Raw Elderflower Granita w Raw Honey
What do you
reallytruly100procent count on?
We grow up in a beautiful yet twisted world where folks say that there are a very few things we can count on (apart from ourselves and sometimes not even that). Sound familiar? Truth is, AH, the truth is there are SO many things that we CAN count on! Such as how we sneakily create our own bountiful reality, that thunder often come during a crazy rainfall and that love can turn a sane person into very silly one. Another thing we can count on are Elderflowers. Oh yes we can and Oh yes we will!
Where are you when the Elderflowers bloom? Are you standing outside in a wild garden with sleep still in your eyes wearing a fab summery dress and with your hands up up up in the skies, just like I did today. I hope you have bees buzzing around you, playing games with the poppies, butterflies and daisies. Playing games with You. I should probably say that the smell of flowers is all around, but no. The scent of honey is actually most prominent and it makes me want to run completely naked in the forest covered in dew and honey. I mean, why not!? Let´s be WILD, baby!
Fun & Fabulous Facts
I did say that you can always count on the Elderflowers but the truth is, they are depending on the honey bees to be able to bloom. Correction, they are depending on you. Thing is, Earthsproutlings, it is time we gather our forces to save the honey bees.
Did you know that 1/3 of the bee population have dissapeared. Dissapeared as in dead, gone, never coming back. Without bees there would be pretty much no fruits and vegetables growing and one thing is certain; veganism would be extremely tough. This is what we are looking at if we do not change something, folks. It is a very hard thing to grasp but if you turn your focus towards how our beautiful agriculture has turned into an destructive agribusiness we are looking straight at the problem. ”Regular” pesticides (sprayed on the crops), systemic pesticides (when the poison is put inside the seed), monoculture (meaning only one crop is grown) and many many other factors have a part of the killing of bees. So are you with me, let´s save those little superheroes!
I´m thinking it is time we not only spread but shouted out the incredible properties of raw honey, royal jelly, propolis and bee pollen to the world. See, humans have been harvesting honey for well over 10 000 years not only for it´s nutritional value but also for it´s spiritual value and surely also because it is SO tasty. Raw, unheated honey has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-septic properties and has been widely used for healing in many ways. Honey can for example be used to balance hormonal issues, relieve stress and depression, treat high blood pressure and numerous other amazing things. Recent Swedish studies show that freshly harvested, raw honey is many more times powerful than even antibiotics and it´s miraculous properties are being investigated as we speak.
So go find yourself a good source of honey, get it while it´s fresh, enjoy it´s sweetness (on many levels) and save the honey bees while doing so!
Raw Elderflower Granita w Honey
The Elderflower lemonade was a part of each and every childhood summer. You know it too, right? That incredible (very sugary) drink that is so smack packed with summer that it can fool you big time even if you drink it in January. This version right here is far more healthy and only consists out of 4 superhero ingredients. Pure water, Raw Honey, Elderflowers and Lemons. Now it is up to you if you wish to keep it as a lemonade or if you want to beat the July heat with some tres sexy Elderflower Granita.
Makes 2 litres
2 litres of purified (or regular) water
15 clusters of Elderflower blossoms
2 organic Lemons
6 tbsp Raw Honey
1. Rinse the flowers and make sure that there are no darling bugs left somewhere in there. If so, open the window and let them out. Put the clean clusters in a big enough glass jar.
2. Rinse and slice the lemons and put them in the jar along with the honey
3. Pour over the water, put the lid on ant let it sit for 48 hours. Shake the jar a little 2 times a day.
4. Sieve the ready to drink lemonade (add more water if you think it is too concentrated) and if you wish to make a granita then simply pour it into a container of some sort and put it in the freezer for 12 hours.
Arrange the Granita with slices of really ripe peach and leaves of fresh lemon balm. Eat right away and send a ton of love to the bees who truly made this deliciousness possible.
So when I decide to run naked through that forest among the butterflies and honey bees I´ll remember to bring a huge sign that says ”Indulge in Raw Honey and save the world”. I know you want to do it too!
Now come on over to Facebook and Twitter, get the honey party started and tell everyone you know plus the entire web space about how to make this earth a better place and eat Elderflower Granita at the same time.
