Essential Oil Spotlight: Melissa

Melissa essential oil, also known as lemon balm, is steam-distilled from the leaves of the Melissa officinalis plant in the mint family.

Melissa is one of the earliest known medicinal herbs. Historically, it was used for nervous disorders and many problems having to do with the heart and emotions. It was also used to aid fertility.

It has antibacterial, antidepressant, sedative, and other qualities that make it useful in a wide variety of applications. It is helpful in relieving anxiety, asthma, colic, depression, indigestion, insomnia, nausea, fevers, throat infections, and vertigo.

Aromatically, melissa is delicate and lemony. It is calming and uplifting and may help balance the emotions.

Melissa blends well with geranium, lavender, and other floral and citrus oils. It is a good oil to diffuse or to use externally on the area of concern.

See the Reference Guide for Essential Oils to learn more about melissa essential oil and many other pure essential oils.

Source: Reference Guide for Essential Oils, 2016 Edition, pp. 98–99.

 

 

Chocolate Orange Mousse

Chocolate and orange are a popular flavor blend during the holidays. This simple recipe captures the deliciousness of chocolate orange candy in a fluffy mouse.

• Servings: 4
• Time: 10 minutes active; 45 minutes inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) vanilla
• 5 drops orange essential oil (add more to taste if necessary)

Instructions:

1. Melt chocolate chips in a glass dish in the microwave or a double boiler. Stir well, and let chocolate begin to cool.
2. In an electric mixer, whip the cream with vanilla and essential oil until soft and fluffy.
3. With the mixer on low, drizzle melted chocolate into the whipping cream, and mix until blended.
4. Scoop into serving dishes, and chill for 45 minutes.
5. Top with shaved chocolate orange candy before serving.

Leftover Turkey Curry

Here is a delicious way to use up some of your leftover turkey! This soup is an aromatic and tasty meal on a cold day.

• Servings: 4–6
• Time: 20 minutes active; 35 minutes inactive
• Difficulty: Moderate
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Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. (28 g) butter
• 2 cups (300 g) diced onion
• 1 cup (140 g) chopped celery
• 1 cup (140 g) sliced carrot
• 3 tsp. (6 ) curry powder
• 4 cups (960 ml) turkey stock or chicken broth
• 1/4 cup (50 g) jasmine rice
• 2 cups (250 g) chopped green apple
• 1 tsp. (5 g) sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. (.5 g) pepper
• 2 cups chopped turkey
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) cream
• 10 drops fennel essential oil
• 15 drops cumin essential oil
• 10 drops cardamom essential oil

Instructions:

1. Melt butter over medium heat; add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until vegetables are soft (about 10 minutes).
2. Add curry powder, stock, and rice, and raise heat to high just until the liquid boils. Lower heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, and simmer for 10 more minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This savory soup is delicious with a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream added on top!

 

Banana Bread with Essential Oils

As the weather gets cooler, one great way to help warm your house is to bake some delicious banana bread with essential oils!

• Servings: Yield=1 loaf
• Time: 20 minutes active; 1 hour inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour (or use 1/2 white wheat flour)
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar (or use 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup honey)
• 3/4 tsp. (3 g) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. (2 g) sea salt
• 1/4 cup (57 g) butter (1/2 stick)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
• 3/4 cup (214 g) plain greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) Homemade Vanilla Extract
• 3 drops cinnamon essential oil
• 1 drop clove essential oil
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips or walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a bread pan.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well.
3. Pour batter into the bread pan.
4. Bake for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan.

Extra Ideas:

• One of our readers has told us they like this bread with 4 drops orange essential oil instead of the cinnamon and clove essential oils.
• Try adding this cinnamon honey butter to this banana bread!

Cinnamon Apple Crêpes

This delicious recipe is the perfect marriage between a classic American apple pie and a well-loved European crêpe. To make the dish even better, we added cinnamon essential oil to the crêpe batter, the apple filling, and the whipped cream for the top. It’s sweet enough for dessert, yet healthy enough for breakfast!

• Servings: 4
• Time: 30–40 minutes active
• Difficulty: Moderate
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Ingredients:

Crêpe Ingredients:

• 1 cup (120 g) flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• 1 drop cinnamon essential oil
• 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. (1.5 g) salt
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) melted butter

Apple Filling Ingredients:

• 4–5 apples, sliced and diced
• 1 toothpick cinnamon essential oil
• 1/4 tsp. (.5 g) nutmeg powder
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. (14 g) butter

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Ingredients:

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. (16 g) powdered sugar
• 1–4 toothpicks cinnamon essential oil (Add a toothpick at a time until you like the taste.)
• 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl (or blender), mix the flour and eggs together. Slowly add milk and water while whisking. Add cinnamon essential oil, vanilla extract, salt, and melted butter, and whisk until well combined.
2. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, using about 1/4 cup of batter for each crêpe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so the batter coats the surface evenly.
3. Cook the crêpe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, flip, and cook the other side.
4. While continuing to cook the crêpes, combine all apple filling ingredients in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat until the apples are soft.
5. For the cinnamon whipped cream, whisk the heavy cream until it starts to form stiff peaks. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon essential oil, and whisk for a few seconds to incorporate into the cream. Taste, and stir in more cinnamon essential oil as needed.
6. Serve crêpes warm, filled with apple filling and topped with cinnamon whipped cream.

Hot Cocoa with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

This is the perfect time of year to curl up with a delicious mug of homemade hot cocoa. Top it with delicious cinnamon whipped cream for an added treat!

