If you're looking for ideas on some handcrafted gifts & recipes, we've got a few we've collected over the years!
Gift of the Magi Blend
Anoint and feel lifted with this powerful and ancient blend!
2 drops organic Frankincense essential oil
2 drops organic Myrrh essential oil
3 drops organic Sweet Orange essential Oil
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Essential Oil Blend
Inspired by our Dark Chocolate Peppermint Tea!
10 drops organic Cocoa essential oil
2 drops organic Peppermint essential oil
2 drops organic Vanilla essential oil
1 drop organic Black Pepper essential oil
Gingerbread Delicious Blend
Get into the holiday spirit with this sweet and spicy blend.
12 drops organic Ginger essential oil
8 drops organic Cinnamon essential oil
8 drops organic Clove essential oil
4 drops Nutmeg essential oil
Peppermint Heaven Essential Oil Blend
Warm and sweet, euphoric with sparkling peppermint!
11 drops organic Peppermint essential oil
5 drops organic Ylang Ylang essential oil
2 drops organic Vanilla essential oil
Evergreen Holiday Essential Oil Blend
Classic Christmas tree with a kick!
6 drops organic Black Spruce essential oil
3 drops organic Juniper Berry essential oil
3 drops organic Orange essential oil
2 drops organic Nutmeg essential oil
Yuletide Spirit Spray
Evoke the fresh, evergreen scent of the forest with this delightful blend by master aromatherapist Mindy Green!
This is formulated for a 3-4oz bottle.
15 drops Siberian Fir essential oil
10 drops organic Sweet Orange essential Oil
4 drops organic Frankincense essential oil
3 drops organic Rosemary Essential oil
2 drops organic Cedar Atlas essential oil
2 drops Vanilla infused oil
3 drops organic Bay Laurel essential oil
1 drop organic Peppermint essential oil
1 drop organic Cinnamon essential oil
Peppermint Tea Latte
- 1 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk (hemp, soy, oat all work fine, too)
- 1 heaping tsp. of Peppermint leaves
- 2 tsp. maple syrup (honey, agave, etc.)
Directions:
- Heat almond milk on the stove until the almond milk is hot and just at a boil.
- Put peppermint leaf in a tea bag or ball and let it steep in the milk while covered for 5- 7 minutes. .
- Transfer liquid to a high speed blender. Blend for about 15-20 seconds until the liquid becomes frothy. The more you blend the drink, the more frothy it will be.
- Pour into mug and enjoy!
Adaptogenic Hot Chocolate
8 oz. your choice of milk (cow, goat, nut, coconut, etc.)
2 tbsp maple syrup, honey or stevia to taste (just a teeny bit will do!)
1/2 tsp organic Maca Root powder
2 tsp organic raw Cacao powder
1/4 tsp organic Cinnamon powder
1 pinch organic chili powder or cayenne powder
1 tsp adaptogenic blend of your choice (we love Reishi/Chaga/Rhodiola Root/HolyBasil - equal parts of each)
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in a blender.
2. Heat to a simmer in saucepan until fully warmed.
3. Serve garnished with whipped cream, cacao nibs, etc).
-Blended drink can be stored in the fridge for a week or two. Can be reheated, mixed into a smoothie or made into an iced drink!
-Due to the energizing nature of chocolate and maca, use caution if drinking this in the late afternoon/evening.
Super Simple Moonrise Mulled Wine
- 1 bottle of your favorite dry red wine
- 1 heaping tablespoon of our delicious Moonrise Mulling Spices (containing organic cloves, cinnamon, orange peel, star anise and ginger root *All organic)
- Optional: You can add some of your favorite seasonal fruits (pomegranate and cranberry are delicious!) and an additional 1/4 cup of your favorite liqueur if desired.
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan or crockpot.
Heat to just a simmer (do not boil or alcohol will evaporate).
3. Allow to simmer for between 15 minutes - 3 hours
4. Strain out fruits and herbs.
5. Garnish with citrus rinds, pomegranate seeds or whatever you desire!
6. Best served warm.
Mulled Spice Syrup
A simple and delicious gift for the folks in your life who love cocktails, mocktails, mulled wines or a touch of spiced syrup on pancakes, waffles and more!
