Recipes

We wanted to provide you some of our favorite recipes that utilize wholesome honey as an ingredient. Some of the recipes are from friends, some are recipes we have used for years, some we have found on the Internet (and include links to the sites) and some come from the National Honey Board site, which has a plethora of options.

One of our favorites is the Perfect Cheeseboard - you can introduce your family and friends to different varietals of honey and comb honey (honey and comb honey available on our SHOP page!) with a beautiful array of cheeses and crackers. Take a peek - we know you will love it!

HONEY CHIA SEED PUDDING
Recipe from the National Honey Board
Yield: MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Ingredients

2 T - honey
2 cups - coconut milk
6 T - chia seeds
1/2 tsp. - vanilla extract
Fresh berries

Directions

Combine the coconut milk, chia seeds, vanilla and honey in a medium bowl. Mix well until the honey has dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferable overnight.
Stir well and divide the pudding into individual portions.
Serve with fresh berries. Add granola, if desired.

Chia seed benefits

Chia provides a similar amount of omega-3 fatty acids as ground flaxseed in the form of alpha linolenic acid, or ALA. They can help with weight loss. Chia seeds are an excellent source of fiber, which can improve heart health, reduce cholesterol levels and promote intestinal health.

Honey Sriracha Grilled Shrimp
Recipe from the Rasa Malaysia website

Honey Sriracha Shrimp

1 pound jumbo shrimp (serves approximately 3 people)
3 T Honey Sriracha Butter - room temperature
Lime wedges for serving

Clean shrimp, leaving tails on
In a bowl, combine the shrimp with the honey Sriracha butter, generously coating the shrimp
Grill the shrimp on medium heat on both sides until the tail is slightly charred - about 6-8 minutes. Monitor the shrimp - timing will be different based on the type of shrimp.

Honey Sriracha Butter

1 stick unsalted butter
1 - 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
2.5 - 3.5 teaspoons Sriracha, or to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, whisk all ingredients until butter becomes light and well blended
Using a piece of plastic wrap, roll up the butter to form a cylinder shape. Twist both ends tight, and store in the refrigerator.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED HANDMADE SERVING/CUTTING BOARDS!

I have purchased three serving boards from the Adirondack Kitchen storefront on Etsy located here. I have ordered cherry and walnut serving boards in various sizes, and I highly recommend this business for quality products and great customer service. This business can even personalize the boards for you; I had Just Iowa Honey with our bee logo engraved on the boards, and am so pleased with the final results. Once we harvest our honey for 2021, I will be taking pictures of examples of charcuterie boards - keep checking back to see results! Be sure to pay attention to the size of the board. The ones I ordered are for smaller family gatherings - I will be ordering a bigger board in the near future for when I have larger family/friend gatherings at my house. I know you will not be disappointed!

Perfect Charcuterie Board

Perfect for summer entertaining - when it starts to get hot and sticky, consider keeping your meal light with a charcuterie board.

Choose an attractive plate, tray or cutting board to serve your cheese selections. Keep the serving utensils and dishes simple, and be sure to set out a separate knife for each cheese.
Serve a couple of different Just Iowa Honey varietals in small glass jars or bowls to take advantage of the natural beauty of honey's golden glow, serve with a small spoon or drizzler. You can also use a piece of wildflower honeycomb in a small dish that guests can eat as is.
- A drizzle of honey or small chunk of honeycomb adds that perfect sweetness to balance out the sharpness of the cheese.
- Currently, at Just Iowa Honey, we have wildflower honey and honeycomb available. We will be extracting this season's varietals starting in mid-June - late July.
Play off the idea of opposites, for example, salty cured meats such as prosciutto and salami go well with fresh apple slices, small fresh oranges and figs. Salty nuts and olives pair great with dried fruits. Along with the honey, you might serve a spicy condiment such as course mustard, chutney, marinated vegetables and tapenade. Offer a selection of thinly sliced baguettes and simple crackers such as water crackers to complement but not compete with the cheeses.
As for the cheese, you want to select 4 or 5 varieties, one in each basic flavor category: aged, soft, firm and blue. Shop for your cheese at a store that has knowledgeable people to help you make your selections. If your cheese board is only one of several other items being served, you should buy 3 to 4 oz. per person, if the cheese board is the main appetizer, buy about 6 oz. per person. Bring the cheese out to room temperature about one hour before serving. Labeling the cheese and honey varieties for your guests is a nice touch.

Honey dipper with honey and lime on wood

Delicious fruits salad in plate on table

Fruit Drizzle

One of our favorite ways to eat fresh fruit is to mix honey and lime juice, then drizzle over fresh fruit. My grand children love to come to our house, and prepare the drizzle and use it on fresh strawberries and blueberries.

