Do you like Italian food? How about Americanized Italian-inspired food? :) One of our favorite side dishes around here is bread with dipping oil. We mix up some dried herbs with olive oil and dip a warm, crusty bread in it...mmm...Since I've discovered Essential Oils that are safe to ingest (PLEASE follow labeled instructions! They aren't all safe! Get safe ones HERE), I like using them to jazz up my food dishes and this is a perfect one! It already uses a carrier oil and herbs in the same family. Any of the herb oils, like rosemary, oregano, Taste of Italy blend, or even lemon, would be tasty in this dish! And the herb oils are so great for supporting a healthy immune system. This is a great, raw application, where you don't risk high heat damaging the therapeutic properties of the oil.
1/4 - 1/2 tsp raw, minced garlic
1/4 - 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp Italian dried herb blend (I use a combo that is 2 pars each basil and oregano, 1 part each thyme, rosemary, and parsley, stored in its own spice jar)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 drop Vitality Essential oil
All you have to do is combine and enjoy! There is a lot of flexibility in the recipe. Just use what you have, and as much or as little as you like! Precision is not important. I never even measured it until I got ready to share! Remember to start with less, cause you can always add more.
I also love to translate this recipe to chicken. Simply modestly sprinkle the same dry ingredients on the chicken (I like boneless, skinless white meat for this). Then I pan fry it in my cast iron skillet, on medium heat, using the Vitality infused olive oil to cook with. Now, cooking with the essential oil, you do run the risk of damaging its therapeutic value, but you are still getting the great boost of flavor. I usually eat these two dishes together, with a little side salad, for a simple, healthy supper.
UPDATE: I used this oil blend on diced red potatoes, then roasted in the oven, at 425 for 20-25 min... OMG! YUM!
Check out my video for a few more tips on making this dish happen!
I love my essential oils so much, and they are such a part of my everyday life, that I like to keep them with me always! They are my go-to for so many things for myself and my family, so it only makes sense, right?
I recently posted about my DIY Vent Clip for diffusing oils in my car. I also recently got a little oil travel bag (from Etsy!) that is now my to-go bag. I keep it stocked with some staples that I can diffuse in the car, or use other ways, as needed, while I'm out of the house. These things make taking and using oils on-the-go really easy!
This is a perfect opportunity to re-use some of your empties! Add 15 drops or so of your go-to oil, or personal blend, to an old bottle to create to your On-The-Go collection. That way, you the weight you are carrying around is minimized. Plus, you can keep your large bottle safe at home, where you will be using more of it anyway. This way, too, if the small stash gets broken, you aren't out an entire bottle of oil, nor will an entire bottle of oil spill all over your bag! Your big bottle is safe and sound, with most of your oil in it!
Check out my video for the 8 essential oils I choose to keep with us all the time, as well as my bonus bottle #9! I'll challenge you to keep track of how many of my staples are available in the Premium Starter Kit, which you can study for HERE aaaannd HERE.
The Thieves
Household Cleaner is one of the best bang-for-the-buck products
I’ve found from Young Living! It is an all plant- and mineral-based product and features the king-of-clean, Thieves Essential Oil blend (which is part of the Premium Starter Kit, and you can read a little more about here). Thieves is a combination of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyuptus, and rosemary essential oils, so you know it smells amazing! Because it's all natural, it's an ideal cleaning solution for homes with children and/or pets. But the absolute BEST part is... It actually works!!! It actually gets things clean!
The Thieves Household Cleaner comes in a reasonable 14.4 oz or a jumbo 64 oz bottle (honestly, I’ve had the smaller one for months and it’s not gone yet. Maybe I just need to clean more...) Simply dilute it with water, or add to some baking soda, and you can use it to clean your house from top to bottom, on nearly every surface. It's that easy! And a little goes a very long way. This solution is SUPER concentrated, so dilution is almost always required, making it an economical solution as well. Dilution ratios vary based on how strong of a cleaner you need.
I keep 2 spray bottles in my cabinet all the time:
1. A light weigh spray of 1 capful in about 3 cups of water + 1 tsp vinegar
My favorite uses:
Mirrors (if it streaks, add a little more water)
Stainless appliances (think smudges on the fridge!)
Chrome faucets
Giving kitchen or bathroom countertops an everyday wipe-down.
My sofa. I spot clean from messy little fingers and every week or 2 just do a light mist over the whole thing to freshen it up.
Toys
My dinner table and chairs (they are wood)
The crib
Re-usable AC filters
Doorknobs and light switch plates
2. A more heavy-duty, all-purpose solution made of 1 capful in about 1 ½-2 cups of water.
My favorite uses:
The stove top after dinner
The high chair
Car seat cup holders
Old, sticky juice
The trash can
Toothpaste spots in the sink
*Be sure to spot check for color-fastness and against staining on fabrics and porous surfaces. But, my couch is red micro-suede and I've had no issues! Just an FYI, each cap full is about 1 tbsp, so the smaller bottle gets you 29 caps and the larger one gets you 128! Such a bargain!
See, super easy! I do use this concentrate in other recipes as needed around my house, but I use at least one of these 2 almost every day. I love that I can get out my bottle #1 and just go to town, cleaning all over the house at once! Don't you just love simplification in life?
I've talked about Vitality oils before (see Infused Water). What do you do if there is a Vitality oil you want to use, but it isn't really appetizing to you? Or maybe it's a hot oil, and when you add it to water it's still uncomfortable for your lips? Enter capsules! Capsules are cheap and easy to use. Don't believe me? Check out my video showing you just how I make 'um and take 'um!
Please remember that not all essential oils are safe for internal use! Please follow labeling instructions and DO NOT ingest oils that don't specifically say it's ok! Young Living makes it easy with their line of Vitality oils! These are their same great essential oils, labeled for internal use. You can learn more about them here!
