Holiday Wassail (with essential oils!)

It’s Thanksgiving week! Yes!!! I am fist pumping while I write this. I truly believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays that go hand-in-hand. Once we begin the celebrations for Thanksgiving, I can’t stop that cozy magical feeling through New Years. It’s just all such a wonderful time of year, really focusing on gratitude and the amazing miracles that we all have living amongst us. It’s just the best time of year! Minus the insane volume of deal emails.

I lucked out because a few weeks ago Stevie’s side of the family got together and I got to try out a few of my holiday recipes on them. Not only was it fun to feed everyone, but you know how family is, right? They keep it REAL. I got such great feedback on this recipe (and others to come!), and was able to tweak these to make them even better. I am so excited to share these recipes with you, and I hope that you and your family are able to gather around your table this year and enjoy the wonder and simplicity of a holiday feast together.

I wanted to make wassail because, seriously, ever since I watched Little Women when I was a little girl, I wanted to know what it tasted like! I researched so many recipes and found out that it’s basically glorified apple cider, which I can definitely get myself onboard with. And I added in the essential oils because it’s such a great way to get some of the incredible healthy benefits (and flavor!) from these oils. So without further adieu, let’s your Wassail, my lady ;)

Ingredients:
- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1 drop DoTERRA Cinnamon essential oil
- 1 drop DoTERRA Ginger essential oil
- 1 drop DoTERRA Clove essential oil
- 1 drop DoTERRA Frankincense essential oil

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker and heat on low for 4 hours.

I love this recipe so much because I am totally an apple cider girl. This is super easy to throw together, will make your house smell like the absolute North Pole, and it tastes incredible! The essential oils add so much flavor and depth and, let’s be honest, when you throw them in a slow cooker is basically like diffusing them so the house smells SO GOOD. If you don’t have these oils you could dust in some of the spices instead. And after pouring into your own mug, you can add an adult beverage to increase the merriment. My suggestion - bourbon or whiskey. You will be very thankful and merry indeed.

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this week?! Do you already have your menu planned or are you a bit more spontaneous? If you make this recipe please report back here and let me know your thoughts!

Turmeric Oat Milk Latte.

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I’ve been hearing about the benefits of golden milk beverages for a long time. But they always sounded kind of strange to me. I assumed they tasted like dirt but people were just drinking them anyways, because of the added health benefits. When doTERRA launched the new Turmeric essential oil last month, I thought, “Okay, now it’s time to test out a recipe.” After some tweaking and product testing (aka me and Stevie drinking a LOT of variations), I finally landed on this recipe and I LOVE it. It’s so warm and sweet and herbal - perfect for cozying up at night with a good movie!

Why a turmeric latte? Because turmeric is SO good when taken internally. It bolsters the immune system, reduces inflammation, supports healthy circulation, aids in metabolism and is commonly known as a nervous system booster. AND it adds a powerful flavor when used in the kitchen! So yeah, turmeric, you da best.

And why oat milk? Truthfully, I discovered this was a thing when we were in Santa Barbara this past summer. I couldn’t believe how good it tasted in a latte, and it was a lot easier on my stomach. Since having my babies, milk has bothered me more and more, so I try to avoid it. Don’t feel bad for me - I’ve got my oat milk these days ;)

Ingredients:
- 1 drop doTERRA Turmeric essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Ginger essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Cinnamon essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Clove essential oil
- 1 drop doTERRA Black Pepper essential oil
- 1 cup oat milk (I’ve been using this Pacifica kind)
- 1 tsp. Moon Juice Beauty Dust
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup

Method:
1. Combine all the essential oils in a latte mug.
2. Add maple syrup.
3. Steam oat milk in a milk frother (I use this one that came with my Citiz Nespresso).
4. Add in the steamed milk and Beauty Dust, then stir to combine.

Voila! Look at you, you golden milk drinker!

This is a great late-night drink to enjoy before bedtime. It’s a creamier and frothier and just puts you in the right coziness headspace that you need to fall into a deep, deep sleep. I can’t believe how much I love this drink!

p.s. - Believe it or not, these photos were all shot on my iphone and edited in VSCO because my SLR camera has been acting up. Trying to figure out what I’m going to do about that!

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Sources: Latte Mugs, Appetizer Platter, Serving Tray (similar), Coasters (similar)

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Sparkling Moscado Pineapple Pops!

This post is sponsored by Kroger.

