Essential Chocolate

Most people would agree that chocolate is an essential for Valentines Day. Creating your own chocolates for yourself or your sweetheart is fun and easy.

1. Just melt a bag organic chocolate chips. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil and stir in.
2. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to give it a delicious and healthy kick.
3. Spoon over your favorite nuts on wax paper or pour into fun shaped candy molds.
4. Let cool. Then enjoy!

Some of the best essential oils to couple with chocolate are:

• Peppermint: there is nothing like that combination of rich, dark chocolate with the fresh crispness of peppermint.(Peppermint works best with dark chocolate.)
• Orange: orange and chocolate are of course a match made in heaven. (Tangerine is equally delicious.)
• Lemon: brings a bright and tangy flavor to chocolate.
• Lime: this works well with both dark and white chocolate. I recently made some lime-flavoured white chocolate truffles dipped in dark chocolate – they were pretty damn good!
• Bergamot: this oil is from the same plant as earl grey tea.
• Lemongrass: adds an unexpected and pleasant zing. It’s strong, so don’t add too much.
• Cardomom: is a classic partner for chocolate.
• Ginger: is delicious in chocolate is ginger with a dash of cinnamon powder.

Chocolates make a great gift any time of year. Chocolates made with essential oil have a gourmet, special flavor with added health benefits!

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.

 

Recipes for Your BlenderBottle® – Meatballs and Salad Dressing

Have you heard of these BlenderBottles®? Perhaps you already have one that you use for shakes, but did you know that these BlenderBottles® can be used in so many ways for everyday cooking?

9246 – 28 oz. Large BlenderBottle®

9201 – 20 oz. BlenderBottle®

9220 – 22 oz. ProStak BlenderBottle®

Each BlenderBottle® includes the patented, surgical steel BlenderBall® that rotates like a wire whisk inside the bottle to completely blend any liquid or powder ingredients, allowing you to quickly make shakes, salad dressings, drinks, baby formula, eggs, sauces, and so much more! The screw-on lid and snap cap are completely leak-proof, so you can take your bottle anywhere.

Below are a couple examples of recipes that are found in the book 101 Quick and Easy BlenderBottle® Recipes.

Tangy Meatball Bites

• Servings: 4
• Time: 35 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup saltine crackers, crushed
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, egg, crackers, milk, and sage. Mix well, and shape into 1-inch balls.
2. In a large skillet, brown meatballs over medium heat; drain.
3. In a small BlenderBottle®, mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour over meatballs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover for 15–20 minutes or until meatball centers are no longer pink and are thoroughly cooked.

Note from Abundant Health™: This recipe also tastes great with essential oils! Try adding 1 drop each of rosemary, sage, thyme, and/or oregano essential oil to either the meatballs or the sauce.

Source: 101 Quick and Easy BlenderBottle® Recipes, p. 22

Strawberry Spinach Salad

• Servings: 4
• Time: 15 minutes active; 1 hour inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp. onion powder
• 10 oz. fresh spinach (rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces)
• 1 quart strawberries (cleaned, hulled, and sliced)
• 1/4 cup almonds, sliced

Instructions:

1. Mix first 8 ingredients in a small BlenderBottle®. Chill dressing for 1 hour.
2. In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, strawberries, and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Source: 101 Quick and Easy BlenderBottle® Recipes, p. 69

What have you used your BlenderBottle® for? We would love to hear from you!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Do you need a quick and healthy snack for when you are running out the door? Even if you just need something healthy to nibble on when you get hungry, these pumpkin chocolate chip granola bars are just the thing for you! Go ahead and give this delicious and hearty snack a try!

• Servings: Yield=12 granola bars
• Time: 25 minutes active; 1 hour inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 drop cinnamon essential oil
• 1 drop clove essential oil
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (try using these healthy chocolate chips without the peppermint essential oil)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pepita seeds
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8.5″ x 12.5″ baking pan, and line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, vanilla, maple syrup, and essential oils.
3. Using a food processor, pulse the rolled oats a few times until they are coarsely chopped but still have lots of texture. Stir the oats into the pumpkin mixture.
4. Place the walnuts and almonds in the food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped.
5. Add the chopped nuts, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, pepita seeds, chia seeds, sea salt, and pumpkin pie spice to the pumpkin oat mixture. Stir until well combined.
6. Spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking dish, and press it down evenly across the baking dish until smooth and compacted.
7. Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until firm and lightly golden colored along the edges.
8. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan; then lift the parchment paper with the granola bar slab out of the pan, and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
9. Once the granola bar slab has cooled, slice it into bars, and enjoy!
10. Store any remaining bars in a bag or air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars with Essential Oil

These pumpkin chocolate chip granola bars make a hearty and delicious snack or quick breakfast when you need something healthy on the go!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

