Gourmet Food

Did you know that lavender has been used for culinary purposes for hundreds - if not thousands - of years? Even in ancient times, we knew that this beautiful flower with a calm, lovely scent could enhance and liven up our food. It is used in a variety of foods, including lavender syrup, as an addition to different types of candy, as lavender chamomile tea, and even in lavender and honey infusions that can be added to just about anything else.

What Is Lavender?

Lavender is a flower native to the Mediterranean area and is related to the mint family of plants. Over the centuries, lavender has become a staple in many cultures and societies in various forms. Today, many see lavender as simply a flower and a scent used in things like beauty products, candles, and as a calming, pleasing scent for therapeutic purposes.

However, this plant has been used for generations as a medicinal herb and culinary additive in many different areas of the world. This wonderfully delicate flavor can elevate food and drinks to the next level while at the same time offering a variety of benefits to those who consume it.

Benefits of Lavender

Lavender is easily one of the most versatile herbs in the culinary world. It is believed to also have various medical applications due to the compounds it contains that are proven medically beneficial to the body. Flavonoids are one of the compounds found in lavender that can be highly beneficial. They are also found in fruits and vegetables and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Lavender also has linalool, which has shown promise in reducing blood pressure and anxiety.

Lavender offers a long list of potential benefits, some of which include: 

• Sleep improvement - Lavender may be able to help with the body's levels of melatonin, allowing better, more restful sleep. Lavender chamomile tea is a popular option for those looking to improve their sleep.
• Reduce pain - Due to the anti-inflammatory effects of lavender, it may help with headache, joint, and muscle pain. Lavender lotions, soaps, and more can help soothe aches and pains when used topically on the area that hurts.
• Improve mood - Those who use lavender often report its calming effects, which can help improve mood and relieve anxiety. Many aromatherapy options are available to help provide these mood-enhancing scents into the air. 

Lavender Life Gourmet Food Products

With a variety of fun and unique lavender-based options, it's easy to find the perfect give for loved ones - or even a special treat for yourself!

Lavender and Honey

Lavender-infused honey is one of our favorite products. When lavender and honey are combined, they create something delicate yet powerful for all of your senses to enjoy. On top of that, the combined health benefits of these two ingredients are a powerhouse that shouldn't be ignored. 

We've already discussed the health benefits of lavender, but what about honey? Researchers have studied the positive effects of honey for years, and it's been found to offer benefits for a variety of illnesses and diseases. You may have heard that honey offers antibacterial properties, but studies have shown that it offers so many more benefits than this including (but certainly not limited to): 

• Antioxidants 
• Antidiabetic
• Cardiovascular regulation
• Immune system stimulation

Honey can also help against forms of cancer and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events. It's no wonder that combining the potential benefits of lavender with the proven benefits of honey is so healthy. Plus, you get the added benefit of these unique flavors coming together in a way that is simply amazing.

When you add lavender to honey, you end up with sweet floral notes that provide a healthier, more decadent alternative to cane sugar. Lavender Life offers a variety of lavender-infused honey options to satisfy every taste bud.

Chocolate

Like lavender and honey, chocolate has several proven health benefits, and dark chocolate in particular has been shown to help with a variety of medical concerns. Research on dark chocolate has shown that it can:

• increase your heart health
• balance the immune system
• improve brain function
• combat diabetes
• reduce stress

Higher percentages of cocoa contain more nutrients, meaning that the more cocoa there is (therefore, the darker the chocolate), the more benefit it offers. Plus, due to the low glycemic index of dark chocolate, it's a keto-friendly snack. 

When you're looking for a sweet treat or trying to find the perfect chocolate gift for a loved one, we have a variety of options to choose from. Our Lavender Deep Dark Chocolate Truffles are 72% dark chocolate and offer flavors of lavender, vanilla, and bourbon. Organic lavender chocolate hearts are perfect to share or keep for yourself for an incredible treat. Check out our variety of different lavender-infused chocolates to satisfy your chocolate cravings!

Teas

Lavender is widely used to flavor tea. Luckily, you can find lavender-flavored teas in just about any style and variety you're interested in. When you choose a tea that is lavender-infused, you get a calming, unique flavor that combines well with the other flavors in the drink. Lavender Life offers a variety of lavender-infused teas like Earl Grey, Chai, White Peony, Black and White Peppermint, and more. 

Certain blends can help you in different ways. For instance, our Night Time tea is a lavender chamomile tea that contains chamomile, hibiscus flowers, rose hips, and Montmorency cherries in addition to lavender itself. Lavender chamomile tea is naturally caffeine free and precisely blended to help you relax before bed or when you need to relax a little.

Did you know that there are even tea blends to help with your digestion? The Balanced Life Probiotic Lavender-infused tea is a perfect example. With a combination of hibiscus flowers, ginger, lime zest, elderberry, pomegranate, and other natural and organic ingredients, this tea is delicious, refreshing, and offers all the probiotic benefits to help you feel your best.

Baking Mixes

Finding the perfect baking mix isn't difficult. While cake mixes you can get at the grocery store might be the first things that come to mind when you think about baking mixes, there are so many more options to choose from. Premade baking mixes are a fun, easy way to make your next baking project a little easier.  

Have you ever considered adding lavender to your cookies? Our Lavender Sandies are the perfect option. This baking mix contains all organic ingredients to fit a natural lifestyle. Plus, it includes almost everything you need to make the perfect shortbread cookies - all you need to add is butter! The kit even includes a delicious lemon glaze that pairs perfectly with the light floral notes of lavender.

