I have been in medicine making mode for the upcoming winter months and once the cold sets in we start to take our daily dose of elderberry syrup and/or elderberry glycerite, I like to make both. The best thing about elderberries is they are so tasty, well as long as honey is involved in the tasting:) This is one medicine my kiddos love to take, in fact they love to sing "Just a spoonful of elder, keeps the sickness away..." as we take a daily dose each morning after breakfast. They love to pretend I am Mary Poppins administering her delicious "medicine" to prevent the sniffles. Well this day we decided to get a little crazy with our elderberry syrup and add a few yummy additions that also boost the immune system and nourish the body. This would make a great topping on icecream as well as pancakes or waffles in addition to the medicinal use.
The Recipe
1/2 cup elderberries
1/2 cup rosehips
1/2 cup Crio Bru (or cacao nibs)
2 cups distilled water
1/2 cup raw honey
optional: orange essential oil
1/2 cup rosehips
1/2 cup Crio Bru (or cacao nibs)
2 cups distilled water
1/2 cup raw honey
optional: orange essential oil
Combine the herbs and Crio Bru with the distilled water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until the liquid has been reduced to half, leaving you with one cup.
 |  |  |
Optional: Add 3-5 drop of Orange essential oil (only use 100% pure genuine essential oil). This is completely optional and up to your discretion. Pour into a glass container and store in the fridge for up to 3 months. Ours lasted about 2 weeks before we had devoured it all.
Strain the liquid from the berry chocolate pulp. Save the pulp to make some Elderberry Donuts (or muffins). Stir in the honey until it is completely dissolved.
Take a tablespoon each day to prevent illness or use at will as a syrup for breakfast foods, desserts and ice cream. This is so rich and delicious that we couldn't leave it alone.
Basic Elderberry Syrup
If you aren't up for going "wild" on your elderberry syrup this is the basic recipe, which I make in a larger quantity for daily use and to treat illness. This recipe is using the dried elderberries, not fresh, and I also like to use half elderberries and half rose hips - I just love that combination.
1 part dried elderberries (or use half elderberries and half rosehips)
2 parts distilled water
raw honey
2 parts distilled water
raw honey
Bring water to a simmer over low heat and cover with a lid, not quite sealed, you want the steam to be able to escape. Simmer until the liquid has been reduced by half. Strain into a measuring bowl and add the same amount of raw honey as there is liquid. Stir until dissolved. Store in a glass container and keep in the fridge where it should last for 3 months or so.
Dosage:
For preventive measures you can take a tablespoon each day.
At the first sign of illness take a teaspoon every hour.
I like to keep some of this in a dropper bottle and I administer 2 dropperfuls every hour or so when someone has come down with a "bug".
For preventive measures you can take a tablespoon each day.
At the first sign of illness take a teaspoon every hour.
I like to keep some of this in a dropper bottle and I administer 2 dropperfuls every hour or so when someone has come down with a "bug".
Where to Get These Ingredients
I purchase my elderberries and rosehips from either Mountain Rose Herbs or Bulk Herb Store. I started an elder plant and rose bush last year so that in a few years I can harvest my own fresh ingredients. Crio Bru can be ordered on Amazon or check your local health food store. The raw honey you can check for local hives or farmers markets. I order mine from Bryant honey as they do group orders and deliver to us once a year.
