Potatoes are probably one of the most versatile foods known today and an excellent source of fiber and nutrients especially if you eat the skin. You can prepare this tasty, starchy vegetables in a variety of ways; from hashbrowns for breakfast to fries for lunch, and baked potatoes for dinner, potatoes can accompany any dish of your choosing all day long.
They were first cultivated by the Inca Indians in Peru back a few thousand years ago. In the early 1500s, the Spanish Conquistadors took the land of Peru for Spain and brought back with them the flavorful goodness of the potato. From there it was traded all throughout Europe and eventually all over the world. (1)
Potatoes are full of antioxidants, potassium, fiber, and magnesium but most of the traditional cooking methods, such as deep frying them in buckets of unhealthy grease, take away from the amazing health benefits. However, if you must have fries on occasion, you should definitely opt for sweet potato fries instead of regular potatoes.
SWEET POTATOES provide 400% of your daily vitamin A requirement compared to the regular potato, according to Cleveland Clinic.(2) The best way to consume sweet potatoes is to bake them, but undercook them a bit; that way you get more of their fiber, which otherwise is mostly lost when they’re well done.
Despite the fact they have more sugar than white potatoes, sweet potatoes are better because they have fewer calories and carbs, but more antioxidants and fiber, which is found both in the skin and the center of potato, plus they are an additional source of Calcium and Manganese, not present in the white potatoes. (2)
Our recipe for Baked Potatoes with Oregano and Lemon Essential Oils brings out the health in eating potatoes or any salad of your choosing, plus it tastes great!
Essential Oils are used all over the world for a variety of health reasons. They are able to act as a cure for many different illnesses as some of them can replace dry or fresh herbs and spices in cooking. Take Oregano and Lemon Oils for example.
OREGANO OIL, native to Greece, is a less known but powerful natural antibiotic due to its antiviral and antifungal properties which have been proven by recent studies. It supports a healthy heart by balancing cholesterol and can even soothe a sore throat and ease coughing due to its anti-inflammatory properties. (3) In addition, its warm, spicy aromas are amazing and add a new dimension of flavor to any potato dish.
LEMON OIL, commonly referred to as “Liquid Sunshine,” has a fresh, citrusy aroma that compliments the herbaceous flavors of Oregano and the sweetness of the potatoes perfectly. Plus, it’s a great booster for both the immune and circulatory systems because it increases lymphatic drainage in the body which helps detoxify the blood and liver. (4) Lemon oil also acts as an antimicrobial agent against different bacteria such as Salmonella and E. Coli. (5)
And here’s a secret that very few know: in the process of drying herbs, many molecules of oils found in plants evaporate, which means dry herbs have less therapeutic benefits than essential oils, which are the most concentrated essence of the plants since the oils from plants are extracted and not lost during processing.
You get a lot more health benefits from using 1-2 drops of essential oils versus using the fresh or dry herbs which would require that you consume 5-10 times more the quantity you’d normally use in recipes to get the same results, plus the oils could last anywhere between 1-5 years, depending on the oils. You could easily save a LOT of money in the long run by not wasting money on fresh herbs, which are expensive, or dry ones and spices which most either expire within 6 months of opening them or lose their aroma.
On the contrary, essential oils’ flavor and scent are more intense, and in same some oils they intensify even more with time; a lot of people don’t know but certain essential oils, in proper storage conditions- can be aged just like red wine, and with time they become more exquisite and their therapeutic or health benefits even more effective :)
This is why using essential oils even in your recipes can make you healthier and help you enjoy even the most boring or simple foods and salads in a completely new and exciting way!. You should try it for yourself with our easy recipe below!
Baked Potatoes with Oregano and Lemon Essential Oils
Cooking time: 30 min
Makes: 4 servings
2 lb potatoes cut into wedges
2 drops Oregano oil
4 drops Lemon oil
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Instructions: Preheat your oven at 350 F. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine, making sure the potatoes are well coated with this oily mixture. Spread the potatoes in a large baking sheet and roast for a total of 30-40 minutes (or until fully cooked), flipping the potatoes halfway through to ensure they’re browned all over. Serve immediately.
Pairs well with a vegetable salad made of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, grated carrots, onion or scallions, and romaine lettuce. If you want to serve the potatoes with this salad, then make the same mixture as above and add 1 tbs of apple cider vinegar to it, then toss on your salad. Bon appetit!
Oregano and Lemon oil have been recognized by the FDA as safe for consumption, but this is only the case if you purchase a pure, unadulterated oil. Therefore we ONLY recommend using USDA Certified Organic Essential Oils when cooking because it’s the only way to ensure that they are free from pesticides, GMOs, and artificial fertilizers!
TIP: We also recommend adding the essential oils towards the end of cooking in any recipe that involves heating because heat and light are the two enemies of essential oils, which destroy their therapeutic effectiveness.
In conclusion, the next time you have friends over or feel like channeling your inner chef, you can create a meal with some amazing essential oils aromas that will heal both your body and your soul. For more recipes with Oregano and Lemon, check out our blog and if you’d like to buy these 2 oils or others check out the USDA Organic Essential Oils Collection on our website.
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