When time for making bread is limited, I usually go for the easiest version. This for me means to put the dough straight into baking pans. This option has 2 advantages: first it is related to handling the dough less, as it is already set in pans and second is that you get the exact right size for a sandwich.
I need to admit that although it is easy, this is not my preferred method to bake bread. I would vote for raising the bread in banetons and  leave the shape of the bread to develop in a natural way. Nevertheless, using pans is easier and it is the best compromise I have when time is an issue.

I like to mix flours. This increase the taste and aroma of the breads. Extra seeds added to the dough create an interesting texture. Mix them all and every bread you make following basic instructions will turn out to be exceptional.

I make bread every week but I change the recipe most of the time. I like to experiment. I like to try new tastes. I like to see the cause-effect for each added ingredient. I learn from every bread I make. And what is amazing, although sometimes I do the exact recipe, the results are never the same. Why is this? Simply because some environmental factors are influencing the process (like temperature, time, heating in the fire wood oven, type of wood, humidity and so on). In a controlled environment like bakeries, I can understand that breads are similar, but in my house, I rarely have control of all these factors. In the end, this is the reason why I never get bored of baking bread. Every time is different. Every time I get curious how the bread will look like. Sometimes it is better, sometimes it is not. Although it is only an eye appreciation, what I know for sure is that every single bread I bake will be eaten until the last crumb. So it is a trial with no chance of failure.

Let's see now the recipe of this bread...

I made charcoal soap before but this time I wanted to go more to the extreme and focus mainly on the properties of this ingredient.
I had in mind a soap dedicated for cleaning the face and activated charcoal is well known for this. In addition, instead of using pure water as liquid, I used chamomile tea combined with aloe vera. Chamomile tea is recognized as being anti-inflammatory and anti-septic and helps fading spots. The same, aloe vera gel has heealing and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin inflammation.
What else would you like for a face soap ?
The lavender essential oil brings a relaxing mood and also contributes to killing bacteria.

Here it is...

I like very much the sourdough breads that contains some rye flour inside and I tried so many variants that I cannot count anymore.
This version is a sister of the Rye Sourdough Bread. Differences for the quantities are minor and the timing is a bit shorter for this one. Both have incredible taste but I let you decide which one is the favorite.

I have made different tests with this recipe: I tried the straight method (raised during the day) or with retard in the fridge, I tried a less wet dough, I tried to bake it directly on the stone, but finally I chose to make a more wet dough and to bake it in pans.
The pans helped to sustain the runny dough and to give an uniform shape. The taste of all the different option was of course the same but the structure was different. As for the fermentation, I preferred the dough to raise over night outside the house. Although it is summer, the nights are cold enough to not over proof my dough. I mixed it late at night and in the morning I gave it a shape. The bread was warm and ready to eat for the lunch. The smell of bread was everywhere and the mood of feeling home was definitely increased.

This was my first deodorant made by myself. I can call it a successful experience that will be for sure repeated.
Long time ago when deo sticks didn't exist and soap and water was the only solution, I have learned about sodium bicarbonate as an option. Using just sodium bicarbonate helped keeping me fresh on hot days but wearing it was a mess for the clothes and not at all comfortable due to its grainy structure. When creamy deo sticks made their way to the marked, sodium bicarbonate was way obsolete. But later, when deo sticks revealed all their side effects due to all chemicals used, a question mark was raised.
As always... when you have to do a step backward to keep your health in good shape, you go back to basics. Sodium bicarbonate has proved its qualities but, to overpass its down sides, a combination with other natural ingredients could have been the solution. I then decided to go this way. Creamy from the butters, solid from the bee wax, scented from the essential oils. That's my combination for a perfect deo stick.
I used it now for some months already and I am very happy with the results.
There is however something that I would change next time and that is related to consistency. I would put half of the bee wax quantity as I find the texture a bit too solid. Other than this, I wouldn't change anything to this recipe.
If you want to be purist, you can even keep the alum powder out. I had some and I wanted to use it, otherwise it won't make any big difference.

It is difficult sometimes to have some extra minutes to photograph and write a post about the food I make. Caught between the incredible busy routine and spending some quality time with my kids, there is so little time to dedicate to my passions.
Despite of all this, one Sunday, I baked my bread that turned out so spectacular that almost forced me to photograph it.
I took the bread out of the oven and brought it in the kitchen to cool it a bit before the photo session. I didn't even finished to organize my props and when returning into the kitchen I found my beautiful bread broken in pieces by my daughter who couldn't resist the smell that was spread around the house. Should I have been upset? My best beautiful piece of bread was gone, so no option to photograph it... but the reason was more noble than a photo on a post: my daughter has devoured the bread and there is no "like" in this world more important for me.
I took then the other 2 pieces of bread and made a quick photo before they would disappear too :)
After the photo, 2 weeks has passed to find some time to post the photo, the recipe and some words about it ...

As for the bread, in the recent time I only do retarded bread. The advantage is that the bread is raising for the first fermentation during the night, and depending on the temperature over the night, I can bake the bread between the morning to the afternoon instead of baking it in the evening if the bread is started in the same day in the morning.

This bread is made with a lot of rye. Yes, it has a very sticky dough but the taste is outstanding and as seen, it raised quite nicely.

When I made my first shampoo bar I didn't know what to expect. Would my hair like it? Would it be as good as the classical bought shampoo? These are normal questions when you make a radical change from store bought shampoos to homemade ones. I have now months since I completely change to use only my homemade shampoo. Although the feeling is totally different, I am very satisfied with the results and I do not have any reason to go back.
More, in my last holiday I packed one bar of shampoo. It replaced a soap, a face soap, a shower gel and a bottle of shampoo that I used to take with me. All of these into one single bar. No leaking and less space in my luggage.
Some of the bars from my previous batch I gave them to 2 of my friends. One of them seemed to like it a lot, so I have decided then that I should do my next round sooner then expected. Here it is. Same healthy and nourishing properties but different aroma and colors.

The chamomile tea brings extra benefits like reducing dandruff, helping with hair growth, preventing split ends and making your hair to shine.
Beside the chamomile tea, the rest of ingredients come also with their incredible benefits: tea tree essential oil to fight against dandruff, lavender essential oil for hair growth, cedar wood essential oil to avoid hair loss; the jojoba oil to control your hair, prevent hair loss and dandruff, the sweet almond oil and vitamin E for long shiny hair and control hair loss, the cocoa butter to repair damaged hair and I won't add all the benefits of the remaining oils as I assume they are very popular.
This mix of ingredients is a miracle for your hair. Just give it a try it ...

I find myself lately quite often opening the door of a fast food shop for the lunch break. This is mainly due to the lack of time to cook at home for the lunch as well. Fast food indeed, but not any shop, I chose mainly the ones with organic and fresh food.
One day, after picking a salad or a sandwich, my eyes were falling on a tart, strategically placed near the queue formed before the pay. As you can imagine, I am talking about a lemon tart. That day I picked one piece. The next day, the story repeated. I was a bit frustrated that such a simple tart would cost so much in an organic shop so I said, oooook... my next cooked desert at home would be this one.
So, the lemon tart appeared on my to do list during the weekend.

I baked it and my daughter didn't want to even look at it. Hmmm.... I was confused because she usually doesn't refuse deserts and she likes very much everything that has a sour taste, including raw lemons. Then, I was looking at my tart for a moment thinking that this one would be almost fully mine. The next moment I realized that my daughter didn't know exactly on what she was saying no so I made her taste it. She took a bite, almost forced, like it was the most disgusting food, but when she had it on her tongue she looked at me and she said: "I want the whole slice!". Forget about having my own lemon tart :):):) ...