Cinco de Mayo is more than a festive day filled with colorful decorations and lively music - it's a beautiful opportunity to celebrate culture, connection, and community. As a holistic health and lifestyle advocate, I love embracing holidays like this with intentionality, be it filling our bodies with wholesome foods, uplifting our spirits with natural tools, or choosing to celebrate mindfully.
This year, let’s infuse our Cinco de Mayo festivities with vibrant, healthy flavors and the aromatic magic and internal benefits of quality essential oils. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or enjoying a quiet evening at home, these recipes and tips will help you feel nourished, energized, and aligned.
CELEBRATE HOLISTICALLY
Living holistically means honoring the whole self—body, mind, and spirit—in everything we do. Rather than turning to processed party snacks and sugary drinks, we can create nourishing meals that still feel indulgent but leave us feeling our best the next day. Essential oils from doTERRA can be a delicious and therapeutic way to enhance recipes naturally while supporting digestion, mood, and energy levels.
FESTIVE RECIPES Adding these high-quality oils to your recipes not only enhances taste but also brings therapeutic benefits when used internally. Whether you're looking to boost immunity, support digestion, or simply add a burst of flavor, incorporating essential oils can transform traditional dishes into festive favorites.
Ensure that you’re using high quality essential oils like doTERRA that ensures purity and potency, making them safe for internal consumption when used appropriately. If you prefer to enjoy the recipes without essential oils, simply omit them and adjust the flavors using fresh herbs, spices, or zest.
Simple Salsa
Ingredients:
½ red onion, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped
1 ¼ tbls garlic, minced
¼ c cilantro (1 bunch)
¼ c lime juice
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
2 drops doTERRA Mexican Cuisine Blend
-OR-
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Black Pepper essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Cilantro essential oil
Instructions: Using a food processor, minced the onion, tomatoes, jalapenos, and garlic. Place veggies into a bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients into the salsa base and season with salt and pepper until the desired flavor is achieved.
Cilantro Lime Guacamole
Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
2 tbls cilantro, chopped
2 tbls lime juice
¼ c onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
jalapeño, diced
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Cilantro essential oil
salt & garlic powder to taste
Optional: add 2 tbls Simple Salsa (recipe above)
Instructions: Mash avocados in a bowl and stir in all other ingredients. Add essential oils last. Stir gently, taste, and adjust salt or lime juice as desired. Serve immediately with dippers of choice.
Mexican-Style Chicken Marinade
Ingredients:
¼ c soy sauce
½ c lime juice
¼ c sugar
2 tbls garlic, minced
2 tbls cilantro, chopped (½ bunch)
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbls salt 1 tsp black pepper
1 c avocado oil
2 drops doTERRA Mexican Cuisine Blend
-OR-
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Black Pepper essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Cilantro essential oil
Instructions: Combine all the dry ingredients and allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes before using. Pour marinade into a sealable plastic bag and add chicken. Allow chicken to sit in the marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 12 hours in the refrigerator before cooking.
Sweet Pulled PorkIngredients:
1 pork shoulder
5 tbls onion powder
5 tbls garlic power
½ c sugar
¼ salt
3 tbls black pepper
1 liter cola
2 drops doTERRA Mexican Cuisine Blend
-OR-
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Black Pepper essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Cilantro essential oil
Instructions: Combine all the dry ingredients, along with 2 drops of doTERRA Mexican Cuisine Blend (or alternatives). Generously coat the pork cushion and place in an appropriately sized crockpot. Pour in the liter of cola, turn the crockpot to low and allow to cook 8-10 hours. Once the pork has cooked, pull it out of the crockpot, strain, and set aside the liquid (if you want to make a sauce with it). Shred the pork, placing it back into the crockpot for immediate use or cooling and storing properly for future use.
Citrus Quinoa Fiesta Salad
Ingredients:
1 c cooked quinoa
1 can organic black beans, rinsed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 c corn (fresh or frozen)
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, diced
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 lime
1 drop doTERRA Wild Orange essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions: Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, and essential oils in a small bowl, then drizzle over the salad. Toss gently and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Spanish Rice
Ingredients:
2 ½ c water or stock
¾ c salsa
salt & pepper to taste
2 drops doTERRA Mexican Cuisine Blend
-OR-
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Black Pepper essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Cilantro essential oil
¼ c avocado or olive oil
1 ½ c rice
Instructions: In a separate container, combine the water or stock, salsa, essential oils and salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat the avocado or olive oil in the pot until the surface shimmers. Add and sauté the rice until the grains begin turning golden. Add the combined ingredients from the separate container to the rice. Allow the mixture to come to a boil for 1 minute, stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat down to low and place a heavy lid on top. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.
Pozole
Ingredients:
¼ c avocado oil
2 c pork or chicken, chopped
2 tbls garlic, minced
½ c hatch pepper, diced
2 cups salsa
2 c hominy
1 ½ quarts chicken stock
3 drops doTERRA Mexican Cuisine Blend
-OR-
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Black Pepper essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Cilantro essential oil
Instructions: Heat the avocado oil in a pot until the surface shimmers. Add and sauté the pork or chicken, garlic and hatch peppers until the meat is almost cooked. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve immediately with shaved cabbage, lime wedges, radish slices and sour cream. Or cool and store properly for future use.
Sparkling Citrus Mocktail
Ingredients:
sparkling water
juice of 1 lime
juice of ½ grapefruit
1 drop doTERRA Grapefruit essential oil
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
fresh mint leaves
ice
Instructions: In a glass or pitcher, mix citrus juices and essential oils. Add ice and sparkling water, then stir in fresh mint. Garnish with lime slices or a grapefruit wedge for a festive touch.
Watermelon Margarita
Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon
½ c tequila
¼ c orange liqueur (triple sec)
⅓ c fresh squeezed lime
1 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
1 tsp agave
1 c ice
garnish: salt + watermelon for rim
Instructions: Cut watermelon and freeze on backing sheet for at least 6 hours. Add ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in glass and garnish as desired.
Margarita – Traditional or Jalapeño Ingredients:
½ c tequila
¼ c orange liqueur (triple sec)
⅓ c fresh squeezed lime
½ c simple syrup
2 drop doTERRA Lime essential oil
ice
spicy jalapeño option: 2-3 thin jalapeño slices + Tajín garnish: salt or sugar + lime for rim
Instructions: Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker. Shake for 10 seconds and serve over ice in a salt or sugar rimmed glass.
Mocktail Alternative: replace the tequila and orange liqueur with flavorful, alcohol-free alternatives like lime juice + a splash of apple cider vinegar to replace tequila and fresh orange juice + a dash of orange zest to substitute the orange liqueur.
CREATING THE MOOD
As you're prepping for the celebration, set the tone with an uplifting diffuser blend. Here’s a Cinco de Mayo-inspired blend to energize and delight your senses:
Diffuser Blend:
3 drops doTERRA Lime
2 drops doTERRA Wild Orange
2 drops doTERRA Spearmint
This combination is invigorating, joyful, and perfect for supporting digestion and mood - just what you need for a festive evening.
¡Disfruta la comida y la celebración!
xoDanette