Fall meant Apple Hill where I grew up. Like clockwork, the air would turn crisper, and seemingly everyone would trek to the Hill for apple everything—donuts, cider, apples in caramel, and apple-picking. Applesauce and apple pies everywhere.
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Thing is, I never even enjoyed Apple Hill that much. It was just something you did. The point of it all was lost on me; none of us even liked apples that much.
Don’t get me wrong, traditions—whatever lineage they may come from—are vital, valuable, and to be respected...But sometimes don’t we go on autopilot?
So this year I’m challenging myself—and you—to try doing some things a little differently. Just try. For the sake of a little healthy adventure and possibly added health benefits too, why not experiment with adding a few drops of essential oils to your traditional fall recipes?
Essential oils are a wonderful way to quickly, easily, and effectively add the essence of fall to your favorite recipes. Think a tiny bit of cinnamon bark oil instead of a cinnamon stick; cardamom oil to ace that Chai flavor; clove or OnGuard in lattes and smoothies; lime or ginger for soups; and rosemary on warm roasted vegetables or in olive oil for dipping. So many oils, and so many fall traditions to explore!
Why use essential oils?
- They’re quick, easy, clean, and usually on-hand
- They add concentrated flavor
- Oils are medicinal, too!
Are essential oils safe to ingest?
Short answer: Yes—when you do it right. Essential oils naturally occur in foods (citrus zest, for example), and many people use high-grade essential oils for therapeutic reasons. It’s different to add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to your brownie batter, though. You can use the FDA’s list of oils that are deemed safe for consumption as a guide. You will only use a tiny amount diluted into a full recipe. No matter what, make sure you use the highest quality, ingestible and lab-tested oils. We recommend doTERRA.
Related reading: "Lavender Essential Oil: 10 Practical Uses and Benefits"
Tips on cooking with essential oils
Add oils at the end, which will help keep flavor that might be diluted by heat. For a full recipe, just use a drop or two; for a smaller recipe, use a toothpick of oils (dip a toothpick in the oil bottle, then swirl it into your ingredients)
Great oils to try in autumn recipes (just add a drop in place of flavoring or the actual ingredient):
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Rosemary
- Lime
- Ginger
- Thyme
- Cumin
- Cardamon
*If you don’t have oils yet, feel free to reach out to us and we can help you get the right ones to cook with.
I’ll admit, I am still new to cooking with oils and they are not the first thing I reach for. But I love this thing I call my “Apple Hill Project”—try looking at traditions with new eyes. Don’t just do the thing you’ve always done because you’ve always done it. There’s a new world of possibilities when you try something as tiny as adding a drop of lime to a black bean quinoa salad.
But oils aren’t in my traditional recipes, you say? There are plenty of inspiring essential oil cooks eager to share recipes. Some of my favorites are from The Prairie Homestead like Homemade Chai concentrate with cardamom and ginger and Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Wild Orange oil. This Christmas Eve, we’ll see if my family can sense the difference.
DoTERRA has its own wealth of recipes online—and they’re free. These Favorite Essential Oil Recipes for Fall include sweet pies and healthy alternatives to holiday sweets, plus zesty soups and spicy sweet potatoes.
Once you try a few you’ll get the hang of it. Just think of your oils like a combination spice rack and pantry.
I took some time away from the Apple Hill thing, a pause from all the picking, ciders, pies, and caramel apples. But this year I went back. Reinvigorated by the idea of testing an apple pie recipe with a drop of cardamom, applesauce with a bit of cinnamon oil, and fresh apples in my smoothie with a drop of ginger for zing—Apple Hill got its magic back. Walking the orchard with this On Guard Pumpkin Smoothie in hand just might become my new tradition.
OnGuard Pumpkin Smoothie (recipe from doTERRA)
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
2 frozen bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning
2-3 drops doTERRA OnGuard Protective Blend
1 cup ice
Directions: Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. For a garnish, add some whipped cream and pumpkin pie seasoning.
Makes 4 servings.
Try natural remedies and aromatherapy as discussed above and test their effects yourself.
* None of the statements in this blog have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. None of the above recommendations are intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. Essential oils are naturally produced substances that can assist the body in its own healing process, but we make no claims whatsoever. Use with moderation and discretion.
