So for regular readers you may have noticed a lack of posts over the last couple of months. I have had a really tough time this year, so I have been taking some much needed time out to focus on my mental and physical health and make some changes to my lifestyle to help rejuvenate and nourish and bring about a healthy mind and body.... its a work in progress :)
One of these big changes has been discovering the joys of making fermented foods (Kefir, Kombucha, Saurkraut etc...) and upon being introduced to Susan Weed by Stina from Mother Mountain Herbals have been inspired to attend a number of herbal workshops and have since been testing out making my own herbal medicines. I started with nettle infusions and then onto an immune boosting elderberry syrup which although really yummy and potent (no colds for me this season) never turns out as tasty as the Pukka one, so after joining an awesome Facebook group got the courage to go wild foraging and make some rose hip syrup......which is not only divine but packed full of nutrients and the all important Vitamin C!!!
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| Dog Rosehips |
I posted the above picture on Instagram and got the thumbs up from my followers for publishing the recipe so here it is with a bit of an explanation first....
Rose Hips
Rose hips are a great source of Vitamin C, they contain 50% more vitamin C than oranges. They also contain Vitamin A which is also benefical to the immune system, and can help prevent and fight off infections.
I used Dog Rosehips as these were the only ones I could find locally. Rose hips should ideally be red not orange, plump but not too hard or too soft and with no blemishes or wrinkles, as you can see from the photo below a lot of mine were a bit squishy but it turned out fine, I suppose the better quality the better the nutrient content
Raw Honey
So unlike most recipes I found online I have substituted the suggested sugar for raw honey. Raw Honey is basically honey that has not been heated, pasteurized or processed in any way. It is more expensive than mass produced honey but worth the extra pennies as unlike the processed stuff has all the immune boosting vitamins and minerals still intact... plus it tastes so much better, you will never go back once you try it!
The recipe below is for a small batch as this is all I could get this late in the year, if you are lucky enough to find a good wild crop then just multiply the ingredients to what you have. Next year I will get out there early !!
Ingredients
300g Rosehips
400mls Boiling water
1/4 cup Raw Honey (or until tastes good and is the right consistency for you)
1) Find your Rosehips!
2) Rinse the rosehips in a sieve and dry
3) Using a blender roughly wizz up the rosehips
4) Put the rose hips into a large saucepan
5) Pour on 400mls of hot water and bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 15 mins
6) let the mixture cool slightly then pour into either a jam bag or a doubled up muslin. Leave hanging (if you can, i just put the muslin over a seive) to drip down into a bowl to drain for 30 mins.
7) With clean hands, squeeze the remaining fluid out of the rosehips and disgard/compost.
8) Poor the fluid through the muslin again just to get rid of any bits
9) Reheat liquid then take off the heat and add the honey, stirring until melted. If you dont have raw honey you can add shop brought or sugar to taste
10) Put into your sterilised bottles and keep in the fridge.... enjoy!!!
Serving suggestions: Straight off the spoon, on porridge or pancakes, in sparkly wine :)
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| Rosehips and Luigi ( My son wanted him in the photo) |
