Cooking with Honey

By Michele

A little bit of honey a day, is as good as an apple a day, to keep the doctor away! I’m a big fan of honey, using it in cooking, my tea or just by the spoonful.

Honey is rich in nutrients and antioxidants, has antibacterial properties, and can play a role in diabetes management as part of a balanced diet.

Other than a whole host of medicinal benefits, cooking with honey is sweetly delicious.

Below are three recipes I made with honey that I believe you will enjoy.

The first recipe is made with honey I purchased from Meghan Markel’s website As Ever. It states, “that it is a 100% California-harvested honey. Wildflower blooms with fresh floral notes and a deep, warm amber hue, while glimmering golden Orange Blossom sings with a bright citrus flavor. Inspired by Meghan’s own appreciation for the art of harvesting this natural delight at her family home in Montecito, California, this honey brings sweetness and delight to daily rituals.”

The Wildflower Honey went perfectly with an easy and tasty baklava recipe.

Baklava Bites (15 pieces)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter, melted

½ cup plain walnuts

½ cup salted pistachios

2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼  cup Wildflower honey

1 box Mini Phyllo Shells (15 count)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place your phyllo cups on a cookie sheet or in a muffin tin. Brush edges with some of the melted butter. Set aside remaining butter.

3. Place nuts in food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped.

4. In a small bowl, mix nuts, cinnamon, sugar and remaining butter together. Add honey and incorporate.

5. Fill phyllo cups.

6. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until edges are golden.

7. Serve warm or cooled.

The As Ever Orange Blossom Honey was used in a simple recipe for honey orange cake by Alton Brown. He calls it “Aunt Verna’s Honey Orange Cake.” I call it “deliciousness” as it’s sweet without sugar and the flecks of orange zest add a delightful orange essence and citrusy flavor. Prior to serving, I drizzled each slice with a little honey.

In about 35 minutes you have a cake, ready to serve.

Ingredients

1 cup orange blossom honey

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch baking soda

Butter, for greasing

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a loaf pan with butter.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together honey and eggs until thoroughly integrated. Stir in orange zest.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Slowly add to egg mixture.

4. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake. After 30 minutes check for doneness with a wooden skewer. (If it comes out clean, you are done. If not, give it another 5 minutes and check it again).

Lastly, I made a crostini with cheese and Klio’s Ikaria Pine and Wildflower Greek honey. I’ve been a fan of this honey for years. Here’s something about it from the Klio website:

"Honey from Ikaria contains anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and is eaten often" says author Dan Beuttner, who names Ikaria one of the 5 "Blue Zones" in the world for longevity. Ikaria Honey is of exceptionally high quality and is revered by the famously long-lived Ikarians, who consume it daily and believe it has remarkable healing properties.

Our beekeeper places the hives in pristine hard-to-reach mountainous areas where the bees feed on the native Ikarian pine, heather, and a broad range of native wildflowers and herbs.Due to its mountainous and undulating rocky terrain, conventional commercial agriculture does not exist on the island of Ikaria, resulting in a very pristine environment.”

LEGENDARY "BLUE ZONE" HONEY

FROM THE ANCIENT HEALING ISLAND OF IKARIA

"WHERE PEOPLE FORGET TO DIE"

All that said, I used the Pine and Wildflower Honey atop a cheese crostini. Simple, yet delicious!

This appetizer is extremely versatile. I used ricotta cheese atop a toasted crostini, but you could use goat cheese, a Manchego, even a gruyere cheese. Simply place cheese on the toasted bread and top with a small amount of honey. I garnished with some dried edible flowers.

Other ways I use this particular honey, is in my tea or drizzled on plain yogurt. Or I just enjoy it by the spoonful! Though I don’t live in a blue zone, I’m counting on getting some health benefits from this honey.