Oat Milk Bath

One of my fond memories from childhood was getting an oat bath from my mom when I had chicken pox.  My older brothers hadn’t gotten them yet so I was alienated from them until the pox went away.  Luckily my mom was there for me.  I remember that oat bath being so soothing on my itchy skin. And being doted on by my mom felt pretty good too.
 
You don’t need chicken pox to enjoy a good oat milk bath.  They’re great for every day relaxation and also sunburns. Oats soothe and soften the skin. They contain fat and vitamins B & E.  Buttermilk is a mild exfoliant and an emollient which sheds dead skin cells and softens the skin. Buttermilk is also said to stimulate cell growth. In the recipe below I changed it up by adding brown rice. Rice can soothe irritated skin, condition, and tone.  I hope you enjoy!

Oat Milk Bath

Makes About 12 Bags/Baths
 

1 C Dried Buttermilk (or dried milk)

1 C Long Grain Brown Rice
2 C Steel Cut Oats

Mix the ingredients in a bowl.  Fill muslin bags with about 3T of the mixture and pull the bag closed with the strings.  These will stay fresh 3-6 months.

When ready for the bath, fill the tub with hot to warm water.  Put one of the bags in the water and leave it in during the bath.  You may want to massage the bag at the beginning to better release the contents. When bath time is over, pull the bag out and throw it away.

Decorated Muslin Bags

You can find muslin bags at tea or craft stores.  It’s necessary to put the oat milk bath in a muslin bag because you don’t want to clog your drain with the loose contents.  These bags are great because after it moisturizes your bath water you can throw it away with no mess.  Use them as is or decorate them as I have.

Using fabric paint and a brush, lightly paint a stamp.  Stamp the bag and let it dry.  You can also paint directly on the bag if you feel comfortable.

Fill the bags with about 3T of oat milk and pull the strings tight. 

Handmade Bath Salts & Sugar Scrubs

Epsom salts in a bath are great to soothe sore muscles. The salts absorb into the skin and reduce inflammation.  The scented salt recipes below use essential oils and flowers to add to the relaxation of an epsom salt bath.

The scrubs recipes below are great for your whole body and face.  These scrubs invigorate the skin and scrub away any dead cells. They are best used within a few weeks, but with a little extra oil, can last for several months.

Be creative!  There are a lot of different essential oils out there.  I found Whole Foods Market to have the best selection.  Also you can make different dried citrus zests and herbs. Use fragrant tea bags or bulk teas. Oils can be mixed and matched like jojoba, almond, grape seed, and apricot. Olive oil is great too but remember that it has a strong scent. Make sure that you want that scent to take over in your scrub.  I wouldn’t use it with flowers, but it would be great with lemon zest or herbs.

 

Lavender Jasmine or Rose Chamomile Bath Salts

Each Recipe Makes about 2 Cups

Lavender Jasmine                            Or           Rose Chamomile             

1 Lb Epsom Salts                                              1 Lb Epsom Salts
25 Drops Lavender Essential Oil                   25 Drops Rose Essential Oil
½ C Dried Lavender Buds                               ½ C Dried Rosehips
¼ C Dried Jasmine Tea Leaves                       ¼ C Dried Chamomile Flowers

Mix all of the ingredients together.  Store in a glass jar until ready to use. When ready for the bath, fill the tub with hot to warm water and sprinkle in about 2-3 T of salts.

*For the tea leaves you can open a few tea bags.  

Decorative Jars

Bath salts can last for a long time.  They will slowly start to lose their fragrance but could last for a year if stored in an airtight glass container.  Since this is the case, why not display them in a decorative jar. 

I found these glass jars at various craft stores.  Plastic absorbs the fragrance, so you will want to use glass for the bath salts. I used ribbons, glue, paper flowers, and jewelry charms to decorate them.

Orange Rosemary Sugar Scrub

Makes About 2 Cups

1 ½ C Granulated Sugar

3 T Epsom Salt

1T Dried Orange Zest

4 T Honey

½ C Almond Oil (can substitute grape seed)

3T Jojoba Oil

Approximately 20 Drops of Rosemary Oil

I made my own dried orange zest by zesting 2 oranges onto wax paper and letting it dry overnight.  I find this much better quality than buying it ready made.

 Mix all of the ingredients together and store them in a jar.  It’s best to use within 2 weeks.  It can be used for several months, but a small amount of oil may need to be added to it.

*Rosemary is a stimulant and astringent which will tighten and tone the skin and increase circulation.  Orange zest is an emollient and will soften the skin.  Almond oil is a great lubricant and emollient which leaves a silky finish on the skin. 

Brown Sugar Coffee Scrub

Makes About 2 Cups

1 ½ C Brown Sugar

1 C Ground Coffee
4 T Honey
1 T Vanilla
1/2 C Almond Oil (can substitute grape seed oil)
½ C Jojoba Oil

 Mix all of the ingredients together and store them in a jar.  It’s best to use within 2 weeks.  It can be used for several months, but a small amount of oil may need to be added to it.

*Coffee is an anti-inflammatory and it’s texture is great for scrubbing away dead skin. Honey is an emollient and a gentile cleanser that acts as a lubricant to protect the skin.

Summer Fruit Salsas

 Watermelon Salsa

Serves 6-8
 

6 Cups Seedless Watermelon, Small Dice

½ Bunch Cilantro, Chopped

2 Sprigs Fresh Mint, Chopped (optional)

1/3 C Red Onion, Small Dice

3 Limes, Juiced & Zested

½  Jalapeno, Minced

Corn Tortilla Chips

Mix all ingredients together.  Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate before serving.  Serve with corn tortilla chips.

 

 

Pineapple Salsa

Serves 6-8

1 Pineapple, Small Dice

¼ C Onion, Small Dice
½ Bunch Cilantro, Chopped
2 Sprigs Fresh Mint, Chopped
½ Jalapeno, Seeded & Minced
2 Limes, Juiced & Zested
Salt to Taste
 

Mix all ingredients together.  Let it marinate at least an hour before serving.

 
*Is great with tortilla chips, or topped on chicken or fish.

 

 

 

Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa & Avocado Yogurt

Makes 6 Tacos

For the Fish:

4 Tilapia Fillets (or 1 lb cod, tuna, halibut, swordfish)
¼ t Cumin
¼ t Cayenne Pepper
1 T Chili Powder
2 T Smoked Paprika
1t Sea Salt
1T Oil

For the Avocado Yogurt:

1 Ripe Avocado

1 C Plain Greek Yogurt
1 t Lemon or Lime Juice
Pinch of Salt
 
6 Corn Tortillas
1 ½ C Pineapple Salsa
 

Mix the spices for the tilapia in a bowl and use all of it to season the fish.  Heat up a sauté pan with the oil. Sauté the fish, flipping it once during the process.

 

To make the avocado yogurt, slice the avocado and mash it up in a bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients until smooth.

Quickly heat the tortillas in a sauté pan or over a low flame to make them more pliable.

 

To assemble, put the tortillas down flat on a plate. The tilapia should flake well, so tear it apart and divide the pieces amongst the tacos.  Spoon out the yogurt onto the fish.  Top it off with the salsa and serve.