- 2 cups water
- At least 3 Tbs of Moonrise Mulling Spices
- 3 big slices of oranges or more (clementines are nice but use your favorite!)
- 1/2 cup sugar (coconut, brown and granulated all work well)
- 1 cup of your favorite honey
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, honey and sugar over medium heat and stir frequently until sugar is completely dissolved. Add mulling spices and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiled, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, strain syrup into a large heat-proof measuring cup. Set aside to cool.
4. Pour into decorative bottles or jars for wonderful holiday gifting.
5. Before giving away, add labels with serving instructions: Heat about 8-12oz syrup with 750ml red wine or cider and some slices of orange or apple. Syrup will keep tightly sealed in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
Delicious Rosemary Immune Boosting Tea:
1 - 2 tsp dried or fresh Rosemary leaves
About 1 inch fresh Ginger or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Dried Ginger
1/2 - 1 Lemon peels
2 tsp Honey
2 cups boiling water
Optional: Lemon juice to taste
Optional: 1/2 - 1 clove Garlic for added Immune Enhancement
Super simple! Decoct (simmer) the entire recipe for 6-8 minutes, strain and enjoy!
Rosemary Infused Winter Lentils with Greens:
4 cups water
1 cup of your favorite lentils
7 cups chopped or shredded kale
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 pieces dried Astragalus root
2 cups fresh Shiitake mushrooms
2 teaspoons Rosemary, fresh or dried
4 medium slices or 6 small slices of your favorite crusty bread
(I love the Brio Kalamata Olive Loaf with this recipe!)
- Mince 2 garlic cloves. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add water; bring to a boil. Add lentils, reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 40 minutes.
- Add kale and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and kale are tender, about 10 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Brush bread slices with extra virgin olive oil. Bake until toasted, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Top the toast pieces with the lentil greens.
- Optional: Sprinkle some goat cheese on top. Yum!
Garlic Rosemary Butter:
2 large or 4 small garlic cloves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped Rosemary leaves
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt or Kosher salt
Ground Black Pepper
- Peel the garlic cloves, halve them lengthwise and coarsely chop. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Using the flat side of a chef’s knife, smear and mash the garlic and salt together to form a smooth paste. This should result in about 2 tsp. garlic paste.
- Transfer the garlic paste to a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, and rosemary. Stir to combine. Add the butter and mash together with a fork until completely blended.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. - Use immediately or use parchment, waxed paper, or plastic wrap to shape the garlic butter into a log, twisting the ends as if it were a sausage. Refrigerate until ready to use. The butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Sage Honey
1 Clean glass Mason jar (size depends on desired amount of sage honey)
Fresh Sage Salvia officinalis (1/2 jar full) or dry sage (1/4 jar full)
Enough honey (preferably raw, local honey) to fill jar or at least 1-2 inches above the herbs
Directions:
- If you use fresh sage, make sure it is chopped fine. Fill 1/2 jar. If using dry herb, fill 1/4 jar. If using additional herbs, try to aim for this total amount in the jar.
Fill the jar to the top with local raw honey and allow the air bubbles to release themselves. Add more honey to top off the jar leaving about ¼ – ½ inch at the top.
3. Cover the jar with a lid and allow to sit in a cool, dark, dry place for 2-4 weeks.
4. Strain out herb particles as much as possible (you can leave them in too if you prefer!)
5. Pour into small, clean jars as gifts or save for personal use.
6. Use as needed.
Chai Spice Warming Balm
Infused oil 1/4 cup of spices (Cinnamon, Clove, Cardamom, Ginger, Vanilla and optionally, a hint of Lavender) to 1 cup of your favorite oil
Beeswax (4 oz of oil = 1/2 oz of beeswax)
Vitamin E(optional)
Instructions
- To get more spice from your spices, lightly muddle or crush them while you gently heat them in oil in your water bath, ensuring no water gets into your oil.
- Or shake them daily while infusing them in jars over 30 days or more. If using the 30-day method, ensure your oil fills the jar to the top and it is capped tightly, with a dish towel underneath to allow for any leakage.
- Once you have your strained, infused, warm oil, add melted beeswax.
