I am a firm believer that different scents can effect your mood. Certain scents make me feel relaxed and calm, where as other scents make me feel energized and inspired.
There are many ways you can scent your home; candles, hot oils, air fresheners, sprays, potpourri, powders, scented wax and incense.
I’m not really into perfumes but I do like scented body powders and lotions. I also enjoy scented body wash and soaps.
Sadly many things we use to scent our homes are not always good for us. They are sometimes made with chemicals and toxins that can be harmful to us. That is why I try and use products that are scented with natural ingredients like fruits, flowers, herbs or other products that are grown naturally in our environment.
Are you familiar with Seventh Generation? I have reviewed their products several times in the past. They have a line of liquid dish soaps that are scented with essential oils and botonical extacts. Not only do the Seventh Generation dish soaps give you great cleaning power for your dishes, but they also provide you with lovely scents to lift your mood and spirits.
Seventh Generation uses only authentic ingredients in their liquid dish soap. Their soaps are free from synthetic colors and fake, engineered scents. Instead they use ingredients such as Lavender from the fields of Drome in the foothills of the Swiss Alps in their Lavender Floral and Mint dish soap. Or sweet Clementines from sunny Calabria like in their Lemongrass and Clementine Zest liquid soap. Another words, the ingredients used to make their liquid dish soap is authentic ingredients from nature. That is why their liquid dish soaps smell “real”. For example, their Fresh Citrus and Ginger dish soap smells like someone squeezed a fresh lemon right into your skin.
As part of this campaign I was challenged to make a recipe that used one of the ingredients found in the Seventh Generation liquid dish soaps. I figured Lemon, Mint, Ginger and Clemintines would be easy. I wanted to try something totally different. I wanted to make something that used Lavender. It also includes Lemon juice too.
This is the recipe I was going to make.
Marinated Chicken with Lavender with Spinach.
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup of chopped red onions
- 2 tablespoons of fresh Lavender buds
- 1 cup of orange juice (fresh squeeze if possible)
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- 3 fresh Kiwi fruits, peeled and mashed
- 1/2 cup of Olive Oil
- 4 cups of Spinach (or salad greens if you prefer)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a skillet add a little bit of Olive Oil (approx. 2 tablespoons) and the red onions. Cook over a low heat until the onions become soft.
- Once the onions are soft removed them from the skillet and place them in a shallow baking dish. Slowly add in the orange juice, mashed up Kiwi and Lavender. Stir until well mixed.
- Take the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and place them in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for approximately four hours. After two hours flip the chicken pieces over so both sides are equally marinated. -. When you are ready to cook the chicken carefully remove them from the marinade and place them in a lightly oils (or spray with PAM) baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes at 350°, or until the juices run clear and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it stand at room temperature until the chicken is cool enough to work with. Once cook enough cut the chicken up into strips or chunks (whichever you prefer).
- Take the left over marinade and pour it into a pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it sit and simmer until it reduces to about a 1/2 of a cup.
- Once the liquid has reduced straing it into a bowl. Throw away the solids (mostly the Lavender buds). Stir in the lemon and lime juice and the 1/2 of a cup of Olive Oil. Let it cool.
- When you are ready to serve the chicken place the chicken pieces on a bed of spinach (approximately one cup of spinach or salad greens). Lightly spoon the Lavender mixture on top of the chicken and spinach.
- Add salt and/or pepper to taste.
- Garnish with a sprig of Lavender or some twists of lemon rind.
I had planned on makin this dish, however I couldn’t find any fresh Lavender to use. I asked around and no one had any I could use. I checked with our local farmer up the street and they didn’t have any either.
So I was unable to make it. Maybe I should have stayed with something more traditional (and easier to find) like a recipe that used some of the other ingredients that are also found in the Seventh Generation liquid dish soaps.
Anyway…
I have been enjoying using the Seventh Generation liquid dish soaps. They work just as well as the dish soap I typically buy, but with one major exception – the Seventh Generation liquid dish soap smells so much better. Our current dish soap really doesn’t have a smell where as the Seventh Generation soap offers me a pleasant scent that makes the boring chore of doing dishes a little more enjoyable. As I mentioned before the dish soap makes my sink smell like someone had squeeze some fresh lemons or tossed in some fresh mint into it.
Seventh Generation is holding a contest called Nature Makes Perfect Scents. Check it out at www.SeventhGeneration.com/Scents. You could win a trip for two to one of the places that is the source of some of the Seventh Generation liquid dish soap ingredients like France, Italy or Vermont. I would love to go to Italy! I’ve been to France (loved it!) and I’ve been to Vermont (loved it too). I have yet to go to Italy. That would be awesome!
To learn more about Seventh Generation products please visit www.SevethGeneration.com.
I have an awesome giveaway for a lucky winner. The winner will receive…
- FOUR bottles of Seventh Generation natural dish liquid varieties in Free & Clear, Lavender Floral & Mint, Fresh Citrus & Ginger, and Lemongrass & Clementine Zest scents.
- A really nice, premium 3 Qt. 12″ x 9″ Baking Dish from Le Creuset (it’s a GREAT dish!)
- Two Twist loofah sponges and two Twist scour pads. They are made from 100% post-recycled materials.
- A set of 3 organic cotton dish towels. These are so nice and very soft too. I love these!
To enter please comment on which scent of Seventh Generation liquid dish soap you are most excited to try.
For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional.
- Subscribe to She Scribes and/or Connect with Google Friend Connect. Both options are found on the right side bar.
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This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on November 19, 2011 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name, mailing address (no PO Box) and phone number (shipping purposes only). Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place.
Other fun giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It.”
Kimberly
*The Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid sample prize pack, sample products and information have been provided for free by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.
Oooh! Lavender Floral & Mint sounds wonderful! I love the scent of lavender. It’s light but still has “substance.” Very nice!
Dee
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Lavendar! It has such a pleasant fragrance.
I want to try the citrus and ginger.
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I would love to try the free and clear!!!! jinglesells at gmail dot com
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I would love to try the Lemongrass & Clementine Zest!
I would like to try the lavender
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I like Seventh Generation on facebook Katy Y
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