Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

These delicious Gingerbread Cookies will be a huge hit during your next holiday event.  These cookies are gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan, so you can happily offer them to your friends and family who have diet restrictions. Plus, they taste great and can be enjoyed by all.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour
2/3 cup sorghum flour
1 tablespoon chia seed meal
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1/3 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 drops Cinnamon essential oil
2 drops Ginger essential oil
2 drops Clove essential oil
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
45 drops Liquid Stevia
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in bowl and whisk.
  3. Combine wet ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.
  4. Add essential oils.
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients on slow speed until combined.
  6. Put a small handful of buckwheat flour onto clean surface and place dough on top.
  7. Roll until 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
  8. Take the cookie cutter and cut out shapes.
  9. Place cutouts onto cookie sheet.
  10. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and let cool.
  11. Top with icing if desired.

– See more at: https://doterra.com/US/en/blog/recipe-gingerbread-cookies#sthash.GmH3QhYu.dpuf

Kids Projects

Kids Projects

Create some fun and keep your kids busy for hours!

Moon Sand

What you need:

  • 8 cups flour
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 8-10 drops Lavender essential oil

Directions:

  1. In large bowl combine all ingredients.
  2. Mix with hands until well combined.

Note: You may need to add more vegetable oil until you reach a moldable consistency.

 

Playdough

What you need:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups colored water
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 5 drops of your favorite essential oil

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients, except for essential oils, in a large saucepan and stir until combined.
  2. Once combined, put over medium heat. Using a spatula, continue to stir ingredients together until it forms a ball.
  3. Remove from heat and cool on parchment paper.
  4. Once cool, add 5 drops of your favorite essential oil and knead until thoroughly combined.
  5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for months of fun!

 

Bouncy Balls

What you need:

  • ½ cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon borax
  • 1/8 cup of clear glue
  • glitter
  • 1-2 drops of Balance essential oil

Directions:

    1. In a plastic cup mix together water and borax, once the borax dissolves, set aside.
    2. In a small bowl mix together glue, Balance essential oil and glitter until combined.
    3. Pour glue substance into the cup of water mixture, and stir with a popsicle stick until it forms a clump of glue. Note: the glue will not combine with the water, you are simple swirling it around until the glue becomes more solid
    4. Take the glue out and place it on a paper towel. Fold the paper towel over it to dry the water.
    5. Play with it in your hands so all of the bubbles release, and form into a ball.

Tip:

    Use two round tablespoons to get the perfect ball.

Polka Dot Slime

What you need:

  • 2 five ounce bottles of clear school glue
  • liquid starch
  • craft pom poms
  • 2-3 drops of Lavender essential oil

Directions:

  1. Pour your two five ounce bottles of clear glue into a bowl along with the Lavender essential oil.
  2. Add liquid starch a little bit at a time (in tablespoons) and stir well in between each tablespoon.
  3. Knead to make it uniform, then add your pom poms and knead them in as well.

 

Tip: Always shake your liquid starch container before use. You will want to keep adding liquid starch until the slime is no longer stringy or sticking to the bowl.

Get more info at – https://doterra.com/US/en/brochures-magazines-doterra-living-summer-2016-diy-kids

8 Reasons You Should Be Using an Essential Oil diffuser

8 Reasons You Should Be Using an Essential Oil diffuser

1. Relaxation and Sleep

Calming essential oils like Lavender and Bergamot are rich in linalool and linalyl acetate, compounds that have well-known relaxing properties. These oils can be diffused aromatically in the bedroom to create a calming and peaceful environment, perfect for getting a good night’s sleep. Try placing two to four drops of one of the calming EOs to see how they work for you… everyone is different.

2. Mood Elevating

Maintaining a positive mood and attitude can be very challenging at times. Life can get pretty stressful, especially when trying to multitask. Chances are you are familiar with managing several tasks at once. In today’s fast-paced environment, we often experience negative moods such as stress, discouragement, and fatigue. Just as being in a good mood gives you a sense of happiness and well-being, bad moods can also lead to negative feelings over time. When it comes to managing your mood, essential oils can help restore your emotional balance and improve your overall attitude in any situation.

Visit this link for more details & suggestions: https://doterra.com/US/en/brochures-magazines-doterra-living-spring-2015-make-over-your-mood

3. Support your Immune System

Scientific study demonstrates that diffusion of essential oils can purify and cleanse the air, providing added protection when the seasonal threats are high. We recommend diffusing essential oils every day. Lemon and On Guard Protective Blend contain powerful cleansing properties that purify the air we breathe, delivering positive effects on the immune system.

