#juniperqueerwork

[sacredspiral]

welcoming my new chevron amethyst home with a palo santo (Bursera graveolens) smoke cleansing and a spell jar of river water, jasmine flowers, lavender buds, & russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) to facilitate our divine energy 🌿🕯️🌙

[sacredspiral]

i truly think soup is a witch’s best friend! it’s eclectic ‘n frugal, makes lots to be shared, and always yearning for herbs + spices. below is my go-to cheddar and cauliflower recipe, perfect for late autumn (and soothing your witchy spirit)🌘🍂 

🍃 INGREDIENTS //  fills ~15 medium bowls

*herbs n spices (below)  *1 head o’ cauliflower 

*1 large onion  *2 large carrots  *1 large russet potato (peeled) 

*1/4c half-n-half (or substitute^)   *2c shredded cheddar cheese^

🍂 HERBS ‘N SPICES // my general correspondences attached, i infuse my intentions into my food along the way ~ make this recipe a sacred ritual for yourself!

*garlic, 5 cloves - divine protection, strength, power

*black peppercorns, generous - protects from negative energy, uncrossing

*cumin seed, large pinch - drives out negative energy, closeness, offering

*dried red chili, to taste but i use 2 bird’s eye chilis or several dashes of chili flake - passion, realization, cleansing

*salt, generous -  lol everything, prosperity, protection, cleansing

*turmeric, several heavy dashes - abundance, menstrual relief, warmth

*dill, two heavy dashes - clarity, good fortunate, growth

*caraway seeds, garnish - memory work, retention, expression

🍃 RECIPE //

-chop vegetables, reserving 2 cups of cauliflower florets to roast in olive oil at 400°F ‘til crisp

-toast cumin seed, garlic, pepper + chili in soup pot then add veggies w/ generous salt and fill with broth (i make homemade veggie broth every week, click for recipe) or water or both until veggies are 3/4 covered

-bring to a boil then simmer until soft (~25 minutes) 

-blend ingredients until smooth. stir in cream, cheese, turmeric, and dill

-enjoy with crispy cauliflower + caraway seeds! 

[sacredspiral]

still life of my witchy kitchen 🌿✨

[sacredspiral]

🌿  warm + nourishing // sausage, kale & leek soup 🌿

*makes 8-10 good sized bowls *i used homemade turkey broth (scroll back 2 see a recipe for easy spiced veggie broth), but u can also use water! *treated my sick self to organic pork belly, rosemary & red wine sausage from my local butcher shop - amazing and filled with good stuff! use whatever tho!! *for herbs & spices, assume 2 thumb-sized pinches unless noted! Ingredients // spices: black peppercorns (x2), 1 bird’s eye chili, coriander, rosemary, 2 cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, salt

-garlic, 5-10 cloves (rough chop)      -kale, 1 bunch (cut into rough ribbons)

-yellow onion, 2 medium (rough chop)  -leeks, 2 stems (cut into thin circles)

-brother, preferably homemade, or water (8 cups or more for brothier soup)

-1 lemon, zest and juice    -sausage, preferably local, ~1lb

Recipe // around one hour of kitchen + simmer time

*grind spices and add to large soup pot with a good amount of olive oil, a bay leaf, and the zest of a lemon. sauté on medium

*add garlic and onions, cook until translucent

*tear sausage into 1inch pieces and brown in pan. add a lil cider vinegar and the lemon juice, scrape up all the bits!! add salt!

*add leeks + kale, stir and cook until bright green, about 5 minutes. do you have enough salt? good question to consider here

*add broth or water (or a combination of both!). bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for at least 25 minutes. 

*enjoy :-)

my body and my spirit deserve nourishing, warm, and lovingly made foods. food is not my enemy, it is my friend and tool to connecting with the world around me. food brings magic into my life. to create and share food is a divine act.

