Winter is a season for comfort foods and drinks, and adding oils is a great way to increase health benefits at the same time...for all recipes. Simply heat all ingredients, except the oils, in a pot over the stove, until just hot. Don't boil. Remove from heat, add the oils and stir to combine. Serve in your favorite mugs and top as desired. Easy peasy!
Spiced Cinnamon Cider
A steaming mug of hot cider is the perfect remedy to cold, wintry days. Serve it after a day of sledding or hiking to warm up from the inside out, or just enjoy while you are curled up with your favorite book or playing games with the crew.
- 8 cups apple juice or cider
- 4 cups orange juice
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 9 drops Cinnamon Bark Vitality
- 6 drops Cardamom Vitality
- 4 drops Clove Vitality
- 4 drops Nutmeg Vitality
- 3 drops Citrus Fresh Vitality
- Sliced oranges
- Cinnamon sticks
- Add all ingredients to a large pot and stir to combine. Heat until simmering. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve warm in a mug. Garnish with sliced oranges and cinnamon sticks, if you are fancy like that. ;)
Maple Cinnamon Latte
- 12 ounces brewed, strong organic coffee
- 1/4 cup milk of choice
- 1T organic maple syrup (add more to taste)
- Organic ground cinnamon for dusting
- 1 drop Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil
- 1 scoop Inner Beauty Collagen
- Optional: Electric milk frother
- Grab your favorite coffee mug and line the bottom with about a tablespoon of maple syrup.. Pour the brewed coffee on top and stir gently to mix. Add the milk and essential oil (if using) to the frother, hit the button once, and wait while it warms. When ready, pour the milk into your coffee, top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a small drizzle of maple syrup or a small sprinkle of raw sugar if desired!
Homemade Hot Cocoa
Wind down and warm up with your favorite mug brimming with homemade hot chocolate. You can add any Vitality oil to your recipe, but these three are favorites - Lavender Hot Cocoa and Peppermint Hot Cocoa! Or how about Mexican Hot Cocoa for a festive twist?
Lavender Hot Cocoa
- 4 cups milk of choice
- 8 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tsp honey, or more to taste
- 4 drops Lavender Vitality essential oil
Peppermint Hot Cocoa
- 4 cups milk of your choice
- 8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tsp honey, or more to taste
- 2 drops Peppermint Vitality essential oil
Champurrado Mexican Hot Cocoa
- 4 cups milk of your choice
- ½ cup honey or agave
- 2 Mexican chocolate tablets
- ¾ cups masa harina (corn flour)
- 2 drops Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil
- 2 drops Orange Vitality essential oil
What's your favorite winter recipe??
Not sure about winter where you are, but it has been making its presence known here for a few days now... I love how life slows down this time of year (well, at least it's supposed to...), a crackling warm fire, baking, and settling in early. You??
If you love do-it-yourself fun, this is for you!
- 15 drops Evergreen Essence Essential Oil Blend
- 10 drops Vanilla Oleoresin
- 10 drops Tangerine Essential Oil
- Add essential oils to a 2oz glass spray bottle, add a splash of witch hazel & top with water! Spritz on all the things!
DIY Frosted Forest Hand Soap
- Foaming hand soap bottle or recycle a YL one!
- 2 Tbsp Liquid Castile Soap
- 10 drops each Peppermint, Idaho Blue Spruce essential oil
- 5 drops Vetiver essential oil
- 1 tsp Vitamin E oil
- Add essential oils, Vitamin E oil and Castile Soap to the bottle, then top with water leaving 1" at the top
Sugar & Spice Wool Dryer Balls
There's something about the smell of warm fresh laundry fresh from the dryer - especially when combining Thieves Laundry Soap and essential oil infused wool dryer balls!
- Organic wool dryer balls
- Ylang ylang, Vanilla & Cinnamon Bark pre-mixed in a dropper bottle, about 10-15 drops of each
- Add 4-5 drops of essential oils to each dryer ball.
- Let the dryer balls air dry for about an hour or to speed up the process you can dry them alone. This will allow the oil to absorb into the wool and not transfer to your clothes.
- When it's time to dry your clothes - toss the dryer balls into the dryer with your clothing. Refresh the oils every 4-5 loads or more often if you prefer a stronger scent.
Winter Spice Orange Garland
This is one of our favorite things to do every year. It is beautiful, smells amazing, adds a lovely touch to any room and is so easy to make. It may be a holiday tradition for some, but leaving it up or making it in the new year is a great way to add a touch of brightness to your home!
- About 5 oranges or a mix of oranges, Clementines and grapefruit for varied sizes and colors
- Essential oils: Cinnamon Bark, Vanilla, Clove, Believe, Thieves
- Fresh cranberries and cinnamon sticks (optional)
- Slice your oranges in circles to ¼ to ½ inch in thickness and arrange them on a non-stick surface or parchment paper. Pour 2-3 drops of essential oils on each slice, then set them in a cool oven and turn the temperature onto the lowest setting your oven will allow. (If your oven does not go below 300, set it there and use a wooden spoon to prop the oven open slightly and allow some heat to dissipate.)
- Leave the slices in the oven for about 5 hours, then shut the oven off and leave the oranges in there overnight or until completely cool. They will be fairly dry, but will continue to dry out over time. You don't want to over dry them in the oven because they can start to burn!
- Once they are dry, string them with some twine, alternating with a few varying sized slices and a cranberry or two, a tied cinnamon stick, whatever you like!
