Abundant Health™ Blog

November 10, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Banana Bread with Essential Oils

As the weather gets cooler, one great way to help warm your house is to bake some delicious banana bread with essential oils!

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Banana Bread with Essential Oils

Servings: Yield=1 loaf | Time: 20 minutes active; 1 hour inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour (or use 1/2 white wheat flour)
  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar (or use 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup honey)
  • 3/4 tsp. (3 g) baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. (2 g) sea salt
  • 1/4 cup (57 g) butter (1/2 stick)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
  • 3/4 cup (214 g) plain greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp. (5 ml) Homemade Vanilla Extract
  • 3 drops cinnamon essential oil
  • 1 drop clove essential oil
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips or walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a bread pan.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well.
  3. Pour batter into the bread pan.
  4. Bake for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan.

Extra Ideas:

  • One of our readers has told us they like this bread with 4 drops orange essential oil instead of the cinnamon and clove essential oils.
  • Try adding this cinnamon honey butter to this banana bread!

November 8, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Hair Conditioning Leave-in Serum and Spray

Does your hair tend to get dry or brittle on cold winter days or hot summer days? Or maybe it just gets frizzy or staticky. This hair conditioning spray is fantastic for adding a little extra moisture when you need it.

This recipe has a 2-part formula: first, you create a serum base that can also be used straight for an overnight treatment; then you create the spray by combining a little of the serum with water in a spray bottle to give a little extra support to the ends of your hair.

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According to the Reference Guide for Essential Oils, the essential oils in this recipe are often used to help with dry, fragile hair and may even help stimulate hair growth.

Hair Conditioning Serum and Spray

Time: 5 minutes active | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Pour fractionated coconut oil, sweet almond oil, glycerin, and essential oils into the 2 oz. plastic bottle. Shake to combine.
  2. Place 1 tsp. (5 ml) of the serum in the 2 oz. glass spray bottle. Add distilled water, screw the spray top on, and shake to combine.
  3. To use serum alone, squirt a little (about 1/4 tsp. or 1–2 ml) of the oil into the palm of your hand, and massage through your hair using your fingers. Work from the ends of your hair up to the roots. Leave on overnight (or at least for 15 minutes) before shampooing your hair. Cover your pillow with a towel to protect your pillowcase and sheets if needed. Apply 1–2 times a month or when your hair is feeling dry and brittle.
  4. To use Hair Conditioning Spray, shake well with each use, and spray hair (avoiding the roots) as needed.

November 5, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Essential Oil–Infused Potpourri

Enjoy the wonderful autumn and winter scents with this essential oil–infused potpourri! All you need to do is find some cute containers and fill them with potpourri ingredients. Add a few drops of essential oil to spruce up the scent, then enjoy for a couple weeks before recharging it with more essential oil!

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This essential oil–infused potpourri makes a fantastic and simple gift for neighbors, friends, and coworkers this holiday season! Just attach a cute gift tag with ribbon or twine, and it’s good to go! If you would like to introduce your friends to essential oils, you may want to consider adding a small sample bottle of essential oil that they can use to “recharge” their own potpourri.

Don’t give all of them away though—you’ll want to keep a few to use yourself! We love placing these in the bathroom, the closet, the entryway, and many other places around the house. Try keeping a small container of this potpourri in your car as an easy car diffuser. You will love being welcomed with these aromas every time you get in your car!

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Essential Oil–Infused Potpourri

Time: 5 minutes active | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • Potpourri ingredients (such as cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, dried apple slices, dried orange peels, bay leaves, candied ginger, whole nutmeg, whole cloves, whole allspice, cardamom seeds, and star anise)
  • Essential oils (such as cinnamon, orange, ginger, vetiver, clove, cardamom, or holiday-scented blend)
  • Salve Jars, Mason Jars, or PET Jars

Instructions:

  1. Cut up bigger items such as cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, dried apple slices, bay leaves, candied ginger, etc. as needed to fit in your containers.
  2. Add 3–5 drops of desired essential oil(s) on top of the potpourri.
  3. To use, simply leave the lid off of the container to enjoy the delightful aromas! Add a few drops of essential oil every couple weeks or as needed. You can also put the ingredients in a pot full of simmering water to spread the smell throughout the house.

