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CITRUS FRUIT SALAD WITH HONEY MINT LIME SYRUP

YIELD: Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
For Honey Mint Lime Syrup:
1/4 cup – Pahrump honey
1/4 cup – fresh lime juice
2 T – mint, chopped
For Citrus Fruit Salad:
2 – navel oranges
1 – white grapefruit
2 – pink or red grapefruits
DIRECTIONS
Cut and peel, removing white pith of oranges and grapefruits. Cut between membranes to release citrus segments and add all fruit to a large bowl. (Can prepare this a day ahead of time and refrigerate).

In a medium bowl, whisk Pahrump honey, lime juice and mint together. Pour honey mint syrup over prepared fruit and toss gently until all fruit is combined and coated. Let citrus salad stand for about 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with mint before serving.

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No CRUST LEMON-HONEY CHEESECAK

CRUSTLESS LEMON-HONEY CHEESECAK

YIELD: Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups – plain 2% greek yogurt
1 cup – non-fat cream cheese
1 tsp. – vanilla
1/4 cup plus 1 T – honey
3 – egg whites, (9 T if using the kind in a carton)
1/4 cup – arrowroot starch or cornstarch
1 T – lemon zest
1/4 cup – lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together yogurt and cream cheese in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix until all ingredients are incorporated. It will look thin and watery, but that’s ok.

Pour mixture into a greased 8-by-8-inch circle pan (springform is best). Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

Chill in fridge overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

After chilled, cut into 8 slices and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge.

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HONEY-ORANGE GINGER FIZZ

Honey ginger fizz

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For Honey Berry Syrup:

1/2 cup – Pahrump honey

1/2 cup – filtered cold water

2 cups – 100% orange juice

1/4 cup – fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

2 cups – fresh stawberries, thinly sliced

3 cups – sparkling water, chilled

For Garnish:

4 – fresh orange slices

1 cup – fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

4 – large fresh mint sprigs

DIRECTIONS

Continue reading HONEY-ORANGE GINGER FIZZ
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Honey calms coughs better than cough medicine

Honey helps cough

Drinking tea or warm lemon water mixed with honey is a time-honored way to soothe a sore throat. But honey alone may be an effective cough suppressant, too.

In one study, children ages 1 to 5 with upper respiratory tract infections were given up to 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of honey at bedtime. The honey seemed to reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep. In fact, in the study, honey appeared to be as effective as a common cough suppressant ingredient, dextromethorphan, in typical over-the-counter doses. Since honey is low-cost and widely available, it might be worth a try.

However,  never give honey to a child younger than age 1.  And remember: Coughing isn’t all bad. It helps clear mucus from your airway. If you or your child is otherwise healthy, there’s usually no reason to suppress a cough.      Mayo Clinic  Pritish K. Tosh, M.D.

Further, coughing is a common problem for children with upper respiratory infections. These infections can affect sleep and quality of life for both children and parents.

However, common cough medications are not always effective and can have side effects. Interestingly, honey may be a good alternative, with evidence indicating that it’s an effective treatment option. One review of several studies on honey and cough in children found that honey appears to be more effective than diphenhydramine for cough symptoms. It may also help reduce cough duration.

Another review noted that it may also improve sleep quality among children with coughs, as well as their parents. Further, unlike some cough medicines, honey doesn’t have any side effects.

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Honey Barbecue Short Ribs

Honey Ribs

This recipe provides the simplest way to fall-off-the-bone ribs in the oven. We love the meatiness of short ribs; you get more bang for your buck.

  • 1/4 cup sweet paprika
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons dry oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 pounds short-ribs (flanken), bone-in, cut into 5- to 6-inch strips
  • 1/2 cup honey

Preparation

1.
Continue reading Honey Barbecue Short Ribs

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Honey in History: Honey Bees in Colonial America

Colonial America

There’s no denying that honey and the bees that make it have become an integral part of America’s way of life, not only because of the sweet liquid they provide, but their pollination work ensures that we have a healthy global food supply (Fun Fact: honey bee pollination is an agricultural benefit that accounts for nearly $15 billion in added crop value, according to our friends at the FDA). But did you know that honey bees as we know them today are actually not native to this land? Since we are celebrating the first true American holiday later this week, we thought it would be fun to take a look at honey and honey bees in the time of the Pilgrims in this edition of Honey in History: Colonial America!

Although there was a now-extinct species of honey bee in the area, as evidenced by a 14 million-year-old fossil unearth in Nevada in 2009 (believed to have died out long before the 17th century), the European honey bees that buzz around America today were first introduced to our land by European settlers who came over in the early 1620s. Realizing their value as pollinators, they were sent along to help establish the many fruits and other crops that the Pilgrims brought over. Continue reading Honey in History: Honey Bees in Colonial America

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HONEY BEES & POLLINATION

Honey Bee Pollination

The diversity of the beekeeping craft has evolved over time, and managed pollination is just one of the ways beekeepers make a big impact on the world. Managed pollination is the practice of caring for hives and honey bees in order to pollinate the crops that sustain us all.


