If you're in Florida it's still summer, but for all intents and purposes, fall is upon us. Aside from the very sucky reality that is COVID, we are also entering into cold and flu season. Despite our many many different daily circumstances, lives, and beliefs, I think we can all agree that giving our bodies a little extra muscle to fight through whatever may come, can't be a bad idea! So with that in mind, today's blog will feature some great make-at-home recipes to get you through these fall and winter months, using your delicious Thomas Honey of course!
These recipes are NOT medications, we are not doctors. They WILL NOT cure you of anything, unfortunately we don't have that power. As always, we are but simple keepers of bees. These recipes are intended to be used as great, natural aids to help you care for your body and hopefully give your immune system a little extra oomph!
The most simple thing of all...
As mentioned in previous blogs, a spoon full of local, raw, Thomas Honey each day can help combat local allergies, soothe sore throats, and even may help to settle indigestion. We take extra measures to only heat our honey just enough to help it flow, keeping the product as raw as possible and providing you with the closest thing to straight-from-the-hive we possibly can! Not one of our regular honey's have a single drop of additives, and they are lovingly packaged on site at our farm, by our very own hands to ensure we're bringing you the best we can!
If that wasn't good enough, Kae's Line Blended Honey's flipped the script on tasty health! Our Turmeric Honey offers all of the benefits of raw honey, while also providing the natural anti-inflammatory power historically associated with organic turmeric. This golden honey has often been reported to help relieve joint pain and stiffness too.
But why stop with honey, lets add lemons and ginger..
The use of ginger tea to treat ailments can be traced back over 5000 years. People of ancient China and India valued this tonic for it's healing properties and even attributed it religious significance. At one point in time ginger root became so valuable the cost for a single pound was equivalent to that of a small cow or a sheep.
Ginger has been used for centuries to relieve such ailments as stress, nausea, and menstrual discomfort. It has been used to strengthen immunity, reduce inflammation, and fight respiratory problems. Additionally, it has been used to improve blood circulation and digestive issues. Scientists have also linked some of the compounds in ginger with improvements in insulin and metabolism.
But ginger tea can sometimes be very strong and overpowering, so adding lemon and honey to balance our the flavor and boost the benefits is the perfect solution! Here are a few recipes featuring this phenomenal combo you can try out at home:
** Lemon Infused Ginger Honey **
If you're the kind of person who needs to be able to drop a few spoonful's of honey in some hot water and hit the road (i.e. perpetually late, like me), The Homesteading Hippy has provided this fantastic recipe (click the link above). I do want to point out two very important things:
The recipe calls to heat the honey. In doing this you will most definitely kill off some of the beneficial properties that raw honey provides. Your honey will still be delicious and will still be good for you, but if you would like to keep the raw properties, please skip the heat and just pour your favorite honey straight from the jar.
The recipe calls to add sliced lemons and ginger. If you use regular fruit you will need to store this honey in the fridge. Honey is a hygroscopic base and will absorb the moisture from the added ingredients. At room temperature this can quickly cause your honey to go bad. You can also increase the longevity of your mixture by using dried lemon and ginger, but it will take a little longer for the flavors to infuse into the honey.
CHECK YOUR MIXTURE REGULARLY and either use it up, or toss it, within 3-4 weeks of making.
** Honey Lemon Ginger Tea **
While this recipe isn't exactly high on the difficulty scale, I know there are lots of folks out there who are not kitchen savvy, and always appreciate measurements to go by. As such, you can check out this recipe by Heavenlynn Healthy.
You can whip this tea up as a standard hot tea and sip slowly letting both the mug and the tea warm you to the bone. Or you can make it as a cold brew.
For Cold Brew Tea:
Add your honey to hot water and mix to dissolve.
Let the water cool at room temperature (you just made simple syrup...you are a master chef, don't let anyone tell you different!)
Once cooled, place your remaining ingredients in a jar and pour the water over
Seal it up and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours.
Shake well and dilute into ice water to taste!
** Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops **
This one is at the top of my to-do list. I'll be bottling up a jar of these for later just as soon as the weekend rolls around!
Kerrie over at Tasty Ever After provides excellent directions on how to make your favorite flavor of Thomas Honey into cough drops. Make sure if you're keeping the drops at room temp, you wrap them individually with wax paper. Even coated in powder sugar or cinnamon, they will absorb moisture from their surroundings and become taffy like. You can also store them in the fridge to eliminate the need for individual wrapping.
Lets talk elderberries...
**Elderberry Syrup**
I can't tell you the number of people I know who swear by Elderberry syrup. Amy over at A Blossoming Life, is a registered dietician who shares tips and tidbits about this beloved remedy, as well as her recipe for making your very own bottle of elderberry syrup. With just 4 simple ingredients you can save yourself big money and get the same impact as the store bought brands. If you want to add a little extra kick, you can consider the dropping in some ginger, lemon, or cinnamon as well.
Elderberries can be found on Amazon, are sometimes carried at Walmart, and local health food stores may carry (or be able to order) them.
***Make sure you check with your pediatrician regarding this recipe to make sure honey is appropriate for your small child's age group!
Ahhh.... we finally made it to the good stuff...
**Apple Cider Hot Toddy**
Listen, I'm convinced, there isn't much worse in life than feeling like road kill, having to drag yourself in to work, then coming home and still having to adult. Whoever decided that was a thing, deserves to be covered in paper cuts and doused with hand sanitizer!! So if this is you, give yourself a little treat for making it, for adulting, for not killing anyone, and most definitely because you just flipping deserve it.
Maryanne over at The Little Epicurean has a bang up recipe to wipe away your awful day...and if you drink enough of them, the memories of it too! Use your favorite Thomas Honey, or try adding your Kae's Line Blended Hot Tamale Honey for an extra kick, along with your favorite fall ingredients. And since you mix the whiskey in at the end, you can decide if you want to share or not!
Today I'll leave you with my best wishes for your health and wellness, along with this quote:
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”
– Marie Curie
XOXO,
Em