Monday, June 9, 2014

How to Infuse Herbs in Oil {Chamomile Infused Macadamia Nut Oil Recipe)



First things first: I've got to give a huge thanks to my friend Evelyn for fixing my link color woes. Now my links should be more visible! I've got a lot to learn in this arena...Sigh.

This is my first official recipe using foraged ingredients! Not that I'm promising many more, but it sure was exciting when I found chamomile growing near our house last summer (and that I figured out what it was).

When I dried it last summer, I assumed I'd be sipping chamomile tea all winter, but I kept forgetting about it. Now that it's warm again, hot beverages are slightly less appealing and I'm only vaguely interested in cold tea.

My solution? Infuse it! I knew chamomile was incredible for skin and since I didn't have the essential oil, I'd have to pull out the calming and anti-inflammatory benefits from my dried flowers.

Using a more neutral smelling oil will really allow the chamomile scent to shine, but I'd been looking for an excuse to use my macadamia oil for way too long. If you'd prefer to make a chamomile scented oil, use sweet almond or jojoba oil.

Of course you can always use this recipe as a guide to infuse almost any herb in almost oil you choose. Just be aware that if you are infusing a "harder" herb such as rosemary, you may want to chop it slightly before adding the oil.

I used the sunshine method to infuse the flowers, but if you're in a rush, you can gently warm the oil before adding it to the flowers and strain out the flowers after a few hours.

In my next post, I'll show you how I used part of this "sunshiny" oil!

Chamomile Infused Macadamia Nut Oil
Yield: varies


1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers, found in the wild, or bought online
Enough macadamia oil to cover flowers

Place dried chamomile in a small glass jar. Pour enough macadamia oil in the jar to cover the flowers, plus a little extra because some of the oil will be absorbed by the flowers.

Cover the jar. Place the jar in a sunny spot and shake it every day. Let it sit for 1-2 weeks.

Using several layers of cheesecloth, strain out the chamomile, squeezing out as much oil as you can and discard the flowers. Transfer the strained oil to a tightly covered jar.

Refrigeration should not be necessary.




Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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