Today I thought I would share with you some basics when it comes to cooking and essential oils.
Not all essential oils are created equal. Some essential oil companies add fillers or substitutions to their essential oils, which lowers the efficacy, potency, and purity of the oil. On the other hand, some essential oil companies use thorough testing methods to ensure that the oils don’t contain any harmful substances or contaminants, and that they are as pure and high quality as possible. Just remember, not all distributers use testing to assure quality. Before you use essential oils in your cooking, it is important to know how they have been produced. Have the oils been carefully harvested and distilled? Have they been tested for possible contaminants or harmful substances? If you plan to use essential oils for cooking, it is best to use high quality, thoroughly tested oils that can provide you with the best results
Choose essential oils that are safe for internal use Before adding essential oils to your food, make sure that each oil you intend to use has been approved for safe consumption ( I use doTerra oils) and internal use.
The following essential oils are considered safe for internal use:
-Basil
-Bergamot
-Black Pepper
-Cassia
-Cilantro
-Cinnamon Bark
-Clary Sage
-Clove
-Copaiba
-Coriander
-Fennel
-Frankincense
-Geranium
-Ginger
-Grapefruit
-Juniper Berry
-Lavender
-Lemon
-Lemongrass
-Lime
-Marjoram
-Melaleuca
-Melissa
-Myrrh
-Oregano
-Patchouli
-Peppermint
-Petitgrain
-Roman Chamomile
-Rosemary
-Sandalwood / Hawaiian Sandalwood
-Siberian Fir
-Ylang Ylang
Not all essential oils are approved for this kind of use. Due to their chemical makeup, some essential oils should never be added to food or used internally in any amount.
Here is a list of the essential oils that are not safe to use internally:
-Arborvitae
-Cedarwood
-Cypress
-Douglas
-Fir
-Eucalyptus
-Spikenard
-Wintergreen
Essential oils and cooking with heat Because essential oils are easily affected by heat, some worry that cooking with heat may lessen the efficacy of the oil. Cooking with heat can evaporate essential oils due to the steam, so it is best to add the essential oil at the end of the recipe, if possible. The less time the essential oil is exposed to heat, the more flavor it will retain, so if possible, add it in at the very end, or after the dish has been removed from heat and had time to cool. Of course, it is not always possible to add the essential oil later, especially when it comes to baking or steaming. If your recipe requires that you bake, steam, simmer, or boil, and you cannot add the essential oil at the end, simply add a larger amount of the oil, as some of the oil’s flavor will be baked, steamed, simmered, or boiled out. If you plan to add the essential oil at the very end when your dish has been removed from heat, a much smaller amount will be needed. When you add strong essential oils like Oregano or Basil, it can be beneficial to let the oil simmer or evaporate, because it provides a milder, more pleasant flavor.
Cookware: When cooking with essential oils, it is best to use cookware that is stainless steel, ceramic, or glass, as essential oils can potentially damage some types of plastic. When mixing ingredients that contain oils, avoid plastic mixing bowls or containers, and always try to use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel in order to protect and preserve your cookware.
Measurements: The amount of essential oils you add to any given recipe depends heavily on what kind of oil you are using; your personal taste preferences; whether you are substituting the oil for raw, fresh, or dried ingredients; the amount of servings you are making; and more. While it would be nice to know the exact amount of essential oil to add to a recipe, there are so many variables involved in cooking that it is more a process of experimentation and trial and error. You might need a little practice cooking with essential oils before you get a good idea of how much of an oil to add in order to fit your specific recipes and flavor preferences. While there is no fool-proof measurement guide for cooking with essential oils, there are a few guidelines that will help you as you experiment with essential oils and food.
The Toothpick Method:
When you first start experimenting with essential oils and cooking, it is best to use the toothpick method—dip the tip of a clean toothpick into the essential oil bottle and stir the toothpick into your ingredients. This will allow you to add the smallest possible amount of the oil, so that you don’t risk ruining the dish by adding too much flavor. After you’ve stirred the toothpick around in the dish, do a taste test to see whether you want to add more of the oil or not. This is the safest way to slowly add flavor to your dish without ruining it by using too much oil.
Don’t drop essential oils directly into the dish Once you’ve decided how much of an essential oil to use in a recipe, it is important that you don’t add the oil directly to the dish, bowl, or pan, but drop the oil onto a spoon first. When pouring essential oils, it is easy for more than one drop to sneak out of the bottle, so if you hold the bottle directly over your dish, you might get more oil than you intended. By pouring the oil into a spoon first, you can ensure that you get exactly one drop (or whatever amount you need), before adding it to the dish.
RECIPE IDEA: dōTERRA Lavender Chocolate Disks
Servings: 10–12 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 drop Lavender oil
Instructions:
• Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
• Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.
• Once melted, stir in vanilla and Lavender oil.
• Use a large spoon to dollop rounds onto parchment paper.
• Hint: Leave room for mixture to expand.
• Hit baking sheet on the counter, to flatten into disks.
• Garnish with walnuts, pistachios, honey, edible lavender, and edible rose petals, or as desired, and let rest to set.
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