Diffuser blends, recipes and usage tips!
As published in: Nature’s Pathways Magazine – Northeast Wisconsin December 2016
Nothing evokes the warm, cozy feeling of the holidays like all the alluring smells of the season! Pine, cinnamon, peppermint and apple scents fill homes and businesses everywhere, whether it be in the form of candles, room sprays or diffusers, or in recipes for your favorite warm beverage or holiday treat. Another way to incorporate these scents into your home and holiday celebrations is by using essential oils! Many essential oils not only smell amazing when diffused into the air to freshen a room, but add vibrant flavor to recipes.
Try some of the suggestions for essential oil use listed below. Feel free to adjust quantities of oils you diffuse to suit your preferences! Be creative and use these ideas as a starting point to formulate your own blends!
Diffuser blends:
Quantities listed below in “drops” of essential oil (EO).
Warm & Cozy:
- 3 drops Wild Orange
- 2 drops Cinnamon Bark
- 2 drops Myrrh
- 2 drops Cedarwood
- 1 drop Clove Bud
- 1 drop Ginger
Autumn Walk:
- 2 drops Cypress
- 2 drops White Fir
- 2 drops Sandalwood
Christmas Wonderland:
- 2 drops Balsam Fir
- 2 drops Spruce
- 2 drops Cedarwood
- 2 drops Peppermint
- 1 drop Juniper
Baked Apple Pie:
- 2 drops Cinnamon Bark
- 2 drops Ginger
- 1 drop Clove Bud
- 1 drop Nutmeg
Or adjust slightly for…
Gingerbread Cookie:
- 3 drops Ginger
- 2 drops Cinnamon Bark
- 2 drops Clove Bud
- 1 drop Nutmeg
Relax & Unwind:
- 3 drops Lavendar
- 2 drops Chamomile
- 2 drops Ylang Ylang
Recipes and ingredient additions/substitutions:
Candy Cane Coffee: (Adjust quantities to taste)
- 8 ounces coffee
- 1-2 drops peppermint EO
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or grass-fed butter
Instructions: Mix in blender or whisk until combined.
Apple Cider:
- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 drops Cinnamon Bark EO
- 2 drops Orange EO
- 2 drop Clove Bud EO
- 1 drop Lemon EO
- A few allspice berries or ½ teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions: Bring to boil. Simmer on low for 20 minutes or as long as you would like to keep it warm! Serve.
Rosemary Mashed Potatoes:
Prepare your favorite mashed potato recipe. Mix in 2-3 drops Rosemary EO before serving.
Cornbread Dressing:
While preparing your favorite cornbread (or other dressing recipe), add in the following before baking:
- 3 drops Sage EO
- 2 drops Thyme EO
- 2 drops Black Pepper EO
Pumpkin Pie:
Substitute the following oils for the dry/ground ingredients in your recipe:
- 1 drop Cinnamon Bark EO
- 1 drop Clove Bud EO
- 1 drop Nutmeg EO
- 1 drop Ginger EO
NOTE: 1 drop of Cinnamon Bark = 1-2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon.
1 drop of Clove, Ginger or Nutmeg = approximately ½ teaspoon of ground allspice.
If recipe calls for less than 1 teaspoon of dried/ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg, peppermint, cinnamon, etc., simply dip a toothpick in the oil and swirl that in the recipe. These oils are quite strong and will overpower the recipe if not used sparingly.
Stomach Soothers:
Holiday parties and family get togethers often cause us to overindulge. If you consume too many rich foods and experience indigestion, gas or bloating, try one of these!
- Peppermint EO
- Ginger EO
- Fennel EO
You can diffuse, inhale, dilute 2 drops with a little carrier oil and rub directly on stomach (fractionated coconut oil, almond oil or olive oil work well as carrier oils), or put a drop in a glass of water and drink.
Remember to use therapeutic grade oils — especially in recipes — as oils are NOT all created equally. Purchase them from a reputable company and do research into where the oils are grown (not all oils grow well in the U.S.), how the oils are harvested, and the methods used to test purity before selecting a brand!
Happy holidays and best wishes for a new year full of warm memories, health, joy and love!