• 3 cups freshly picked and washed (sweet) basil leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Mortar and pestle or food processor
• Sieve or muslin cloth to strain
• Funnel
• Dark bottle to store the oil

1. Add as many basil leaves to the mortar as will fit, and add a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Pound and grind the oil and leaves until they reduce to a pulp and start to combine.
3. Add more leaves and oil and continue until all have been added.
4. Once all of the leaves and oil have been pounded and ground, let the mixture sit for about an hour.
5. Pound and grind again, then strain the oil into a bowl (you may need to do this twice).
6. Pour the strained oil into a dark bottle to store.

This recipe is courtesy of A Fresh Legacy.

There are so many wonderful times you can decorate with colored sugar–sugar cookies, cupcakes, candies, birthday cakes, cotton candy, martini rims, even DIY sugar scrubs–the possibilities are endless! But you don’t need to fret if you don’t have any, and you certainly don’t need to wait the 2-3 days for it to be delivered. In fact, you’ll be better off taking the few minutes to make your own because you can use your own organic ingredients!

• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1-2 drops food coloring (add more if needed to achieve the desired color and intensity)
• Ziploc bag

1. Mix sugar and food coloring in the Ziploc bag.
2. Shake the bag to blend.
3. If storing for later use, spread thinly on wax or parchment paper and allow to dry for 15-20 minutes.
4. Store in air-tight container.

The recipe below is an easy way to make your own elderberry syrup. If you want to buy pre-made syrup, check out our Immune Support products page for the brands we love!

Want to learn more about elderberry syrup and why it’s so amazing? Click here to read our article about it!

• 3 1/2 cups filtered water
• 2/3 cup dried elderberries (or 1 1/3 cup fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger (or 1 teaspoon dried ginger)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or 1 whole stick)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (or 2-3 whole cloves)
• 1 cup raw honey (added after cooking and cooling)

1. Put the water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves in a saucepan. (Do NOT put in honey. When heated, honey’s enzymes, minerals, and nutrients are either weakened or destroyed, which means it has no healing qualities anymore.)
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 45 minutes to an hour, until the liquid has reduced by almost half.
3. Remove from heat and leave it to cool until it can be handled.
4. Mash the berries carefully.
5. Pour through a strainer into a glass bowl or jar.
6. Discard the elderberries and let cool until lukewarm.
7. When it is no longer hot, add the honey.
8. Once the honey is sufficiently mixed in, store in a mason jar in the fridge.

• 1 cup olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1. Place ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Cook over very low heat for 5 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
4. Transfer to a bottle and seal the lid.
5. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

This recipe is courtesy of Paleo Grubs.

An herbal syrup is a deliciously healthy addition to your kitchen. It can be added to carbonated water for an herbal soda, poured onto waffles, oatmeal, yogurt, even ice cream! Some frequently used herbs include: elderberry, rosemary, lavender, basil, mint, and lemon verbena.

The more comfortable you are using herbs, the more you can experiment with using multiple flavors and other additions!

• 1/2-1 cup dried herbs
• 4 cups water
• 1-2 cups honey or sugar
• Saucepan

1. Place the herbs and water into the saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half (30-60 minutes).
2. Strain out the herbs and return the liquid to the pan.
3. Add the sugar or honey. (If using honey, do not put back on heat. The heat will ruin the medicinal benefits in the honey.)
4. Once cooled to room temperature, pour liquid into dry, sterilized bottles.
5. Label, including the name, ingredients, and date.
6. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.