The Essentials of Oils

When I was younger, I always wanted to have a signature scent. One that everyone would know as mine. I asked for a then popular perfume as a birthday gift and when received, I put it on daily, spraying my wrists and clothes. I was content; I had found a scent for my own. Shortly after, I started getting headaches. One day when sitting in class, with my chin propped in the heels of my hands, I became acutely aware of the smell of my perfume and thought to myself that perhaps the headaches were related to the perfume. I did an experiment and stopped wearing my new found scent for a few days. Sure enough, the headaches disappeared. Hmm, allergic to my signature scent! How could this be? Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

It wasn't until years later after working in a health food store in North Carolina and learning from good friends that I was taught about essential oils, their wonderful signature scents as well as their aromatherapeutic properties! I also learned that many people have very strong reactions to the alcohol in perfumes or the large amounts of chemicals in other lotions and fragrances.

Basically, there are numerous essential oils that have amazing fragrances and can be mixed with a base and used just like perfume - and they don't cause me headaches! There are also blends of them already pre-made, just check out your local health food store.

I also learned about the benefit of using body oil instead of lotion. I used to think all body oil was like baby oil - and if you've ever put that on your body, you know how slimy and oily it makes you feel. I really didn't want that but I wanted something that was going to hydrate my skin in a way that lotion just wasn't. Many people will use Almond, Olive, Sesame or Sunflower Oil as the base for creating their own scented body oil - instead of buying a $30 bottle from some of those "Body Shops." Making these oils are easy and fun and you can create one just for your own needs.

A massage-therapist friend of mine likes to use sunflower oil for her personal body oil as it dries most quickly so there is less possibility of it getting on clothes. I used to use almond oil but just recently switched to sunflower oil and have found that I also prefer it. I buy Spectrum brand refined, organic Sunflower Oil from the cooking oil section of any health food store.

Below is a recipe I use for creating. I STRONGLY recommend that you read up on the properties of any and all essential oils you opt to put into your concoction so that you know what you're getting into (see links at the end of this post and do your own research!). Also, my motto is less is more; first try out a smaller quantity of an essential oil and then increase if you do not smell it once mixed with your base oil.

My favorites:
Lavender Oil *- Relaxing, Calming
Grapefruit Oil *- Uplifting
Peppermint Oil *- Stimulating
Eucalyptus Oil *- Refreshing

Jyoti's Oil Recipe:

What's in it:

• 12 - 15 ounces base oil (Organic Sunflower Oil)
• 8 - 12 drops Lavender Oil
• 5 - 12 drips Grapefruit Oil
• 4 ounces lotion of your choice (I like Kiss My Face Lavender or Mountain Ocean Skin Trip Coconut Lotion)
• You can add peppermint (2-4 drops) or Eucalyptus (2-4 drops) but bear in mind that they will add a cooling and stimulating effect. I have decided to not use them much in my whole body oils but have made separate oils with them for my feet only and use sparingly.

How's it done:

• Pour your base oil into either a pump bottle or a leak proof squeeze bottle of your choice. It is recommended to use a dark, glass bottle if you can.
  
• Add the number of drops of the oils of your choice.
• Add the number of ounces of the lotion of your choice (optional)
• Shake the concoction up and lube yourself up!

Enjoy creating your own scents tailored to your own wants and needs, just be sure to thoroughly read up on the properties for each oil before using. I actually began to find peppermint to be too cooling and stimulating for me to use after using it for a long time. Have fun!

I also found the following sites helpful and informative:

Information on oil properties:

• http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/therapies/essentia02.htm
• http://www.feelgoodproducts.com/properties.html

Recipes and general information:

• http://www.essential-oil-recipes.com/index.html
  

Properties and general information:

• http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/default.asp
  

*The links in this post are not intended to urge readers to purchase these particular brands or from these specific sites but are more for reference and informational purposes.

Hemp Seeds and Oil

I was recently re-introduced to the wonderful benefits of hemp seeds and hemp oil. Most people these days have heard of Flax seeds and flax oil. Well, hemp seeds and oil offer very similar benefits as Flax yet according to some, hemp is the better choice. At the core of both hemp and flax is the buzz around "Essential Fatty Acids" or EFAs.

Basically, our bodies don't create these EFAs, but they are "essential" for our health and vitality (we'd have to speak to my sisters the doctor and PA to really understand the "how/why" behind the essentialness of these EFAs). But the basics are that they're good for us.

According to one site I visited, hemp seeds and oil have the best ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs, that being 3:1. According to this same site, "EFAs help to prevent or relieve inflammation problems, arthritis, asthma, osteoporosis, cardio-vascular disease and hormonal disturbances linked to menopause, These substances play a role in preventing autoimmune diseases, overweight and cancer."

In addition to providing EFAs, hemp seeds provide a wonderful amount of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A and Vitamin E. I like to put both the seeds and oil into my morning smoothies. You can also add either the seeds or oil to soups, salads or any other food item that sounds good to you.

In my own experience, hemp seeds and oil have a much better flavor than flax. I've always found flax to taste rather fishy, not suspicious but actually like fish. - and I never really liked most fish when I did eat meat. I still incorporate both into my diet, but if there's ever a possibility that the taste will shine through, I opt for hemp. So, you don't have to choose one over the other; you can use both or alternate one from the other.

Enjoy!

I found these other sites to be helpful in understanding the difference between hemp and flax:
http://nutiva.com/graphics/hempandflax.pdf
http://www.hempseed.ca/hemp-vs-flax.ihtml

Sathya's Saag

The following is another of my father's yummy renditions of a popular Indian dish. It is most commonly found in "North Indian" restaurants and with cubes of paneer - Indian Cheese and therefore called Saag Paneer or Palak Paneer. Some good friends of mine always ask for me to make this one. Enjoy!

