Three Ways to eat with Propolis and BeeBread

The Land of Milk and Honey

Cooking with Honey

by Laurie Dotson 

Today is the first, real day where the weather felt like Fall.  I’m looking out my dining room window. Watching the limbs of my crabapple trees dip low to the ground, because they are loaded with heavy bright red, cherry size apples. Crabapple butter soon!   My favorite morning spread on buttered toast. yummy!  I’ll post that one, soon!

 It’s been so busy today that I forgot to eat.  This really has gotten me to think about having healthy snack, ready to eat at a moments notice. And I’m not talking apples and carrot, which I do have, but something fun for my mouth.  Which made me think of  a conversation I had earlier in the day with a customer.  She has young, school age children who are feeling better, since they have been taking our Propolis oil.  But the girls are not crazy about the taste of Olive oil and Propolis. I don’t blame them. It’s not a taste that I crave either:) But like them, I do take it every day!  So I suggested she add the Propolis oil in a salad and if she bought some beebread she could add that t0 the girls morning oatmeal or in a yummy smoothie. Propolis tincture can be added to any fruit drinks. Added it to anything if you don’t want to take it straight down your throat.  She laughed and asked for some recipes.

First off…

If you don’t know what Propolis is, it’s a resin that the Honeybee gather from tops of trees bud and the bark. They mix it with their enzymes and then they plaster the whole inside of the hive.

 It helps insulate the hive, it helps clean the hive and it protects the hive from bacteria and viruses.  This same Propolis that helps fight sickness in the hive, will also protect us from the the same viruses and bacteria floating and hanging about us.  Propolis icontains flavonoids that are anti viral, anti bacterial, anti microbial, anti fungal and an anti-inflammatory Propolis can be a great dietary supplement to enhance your overall health and boost immunity.

BeeBread is Pollen and Honey mixed together. BeeBread is filled with everything you need to energize your day, workout or recovery.  It is loaded with  vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein and iron that will benefit people of all ages and boost the immune system.

Flying about from flower to flower, bees collect pollen in the pollen baskets on their legs and carry it back to the hive. In the hive, pollen is used as a protein source necessary during brood-rearing. The pollen pellets and honey are combined and ferment until the the hard shell of the pollen is dissolve. At that time the bee will feast on it and feed it to their grwoing young.

So back to my phone conversation and my hungry stomach.  How can you get Propolis and BeeBread

into you daily route?  Here are a three recipes!

 Stay Healthy with the Power of BEES 

Basil Vinaigrette Dressing

Original recipe makes 1 -1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2- 1 tsp of BEEpothecary Propolis Oil
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup BEEpothecary wildflower honey
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basiL
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

PREPARATION

1. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, basil, and garlic. Pour over or toss with your favorite salad to serve

Pineapple Coconut Bites

INGREDIENTS

Makes: About 20 cookies

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

INGREDIENTS

FILLING

• 1 1/4 cups canned crushed pineapple, slightly drained
• 1 tablespoon BEEpothecary honey
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

DOUGH

• 1/2 cup almonds
• 6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted cold butter
• 3 tablespoons Propolis Coconut oil or Propolis Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1. To prepare filling: Spoon pineapple into a small saucepan with honey and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
2. To prepare dough: Meanwhile, process almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add confectioners’ sugar; process to combine. Add whole-wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour; process to combine. Drop butter by the tablespoon through the feed tube, processing briefly after each addition. Add oil and pulse once or twice. Add coconut, cornstarch, salt and vanilla and process just until the mixture resembles crumbly, fine meal, but will hold together if pressed.
3. Reserve a scant 1/2 cup of tart dough to use as crumbled topping.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line mini muffin pans with 20 paper cups.
5. Drop a scant tablespoon of dough into each paper cup. Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the cup, making a well in the center, to form a miniature crust. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the pineapple filling into each crust and top each with some of the reserved crumbs.
6. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the crust is cooked through (watch carefully toward the end and move the pan to the bottom rack if the top begins to brown before the bottom crust is done), 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pans.

 

 

No-Bake BeeBread Granola Bars 

INGREDIENTS

PREP TIME: 10 mins

COOK TIME: 5 mins

TOTAL TIME: 15 mins

Serves: 10 bars

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup packed dates, pitted  (dried plums or figs)
• 3 Tbsp Flax seed
• 1/4 cup BEEpothecary BeeBread 
• 1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds, loosely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten free for GF eaters)
• optional additions: chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc.

PREPARATION

1. Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency. (mine rolled into a ball)
2. Optional step: Toast your oats and flaxseed in a 350 degree oven for 15-ish minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw – I toasted them
3. Place oats, flax seed, almonds and dates in a bowl – set aside.
4. Warm honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
5. Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars.)
6. Press down until uniformly flattened. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let set in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
7. Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn’t necessary.