Note: To gift, make sure contents fit inside the container. Screw the lid on, and decorate with ribbon, twine, or a gift tag. You can even include a small sample bottle filled with essential oil so your gift recipients can recharge their potpourri.

We added a little bit of everything to our potpourri, along with some cinnamon, orange, and cardamom essential oil, and we loved the result. But feel free to get creative and use whatever you have on hand for this recipe! All of these ingredients complement each other, so you really can’t go wrong here.

November 1, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Natural Wood Cleaner

This all-natural cleaner will leave your wood surfaces clean and glowing.

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Natural Wood Cleaner

Time: 5 minutes active | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients & Supplies:

Instructions:

  1. Pour jojoba oil and vinegar into the spray bottle.
  2. Add the essential oil, put on lid, and shake well.
  3. Spray onto a microfiber cloth, and wipe wood surfaces until they shine!

Use often to keep your wood looking shiny and to protect it from damage.

October 29, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Walking in the Woods Diffuser Blend

Imagine yourself walking through a thick forest as you breathe in the woodsy scent of this diffuser blend. No matter where you live, the only items you’ll need for this little trip are a diffuser and some essential oils.

Honestly, you could use any essential oils that have a woodsy or earthy scent such as balsam fir, cedarwood, cypress, douglas fir, silver fir, white fir, galbanum, hinoki, hyssop, juniper, myrrh, patchouli, pine, rosemary, sandalwood, spikenard, black spruce, or blue spruce. Just use 1 drop for oils with stronger scents, and 2–3 drops for oils with lighter scents. Enjoy your walk in the woods!

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October 27, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Edible Pumpkin Playdough

This is a fun and tasty Halloween recipe for the kids! Let this sweet treat bring out the creativity in your “little monsters.”

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Edible Pumpkin Playdough

Servings: Yield=2 1/4 cups | Time: 10 minutes active | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) pumpkin spice–flavored liquid coffee creamer
  • 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar
  • Food coloring
  • 2 Tbsp. (24 g) coconut oil
  • 1 toothpick cinnamon essential oil

Instructions:

  1. In a mixer, slowly mix powdered sugar with the coffee creamer.
  2. Beat until combined into a stiff, dry dough. Add coconut oil and cinnamon essential oil.
  3. Add in food coloring until you achieve your desired color.
  4. The dough should be shiny, pliable, and ready to play with!

October 25, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Cinnamon Apple Crêpes

This delicious recipe is the perfect marriage between a classic American apple pie and a well-loved European crêpe. To make the dish even better, we added cinnamon essential oil to the crêpe batter, the apple filling, and the whipped cream for the top. It’s sweet enough for dessert, yet healthy enough for breakfast!

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Cinnamon Apple Crêpes

Servings: 4 | Time: 30–40 minutes active | Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients:

Crêpe Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (120 g) flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
  • 1 drop cinnamon essential oil
  • 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp. (1.5 g) salt
  • 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) melted butter

Apple Filling Ingredients:

  • 4–5 apples, sliced and diced
  • 1 toothpick cinnamon essential oil
  • 1/4 tsp. (.5 g) nutmeg powder
  • 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. (14 g) butter

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp. (16 g) powdered sugar
  • 1–4 toothpicks cinnamon essential oil (Add a toothpick at a time until you like the taste.)
  • 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl (or blender), mix the flour and eggs together. Slowly add milk and water while whisking. Add cinnamon essential oil, vanilla extract, salt, and melted butter, and whisk until well combined.
  2. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, using about 1/4 cup of batter for each crêpe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so the batter coats the surface evenly.
  3. Cook the crêpe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, flip, and cook the other side.
  4. While continuing to cook the crêpes, combine all apple filling ingredients in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat until the apples are soft.
  5. For the cinnamon whipped cream, whisk the heavy cream until it starts to form stiff peaks. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon essential oil, and whisk for a few seconds to incorporate into the cream. Taste, and stir in more cinnamon essential oil as needed.
  6. Serve crêpes warm, filled with apple filling and topped with cinnamon whipped cream.

