Saturday, April 20, 2013

Raw Macaroons {with our Vanilla Bean Infused Honey}

This amazing recipe is appropriated from our friend Aubrey Griffin's blog, homegrownandhealthy.com!

I don't know about you, but when I think of summer-time I think of vacation - and instantly my mind pictures a warm white beach, sounds of steel drums playing softly nearby, and the subtle sweet aroma of coconut wafting in from the salty sea. Nowadays, after work I speed home as quick as I can to lounge back in my lime green Adirondack chair, pour myself a tall glass of iced tea, and slowly start to hear those steel drums chiming in my head. While looking at Aubrey's blog, I thought to myself "Wow self! These raw macaroons would make a wonderful addition to your tropical island-getaway fantasy!" And there you have it, these all-natural raw macaroons are perfect as a sweet snack, tropical party favor, or even a healthy dessert!

Ingredients

• Raw Macaroons
• 1½ cups finely chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, macadamia, cashews etc..)
• 2 cups coconut flakes
• ¼-1/2 cup Cloister Honey: Vanilla Bean Infused Honey
• ½ cup melted coconut oil
• ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. Himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir till all ingredients are incorporated.
3. With an ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop out about enough to make a 2 inch ball. (This part gets a little messy)
4. If using a spoon, really work the mixture in your hands. Squeeze and shape in to a ball.
5. If using an ice cream scoop, mash in the mixture as tightly as possible.
6. Place the balls on to a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. This prevents the any sticking when they are cooled.
7. Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 min to cool and harden.

Notes

Helpful tip! Use the same measuring cup for the coconut oil and honey. By measuring the coconut oil first, when the honey is measured it should slip right on out of the measuring cup.   

For more information about Aubrey and/or this recipe please visit: http://homegrownandhealthy.com/raw-macaroons/

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage cabbage (about 1/4 medium head)
• 2 cups shredded radicchio (about 1 small head)
• 1 granny smith apple
• raisins, cashew pieces, and cilantro to garnish

• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
• 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. Cloister Honey Raw Wildflower
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• a pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• water

1. Lightly massage the shredded cabbage with a few pinches of salt and set aside.
2. In a food processor, process the cashews to a fine meal, then add salt, curry, cayanne, honey, dijon, and lemon. Process to combine.
3. With the food processor on, start adding water, a little bit at a time, until the mixture forms a thick paste. Process it until completely smooth, and scrape the sides.
4. Continue adding water until the mixture resembles a thick buttermilk consistency. It should be creamy, but pour easily.
5. Add the radicchio and apples to the cabbage, toss with the dressing, and garnish with cilantro, raisins, and cashews.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Cinnamon, Honey, Butter, and Nut Oatmeal 

    

Servings: 1

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup of Oatmeal

1/4 tbsp of butter

2 tsp of Cinnamon

1 tsp honey (to taste)

1/8 cup chopped Pecans

 

This is the easiest recipe to make and I guarantee it's the best winter breakfast ever! Make the oatmeal by following the directions on the back of your oatmeal container. For me, I like to use 1/3 cups of oatmeal and in my microwave I set it to power 4 for 5 minutes. It comes out perfect...not overcooked or mushy. After the oatmeal comes out of the microwave add the butter, cinnamon, honey, and nuts. I have a personal stash of pecans in a jar with regular wildflower Cloister Honey that works well for everything. Once these ingredients are added, mix the oatmeal together and serve! I like to add a lot of Cinnamon (see image above) but Cinnamon's strength is dependent on the amount of sugar you add, so by adding less honey you will have less of a strong Cinnamon taste. 

I hope you enjoy, this recipe takes 6 minutes or less!

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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Honey and Mint Drops

 

It's that time of year when everyone is getting sick and whispers of the flu start to circulates into every local news channel. Cough drops seem to be in everyone's pockets and on everyone breath, the smell of menthol basically surrounds your work area, class room, home, etc. But the worst part about cough drops are that they just don't seem natural. They are full of artificial flavors, colors, and smells. Try these all natural honey and mint drops as a natural prescription to this year's flu season. 

 

For more information please visit: http://foodthroughthepages.com/2013/01/05/honey-drops-from-the-inheritance/

 

 

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Vanilla Bean and Honey Pear Bars

Christmas flew a little too fast this year - what with the end of the world being in the back of everyone's mind and the news of Kate Middleton's royal pregnancy illegally surfacing on air. Now it has quickly turned into New Years and I can only find fancy holiday drink recipes online that do everything from bubbling and sparkling to catching on fire. But I am looking for a fancy sweet treat for the midnight celebration that will delightfully accompany my drink of choice as well as welcome the new year with a sophisticated palette. Try these wonderful Vanilla Bean and Honey Pear Bars from ladyandpups.com that will finally give you a reason to use those foam-wrapped holiday pears for once!

Servings: 18 small squares

Ingredients: (adapted from Martha Stewart’s lemon bars)

• For crust:
  • 1/8 cup of white sugar
  • 1/8 cup of brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp of lemon zest
  • 1/8 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 cup (115 g) of very cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• For pear custard:
  • 1 cup of pear puree (fully ripen)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup of Cloister Honey: Vanilla Bean Infused Honey
  • 1/2 cup of white sugar
  • 1/8 cup + 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
  • 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
• Powder sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven on 350ºF/180ºC.

