A Recipe For Autumn, Made With Essential Oils

By Jennifer Kelleher

I invite you into a space of relaxation. Sitting up in your chair, guide your attention to the rhythm of your breath. Imagine the air like silk and spend a few moments indulging in smooth and luxurious inhales and exhales. As you begin to calm, take your attention to the crown of your head. Envision and feel warm honey melting over your crown and slowly down your entire body, softening each part, swallowing up any and all tension.

In the spirit of continuing to cozy into this autumn season, I thought it would be fun to share a warming recipe, perfect for this time of year, that I like to make with high quality essential oils.

I find that while many people have heard of essential oils, not everyone is totally aware of the multitude of ways in which they can be used. You might be surprised to learn that certain essential oils are safe for ingestion. I discovered this myself back in 2017 when I went to visit my brother in Ashland, Oregon. We stumbled upon an “aroma café” that made all of their dishes with essential oils. Ingesting the oils made me feel so good (in fact, it was quite surprising) that we went back every day I was there!

Today, I keep oils in my spice cabinet alongside my dry spices. Because essential oils are concentrated, their scents, flavors, and natural benefits are potent. Just one drop goes a long way, and the bottle lasts for a while.

One of my favorite easy-to-make recipes for autumn and winter is chai tea with essential oils. This recipe includes six warming superfood spices (cardamom, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and black pepper) in essential oil form with black tea, mylk, and honey.

To make, boil your choice of non-dairy mylk in a pot on the stove. Once boiling, shut off heat and steep mylk with black tea for 3-5 minutes (do not exceed five minutes, as this releases too many tannins and can lead to uncomfortable symptoms, such as nausea, headaches, and irritability). In a mug, add your desired amount of honey. Mix one drop (or less or more, based on your desired balance of spices) of each of the six spices into the honey. Pour black tea-infused mylk on top. Stir well (I use a handheld frother) and enjoy!

Now that you have the recipe, let’s look at some of the incredible natural benefits of the oils used: Cardamom lowers blood pressure, improves breathing, and supports weight loss. Clove is rich in antioxidants, and reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Cinnamon is also chock full of antioxidants, a powerful anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, lowers blood sugar, and improves immunity. Nutmeg relieves pain, soothes indigestion, boosts cognitive function, detoxifies, is good for skin, and helps to improve sleep. Ginger increases serotonin and dopamine (“feel good” chemicals), reduces inflammation, soothes the stomach, lowers blood sugar, reduces menstrual pain, and eases coughs. Finally, black pepper is great for bone health, wound healing, and supports metabolism.

Please keep in mind that this is generally speaking. We are all bio-individual, so what is good for you may not be good for me and vice versa. Similarly, what worked for you at one time in your life may not work for you today. In the end, it is important to listen to your body and trust how it responds to anything you put in or on it. And, as with any spice, if you are taking medication check to make sure the spice does not interact negatively with your medication.

If you are interested in learning more about essential oils, or if you want to know where to purchase high grade oils, reach out to me (Jen) at 917-318-1168.