Have you been celebrating National Ice Cream Month? It’s so easy to make your own, even if you don’t have an ice cream maker! Here are our top four recipes to keep you cool:

1 - Coffee Sweet Potato Nice Cream: We really think we cracked the code on this one. It honestly tastes JUST like regular ice cream except you could literally eat this every day for breakfast and feel great!

2 - Dairy-Free Spicy Mexican Chocolate Soft Serve: Because some like it hot AND sweet! Soft serve is even easier to make without any gadgets or constant stirring and this one is dairy free too!

This recipe is a little more time consuming than our usual, but it’s just too good not to share, plus it’s not technically difficult and it only has three ingredients, one of which is optional!

Our Honey Candied Orange Peels may be a little different from the ones you’re used to. The honey gives them more of a jelly texture vs the dryer texture you get when candying with sugar but many who try them say they prefer a softer texture.  

For these, we used our Leatherwood Honey. Leatherwood Honey is considered to be one of the rarest honeys in the world. The Leatherwood tree is mostly found in remote areas of Tasmania and takes 80-100 YEARS to flower! 

Technically, you could use any of our honey for these candied peels but if you have never tried Leatherwood it is definitely an experience and, especially for its rarity, is quite reasonably priced. We put it on ALL the fruits!

We finished these by dipping them in melted Raspberry Manuka Chocolates. This part is optional…though your taste buds may disagree.

A 2013 review of 29 clinical trials involving more than 11,000 people showed vitamin C supplementation did not consistently affect the duration or severity of the common cold. 

The authors of the study state: "The failure of vitamin C supplementation to reduce the incidence of colds in the general population indicates that routine vitamin C supplementation is not justified."

So what should you reach for when feeling ill? Research says Zinc! There have been many conflicting studies about Zinc over the years until more recently when scientists discovered that the key is to take zinc within 24 hours of experiencing symptoms. Furthermore, the studies showed that supplementation of Zinc for five months reduced the frequency of colds and antibiotic use. 

Zinc can be taken as a supplement, in lozenge or liquid form; however, many report a lasting bad aftertaste and upset stomach with these methods. Additionally, the most bioavailable form of Zinc is in food. Foods high in zinc include meat, legumes, nuts & seeds, and our favorite: dark chocolate.

Of course, eating more fruits and vegetables and ensuring you are getting the vitamins and minerals you need, including vitamin C, are essential to your overall health and will affect how often you get sick. 

Instead of juice, eat the whole fruit. Fruit juice contains high sugar content without fiber and other nutrients needed to process the sugars slowly. Additionally, eating whole fruits and vegetables is the best way for your body to absorb nutrients. 

Based on these factors and the effectiveness of Manuka honey for cold & flu symptoms, our Manuka Honey Dark Chocolate Patties are a great way to supplement some of your DV of zinc and Manuka honey to reduce symptoms and get you well faster! Dark chocolate lovers & vegans will enjoy the delicious dark chocolate bars from  Solomon’s Gold.

You can also incorporate dark chocolate & Manuka into tasty snacks your whole family will love! Here are a couple of our favorite recipes:

#1 - Chocolate & Honey Rice Cakes: top them with seeds & nuts for even more zinc!

#2 - Coffee Sweet Potato Nice Cream: because dessert can be nutrient-dense, delicious, AND decadent.

#3 - Chocolate Caramel Popcorn: perfect for movie night or an afternoon snack!

Gluten-Free & Ready in Under 30 Minutes!

Do you preplan your desserts, or do they happen on a whim? We never know when that post-dinner craving will strike. When it does, we’ll be ready with these fantastic lava cakes - just mix, wait and bake! 

As with many dishes, who invented lava cakes is in dispute. Some say it originated at a bake-off in 1966, while two pastry chefs each say they developed it in the 1980s, and another insists there was already a dessert like it in France before then. Many of us have a nostalgic connection to this dessert no matter where it began, as it became wildly popular in the 1990s. 

Lava cakes were named for their liquid chocolate center, and our recipe uses our favorite PRI Dark Chocolate Patties to create this ooey-gooey delicious core! Since the patties come in five flavors, you can pick your favorite! We tried caramel and coffee, which were both amazing!

The bonus of using manuka honey in your desserts is its impressive oral care benefits. Manuka Honey will help reduce plaque by preventing the development of biofilms, which make plaque harder to remove. It also restricts bacteria formation preventing tooth cavities and other gum problems like periodontal disease, gingivitis, bleeding, receding gums, dry mouth, and bad breath.

Of course, while brushing your teeth afterward is still recommended, you certainly wouldn’t get the same benefits from other sweeteners and other types of honey!