[sacredspiral]

okay y’all, take it from a southern queer kitchen witch: biscuits ‘n gravy IS indeed a witch meal (as is any meal you make, not just traditionally “healthy” food)! you’d be surprised what can nourish your body and spirit when you work from scratch and share your energy with your kitchen and ingredients. 

below is my recipe, inspired by the spicy-fennel gravy my Appalachian grandma always seemed to have on her stove when we visited. i use to call it “glop,” xo

*to my weed witches, this is the perfect wake-n-bake w/ friends or lovers on a Sunday morning kindof meal* 

🍴 Easy Biscuits: makes 6-8 

*2c all purpose flour, plus more for dusting   *2 tbsp baking powder

*sugar, 2 large pinches (think thumb + index)  *1 tsp salt   *1c whole milk

*5 tbsp COLD (!!) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks (i cut it then put it back in the fridge until i’m ready to blend) 

-If using food processor, add flour / baking powder / sugar / salt and cut in butter (~7 pulses), until it resembles rough crumbs. otherwise, add the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and use a fork or dough blade to cut in the chunks of butter. your dough should look like a crumble, with no visible butter. 

-if using food processor, transfer crumble to a mixing bowl. add milk and stir with fork until it resembles a sticky, rough ball. turn-over onto flour surface, sprinkle top with flour and begin patting into a round disc, gently pat it down, and fold over. do this once more. bond with ur dough, it loves you!

-rest a kitchen towel over the dough for 30 minutes. when you return, dust a cup’s rim to cut-out biscuits. return to fridge until ready to bake. 

-preheat a cast iron skillet in the oven at 425°F. when preheated, add cold biscuits and brush with melted butter / oil. bake for 10-15 minutes, until the dough doesn’t give to your finger when you press the tops. if you don’t have a skillet, simple bake on a baking sheet according to the instructions above!

🍳 Grandma Irene’s Gravy: makes plenty for ur biscuits, plus a lil extra!

*peppercorns (lots!) + garlic, 2 cloves (protection, intuition)  *red chili (cleansing)

*fennel seed (confidence, self-love n growth)  *oregano (joy, fulfillment, health)

*1 lb ground sausage (or substitute)  *2+ tbsp AP flour  *3c whole milk

-toast ground peppercorns, fennel seed, garlic, dried red chili, and oregano (preferably fresh from ur plant bb) in a large cast-iron skillet or other deep frying pan. 

-add sausage (or substitute), pinched off into smaller chunks and cook over medium-high heat until brown. sprinkle generous salt.

-add 2 heaping tbsp flour and mix into sausage until combined. add milk and mix well, bring mixture to a boil then return to medium - stir lots during this process. the gravy will begin to thicken, be patient and cook it down for about 10-15 minutes as the biscuits finish.

-serve to your liking, though i enjoy w/ a sunny-side up egg on top!! 

[sacredspiral]

spending some quality time with our compost bin on one last 65°F day! the new moon is upon us 🌚✨

[sacredspiral]

nov. 2 // healing in the james river, virginia. i love cleansing + charging my crystals where i’m connected, where my roots run deep – i’ve found these are the places i can set my intentions and direct my energy with ease. 

[sacredspiral]

🌶 🍵  it’s that time - spiced veggie broth! 🌶 🍵  

I make broth weekly in autumn with scraps from the previous week. start by mindfully adding spices to your pot, thinking or saying aloud the intentions of every spice (whether magical or culinary (though I find it’s often both!!) - everything taste better when you toast the spices first, so  this makes for a powerful and tasty ritual.

feel free to follow along with my recipe and/or try your own! 

toast juniper berries (protection, attract healthy energies), 2 bird's eye chilis (bonds w/ friends and family, love), allspice (healing), peppercorns (protection), coriander (love, divination), star anise (clarity, luck), + oregano (cleansing, peace) in the bottom of a heavy pot w/ some oil. 

