COOKING WITH
ESSENTIAL OILS
AND
GOURMET COOKING
WITH
ALCOHOL SUBSTITUTIONS
ESSENTIAL OILS
I've been using
Essential Oils for a couple of years for more health related things. I'm just starting to explore the world of cooking with Essential Oils. My friend and fellow Thrive Consultant, Nancy Barter, a.k.a. Self Reliant Mama, has done a few
You Tube Videos as she has experimented with cooking with Essential Oils. Here's one:
Not all
Essential Oils are meant to be taken internally and you want to make sure that you are using Food Grade essential oils. I choose
doTerra oils because of the superior quality.
1. A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY - Essential Oils are more potent than dried or fresh herbs, i.e., One drop of peppermint oil equals about 28 cups of peppermint tea. Always start off with a SINGLE drop so as not to waste the essential oils. You can always add more.
2. "TOOTHPICK METHOD" - If recipe calls for less than teaspoon of herb/spice/flavoring, DIP a toothpick in the center of the dripper cap and then swirl the toothpick in the recipe or beverage.
3. CITRUS ZEST of "one" lemon, orange or tangerine = 8 to 14 drops of its companion EO
4. SPICY HERBS (marjoram, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme or coriander) conversion: One Tablespoon spicy herb = 1/2 to 'one' drop of doTerra EO. Best to use the "Toothpick Method"
5. "HOT OILS" - ALWAYS use the "TOOTHPICK METHOD" for Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger and Oregano oils because doTerra oils are much stronger than their companion spices.
6. WHEN TO ADD THE ESSENTIAL OIL TO RECIPE - Add the essential oil right before serving. The heat will evaporate essential oils with the steam. With a few oils that are too strong – such as basil, oregano and rosemary – simmering will produce a wonderfully subtle scent.
Click here to read more about cooking with Essential Oils.
SUBSTITUTES FOR ALCOHOL IN COOKING
There are a lot of good recipes that include various forms of alcohol in their ingredients. I understand that the alcohol cooks out in a lot of recipes, leaving the flavor behind. However, a lot of people don't want to use alcohol at all for various reasons, that could include health or religious or financial.
I did some research and found a couple of articles** about some good substitutions, combined the information and added in the option of using Essential Oils (EO) for flavoring.
(EO) - Essential Oil option
Amaretto - Almond extract (1/2 teaspoon extract for 2 tablespoons of Amaretto) or Amaretto syrup such as Davinci.
Anisette -
Anise Italian soda syrup or fennel.
(EO)
Apple Brandy - Apple juice, unsweetened apple juice concentrate, apple cider, or apple butter.
Apricot Brandy - Syrup from a can of apricots in heavy syrup, or apricot preserves.
Beer or Ale - A strong chicken, beef or mushroom broth, or non-alcoholic beer.
Beer or Ale (Light) - Chicken broth, white grape juice or ginger ale.
Bourbon - 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Brandy -
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of brandy or rum extract for 2 tablespoons of Brandy. When liquid amount is critical to the recipe, use water or fruit juices corresponding to flavor of brandy (use same amount of liquid as the recipe calls for brandy); apple cider, peach or apricot syrup
Calvados - Apple juice, unsweetened apple juice concentrate, apple cider, or apple butter.
Chambord - Raspberry juice, syrup or extract.
Champagne - Ginger ale, sparkling apple cider, sparkling cranberry juice, or sparkling white grape juice.
Cherry Liqueur or Cherry Brandy -
Syrup from a can of cherries in heavy syrup, or cherry syrup such as Davinci, Syria or cherry preserves.
Claret - non-alcoholic wine, diluted grape juice or cherry cider syrup.
Coffee Liqueur - To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract mixed with 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, which has been mixed in 2 tablespoons of water. Can also substitute expresso, non-alcoholic coffee extract or coffee syrup.
Cognac - Apricot, peach or pear juice.
Cointreau - To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 2 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate or 2 tablespoons of orange juice with 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract.
(EO)
Crème de cacao - Powdered white chocolate combined with water, or non-alcoholic vanilla extract and powdered sugar.
Crème de cassis - Black currant syrup or black currant jam.
Crème de menthe - non-alcoholic mint extract, mint Italian soda syrup, spearmint extract, or spearmint oil with a little water added. If green color is needed, add a drop of green food coloring.
(EO)
Curacao -
To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 2 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate or 2 tablespoons of orange juice with 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract.
(EO)
Framboise - Raspberry juice or raspberry syrup.
Frangelico - Hazelnut or almond extract. Or hazelnut flavored syrup.
Galliano – Licorice extract or fennel.
(EO)
Gewurztraminer -White grape juice combined with lemon juice.
Grand Marnier – To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 2 tablespoons of orange juice concentrate or 2 tablespoons of orange juice with 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract.
