended up with about one-and-a-half cups of delightfully fragrant water and poured it into a few bottles, including a spray bottle. After washing your face, apply with a cotton ball, or if you’re using a spray bottle, mist your face throughout the day. Another tip: Store in the fridge for freshness.

In addition to being an excellent facial toner, rose water can also be used to create some sweet things in the kitchen. It’s a common ingredient in many desserts (think baklava and Turkish Delight) and as I also learned, pairs extremely well with gin. That’s right—I’ve also been using my rose water to shake up some new cocktails, and this cardamon-rose concoction is amazing. For more edible ideas, the New York Times suggests putting a drop or two in a glass of lemonade or adding a splash to a bowl of freshly sliced fruit, and as soon as figs are in season, I plan to whip up this fresh fig and rose smoothie. A bottle of this water would also make a lovely gift (hello, Mother’s Day!). I think that’s more than enough reasons to stop and steam the roses—sorry, couldn’t resist.

P.S. If you’d like more info on making your own rose water, here are the sites that I found most helpful: Care2, Organic Authority, and The Local Rose.

No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

I’m always looking for more ways to sneak cookies and, most importantly, cookie dough into my diet (see exhibits A and B). In my search for dough, I’ve discovered some great, guilt-free recipes that are right on the money, but many of them are pretty time-consuming or require the kind of ingredients that I usually don’t have on the ready (sprouted cashews or buckwheat groats, anyone?). Also, a couple recipes that I really like require freezing your dough, and I don’t know about you, but when I want cookie dough, I want it now, so having to wait an hour or two after making it doesn’t always work for me.

So the other night, I put aside Pinterest and resolved to come up with an easy way to make a dough-like dessert that I could eat immediately using ingredients that are always in my pantry. I grabbed oats, dates, coconut oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, then tossed everything into a food processor and hoped for the best. The resulting mixture was just sticky enough to roll into morsels that—and I do not exaggerate—taste so much like cookie dough! The best part? You can eat them instantly! And no baking! And healthy! Okay, that’s a few best parts, all merited. They’re also vegan and gluten-free, just make sure you’re using gluten-free oats.

No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
Yields about five cookie dough balls, depending on how you roll.

Ingredients
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
3 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped*
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of salt

* I recommend using Medjool dates because they are softer, stickier and larger than other types of dates. I know this because I recently visited a date farm and learned all about these delicious, potassium-rich fruits, including their love lives.

1. Place the oats in a food processor and grind into a flour.

2. Add all remaining ingredients and process until combined.

3. Place the “dough” mixture on parchment paper or a plate and roll into balls.

Six ingredients. Three steps. So easy!

If you prefer your cookie dough on the cool side, you can stick these bites in the fridge for a bit. They taste great chilled, with a slightly chewier texture, but it’s totally optional. For a truffle-inspired take on these treats, roll them in some cacao powder (pictured below).

Recipe notes:

• If your dates have been refrigerated, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to soften them up before processing.
• If your dough seems dry or doesn’t start clumping together in your food processor, you can add another date to help it stick. Using three Medjool dates works for me, but you might need another if your dates are on the smaller side. Alternatively, you could add up to 1 teaspoon of water.

Now go make some dough!