Recipes to put some sparkle in your kitchen dishes
Peppermint Chocolate Strawberries
These are great year round for get togethers but especially popular for the holidays.
Ingredients Needed:
1 container Strawberries, rinsed and dried
1 package chocolate chips (I use the "no dairy or nut" allergy friendly version)
Piece of parchment paper
Pepperment vitality Essential Oil
(when ingesting essential oils, I only recommend Young Living at this time)
Make sure your strawberries have been thoroughly dried so the chocolate adheres better.
Pour chocolate chips in a pan and SIMMER until melted. Be careful, chocolate burns real easy so you have to SIMMER real low. It is time consuming but definitely worth it! Once chocolate has completely melted. turn burner off and add about 3 drops of your Peppermint Vitality Essential Oil to your chocolate and mix thoroughly. You can use more or less, adjust it to your own taste. While chocolate is still hot, using the stem of the strawberries, dip the strawberries one at a time into the chocolate mixture. Lay them on a piece of parchment paper while they are drying. Can keep in refrigerator for a day or two, but best served same day. If you're not a fan of peppermint and chocolate, you can substitute another essential oil for the peppermint. My family enjoys cinnamon vitality with the chocolate. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy!
Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry (Sambucus) Syrup is one of the most delicious ingredients in my medicinal herbal pantry. Easy and inexpensive to make this is one remedy that you need to get familiar with. Elderberries have been shown to help avoid illnesses and speed recovery in those who are already sick. They contain vitamins A, B, and C, stimulate the immune system, and have been clinically shown to help with all kinds of colds and flus. You can find elderberry tea on the shelf at the health food store as well as many syrups made by local herbalists. But it couldn’t be easier to make this simple syrup- try it yourself! Recipe below-
Elderberry Syrup Recipe
Take 2 teaspoons daily for prevention or when actively feeling sick, take up to 6 teaspoons per day.
Add a cinnamon stick or dried ginger root to the boiling liquid for a fun variation.
Add the elderberries and water to a pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Strain to remove the berries. Let the liquid cool slightly so that it’s hot enough to dissolve the honey, but not so hot that it cooks the raw honey. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar and store in the fridge.
Store the syrup in an amber glass jar to protect the ingredients from the light.
Mix it into water or tea or in a cocktail (if you are feeling fancy!)
Fall Synergy Blend
I got this recipe from Jen O'Sullivan and it has been a favorite of mine ever since. To make the synergy, you will need an empty 5 ml essential oil bottle. Remember, all synergies need to sit overnight to maximize their potency and effect. Please remember, when ingesting essential oils, I ONLY use Young Living.
Ingredients:
30 drops Lemon Vitality Essential Oil
10 drops Cinnamon Bark Vitality Essential Oil
10 drops Nutmeg Vitality Essential Oil.
Once your synergy is made, you can add a couple drops to your bottle of water. Remember to only use glass or stainless steel water bottles with essential oils as they can leech the plastic particles back into your water. You can also add several drops to a 4 oz container of raw honey and stir. Store the honey right on your counter. Use the honey spread in oatmeal or on toast.
3 Ingredient Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Thanks to my queen of clean and delicious (Dani Spies) for this simple yet delicious cookie.
Ingredients:
2 large super ripe bananas (make sure bananas are speckled and spotted) the more ripe the sweeter the cookie will be
1 1/2 cups raw oats
1 handful chocolate chips (I buy the allergy friendly Enjoy Life brand since it doesn’t have any dairy in it)
Scoop in tablespoon sizes onto a greased baking sheet and put in a 350 degrees preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Makes approximately 20 cookies.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Thanks to my queen of clean and delicious (Dani Spies) for this simple yet delicious cookie.
Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (I use coconut sugar)
sea salt for topping
optional stir-ins: 1/2 cup chocolate chips or
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silat mat or some parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, egg, honey and sugar. Mix until everyting is well combined. Drop 1 tablespoon of dough onto the rimmed baking sheet and repeat until all the cookies are done. Use a fork to create a crisscross onto the top of each cookie. Sprinkle a kiss of sea salt over the top and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Cool and enjoy! Makes about 15 cookies. Add the stir-ins of your choice after the dough is combined and then continue with the rest of the steps.
Chocolate Chip Cookies - Gluten Free
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
pinch of sea salt
Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Let cool and enjoy.
Homemade KIND Bars
Ingredients:
2 cups whole toasted unsalted almonds
3/4 cup whole roasted unsalted peanuts
3/4 cup toasted walnuts chopped
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup brown rice syrup (can use blue agave nectar)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tbsp coconut oil
optional: 1/2 cup Young Living wolfberries
Generously grease or spray a 13 x 9 inch pan (I used a quarter sheet pan). In a large bowl, combine almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cereal, and flaxseed; set aside. In a medium sauce pan set to medium high heat, combine honey, brown rice syrup, salt, and vanilla. Stir frequently until mixture reaches 260 degrees F on a candy thermometer (hard ball stage). Immediately pour syrup over nut mixture. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated. Pour mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to harden. Once hardened, cut into 20 bars. Melt chocolate and oil in microwave in 30 second increments stirring until smooth. Drizzle bars with melted chocolate. Refrigerate to let chocolate set. Store bars in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer so they don't stick together. They will last for weeks this way.