Also, I am super curious, where do you get your honey, honey? Do share those insights and sources of yours with all Earthsproutlings in the comments below!
Sources:
Vanishing of the Bees, a documentary
Healing with whole foods, Paul Pitchford, North Atlantic Books 2002
27 Comments
Kristin
13 juli, 2012I would love to run wild and free in the forest with you but I’m afraid if I were naked I would scare any of the few bees we have left away!
ElenoreEarth
13 juli, 2012i do not believe that for a split second even! ;)
Laura
13 juli, 2012Wow this look so yummy! I’m not sure if I would recognise elderflower though, will have a look for sure.
I want to save honey bees!
I just found this shop a few days ago http://thehivehoneyshop.co.uk/default.asp
They are located in London, however I couldn’t wait till my next London trip so I’ve bought online :)
Local honey can be surprising hard to find sometimes, at the moment I have a few jars from our holiday in France YUM.
ElenoreEarth
13 juli, 2012Gosh, amazing link! thank you Laura for hooking us up! Many hugs!
Jana
13 juli, 2012simply amazing recipe…I adore elderflower myself, I have been preparing some limo with it for the last few weeks; the taste is so intense that at home we were drinking it without any added honey:-)
your pictures are so beautiful+inspiring! about the honey: I am too biggest fan ever:-)
and yes, LETS save the bees! I can not imagine a world without flowers, fruits+veggies…
THANKS for all of this!xxx
ElenoreEarth
13 juli, 2012And THANK YOU for being a fan of the bees! We are needed, without doubt;)
Falan
13 juli, 2012”love can turn a sane person into very silly one” I adore that, Elenore! Tweet it :)
I get my raw honey from a local honesty box stand here in Asheville. (local farmer) Good stuff and great post!
Ana
13 juli, 2012I haven’t had elderflower lemonade in such a long time, and finally this year, we got 2 elderberry bushes. We picked the flowers a little while ago and put them to dry, so the lemonade will be happening soon! :D That’s why I’m so glad I found your recipe right now, because the only one we knew about is the bad one with lots of sugar.
Also, I really loved your point about honey bees, and I agree that’s it’s such an important issue that sadly most people aren’t aware of.
Wishing you a great weekend! :)
ElenoreEarth
16 juli, 2012Oh, that´s perfect then! I hope you´ll love it as much as I do!
Yup, let´s save those little buzzing precious ones!
Mély
14 juli, 2012Hello little magical You :-)
I do not eat any honey, but I do eat fresh pollen (made by a little farmer). I do love so much pollen ! Every morning I take a spoon of it, in my breakfast :-)
For the honey : they are so many kind of honey (lavender, chestnuts, pin…), I do not know which one eat.
In naturopathy, we consider honey as extremely precious, but advise to eat it alone (not with other ingredients).
Let’s save the little precious bees ♥
ElenoreEarth
16 juli, 2012…m-mm pollen <3 <3 <3
Anna Pawo
15 juli, 2012w0w! Looking forward som elderflowerdrinks when I come back home! By the way, they have raw red honey here in Ubud – very flowery tasty! yummy for my tummy!
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy
17 juli, 2012oh my gosh this sounds so refreshing and delicious! yum!
karina hafnor
17 juli, 2012Hi! Most of the honey on the marked in Norway is local and naturally raw, one of the beekeepers on the local farmers market told we a couple of weeks ago.
However, it’s impossible to get hold of any local beepollen. Do you have any local beepollen in Sweden, made from swedish bees and swedish flowers? I mean, it HAVE to be better to eat pollen made from flowers and bees that live in the same climate and flora as we do. I’m not too keen to import pollen from either the US, Spain or Romania.
What’s your source?
ElenoreEarth
17 juli, 2012Hi sweet!
It´s the same thing in Sweden, the honey is naturally raw (otherwise not approved)
Sad to hear that you cannot get a hold of local pollen, however the knowledge about bee pollen
is really not widely spread among bee keepers. Maybe you can find one and try to make them collect!?
It´s an easy thing really. Just put a little filter/net in front of the opening on the hive.
Good luck, girl and hope to see you in September!
