Herbal Syrups
Sweet, Soothing, Delicious
It's the Ahhhhh.... of Herbal Medicine
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I love making syrups, the smell of a syrup simmering on the stove is one of the best smells! You can get very creative with your herbal syrups, try adding some berries, spices, or fruits, be creative!
Syrups are pretty easy to make. They are a wonderful remedy to keep on hand, they are tasty sweet medicine that can be used for a verity of aliments. There are not just for illness. You can make immune syrups, energy syrups, LOVE syrups and more!
To Make a syrup, you simply make a strong herbal brew ( think strong strong tea). For a sweetener you can use honey (Honey will help store your syrup for a couple months in the refrigerator, it is also very healing for sore throats and coughs) maple syrup or fruit juice concentrate or fruit juice. If you need to preserve it for a longer amount of time add vodka, brandy, whiskey etc..
Things to do with syrup- You can add syrup to your herbal teas, on pancakes, in your smoothies, herbal pop-cycles... There are many things you can do, so have some fun!
Basic Syrup Making:
Use 2 ounces of herb mixture or fruit or both, to 1 quart of water. Over low heat, simmer the liquid down to 1 pint (half way). This will give you very concentrated tea.
Strain the herbs from the liquid. I use a strainer with a cheesecloth over a 4 cup measuring cup. Squeeze out all the excess liquid from the cheese cloth. Pour liquid back into the pot
To each pint of liquid, add 1 cup (more or less) of honey/or other sweetener to the pot.
Warm it gently, on low. Mix well. You can cook it on a higher heat to thicken it up, but watch it closely. I prefer mine, cooked gently on low and it is a bit waterier, but it will be more alive with the enzymes from the honey and herbs, than the high heat method.
If you like, once mixed you can add fruit concentrate.
It will last a month if refrigerated or in the kitchen cupboard for few weeks.
If you need it to last longer than add a small amount of alcohol such as brandy or vodka. I have used Whiskey to. Add about a 1/4 cup per 2 cups of syrup.
Honey Onion Syrup:
A delicious remedy for colds, flu's sore throats, and coughs. Great for children and adults.
Ingredients:
one large onion
1-2 cups honey
Optional Ingredients: few cloves of chopped garlic or some fresh grated ginger
How to make:
Cut onion in half, then cut into very thin discs,
In a medium sized saucepan add onion and optional ingredients. Add enough honey to lightly cover all of the cut items. cook over low heat for 30 minutes(do not boil), until onions get juicy and soft.. Place in a glass jar and cover with lid and lable. No need to strain.
This will store in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Take by teaspoons when you feel a cold or flu coming on, Soothes coughs and boosts immune system. You can eat the onions in the syrup.
Horseradish Honey Syrup for Cough:
Horseradish syrup quells coughs and soothes a sore throat; grate a small piece of horseradish into a small saucepan. Squeeze the pulp over the pan to extract additional juice. Add a little honey and enough water just to cover the pulp; boil for 5 min. let the pulp cool, and then squeeze the pulp again to catch any additional juice; discard the pulp. Mix the horseradish juice with enough honey to make a palatable syrup. Take up to 5 tbsp. of the syrup a day.
Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients
Basic Elderberry Syrup
Make:
