Ready for a superfood twist on traditional spiced drinks this winter? Try a cup of mulled acai berry tea! Cinnamon, citrus, allspice, ginger, clove, and anise: Can you almost feel the warmth of these herbs and spices? They heat us from within throughout the season of cold and dark. Spiced wine is a family favorite at our winter celebrations, and mulled cider is another seasonal treat.

What do dandelion, burdock, chicory, and garlic have in common? They all contain inulin. Inulin is a naturally occurring polysaccharide made up of chains of fructose molecules that are not digested in the small intestine and belong to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans.

We all love a temperate and cozy home, but turning the heater on or lighting up the wood stove can be drying to our skin. Enter lotion bars! These delightful little skin-supporters add moisture and act as an emollient to protect the skin from the seasonal drying that happens this time of year.

Pinwheel cookies (also called spiral cookies) have been a holiday tradition for decades. Often made with vanilla and chocolate or red and green food color, they show up on cookie plates throughout the season. I like traditions like this… and I also like to see how far I can push those traditional recipes to accommodate more flavors and spices.

This classic “icebox” cookie recipe (modern world translation: refrigerator cookie) is essentially the same one my great grandmother—and thousands of other people—used to make in the 1930s and it’s remained a standard ever since. It’s a dough you can easily change into a variety of different cookies with small additions like spices, nuts, dried fruit, crushed candies, etc. And it’s also an accommodating dough for rolling and cutting. These two qualities make it an ideal choice for delicious pinwheel cookies infused with herbal powders!

This time of year, scent is an important part of my home. Seasonal aromas make autumn feel more alive and more celebrated. It makes coming home all the more enjoyable and brings added seasonal awareness to the two teens in my household. To achieve this, many of us DIY folks craft up our favorite diffuser blends, wax melts, and DIY candle recipes. While I like to make all of those things, I have recently added simmer pots to my repertoire. I have really enjoyed this new avenue of bringing fresh and fragrant smells to my home, so I thought I would share some of my family’s favorite combinations.

Caramel apples have always been one of those mixed-feelings food experiences for me. I love good caramel and I love apples, and when the two things come together in a perfect synergy, it is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Unfortunately, a typical caramel apple falls short. First, the caramel is often too sweet rather than buttery-delicious. Second, I want caramel and apple in every bite, and once I work my way around the caramel-y outside, I’m left with a lot of apple and no more caramel. Finally, I don’t like that I end up with caramel all over my face and in my hair every time I eat a caramel apple on a stick. Recently, however, I found the solution: caramel apple slices! So, of course, down the caramel apple rabbit hole I went and I’m so glad I did!

There are a number of effective and delicious ways to bring the nutrition and immune benefits of elderberries into our diets.* Tincture, tonic, syrup, tea, and culinary recipes abound. And, of course, there are gummies! I’m a big believer in putting fun into our lives when and where we can, and an elderberry gummy is a morsel of fun that also provides support for our immune systems. Most gummies, however, contain gelatin, which is a hard no for vegans and followers of some religious faiths. We set out to create an elderberry gummy that anyone can enjoy. How do you get a gelatin-type gummy without the gelatin? It all comes down to agar-agar powder.

If I had a quarter for every time I’ve found myself guiltily staring down at the seed-speckled mushy remnants of a squash I freshly gutted, I’d be retired and roaming somewhere around the Oregon Coast by now. “What in the world am I supposed to do with all these seeds?,” I’d grumble to myself as the seeds seemingly stared back up at me with a desperate look of maybe, just maybe, this will be the day I use them to their full potential. Repurposing seeds that would otherwise be destined for the compost bin can feel intimidating, time-consuming, and messy (full disclosure – the messy part is true!).

I love taco bowls. These deconstructed tacos are packed with nutrition, big on flavor, and easy to customize for a variety of palates, even on a weeknight when you don’t have much time. I generally look to my garden for what to include, so they change by the seasons in our home. This autumn-inspired taco bowl is an annual favorite, combining winter squash or sweet potatoes with black beans for a hearty protein- and fiber-rich bowl that pleases everyone in the family.

Herbal beverages are among the easiest ways to enjoy the power of plants. The combinations of herbs are virtually limitless, and you have the flexibility of adding a pinch of this or a dash of that depending on your flavor and wellness goals. I love that they aren’t a big-time commitment like other herbal preparations and when you pair them with a menstruum like apple cider vinegar, you get the added benefit of gut support.

I’m a sucker for seasonal scents. As soon as fall arrives, I begin making homemade wax melts, diffuser blends, roll-on perfumes, and natural skincare recipes to match the seasonal shift. I was recently inspired by my dear colleague Heidi’s autumn spice lotion recipe and I thought a foaming hand soap would make a great compliment.