Mindfully Written

Amber Erickson: Denver Content Marketing Strategist & Freelance Health and Lifestyle Writer

What to do with Rose Water

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rose waterIf you’ve been to a health food store recently, you’ve probably seen rose water on the shelves. But what the heck would you use it for?

Let’s break it down.

Uses for Rose Water

Rose water, at the most simplistic level, smells awesome. If you love to stick your nose in the middle of a bouquet of roses, you will probably love having rose water on hand. But beyond that, rose water is most well-known as a gentle astringent. Astringents are most commonly used as facial toner. While many facial products are full of chemicals or other ingredients that are hard on the skin, simple astringents like rose water are safe even on sensitive or dry skin. Rose water has anti-inflammatory properties, soothing dry skin.

Rose water is also used in cooking. Who knew, right?! Apparently it has a delightful, yet distinctive flavor, often used in Middle Eastern or Asian dishes and desserts (like baklava or rice pudding).

Here are a handful of ways to use rose water, but the options are endless, so be creative!

  • Spritz the rose water directly on the face, acting to protect and moisturize
  • Spritz yourself for a natural fragrance
  • Use as a post-shower rinse (on body and hair) for moisturizing and scent
  • Use directly on the face (mixed with some water) for a simple toner
  • Mix with some carrier oil to use as a makeup remover
  • Add to homemade lotions, scrubs or other beauty treatments
  • Add directly to the bath
  • Mist the bedsheets before bed (make a spray bottle with equal parts rose water and plain water)
  • Add to beverages, especially tea or smoothies

Buying Rose Water

As with any product, be careful that you’re getting what your expect. Look for 100% pure rose water – no preservatives, no perfumes, just straight up. If you’re crafty, you could also make your own. You can find instructions online (including this one).

I recently bought some rose water and love the way it smells. It’s really like sticking your face into a bouquet of roses – all natural and delicious without any chemical or artificial-ness. If you are sensitive to fragrance or just hate artificial scents, this is a nice option. The scent does fade quickly so don’t rely on it as an all-day perfume, but it’s great for a morning pick-me-up.

Do you use rose water? If so, what do you use it for?: Share your experiences in the comments.

{Photo Credit: L. Seymour}

Portobello Mushroom Recipe: Gluten-Free and almost Paleo

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portobello mushroom recipe

 

I’m not chef, but I know my way around the kitchen. Both my husband and I share the cooking duties at home and we eat nearly every meal at home. Every once and a while I land on an accidental gem and this is one of them: Portobello Mushroom Caps with Homemade Tomato Sauce and Side of GF Pasta. It’s like a more Paleo version of chicken parmigiana or something (and more delicious). I thought it’d be fun to share this gluten-free portobello mushroom recipe with you all. Let me know what you think!

 

Portobello Mushroom Recipe

Ingredients:

portobello mushroom recipe ingredients3+ portobello mushroom caps (I make enough for everyone and then some)

Oil to cook mushrooms (I use coconut oil or ghee)

3+ fresh tomatoes (could use canned if necessary)

Garlic

Oregano, Basil and Parley (fresh or dried – I use dried and it’s fine)

Mozzarella Cheese (if desired – for Paleo, skip the cheese; for vegan, either skip or use your favorite vegan cheese)

Gluten-free pasta (I usually buy two small portions from the bulk aisle – any style is fine, but I prefer linguini or spaghetti)

Parmesan cheese (if desired)

Instructions:

This meal is kind of an art because you’ll have many pans going and it can get a bit chaotic if you’re cooking alone. I start with the mushrooms.Remove the stem and wash the caps. I always use a spoon to gently scrape away the gills. Heat your oil in a pan on medium or medium-high and add the cleaned caps. Cook for a while (I know, stay with me). Flip the caps when one side is nicely cooking but not burning. I usually flip the caps several times and rotate their position in the pan to get even cooking. When the caps are done, they will be significantly smaller than when you started, dark colored and almost flat.

cooked portobello mushroom caps

While the mushrooms are cooking, preheat the oven to broil. Also, you will want to get your water boiling for the pasta.

Then, start working on the sauce. Chop up your tomatoes into small pieces and add to a saucepan. Throw in a couple chopped cloves of garlic and season liberally with oregano, parsley, basil and salt and pepper. Feel free to add whatever you fancy (like some spice, garlic salt, etc.). I usually add some olive oil for some moisture. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn down the heat to a nice simmer. The longer you can simmer, the better because the tomatoes start to break down, the skin softens and it becomes more sauce-like. I’m sure it’s good regardless of cook time, but I like to get mine going so it can simmer while the mushrooms and pasta are cooking.

portobello mushroom recipe tomato sauce

Once the mushrooms are done and oven is preheated, move the mushroom caps to a baking-safe dish. I like to use a 9×9 glass pan with sides high enough to hold in any moisture from the tomato sauce. Put the mushrooms down gill-side up (see photo up above), then spoon some of the tomato mixture into the caps. I try to keep it from spilling out, carefully piling it high. I add probably a 1/4 inch or so of tomato topping on each cap. Make sure you save enough of the tomato sauce for your pasta.

Then, if desired, top with a slice of mozzarella cheese or grated would work too. Add to the oven and broil for several minutes, until the cheese is melted to your desire. If you’re not doing cheese, you probably don’t have to broil at all.

portobello mushroom caps with tomato sauce and cheeseBy now hopefully your pasta is cooked to your liking. Pull the mushrooms from the oven and put onto a plate. Serve up some pasta, use the remaining tomato sauce to top the pasta (it will be a bit watery) and carefully scoop your mushroom cap from the pan. Sprinkle the whole bit with some parmesan cheese or basil/oregano for visual appeal.

portobello mushroom recipe completedFinally, enjoy with the ones you love. I love making this meal for my husband and it’s one of his favorites. It’s a warm and satisfying meal, even for meat lovers. I like to top this off with a glass of wine and a little candlelight.

Go ahead, give it a try and let me know what you think!