You think essential oils are only meant to be diffused or applied to the skin? You've got it wrong.
With Young Living Plus oils (also called Vitality Line outside Europe) you can spice up your life or at least your food and drinks with some simple tips and recipes. They are a great alternative to herbs, citrus peel or juice, lime juice or spices such as oregano, cloves, rosemary, etc. You can also use them to make or refine delicious drinks, teas, juices, cocktails, etc. This means that even people like me - who are not DIY professionals when it comes to “homemade juices” - can make great and relatively “healthy” alternatives to drinks with artificial flavors. Or if you don't have the time (or the garden) to get fresh herbs, simply use the spice oils from the Plus line:
Basic tips for using essential oils in the kitchen:
- Less is more: essential oils are very potent, especially with (hot) spice oils such as Oregano+, Thyme+, Rosemary+, Black Pepper+, Cinnamon Bark+, Clove+ or Ginger+, one drop is often too much for your recipe. Try yourself and start with very little.
You can start with using the “toothpick method”: dip a clean toothpick into the Plus oil (or stick it into the dropper opening) and then swirl it either directly into your recipe or mix with olive oil and spread it over your food.
- Prepare a seasoned oil or a seasoned salt: like that you can dose the essential oils better. Ideally, the ready-mixed oil or salt is only spread onto the food at the end of the cooking time so that the taste is not lost through long cooking. If the oil is not heated too much (e.g. in cold drinks or dressings), the general positive effect of the essential oil is retained (e.g. detoxifying effect of lemon oil)
Recipes for seasoned salts: use 3 tablespoons each of rock or sea salt and add the respective oils. This can then be stored in a sealable jar (no plastic container or lid). Either stir into the dish at the end of cooking or sprinkle on the food directly at the table as a refinement. Always close tightly after each use:
You can start with using the “toothpick method”: dip a clean toothpick into the Plus oil (or stick it into the dropper opening) and then swirl it either directly into your recipe or mix with olive oil and spread it over your food.
- Prepare a seasoned oil or a seasoned salt: like that you can dose the essential oils better. Ideally, the ready-mixed oil or salt is only spread onto the food at the end of the cooking time so that the taste is not lost through long cooking. If the oil is not heated too much (e.g. in cold drinks or dressings), the general positive effect of the essential oil is retained (e.g. detoxifying effect of lemon oil)
Recipes for seasoned salts: use 3 tablespoons each of rock or sea salt and add the respective oils. This can then be stored in a sealable jar (no plastic container or lid). Either stir into the dish at the end of cooking or sprinkle on the food directly at the table as a refinement. Always close tightly after each use:
Lemon-Pepper-Salt*: 10-20 drops Lemon+ depending on taste 4 drops Black Pepper+ 1 pinch of salt and fresh Pepper | Rosmary-Lime-Salt: 2-3 drops Rosmary+ 1-2 drops Sage+ 6 drops Lime+ | Mediterranean mix*: 2-3 drops Oregano+ 2-3 drops Thyme+ 3 drops Rosmary+ 3 drops Marjoram+ | Herbs of Provence mix*: 3 drops Lavender 3 drops Rosmary 3 drops Basiil 3 drops Thyme |
Its also a great Christmas Present or a nice souvenir if you are invited for dinner: 
Recipes for seasoned oils: here too, you mix the essential oils with 200 ml of organic olive oil and can then use them to refine salads, pizza, pasta or oven-baked vegetables. Always start with small amounts and then increase depending on your taste.
Mediterranean mix*: 4 Tr. Oregano+ 4 Tr. Thyme+ 4 Tr. Rosmary+ 4 Tr. Marjoram+ Optional 2-4 Garlic cloves | Herbs of Provence mix: 6 drops Lavender 5 drops Rosmary 4 drops Basiil 3 drops Thyme |  |
*Recipes taken from the book: “Nimm dir MA[H]L-ZEIT – Kochen mit ätherischen Ölen“ from Barbara Ahorn
Dips and spreads:
Lime+ oil (or Lemon+ or Citrus Fresh+) in particular is ideal for refining dips, spreads or even salad dressings. Parsley+ also goes well with pasta, Coriander+ goes great in guacamole:
Lime+ oil (or Lemon+ or Citrus Fresh+) in particular is ideal for refining dips, spreads or even salad dressings. Parsley+ also goes well with pasta, Coriander+ goes great in guacamole:
- Guacamole recipe: De-seed and peel 2 avocados, crush and mix with 2 drops of Citrus Fresh+, 1 drop of Coriander+, 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice (or 3-4 drops of Lime+), 1 chopped garlic clove, a pinch each of salt and pepper, optional 3 tbsp chopped red onion and 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro.
