Frozen Treat Recipe: Strawberry, Buttermilk & Honey Ice Cream

Ice cream in the summertime. Is there really anything better? Well, making your own steps things up a notch.

This delicious little recipe calls for a mild, raw honey, rather than the heaps of sugar that you'll normally find in processed stuff. It's so refreshing to know exactly what ingredients go into your ice cream-- because you made it from scratch! The flavor is delicate and fresh, with a subtle sweetness to it. Rounding up these few simple ingredients is a cinch, and you don't even need an ice cream maker! Read on for this fantastic recipe...

Strawberry, Buttermilk and Raw Honey Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk1 cup heavy cream5 egg yolks1/4 cup + 1 tbsp raw honey1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled1 tsp lemon juice
Optional: extra strawberries, halved, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the buttermilk and cream in a heavy based saucepan to just below the boil. Beat the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk the warm cream mixture into the yolks.

 

2. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until the custard thickens (about 10 minutes), stirring regularly. Leave to cool, then stir in the honey.

 

3. In a food processor or blender, blend the strawberries, lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of honey until smooth. Lightly fold into the custard mixture.

 

4. Pour the ice cream into a tin or tub and freeze the for about 90 minutes, then remove from the freezer and beat well. Freeze for at least another 3 hours before serving. 

Simple Dinner Recipe: Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

There are some ingredient pairs that only seem natural: apple and cinnamon, strawberry and banana, and chicken and honey mustard. While that last one is usually a condiment added after the chicken is prepared, why not actually bake chicken thighs with the honey mustard? It turns out, this created a delicious, simple meal. While we added some vegetables to the dish, this could just as easily be made without in order to save some time.

Today we're sharing a delicious recipe for baked honey mustard chicken. This recipe is incredibly simple, using the darker meat from the thighs (though tenderloins can be used if you prefer), a few sprigs of rosemary, and just a few additional vegetables.  A little sliced almond added a great crunch to the dish. Baking the chicken directly in the honey mustard created a fantastic sauce in its own right and made the chicken delightfully tender. Keep reading below for this great, easy dish!

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup smooth dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup grainy, coarse mustard
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3lbs chicken thighs or tenderloins
• salt
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-veined, and sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• sliced almonds (optional)
• chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. In a small bowl, combine the mustards, honey, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.
2. In a skillet, add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the onion and pepper and saute over medium heat until the onion is golden and tender (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute (or until fragrant).
3. Transfer the onion and garlic to an oven-safe casserole dish and place the chicken on top. Salt and pepper the tops of the chicken to personal preference.
4. Pour the honey mustard mixture on top of the chicken, and arrange the rosemary sprigs around the chicken in the pan. Tightly cover the baking dish with foil.
5. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes, then remove the foil. Baste the chicken with the sauce, then add almond slices and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes uncovered, or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with parsely.
6. Enjoy!

Spanish Tapa Recipe: Fried Eggplant with Honey

If you find yourself in southern Spain with a tapas menu in front of you, you're practically obligated to order a portion of berenjas fritas con miel de caña. This is the specialty in Andalusia, a region that encompasses the cities of Sevilla, Malaga and Granada, and is known for its Moroccan influence in the kitchen. It's a real taste-bud pleaser, a lip-smacking blend of sweet sugar cane honey (miel de caña)  and crispy fried eggplant. 

You can dress up ordinary eggplant with this Spanish-inspired recipe that's easy to re-create at home. The trickiest part is tracking down miel de caña, which isn't always readily available outside Spain. If you can't get your hands on it, substitute your favorite honey or molasses. Either one complements the eggplant perfectly, and makes for a fantastic vegetarian appetizer or side dish. 

Fried Eggplant with Honey (Berenjas Fritas con Miel de Caña)

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 2-3 oz "miel de cana" (honey or molasses)

Directions: 

1. Rinse the eggplant and dry with a towel. Slice the eggplant into rounds approximately 1/8-inch thick.

2. Lay the rounds on a large baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Flip them over and lightly salt the other side. Then allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour to draw the moisture from the eggplant. Pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a medium frying pan, pour olive oil and heat on medium-high. Keep a plate next to the stovetop and cover it with flour.

4. Once the oil has heated up, coat slices of eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off excess flour, then fry in oil. Flip over the slices once the bottom begins to look golden-brown. 