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup oat flour sifted
• ¼ cocoa powder sifted
• ½ tsp espresso powder, sifted
• ½ tbsp cornstarch sifted
• 1 tsp baking powder, sifted
• ⅛ tsp PRI Fine Sea Salt
• ⅓ cup almond milk
• 3 tbsp PRI Manuka Honey
• ½ tsp vanilla 
• 1-2 PRI Manuka Chocolate Patties

Instructions:

1. Sift the oat flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
2. Then add in almond milk, manuka honey, and vanilla. Stir until the batter is well combined and the honey is incorporated throughout. Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes to bubble up.
3. Grease a ramekin with oil or spray and then fill it halfway with the batter. Then place in one or two manuka chocolate patties and fill to the top with the rest of the batter.
4. Air fry for 12-14 minutes at 360°F. The cook time depends on the individual air fryer, so you check on it around the 8-minute mark. The longer you cook it, the less gooey it will be.
5. Remove from the air fryer and let cool. Top with ice cream or powdered sugar, and enjoy!

Out of all the creative ways to eat rice cakes, this is one of our favorites! We are constantly experimenting with our fun & flavorful Manuka Honey chocolates and this recipe is simple and perfect for kids & adults alike. This recipe will work especially well as an after school snack! 

Chocolate & strawberries pair well together in so many applications so we had to include them in this recipe! This goes without saying that Manuka Honey and strawberries also go together very well. Putting all of them together is a recipe for success! 

To make this rice cake recipe even more special, we included a variety of nuts that help add a saltiness that boosts the flavor profile of our chocolate rice cakes. Of course, this is in addition to the tremendous nutritional value in nuts (if you’re not allergic).

Coconut flakes are also a delicious topping for this snack! If you’re a fan of toasting your coconuts before adding them as a topping, feel free to take the extra time to do so. It should only take a few minutes to get a light toasting on them, or you can buy already toasted coconut shavings if you want to save time!

Ingredients

Produce

• 2 tbsp dried strawberries
• 2 tbsp Goji berries

Baking & Spices

• 10 Manuka Honey Chocolates (Raspberry Flavor)
• 2 tbsp Granola

Nuts & Seeds

• 2 tbsp Coconut flakes
• 2 tbsp Pumpkin seeds

Bread & Baked Goods

• 12 Brown rice cakes

RECIPE

1. Melt about 10 Raspberry Manuka Honey chocolates in a bowl
2. Apply melted chocolate to rice cakes
3. Arrange toppings to your liking!

If you’ve never tried our Manuka Honey chocolates on their own, they’re delicious in their own right! We like to treat our unique & healthy Manuka Honey treats as versatile snacks that can be used in so many recipes. Our chocolate flavors now include Salted Caramel, Coffee, Ginger, Mint, & Raspberry -- all of which can make for great options in this recipe and many more!

We crafted our special Manuka Honey chocolate patty recipe to be gluten-free & dairy-free without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives so they can be healthy as possible & diet-friendly! 

What makes the perfect snack? We like ours to be healthy, tasty & not straight out of a box. If we already have the ingredients, that’s an added plus! 

We hope these PB-MH Bars check all of your boxes too. It only requires about 10 minutes of your time and then a bit of patience while they firm up in the fridge. This is also a great recipe for the kids to help with and is easily customized. Here are some ways you could switch it up:

• Use your favorite cereal
• Use your favorite nut or seed butter
• Add nuts, seeds or dried fruit
• Melt your favorite Manuka Dark Chocolate Patty flavor over the top!

Any way you do it, they make a tasty part of a balanced breakfast, after-lunch dessert or on-the-go snack.

Here is what you need:

• 6 Cups Of O-Shaped Cereal
• 1 Cup Unsalted Peanut Butter
• ¾ Cup PRI Manuka Honey
• 2 Tbsp  Coconut Oil
• 1 Tsp Vanilla
• ½ Tsp PRI Fine Sea Salt 

Instructions:

1. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, combine peanut butter with manuka honey and coconut oil and stir on low heat until well incorporated throughout (2-3 minutes). 
3. Turn the heat off and stir in vanilla and sea salt. Then add in 3 cups of cheerios and stir until they are covered in the peanut honey mixture. Pour in the remaining 3 cups and gently stir until well incorporated. It should be similar to rice crispy treats and stick together.
4. Pour the cheerio mixture into the parchment lined pan and refrigerate overnight or for a few hours until firm.
5. Slice into bars and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy for a week or freeze to enjoy later.

