Cooking with Essential Oils: One-Pan Lemon Garlic Pasta with Kale

Since I discovered doTERRA essential oils back in March of this year, it's been a solid 6 months since ANYONE in our family has gotten sick. With 2 toddlers and 2 working parents, that's a pretty darn good track record if you ask me.

They are part of our everyday lives from rubbing on our feet at night, using them to clean and refresh, to using them for medical applications. We use essential oils for everyday wellness, but what good is wellness when you can't get your kids to eat healthy?

Cooking with Essential Oils

Everyone loves a hot home-cooked meal, but often times things tend to get away from us and we reach for convenience over quality. I'll admit I've been there all too often. And pizza is way too easy... then it becomes too easy to fall into the rut of convenience.

One day after cruising Pinterest, I found this recipe and adapted it to what I had on hand and our family's tastes. It quickly became a family favorite, which is saying a lot with two picky toddlers.

Instead of reaching in the freezer for pre-packaged whatever-it's-made-of, try this simple recipe that can be made in about a half hour with little to no prep time and is super adaptable to whatever you have on hand. Here's what you'll need:

One-Pan Garlic Lemon Pasta with Kale

• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup of water
• 2 cups of uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
• 4-5 large leaves fresh kale cut into 1/4 inch ribbons
• 2 oz neufchatel cheese
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2-4 drops doTERRA Lemon Essential Oil

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook kale and garlic for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
2. Add broth, water, and pasta to pan and turn heat up to high. Be sure that all ingredients are submerged in liquid.
3. When mixture begins to boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook covered on low for 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes, remove cover and allow mixture to simmer another 5 minutes uncovered until liquid reduces by about half. There will still be a good amount of liquid in the pan, but don't worry -- this will make a delicious sauce.
5. Remove from heat and add neufchatel cheese, basil, and lemon essential oil. Stir to combine, let sit about 2 minutes, then serve and enjoy.

Serves 2-3 people, depending on how hungry you are. 

We have also tried this recipe with chicken which is delicious, just brown about 1/2 lb of diced chicken breast before adding kale and garlic. Make it vegan with a vegan cream cheese. Use quinoa pasta for a healthy gluten-free option. 

I use doTERRA essential oils because they are the most concentrated and pure. They are the only brand that I trust to ingest. Please do not ingest lemon essential oil unless the bottle states that it is safe to do so. Many brands of essential oils like to dilute or use other fillers in their oils, but doTERRA brand essential oil is safe for consumption. 

Need Lemon Essential Oil? Visit my doTERRA shop to stock up!

Click here to open a wholesale account to save 25% with the opportunity to start your own essential oil business.

Immune Boosting Muffin Recipe

These delicious muffins offer your immune system a nice little boost with doTerra OnGuard immune support blend (cinnamon & other spices). Experiment with healthier options in the recipe, I just used what I had on hand. Try it out & let me know how it turns out!

• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour (can sub for all-purpose if you wish)
• ¾ cup white sugar (experiment with another sweetener if you wish)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup oil (I use safflower)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk (I use almond milk)
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped into pieces
• ½ cup chopped dates (can sub for another chopped apple if you don’t have)
• 2 drops OnGuard essential oil

Optional Crumb Topping:

• ½ cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• ½ cup butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease six muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Stir together 1 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, baking powder and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix in oil, egg and milk. Fold in apples & dates. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling to the top of the cup.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix together with fork and sprinkle over unbaked muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Drink Your Greens

I've been on a smoothie kick for the past, say, 3 years or so?

When I was pregnant with Max, I drank a spinach smoothie every day. It only makes sense now that he loves his smoothies! Miranda has already started on them as well.

Here's one of our favorite concoctions: banana, greens, pineapple, yogurt, chia, a tiny bit of juice and a lot of water.

Really though, a smoothie a day keeps all the yucky junkies away.

Holistic Health: It's About the Journey, not the Destination

It seems like everywhere we turn nowadays, we're slammed with weight-loss ads featuring drastic before-and-after pictures, taglines like "how to lose 10 pounds FAST," and Pinterest images of deliciously low fat cheesy chicken pasta.

Weight loss secrets! Green coffee bean! Hoodia!

We get it, America. We need to lose weight. 

The hardest thing to grasp in this issue of perceived vanity is the difference between obtaining wellness over simply being thin. Just about anyone can temporarily get "fit" by cutting calories or eliminating meals with a "weight loss shake" and adding a jog into their routine, but fitness does not always equal health. 

Now, by no means do I claim to be an expert in the health & wellness industry and by all means, consult a professional before making any drastic changes to your routine -- I would, however, like to offer some of my own tips on how to feel better, live a healthier lifestyle and just be happier.