- Test the consistency by removing the spoon with a little of the mixture on it. It will cool quickly and give you an indication of how hard it will be once set.
- If it is softer than you'd like, add more beeswax and continue to heat until melted.
- If it is too hard, add more infused oil and repeat the test until you reach the consistency you desire.
- Remove the mixture from heat, keeping any drops of water out of the balm blend.
- Add about 10 drops t of vitamin E if you have it, it is a natural preservative, and pour the mixture into clean, dry containers.
- Once cooled, cap the containers and gift them to others or enjoy the spice blend yourself.
Salted Caramel Body Scrub
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2-3 drops Vanilla essential oil
Optional: 1 teaspoon organic Caramel Extract (for extra Caramelyness)
5-10 drops Vitamin E oil
Hazelnut/Almond Oil - enough for desired consistency.
This scrub is quite simple but is a great remover of the dead skin cells that blocks pores and prevents topical nutrients from efficiently reaching the skins surface. On top of this, the Vitamin E, almond and hazelnut oil used in the scrub act as an anti-inflammatory and moisturizing agents, so it really helps to keep the skin supple and vibrant. It also smells absolutely amazing!
Instructions
Simply stir the salt and brown sugar together until combined before adding the oils and mixing well in a bowl.
To use the scrub: gently massage into skin. Use alternating circular motions to increase circulation to an area. This scrub is best used in the shower or over an old towel if you are concerned about slipping in the shower.
Moisturizing Homemade Bath Melts
¼ cup cocoa butter
¼ cup shea butter
about 1 teaspoon beeswax, grated or pastilles
1 teaspoon carrier oil – jojoba, sunflower, safflower, etc.
¼ cup dried herbs – lavender, roses, or other skin-safe herbs
15 -20 drops essential oil of your choice
silicone molds or other small molds (silicone ice cube molds work very well)
Directions
- Melt the butters and beeswax in a double boiler, stirring occasionally just until wax is completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Add carrier oil and stir to combine. Add essential oil and stir again; you may want more or less depending on your nose and the individual oil used. (See fragrance ideas below.)
- Prepare your mold(s). Place on a cookie sheet or cutting board for stability. Place a little of the dried herbs into each cavity.
- Pour butter/oil mixture over the herbs to the top of the cavity. Allow to cool and harden completely at room temperature. (I don’t like putting them in the freezer to cool. It gives a false sense of what they will be like when they are cool. If they are too soft, you can remelt them and add more wax. If they seem too hard, add a bit more oil.)
- Un-mold and store in a glass jar.
To use
Fill bathtub with water. Toss one bath melt into the tub and allow it to melt. Enjoy your soak!
Herbal Wreaths
A fun activity to do with children!
grapevine wreath
ground cinnamon and/or other sweet ground spices
glitter (or mica flakes)
glue
hot glue gun
Optional: Dried orange slices/peels, calendula petals, pretty berries, dried fruits, etc.
Directions:
- Paint glue onto wreath with brush, q-tip, etc. (This is a fun part for the kids!). Sprinkle with glitter/mica, ground herbs, small blossoms, etc.
2. After glue dries, hot glue larger decorations (star anise, cinnamon sticks, etc. as desired or directed by the little ones!).
3. After wreath are decorated completely and the glue has solidified, tie on a beautiful ribbon or some string or twine for hanging.
4. Give as gifts or enjoy your beautiful fragrant herbal wreath.
Decorated Matchboxes
These are a fun, economical, very green project to make with the family! Collect small used matchboxes and bits of wrapping paper, tissue paper or other interesting materials you'd like to use. You will need:
- Assorted matchboxes
- Non-toxic glue
- Scraps of wrapping paper, tissue paper, fun fabrics or other materials you like
- Sequins, bits of ribbon, tiny shells, or other found items that catch your eye.
Directions:
- Cut your bits of paper/material to the correct size for the matchboxes.
2. Place a small amount of glue on the sides of the matchbox and decorate as desired with paper, material, beads, ribbons, etc. Caution: Do not let glue drip over the sides of the matchbox onto the striking surface. Allow glue to dry complete before use. Enjoy!