Essential Oil-Infused Salad Dressing

For a delicious salad dressing, add the following into a jar and then shake well:

• Three parts olive oil
• One part balsamic vinegar
• a bit of garlic
• 5 drops of Young Living Lime Oil

Spiced Apple Cider

Heat up all the following in a saucepan or crock pot and enjoy.

• A good quality apple juice (“cider”), preferably fresh squeezed and unpasteurized;
• Organic citrus peals. (Simply slice some generous-size pieces of peel off an orange or lemon);
• A few drops of Young Living Cinnamon Oil
• A few drops of Young Living Clove Oil
• A few drops of Young Living Lemon Oil
• A handful of Young Living dried Ningxia Berries (these will make a great conversation-starter as people begin to notice them in their drink).

Tip: the cinnamon and clove oils are very strong and should not be over-used. I recommend using them sparingly, especially the clove, and then adding more according to taste.

Robin’s Lavender and Orange Oil Custard

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 oranges
• Salt
• Young Living Orange Oil
• Young Living Lavender Oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 275° F.
2. Heat the milk and cream to just below boiling point, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. After being brought almost to the boil, remove and set aside to cool for ten minutes.
3. While milk is heating, put 5 large eggs and 2 egg yolks in a bowl and whisk.
4. In the middle of whisking the eggs, add the sugar into them and continue whisking.
5. Squeeze the oranges until you have 1 cup of fresh orange juice.
6. Add a pinch of salt to the freshly squeezed orange juice.
7. Add 7 drops of Young Living Orange Oil to the juice. (If you want a stronger flavor, you can go up to 15 drops.)
8. Once the milk and cream mixture has had time to slightly cool, whisk it into the eggs.
9. Add 4 drops of Young Living Lavender Oil to the milk-egg mixture.
10. Mix the orange juice into the milk-egg mixture.
11. Poured everything into a large ceramic dish, and then cover with aluminum foil.
12. Once in the oven, let the custard bake for around 45 minutes until set but still slightly wobbly in the center.
13. After the custard has cooked and cooled, refrigerate overnight or at least half a day.

Tip: when serving and eating this dish, diffuse orange and lavender oil in the room.

Chocolate-Mint Truffles

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 15 drops Young Living Spearmint Essential Oil
• 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona Manjari

Instructions

Chop the chocolate into small pieces (the exact size does not matter too much, but try to get them all the same size). Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over barely simmering water. When the chocolate is almost all melted, add the cream and remove from the heat, stirring to combine. Stir in the spearmint essential oil, pour the mixture into a container, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Spread the cocoa powder out on a baking tray. Fill a container with warm water. Scoop out truffles with a melon baller and place them on the baking tray. To make scooping easier, after scooping each truffle, dip the melon baller in the warm water and shake off the excess moisture. If you want, you can roll them in your hands to make evenly round balls.

Gentle shake the tray to coat the truffles in cocoa powder, and refrigerate the truffles until they firm up a bit. Serve at room temperature.

Tip: if you do not serve the truffles immediately, store them, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Velvety Cream of Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 2 scallions, top green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Young Living Orange Oil
• One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in thick tomato puree
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• About 1/3 cup dill fronds, torn into tiny sprigs (see Note)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, scallion tops, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
2. Coarsely chop the tomatoes. (This is easiest to by reaching into the can and squeezing the tomatoes to crush them. Otherwise, pour the tomatoes and puree into a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and pulse until coarsely chopped.) Pour the tomatoes, milk, and cream into the pot and bring to a simmer, stirring often.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook, whisking almost constantly, for about 3 minutes, being sure the roux doesn’t brown. Whisk about 1 1/2 cups of the hot tomato mixture into the roux, then pour the roux mixture into the pot of soup.
4. Reduce the heat to very low. Cook without simmering about 30 minutes to blend the flavors. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, just until the soup begins to simmer and thicken. Add the dill and season with the salt and pepper.
5. Add fifteen drops of Young Living Orange Oil to the soup and stir in.
6. Serve hot, topping each serving with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of grated cheese. (The soup can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, cooled completely, covered, and refrigerated. The soup will thicken when chilled; while reheating, thin the heated soup with milk to the desired thickness. Do not freeze the soup.) Note: To give the soup more texture and dill flavor, I prefer to tear, and not chop, the dill.