- Sour cream dip recipe: Mix sour cream, several drops of Lime+ as desired, salt well. Super tasty as a dip for tortilla chips or on crackers garnished with finely chopped salmon cubes.
- Sour cream dip recipe: Mix sour cream, several drops of Lime+ as desired, salt well. Super tasty as a dip for tortilla chips or on crackers garnished with finely chopped salmon cubes.
Baking with YL: Cinnamon Bark+, Clove+, Ginger+, Orange+ are ideal for baking. Peppermint+ can be combined great with chocolate, e.g. in a chocolate cake for a special taste.
Drinks: Since I don't bake much, I like it more to use the oils to refine or make drinks. There are very simple recipes but also playful cocktails (which I didn't try much yet). I'll let you know after 😉.
My favorite drinks - not only in winter:
- Hot chocolate with a drop of Orange+ (and maybe a dash of rum 😉)
- Coffee with a drop of Cinnamon Bark+
- Thieves cold nose tea: Mix 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, 1-2 drops each of Thieves+ and Lemon+ in boiled water (cooled to approx. 40-60 degrees)
- 50-60ml NingXia Red juice mixed with ¼ liter of water and 1-2 drops of Red Shot (or Thieves+) and optionally with fresh lemon juice or 1 drop of Lemon+
- Ginger-lemon lemonade: simply mix with half or whole tablespoon of honey, a drop of Ginger+ and fresh lemon juice and stir into ¼ liter of water
Extra Tip: You can also simply make your own sugar syrup which you can use for nonalcoholic drinks or cocktails. It dissolves more easily in cold water (or in cocktails) than honey. To do this you need 2 cups of sugar (e.g. Demerara cane sugar) with 1 cup of water - briefly bring the water to the boil, add the sugar and stir with reduced heat until the sugar has dissolved and is completely liquid. Then allow to cool and store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. You can then either make ready-made mixtures with the oils or use a drop in 1 tablespoon of sugar syrup and ¼ liter of water (and fresh lemon). Depending on your preference, you can also use Rosemary+, Lavender+ or (in summer) Peppermint instead of Ginger+. I have to try cocktails with this sugar syrup first, but a “Rosemary/Orange” Margarita will probably be the first one I try 😉 I'll
For more recipes:
- Ginger-lemon lemonade: simply mix with half or whole tablespoon of honey, a drop of Ginger+ and fresh lemon juice and stir into ¼ liter of water
Extra Tip: You can also simply make your own sugar syrup which you can use for nonalcoholic drinks or cocktails. It dissolves more easily in cold water (or in cocktails) than honey. To do this you need 2 cups of sugar (e.g. Demerara cane sugar) with 1 cup of water - briefly bring the water to the boil, add the sugar and stir with reduced heat until the sugar has dissolved and is completely liquid. Then allow to cool and store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. You can then either make ready-made mixtures with the oils or use a drop in 1 tablespoon of sugar syrup and ¼ liter of water (and fresh lemon). Depending on your preference, you can also use Rosemary+, Lavender+ or (in summer) Peppermint instead of Ginger+. I have to try cocktails with this sugar syrup first, but a “Rosemary/Orange” Margarita will probably be the first one I try 😉 I'll
For more recipes:
Find here the Young Living cookbook: https://issuu.com/yleurope/docs/ylcookbook-2021-eur-v1-de
And here some more ideas in the Young Living blog: https://www.youngliving.com/blog/eu/en/category/at-home/cooking/
Find all Plus Oils here: https://www.youngliving.com/de_at/products/id/64647
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If you start in December you can buy this bundle: Plus Oil Bundle X-Mas 2024
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 | Hey, I'm Lucy! After my world trip in 2018, 'ENJOY LIFE RESPONSIBLY' became my motto. Be inspired as I share my adventures, my evolving worldview, and my journey to a more responsible and natural lifestyle. Find out how my life is connected to “Young Living Essential Oils”, why travel and oils are my two great passions and how I combine them. |