5. After both sides are cooked, remove eggplant slices from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

6. Arrange eggplant on a serving platter and drizzle with honey or molasses. Enjoy! 

Perfect Fall Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin With Walnuts & Honey

For anyone who just can’t get enough of pumpkins, this dish is for you! A lot of the recipes we see and try with pumpkins usually have another “main” ingredient, or something else that shares the spotlight with the pumpkin—not the case with this recipe! Consider the spices, nuts and honey as backup dancers of this kitchen number. Pumpkin is the frontrunner of this recipe because it has amazing flavor on its own and needs our undivided attention!

Roasted Pumpkin With Walnuts

Serves 4-6

 Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pound pumpkin, sliced, skin on
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2-1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Rinse pumpkin under warm water to rinse off any dirt. Pat dry and cut in half. Scoop out seeds from the center (save if you want to roast them later) and cut thin slices (as though you were cutting a cantaloupe) and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves and mix well.
4. Dip each side of pumpkin slice in the cinnamon mixture and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with honey.
5. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until pumpkins are caramelized and tender.
6. In a pan over medium heat, toast walnuts until fragrant and crispy.
7. Remove pumpkin from oven and serve with walnuts.

Grill Recipe: Honey-Marinated Chicken Kebabs

Looking for something new to grill? Give these kebabs a try – marinated in a blend of honey and soy sauce for a simply sweet and flavorful meal.

Pick whatever veggies you like – or even what you’ve got on hand – and make skewers that’ll pair perfectly with other summer dishes like watermelon, pasta salad, and even corn on the cob. Just be careful if you use metal skewers – they heat up fast on the grill!

And remember – the longer you can marinate these bad boys, the more flavor they’ll pack. Marinate overnight if you have the time! 

Honey-Marinated Chicken Kebabs

(makes about 12 kebabs)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup honey
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 small onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 orange bell pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 zucchini, sliced into 1-inch pieces
• Wooden or metal skewers (metal ones will get hot on the grill so be careful!) 

Directions:

1. Grab a large bowl and whisk the oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper together. Set aside a small amount of this marinade so you can brush it onto the kebabs later.
2. Put the chicken, garlic, onions, peppers, and zucchini into the bowl and let everything marinate for at least a few hours – the more time you let it marinate, the bolder the flavors will be.
3. Preheat the grill to high heat. Then, drain the marinade from the chicken and veggies before discarding the marinade. Thread the chicken and veggies onto the skewers alternately, in whatever order you’d like – or, you can keep chicken skewers and veggie skewers separate if you want to cook them on different heat levels.
4. Lightly oil the grill and put the skewers on the grill. Cook then for 12-15 minutes – the chicken juices should run clear. Turn the skewers and brush with the reserved marinade frequently while grilling.
5. Enjoy!

BBQ Jack Daniel's Style: Honey Baked Wings

When it comes to wings, some like them hot... and some like them with Jack Daniel's and honey. Ultra-spicy wings have their place at summer BBQs, but so do these sweet ones. And with a pinch of cayenne pepper, they still deliver a little kick. 

What really sold us on these wings was the addition of Jack Daniel's Honey Whiskey. This recipe is a twist on classic honey BBQ, and the Jack Daniel's really steps things up a notch. 

In order to get the full impact, you want to ensure the wings get nice and crispy. The best way to do that is to place your wings on a roasting rack above a baking pan-- not directly on the pan itself. This gets the air circulating beneath those wings, giving them that delicious crispy texture. You'll also want to toss the wings in oil before they go in the oven; it makes for plenty of crisp and as a bonus, keeps them from sticking to the rack. 

Honey Baked BBQ Wings w/ Jack Daniel's

(Makes 2 dozen wings)

Ingredients:

Chicken:

• 24 chicken wings, thawed and pat dry
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Vegetable Oil

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey whiskey
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup ketchup 
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons honey
• Dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Place a wire rack above a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Add an additional rack & foil-lined baking sheet if all wings will not fit in a single layer on one. 
2. Coat the wings in vegetable oil in a large bowl, add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then toss.
3. Make a single layer of wings on each rack, above the baking sheet.
4. Bake 50-60 minutes or until crispy and fully cooked. 
5. While the wings cook, heat the Jack Daniel's in a saucepan. Once hot, add onion and garlic. Cook until the onions start to soften.
6. Stir in the ketchup, vinegar, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, molasses, tomato paste, and honey. Bring to a boil.
7. Cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.
8. Once wings are baked and crispy, toss them in the sauce and serve immediately. 
9. Enjoy!

Dinner Recipe: Honey & Molasses-Glazed Roasted Duck

This recipe is a total show stopper! It takes a fair amount of time and attention and care (don’t burn yourself on hot duck fat!), but it is completely worth the effort. This makes an amazing holiday or family get-together dish—if you want to switch up Thanksgiving, this is the clear choice—and we guarantee you will impress everyone once they’ve seen it and tried it. With this beautifully roasted duck you'll be a legend— what more could you ask for?