The Honey Bees’ Second Shift

In addition to gathering nectar to produce honey, honey bees perform a vital second function – pollination, making them a critical component of today’s agricultural market. In fact, about one-third of the human diet is derived from insect-pollinated plants, and honey bees are responsible for 80 percent of this pollination.


Pollination

While honey bees are gathering nectar, they’re also fertilizing flowering plants. Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from the anthers of a flower to the ovules of another flower. This pollination greatly increases the quantity and quality of many crops including a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts such as almonds.

According to the Bee Health Collective, while many pollinators are important contributors, honey bees have several traits that make them well-suited for the job of crop pollination:

  • They can be managed and moved in large numbers from crop to crop by beekeepers
  • They are resilient generalists which means they forage on (and pollinate) many types of blooms
  • They are considered by growers to be the best “bang for your buck” for pollination

Honey bees pollinate crops in all 50 U.S. states

The bee-plant relationship (pollination), is necessary for our food supply and for our ecosystems. Honey bees are the “workhorses” that make it possible to produce good yields of many foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, and even meat and dairy (which depend on bees to pollinate livestock feed crops like alfalfa). While many pollinators are important contributors, honey bees have several traits that make them well-suited for the job of crop pollination. They can be managed and moved in large numbers from crop to crop by beekeepers, they are resilient generalists which means they forage on (and pollinate) many types of blooms, and they are considered by growers to be the best “bang for your buck” for pollination. Pollination often provides more revenue for beekeepers than honey production.

Dietary Impact
Many of the ingredients that contribute to a balanced and healthy diet wouldn’t be possible without honey bees, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the hard work of beekeepers and managed pollinators. It is thanks to them that we can enjoy Mother Nature’s sweetener and feed communities with nutritious crops like fruits, vegetables and nuts. Not to mention meat and dairy, which depend on bees to pollinate livestock feed crops, like alfalfa. There are 90 different crops that are reliant on beekeepers and honey bees so this is an invaluable practice that ultimately puts food on dinner tables across the nation. Check out this infographic to see just some of the foods pollinated by honey bees.

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Raspberry Lime Fizz with Honey Lavender Ice Floats

Raspberry Lime Fizz with Honey Lavender Ice Floats

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For Ice Floats (NOTE: do this at least 24 hours ahead):

1 T – edible lavender

1/4 cup – Pahrump Honey

3 cups – water

For Raspberry Lime Fizz:

1 cup – fresh or frozen raspberries

2 – limes, zested and juiced

1/4 cup – honey

1 1/2 cups – water

4 cups – seltzer or soda water

fresh raspberries and lime wheels for garnish

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, mix together the lavender, Pahrump Honey and water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off and let the lavender steep for about 20 minutes or until the liquid is fully cooled. Pour this mixture into ice trays and freeze overnight.

In a small saucepan, crush the raspberries with the back of a spoon, all the lime juice, zest, Pahrump Honey and water. Heat to a low simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes and strain through a sieve to remove the solids.

Fill 4 glasses evenly with the ice cubes and divide the raspberry lime concentrate between them. Top each glass with seltzer water and garnish with a raspberry and lime wheel, serve immediately.

TIP

You could add a shot of gin, vodka or substitute a sparkly wine or champagne for the seltzer water for a refreshing cocktail.

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Honey-Orange Ginger Fizz

Honey-Orange Ginger Fizz

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For Honey Berry Syrup:

1/2 cup – blueberry honey

1/2 cup – filtered cold water

2 cups – 100% orange juice

1/4 cup – fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

2 cups – fresh stawberries, thinly sliced

3 cups – sparkling water, chilled

For Garnish:

4 – fresh orange slices

1 cup – fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

4 – large fresh mint sprigs

DIRECTIONS

For Honey Syrup: Place Pahrump Honey, filtered water, orange juice, ginger root and 2 cups sliced strawberries in a small saucepot. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer approximately 5 minutes.

Remove saucepot from heat, then smash all the strawberries in the saucepot to a pulp, with a spoon, and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, strain through a super fine mesh strainer or dampened cheesecloth into a bowl, using a spoon to push on the solids to extract as much of the liquid, color and flavor as possible. Place the honey berry syrup in the refrigerator to chill. Discard any solids in the strainer.

Pour equal amounts of the chilled honey berry syrup into each of the 4 serving glasses, and then pour 3/4 cup sparkling water into each glass. Add one orange slice, 1/4 cup sliced strawberries and one fresh mint sprig to each glass and stir. Top off each glass with ice cubes.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Chef Rob Corliss, made for the National Honey Board

TIP

The honey syrup can be prepared a day in advance, to simplify prep.

Substitute fresh lime slices for garnish vs. orange slices.

Use a lime or citrus-flavored sparkling water vs. standard sparkling water.

You can easily turn this “mocktail” into a cocktail, by substituting champagne or prosecco for the sparkling water.

For extra fun, freeze edible flowers (like pansies) in the ice cubes, used in the drink.

Go fancy and add 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. of dried lavender to the honey syrup, in step 1.