Cooking with Essential Oils

Everyone knows that oregano, basil, and cinnamon are great seasonings for flavorful dishes, but did you know that those same herbs, and many others, in their essential oil form, are even MORE potent? It’s true - not only is the flavor stronger, but essential oils offer health benefits when you cook with them that the dried herbs do not.

You can ingest (and cook) with any of Young Living’s Vitality oils, which is the Dietary line of oils.

Benefits of cooking with Young Living Vitality essential oils:

With just a drop of oil (or less!), essential oils give food incredible flavor. Fresh herbs and dried herbs eventually go bad, but essential oils last MUCH longer and can be more cost effective in the long run. Each individual essential oil has a multitude of health benefits unique to it, and you can reap those benefits by cooking with them (as well as through inhalation, applying them topically, and ingesting via capsule).

How much oil do I substitute for herbs?

Well, that differs depending on the oil. Generally, you will want to start with less and then add more to taste as needed. 

Herbaceous Vitality oils, like basil, oregano, thyme, dill, etc are very potent. Start by running a toothpick in the rim of the oil bottle then dipping it into your dish. Repeat as necessary to get the flavor you want.  I like to add these oils early in the cooking process and then add more before serving if necessary.

For citrus oils - Lemon, Lime, Orange Vitality, etc - I typically use 1-2 drops per tsp of juice/zest

For Peppermint and Spearmint Vitality, try using 1 drop per tsp of dried mint. 

Cinnamon Vitality essential oil is also strong in flavor, so I use 1 drop per 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon. 

Remember, you can always add more later, but you can’t take it back after you’ve already added it! A little bit goes a long way. When in doubt, start with a toothpick dip and just addmore a little at a time.

A couple of my favorite ways to cook with essential oils:

Peppermint Brownies

Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Pie

**Only cook with and ingest Young Living Vitality essential oils.**

Oil Cleansing with Essential Oils

Oil Cleansing.

It's a thing.

Every time I tell people that I wash my face with oil they look at me like I've lost my ever-loving mind. And I get it - it sounds gross and counterproductive, but it actually works.

When you strip your body's natural oils with traditional face cleansers, it works overtime to restore them which can leave your skin oilier and breakout prone. Cleansing with oil is gentle and leaves the natural oils (while cleansing impurities and makeup) so your body doesn't need to over compensate. I add essential oils that are great for skin to my oil cleanser to help combat the signs of aging.

My Oil Cleansing recipe:

4oz bottle of Leven Rose Jojoba oil

40 drops Elemi essential oil

15 drops Geranium essential oil

10 drops Lavender essential oil

For moisturizing after cleansing:

Add one drop of Frankincense essential oil to a few drops of the Oil Cleansing recipe and gently massage onto face and neck.