Molly Beauchemin

2 months ago | graceandlightness.com | Molly Beauchemin

Ethan Hawke’s intimate Ted Talk, “Give yourself permission to be creative”, was recorded during the Pandemic and recently recirculated after a clip from the talk– when Hawke speaks about the power of “art as sustenance”– went viral.  In this talk– which deals largely with the idea that creativity is not a privilege, but a right– Hawke traces the arc of his own career in the Arts with anecdotes from his personal life, to animate why it is that he felt compelled to get into a line of creative work.

2 months ago | graceandlightness.com | Molly Beauchemin

When I was in the throws of early pregnancy nausea with my second child, I remember reading some quote from Kim Kardashian or another celebrity who I usually wouldn’t pay attention to, but it caught my eye nevertheless (thanks, Instagram algorithm!). The quote was simple and cut to the chase: “Being pregnant was the worst time of my life. I love my kids, and I would do it again for them if I had to, but it was horrible.”^ I had never felt so seen.

2 months ago | graceandlightness.com | Molly Beauchemin

Yes, you can eat magnolia flowers— and they’re having a renaissance right now. Magnolia season arrives in early spring every year, and it is very short– usually lasting only two weeks, so it’s sort of like a shooting star in the realm of seasonal food (like ramps or morels, they are special in that way, decidedly marking the beginning of their respective spring seasons).

2 months ago | graceandlightness.com | Molly Beauchemin

This easy maple-date chestnut milk recipe is made from fresh-roasted chestnuts, dates, water, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. That’s it! If you’re a local food lover, it makes a beautiful alternative to hot chocolate for warm-weather sipping by the fire. Chesnuts are the ultimate winter season crop, a lovely treat to wait for during the onset of cold weather.

Mar 8, 2025 | graceandlightness.com | Molly Beauchemin

Olive oil cake is all the rage in the baking world right now. This vegan olive oil quick bread is versatile and moist enough to moonlight as an olive oil cake (if you want to bake it in a cake pan) or as olive oil cake muffins. We love it best as an understated olive oil quick bread. It’s not too sweet, super-rich, and moist as all olive oil baked goods should be.