This potent infusion comes from a traditional herbal remedy designed to help ward off colds, flus, and allergies, as well as boost circulation, speed up metabolism, and support gut balance. It’s invigorating. It’s bright, and it delivers a daily dose of natural antibacterial and antiviral compounds.

How to Drink It 

One of the most popular ways to take it is as a morning shot—about half an ounce or 1 tablespoon. For a stronger dose, double it up. It’s potent and intense. So a little goes a long way. Want it a little less strong? Mix it into half a cup of warm water, or try pineapple juice, coconut water, carrot juice, or an adrenal cocktail to boost its immune benefits even more.

Don’t stop at shots. Get creative! Add seltzer and aromatic bitters for a refreshing mocktail, drizzle it over roasted veggies, or whisk it into a delicious salad dressing. This is one tonic that’s as versatile as it is powerful—flavorful, aromatic, and ready to keep you thriving all winter long.

Makes: ~2 cups (450 ml)
Prep: 10 minutes
Steep: 2–3 weeks

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar (6% acidity)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 3–4 drops oregano oil
  • Dried oregano: Affordable and infuses flavor gradually during steeping.
  • Oregano oil: Highly concentrated; add after straining to preserve potency and flavor.
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated turmeric or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 1 onion
• 5 cloves of garlic
• Honey, to taste (optional, added after steeping)
• Lemon juice, to taste (optional, added before serving or in a dressing)

Tip: To make a larger batch that lasts more than a month at 1 tablespoon per day, simply double all ingredients to yield ~4 cups.

Instructions

1. Combine vinegar, cayenne, lemon zest, dried oregano, rosemary, peppercorns, turmeric, and salt in a clean glass jar. Stir or shake to mix evenly.

2. Place parchment paper under the lid and seal the jar to prevent corrosion.

3. Store in a cool, dark place for 2–3 weeks, shaking daily to distribute flavors.

4. After steeping, strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Discard solids.

5. If using oregano oil, add 3–4 drops now along with honey, if desired.

6. Add lemon juice before serving or when used as a dressing.

My girlfriends and I are constantly trying to reinvent all the classic cocktails out there (with a few new twists thrown in, of course). This time around it’s the Moscow Mule. Just three simple ingredients makes this cocktail the perfect summer beverage.

Fill up a couple of short cocktail cups with lots of ice. You can use crushed or cubed. Add a bit of ginger beer to each cup, about half way up. Then add the vodka and fresh squeeze of lime juice. Give it a stir.

Before you start drinking, don’t forget the garnish! Tip: You can also add a few mint leaves to the glasses, if you’d like. It’ll add a nice element of flavor to the Moscow Mule!

Ginger beer is a non-alcoholic beverage which you can find in most super markets these days. It gives the Moscow mules a nice kick, but if you can’t seem to find it anywhere, try adding ginger-ale instead. It won’t be as spicy, but it’ll get the job done. Go out and enjoy this summer cocktail.

These super food bites are sort of like no-bake granola (only not dry like your typical granola bar). They’re a great mix of good-for-you things, healthy fats and tasty treats. These are an awesome snack to meal prep at the start of the week to have on hand for a snack that both you (and your kids) will love and since they’re no-bake they’re super easy to achieve!

Need more ideas for meals you prep in advance? Check this out!

Start by mixing together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to evenly combine. 

Add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly combined and well moistened. Stir in the mini chocolate chips right at the end. 

Wet your hands a bit and then roll in between the palm of your hands into a tight ball the size of a tablespoon or so. Feel free to make these bites as big or as little as you’d like. 

Continue rolling them all and placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set and firm up. You can definitely make these over night. 

Make a big batch of our super food bites (maybe even double it?) and keep them in an airtight container or plastic food storage bag in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat. 

If you store them in the freezer, just place your super food bites in the fridge to thaw out the night before so that they’re good to go first thing in the morning the next day. 

Tis the season… for holiday cocktails!

I can’t help myself, I just love enjoying a special beverage with my friends. And since it’s the season for creating cocktails that you can serve a crowd I thought I’d share a new favorite: Apple Cider Sangria! This drink is light and refreshing and oh so delicious… and easy enough that anyone can make no matter what their kitchen skill-set. 

Let’s start by adding ice and fresh sliced apples to a large pitcher. 

Add in an entire bottle of white wine. You want something on the sweeter side, so like a Moscato or another dessert wine would be great here. 

Add a splash of white rum and of course, the apple cider. If the cider isn’t sweet enough for you, you can also add superfine sugar depending on your taste preference. 

Give everything a stir and then wrap the top with plastic wrap. Let sit in fridge for about half an hour to allow the flavors to blend together. 

Serve your apple cider sangria over ice with a garnish of fresh cranberries for color and a cinnamon stick for a bit of added flavor. 

The longer the sangria sits, the better tasting it becomes. It would be a great idea to whip it up a few hours before your guests arrive, and then just leave it stored in the fridge. 

You can add any seasonal fruit you’d like to this. Just use whatever looks good at the store at the moment. 