(EO)
Grappa - Grape juice.
Grenadine – non-alcoholic grenadine or pomegranate syrup.
Hard Cider – Apple juice or apple cider.
Kahlua - To replace 2 tablespoons of liqueur, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract mixed with 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, which has been mixed in 2 tablespoons of water. Can also substitute expresso, non-alcoholic coffee extract or coffee syrup.
Kirsch - Cherry cider or black cherry, raspberry, boysenberry, currant, or grape juice or syrup. Substitute same amount of liquid as called for in the recipe.
Licorice or Anise Liqueur – Anise extract, seeds or fennel.
(EO)
Mirin - White grape juice combined with lemon juice or lemon zest.
(EO)
Muscat - White grape juice combined with powdered sugar.
Ouzo - Anise extract, seeds or fennel.
(EO)
Orange Liqueur - Orange juice concentrate, orange juice, orange zest or orange marmalade.
(EO)
Peach Brandy - Syrup from a can of peaches in heavy syrup, or peach preserves.
Peppermint Schnapps - non-alcoholic mint or peppermint extract, peppermint Davinci syrup, or mint leaves.
(EO)
Port - Concord grape juice with some lime zest added, cranberry juice with some lemon juice added, or grape juice concentrate. Substitute orange juice or apple juice for lighter ports.
(EO)
Red Burgundy - Red wine vinegar, grape juice or non-alcoholic wine
Red Wine, sweet or dry -
non-alcoholic wine with a tablespoon of vinegar added to cut the sweetness, grape juice, cranberry juice, grape jelly, tomato juice, beef broth, liquid drained from vegetables, or water. Use equal amounts of liquid as called for in the recipe.
Riesling - White grape juice with a pinch of powdered sugar added.
Rum - White grape juice, pineapple juice, or apple juice in equal liquid amounts as called for in the recipe. Can also use these juices with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of rum, almond or vanilla extract added.
Sake - Rice vinegar.
Sambuca - Anise extract, seeds or fennel.
(EO)
Schnapps - To replace 2 tablespoons of schnapps, add 1 teaspoon of a corresponding flavored extract.
Sherry - Apple juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, or non-alcoholic vanilla extract.
Southern Comfort - Peach flavored nectar combined with a small amount of cider vinegar.
Sparkling Wine - Ginger ale, sparkling apple cider, sparkling cranberry juice, or sparkling white grape juice.
Sweet Marsala Wine – Grape juice and added sugar
Tequila - (this is made from the Agave plant…so maybe a little Agave nectar…) Cactus juice or nectar.
Triple Sec – Orange juice concentrate, orange juice, orange zest or orange marmalade.
(EO)
Vermouth, Dry - White grape juice, white wine vinegar, or non-alcoholic white wine.
Vermouth, Sweet - Apple juice, grape juice, balsamic vinegar, non-alcoholic sweet wine, or water with lemon juice.
Whiskey - If a small amount is called for, it can be eliminated.
Vodka - White grape juice or apple cider combined with lime juice or use plain water in place of the vodka.
White Burgundy - non-alcoholic wine, white grape juice combined with white wine vinegar.
White Wine, sweet or dry - non-alcoholic wine with a tablespoon of vinegar added to cut the sweetness, white grape juice, apple juice, apple cider, tomato juice, chicken broth, liquid drained from vegetables, ginger ale, or water. Use equal amounts of liquid as called for in the recipe.
Thrive Products that could be used to make the
juices, ciders, syrups or broths mentioned above:
Note: FD - Freeze Dried. Thrive product numbers are for Pantry size cans
Thrive FD Applesauce (#22346)
Thrive FD Apricots (#22332)
Thrive FD Fuji Apples (#22349)
Thrive FD Granny Smith Apples (#22348)
Thrive FD Peach Slices (#22340)
Thrive FD Pears (#22339)
Thrive FD Pineapple (#22342)
Thrive FD Raspberries (#22343)
Thrive FD Red Seedless Grapes (#22345)
Thrive FD Sweet Cherry Halves (#22350)
Thrive Beef Bouillon (#22662)
Thrive Chicken Bouillon (#22663)
Thrive FD Mushrooms (#22226)
Thrive Tomato Powder (#22237)
**Two Articles used for this about Alcohol Substitution list:
How to be a Gourmet and a Mormon Too
Eating Well Living Thin Blog
There are many uses for this rich sauce and pasta isn't the only thing you can put it on. With summer coming on and my summer squash will be ready soon, I experimented with making zucchini and yellow squash pasta yesterday, using my mandoline. What is a mandoline? Mine is a Norpor Deluxe Mandoline and looks like this and I originally got it so I could slice onions really thin to make my cousin's french onion soup (another recipe, another post :)
FD - Freeze Dried