Ningxia Fruit Salad

1. Put a generous handful of Young Living Dried Ningxia Berries in a bowl.
2. Add in some frozen raspberries.
3. Sprinkle on four drops of one of Young Living’s citrus oils (I prefer either Orange or Lemon oil).
4. Roast some almonds, cashew, hazelnuts and/or pecans, keeping them in the oven on 350° F for 10 minutes or until brown.
5. Sprinkle hot nuts on top of the frozen raspberries. This will speed up the process of the raspberries melting which, in turn, will help the Ningxia berries rehydrate.
6. Add some pieces of additional fruit into the bowl (my favorites are mango, tangerine, orange, plum, cherries, apricots or grapes).
7. Let sit for two hours to give the Ningxia berries time to rehydrate.
8. Serve with Greek yogurt
9. Enjoy!

Tip #1: whenever possible, try to use seasonal fruit.

Tip #2: it is hard to go wrong with this. Experiment with variations and be creative.

Video on How to Overcome Procrastination

In this video is discuss the brain science behind procrastination, how you can use aromatherapy to reach your goals, and why New Years’ resolutions often lead to frustration and guilt.

Wellness Resources and Coaching

For a number of years I’ve had the privilege of working with Young Living as a wellness coach, helping numerous individuals achieve mental, physical and emotional wellness. (For some of the other things I do, see here).

Through my work I have come to believe that one of the reasons many of us are failing to live up to our full potential is that we haven’t given attention to the total person. Maybe we are focused exclusively on physical fitness, or emotional health, or nutrition or brain fitness. In my coaching, however, I follow a holistic approach that takes seriously the human person as an integrated whole. Thus, I help people with a wide variety of issues, ranging from getting a good night’s sleep to overcoming procrastination

Below are some of the resources I use in my wellness coaching. Feel free to browse! If you have any questions or would like to purchase a coaching session on any of these topics, send me an email or reach me in the chat box in the lower left-hand corner of this page.

Young Living Starter Kit. Aromatherapy plays a key role in many of the wellness protocols I use. The best way to get the highest quality essential oils is to sign up as a wholesale customer with Young Living and then purchase their Premium Starter Kit. Once you join Young Living as a wholesale member, you get 24% off the retail price on all their products. Being a member of Young Living comes with no obligation to buy every month or to introduce others to the opportunity. Moreover, the Premium Starter Kit will get you $320.00 worth of products (including a diffuser) for only $160.00. You can learn more about the contents of this kit by clicking here. Moreover, if you join with a Premium Starter Kit and put in my Young Living number as the one who referred you (#1297759), then I will personally send you a small gift and offer free support as you begin learning about these products. It gets even better: joining Young Living with the Premium Starter as part of my team will automatically qualify you one free coaching session on any of the following topics: (1) overcoming insomnia, (2) eliminating procrastination, (3) increasing your memory and learning potential.

Life Coaching for Students. Many students find themselves unable to accomplish their goals because of problems with time-management, procrastination, memory and learning difficulties, and other difficulties. Through my life coaching services, I offer science-based counseling to help students overcome these problems and reach their goals. All coaching sessions last an hour and cost $75. During the first 20 minutes, I listen to the student explain about his or her issues. During the next 20 minutes, I chat with the student about the neuroscience behind a particular problem (i.e. procrastination). During the final 20 minutes, I work with the student to help him or her apply the scientific research to their own life and put together a personalized treatment plan. Coaching sessions occur through Skype and are billed via PayPal or Venmo. To learn more about coaching, or to purchase a session, contact me in the chat box in the lower right-hand corner.

