Cold Cucumber Soup
Besides being a delightful citrusy garnish in Asian cooking, most of us would never guess that this yummy grass holds so much healing energy inside its fibrous stems!
Lemongrass is mainly used in traditional medicine in oil form. It’s used for addressing inflammations, indigestion, and as a potent headache relief. Scientifically speaking, most of the medicinal properties come from citral, a compound found in lemongrass which is a very potent antimicrobial that suppresses and destroys pretty much most microorganisms including bacteria and fungi. It’s also rich in limonene which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and can further reduce bacterial growth.
To take advantage of these fantastic Lemongrass oil benefits, try making your own recipes and adding into your cooking. Lemongrass is commonly used in teas, soups, and coconut milk-based curries; nevertheless, it's also suitable for poultry, fish, and seafood.
Ingredients:
- 1 cucumber (peeled and de-seeded)
- 1 tablespoon onion (chopped)
- 1 avocado
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 drops of USDA organic Lemongrass essential oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- 1 dash of Cayenne
- Paprika for garnish
Instructions:
- Toss all ingredients into a high-powered blender and combine on high speed until smooth.
- Serve, beautifying with extra cucumber, and smoked paprika to taste.
Simple- enjoy!
Spanish Gazpacho with Basil Oil
There's nothing quite like a cold and refreshing bowl of authentic Spanish Gazpacho to cool off this summer. This recipe is nutrient-dense and is super healthy, plus with the added ingredient of basil essential oil, you're maximizing the flavor with even more added health benefits. The gazpacho recipe from Spain is cold, refreshing, and silky smooth. You can add some crunch with some fresh cut tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers to garnish before serving.
Ingredients:
- 3 medium red bell peppers, chopped
- 3 large cucumbers, peeled and chopped
- 12 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 large clove garlic
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 2 drops of USDA organic Basil essential oil (please do NOT add more, the flavor will be too strong).
Instructions:
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Then pour through a fine-mesh strainer to get rid of tomato and pepper skin and cucumber seeds once the mixture is combined.
- Chill for a couple of hours before serving and garnish as you wish.
Lemon Essential Oil Cheesecake
This lemon essential oil cheesecake is a great dessert to make for summer parties, or if you’re going to a summer get together bbq! You can make this for absolutely any event and your friends and family will absolutely love it!
Ingredients:
Base:
- 1 1/3 cups of gluten-free digestive biscuits
- 1/2 cup coconut butter
Cheesecake:
- 4 drops of USDA organic Lemon essential oil
- Lemon curd to drizzle
- 1 cup natural sweetener (Erythritol, Stevia, etc)
- 8 oz packet cashew cream cheese
- 1 1/4 cup double cashew/ or coconut milk creamer
Instructions:
- Add the melted coconut butter to the pulverized biscuits, blend well so that all of the butter has covered the biscuit. Flatten into a cake tin, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- For the center, whip the cream, add the cashew cream cheese, sweetener, and slowly add the lemon essential oil while blending slowly, taste, and add extra lemon oil and sweetener according to your personal tastes.
- Transfer the filling to the cake tin, dispersed evenly then sprinkle lemon curd on the top, refrigerate for at about 10 hours….then enjoy!
Vietnamese Watermelon Salad
Have you ever had one of those days where you're just not in the mood for cooking? The recipe we're sharing today is great for those types of days! This Vietnamese watermelon salad captures all the fresh flavors of summer, it's completely vegan and gluten-free, full of nutrients, and even added health benefits thanks to the essential oils.
Ingredients:
- Cubed watermelon (preferably cold)
- Sea salt
- Rice vinegar
- 2 drops of USDA organic Basil essential oil
- 2 drops of USDA organic Peppermint essential oil
- Fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions:
- Place cubed watermelon in a sieve and toss while adding a sprinkling of sea salt.
- Toss the watermelon with rice vinegar - approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar can be added per cup of watermelon, but you can modify this to taste. Mix in the essential oils and dress with finely chopped cilantro!
Strawberry Sorbet Popsicles with Essential Oils
And finally, we saved the best for last! Do you remember when you were a kid, and the world came to a halt with that sweet sound of the ice cream truck rolling down your street? Just one bite of our strawberry sorbet with essential oil popsicles, and you'll be transported right back to that summer day.
Our version of strawberry sorbet popsicles are made with fresh fruit right from the farmer's market, and lemon essential oil plus, so it doesn’t require an ice cream maker. Best of all, it's guaranteed to be a hit with your summer guests!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup of erythritol
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 drops of USDA Organic Rosemary essential oil (or other essential oil you love)
- 1 Quart of strawberries
Instructions:
- In a small saucepan, heat the erythritol and water together and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the caster sugar is dissolved.
- Allow the mix to cool to room temperature and then stir in the lemon essential oil.
- Place strawberries in a blender and mix till smooth.
- Add the caster sugar mixture to the blender and mix, blending until strawberries are smooth.
- Fill popsicle molds halfway and freeze.
- Leave the contents in the freezer overnight and enjoy it!
These recipes are super quick and simple, and they’re great for wiping up when you have unexpected summer guests! Let us know in the comments below which recipe you’ve done and how you liked it, or how we can improve these recipes.