HOW TO MAKE ESSENTIAL OILS AT HOME
Lavender
Use 1 cup of fresh lavender (or half a cup dried, always half your measure of any herb when using dried as the essential oils are more concentrated after the drying process)
to 2 cups of light non flavoured oil.
I used a light olive oil. (Steer clear of any of the extra virgin stuff as it has way too strong a flavour and aroma for this job.)
Heat the oil and lavender in a pan for 20 minutes at a simmer and then remove from heat. Cover the pan and leave it overnight.
Strain off the oil next morning into a bottle.
Use lavender oil for body and bath
Use a tablespoon of this oil in your bath water for a relaxing soak before bed time to help you sleep.
Use as a skin food with cotton pad on cleansed face, it will help moisturize dry flaky skin.
Massage the oil all over as a body balm after a bath.
Massage into damp hair and wrap in towel for 30 minutes prior to washing for a deep conditioning shine.
Mix with a handful of rough salt for an invigorating body scrub.
Grapefruit
¼cup grated grapefruit peel (see TIP note)
2cups olive oil
Combine the grapefruit peel with the oil and let stand, covered, at room temperature for 3 days; strain. The oil can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 6 months.
TIP
Use a very sharp knife to remove the outer peel of the grapefruit, avoiding the white under skin, which will make an acrid oil.
Lemon, lime, orange or tangerine peel can be infused for different flavored oils.
Grapefruit oil is well known as a weight loss aid by curbing cravings and suppressing your appetite. Ironically, it is also great to use in the kitchen to add a wonderful flavor profile to a variety of recipes. It is also commonly added to body care products because of its heavenly aroma, which also makes it a great option to add to cleaning products. Here are plenty of easy recipes that will show you how to use grapefruit oil all over your home.
Grapefruit oil is a great way to flavor frosting for cookies and cakes or to use in a salad dressing that is sweet and satisfying without being full of fat and high in calories.
Marmalade
2 grapefruits
4 oranges
1 lemon
3-4 cups sugar
3-4 cups water
1 - 2 packets jamsetta or setting agent ( if needed)
Instructions
Wash, quarter, and seed the grapefruits, oranges and lemon separating the peel from the pulpy center, and cutting the peel into very small shards.
Or chop the whole oranges and lemon in a food processor until chunky (just make sure you don't over-process).
Transfer the pulp and peel to the slow cooker and add the water Cover and cook on HIGH until simmering, about 2 hours.
Add the sugar and jamsetta if needed and mix well: you want the sugar to equal the amount of boiling orange stock.
We also added 4 apples to the recipe (peeled and decored).
Stir often until you are sure the sugar has dissolved.
Then cover, turn the cooker to LOW, and cook for 6 hours, stirring every 2 hours to check for consistency.
The peel will be translucent when the marmalade is ready for the next step.
Remove the lid, turn the cooker to HIGH, and cook for another 1 to 2 hours, or even longer (It can cook for up to 6 hours more), until you have a nice syrupy consistency.
Ladle the warm marmalade into clean spring-top glass jars (or use screw tops with new lids); let stand until cool.
Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or serve warn right out of the crock pot!
ESSENTIAL OIL RECIPES:
Grapefruit Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Cake
2/3 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup safflower oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
pinch of sea salt
3-4 drop grapefruit essential oil
Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 stick butter, softened
3 drops grapefruit essential oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Mix the vinegar and milk in a medium bowl, until it begins to bubble.
Add the agave nectar, vanilla and oil.
Stir well. In a separate bowl, combine both the flours, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well until there are no more lumps. Pour batter into the paper liners and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, cream all ingredients together and spread onto the cupcakes or use a pastry bag to top each cupcake.
Avocado Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients:
Salad
1 small bunch watercress
6 ounces baby spinach leaves
1 avocado, pit removed and diced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
15 ounce can grapefruit segments, juices reserved
4 ounces blue cheese crumbles
Dressing
3 tablespoons reserved grapefruit juice
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 drops grapefruit essential oil
pinch of salt and pepper, each
Directions
Toss the watercress and baby spinach together in a large mixing bowl.
Add the red onion, grapefruit segments and diced avocado.
Toss in the blue cheese crumbles.
In a glass container, mix together all of the dressing ingredients and shake to combine well. Pour over the salad and toss lightly.
Description
Tea has a new favorite companion. These scones are made with almond milk and boast a delicate lavender flavor. Spread with clotted cream or your favorite jam and enjoy with a cup of your favorite tea.
Lavender Scones
Ingredients:
6 SERVINGS
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
7 grams instant yeast
salt
1/2 cup butter (cold diced)
1 tsp. lavender oil (edible)
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar (unrefined)
80 mL almond milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 430 degrees Fahrenheit or 220 degrees Celsius
Mix flour, instant yeast, a large pinch of salt, and butter. Mix until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add lavender.
In another bowl, beat egg and sugar. Add almond milk and mix again.
Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture and slowly pour the liquid mixture. Mix with a spatula to form a dough.
Flour the work surface and turn the dough over.
Work the dough quickly so it becomes homogeneous. (Add flour or milk to have the desired consistency = not soggy, a little dry!)
Flatten it into a disk about 3-4 cm thick and even it with a rolling pin.
Using a cookie cutter cut out as many scones as possible.
On a baking sheet, gently place the scones, brush them with egg yolk and granulated sugar.
Cook them for 15 minutes.
Lavender + Blueberry Slow Down Smoothie
Ingredients:
2 SERVINGS
1 tsp. lavender oil
2 cups almond milk
1 cup blueberries
1 frozen banana
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Directions
Add ingredients to a blender and blitz on high speed until smooth.
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