Oh, Honey!

     

        My Mother is a huge honey lover. I’ve used it here and there to sweeten my tea or pour over hot biscuits, but apparently Momma was onto something because honey can be used in all sorts of ways. You can choose normal honey or opt for raw honey, which has a different, creamier texture and still contains pollen, propolis, honeycomb, and enzymes. All honey is rich with antioxidants, a natural energy booster, packed with vitamins and minerals and easily accessible. With so many uses, there’s no excuse not to have a plethora packed in your pantry.     

         I am a baking freak and I recently found out that you can substitute honey for sugar when baking! Use 3/4 cup of honey for each 1 cup of sugar.  You will need to reduce the other liquid ingredients by 1/4 cup, but the products will actually come out with a lot more moisture. I also like to use flavored honeys to change things up in some of my classic recipes.

        Everyone knows that you can eat honey, but have you ever tried it for other purposes? For example, you can add honey to running water for a sweet, relaxing bath. You can also add it to your conditioner for a daily boost of shine or mix with about 3 cups of water and run it through shampooed hair (do not rinse out) for an immediate hair boost!  It can also be used as a facemask. Mix 2 tablespoons of milk with 2 tablespoons of honey and massage into your skin to soothe away daily stressors. Rinse it off after 10 minutes for silky, sweet skin.

        Taking a dose of local honey daily will reduce reactions to pollen in the air. I’m sure that you already know about the soothing effects of honey on a sore throat. There are several different varieties of honey. You can buy flavors like rosemary, lavender and chile pepper from websites like www.ThistleDewFarm.com. The color of honey actually changes depending on the type of flower the bees use to make their pollen from. You can also get flavors of honey (huckleberry is one of my favorites that I always get in Tennessee) and I’ve never had a honey that I didn’t like. 

        If you don’t know a good place to get honey, hop online and order a small sample pack to start from a site like www.MarshallsHoney.com or test out raw honey from www.ReallyRawHoney.com. I prefer to buy mine at farmers’ markets, but all honey from any source is sure to sweeten your life a little!