About a week ago at this point, I looked through the cupboards + fridge to see if I could wait until my next day off to go to the grocery store. As I took stock, I noticed all these ingredients that could not only become full meals, but also yummy drinks. There was a jar of cashews and two nubs of turmeric + ginger that needed to be used​ soon. A quick rinse, equal parts water to cashews + a whir in the blender was all it took to make two jars of thick drink or sauce mix.

This stuff feels like liquid gold waiting to work its magic on anything from a salad to a rice bowl. The cashews offer protein while the turmeric + ginger offer anti-inflammatory properties...and it tastes so good! To make a sauce/dressing, I might add some combination of: a squeeze of lime, salt, pepper, +/or cinnamon.

It also makes a delicious drink. This time I added a spoonful to a little date syrup, cinnamon + coconut milk topped off with some water from the kettle for a lovely, little, hot, golden milk. Soothing in all the most welcome ways on this cooler day after a sweltering week spent on my feet.

Love,
Jane

Hopefully the idea that these tonics are not recipes, but permission to play with what is on hand is coming through. The mint leaves here are from our garden. They dried the first time I brought them inside before I could decide how to use them. Simple. They make the best tasting mint tea I've ever tasted, and they are so plentiful that I feel like I can play around with them to my heart's content. Today I added a dried orange slice, honey + the juice of leftover lime. After that steeps in a little water from the kettle, I will top it off with tap water + chill it in the fridge.

I find so much satisfaction in throwing a little of this in with a glug of that...all whole foods...often a feast for the eyes, a treat for the nose + a joy to the tastebuds. The creative act of making these tonics elicits at least as much joy for me as does the consuming. I find more freedom here than with my usual meal making, because often other's tastes don't need to be considered. (Though I often make enough to share.)

This feels like a luxurious permission. I'm a person who spends a lot of time happily trying to be empathetic + compassionate. This act of love toward myself need not be labeled selfish or exclusionary. It is simply nourishing in a way that feeds so many parts of me in small, yet meaningful, ways.

Love,
​Jane

I decided to make a "tonic" each day this week as an offering of ritual + rest to myself. A smoothie certainly fits this idea during these days when the temperature climbs into the sticky 90s. Icy mango + pineapple mixed with coconut milk, grated coconut, chilled water + honey cool, nourish + offer a bit of relief from the stifling heat. A scoop of protein powder makes it feel meal-worthy on a busy day when something light is enough to keep me moving.

I've been keeping a rotating selection of frozen fruit on hand for smoothies, which has been making me really happy these days. It doesn't take much to make a really tasty, nourishing drink that yields different results each time! 

Love,
​Jane

I'm not sure why I'm choosing the word tonic for these drinks other than that maybe it sounds fancy or fun somehow. The definition of tonic is "a medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigor or well-being." This drink might fit that definition better than most I'll make, because magnesium is meant to calm the nervous system, support strong bones + soothe sore muscles and joints. 

When I decided that drinks could be part of a daily ritual, I let myself purchase a thing or two just for fun. Spirulina gives this magic magnesium its deep blue hue which makes it supremely fun.  :) My partner believes that he sleeps more soundly after drinking magic magnesium, so last night we mixed it with a little coconut milk, honey + sparkling grapefruit water which resulted in a frothy, calming, evening treat.

Mmmmmmm.
​Zzzzzzzzz.

Love,
Jane

Tonics have long held a sort of mystery + allure. I've often felt like there is a sort of monetary + educational barrier there. Lately, however, I have allowed myself to view them with a sense of play. I see them more as a ritual imbued with the meaning they bring to my own day rather than a preexisting prescription.

I had forgotten what these little moments of creativity can add to my day. There is a sort of stretching + imagining that adds an extra sense of wellness to these concoctions. 

Today I made some tea, added a few ripped up dried peaches (bought for snacking, but found less appealing than anticipated) + a squeeze of date syrup (a new-to-me ingredient bought for a specific recipe).

Maybe it's just a drink, but maybe it is so much more:

• a way to use up things that could otherwise languish into waste
• a way to hydrate + nourish my body
• a reminder to take a breath + savor the moment
• an call to creativity
• a ritual I want to make part of my day

Love,
Jane

Inspired by their life + work in the elements of the Pacific Northwest, Ana + Lissa make clothing that is meant to be worn. Ship Supply's sturdy, useful + beautiful pieces are made in their own shop on Lopez Island, Washington. Each piece is made from organic fibers grown, milled + sewn in the USA. 

I love the way these pieces are styled layering a canvas topper over a soft tee + cozy wool pullover sweater. It's always beautiful to see a collection in which a very specific vision comes through. I can't wait to see what Lissa + Ana do next!

All lovely photos via Ship Supply.