Margaret
17 juli, 2012This looks amazing…we are obsessed with our amazing honey from Pakistan. It’s dark and smokey, so delicious. I wonder if it is too strong for this drink?
ElenoreEarth
17 juli, 2012Ohhh, that sounds almost to good to be true! Send me some pleeeease!
I would advise you to try, I mean if it is delish then there should be no problems.. right?
Love
Wendy Cozzens
17 juli, 2012This recipe looks fabulous! Thank you! One of my children was curious about bee’s and this sent us on a learning adventure about honey and how it is made. They kept laughing at the word ”secreted” when ever it was mentioned, ”you mean the bees throw up mom” We were amazed at the importance the royal jelly has in forming the queen bee and her role in the hive. My teen boys wondered how much royal jelly they would need to take to have the same strength comparatively as the queen bee! :)
ElenoreEarth
19 juli, 2012Oh, you got to love the curiosity of children! It´s of great importance that we bring out that in ourselves too:) How awesome that vi ventured into the bee-world to learn some new exciting stuff!
Bee rocks! <3
Lots of love to you and your family!
KirstenOrchard
17 juli, 2012I get a twinkle of excitement whenever I new post pops up from you..Thank you for such inspiration and light!
Just wondering- what is the story with veganism and bee products? I’v met a few vegans who feel the bee’s may be harmed, but others who spoon it lovingly and liberally into their chai! Any thoughts?
Being a Kiwi.. my favourite honey in the world is Manuka honey from NZ- so medicinal and delicious!
X
ElenoreEarth
19 juli, 2012Ohh, Manuka honey- you tease! ;) I love manuka but do not really love the idea to order it all the way to sweden equally..
So I´ll stick to my local alternatives.
You are right, there are many many point of views when it comes to honey. For mee it´s all about supporting the earth and right now she needs her bees.
greenylicious bliss to ya!
Lana
18 juli, 2012Beautiful post! I’m not sure if we have elderflower here, but this looks absolutely gorgeous. I LOVE honey, don’t eat it too often as I try to keep my sugar intake down, but once in a while I do enjoy a spoonful! We buy good quality, local honey and it is a gorgeous dark amber colour and tastes so magical you can tell it’s real honey! It is so important to be buying fresh local honey from reputable farmers – last year I was reading about how even some of the bigger honey chains in the US were getting their honey imported from China – super cheap stuff that was sometimes not even really honey, but mixed with sugar water, corn syrup, etc.! I found an article about it here – http://healthland.time.com/2011/08/22/tainted-chinese-honey-may-be-on-u-s-store-shelves/ but I am sure there are lots of sources that will tell you similar things. I’d rather spend more on quality honey that I know came from a reputable source rather than buying something at the supermarket from a squeeze bottle – yuck! Anyways, I do agree with you, we have to protect all our little friends! Much love to you dear Elenore! Xoxo from australia.
ElenoreEarth
19 juli, 2012I know.. the squeeze bottles – iik!
Have you watched Vanishing of the bees? I believe you would find it very interesting indeed. They also speak about
that Chinese fake honey that is being shipped over, making it impossible for local honey farmers to say on the market.
Keep enjoying that deep amber honey of yours! (and send me a spoon!)
/E
Wednesday, July 18th… | For Every Atom Belonging To Me As Good Belongs To You
3 oktober, 2012[...] Elderflower granita with [...]
Penelope
5 december, 2012Thanks, Elenore — beats the raw sugar recipe I’ve been using, although my mother used to say, don’t wash the flowers because it removes the vital, tiny microfauna that enhance fermantation. We had our own bees in the garden until very recently when my partner’s back and impending varroa infestation stopped him in his tracks. We may yet pick it up again but meanwhile, his children’s books with bee protagonists are gaining in popularity (and importance, I reckon). http://www.raymondhuber.co.nz
ElenoreEarth
5 december, 2012Hi Penelope <3
The words of your mother sounds very wise I have to say! Might need to change the recipe a bit;)
I am So so sorry to hear about your bees! Damn! I truly hope that the world of the bees will be a better one very soon
and those children’s books look amazing! Pinning them for when I have kids!
With love <3
Wednesday, July 18th… | Journal
7 maj, 2013[...] Elderflower granita with [...]