Monday, June 30, 2014

Cinnamon Muffinus and Lemon Curd recipes

Cinnamon Muffins

  • Servings: Yield = 18 muffins
  • Time: 20 minutes active; 20 minutes inactive
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

Muffin Batter
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 Tbs baking powder
  • 2 drops cassia essential oil
Topping
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 Tbs flour
  • 2 Tbs butter, softened

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Batter: Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl, and stir until well combined.  Pour batter into greased muffin tins, filling each tin about 3/4 full.
Topping: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and butter. Spoon topping evenly over muffins.
Bake muffins for 12–16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Lemon Curd

  • Servings: Yield = three cups
  • Time: 30 minutes active
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

  • 9–10 drops lemon essential oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 extra large eggs or 4 large eggs and 1 yolk
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (3–4 lemons)
  • 1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions:

Pour sugar and lemon essential oil into a bowl, and mix until well combined. Cream the butter in a separate bowl, and then beat in the lemon sugar mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time; then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until well combined. Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan, and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat, and cool or refrigerate. Serve with cinnamon muffins.

Visit www.simplepleasure.biz for all of your essential oil needs.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Homemade Playdough and Spongeball with essential oils.


Playdough with Essential Oils 

2 cups flour
2 cups water
1 cup salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
5 drops essential oils (Peppermint, Lavender, Wild Orange, Balance, Grapefruit, Lemon, etc.)
2 drops of food coloring
 
- Mix together all ingredients in a large pan except for the essential oils.
- Once mixed stir over medium heat until it forms into a ball.
- Remove from heat and cool on parchment or wax paper.
- Once cool add in 5 drops of Essential Oil and kneed until well mixed.
- Play and then store in an airtight container in the fridge to use again next week.

DIY Spongeball for Water Fights Outside
3 Sponges (1/2-by-2 3/4-by-4 1/4-inches)
Pen
Ruler
Scissors
String
 
- With a pen and a ruler, make five lines lengthwise on a sponge, each 1/2 inch apart.
- Use scissors to cut the sponge, using the lines as a guide, into six rods.
-Repeat first two steps the other two sponges.
-Lay strips on top of each other in three layers, five to six to a layer. Cinch them across the middle with a piece of string; knot it tightly. Fluff pieces out into a ball.
 
For your essential oil needs visit www.simplepleasure.biz

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

200 Hour Yoga School, Yoga in the Park and more...

We will have yoga here at Simple Pleasures this Friday and Sunday:
Friday, June 20th at 5:30 – 7:00
Sunday, June 22nd at 9:00 – 10:30
$5.00/Class
Saturday, June 21st is Yoga in the Park at 9:00am.

Next 200 Hour Teacher Training begins the weekend of June 20th. Completion date is in November. This is a fast track training, if you complete all classes. You may take classes as available according... to your schedule.
The fall 200 Hour training begins September 12th, 13th and 14th, 2014.

Simple Pleasures will be closed the following dates:

June 26th and 27th
July 3rd, 4th, 7th and the 8th
Please plan to come to yoga around those dates.

Yoga in the Park is every Saturday during the Summer at 9am. We haven’t seen too many people try it out so please spread the news. We would like to make this a successful community event. It is held in the Veterans Park next to the Legion in La Crescent. No yoga July 5th.

If you have any questions, please call 608-780-7909.
Visit www.simplepleasure.biz for more info.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Pamper yourself and your body with these recipes.

