Power Up Your New Year, Honey!

(Courtesy of the National Honey Board)

Hello 2016! Is there anything as beautiful as the start of a new year? So new and fresh, without a single blemish or “what if” attached to it. We all come into the new year with eyes full of wonder and hopes of all the things we wish to accomplish this year.

Maybe it’s something as small as being more active on a daily basis, or perhaps as large as running your first marathon. With 17 grams of carbohydrates, and only 64 calories per tablespoon, honey is a great all-natural energy source that will fuel you as you work towards your various activity goals.

Or perhaps you want to tackle the room in your house that is made for cooking with some new and exciting dishes. Honey not only adds flavor, but balances other ingredients in recipes making it ideal in sweet, spicy and savory dishes alike.

Whatever your goal, we’re here to support you with sweet honey tips, tricks and, of course, delicious honey recipes for every occasion!

Let us be among the first to welcome you to the New Year with these five delightful honey recipes created to power up your year. Happy 2016 everybody!

Honey Apple Yogurt Parfait with Honey Almond Cherry Granola

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  • 1 1/2 tablespoons – honey
  • 1 cup – plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon – orange juice (100% natural)
  • 1/4 teaspoon  – ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon – ground nutmeg
  • 1 – large Fuji apple
  • 2 tablespoons – lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup – Honey Almond Cherry Granola (recipe here)

In a medium bowl, mix yogurt, orange juice, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Set aside. Dice apple into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss with fresh lemon juice to keep apple from browning. Build parfait by first layering 1/4 cup spiced yogurt, 1/4 cup diced apple, then 1/4 cup granola. Repeat order and serve.

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Southwest Salmon & Black Bean Salad with Honey Cilantro Lime Dressing

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Dressing (yields ½ cup):

  • 1 tablespoon – honey
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons – lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons – extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons – cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon – garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons – canned green chile

Salad:

  • 1 – 15-ounce canned corn, drained and rinsed (or 1 ½ cups frozen corn)
  • 6 cups – romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 – 15-ounce canned black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 – red pepper, diced
  • 5 ounces – canned wild salmon or 2 foil pouches
  • 1 – avocado, diced
  • 1 ounce – Cotija or Feta cheese

In a medium skillet, add drained and rinsed corn. Over medium-high heat, char corn kernels in dry skillet until slightly blackened, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Add all dressing ingredients into a blender or blend using immersion blender. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix chopped lettuce, black beans, red pepper and charred corn together. Add salmon, diced avocado and about half of the prepared dressing to bowl and mix to combine. Top salad with crumbled Cotija cheese.

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Honey Greek Yogurt & Cherry Smoothie

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  • 12 oz – red cherries, fresh, pitted, frozen
  • 1/2 oz – beet juice, fresh
  • 8 1/2 oz – 2 % greek yogurt
  • 3 oz – honey, wildflower (optional)
  • 3 Tbsp – almonds, sliced, toasted (garnish)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Pour 3, 8 ounce portions and serve immediately with a tablespoon of toasted, sliced almonds to garnish.

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Oat & Honey Bites

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  • 1/3 cup – honey
  • 1 1/2 cups – rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup – sliced almonds
  • 2 tablespoons – chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup – 72% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup – dried cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 2/3 cup – natural peanut butter
  • 3/4 teaspoon – vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, add oats, almonds, chia seeds, chocolate and cranberries into the bowl. Stir all ingredients together until combined. Add honey, peanut butter and vanilla extract to a medium bowl and mix all ingredients together until combined. Add peanut butter mixture to oats mix and stir until combined. Be sure dry ingredients are coated. Place mixture into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, as this will allow it to harden and make it easier to work with. Shape mix into one-inch rounded balls and place on a platter or cookie sheet. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to five days. You can also freeze and take out as needed.

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Spice-Crusted Salmon with Orange-Honey Glaze

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  • 3/4 cup – orange juice
  • 1/4 cup – honey
  • 2 tablespoons – lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon – grated ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons – cornstarch, mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons water
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 – egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons – cumin seed
  • 2 tablespoons – whole coriander
  • 2 tablespoons – fennel seeds
  • 2 tablespoons – vegetable oil
  • 4 (4-ounce) – wild Alaska salmon filets or wild Alaska halibut filets, skin on

To make Orange-Honey Glaze, in a small nonreactive saucepan, whisk together orange juice, honey, lemon juice and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; whisk in cornstarch mixture and simmer 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

In a shallow bowl, lightly whisk egg whites until foamy. In an electric spice grinder or a blender, grind spices to coarse powder and spread on a plate. Dip flesh side of filets first in egg whites, then in spice mixture. In a sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Place filets in pan, skin side up, and cook about 5 minutes or until a medium brown crust forms on the flesh side, being careful that spices do not burn. Carefully turn with a spatula and cook on skin side about 5 minutes or until a small sharp knife feels no resistance when pushed into the flesh. Place the fish, crust side up, on a warm serving platter or on individual plates and drizzle with Orange-Honey Glaze.

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