Cold & flu season is here! Boooooo - Hisssss!! All joking aside, it's a great time to spend quality time indoors with family & friends while nourishing our hearts, bodies, minds, & spirits. Even just the process of making this potent, super nourishing syrup is a cathartic event for me. I make this syrup annually here at our house and portion it in canning jars. So yes, my garage "beer" fridge stores our overflow.
I do like to make this spicy and thus will serve it to my kids diluted with water in shot glasses - just another great way we have re-purposed things on our homestead as life has evolved! I give 1 tsp serving to my kids, aged 1+, once a day unless they are feeling under the weather, then I'll give it to them twice a day. Same for adults: 1 undiluted Tbsp / day or dilute as needed. It's especially awesome for sore throats and coughs.
You can buy the dried elderberries at health food stores, or on online at retailers such as Amazon.
Smudge's Homemade Elderberry Syrup
- 1 1/3 cup of dried elderberries or 2 2/3 cup fresh or frozen berries - 7 cups of Water - 4 Tbsp Fresh Ginger** - 2 tsp Powdered Ginger (optional)** - 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1-2 sticks of Cinnamon (optional)**
- 1 tsp Cloves or Clove Powder
- 2 cups raw & local Honey
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper**
**If you are concerned with being able to handle the level of spice this syrup has to offer, cut back on the Cayenne Pepper & Fresh Ginger. Also, skip adding the extra cinnamon sticks. An amazing trick for grating fresh ginger is to keep it in the freezer. When you pull it out to grate it, its solid state makes it easy-peasy & quick to grate. Alternatively, or additionally, you could try just rough chopping the ginger and adding that to the mix. I like to mix both dried powder and fresh ginger bits.
1. Add water to a large pan along with berries, all gingers, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. 2. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 45 - 90 minutes. 3. Remove from heat and let cool until it can be handled. 4. Using the back of a spoon, or a potato masher, mash the berries.
5. Using a strainer, drain the liquid from the berries & herbal bits. 6. Discard (OR COMPOST!) the berries & bits and let the liquid cool to lukewarm. 7. Add honey & stir.
8. Pour into jars and keep refrigerated.
You can do this in the Instant Pot too!
1. Add all ingredients to the instant pot.
2. Seal & Cook on Manual for 9 minutes on high pressure.
3. Vent & Continue with steps 3-8 above.
Yields: ~ 8 cups
Wouldn't this be a great stocking stuff of friends & family? Or teacher gifts with a Starbucks gift card? What projects are you planning this coming holiday season to care for your loved ones and for yourself? Peace, Love, & Smudge ❤ #community #shoplocal #stayandwander #livethelittlethings #lifestyleblogger #thehappynow #ontheblog #soap #4H #CrownPoint #Indiana #seekthesimplicity #bloggerlife #justdoit #welivetoexplore #whoareyou #deepthoughts #sahm #wahm #findyourcalling #calling #love #self #findyourcalling #playdough #essentialoils #kindness #healthylifestyle #momboss #ladyboss #kids #bath #natural #donteatthesoap #elderberry #syrup
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