Body Spray: 1 tbsp. Witch Hazel 20 drops Essential Oils of Choice 1 cup Water Combine ingredients, and pour into a spray bottle. Here's a tip to try different oil combinations to see what you like- hold open bottles in front of your nose and move the bottles around while sniffing. You'll get a good idea if they go together or not.
Foaming Hand & Body Wash 6 cups Water 1 cup Castile Soap 2 tbsp. Vegetable Glycerin 1/4 cup Olive, Almond, or Jojoba oil 70 drops Essential Oils of Choice (10 or so per bottle) I use this recipe to make 7 bottles of hand soap at once. If you need less, just reduce the recipe. Mix the first three ingredients and pour into foaming pumps. Add 10 drops of Essential Oil to each pump. Shake and use.
Lotion Bar: 1/2 cup Coconut Oil 1/2 cup Shea Butter or Coconut Butter 1/2 cup Beeswax 1/2 tsp. Vitamin E Oil 50 drops Essential Oil(s) of choice In a double boiler, combine all ingredients except essential oils. Stir ingredients until smooth and melted. Remove from heat and add Essential Oils. Stir to incorporate E.O.'s. Carefully pour into molds such as a silicon muffin pan. Or pour into a wax paper lined pan and cut into bars when cool.
Basic Sugar Scrub: 1 cup Organic Sugar 1/3 cup Olive, Almond, Jojoba Oil 10 drops Essential Oils of Choice Combine all ingredients. You can get creative with your essential oils and sugars too. My favorite is grapefruit oil in the sugar .
Basic Bath Salts: 1 cup Epsom Salts 10 drops Essential Oils of Choice Just mix your oils into the salts and store in a sealed jar. Try lavender for a relaxing bath soak, try peppermint for an invigorating foot soak, or try a post sports muscle soak with marjoram, chamomile, and rose- mary.
Lip Balm: 1 tbsp. Coconut Oil 2 tbsp. Almond, Jojoba, or Olive Oil 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. Beeswax 10 drops Essential Oil of Choice Chop or grate the beeswax or buy the beeswax pastilles. Place beeswax, coconut, and other oils except for essential oils in the upper part of a double boiler or place a bowl on top of a pan of boiling water. Melt the wax into the oils. Gently stir in essential oils and pour into lip balm containers. Let cool.
Body Butter: 1 cup Shea or Cocoa Butter 1/2 cup Coconut Oil 1/2 cup Almond, Jojoba, or Olive Oil 45 drops Essential Oil of choice In a double boiler melt the shea or cocoa butter and coconut oils together. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes. Gently stir in the other oils till combined. Wait until it cools and starts to solidify. Add to a mixer and whip until the consistency of butter. Store in sealed glass jars.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Homemade Solid Perfume


Enjoy the many benefits of essential oil in a long-lasting solid perfume.  Just simply add your favorite essential oil to the mixture and  pour into any container of your choice for a personalized perfume you will love.

What You Need:

2 tablespoons beeswax
2 tablespoons Fractionated Coconut Oil
20 drops of your favorite essential oil or blend


Directions:

1. Add beeswax and Fractionated Coconut Oil to glass jar and place in saucepan with 1-1.5 inches of boiling water.

2. Stir ingredients until combined (around 5-10 minutes).
Note: Use a popsicle stick for easy cleanup.

3. Once melted, remove from heat and let rest for 3 minutes.

4. Add essential oil and stir.

5. Pour into containers.
Note: Pour perfume into an empty locket or metal container for easy on-the-go access.

6. To use, apply small amount to skin.
Visit www.simplepleasure.biz for your essential oil needs.

All Natural Powder Cleanser


Deep cleaning doesn’t have to mean hours of scrubbing on  your hands and knees. This powdered cleanser makes it easy to clean even the grimiest of surfaces with little to no work. Just sprinkle on the surface, walk away for 15-30 minutes, and then wipe clean. It’s that easy! - See more at: http://doterrablog.com/diy-powder-cleanser/#sthash.wltWgf6G.dpuf

 

What You Need: 2 cups borax 1 cup baking soda ½ cup citric acid ½ cup kosher salt 20 drops Lemon essential oil Note: Although borax is natural, it can be toxic when ingested and should be kept away from children and pets. If you are concerned about using borax, you can omit it.

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and stir until combined.

2. Add a few drops of lemon essential oil

3.  Store in a large shaker bottle. Tip: Use an old spice or Parmesan cheese shaker.

4. To use, dampen surface and sprinkle powder over area you want to clean.

5. Let sit for 15-30 minutes. For an extra cleansing boost, spray distilled vinegar on powder and wipe clean.

6. You’re done! Enjoy your new sparkly-clean surface. -
Visit www.simplepleasure.biz for your essential oil needs.