In the mood for pancakes? We offer a buttermilk buckwheat pancake mix that you'll love. Or, if you want to try something a little different, consider our cranberry-orange, blueberry-lemon, or Dark Montmorency Cherry scones. Take your breakfast up a notch with any of these delicious baking mixes.

We pride ourselves on having the best ingredients possible in everything we offer. Our baking mixes feature ingredients such as:

• Organic flour
• Organic sugar
• Organic culinary lavender
• Stone-milled buckwheat
• Dried fruits

With simple-to-follow instructions, these baking mixes help you make breakfast, snacks, and other baked goods quickly and easily. 

Lavender Syrup

Have you ever considered using lavender-flavored syrup on your pancakes? If you haven't, you're missing out. We have multiple lavender syrup options to choose from, offering you the flavor combinations you're looking for. Plus, our syrups are hand-crafted, made on-site, with you in mind. If you have a specific flavor profile you're interested in, consider any of our lavender syrup options:

• Lavender vanilla bourbon maple syrup
• Lavender cherry maple syrup
• Lavender rich syrup

As with all of our gourmet food products, you're getting fresh, organic, locally-sourced natural ingredients with these lavender syrups. 

Add a hint of lavender to your favorite waffles, or combine it with our pancake mix for a delectable way to start your day. However, lavender syrup can be used in other, non-traditional ways, as well. Add the syrup to your tea or lemonade for a unique spin on your favorite drink!

Candy

Lavender is a yummy and healthy addition to your favorite candies. If you love gummy candies (or your little ones are always asking for a sweet treat!), consider making your own lavender-infused gummies with our Gummy Kit & Kaboodle. These are healthy candy that help satisfy your sweet tooth, while still giving you the outstanding benefits you're looking for. The ingredients in the Gummy Kit & Kaboodle offer:

• Powerful anti-oxidant properties
• A boost to athletic performance
• Improved learning ability due to tyrosines
• Helps induce, improve, and sustain sleep
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved muscle recovery
• Analgesic pain-relieving properties
• Improved digestion
• Boost to muscle growth
• Better hair, skin, and nails

This kit offers natural ingredients that are both flavorful and healthy. We include raw lavender-infused honey to sweeten the treat. Plus, you'll get a delicious cherry flavor from the Montmorency tart cherry concentrate. The candies are easy to make and quick too - you can make them in just 10 minutes!

Extracts and Herbs

Lavender extract and dried lavender are a great way to get the lavender flavor you love into just about anything you cook. For some recipes, a few drops of lavender extract goes a long way to enhance your food. For other recipes, dried lavender flowers act like any other herbs added to bring out the nuances of the flavors. 

To get the perfect lavender extract, we use culinary-grade lavender flowers right off the farm and distill them down to perfection. This process condenses the scent and flavor of the lavender while still retaining the health benefits offered. One of the best things about lavender extract is how versatile it is. This extract can be used in just about anything you make, including:

• Caramels
• Cakes
• Coffee
• Syrup
• Cookies
• Marinades

Want to try it for yourself? Try one of our recipes!

• Dark Lavender Pecan Brownies
• Lavender Chocolate Truffles
• Lavender Cookies for Santa!
• Lavender Berry Popsicles

If you're interested in adding lavender as a dry ingredient to your foods, our dried culinary grade lavender is the perfect option. The flowers are grown and harvested on-site, then dried and packaged for you. Consider adding dried lavender to your favorite herb mix the next time you make chicken for a unique burst of flavor. You can even sprinkle lavender on your vegetables before roasting them!

Maple Sugar

Don't forget to flavor your baking, coffee, or lavender tea with delicious organic maple sugar. Try sprinkling it on toast or mixing it in with waffle batter. It also makes an excellent base as a rub for meats, and you can't beat the flavor it brings to the table. Especially if you are looking for an alternative to sugar and honey. It is lower in calories than both of those and is packed with minerals your body needs, such as:

• Manganese
• Zinc
• Sodium
• Magnesium
• Selenium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Calcium
• Potassium

Just imagine all these minerals working with all of the possible health benefits of lavender and honey! 

Lavender Gifts

All the products we offer make beautiful gifts and are the perfect present for food-lovers in your life who has a sweet tooth they can't ignore. Because we know that our lavender gourmet foods are a great gift, we've put together several gift sets to consider - either for yourself or for a loved one!

Consider pairing delicious gourmet foods with lavender tea for a decadent gift that anyone will love. If there is a particular product that your loved one is most interested in, consider a gift box dedicated to that item. For example, our Lavender Tea Gift Set includes four different types of lavender-infused tea. You can even choose a gift set of all three of our hand-crafted, unique syrups. 

Know someone with a sweet tooth who simply loves breakfast? Consider the Organic Malted Buckwheat Buttermilk Pancakes with Syrup Trio Gift Set. Not only does this set come with our delicious pancake mix, it includes our three different flavors of lavender-infused syrup!

Each gift set is beautifully packaged and offers a variety of products for you and your loved ones to try. Whether you're getting a birthday present, get well soon gift, or something special for yourself, you can't go wrong when you give the gift of tasty health benefits.

Lavender Life offers a wide range of lavender products made from natural, organic ingredients. Several of our products are vegan, making them the perfect choice for anyone.Our lavender syrup, chamomile tea, and lavender and honey are just the start. Check out our site to browse all the lavender products you desire!