To celebrate #lacyoatmealcookieday we teamed up with @thesoulfullproject to create a delicious, crunchy, healthy treat! You can easily make them gluten free & dairy free if desired. We then dipped the cookies in our melted 3-ingredient Mint Manuka Chocolates but you could use any of our brand new flavors including: raspberry, coffee & caramel
.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup @thesoulfullproject Irish Steel Cut Oats or Hearty Grains & Seeds
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon PRI fine-grain sea salt
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/3 cup PRI Manuka Honey
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted (and cooled)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon PRI flaky sea salt for topping
¼ cup melted Shop Pri Chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE THE COOKIES:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix the oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda and fine sea salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, honey and melted butter until combined. Add the egg and pour in the vanilla, whisk until combined. Add the flour mixture in a couple batches, stirring in between additions until combined.
Using a tablespoon, scoop out balls of dough, spacing them about 2 1/2-inches from one another on baking sheets. The cookies will spread a lot. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until they spread, and the edges are lightly golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully move the cookies onto a cooling rack. Let sit for at least an hour before dipping in chocolate.

TO MELT CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING:
In a medium saucepan bring about 2 inches of water to a low boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and place a glass bowl (or oven safe) bowl over the saucepan to fit on top. Slowly stir the chocolate until melted.

Holidays and parties are looming on the horizon. Now’s the time those invites are coming in from your Auntie Jane, your Cousin Laura, your best friend, etc. Every year it’s the same old story: “What do I get the gracious hostess?”

Here are a few suggestions to show your appreciation next time you get that special invitation.

The Manuka Honey Tea Set.

Manuka Honey is always special, particularly if you add it to your tea. A combination of fancy teas and a jar of Manuka Honey is a great gift. After a big party, the tired host will appreciate a relaxing beverage to finish off the day.

I usually like to package the gift and make it look extra special. The Oriental Trading Company offers nice gift boxes like this box example.

The Chef’s Power Salts

Pacific Resources International has a collection of Flavored Pacific Sea Salts that can really kick up a dinner. This power salt trio can delight that chef in your family – Chipotle, Mesquite, Flaky! Wrap it up in an unfinished wood box and surround the salts with tissue. 

The Beauty Travel Kit

Everybody needs a travel kit! Your hostess will appreciate those little things you never take the time to buy for yourself. Pick a nice travel bag and add a couple of items from the following list of fine Manuka Honey products:

• Manuka Sea Salt Soap
• Propolis and Manuka Honey Lozenges
• Manuka Honey Lip Balm
• Tea Tree Oil
• Manuka Honey Hand Cream
• Propolis & Active Manuka Oral Spray

Or all the above 😊😊😊

The Sweet Treat Thank You

Sweets are always welcome at a party. Especially for the hostess that wants to serve a little something after a large dinner:

• Manuka Honey Salted Caramels
• Manuka Honey Chocolates – Mint and Ginger
• Manuka Honey Sticks – for the kids
• Manuka Honey Nuggets – Honey, Lemon, Ginger

Would love to hear from you and have you share your gift ideas.

Summer is upon us friends! The sun is shining, school is out and that means it’s time to get outside! Whether you like to camp, hike, build sand castles at the beach or just have a simple picnic this Honey Almond Granola is the perfect partner for your adventures!

Made with lots of fiber, healthy fats, prebiotics and, of course, flavor we just had to share our favorite granola recipe with you :)

DYK that sprouted seeds don’t just have more fiber but more insoluble fiber making them a great prebiotic. Additionally sprouting makes the seeds easier to digest and allows for easier absorption of nutrients.

Paired with manuka honey, which studies show is also a great prebiotic, this granola will give you and your family the long lasting energy you need for your outings without the crash of traditional sugar.

We do heat the honey in this recipe therefore it is no longer raw however, the MGO (aka methylglyoxal) will not be affected much by the process so you can feel even better knowing you are reaping the unique benefits manuka has to offer.



Honey Almond Granola
Yields: 8-10 cups

Ingredients:
4.5 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
1 cup sprouted pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sprouted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/3 ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp PRI Fine Sea Salt
½ cup coconut oil (melted)
½ cup PRI Manuka Honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: rolled oats, slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and sea salt. Whisk until well combined.

3. In a small bowl, mix the wet ingredients: melted coconut oil with manuka honey and vanilla extract. Stir well until mixture is as combined and smooth as you can get it.

4. Next, transfer the wet into the dry ingredients and stir for a few minutes until the mixture begins to stick together, add additional honey if needed.

5. Transfer the mixture to the baking sheet with parchment paper and smooth it out in a even flat layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flip half way. The granola will be ready once it starts to become golden brown.

6. Remove from the oven and let it cool down before breaking it up into pieces. Serve with yogurt, milk, berries, or dried fruit and enjoy! Store in airtight containers.

The holidays are among us! You can substitute honey to all your favorite holiday dishes. This delicious Manuka Honey Bourbon Glazed Ham recipe makes the perfect main dish for your holiday dinner party.