• Servings: Yield=12 granola bars
• Time: 25 minutes active; 1 hour inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 drop cinnamon essential oil
• 1 drop clove essential oil
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup pepita seeds
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8.5″ x 12.5″ baking pan, and line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, vanilla, maple syrup, and essential oils.
3. Using a food processor, pulse the rolled oats a few times until they are coarsely chopped but still have lots of texture. Stir the oats into the pumpkin mixture.
4. Place the walnuts and almonds in the food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the chopped nuts with the chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, pepita seeds, chia seeds, sea salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
6. Dump the nut mixture into the pumpkin mixture, and stir until well combined.
7. Spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking dish, and press it down evenly across the baking dish until smooth and compacted.
8. Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until firm and lightly golden colored along the edges.
9. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then lift the parchment paper with the granola bar slab out of the pan, and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Once the granola bar slab has cooled, slice it into bars, and enjoy!
11. Store any remaining bars in a bag or air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Thyme and Rosemary Essential Oil

Impress your guests with a delicious and flavorful dinner that incorporates the benefits of pure essential oils! These meatballs are delicious served over rice, or you can use them as an appetizer by serving them on a tray with toothpicks in them.

• Servings: 5
• Time: 40 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups bell peppers (mixed colors), chopped
• 1 cup white or yellow onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 can pineapple tidbits (20 oz.)
• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 28 meatballs (use frozen prepared meatballs, or make your own)
• 1 drop thyme essential oil
• 1 drop rosemary essential oil

Instructions:

1. In a large frying pan or skillet, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil over medium-high heat until they are just barely tender. Remove from pan, and set aside.
2. Pour the juice from the pineapple into the skillet (save the pineapple for later) along with the vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and flour. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently with a whisk, until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken.
3. Add the meatballs, onions, peppers, and pineapple tidbits to the sauce, and reduce the heat to medium. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meatballs are heated through.
4. Turn off the heat, and stir in the essential oils.
5. Serve warm over rice.

Rich, Yet Healthy, Hot Chocolate

When the weather is chilly, there is nothing quite like curling up in a blanket and sipping some hot chocolate!

The coconut milk in this recipe provides that delightfully creamy, rich texture and taste and pairs well with thinner milks like almond milk or rice milk. The nice thing about this recipe is that it can be adapted easily to be vegan or sugar-free. Stevia, agave, honey, or maple syrup are good alternatives to the sugar. Just start with a little bit of sweetener, and then add more to your taste preference.

• Servings: 2
• Time: 10 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar or other sweetener
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup canned coconut milk (shake before opening)
• 1 1/2 cups milk (almond or rice milk work too)
• 1–2 drops peppermint essential oil

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, mix together the cocoa powder, salt, and sugar.
2. Add coconut milk, and heat until combined.
3. Slowly add milk while continuing to stir. Keep stirring until little bubbles start to form on the surface.
4. Remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly. Stir in a drop or two of peppermint essential oil.
5. Pour into mugs, and serve. Warning: It will be hot, so allow the hot chocolate to cool to a reasonable temperature before drinking.

Top with whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate chips, or ground peppermint candy.

Abundant Health™ Holiday Gift Guide and Apple Cider Recipe

Are you looking for holiday gifts for family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers? Now is the perfect time to incorporate the healing benefits of essential oils into your holiday gifts! Introduce essential oils to those who don’t know about them and give related products to those who already use essential oils.

The Abundant Health™ Holiday Gift Guide has many great ideas and recipes to help you give the gift of essential oils this holiday season! Below is one of the recipes featured in the gift guide. Click here to view the Abundant Health™ Holiday Gift Guide.

Apple Cider with Cinnamon Essential Oil

• Servings: 6 servings; Makes 1/2 gallon
• Time: 15 minutes active; 3 hours inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 5 red apples
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground allspice
• 2 drops cinnamon bark essential oil

Instructions:

1. Wash apples thoroughly, remove the cores, and cut them into quarters.
2. Place apples in a large stock pot, and add sugar and allspice.
3. Add enough water to the pot to cover the apples by 3–4 inches.
4. Boil the apples, uncovered, for one hour, stirring occasionally; then reduce heat, and simmer for two hours.
5. Strain out the cider by pouring the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
6. Stir in the cinnamon bark essential oil.
7. Serve cider warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled. Try one of our stainless steel straws for drinking this delicious cider!

Bread Stuffing with Essential Oils

This delicious bread stuffing is easy to make and is the perfect addition to your turkey dinner!

 

• Servings: 4–6
• Time: 35 min. active; 25 min. inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 8 slices bread
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 6 Tbs butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 drop sage essential oil
• 1 drop rosemary essential oil
• 1 drop thyme essential oil
• 2 eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a serrated knife, cut bread into cubes. Spread bread cubes out evenly on a baking sheet, and bake for 15–20 minutes, stirring once, until lightly golden.
2. Finely chop the onion and the celery. In a large saucepan, melt the butter, and then add the chopped onion and celery. Saute the onion and celery over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until barely tender.
3. Add the chicken broth, salt, and pepper.
4. Remove saucepan from heat, and stir in essential oils.
5. Add the toasted bread chunks, and stir until evenly coated.
6. Stir in two eggs; and then spoon the stuffing into a greased casserole dish.
7. Bake stuffing at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, or until the egg is cooked and the stuffing is a nice golden color.
8. Serve this delicious stuffing as part of your holiday meal!