In a food processor, pulse the white sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest and salt together until blended.  Add the cold butter and pulse again until the sugar mixture is evenly mixed into the butter.  Then add the flour and pulse until a loose and crumbly dough forms.

Line two 6″x6″/15x15cm square molds with parchment paper (I only have these 2 very tiny square molds.  Feel absolutely free to use 1 big mold as it was supposed to be).  Divide the dough mixture evenly into the molds and press it down with your fingers until it’s firmly distributed.  Bake in the oven for 18~20 min until the edges are slightly browned.

Meanwhile, make the pear custard.  Peel and core 1~2 pears depending on the size to have enough for 1 cup of pureed pear.  Puree the pear first in the blender.  It may be slightly difficult to do so without enough liquid so you might have to smash the pears down with a wooden spoon a few times.  Once the pear is pureed, measure exactly 1 cup to leave in the blender then add the eggs, honey, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla seeds and flour.  Blend until just evenly combined.  Tap the blender on the counter a few times to help the air-bubbles float to the top, then use a spoon to pop as much bubbles as you can.

Once the crust is ready, take them out of the oven and turn the heat down to 325ºF/170ºC.  Pour the pear custard onto the hot crust and return it to the oven to bake until the center of the custard is set and the edges are slightly browned, 25~30 min.

Leave them to cool slightly on the counter, then lift the parchment paper to remove them from the molds (OR even better if you have molds with removable-bottom).  Let it chill completely in the fridge before cutting.

Cut them into small squares or rectangles and dust with powder sugar on top.  

For more information about this recipe please visit: http://www.ladyandpups.com/2012/12/26/nanny-bribery-icebox-pear-bars-eng/

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Monday, December 17, 2012 

Just like the monotonous candy cane, hot chocolate can also be one of Christmas' most jaded traditions. Don't get me wrong, the Christmas season wouldn't be the same without those striped red and white candies hanging from wintery garland and telephone poles. But just like the candy cane, hot chocolate gets a little boring too. It's a deliciously hot chocolate drink but even that can be unappetizing especially in its unenthusiastic powdered form. What hot chocolate does have on the candy cane is that it's original recipe was much more complex than it is now. Try this Hot Cocoa "Affogato" and peppermint ice cream that'll make your Christmas holiday more memorable. 

 

PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM AND HOT COCOA “AFFOGATO”
14-ounce can regular coconut milk
14-ounce can light coconut milk
½ cup and 2 tbs. Cloister Honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups soy milk (or milk)
Peppermint candies (a few for garnish) Microwave for 2½ to 3 minutes until hot, or for the stovetop method, heat the mixture over medium heat until hot, taking care that it does not boil. A few hours prior to serving, make the ice cream: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cans coconut milk, ½ cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 teaspoons peppermint extract. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker (or make it without the machine). When complete, freeze the ice cream for around 2 to 3 hours to obtain a hard texture.



Makes: 4

Ingredients:




In glass 2-cup measuring cup, place 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons honey, ¼ cup warm water and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (if using). Microwave for about 20 seconds to heat briefly, then whisk or stir together until combined.

Add a bit of the soy milk and whisk it in to temper the mixture. Once it is incorporated, add the remainder of the 2 cups of milk. To serve, crush the peppermint candies. Place a scoop or two of ice cream in a bowl or glass, then sprinkle with peppermint candies. At the table, pour hot chocolate over the ice cream. Enjoy!

For more information about this recipe from a Couple Cooks, please visit: http://www.acouplecooks.com/2012/12/peppermint-ice-cream-and-hot-cocoa-affogato/

 

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Sunday, December 9, 2012

This time of year is full of holiday parties from the cul-de-sac to the office and every place in between. After preparing for so many gatherings, your holiday dish list gets smaller and smaller as caramel covered brie and chocolate covered pretzels become staple items instead of winter specialties. So when your brainstorming what dish to bring next, try these amazing stuffed pears from myinvisiblecrown.com that are sure to surprise and delight every guest at your next gathering. 

Stuffed Pears En Croute

Ingredients

• 4 Comice pears (choose pears that stand well on their own)
• 1 box puff pastry, thawed
• 4 ounces brie or blue cheese
• 1 cup Cloister Honey - Vanilla Bean Infused Honey
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 300.
2. Wash and dry pears.
3. With a sharp knife, cut a hole in the top of the pear down toward core and remove as much of the core and seeds as possible without cutting through the bottom.
4. Cut the core away from the top of the pear so that it will sit comfortably back on top of the pear.
5. Stuff each pear with 1 ounce of cheese (or as much as you can get inside and still put the top back on).
6. Cut puff pastry into half inch strips.
7. Beginning at the bottom, wrap pears with pastry strips until you reach the top.
8. Press lightly to join the strips to one another.
9. Beat egg and brush a light coat over the outside of the pastry.
10. Place on baking pan lined with Silpat liner.
11. If making honey candy, pour 1 teaspoon rounds near the center of the Silpat liner. You'll use approximately 3 teaspoons for each pear.
12. Bake pears for 30 minutes at 300 degrees.
13. Remove and drizzle 3 tablespoons over the top of each pear, raise the temperature to 350 and return to the oven to bake for another 15-20 minutes depending on how hard your pears were to begin with and how soft you want the end result to be.
14. Remove from oven, let cool.
15. Break honey candy in bits, sprinkle on pears and drizzle with a little extra honey if desired.