Ingredients 

• 1 (9 1/4-lb.) fully cooked, bone-in ham
• 40 whole cloves
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Manuka Honey
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1/3 cup Creole mustard
• 1/3 cup molasses

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove skin from ham, and trim fat to 1/4-inch thickness. Make shallow cuts in fat 1 inch apart in a diamond pattern; insert cloves in centers of diamonds. Place ham in an aluminum foil-lined 13- x 9-inch pan.

2. Stir together brown sugar and next 4 ingredients; spoon over ham.

3. Bake at 350° on lowest oven rack 2 hours and 30 minutes, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. Shield ham with foil after 1 hour to prevent excessive browning. Remove ham from oven, and let stand 30 minutes.

TRY THIS TWIST!

Honey-Bourbon Boneless Glazed Ham: Substitute 1 (4-lb.) smoked, fully cooked boneless ham for bone-in. Reduce cloves to 3 (do not insert into ham). Stir together brown sugar mixture as directed in Step 2; stir in cloves. Place ham in a foil-lined 13- x 9-inch pan. Pour sauce over ham. Bake as directed, reducing bake time to 1 hour and basting every 30 minutes. Makes 10 servings. Hands-on time: 10 min.; Total time: 1 hr., 10 min.

Based on a recipe from Southern Living

There is nothing like a lengthy soak in a bath of warm water to melt the stress away, so make sure to set a date with your tub as often as possible. And to make it extra soothing, you can add Manuka Honey, Manuka Oil, and Sea Salt; all ingredients which will leave the skin feeling smoother, softer, and brighter. The combined antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory & pH balancing benefits can help remove toxins, and dead skin cells, and cleanse your skin’s pores deeply keeping your skin moisturized and nourished. Here are some of our favorite recipes to take your bath from average to “oh my goodness, I feel so much better!”

Need a mental and physical refresh? Whip up this recipe for Calendula and Mint infused herbal bath salts, which will calm your mind and soothe your body. These bath salts feature our Bio-Gro Certified Sea Salt, full of trace minerals to infuse your bath with relaxation. These bath salts were created by our friend Colleen. Click here for the recipe - https://www.growforagecookferment.com/herbal-bath-salt/

When you don’t have a lot of time on your hands, but you know you need a dip in the tub, you can spruce up your bath with just two ingredients that are nutrient-dense, antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory (as well as being known relaxants,) that will help you de-stress and feel better. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Pacific Sea Salt
• 3-5 drops of Manuka Oil
• Stir the salt into a hot bath to dissolve, and then let the water cool to your preferred soaking temperature. Add in the drops and soak to your heart’s content.

When you are feeling spent, it might be time to spend some time in a luxury bath full of delicious ingredients that will leave you feeling silky-smooth and ready for anything that comes your way!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sweet almond oil
• 1/3 cup PRI Manuka Honey
• 1/2 cup unscented body soap
• 1/4 cup vegetable glycerin
• Optional: a few drops of a favorite essential oil (though the honey smell is divine as is!) In a mixing bowl, combine all of the above ingredients until smooth. Use right away or keep stored in a lidded container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. To use: pour 1/4 cup-1/2 cup under running water. Enjoy!

And if you need a quick option - simply scoop a couple of tablespoons of our Manuka honey directly under the warm running water as you fill the tub. Then soak the day away, while you relax and allow your skin to enjoy the healing power of the honey.

Answering your Most Searched Questions about Manuka Honey! 

In this edition, we celebrate World Breastfeeding Month and answer the question: Is honey safe to eat while breastfeeding? 

The short answer is: yes, you can eat as much honey as you wish. In fact, it is considered a galactagogue, (5) meaning a food (or herb) that aids in milk production.

Many ask this question since there is a concern about botulism in babies until 1 year old. At this age their digestive system lacks enough acidity in the stomach to kill botulism causing bacteria. Symptoms may begin as early as a few hours or 12-36 hours after consumption. Symptoms in infant botulism include constipation, blurred vision and muscle weakness.  (1) 

However, you cannot transmit botulism via your milk so you just need to ensure that any babies under the age of 1 don't have direct access, so it's best not to use it directly on your skin and to wash your hands after consuming.

There are actually many benefits to taking manuka honey while breastfeeding besides supporting milk production. Due to manuka's unique benefits like providing both a natural energy boost without the crash AND more restful sleep (4) depending on when you take it, supporting your immune system (3), and much more.

It can also be a great help if you have a sore throat, cold, or flu since many OTC medicines often contain ingredients that are contraindicated while breastfeeding. Additionally manuka honey has been found more effective against these symptoms than OTC medicines! (6) (7)

Resources:  

 (1)https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/botulism/fact_sheet.htm

(2)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7178798/

(3)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8347116/

(4)https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04207281

(5)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9246572/

(6)https://ebm.bmj.com/content/26/2/57

(7)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4264806/