See more: https://doterra.com/US/en/blog/healthy-living-protecting-our-immune-system

4. Helps Respiratory System

doTERRA Breathe is one of doTERRA’s most popular essential oil blends due to its powerful uses and benefits. Well known for its ability to maintain feelings of clear airways, doTERRA Breathe is enriched with a series of oils that help cool and invigorate, promoting feelings of easy breathing. doTERRA Breathe essential oil blend can be used both aromatically and topically to help minimize the effects of seasonal threats. This powerful blend can also be used to promote peaceful sleep. doTERRA Breathe is a blend of Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Lemon, Cardamom, Ravensara, and Laurel Leaf that emits an airy and fresh mint aroma.

See more at: https://doterra.com/US/en/blog/spotlight-doterra-breathe-respiratory-blend

5. Pain Relief

In most cases we would encourage you to apply essential oils directly to the body for pain relief, you can also use a diffuser to extend their effects. This method is an excellent way to combat persistent pain such as that caused by headaches, sore joints, and overworked muscles. Recommendations of Lavender, Eucalyptus, Ginger, and Peppermint.

6. Improve Cognitive Function

Using essential oils in a diffuser is a highly-effective way to super-charge your brain cells. many essential oils have adaptogenic qualities – meaning that they are soothing when you’re stressed, but they can also give you a pick-me-up when you’re feeling down or sluggish. By leveling out your mood, the oils in the air will help you to focus.

Some other natural products also look promising. In a recently published study (March 2016), Colombian researchers conducted a preliminary pre-clinical study examining the effects of ingesting linalool for three months. Memory was then assessed in several different tests. Ingested linalool was associated with improvements in learning, memory, and overall cognitive health.* Not surprisingly, ingesting linalool also improved measures of emotional health. Linalool is the top component of many essential oils, including Lavender, Clary Sage, Basil, Cilantro, and Coriander

See more at: https://doterra.com/US/en/blog/research-news-linalool-may-support-healthy-functioning-of-the-brain

7. Safer Alternative to Candles & Incense

Most candles and those chemical plug-ins are the most toxic items in our homes (ie.e carcinogens) … burning them or plugging them in is a hazardous practice. With an essential oil diffuser, you can reap the benefits of aromatherapy while purifying the air, increasing our health and mood!

8. Insect Repellant

Insects, bugs, ants, etc… all necessary part of our ecosystem but, we don’t always want them near us or our family. Using the right kinds of essential oils diffused in the area can keep theses guys at bay… doTERRA has a blend of oils just for this. In addition, we would recommend Peppermint, lemongrass, and rosemary.

See: http://www.doterratools.com/documents/TerraShield_Product_Information_Page.pdf

Scented Lotion

Scented Lotion

Are you still using the chemical laden commercial lotion you find at the mall or local pharmacy? You may or may not realize that there are natural alternatives that are not only healthy and work better but, are way less expensive. They usually only have 2-4 basic ingredients and literally take minutes to make!

You can customize your lotion to your skin type and desired scent, and you can even make it for baby (HINT: Roman Chamomile…) Our favorites include Lavander, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Rose.

Here are the basics:

  1. Combine a 1/2 cup of almond oil, 1/4 cup of beeswax, 1/4 cup of refined coconut oil and 5-15 drops of your favorite doTERRA Essential oils in a medium sized mason jar.
  2. Place the jar in a sauce pan/pot with a few inches of water and turn on medium heat.
  3. Stir the ingredients as they start to melt.
  4. Pour into individual glass containers for easy access.
  5. Use as you would normally… keep in mind that this recipe can be adjusted to get the right consistency for you…

 

Scented Holiday Cards

Scented Holiday Cards

Are you mailing out holiday cards this year? Why not add an extra touch with your essential oils?

After you sign and seal your cards, place a few in a plastic sealable bag. Add in a cotton ball with your favorite holiday essential oil combination. Leave the bag sealed for a day or two before mailing. Last year, I split my cards into two bags and added extra cotton balls for the scent.

Essential oil ideas:

  • Holiday blend
  • Peppermint
  • Holiday blend and Peppermint
  • Wild Orange and Cinnamon
  • Cheer and Holiday blend
  • White Fir and Peppermint
  • The combinations are endless…what would you use?