Pour about 1/4 cup of honey in a container with a tight lid. Add lime juice, and stir well. Start out with just a tad of lime juice; you can always add more. Taste, and add lime juice to your liking, stirring well, making the honey less viscous. Then drizzle over fruit of your choice. It tastes great on blueberries, strawberries, melon - whatever fruit you enjoy! I know you will love it!

EDITOR'S NOTES

This is one of my favorite recipes - especially during the summer when you can get home-grown tomatoes!
I substitute the olive oil and vinegar with Blood Orange olive oil and Cara-Cara Vanilla Vinegar at All-Spice in Des Moines. It is awesome!
If you will not consume the entire dish the same day you prepare it, consider adding the vinegar/oil mixture each time you serve.
We use a very sweet cherry tomato in our recipe, and it is delicious.
I added the toasted pecans to the original recipe - toasting the pecans is a little extra work, but well-worth the effort. The crunch in this dish is delectable!

Peachy Keen

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion - Vidalia onion also works well

1 pound peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced 1/2 inch thick

1-1/2 pounds best quality tomatoes, diced and/or halved, depending on variety.

1 T. red wine vinegar

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T honey, or add to your specific taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

2 T small basil leaves or torn basil leaves

Optional: Toasted pecans

In a large bowl, combine the onion, peaches and tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, honey and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the fruit mixture, then add the feta cheese and gently toss.

Sprinkle with toasted pecans if you opted for pecans!

Serve immediately.

Per serving: 248 calories, 21g carbs, 7g protein, 17g fat, 4g fiber, 25mg cholesterol, 235 mg sodium

Baked Brie with Honey & Nuts

EDITOR'S NOTES

Another favorite recipe! I served this dish (didn't heat the cheese) at a recent gathering, and it got rave reviews!
I added toasted pecans to the nut mix - and everyone loved the addition!
I didn't try the dried cranberries, so I can't speak to that ingredient.
I bought about a 1/3rd of a Brie wheel at Trader Joes, as my gathering was smaller. However, you can get a really good deal if you have a Sam's membership - it was the same brand as the cheese I bought at Trader Joes.
And just a reminder; Trader Joes has all of the nuts in this recipe already toasted - saves time and energy!

1/2 c toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 c toasted almonds
1/2 c toasted pecans
Rosemary
1/2 c - 1 c Honey
Dried Cranberries (optional)
Coarse Sea Salt
Crackers and/or fruit for serving
1 wheel of Brie cheese

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Place the brie into a small oven proof dish or pan. Place into the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, until softened. I like mine oozy so go a few extra minutes. If you just want the brie soft, check at 5 minutes.
Meanwhile toast pumpkin seeds, pecans and almonds (you can also buy nuts already toasted for you at Trader Joes!) by placing them in a skillet over medium heat OR toast them in the microwave - instructions below. Stir occasionally until the nuts are fragrant and toasted. This will take 3-4 minutes. Watch carefully as the nuts can burn quickly. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, combine toasted nuts, chopped rosemary, dried cranberries if using and the honey. Stir until completely combined.
Remove brie from oven and spoon the nut mixture over the top. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt and serve immediately.
Serve brie with your choice of crackers, pita chips, grapes, apples, or crostini. They’re all delicious choices!

NOTE: You can serve Brie cheese without heating the cheese. It is a very soft, spreadable cheese, and serves perfectly without heating it. Just follow steps 2-5 and serve. Easy-peasy!

I served this dish (didn't heat the cheese) at a recent gathering, and it got rave reviews!

Microwave Instructions for Toasting Nuts

Place the nuts in an even layer on a microwave-safe plate or dish (a glass pie plate works well).
Microwave for 1-minute intervals, removing the plate and tossing in between (plate will be hot so take care!), until the nuts are sizzling, golden, and toasted. The exact time will depend on microwave power/watts as well as the type/size of the nuts.

Roasted Honey Sweet Potatoes

6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375°. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Whisk together honey, oil, salt, cinnamon and pepper; add to potatoes and toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Roast until tender, 45-50 minutes, stirring once.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 165 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 305mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 3g fiber), 2g protein.

Roasted Honey Butternut Squash

1 medium butternut squash
2 T Olive oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans
2-3 T. Just Iowa honey
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 c. feta cheese
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt & pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl mix cubed squash with garlic, cinnamon, oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to get all coated.
Add the squash to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes on the center rack.
Once the squash is fork tender and golden brown on the sides, sprinkle with pecans and return to the oven for an additional 2-3 minutes more.
Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries, feta and honey. Then mix them all together

Nutrition Facts

Aronia Berry & Honey Smoothie

1/2 cup frozen aronia berries
1 pear
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 - container of AE Dairy Lemon-Custard Whole Milk Yogurt
3-4 T. Just Iowa Honey
1/2 c AE Dairy milk
1 - 1.5 cups of organic baby spinach
Optional: protein whey powder

Put all ingredients in a good blender - we use either a Vita-mix or Ninja blender - blend until smooth.