For more information about this recipe, please visit: http://www.myinvisiblecrown.com/2012/11/26/stuffed-pears-en-croute/

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The beautiful cold weather is known for its wonderfully chill nights accompanied by warm and comforting dinner recipes...But the winter season is also known for sick days, cough drops, and regret for dismissing the flu shot that you could have gotten numerous times last month. A sick day doesn't have to be full of chicken broth, saltless saltines, and canned vegetables. Try this wonderful hot toddy that will make your sick day feel like a wintry holiday with this healing hot toddy recipe we found from foodgawker.com.

Healing Hot Toddy 

• 4 cups boiling water
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 Tbsp Cloister Honey Infused Chili Pepper, Vanilla, or regular Wildflower
• 3 tsp ginger root, grated
• 4 juniper berries*, crushed fine (juniper berries are not recommended during pregnancy nor for those with a history of kidney/liver ailments)
• 1/8 tsp dry red chili flakes, optional
• 4 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks

For more information about this recipe, please visit: http://www.inspirededibles.ca/2012/11/healing-hot-toddy.html

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November 13, 2012

Honey Chicken Salad with Grapes and Feta

 

 

 

Thanksgiving's coming up next week which means grocery lists are getting longer and creative ideas about what to do with left over turkey are at a high demand. We've all heard the classic turkey sandwich on rye with cranberry sauce or just regular warmed-up leftovers in the microwave but why not make that leftover meal something with dignity? Try this Honey Chicken Salad with Grapes and Feta recipe after Thanksgiving. Sub the chicken with turkey, the grapes with leftover cranberry sauce, and add a little mayonnaise to taste. These leftovers become a meal of their own and will have your family forgetting what they even had at Thanksgiving dinner.

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  45 mins

Total time:  1 hour

 

Serves: 8-10

 

For more information about this recipe please visit: http://pinchofyum.com/honey-chicken-salad-with-grapes-and-feta

October 25, 2012

Coffee Custards with Honey & Cinnamon

Based on a Martha Stewart Living recipe
Serves 4-6

soft butter
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. instant espresso powder
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1/4 c. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Set out a 9x13 baking pan. Butter 4-6 oz. (or 6-4 oz.) ramekins and arrange them evenly in the 9x13 pan.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, milk, and espresso powder and heat until mixture almost simmers. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla. Whisk a bit of the hot cream mixture into the eggs, then whisk in all of the cream mixture until well combined. Ladle into the prepared ramekins. Set the 9x13 pan on rack in preheated oven, then pour hottest tap water into the pan until it comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the custards are set and jiggly, about 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and water bath. Cool to room temperature and serve or chill to serve later. To serve, run a knife around the edges of the custard and then flip over onto a serving plate. Give the plate and ramekin together a bit of a shake to loosen and the custards will slide right out.

Roasted Carrot Soup with Honey

Ingredients:

* 2.5 cups vegetable broth

* 5 large sweet carrots

* 1 onion

* 1 tablespoon butter

* 2 tablespoon olive oil

* 2 tablespoon Cloister Honey Wildflower Honey

* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

* salt and pepper to taste 

 It's very important to use sweet, not old carrots otherwise your soup may be bitter. Peel and slice carrots (slices shouldn't be very thin - about 3-4 cm). Heat oven to 355 degrees Fahrenheit. Place carrots in a baking dish. Drizzle with honey and olive oil and sprinkle with cumin. Mix and bake for about 30 minutes. When the carrots are soft and honey caramelized put them into a pot, add broth, ginger and onion fried gently on butter. Boil for 10 minutes and then mix well. If the soup is too thick add some water and boil for a while. 

Decorate with sour cream. 

Fore more information about this recipe please visit: http://gotowaniecieszy.blox.pl/2012/10/Zupa-z-pieczonej-marchewki-z-miodem-i-imbirem.html 

October 8-14, 2012

Pistachio-Honey Butter

Halloween is just around the corner and with all the commercials and advertisements that feature festive Halloween things, it's been getting me in a creative mind-set for some ghoulish looking food. I recently came upon this recipe and think that it would be a fun and sneaky surprise to add in a PB&J sandwich or as a dip at a Halloween party. The best part about this festive spread is that it's not too festive, so you could also enjoy this recipe at anytime of the year! Oh and its healthy!!

YIELD: 1/2 CUP PREP: 5 MINSPLUS COOLING COOK: 10 MINS

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Spread the pistachios on a baking sheet; toast for 8 minutes. Let cool.
2. Transfer the nuts to a mini food processor and process until finely chopped. Blend in the honey and salt, then blend in the EVOO until smooth.