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We've got a long weekend coming up (Labor Day, I'm looking at you!) and Kroger was kind enough to send along a little popsicle kit so I could share this fun, end-of-summer recipe with you! Sparkling wine + ice pops = happy mama. Why should my kids have all the fun? I hope you enjoy this one!

Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of Dellatorri Sparkling Moscato
- 1 bottle of Coconut Pineapple Sparkling Ice Drink
- 1 fresh pineapple, sliced

Method:
1. Fill each popsicle mold with a few pieces of sliced pinapple.

2. Fill each mold halfway with the Dellatorri Sparkling Moscado.

4. Finally, fill the rest of each mold with Coconut Pineapple Sparkling Ice Drink. Make sure to leave a bit of room at the top to prevent overflow while freezing.

5. Freeze overnight and then have your friends over! I know it's feeling like 5 o'clock over here!

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I hope you enjoy this recipe! I'm soaking up these last few days of summer with all the golf cart rides, stay-out-too-late in the yard evenings watching my boys play and of course, some of these yummy pops. Anyone wanna come over and slurp them up with me?!

Happy weekend, friends! xx

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Almond Butter Energy "Milkshake" (Whole30 Compliant!)

During Whole30, you aren't really supposed to indulge in anything sweet. In fact, the whole purpose of Whole30 is to "slay the sugar dragon", and detox your body from it's incessant desire for sugar. But if I hadn't made a few gateway "treats", I wouldn't have survived Whole30 either time I did it. This little recipe is a great trick to have up your sleeve if you're jonesing for something indulgent or seriously need a snack, especially if you're breastfeeding and need the extra calories and energy! All the ingredients included are Whole30 compliant, so it's technically safe, but be aware that these kind of snacks are sort of frowned upon if you're trying to do the program as strict as possible.

But doesn't it feel kind of good when you bend the rules a little? I'm not talking about shoplifting here, people. It's just a pretend treat.

Go ahead, have a milk shake and laugh in the face of DAIRY.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 banana
- 1 cup coconut milk (from a can)
- 3 ice cubes
- 1 pitted date
- 1 heaping tbsp. almond butter
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
- a dusting of cinnamon

Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender and mix on high until completely combined and smooth. The consistency should be thick and creamy, just like a milkshake. Makes one large glass or two smaller servings.

Go on with your bad self. Happy Whole30 to you!

P.S. - My 3 year old took this photo of me. He's either getting really good or he really wanted that milkshake, which I gave to him immediately after we photographed it ;) Treats for everyone!

P.S. - Looking for more Whole30 meals ideas? Check out my quick reference meal guide to my tried-and-true favorites!

Watermelon Mojitos!

I know that it's not officially summer yet, but the temperatures in Georgia have reached into the sweltering degrees, so that means its time for weekly watermelon runs to the grocery store. I love the combination of watermelon, lime and mint, and I whipped up a few treats this week re-imagining this symphony of flavors in a few fresh ways. This mojito was by far my favorite, so I wanted to quickly share it here with you all in case you need a new cocktail for those Bachelorette viewing parties. P.S. I'm not watching this season because I am on a strict bedtime schedule. My 5-month-old shows no middle-of-the-night mercy. Hence the cocktail creations :)

Ingredients:
- 1/4 watermelon, cut into chunks
- 20 mint leaves
- juice of 1 lime, plus more cut into wedges for garnish
- 2-4 tbsp. maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
- 3/4 cup light rum

Method:
1. Puree the watermelon in a high-speed blender (I love my Vitamix) until consistency is smooth, about 1 minute.
2. In a pitcher, combine watermelon puree with 2 tbsp. maple syrup, rum and the juice of 1 lime. Stir vigorously to combine.
3. Place several mint leaves in each individual glass and muddle. Add ice and pour in watermelon puree mixture. Garnish with more watermelon chunks, lime wedges and mint leaves. This serves 4-6.

Notes:
- Some people might prefer to strain the watermelon puree to have a more juice-like consistency. I like the frothy, smoothie-like consistency because it almost feels healthy? (Don't tell me that it's not - watermelon is FRUIT.) It's totally your preference, so if you like it that way, by all means STRAIN.
- With the subtraction of the rum, this exact recipe makes great popsicles! My son has been eating them (and asking for more!) all week :)
- Feel free to add more maple syrup if you like it sweeter, more lime if you like it more sour, or more rum if you like to have a goooood time ;)

I hope you have the happiest happy hour with this recipe! Let me know if you decide to give it a try! xox.