Happy, happy Thanksgiving, my friend! Thought you might find some of these recipes helpful whether you are hosting family and friends this week, having a night at home with your family, or just want a little something fun and festive in your day...I know those peppermint brownies are screaming my name...LOL
Peppermint Brownies
This might be the simplest essential oil recipe ever... Just add 4-5 drops of Peppermint Vitality Essential Oil to your mix (or from scratch recipe!) after you add the wet ingredients and bake as directed. Once cooled - use your favorite holiday cookie cutters to create fun shapes. You could even top them with a layer of chocolate frosting (with or without a few drops of Peppermint Vitality...) or powdered sugar. Always fun to make for parties, neighbors or just because!
Peppermint Mocha
- 2 cups strongly brewed coffee or espresso
- 2 cups milk of your choice
- ¼ cup cacao powder (you can also use 2T cocoa powder + 3 oz dark chocolate chopped)
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey
- 3-4 drops Peppermint Vitality
- Pour milk into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Whisk in the cacao powder (or whatever chocolate you're using) and the maple syrup. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes, whisking as needed until smooth.
- Remove from the heat and when slightly cooled add 2 drops of Peppermint Vitality (the flavor is bold, so start with 2 drops and add more if you want!). Place the peppermint cocoa mixture and the coffee in a Vitamix or other high-powered blender (or use a handheld frother), and blend on medium speed for 30 seconds until frothy. Divide into 4 mugs, top with whipped cream, marshmallows...or both!
Eggnog Chai
- Chai Tea Bag & water to prepare it
- ½ cup eggnog
- 1 drop Nutmeg Vitality
- 1 drop Cinnamon Bark Vitality
- Ground Cinnamon
- Prepare Chai Tea according to directions. Heat eggnog on the stove or in the microwave until it's hot to your liking. Once the tea is prepared the eggnog is heated, combine in a mug and let cool slightly, then add a drop of Nutmeg Vitality. Use a hand-held frother, blender or electric milk frother to combine.
- This serves one, so you can double or triple if you need to, top with a sprinkle of Ground Cinnamon and enjoy! You could easily make this with coffee and can add sweetener to taste like honey or maple syrup if you want.
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 - Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa, Lavender Hot Cocoa, and Peppermint Hot Cocoa! Or whip up some Mexican Hot Cocoa for a festive twist!
- Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa
- 4 cups milk of your choice
- 8 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 drop Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil
- 1 drop Nutmeg Vitality essential oil
- 1 drop Clove Vitality essential oil
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
For all recipes: Heat all ingredients, except the oils, in a pot over the stove, until just hot. Don't boil. Remove from heat, add the essential oils and stir to combine. Serve in your most festive mugs and top with whipped cream, marshmallows, a candy cane, or all of the above!!
Holiday Mocktails
If you're having a party this season, these mocktail recipes are sure to be a hit! Family and friends will be so smitten with their look and taste that they won't even miss the alcohol!
NingXia Red Rosemary Mule
- 2 ounces NingXia Red
- 6 ounces ginger beer
- 1 drop Rosemary Vitality
- Rosemary sprig
- Pour all ingredients into a copper mug full of crushed ice. Stir well to mix and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Holiday Mary
- Lemon wedges
- Sea salt
- 6 ounces tomato juice
- 1 drop Black Pepper Vitality
- Toothpick swirl of Lime Vitality
- Toothpick swirl of Celery Seed Vitality
- Toothpick swirl of Lemon Vitality
- 1 drop hot sauce
- Celery stick (optional)
- The toothpick method allows you to get a more subtle flavor with the Vitality oils. Simply dip a toothpick in the oil and swirl through your ingredients. Salt the rim of a highball or old-fashioned glass. Fill with ice and set aside. Squeeze a lemon wedge into a shaker and drop it in. Add tomato juice, Vitality oils, a dash of hot sauce to taste, and ice to the shaker. Shake gently to mix. Strain into prepared glass and garnish with celery or your favorite Bloody Mary toppings.
Cranberry Mojito
- Mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon honey or sweetener of choice
- 1 drop Peppermint Vitality
- 1 drop Lime Vitality
- Splash of cranberry juice
- 1 can NingXia Zyng
- Fresh cranberries
- Lime wedges
- In a tall, sturdy glass, place a few mint leaves, the sweetener, a squeeze of lime, Peppermint Vitality, and Lime Vitality. Use a muddler to crush the leaves & combine the flavors. Add ice to the glass. Pour a splash of cranberry juice and stir.
