Cooking with EO’s Basic Guide:

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Here you can find many-many of our favorites, from recipes to blends, rituals or just suggestions.... Enjoy!

 

BASICS OF COOKING WITH ESSENTIAL OILS: 

 

Cooking with essential oils actually helps to make cooking much easier and more flavorful. There’s always a place for herbs and spices – we need the variety of nutrients they offer! But sometimes, it’s just easier to add a drop or two of eo's instead of spending time chopping and slicing and preparing. Other times, a yummy essential oil can take the place of a recipe’s artificial flavoring ingredient (think “orange extract” or “lemon flavoring” or vanilla).

 

For the basics of cooking with essential oils, remember to:•  "Convert•  Dilute•  Delay.":

 

CONVERT the measurement amounts when cooking with essential oils.

DILUTE essential oils for cooking as needed.For savory recipes, DILUTE into a bit of olive or coconut oil. Stir, then add to the recipe.

For sweet recipes, honey or a syrup works well; however, this is better done with non-liquid dishes as neither are sufficient to keep the essential oil safely dispersed in water, tea, etc.

DELAY ADDING ESSENTIAL OILS until the last step in order to prevent loosing the benefit properties and compounds of each oil. Simply wait until the end of the process and then add your essential oils. These are called “volatile oils” for a reason – they are relatively fragile and will dissipate quickly in high heat!

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Always remember; when cooking with essential oils they should still be diluted into a lipid first. This not only keeps us safe, but it helps to ensure the oil (and flavor!) gets dispersed throughout the whole dish.

 

 The two concerns with cooking essential oils seem to be:

 

1.Alteration of chemical structure.

2.Evaporation.

 

Both of these concerns are valid, but that shouldn’t stop us from enjoying the culinary use of cooking with essential oils. Minimize exposure to high heat by adding essential oils last,  and minimize evaporation by proper dilution and dispersion throughout the recipe. Meanwhile one would think boiling would eliminate the beneficial properties, at least one study actually found that some properties were better retained during boiling than baking.

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TOP 10 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR COOKING:

 

It doesn’t take much essential oil to flavor your dish when using essential oils. Remember you typically need just a drop or two at most. Here are some of the best essential oils for cooking.

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1. LAVENDER

As one of the most gentle oils, lavender essential oil is a great oil to start with as you learn to cook with essential oils. Its  is delicate and floral, excellent for a variety of culinary options. Try lavender in dessert recipes like scones or even savory dishes like fish bakes. Just a couple of drops for the whole recipe will add just a touch of that unique floral flavor to take your recipe from bland to gourmet.

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2. PEPPERMINT

Cool and refreshing, peppermint essential oil is another easy one to start out with. A drop of peppermint essential oil added to honey turns an ordinary mug of tea into a stimulating, energizing jump start. Peppermint also blends well in lemonade, and for the adventurous – go for a lavender, peppermint, lemonade mix! It’s yet another case where the big-three essential oil sand flavors work together well when cooking with essential oils. Use peppermint oil in candies and chocolates for your own mint treats. And while it’s not actually cooking, don’t forget to use peppermint to make your own health treatments. Peppermint essential oil properties are linked to energizing stimulation, relief of aches and pains, and even athletic performance.

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3.CITRUS

There’s just no way around it – all of the citrus oils are great for cooking! Citrus oils are unique in that they are pressed directly from the peel of the fruit, so while you’re getting the oddball composition of roots and leaves and bark with other oils, you are much closer to the familiar fruit in citrus.

Use citrus oils properly emulsified in drinks ,smoothies(orange-cream, anyone?),and treats. Add to stir-fries and casseroles, one-pot wonders, and even in dips. The sky’s the limit with these delicious, fruity oils. Citrus essential oils are linked to energizing, antimicrobial properties and may even contribute to weight loss efforts.

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4. BERGAMOT

While bergamot is technically citrus, it deserves special mention. First, it’s not a fruit that we eat so we don’t readily relate to the flavor. And second, it is a stand-out anxiety reliever. Bergamot’s flavor is mildly citrus-like. Try bergamot in scone recipes and other treats to take advantage of its excellent pairing with mild flavors. Bergamot essential oil is a cold-pressed citrus oil that is associated with stress relieving, anti-anxiety benefits.

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5.CINNAMON

Cinnamon essential oil works very well in sweet dishes, particularly cinnamon bark oil to replace powdered cinnamon bark. Think cinnamon French toast, you could add a drop into the eggs before dipping the toast into it, or to give an extra cinnamon boost in cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon essential oil is associated with antimicrobial and antioxidant effects, as well as being a stimulating, energizing oil.

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6. CARDAMOM

An excellent pairing with cinnamon oil, cardamom is known as a strong antioxidant with potential digestive benefits. 

Cardamom essential oil is associated with digestive wellness such as nausea relief, as well as potent antioxidant composition.

 

7. GINGER

Another digestive substance, ginger root has long been used to relieve nausea and protect the stomach. Ginger essential oil can be used in similar ways, and it is great for cooking. Add ginger to sweet treats like ginger snaps, gingerbread, and spiced drinks, without a doubt. But also try it in sauces for savory dishes like stir fries and marinades. Fresh ginger has to be peeled and grated, so ginger essential oil can be a quick and easy addition when time is short but flavor is needed. Ginger essential oil is linked to digestive wellness, nausea prevention, and anti-inflammatory benefits.

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8.THYME

Typically used in cleaning blends, thyme essential oil is best known for its front-line effects against microbes that causes illnesses. 

For a surprising twist, experiment with thyme in desserts and treats to offset the sweetness. Thyme essential oil is also known as an antimicrobial immune booster stimulant and may help to improve food safety.

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9.ANISE

With a licorice flavor, anise essential oil is fun to experiment with as a unique and absolutely delicious addition to nearly any kind of recipe. Anise is many times used in cookies and treats, mild biscotti, savory marinades, soups, sausages, and various ethnic recipes. Anise is similar to fennel in flavor and digestive benefits. Replace anise in recipes with a drop or two of the essential oil. But, like fennel, it can be counter productive and even dangerous if used in excess. Use it cautiously – not daily and not in excess – to enjoy the flavor and digestive benefits of anise essential oil. Anise essential oil is mainly associated with it's digestive benefits.Use appropriately.

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10. CILANTRO

Use cilantro essential oil where you would use cilantro, in salsas, dips, and savory cuisine. Coriander essential oil works well in sauces, vegetable dishes, pickling, and other savory recipes that use herbs. Coriander and cilantro essential oils are associated with digestive benefits and antioxidant properties.