Make Your Own Food

As much as you can. It's not just about making conscious meal choices, but knowing what's in your food that counts.

Craving pizza? I know taking a pizza out of the oven takes a whole 2 seconds, but trust me when I tell you that a homemade pizza will be so much more satisfying. 

Wouldn't you feel a lot better knowing that the only ingredients in that pizza you served your family were the things your hands actually put into it?

Here is my favorite crust recipe, and I will almost guarantee that you have almost everything on hand. If you've got a bread maker or stand mixer, you're literally just dumping ingredients into a bowl and--ta da!

Simply put, the less processed the better.

Which leads me right into my next tip...

Invest in the Right Tools

If you want your wellness and health to be a permanent staple in your life, you'll need to get the right tools in your home. Don't fret, you don't always have to break the bank for quality -- and, in the long run, you'll end up saving money.

Here's a few tools that I use on a daily basis:

• Bread Maker - Somehow in the low carb craze, bread has become an enemy. Let's get one thing straight, food is not the enemy -- it's the yucky chemicals they sneak in there that we want to avoid. I purchased my Cooks Essentials bread maker from a friend for $40, but in my experience they're all pretty much the same. Best investment ever. We no longer buy bread, croutons, crusts, etc. Most bread makers come with a "dough" setting, so even sweet treats are stress-free. By using a bread machine, I no longer have to worry about what sorts of icky preservatives are in our kids' sandwiches. 
• Blender - Sure, a Vitamix would be nice, if you've got an extra $400 lying around -- but honestly, any high speed blender will work (we have a $20 Oster that gets the job done just fine). We make green smoothies every single day -- great way to get all of your nutrients and stay hydrated!
• Workout Tools - Unless your home is equipped with your very own gym, don't worry too much about this. Moreso, invest in the workout tools you need for longevity. My weapon of choice is yoga, so I made sure to invest in a good mat (JadeYoga Harmony Professional will come to the grave with me), blocks, free weights, and the right music to set the mood. It's as simple as that. If your space and tools are appealing, you'll be more likely to partake in daily activity. 
• Eco-Friendly Body Products - Just as important as what goes into your body is what you put on your body. If you don't want those icky chemicals in your system, what make you think they won't seep in through that lotion? A big one being deodorant & the harmful chemicals that have been known to increase the risk of cancer. My personal favorite is Kiss My Face Liquid Rock roll-on. I also love The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil facial products and Honeybee Gardens makeup line. 

Stretch Every Day

Modern day society does not support proper posture. We sit in cushy couches with no lumbar support, awkward office chairs, and spend long hours hunched over computers or staring up at a screen.

Instead of popping a pill for pain, give your body some love and make some room for growth.

Read: Anti-Desk Potato - Stretches for Better Posture

You'd be surprised how much your mood and overall health can improve by simply enjoying a good stretch.

Be Mindful

Biggest takeaway here? Pay more attention to your body -- the things you put into it, what you put on it, and how you maintain it.

Take care of your body, take care of your mind, the result with yield a more enjoyable life. If you feel better, you'll look better, and vice versa. 

Tummy Love: Sweet & Salty Slow Cooked Almonds

I recently made a recipe off of Pinterest for "the nuts" -- you know, THE nuts. The ones you smell at the mall, those deliciously addictive balls of cinnamon and sugar that get gobbled up in about two minutes.

So, I made these nuts, and they were very good. Not great, but good. They lasted about a week, which in our house means that they could have been better.

My only problem with the recipe was that it was too sweet. Most of the time when I get a craving, I want something sweet and salty, but not too much of either. A good balance. Picky, much?

So I adjusted the recipe with blind faith and holy smokes are they delicious. Perfect amount of sweet and salty. Warning, these may become addictive!

Sweet & Salty Slow Cooked Almonds

• 3 cups blanched whole almonds
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup water

Whisk together egg white and vanilla until it becomes foamy--lots of little bubbles and has expanded a tiny bit.

Add almonds and stir to coat. 

Mix together cinnamon, sugars, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to almond mixture and toss to coat. There will be a little excess dry ingredients at the bottom, but don't worry about it right now. 

Transfer ingredients to greased (I use canola oil spray) slow cooker and turn to high. Close lid and cook for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Make sure you get those edges! The sugars like to get stuck in there and will burn if they sit too long.

After 2 hours, add 1/8 to 1/4 cup water and stir. It's going to start getting gooey, and that's going to amount to lots of deliciousness. Cook one more hour, stirring again every 20 minutes. 

Spread out onto parchment paper and let cool.... at least a little bit. They're delicious when they're hot, but come on. Don't burn your mouth. And save some for the others.... :)

I really like how these turn out more like candied almonds than sugary dusty bites, but that could just be me.

Let me know how yours turn out!