Millie's Facial Cleaner

Honey is a humectant, it helps draw moisture to the skin as well as soften it.  This cleanser cleans really well, but will not strip the skin of moisture or protective oils.  Leaves the skin feeling clean but not tight or dry. I follow it will lavender or rose water I make myself by distilling flowers on a stove-top (improvised) still.

3 cup water

2 cups baking soda
1/4 teaspoon almond oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
1 ½  cup honey
1 Tbsp. Dr. Bonner s Almond liquid soap
2 teaspoon vegetable glycerin

1 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder

1 teaspoon Salicylic acid

3 Tablespoons Xantham gum

On low heat, combing all ingredients except honey. Remove from heat and let cool. Add honey. Mix well and let mellow in fridge for a few days. I keep mine in the fridge with a small glass 1 cup canning jar in the bathroom.  Apply to the skin like a soap and rinse off with tepid water.

Triple-Chocolate Espresso Brownies

Either Dutch-processed or natural cocoa works well in this recipe. These brownies are very rich, so I prefer to cut them into small squares for serving.

Makes 64 one-inch brownies

5        ounces semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped coarsely in

          food processor

2        ounces unsweetened chocolate , chopped

8        T unsalted organic butter (1 stick), cut into quarters

3        T cocoa powder 

1 1/2  T instant espresso or coffee powder

3        large organic eggs 

1 1/4  cups granulated sugar (8.75 ounces) or Succanat

2        t vanilla extract 

1/8    t table salt 

1/2    white rice  flour (5 ounces)

1/2    tapioca  flour (5 ounces)

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Fold two 12-inch pieces of foil lengthwise so that they measure 7 inches wide. Cut one sheet of parchment paper the width of the bottom of greased pan and enough to go up and over the sides.  Fit second sheet in pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. The overhang is going to help with the removal of the brownies. Butter paper.

2. In medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, melt chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in cocoa and espresso until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.  You can do this in the microwave, stirring often and doing it in 20 second intervals.

3. Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture; then stir in flour with wooden spoon until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan, spread into corners, and level surface with rubber spatula; bake until slightly puffed and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 40 minutes.

4) Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan using foil handles. Cut into 1-inch squares and serve. (Do not cut brownies until ready to serve; brownies can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 5 days.) 

This recipe is insanely good used to make brownie non-dairy cheesecake!!!