October 18, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Cinnamon Orange Water Bead Diffuser

Water beads absorb water and scent really well, so they are great for making a fun DIY diffuser. We tried it out with an autumn scent, but you can really use any essential oil or blend you desire!

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Cinnamon Orange Water Bead Diffuser

Time: 10 minutes active; 6+ hours inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Tbsp. dry water beads
  • 2 1/2–3 cups (600–720 ml) hot water
  • 10–20 drops essential oil (We used 8 drops each of orange and cinnamon.)
  • Mason Jar Mug with Straw Lid (Another glass vase or container will work, but you may need to make adjustments to the recipe in order to fill your container.)

Instructions:

  1. Place desired water beads in a large glass dish. We used about a 1/2 Tbsp. to fill our mason jar.
  2. Add hot water, and allow to sit for at least 6 hours until the beads are large.
  3. Strain out any excess water. Stir in essential oils.
  4. Pour water beads into the mason jar, and set your new diffuser anywhere you would like a refreshing scent!
  5. If you notice the beads drying out a little, just add a little bit of water to refresh them. You can also recharge the scent as needed by adding a few more drops of essential oil.

Note: If you have young children or pets who may try to eat the water beads, you can screw the lid on the mason jar. Make sure your lid has a hole or something to allow the scent to escape. If you get your mason jar from Abundant Health, it will come with a straw lid that already has a hole in it to allow the scent to be released.

October 15, 2016
by Abundant Health™
2 Comments

Hot Cocoa with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

This is the perfect time of year to curl up with a delicious mug of homemade hot cocoa. Top it with delicious cinnamon whipped cream for an added treat!

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Hot Cocoa with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Servings: 4 | Time: 10 minutes active; 10 minutes inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar or agave nectar
  • 1/3 cup (39 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 1/2 cups (840 ml) milk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) half-and-half
  • 3/4 tsp. (3.8 ml)  homemade vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) boiling water
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) agave nectar
  • 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) homemade vanilla extract
  • 1 drop cinnamon essential oil

Instructions:

  1. Combine the cocoa, sugar, and pinch of salt in a saucepan, and add the boiling water.
  2. Stir, and slowly bring to an easy boil. Be careful not to let it scorch.
  3. Stir in milk and half-and-half. Heat until hot but not boiling.
  4. Remove from heat, and add 3/4 tsp. (3.8 ml) vanilla.
  5. In a mixer, whip the heavy whipping cream with the agave nectar, 1/2 tsp. (2.5 ml) vanilla, and cinnamon essential oil until fluffy.
  6. Divide hot cocoa between 4 mugs, and top with the whipped cream.

October 12, 2016
by Abundant Health™
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Cinnamon Apple Chips

Here is a delicious, healthy snack you can make with all of those autumn apples you have.

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Cinnamon Apple Chips

Servings: 8–10 | Time: 10 minutes active; 1–3 hours inactive | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

  • 2–3 apples
  • 1–2 tsp. (4–8 g) sugar
  • 2 drops cinnamon essential oil

Instructions:

  1. Slice apples in thin slices. Lay out on dehydrator sheets or a cookie sheet.
  2. Mix together sugar and cinnamon essential oil in a small glass bowl or shot glass.
  3. Rub cinnamon-sugar mixture over apple slices.
  4. Dehydrate at 110–145°F (45–65°C) for a few hours. Flip apple slices over when the top feels dry. Note: you can also bake in the oven at 225°F (105°C) for 1 hour, flipping after 30 minutes.