**as the spices toast and begin to produce their scent, I speak my intentions or and/or chant an incantation i’ve prepared** 

add old veggies / scraps: I used two quartered onions (skin on), 1 jalapeño, garlic, 2 carrots, collard stems, celery stems + leaves

cover with water (about 10 cups) + bring to a boil. reduce heat, salt, cover, and let simmer for a few hours!

strain off veggies + spices and transfer to jars to use over next 10 days. 

broth is SO good for your body n spirit, super affordable for poor witches like me, and made to share with others ❤️ 

[sacredspiral]

a witch’s afternoon ☕🌙

[sacredspiral]

brewing an overnight infusion of stinging nettle, fresh ginger, marsh mallow root and white willow bark sweetened with honey for an overall physical + spiritual cleanse. my correspondences are below 🌿☕✨

stinging nettle (Urtica dioica): protection, relieves anxiety, banishes negative energy + stuck feelings // improves circulation, detoxifying herb, diuretic, high iron, kidney cleansing, joint health, aides with allergy relief. 

marsh mallow root (Althaea officinalis): strengthens divinatory energy, pulls in spirits, soothes the mind // aides with sore throat + cough, stomachic, relieves inflammation.

white willow bark (Salix alba): binding, encouraging emotional expression, stimulate intuition, dreams // natural aspirin, relieves pain and fever, joint health.

ginger (Zingiber officinale): energy, intensity, love + sex magic, healing, sensuality // stomachic, joint pain, improves circulation, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial

[sacredspiral]

🍂🌙 AUTUMN RENEW BANANA BREAD 🍂🌙

autumn is the perfect time to come back to your practice or dive even deeper, to let old parts of us go to the wind and embrace what fulfills us in the present, a time to restore our heavy hearts and bodies. all these things were on my mind as I worked an old banana bread recipe w/ a little autumnal magic, enjoy ✨

INGREDIENTS:

-1/2c melted coconut oil (or butter)   -3 medium over-ripe bananas

-2 eggs    -1/3c honey (or maple syrup)  -2c AP flour  -2tbsp flax seeds

-2 tsp baking powder  -1/4tsp salt  -3/4c walnut pieces (optional) -1/4c pepitas

-1/4c coffee  -2 tbsp honey  -spices: cinnamon, nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat oven to 325°F and grease pan (bundt like below or loaf)

-Mash/mix bananas until broken down then pour in melted oil, mix. Add in eggs then honey, spices and mix until well-combined.

-In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) then slowly mix into wet ingredients to make a smooth cake batter. Fold in nuts.

-Melt remaining honey into coffee then add pepitas and flax seeds. Pour this mixture into the greased pan FIRST then add batter on top. Bake for ~1hr or until a  toothpick comes out clean.

CORRESPONDENCES:

*Pepitas: abundance, protection, fosters heightened divination

*Flax (linwood) seed: prosperity, protection from evil spirits, healing

*Cinnamon: communication, energy, good fortune, passion

*Nutmeg: good luck, clear sight and encourage divination

*Walnut: empower your intentions, access to divine energy

*Honey: community, purification, binding the magic of the recipe

[sacredspiral]

so thankful that my only day off this week lined up with the super moon in Gemini 🌕  spent the day making broth, bonding with my plants out in the sun, and am now working on a five gallon batch of apple cider vinegar to last us through the next few cold months 🍎🍏  

my emerald calcite helps me release the negative energy lingering from this heavy year and welcome new possibilities for myself and those i love! 

[sacredspiral]

a sunny autumn afternoon spent pruning my herb babes, transitioning to bigger pots for winter & feeding them w/ some good stuff from our compost pile ~ I feel so full 😌🌿✨

[sacredspiral]

my best friends are herb plants !!!

[sacredspiral]

bedside altar for the full moon in Gemini 🌝 ♊  

[sacredspiral]

v thankful for my favorite citrine that’s accompanying me to my new job. reggie loves them, too!

*today I’m focusing on citrine’s tendency to keep moving us forward towards our dreams by opening our minds and lines of connection w/ others. it’s joyful vibration transmits outward, banishing negative energy from me*