Share with someone you love!

Makes 3.5 - 4 cups of smoothie!

This smoothie is full of antioxidants - honey, aronia berries, blueberries all touted to provide your body with mega-antioxidants!

The AE dairy products provide tons of protein, which keeps your metabolism active!

Share this healthy concoction with someone you love!

Lemon & Garlic Baked Chicken

1/2 cup _ 2T olive oil
2 T fresh lemon juice
2 t garlic powder
2 t salt
1/2 t ground pepper
3.5 - 4 pounds of chicken / chicken breast

SAUCE

2 T unsalted butter
2 T honey, or more if desired
1 t fresh oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 2 lemons, plus 1/2 t lemon zest
1 - 4 ounce jar diced pimentos
1/4 c fresh parsley
Lemon wedges for garnish

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add the chicken pieces to a large resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over the top. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and massage the marinade around the chicken to coat evenly. Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer, skin-side up, to a large cast-iron skillet. Pour half the marinade all over the chicken in the skillet. Sprinkle the chicken with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until the chicken is deeply browned, the meat is cooked through and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh, avoiding bone, should read 165 degrees F.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let rest while you make the sauce.
For the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the honey, oregano, garlic, lemon juice and zest and 1/4 cup skimmed drippings from the skillet and bring to simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper, and if too tangy, add a bit more honey. Pour the sauce over the chicken, then garnish with the pimientos, chopped parsley and lemon wedges and serve.

Share with someone you love! Yield - 6 servings

Caprese Salad with Cucumbers

2 English cucumbers or garden cucumbers.
Package of cherry or grape tomatoes (from your own garden are the best during the summer!)
½ red or Vidalia onion medium
Mozzarella cheese balls or logs (I purchase mine at Sam's Club - the logs are cheaper).
Traditional balsamic vinegar (I buy the good stuff, as this ingredients makes the salad! I purchase mine either at All-Spice or Olive Tap in Des Moines). I drizzle mine on each serving so the salad isn't drowning in vinegar.
Honey - wildflower or clover
Dry Italian Salad Seasoning - I buy Good Seasons Italian at Hy-Vee, but I'm sure it is available in other brands and stores.
Salt and pepper – to taste

Chop the cucumber into chunks, halve the tomatoes, and slice the onion. Add all to a medium bowl.
Slice up the mozzarella into small chunks - leave those separate from the salad mixture, and add as you dish up the servings in bowls. Refrigerate this bowl.
Sprinkle the dry Italian dressing over the vegetable mixture and stir in. Refrigerate this mixture.
As you get ready to plate each serving for guests, add the Mozzarella cheese chunks.
Drizzle the honey and balsamic vinegar on each serving. Go minimalistic - you can always add more.
Add salt and pepper and mix again.

Share with someone you love! So Healthy!

Herb Chicken with Honey Butter

1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
3 tablespoons butter

Honey butter:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey

Place egg in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture.
Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken in butter until a thermometer reads 165°, 4-5 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, combine softened butter and honey. Serve with chicken.

See recipe: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/herb-chicken-with-honey-butter/

Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled (or sub olive oil)
1/3 cup honey, agave nectar or pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup shredded zucchini (from about 1 medium zucchini)
1 ripe mashed banana (or you can use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup regular or mini chocolate chips, dairy free if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners and generously spray inside of liners with nonstick cooking spray.
Squeeze shredded zucchini of excess water with a paper towel. This is important, so don’t forget!
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add coconut oil, honey/maple syrup, vanilla, egg; mix on medium-low until smooth and well combined. Add in zucchini, banana (or applesauce) and almond milk; mix again. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Evenly divide batter into prepared liners. Bake 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean. After 5 minutes, remove muffins and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

TIPS

160 CALORIES!
Squeeze out ALL of the extra moisture from your zucchini. This will ensure that they bake up well and aren’t too moist.
Use an extra ripe banana for the perfect amount of sweetness. The more brown spots the better!
Be careful not to overmix the batter. Mix the flour into your wet ingredients until it’s just combined. If you overmix the batter your muffins may turn out dense and almost rubbery, which we don’t want.
These healthy chocolate zucchini muffins are freezer-friendly! Wrap muffins individually in freezer-safe bags or store them in a large freezer bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them, reheat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave or simply thaw them at room temperature.

See recipe: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/healthy-double-chocolate-zucchini-muffins/#comment-454125

JUST IOWA HONEY