“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” ~Hippocrates

In case you missed it, I’ve been partnering with Hynt Beauty to bring you healthy and delicious recipes that showcase their amazing ingredients, every month. I love the fact that Hynt uses organic botanicals as the active ingredients in their skincare. They are great in beauty products, but also make for delicious and healthy food!

Last month, I focused on Acai (with a yummy Acai smoothie bowl!) This month, let’s take a look at lavender!

Lavender has been used for thousands of years, with the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all using it for healing and religious purposes. It can heal burns and scrapes, calm inflamed skin, aid with eczema, acne, cold sores, hay fever, dandruff, bee stings or insect bites and promote rest, relaxation and sleep! Lavender is the most used essential oil in the world, for good reason!

We use it all the time in my home – for first-aid, to tame headaches, as part of our calming evening routine, to make a spa-like atmosphere in the bath (and more)!

Hynt uses organic lavender oil in their beauty line for its many skin benefits, but it’s also great in the kitchen! Although I usually use lavender in sweet dishes, it works well in savory dishes too (and is often included in Herbs de Provence blends – sounds yummy on potatoes)! Try it in a fruit jam or ice cream, it pairs really nicely!

This lavender lemonade recipe is refreshing, and the perfect way to enjoy a hot Summer day! The subtle sweetness of the lavender means you don’t need as much sugar as a “regular” lemonade, and the lavender goes really well with the tart citrus flavor of the lemons!

You can sweeten it with honey, or another natural sweetener of your choice. If you want to learn more about natural sweeteners, or other ways to reduce or cut out the excess sugar in your life, check out my new ebook, Kick Your Sugar Addiction: 10 ways to control your sweet tooth naturally! It has 10 tips and over a dozen recipes designed to satisfy AND nip your sweet tooth in the bud, plus worksheets, a shopping list and more. AND it’s on a SUMMER SALE right now! 🙂

Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 3 organic lemons
• ½ cup (to taste) maple syrup (Or coconut nectar or your preferred sweetener)
• 6 cups filtered water
• 2 cups (+/-) ice
• 1 drop Lavender essential oil* (I use Young Living)

Directions:

1. Juice 3 large lemons
2. Add filtered water
3. Stir in honey until well blended
4. Add 1 drop of lavender essential oil
5. Add ice and stir
6. Enjoy!

* If you don’t have access to a food-grade essential oil, steep 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender in 1-2 cups hot water for 20-30 minutes then strain!
* Interested in food-grade essential oils? I use and recommend a brand called Young Living.