What's in it:

• 2-3 tbsp organic canola oil
• 1-2 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 big handful of cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
• 1 inch of peeled fresh organic ginger
• 2 cloves organic garlic
• 10 curry leaves
  
• 2-4 tsp cumin
• 2-4 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 - 1 tsp turmeric
  
• lime to taste
• salt to taste
  
• 2-3 bunches of fresh spinach or 2 packages chopped, frozen organic spinach
  
• 1 big organic onion

How it's done:

• Chop onion into small cubes
• Wash cilantro and chop leafy part (discard the stems)
• Wash and dry curry leaves
• Chop or press garlic
• Grate or puree ginger
• Heat the oil in a pan (you can eliminate this step for a healthier saag)
  
• Add mustard seeds (these can be dry roasted, without the oil)
  
• Mustard seeds will heat and eventually start popping
• Add onion, ginger and garlic when mustard seeds start to pop
• Let the onion cook until it starts to turn clear
• Add cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala.
• Allow spices to cook with onion until the onion is completely cooked (completely clear)
• Add spinach
• If using fresh spinach, allow to cook until tender
• If using frozen, allow to defrost and heat up
• Once spinach is cooked, add cilantro
• You can blend this mixture in a food processor to make smooth or keep it as is
• Add lime and salt to taste

This goes well with a nice organic brown rice seasoned with cumin seeds or a nice spelt tortilla in place of a chapati.

Idlies

To go with Sathya's Sambar:

I have never made idlies from scratch and therefore don't have a 'from scratch' recipe to share. But, I have used the boxed packages that you can easily get from any local Indian/South Asian grocery store. One of the most common brands is Gits. You will have to get an Idli Maker, but that too can be found at a local India/South Asian store. You just put it inside any large pot you have. Idlies are steamed to cook.

The most important thing when mixing up the contents of the box with the water is to NOT over stir as this can cause the idlies to be more dense/flat. But the trick is to stir enough so you don't have too many big clumps of doughy idly mix.

Serve Idlies with hot sambar (see Sathya's Sambar recipe) or just eat with melted butter, non-hydrogenated butter substitute (I like Earth Balance) or the 'sinful' but delightful ghee!

Idlies













Idli Maker

The wonderful benefits of Peppermint

For those who know me, you know I love peppermint tea! This fresh and invigorating herb is not only one of the most delightful to drink as a tea but it also has wonderful medicinal properties. The most prominent medicinal use is to help reduce nausea or upset stomach. Some have found drinking peppermint tea to reduce gas or ease irritable bowel syndrome. I found some interesting information at womens-health-symmetry.com. I also find peppermint helps increase my energy if I'm feeling low.

If you have a cold or sinus infection, peppermint oil is also a great remedy. You can boil a small amount of water in a pot and add a few drops of peppermint oil. Cover your head with a towel, putting it over the pot and take several deep breaths. You should not only feel the stimulating effects of the peppermint, but your congestion should also be relieved.

Sathya's Sambar

This is my dad's rendition of the scrumptious south Indian dish. All the spices can be found at your local Indian grocery - many can even be found at a local health food store as well. Enjoy!

What's in it:

• organic canola oil
• 3 medium organic onions
• 2 large organic eggplants
• 2 big organic green peppers
• 1 cup cooked masur dhal
• 1 pre-cooked potato
• 10-15 washed and dried curry leaves
  
• 1 to 1 1/2 mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp Tamcon
• 1 heaping tsp sambar powder
• 7 - 10 tbsp coriander powder
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
  
• salt to taste

How it's done:

• Boil 1 cup of masur dhal in 2 cups of water, set aside
• Steam 1 potato, set aside
  
• Chop the onion into big cubes
• Chop the eggplant and green pepper into big pieces
• Put vegetable into a big pot
• Mix the tamcon with approximately 1/2 cup of warm water and mix until dissolved
• Add dissolved tamcon to veggies
• Add sambar powder
• Put the pot of veggies on the stove on high until boiling then turn down to med-low
• Add the potato, cut into chunks
• While the veggies cook down
• roast the coriander and cinnamon in a small cast iron pan (if you have it, if not any pan will work) on a low heat
• Make sure to keep the heat low, so you don't burn the spices
  
• add the roasted coriander and cinnamon to the veggie
• Add the cup of pre-cooked dhal.
  
• Let mixture simmer
• Clean your pan and heat 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
• Add mustard seeds and let heat until they pop
• Add curry leaves
• Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves to the pot.
• Add salt to taste.
• Let simmer until all the veggies are soft.
  
• You can use a masher to mash the veggies to your desired consistency.

Pour this tasty south India soup over hot, fresh idlies (see Idlies)

Glorious Greens

Kale, Collards, Mustard Greens, Spinach and Chard (see images below)- I'm sure there are others I'm leaving out. These amazing leafy greens are packed full of unbelievable vitamins and minerals as well as powerful anti-cancerous properties.

You can basically prepare each of these greens in the same ways - or use in any recipe where you normally use spinach, try one of the others. Some of my favorites are

• Simply steam the washed and chopped greens briefly (5 -7 minutes, the less the better to maintain all the nutrients) and you favorite salad dressing. I really like Annie's Goddess Dressing Steaming the greens is a nice alternative to salads in the winter - for those who like warm food
  
• Add washed and chopped greens to soups - you don't need to cook these greens very long and can even add them after you've take the pot off the heat.
• Juice washed greens with apples, cucumbers, ginger or any other of your favorite juice-able fruits and veggies
• Stir fry the greens with other veggies (zucchini, yellow summer squash, snow peas, carrots) and season with grated ginger, pressed garlic, bragg's liquid aminos/tamari sauce

Mustard Greens
























Swiss Chard













Kale