- Fill glass to the top with NingXia Zyng. Garnish with cranberries, more mint leaves, and a lime wedge.
NingXia Red Punch
- 1 bottle NingXia Red
- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- ¼ cup honey or simple syrup
- Sliced apples
- Pomegranate seeds
- Cinnamon sticks
- In a punch bowl, pour NingXia Red, apple cider, pomegranate juice, and honey. Add fruit and cinnamon sticks. Mix well. Cover and chill in the fridge until ready to serve. The longer the fruit soaks in the liquid, the more the flavors will combine.
- Serve in short glasses garnished with more apple slices, pomegranate seeds, and cinnamon stick stirrers.
Spiced Cinnamon Cider
A steaming mug of cider is the perfect remedy to cold, wintry days to warm up from the inside out.
- 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.
Again, Happy Thanksgiving!! Enjoy every moment. Be present. Be good to you.
Summer is officially here! How crazy is that!? Seems like just last week we were celebrating New Year's!
Here are a few tips and tricks to make your camping adventures or beach get-aways a little better!
Do you love getting outside and exploring? Do you think to take your Citronella, Geranium, and a battery-powered diffuser along with you? When you are hanging out at your campsite, book in hand, this combo will quickly become your BFF! Simply fill a battery-powered diffuser with 5-7 drops each Citronella and Geranium and enjoy the incredible smell...and pest-free zone!
- Insect Repellent & Insect Repellent Wipes: This formula effectively prevents mosquito, flea, and tick bites, so you can enjoy the great outdoors worry free!
- Insect Repellent Spray Hack: Grab the Insect Repellent bottle and make it into a spray for easy use:
- Continuous spray bottle
- Bottle of YL Insect Repellant
- 3 TBSP fractionated coconut oil or ClaraDerm Cooling Mist
- 20 drops Citronella essential oil
- Add all items to the spray bottle, but add the insect repellent last (it will not all fit!)
- DIY Outdoor Spray: If you live in a state that has shipping exclusions for the Insect Repellant, try the wipes! Still can't order because of limitations? You can also add a spray top directly to your bottle of Citronella.
- Small continuous spray bottle
- 25 drops each Citronella, Geranium, Lemongrass, Lavender
- 20 drops Eucalyptus Radiata, Tea Tree
- V-6 Vegetable Oil carrier or carrier of choice or ¼ part Witch Hazel to ¾ part Distilled Water
- Note: If you want to use a larger bottle, simply double the recipe. Also if you feel you need a stronger formula or are extremely susceptible to outdoor pests add more Citronella, Lemongrass and/or Geranium!
- DIY Itch Stick: for those times you forget your insect repellent...
- In a rollerball, combine 10 drops Purification, 10 drops Lavender + 10 drops Lemon, and top with a carrier oil. Roll on bug bites & itches.
- Lavender Essential Oil: We don't call this the Swiss Army Knife for nothing! Someone needs a little calm? Grab your Lavender. Skin saw too much sun? Grab your Lavender. Little one stepped in an ant bed? Grab your Lavender. Blooming flowers got you down? Grab your Lavender!
- Mineral Sunscreen: Hands-down, this is my favorite sunscreen. It checks all of my boxes -- reef-safe, effective, all natural, great for all skin types, non-nano zinc, won't clog pores. What else is there?!
- Mineral Sunscreen Spray Hack:
- Continuous spray bottle
- Bottle of YL Mineral Sunscreen
- 5 TBSP fractionated coconut oil or ClaraDerm Cooling Mist
- 20 drops Carrot Seed essential oil
- Optional: 30 drops Citronella essential oil
- Add all items to the spray bottle and shake well!
- NingXia Red packets: freeze them overnight for a slushie-like treat
- Lavender Lemonade Vitality Drops + AminoWise: to keep you hydrated in the sun and heat
- Thieves Hand Sanitizer & Spray: for clean hands, e-readers, toys, phones, etc!
- Lavender Lip Balm: great for lips, cheeks, noses and it makes a great carrier stick too!
- Peppermint roller: roll over the back of your neck for instant air conditioning when you get a little too hot!
- Lavender oil: again, for ALL the things! Any kind of skin need, grab your Lavender.
- Seedlings Baby Wipes: for clean hands, even in the sand! Easily remove all the sand from your feet, legs, and hands!
How do you love to spend your summers?? What's your favorite hack?
