Shepherd’s Pie

This delicious comfort food just got even better with the addition of essential oils!

• Servings: 8
• Time: 40 minutes active; 30–40 minutes inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

Potato Topping:

• 2 lbs. (about 1 kg) potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) half-and-half
• 3/4 tsp. (4.5 g) kosher salt
• 1 drop black pepper essential oil
• 1 egg yolk

Meat and Vegetable Base:

• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil
• 1 cup (150 g) chopped onion
• 2–4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2–4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs. (680 g) ground beef or lamb
• 1 tsp. (6 g) kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. (15 g) flour
• 2 tsp. (10 ml) tomato paste
• 1 cup (240 ml) chicken or beef broth
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) worcestershire sauce
• 2 drops black pepper essential oil
• 2 drops rosemary essential oil
• 2 drops thyme essential oil
• 1/2 cup (83 g) fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup (72 g) fresh or frozen peas

Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the meat and vegetable base. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots; cook until they begin to take on color (about 3–4 minutes). Stir in garlic.
3. Add meat and salt, and cook until meat is browned. Sprinkle the meat with flour, and stir to coat. Continue cooking for another minute.
4. Add tomato paste, broth, worcestershire sauce, and essential oils to the meat mixture; stir to combine. Continue cooking for a few minutes to help thicken the sauce a little.
5. Stir in corn kernels and peas with the meat mixture. Transfer mixture to a 9″ × 13″ (23 × 33 cm) casserole dish.
6. Once potatoes are cooked, drain them and pour them into a bowl. Add butter to the bowl, and cover the butter with the hot potatoes to help it melt. Once the butter melts, add half-and-half, salt, and black pepper essential oil to the potatoes, and mash until smooth. Stir in egg yolk.
7. Spoon mashed potatoes over the meat and vegetable base, and spread to fully cover the meat mixture.
8. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes start to brown.
9. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Hair Conditioning Leave-in Serum and Spray

Does your hair tend to get dry or brittle on cold winter days or hot summer days? Or maybe it just gets frizzy or staticky. This hair conditioning spray is fantastic for adding a little extra moisture when you need it.

This recipe has a 2-part formula: first, you create a serum base that can also be used straight for an overnight treatment; then you create the spray by combining a little of the serum with water in a spray bottle to give a little extra support to the ends of your hair.

According to the Reference Guide for Essential Oils, the essential oils in this recipe are often used to help with dry, fragile hair and may even help stimulate hair growth.

Hair Conditioning Serum and Spray

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

• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. (23 ml) Sweet Almond Oil
• 1/2 Tbsp. (8 ml) Liquid Vegetable Glycerin
• 4 drops lavender essential oil
• 4 drops wintergreen essential oil
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil
• 2 drops clary sage essential oil
• 2 oz. Plastic Bottle with Snap Top
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) distilled water
• 2 oz. Glass Spray Bottle

Instructions:

1. Pour fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, glycerin, and essential oils into the 2 oz. plastic bottle. Shake to combine.
2. Place 1 tsp. (5 ml) of the serum in the 2 oz. glass spray bottle. Add distilled water, screw the spray top on, and shake to combine.
3. To use serum alone, squirt a little (about 1/4 tsp. or 1–2 ml) of the oil into the palm of your hand, and massage through your hair using your fingers. Work from the ends of your hair up to the roots. Leave on overnight (or at least for 15 minutes) before shampooing your hair. Cover your pillow with a towel to protect your pillowcase and sheets if needed. Apply 1–2 times a month or when your hair is feeling dry and brittle.
4. To use Hair Conditioning Spray, shake well with each use, and spray hair (avoiding the roots) as needed.

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!

Makeup Brush Cleaner with Essential Oils

This all-natural makeup brush cleaner is effective at cleaning your brushes and leaves the bristles moisturized. Not only do the essential oils in this recipe leave a lovely scent on your brushes, but they are also great for your skin!

Makeup Brush Cleaner

• Time: 5–10 minutes active; 8 hours inactive
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Print

Ingredients:

• Shot Glasses or small glass bowls
• Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 1–2 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
• 1–2 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1–2 drops grapefruit essential oil
• Castile Soap
• Running water
• Paper towels

Instructions:

1. Pour a little Fractionated Coconut Oil into a Shot Glass. Add essential oils, and stir to combine.
2. Pour a little Castile Soap into another Shot Glass.
3. Swirl your makeup brushes in the oil solution until you see the makeup stored in the brush start to come out (about 15–30 seconds). Rub against the palm of your hand or a paper towel to agitate it a little and loosen the makeup. Keep the bristles pointed down.
4. Rinse the brush under warm running water. Gently squeeze the brush bristles until the water runs clear. Note: Make sure to point the bristles down during this whole process. If tipped with the bristles up, the oils and water may loosen the glue that holds the bristles to the brush and shorten the life of your brushes.
5. Swirl the brush in the Castile Soap for 15 seconds, and rinse again with warm water. This helps remove the oils from the brush.
6. Gently squeeze all liquid from the brush, and hang your brushes to dry (bristles pointed down) or let dry flat on a towel.

Creamy Potato, Sausage, and Kale Soup

This delicious, creamy soup is the perfect meal on a cold winter evening. It is quick and easy to make and has a wonderful flavor.

• Servings: 4
• Time: 30 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 5 small potatoes
• 4 cups water
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup polish sausage (fully cooked)
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1 drop rosemary essential oil

Instructions:

1. Peel and chop potatoes.
2. Place potatoes in a medium-size pot with water over medium-high heat.
3. Cook potatoes until soft. Remove from heat.
4. Use an immersion blender to partially puree the potatoes (or pour the soup into a regular blender). Add more water if needed to create a creamy soup consistency.
5. Stir in olive oil and salt.
6. Add kale and sausage to the potato puree. Return to medium heat on the stove, and cook until kale is tender.
7. Remove soup from heat, and stir in rosemary essential oil.
8. Serve soup warm with a roll or bread.

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray with Essential Oils

Not only does this cleaning spray work well, but it also smells fantastic and leaves your house with a fresh scent! Clean your house with all-natural ingredients this holiday season!
 

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

• Servings: Yield=8 oz.
• Time: 2 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Liquid Castile Soap
• 8 drops lemon essential oil
• 8 drops lime essential oil
• 4 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1 cup distilled water
• 8 oz. Glass Spray Bottle

Instructions:

1. Mix Castile soap, essential oils, and water together in the spray bottle.
2. To use, spray desired area, and wipe with a damp cloth.