Snow Day, Baked Oatmeal & DIY Oat's n' Honey Face Scrub

Woke this morning to a light dusting of snow with a crust of ice. NO SCHOOL!! It is wild to me that the school districts, these days, will cancel or delay school before even one flake of snow falls. Also crazy to me is that the kids are given only one "traditional snow day," a year, and today makes our second! I get they don't want to tack on more days to the end of the year, but I feel kids today are robbed of their childhood from one snow day per year to reducing recesses from three a day down to two. Thankfully, the powers that be allowed today to be a "traditional snow day." To celebrate I built a fire and made some baked oatmeal.

Baked oatmeal is so easy. Oats, eggs, milk, maple syrup, butter, whatever fruit you have on hand, and a generous amount of sweet cinnamon. The picky eater even enjoyed our brunch.

So, let's break down the ingredients and discuss the health benefits and metaphysical properties (if any) of the main actors in this dish, oats, maple syrup, and cinnamon.

Oats: a type of grass that loves wet feet thriving in marshy lands whose root structure contributes to maintaining a firm embankment. Milky oats are formed just after the plant flowers and last about one week, at which time, the seed forms and becomes what we use for oatmeal. We will talk more about milky oats in another blog post.

Oats are full of beta-glucan or soluble fiber not only binds to cholesterol in the digestive tract and expels it from the body helping to lower cholesterol levels, but it works similarly with glucose. It works to slow the absorption of glucose in the bloodstream managing blood sugar levels thereby potentially reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Oats also contain so many important vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, B vitamin complex, protein, and vitamins A, C, and E, to name a few. Oats are full of fiber making you feel satiated and full which can help maintain a healthy weight. This plant is rich in nutrients that help build strong immunity. Oats help soothe the nervous system and aid in reducing stress. This wonderful plant ally is a great help during peri-menopause and menopause due to its high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and silica needed to combat osteoporosis by building strong bones. (The Herbarium, Herbal Academy) I use milky oats and oat straw in my Calm the Cranky blend which is great for PMS and menopause symptoms. Not only do oats work wonders internally from the digestive to the nervous system, but it is a great relief for itchy, irritated skin caused by poison ivy, poison oak, eczema, and psoriasis. It also makes a lovely exfoliant and is gentle enough to use on the face. ( see below for a face scrub recipe)

Oats, on an energetic level, have similar properties of nourishment, steadfastness, and grounding. Oats help us maintain emotional balance, and offer a sense of clarity when life becomes overwhelming and confusing. (witchinthewoodsbotanicals.com)

Maple Syrup: the sweet, rich sap of the sugar maple, cooked down and tended to over many days leaving us with this sweet sugar substitute. It is important to remember that it is still high in sugar though it does offer more than its grainy, white counterpart. Maple syrup is high in manganese and zinc with somewhat lower levels of iron, potassium, and calcium. The glucose index in maple syrup is around 54 whereas table sugar is around 65 which makes it somewhat slower to absorb into the bloodstream. Of course, you should be careful of your sugar intake no matter the form. (healthline.com)

There are some magical properties of maple. It can be used for abundance, love, healing, and divination. The maple tree is a great protector and therefore so are its parts. You can use maple syrup in place of sugar or honey in your craft. (spindleandroot.com)

Cinnamon: cassia cinnamon originates from China. Many other varieties of cinnamon are found all over Asia. For instance, Cinnamomum burmannii, or Indonesian cinnamon, is a variety that was established as the world's first Rainforest Alliance-certified cinnamon farm in Indonesia. For this discussion, we are focusing on Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cassia Cinnamon) and Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon Cinnamon) as they have been used the most in clinical studies. Cassia cinnamon has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years as a warming spice to combat a cold constitution and is used for coughs and sore throats. It has also been used as a food preservative and has undergone recent studies showing its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This drying and warming spice works wonders as a digestive aid too. Cassia cinnamon, specifically, is used to help with gastrointestinal issues ranging from flatulence to diarrhea, and nausea. Both Cassia and Ceylon cinnamon have been studied extensively for their effects on blood glucose proving their ability to control those levels to the extent of keeping type 2 diabetes at bay though more research is needed.

Energetically, cinnamon offers protection, can boost intentions, promotes abundance, and prosperity, and aids in healing of all kinds.

Oats, Honey and Cinnamon Face Scrub

1 Tablespoon Ground Organic Oats*

1 teaspoon Honey (Raw if possible)

Pinch of Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth adding a little water at a time for a smooth, paste like consistancy is reached.

Massage all over face avoiding the eyes, making sure to do a test patch first as cinnamon can irritate sensitive skin**. Allow to sit for a few minutes if you wish. Rinse with warm water. Pat to dry. Use this 1 to 2 times a week depending on your skin sensitivities.

*I like to gind up about 1/2 to 1 cup oats ahead of time to use as needed. Keep in an air tight container.

**If cinnamon is NOT a good match for your skin, try using sugar, coffee grounds, or some other exfoliant that is more suitable.