Spray Bottles Are Magical!

Cleaning.  There are those who find cleaning like dishwashing to be a calming meditative practice and then there are those of us who find spirituality in other activities relegating house cleaning to chores.  Recently I have moved from the latter approach to the former and while scrubbing the bathtub and rinsing glasses are not my favorite activities I have come to welcome them as important steps in guarding the health of my home and in turn my own well-being.  

One of the most effective steps you can take to promote a healthy living environment is to create a daily clean-up routine.  These include small steps to clear up and return items to their rightful place at days end as well as wipe down and dry all kitchen surfaces.  The single most useful tool I have in my house-cleaning treasure-toolchest is my spray bottle.  Actually, I have several for different homemade cleaning solutions to use around the house.  A spray bottle evenly distributes solution across a broad area and a dry kitchen towel wipes up the spills and grime.  In the kitchen my spray-bottle lives under my sink where it’s easily accessible and ready to clean up spills on the counter, in the pantry and inside the fridge.  It’s also incredibly useful for cleaning my large stock-pots and cast-iron cookware.  At the end of the day a quick spray on the kitchen floor can be wiped clean and dry with a sponja to keep your kitchen fresh between proper floor cleanings.  

Below is my “Easy-Shmeasy” kitchen cleanup solution to pour into your spray bottle.  While I certainly promote recycling an empty bottle you may have on-hand, feel free to buy a new one that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is practical.  Go for a color that complements your kitchen’s color palette so it can be handy while staying visually unobtrusive.


The Easy-Shmeasy Solution (Perfect even for my messiest stovetops)
2 cups water
1 tsp liquid dish soap

If you wish, substitute the liquid dish soap with a few drops of castile soap and for a fancier solution with anti-bacterial power add 20 drops tea-tree oil or combination of your favorite essential oils.  I like to include eucalyptus oil as it is an effective “pest-deterrent” in the summer (see ya, mosquitos!) and year round, but particularly come cold and flu season, it helps keep nasal passages clear.

Note: Vinegar is a powerful ingredient in your homemade cleaning pantry with anti-bacterial properties but can wreak havoc on granite counters.  Omit from any solution that will be used on granite surfaces or tiles and grout as well as solutions that contain castile soap such as Dr. Bronner’s.

May incorporating these tips and tools help to keep your home and its inhabitants healthy and happy!

Sweet Orange Oil + Chocolate Indulgence

What’s a girl to do when it’s overcast and grey?  My mind was alight with visions, wrapped in warm blankets sipping hot chocolate in front of a roaring fireplace before the sharp chill seeped in through the cracks and corners ushering in a winter sadness and melancholy.  So what do you do when you live in a small Jerusalem apartment with no fireplace to speak of and the only glow before you are the lighted pixels of your computer screen?  How do you nourish yourself when the hot cocoa of your fantasies gives way to a sugar crash and lethargy of your nightmares?  I present to you my “instant” sustainable mood-booster.

In the mornings I like to light my “bedroom fireplace”, tealights to bring warm light to a cool toned morning.  Drop your favorite essential oils into your diffuser and you have yourself a mini-fireplace wherever you go.  My go-to oils on winter mornings are sweet orange and lavender which are both known for calming properties and for uplifting the emotions without being overly stimulating.  The fragrant citrusy orange scent in particular awakens my appetite for other seasonal smells and spiced treats, mulled wine with cloves, ginger and cinnamon.  Yum!  

And since we could all do with a little chocolate I invite you to perk up your day and savor this chocolaty treat:

2 tsp smooth almond butter
½ tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp honey
pinch salt
1 cup boiling water

Mix almond butter, cocoa, honey and salt together and pour water over the mixture stirring until dissolved and smooth.  Alternatively, omit the almond butter and steam 1 cup milk of choice and dissolve cocoa and sweetener.

Get creative!  If you’re a coffee drinker add in a shot of espresso for a mocha spin.  Spoon in a dollop of homemade coconut whipped cream for indulgent decadence.

H/T to 100 Days of Real Food for the hot chocolate inspiration!