Essential Oils for the Holidays

The holiday season is a great time of year to use Essential Oils in a variety of manners. During this time of year, Essential Oils can be used to scent the home or office, prevent the spread of germs, health and well-being and even in cooking.

Traditional religious oriented Essential Oils used at the holidays are Frankincense and Myrrh. These are often used in church ceremonies this time of year with significance due to these oils being mentioned as gifts to the baby Jesus. 

If you have a diffuser, this is a great time of year to diffuse your favorite scents, to bring back memories and create new ones, as well as helping to fight air borne bacteria and viruses. Some favorite oils to blend this time of year include clove, ginger, cinnamon, cassia, orange, juniper, peppermint and cardamom. You can experiment with different holiday blends or just use a single essential oil. 

A great gift idea from Young Living for using your favorite Essential Oils is Whipped Body Butter:

Whipped Body Butter

1 cup organic coconut oil

1 cup organic solid cocoa butter (do not use lotion)

15 drops of your favorite aromatic Essential Oil (such as lavender)

Warm a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, then add coconut oil and cocoa butter. Melt until completely liquefied, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a glass mixing bowl and place in refrigerator for 30 – 45 minutes to cool and just set but not harden. Stir in Essential Oils. Using an electric hand mixer, whip until firm peaks form, about 10 minutes. Gently transfer to a sealable jar or container. Store at room temperature to avoid melting or solidifying. Massage into dry skin. 

When cooking with Essential Oils, be sure to make certain that they first edible oils and of food grade quality, along with being 100 percent pure. Essential Oils for cooking can add a lot of flavor with only a drop or two of the oil and flavors range from black pepper to rosemary to lemon to tangerine. Check out the wide variety of flavors you can add to your food year round.

Here are a few recipes for using Essential Oils in your cooking that can add a huge boost of flavor to your supper table.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed 

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

½ teaspoon salt 

3 garlic cloves, minced 

3 carrots, diced 

1 onion, diced 

2 apples, diced 

3 tablespoons water 

1 cup vegetable broth 

1 cup light coconut milk 

1 drop Black Pepper Vitality™ Essential Oil 

1 drop Cinnamon Bark Vitality™ Essential Oil 

2 teaspoons garlic powder 

2 teaspoons onion powder 

Additional salt to taste 

Green onions, chopped (for garnish) 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss squash in olive oil and salt and bake on a cookie sheet for 30–35 minutes. While squash is cooking, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add carrots and 3 tablespoons water or vegetable broth to pan. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add onion and apples. Cook 15–20 minutes or until all veggies/fruit are soft. Add veggies/fruit to the blender and blend until well combined. Transfer to a large pot. Stir in vegetable broth and coconut milk, reserving 2 tablespoons of the milk. Stir in Cinnamon Bark Vitality™, Black Pepper Vitality™, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly. Reheat gently, serve in bowls, and garnish with reserved coconut milk and green onions. Best paired with a cozy blanket and your favorite book. 

Guilt-free Peppermint Brownies

1 15-ounce can low-sodium black beans 

1/3 cup coconut oil 

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1/2 cup honey 

3 eggs 

2 drops Peppermint Vitality essential oil 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse and drain black beans. Melt coconut oil on stove until clear. Blend all ingredients except eggs in food processer until smooth. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk eggs until well beaten. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour mixture into a greased 8x8 pan and bake 25–30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes then cut. Let cool another 15 minutes and serve.

However you choose to use Essential Oils around your home, you will have added benefits from fragrence to flavor. 

*remember that some Essential Oils are dangerous for some people, always check the label before using.