My top ten favorite things to do with lavender is only an inkling of what you can do with this wonderful herb or the essential oil. Lavender is one of the most versatile herbs in my garden.
It is there for me when I am sick, tired, hungry or injured. If fresh isn’t in season there is still the choice of dried or in the form of essential oil.
The newest thing I am learning to do is cook with lavender. I’ve long known about using roses and violets in ice cream and lilies in salads. But the ways to cook with lavender seems to be endless.
Lavender has a sweet, floral taste, with a citrus undertone. The spikes and leaves can be used in place of rosemary in many recipes. Lemon Basil Chicken is my new favorite recipe in which to add lavender. Lavender flowers add flavor and beauty to salad.
To use lavender in sweet dishes and drinks it is easy to make lavender sugar.
So my second favorite thing to do with lavender is make lavender sugar. I use the blender. For every cup of sugar, use two tablespoons of dried lavender buds. Blend them together until the sugar has a purple tint and there are no signs of buds. You can keep this sugar on hand to add to lemonade, tea or baking sweets.
Third would have to be my eye pillow. A lavender eye pillow is just the right thing when you have a headache or just need a little something extra to rest your eyes. My favorite eye pillow is stuffed with lavender and flaxseed. The flaxseed gives weight to the pillow, helps it form to your eyes, and has its own cooling effect.
Number four is a lavender tea bath. You can make a teabag and fill it with lavender, toss it under the warm running water as your bath fills. I prefer to let the flowers float with me. It is a little messy to clean up and by all means, wait until tomorrow to do that. The buds will have dried and will easily lift out of the tub. The job will be easier and you will not have ruined your relaxing bath having to scrub the tub.
Lavender Essential Oil is one of the best things you can do for a burn. You can apply it straight onto the burn. Use no carrier oil. You will find less scaring and faster healing time.
Lavender oil is an excellent insect repellent and works well mixed with other essential oils to make a very effective repellent for even the peskiest of insects.
Add a few drops of essential oil (and I do mean a few) to your child’s evening bath. They will sleep, well…like babies.
*Note: Lavender oil has the distinction of being both a relaxant and a stimulant. The more you use the more stimulating it becomes.
Number eight: Make a sachet. A sachet of lavender is a wonderful way to keep your drawers fresh. You can put a lavender sachet inside your pillow to have a restful nights sleep.
You can rub a drop of lavender essential oil directly on your temples to ease a headache.
Finally, pinch a lavender flower stem and carry it in your pocket. If you start to feel stress, pull it out for a relaxing, refreshing scent.
There you have it. My top ten uses for lavender. I could give you 100. Maybe I will!