Honey-Glazed Roast Duck

(Serves 4-5)

Ingredients

Duck:

• 1 whole, Pekin duck; 5-6 pounds
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Glaze:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Chili sauce, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300º F.
2. Pull out any quills or feathers still in duck and trim excess fat. Remove innards and set aside. (Use for other purposes or discard.) Rinse duck and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place on a baking rack, breast side up, over deep baking dish. Make sure it’s deep enough to contain drippings. Sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper.
4. Score the outer surface, just the fat, of the duck with a sharp knife. Make a diamond pattern. It’s important to not pierce the meat, so be careful you’re only slicing the fat.
5. With a skewer or sharp knife, prick the duck all over, only hitting the fat. This allows holes for the fat to escape, making the duck extra crispy.
6. Tie the legs of the duck together and tie with butcher twine, tuck the wings under itself.
7. Sprinkle with salt and cook for 4 hours, taking duck out every hour, on the hour to re-pierce fat all over and flip from breast side up to breast side down. Poke/flip a total of three times. Should start breast side up and end breast side down.
8. While duck is roasting during the fourth and last hour, start making the glaze. Combine honey, molasses, orange juice, zest, chili and soy sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until liquid becomes viscous and syrupy. Remove from heat.
9. Take duck out of oven, flip over and very carefully drain fat from the pan. Turn oven up to 400º F. Return duck to oven for 10 minutes. Should be brown and crispy.
10. Take duck out and brush glaze all over until completely covered. Return to oven for 4-7 minutes. If glaze starts to burn, remove immediately.
11.  Let rest for 10-15 minutes, carve, serve and enjoy!

Asian-Inspired Recipe: Crispy Low-Sugar Orange Chicken

Orange Chicken is a dish that people just can’t seem to get enough of, ourselves included! Unfortunately, most orange chicken recipes use a lot of sugar and then deep-fry the chicken, so it’s not always the healthiest choice…. (Although it may be the tastiest.) While our recipe still involves a lot of the original ingredients, we try to cut corners where we can to make this yummy dish a little healthier without skimping on taste—we know you’ll love it once you try it!

Low-Sugar Orange Chicken

(Serves 4) 

Ingredients 

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2-inch pieces
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon all-natural honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoon low-sugar orange marmalade
• 1-3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º F and spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
2. Place chicken in a small bowl and add salt, pepper and beaten egg. Toss well.
3. Shake off excess egg and, one-by-one, dredge chicken pieces in bowl of flour. Evenly spread out on baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
4. In a separate small bowl, combine cornstarch with chicken broth until completely dissolved. Set aside
5. In a saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat and cook ginger and garlic until fragrant. 1-2 minutes. Add orange juice, zest, honey, red pepper flakes, soy sauce and marmalade. Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes, then lower heat and simmer until sauce thickens and reduces by 1/4.
6. Pour in cornstarch mixture and bring back to a boil, stirring for 2-4 minutes. Take off heat, but keep warm. Toss in chicken and coat thoroughly with sauce. Serve hot.

Low-Calorie Recipe: Honey Glazed Chicken Wings with Garlic Yogurt Dip

Chicken wings are always a favorite, but they get even more love and attention during sports season. Unfortunately, these spicy and zesty bites can sometimes do more harm than good when you’re watching tv and not paying attention to how many you’ve eaten, accidentally consuming way more calories than you anticipated. These Honey Lime wings are a nice change of pace because they deliver on flavor, but are grilled instead of fried; plus we paired them with a delicious yogurt dip that cools you down without weighing you down. Now all you have to worry about is where to watch the game!

Honey Lime Chicken Wings w/ Yogurt Dip

Yields approx. 18-20 wings

Ingredients

• 4.5 pounds chicken wings (18-22 wings)
• 1/4 cup all-natural honey
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons low-sugar sweet chili sauce
• salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon chives, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Remove and discard skin and wingtips from chicken wings, and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a bowl, mix your honey, lime juice and chili sauce. Place chicken wings in a large Ziploc bag and pour in honey lime mixture. Seal and shake bag to make sure every wing gets covered in sauce. Refrigerate 4-8 hours or overnight.
3. In a separate bowl, combine your Greek yogurt, garlic, chives, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
4. Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and grill, flipping occasionally and marinating as needed, until browned on all sides and completely cooked through.
5. Let cool, garnish with green onions and dipping sauce.