As a mom I’m always trying to dream up treats for my kids that aren’t junk food. Growing up “dessert” for me looked like ice cream, candy, etc. I totally believe there is a time and a place for those treats but I want redefine what dessert is for my kids, and I want to be able to control what goes into it. Muffins are a huge hit at our house and I like them because I can add in additional nutrients like fresh seasonal fruit, flax and chia seeds or protein powder. Burt’s Bees has a great vanilla flavored protein powder that makes an awesome addition to my Blueberry Almond Protein Muffins. Try them out for breakfast for yourself or as a great little treat for the kiddos! Let’s start by creaming together the butter and sugar. Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and milk until well combined.  Then sift or whisk together the dry ingredients. Flour, baking powder, salt and the Burt’s Bees Protein + Healthy Radiance Vanilla flavored protein powder. Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and stir by hand using a rubber spatula until just combined. You don’t want to overmix the batter at this point. Add the blueberries and carefully fold in.  Using a medium ice cream scoop, portion out the batter among a muffin tin lined with paper liners. Top each with a few sliced almonds.  Bake the muffins until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack before serving.  Serve these for a delicious breakfast in the morning as a pick-me-up on your way to school or work. They’re great to have on hand for the week.  If you want to purchase the Burt’s Bees Vanilla Powder you can purchase it HERE! 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burt’s Bees. The opinions and text are all mine.

Y’all know how much I love a smoothie in the morning. They’re delicious, easy to make and you can fill them with all sorts of nutrients to drink on the go. The key to loving your smoothie is making sure that A: it’s delicious enough that you’ll want it all the time and B: it’s got enough protein inside to keep you full for a while.

Check out this recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Protein Smoothies using Burt’s Bees protein powder. You’re going to love the flavor and the texture of this yummy drink and the fact that the protein powder is entirely plant-based! Check out how to make it below!

Let’s start by talking about Burt’s Bees Protein + Healthy Radiance protein powder. This one is the chocolate flavor and it’s out of this world in this smoothie. 

Combine all of the ingredients in high-speed blender. I add ice, Greek yogurt, bananas, chocolate pieces, our chocolate protein powder, chocolate almond milk and a few almonds. 

Originally this smoothie was made with walnuts, feel free to use those, but since I’m allergic to walnuts I swamped them out for almonds instead. 

Blend on high until completely smooth. Then pour into tall a tall glass and garnish with fresh banana slices, almonds and chocolate. 

If you want to try this Burt’s Bees Protein Powder you can purchase it HERE! 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burt’s Bees. The opinions and text are all mine.

Christmas punch? Yep you read that right!

I am a child of the 80’s y’all. When I grew up the only “featured beverage” came in a giant glass bowl set up on the dessert table. Those drinks were so sweet they made your head spin and I loved every single sip. Am I the only who looks forward to punch during parties? No way!

And since our church punch recipe is always such a crowd pleaser I thought it would be fun to make some Christmas punch. That’s right, get your red and green on with some fun and festive flavors!

Start by prepping the lime sherbet a few hours ahead or overnight. Scooping them out onto a baking sheet beforehand, ensures that the scoops of sherbet are fully frozen and wont melt too fast in the punch. 

In a large punch bowl, combine the cherry juice, thawed fruit punch concentrate and two bottles of ginger ale. 

Stir it all together and then add the fresh cranberries. These are mostly for color. 

Make sure that all of the components are chilled before you begin making the punch.  

Once you’re ready to start serving the punch, that’s when you drop in the sherbet scoops. 

Drop in a ladle and let your guests help themselves. 

If you want to make this for an adult party, try adding a few splash of vodka or gin. 

Last week I shared my “graveyard parfaits” as part of my longtime obsession with cute Halloween desserts. This week? We’re doing Snail Cinnamon Rolls! These are the cutest thing ever and would make such a fun breakfast for you kids on Halloween morning. Watch the video to see how we made them and then scroll on for the steps. Want to create a Halloween dessert buffet to set these up on? Check out this post!

Pop open the cinnamon rolls, separate and then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Find the end of each roll and pull it out away from the center to create a “head” for the snail. Then bake off according to package directions until golden brown. 

Pour the icing (that comes with the cinnamon rolls) into a bowl and add a few drops of green food coloring. Stir until evenly colored. Pour into a sandwich bag with the end snipped off and then add a swirl of icing on top of each cooled cinnamon roll. 

Make the snail’s eyes by pressing a mini chocolate chip into the side of a mini marshmallow. Once you have two, skewer with a toothpick and then place into the cinnamon rolls. 

These snail cinnamon rolls make a great treat for your Halloween dinner or as a treat for kids on the day, before or after trick or treating. 

You can bake off your snail cinnamon rolls the day before and then decorate with your kids on the day you plan on eating/serving them. 

Though the title of this cake is a bit subjective, you be the judge and taste it yourself.

In my opinion- it’s a pretty darn DELICIOUS cake.  Surprisingly, this was my first introduction to this cake.  Apparently the BTS, also known as “better than anything” cake, was super popular in the late 90s-early 2000s.  The recipe was sent around in chain letters/e-mails.  (Remember those?  Do people still send chain letters, or does it automatically go into the spam folder?)

Traditionally, the BTS cake uses a chocolate box cake mix soaked in caramel and sweetened condensed milk, topped with Cool Whip and crushed Heath bars.  Usually the cake is made in a large sheet cake.  

Of course, I wanted to make the cake a bit more Chic by making it into an eye-catching layer cake and altering the cake mix. 

I used a chocolate fudge box cake mix. ( I like the ones with pudding in the mix.)  Instead of using water, as directed on box, I used milk.  This makes the cake fluffier, richer, and more flavorful.  Next, I used equal parts store-bought caramel sauce and canned sweetened condensed milk.

Rather than use Cool Whip, I opted to make fresh whipped cream.  It makes the cake more special, and I just really like the taste of fresh whipped cream.  Plus, its super easy to make and requires very little effort.  (But more importantly, it doesn’t have all those preservatives and such that prepared whipped topping has.)

This is a rich, ultra decadent, over-the-top chocolate cake.  Each bite feels like falling in love.  

Be sure to invite some friends over before you slice into the cake.  I say this is the perfect cake for celebrating Valentine’s Day!  Better yet, go and buy Rachel’s new book Party Girl, and then eat this cake.