• Servings: 4
• Time: 10 minutes active; 10 minutes inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar or agave nectar
• 1/3 cup (39 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 1/2 cups (840 ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) half-and-half
• 3/4 tsp. (3.8 ml)  homemade vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) boiling water
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) homemade vanilla extract
• 1 drop cinnamon essential oil

Instructions:

1. Combine the cocoa, sugar, and pinch of salt in a saucepan, and add the boiling water.
2. Stir, and slowly bring to an easy boil. Be careful not to let it scorch.
3. Stir in milk and half-and-half. Heat until hot but not boiling.
4. Remove from heat, and add 3/4 tsp. (3.8 ml) vanilla.
5. In a mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream with the agave nectar, 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla, and cinnamon essential oil until fluffy.
6. Divide hot cocoa between 4 mugs, and top with the whipped cream.

Cinnamon Apple Chips

Here is a delicious, healthy snack you can make with all of those autumn apples you have.

• Servings: 8–10
• Time: 10 minutes active; 1–3 hours inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 2–3 apples
• 1–2 tsp. (4–8 g) sugar
• 2 drops cinnamon essential oil

Instructions:

1. Slice apples in thin slices. Lay out on dehydrator sheets or a cookie sheet.
2. Mix together sugar and cinnamon essential oil in a small glass bowl or shot glass.
3. Rub cinnamon-sugar mixture over apple slices.
4. Dehydrate at 110–145°F (45–65°C) for a few hours. Flip apple slices over when the top feels dry. Note: you can also bake in the oven at 225°F (105°C) for 1 hour, flipping after 30 minutes.

 

Essential Oil Spotlight: Ginger

Ginger essential oil is steam-distilled from rhizomes of the Zingiber officinale plant.

Historically, ginger has been an esteemed spice known to help the digestive system. Up to 4,ooo years ago, the ancient Greeks used it in gingerbread, Romans put it in their wine, and Egyptians used it in their cooking to ward off epidemics. In India and China, ginger was used in teas and tonics to aid digestion and the heart. Hawaiians made broad use of ginger, scenting their clothes, flavoring their food, and adding it to their shampoos and massage oils.

In addition to aiding digestive issues, ginger can be used to relieve motion sickness, nausea, fever, teething pains, tonsillitis, and vomiting. Ginger may also be helpful in treating arthritis, colds, impotence, muscular aches, and sore throats.

The sweet, spicy-woody, and fresh aroma of ginger may help influence physical energy, sex, love, money, and courage.

See the Reference Guide for Essential Oils to learn more about ginger essential oil and many other pure essential oils.

Source: Reference Guide for Essential Oils, 2016 Edition, pp. 79–80.

Lime Tilapia and Orange Cashew Rice

This colorful dish is both healthy and delicious! The tilapia and rice can each be eaten alone, but together they make the perfect meal!

• Servings: 4
• Time: 45 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

Orange Cashew Rice:

• 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 cup (240 ml) water (or less if using a rice cooker or pressure cooker)
• 1 cup (240 ml) orange juice
• 2 drops orange essential oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup (195 g) basmati rice
• 1/2 cup (70 g) cashew pieces
• 1/2 cup (75 g) diced yellow, orange, and/or red peppers
• 3 green onions, minced
• 1 can (8 oz./227 g) mandarin orange segments, drained well

Lime Tilapia:

• 4 tilapia fillets (6–8 oz./170–227 g)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 4 pats of butter (about 1/2 Tbsp./7 g each)
• 4 drops lime essential oil, divided
• Lime juice and/or lime slices for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, bring olive oil, water, orange juice, orange essential oil, and salt to boil. Stir in basmati rice. Lower the heat, cover, and allow to simmer until the rice has absorbed all the liquid (about 25–30 minutes). Remove from heat, and let stand for 5–10 minutes. Note: If using a rice cooker or pressure cooker, reduce the amount of water to create the proper rice-to-liquid ratio that is recommended for your cooking method.
2. While the rice is cooking, prepare the tilapia. Preheat the oven to 375° F. (190° C.). Spray a cooking sheet or baking dish with cooking spray. Rinse the tilapia fillets, and pat dry. Place fillets in a single layer on your baking dish. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Add a pat of butter to each fillet, and drop a single drop of lime essential oil on top of each pat of butter. Bake for 8–12 minutes or until cooked through.
3. While the tilapia is in the oven, finish the rice ingredients. Roast cashew pieces in a saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes until they turn golden brown. Dice peppers and mince green onions. Mix together roasted cashew pieces, peppers, green onions, and mandarin orange segments in a bowl. Stir into rice when it’s ready.
4. Once tilapia is finished cooking, drizzle lime juice over the top and garnish with lime slices, if desired. Serve the Lime Tilapia with the Orange Cashew Rice.

Crunchy Chocolate Mint Power Balls

Try these power balls for a delicious and healthy snack! They taste like a cookie with a bit of a crunch and will leave you feeling satisfied.

• Servings: 18–20 balls
• Time: 20 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 cup (90 g) oats (quick or rolled)
• 1/3 cup (53 g) chia seeds
• 1/4 cup (22 g) cocoa or cacao powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup (125 g) almond butter
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) honey
• 2 drops peppermint essential oil
• 3/4 cup (139 g) cooked quinoa

Instructions:

1. Combine oats, chia seeds, cocoa or cacao powder, and sea salt in a mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine almond butter, honey, and peppermint essential oil. Mix well, and then add cooked quinoa. Stir until well combined.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together, and mix well. You may need to use your hands.
4. Roll mixture into 1 1/2″ (4 cm) balls.
5. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Note: To cook quinoa, place 1/4 cup (43 g) quinoa and 1/2 cup (120 ml) water in a small pot, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. You can also cook the quinoa in a rice cooker as you would cook regular white rice.