NOTES

*If your dates don’t feel sticky and moist, soak them in water for 10 minutes then drain before processing. This will ultimately help hold the bars together better.

Looking forward to seeing you soon, Laurie –

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Matthew 4:4

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Honey – More Than Just Sweet!

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Honey, sweet

But so much more

Designed by the Creator

This wonderful, miraculous food!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

As we have progressed in our beekeeping adventure, my quest for information has continued to consume my days.  It must be the teacher in me.  Or maybe it is genetic – my father was an “information junkie” and when CNN came to be, he was in heaven and watched it all the time!

I started collecting books about beekeeping and honey and other hive products – and reading, reading, reading.  While I have always liked honey, I love it even more every time I read about it.  My favorite book, though quite technical and scientific is The Honey Revolution, by Ron Fessenden and Mike McInnes.   It is quite a tome and not easy to read, but great for info junkies like me.

They now have an abridged version, that only costs about $5, that is a quick read of the facts without all the scientific explanations and references.  Both are fascinating. 

Here are some things I have learned:

Honey Facts

• Honey really is metabolized differently than sugar or high fructose corn syrup! ( the opposite of what we are told on all those HFCS commercials on TV!)

• Honey is metabolized more like a fruit than a sugar, in the body.

• Honey stabilizes blood sugar.  It triggers a much lower insulin release than sugar or HFCS.

• Honey is stored in the liver as glycogen, as provides fuel for your brain

• Honey consumed before bedtime promotes restorative sleep.

• Honey reduces metabolic stress by preventing or reducing the release of adrenalin and cortisol during sleep.

Now, if I could just apply all this great information and stop eating JUNK!!  I need to find some easy recipes for honey snacks!  I am an impulse eater and just look for the nearest, easiest thing to munch on!

Proverbs 24

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.

14 Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Amazing Propolis – How Can We Not Know About This??

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

At first the orange sticky goo

We had to scrape off,

Was just an annoyance

Nothing to use.

But then, to our surprise

We found this sticky stuff

Was really a treasure

Now we can’t get enough!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

During the second year of our beekeeping I started learning about the annoying sticky goo, propolis,  we were scaping out of the hive and throwing away.  Low and behold, it is an incredibly valuable hive product and has even more healing properties than honey!  Here’s what I found:

All About Propolis

Propolis is an amazing substance made by honeybees, that has m

inside the hive

any health benefits for us.

Also called bee glue, propolis is made by the bees from tree resin.  It is a stiff, sticky substance that they use in the hive to seal up cracks and also to disinfect.  Propolis has been used for centuries by man, for its medicinal and health benefits.  While not well know in this country, it is used widely throughout the world to treat illness and as a health supplement.  In Europe it is referred to as “Russian Penicillin.”

propolis on top of frames

According to the National Institute of Health, propolis is proven to have antibiotic, antimicrobial, anitviral and antifungal properties.  It  also has antioxidant and has anti- inflammatory effects.  Past and current research is showing the effectiveness of propolis in treating a wide variety of illnesses and conditions – from mild to serious.  Research is currently being done on the use of propolis to treat cancer, mico-bacterial lung infections including TB, radiation treatment burns, GI issues, herpes,  wound treatment and its effect on boosting the immune system.

raw propolis shavings

Propolis can be used raw, powdered, or in tinctures and infusions and is a valuable product to support healthy living.  Our family and friends are using propolis oils and alcohol tinctures with success (and without trips to the doctor!)  to assist in  treatment of  the following conditions:

Orally for:

• colds, viruses

• bronchitis, pneumonia

• IBS

• sore throats

• a preventative supplement – keeping my asthmatic husband well over the winter months – no brochitis or pneumonia!

Internally for:

• sinus congestion and infection – as nose drops

• canker and mouth sores – as mouth rinse

• sore throats – as a mouth rinse or spray

• gum irritations and infections – as mouth rinse

• toothache/infection – as rinse or gauze poultice

• ear infections – oil drops in ear

Externally for:

• cuts

• burns

• bites

• rashes

• pain and inflammation

• sore muscles

• nail fungus

• yeast infections

Here’s some great resources about propolis:

User’s Guide to Propolis, Royal Jelly, Honey, and Bee Pollen: Learn How to Use Bee Foods to Enhance Your Health and Immunity  by C. Leigh Broadhurst, Jack Challem (Editor)

                                    Propolis Power Plus by Carlson Wade, Don R. Bensen (Editor)

Job 5

8“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;  I would lay my cause before him.
⁹ He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
¹⁰ He provides rain for the earth;  he sends water on the countryside.
¹¹ The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
¹² He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.
¹³ He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
¹⁴ Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night.
¹⁵ He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.
¹⁶ So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.

¹⁷ “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.[a]

¹⁸ For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.