Cooking with Essential Oils and Gourmet Cooking Alcohol Substitutions

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.

SIX TIPS for cooking with Essential Oils

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)

Click here to download the list of Alcohol Substitutes

**Two Articles used for this about Alcohol Substitution list:
How to be a Gourmet and a Mormon Too
Eating Well Living Thin Blog

Yes, I Drink Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Daily! -- WHY?

Yes, I Drink Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Daily!

WHY???????

For years, I've heard the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), particularly Raw Organic ACV because it still has the "mother", the cloudy sediment at the bottom.  This sediment contains a lot of beneficial enzymes, pectin, and trace minerals.  Just shake it up good before you use it.  Besides all of the health benefits of ACV, substances like malic acid are formed in the creation of apple cider vinegar, giving it antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties.  I read a good article on 12 Reasons Why Apple Cider Vinegar Will Revolutionize Your Health.  Click on the title to read the whole article.  Here are some excerpts:

12 KNOWN BENEFITS OF ACV

1. Improved Digestion

. . . When you drink apple cider vinegar regularly, ideally before each main meal, your digestion improves and you naturally begin assimilating more from your food. . .

2. Heartburn, Intestinal Problems and Constipation

Regular apple cider vinegar in water is believed to help correct low stomach acid conditions that leads to heartburn. Importantly, straight ACV is very strong and likely to be too powerful for heartburn sufferers, and especially those with ulcers, so make sure you dilute it well.

Apple pectin fiber, found in the mother of raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar, soothes the entire gastrointestinal tract, helping to prevent stomach cramps, bloating and gas.

Apple cider vinegar can also be useful as a mild laxative to stimulate peristalsis in cases of occasional constipation. It should not have this effect if your bowel movements are already regular.

3. Prevent Candida and Normalize Intestinal Bacteria

ACV is full of beneficial acids which are believed to help improve the make up of your intestinal flora . . . and can help control the spread of the candida fungus in your intestines, a common debilitating problem with many people’s high sugar diets.

4. Strengthen Your Immune System

Your intestinal flora are a big part of your body’s immune system. It makes sense then that improving the conditions for the growth of friendly bacteria with apple cider vinegar can help improve your overall immunity. . . Additionally, raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar is said to benefit your lymphatic system by helping to cleanse lymph nodes and break up mucus in the body. Over time this can relieve sinus congestion, reduce colds and alleviate allergies.

5. Regulate Blood Sugar and Aid in Diabetes

Apple cider vinegar is full of acetic acid which appears to slow down the digestion of simple carbohydrates, thus regulating blood sugar levels from the brief highs and longer lows of a high carb diet.

The anti-glycemic effect of ACV has been proven in several studies, including this one that concluded, “vinegar can significantly improve post-prandial insulin and sensitivity in insulin resistant subjects…thus, vinegar may possess physiological effects similar to acarbose or metformin (anti-diabetic drugs). Further investigations to examine the efficacy of vinegar as an antidiabetic therapy are warranted.”

6. High Blood Pressure

Some animal studies have shown that apple cider vinegar may lower high blood pressure and there are many reports in online forums of using it for this purpose. . .

7. Detoxification

Apple cider vinegar is a popular ingredient in detoxification protocols with good reason. Aside from all the other body cleansing benefits already listed, drinking diluted raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar is believed to help detoxify and cleanse your liver. . .

8. Weight Loss

Apple cider vinegar’s acetic acid has been shown in studies to suppress the accumulation of body fat and liver lipids. Its pectin content is also thought to slightly reduce your body’s ability to absorb fat.

When you have an apple cider vinegar drink before a meal, as well as improving digestion, it will usually reduce your hunger levels as well, . . . (Note: I found this to be true.)

9. Bad Breath

The natural acids in real apple cider vinegar, like acetic and malic acid, can reduce the bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath. . .

10. Skin Benefits

Apple cider vinegar balances your skin’s pH levels and has long been recommended as a skin tonic. It can also help treat dermatological conditions like acne, especially when used both internally and externally regularly.

11. Leg Cramps and Restless Leg Syndrome

Sipping on an apple cider vinegar drink can increase low potassium levels in your body, a suspect in nighttime leg cramps and restless leg syndrome.

12. Stamina and Energy

Improved stamina and energy are harder to measure subjectively, but raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar has long been considered a general health tonic and more energy and greater stamina are commonly reported when drinking it.

Despite being acidic outside the body, ACV, like lemon water, is recognized as a premier alkalizing drink, which reduces acidosis in the body and has been reported to aid in recovering from a wide range of health conditions and diseases.

OTHER USES FOR APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Acne

Athlete’s Foot

Heart Health

Kidney Stones

Nails

Rosacea

Sunburn

Vaginal Irritation

Animal Care

Arthritis

Blood Pressure

Gout

Hair Loss

Sore Throat

Menopause

Acid Re-flux

Salad Dressings

Toner

Weight loss

Moles/Scars/Lesions

Cleaning

Energy!

ACV DAILY DRINKING TIPS:

1.  Start with 1 tablespoon in a big glass of water and you can slowly increase the dosage, a teaspoon at a time over several weeks, to 2 or even 3 tablespoons, if you find the increased dosage beneficial to your health.

2.  Yes it tastes sour, but that’s a good thing. It’s important to train your taste buds to not expect everything to be sweet.

3. Sweeten it with stevia, not sugar or commercial honey.  They will only feed the intestinal problems that ACV is used to treat.

I found it hard to maintain a consistent daily routine of drinking some daily, as it is sour and I got tired of it. As I started my new eating plan outlined in the Trim Healthy Mama book and discovered their recipe for Good Girl Moonshine (GGMS) - no alcohol :O) but just good Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Ginger, Stevia and water.  That was the ticket! Sweeten it up!  

A little stevia made all the difference and I look forward to drinking every day!  I even made my own version of GGMS with my Thrive Lemonade and added an addition "kick" with a little cayenne and call it my "Feel the Burn" Lemonade.  

Get creative and try it with other flavorings or herbal teas and see what good flavors you can create and add healthy ACV to your daily routine!

Do you have a good way or getting your daily ACV?  Share with us in the comments!