Essential Oils and Sleep. Insomnia is an ever-increasing problem. In this booklet, I have addressed the common causes of insomnia and how you can use Young Living’s products to get a good night’s sleep. Click on the following link for a free download: Using Young Living Products to Get a Good Night’s Sleep (pdf)

Develop a Youthful Brain Through the Power of Ningxia. In this booklet I share ways that you can keep your brain youthful, using a combination of neuroplasticity and nutrition. In the process, you will learn about the secrets of the Ningxia Wolfberry and why people in Northern China remain healthy into their hundreds. Click on the following link for a free download: Develop a Youthful Brain Through the Power of Ningxia (pdf)

Overcome Anxiety. Anxiety is now the most common disorder in our society. But science-based techniques used by the Special Forces offer hope for those crippled by anxiety. This article combines these techniques with the teachings of the Bible to offer practical steps for overcoming anxiety. Use Positive Self-Talk to Overcome Anxiety (pdf)

Using Young Living Essential Oils in the Kitchen. If you like essential oils, you may be surprised to learn that there are yummy ways to incorporate them into cooking. In this booklet I share some of my own great-tasting and great-smelling recipes using Young Living Essential Oils. Robin’s Essential Oil Recipes (pdf)

Brain Fitness Interview. In 2016, Dr. Graham Taylor interviewed me about brain fitness. During our conversation I suggested that the notion of “being smart” often invokes a one-sided paradigm of mental ability that may not be consistent with overall cognitive health. I explained why a proper understanding of brain fitness should also include such things as imagination, intellectual curiosity, mental focus, the ability to think outside the box, emotional intelligence, and many other aspects of a healthy brain that are often overlooked in our culture. Read our entire conversation at the following link: “Graham Taylor’s Conversation With Robin Phillips about Brain Fitness.”

Time Management Tips. Do you find yourself overwhelmed with too many projects? Do you find yourself with a to-do list that never seems to get any shorter? In this video you will learn the secrets of harnessing the power of aromatherapy and effectively managing your time so you can accomplish everything you need to do. Watch video at YouTube.

Overcoming Procrastination Video. If you find yourself unable to accomplish your goals because of continual procrastination, then the tips in this video may transform your life. In this video, I discuss the latest findings from neuroscience on why we procrastinate and what you can do about it. Watch Video on Overcoming Procrastination

Essential Oils and Brain Fitness. Many people are not aware of the incredible power found in essential oils for achieving mental and emotional wellness. To address this need, I have published an ongoing series of articles pm how to combine aromatherapy and neuroplasticity to create a better brain. To read these articles, visit ‘Series on Essential Oils and Brain Fitness.’ I have also created a Facebook group as a forum for personal sharing and education on using essential oils for brain fitness. You can visit our group by clicking on the image below.

Essential Oils and Brain Fitness (Part 4): Breathe, Smell, Enjoy the Present Moment

This is the third post in my series on essential oils and brain fitness. To see other posts in the series, click here.

As I continue this series of articles on essential oils and brain fitness, it may be helpful to ask, why is brain fitness even important? Why devote time out of your busy life to developing a healthy brain?

One very good reason to start developing a healthy brain is that scientists have found that if your brain is unhealthy, there is a greater chance that the rest of our body will also deteriorate.

Listen to these words from neuroscientist and brain-researcher, Dr. Caroline Leaf, who wrote in her book Switch On Your Brain about the wide-ranging consequences of how we use our brains:

“You think all day long, and at night as you sleep, you sort out your thinking. As you think, you choose, and as you choose, you cause genetic expression to happen in your brain. This means you make proteins, and these proteins form your thoughts. Thoughts are real, physical things that occupy mental real estate. Eric R. Kandel, a Nobel Prize-winning neuropsychiatrist for his work on memory, shows how our thoughts, even our imaginations, get ‘under the skin’ of our DNA and can turn certain genes on and certain genes off, changing the structure of the neurons in the brain…. Our brain is changing moment by moment as we are thinking. By our thinking and choosing, we are redesigning the landscape of our brain.”

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