http://www.honey.com/nhb Thoughts about honey and recipes from the National Honey Board. en emily@nhb.org Copyright 2010 2010-09-03T21:29:02+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/its-national-honey-month/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/its-national-honey-month/#When:20:29:02Z Before you take a bite of that crisp apple or ripe pear, take a second to salute the humble honey bee who pollinates it and about 80 percent of our nation’s agricultural crops. These hard-working bees also keep us in constant supply of sweet-tasting honey for consumption. September is National Honey Month, providing a perfect opportunity to celebrate nature’s original sweetener. Americans consume nearly 1.5 pounds of honey per person annually – mixing it into sweet and savory recipes, adding spoonfuls to tea and other beverages, and drizzling it over biscuits, toast and muffins. Consumers can choose from hundreds of honey varieties, each with a special flavor characteristic. These varietal or “mono-floral” honeys result from the bees gathering nectar from flowers of only one type of plant. Honeys may range from clover and eucalyptus to orange blossom, buckwheat and sage. Generally, lighter colored honeys are milder in flavor, while darker honeys are usually more robust. Local beekeepers are a great source for single varietal honeys, selling their products at farmer’s markets and specialty stores. Visit the honey locator at http://www.honeylocator.com to find a floral source specific to your area. Explore honey’s versatility, benefits and deliciousness, and have a sweet National Honey Month! 2010-09-03T20:29:02+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/honey...-pure-energy/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/honey...-pure-energy/#When:19:21:54Z The National Honey Board recently exhibited at the IDEA World Fitness Convention in Los Angeles, California. We had a wonderful time and were able to connect with so many inspiring fitness professionals and enthusiasts, nutritionists and athletes. Honey has been used as a natural energy booster for centuries, and in the last couple of years, NHB has made a bigger push to remind consumers of this benefit of pure honey. At the show, we handed out multiple recipe brochures, water bottles, drawstring bags and honey sticks, and the positive response to our messaging was overwhelming. Not only did the attendees appreciate the honey “gear,” but they also were fascinated by the honey-making process, honey facts and other benefits of the all-natural sweetener. NHB spokesperson, Mitzi Dulan, RD, was in attendance as well, signing her (and co-author Tony Gonzalez’s) new book, The All-Pro Diet. Excited fitness buffs lined up to receive a copy of the book and to talk to the woman behind the clean-eating teachings and recipes. Here is a breakdown of honey’s energy-boosting benefits: Honey is a rich source of carbohydrates, providing 17 grams at just 64 calories per tablespoon. Pure honey may be an effective form of carbohydrate to ingest just prior to exercise. When honey is eaten before a workout or athletic activity, it is released into the system at a steady rate throughout the event. Honey is a great carbohydrate source to combine with post-workout protein supplements. Research has shown that ingesting a combination of carbohydrates and protein immediately following exercise (within 30 minutes) is ideal to refuel and decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness. Be sure to check out our Benefits of Honey page for more information.   2010-08-17T19:21:54+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/save-the-endangered-honey-bear/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/save-the-endangered-honey-bear/#When:15:56:25Z We need your help to save the endangered Honey Bear. Why is he endangered? Because of a troubling trend taking place: honey-flavored syrups, or honey that’s diluted with other ingredients, are becoming more and more common on store shelves. They masquerade as honey all the while containing as little as 10 percent actual honey. That’s why today we’re kicking off a national awareness campaign to alert people to always check the label to make sure what they’re buying is 100% pure honey. We’d be grateful to have your support in a number of ways, primarily by spreading the word to your friends and family to always check the label and to also visit our new site, SaveTheHoneyBear.com. Become a fan of our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to learn more information as the campaign unfolds. Again, we’d love to have your support in saving the Honey Bear! 2010-05-21T15:56:25+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/100-pure/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/100-pure/#When:15:30:35Z Many people are unaware that the honey they see in some grocery stores may not be 100% pure. All-natural, 100% pure honey will have ONE ingredient listed on the nutrition label: HONEY. Imitation honeys are becoming commonplace in some grocery and dollar stores, most of them containing very little honey at all. Always check the label! Help us to promote 100% PURE HONEY by spreading the word to your friends and family. Join us on Facebook and Twitter – tell us how you are reaching out to people about the benefits of PURE HONEY. Three randomly-chosen winners will receive a “Purely Sweet” gift basket as a token of our appreciation for your support. To learn more about pure honey and how to incorporate this all-natural product into your everyday life, go to our Facebook and Twitter pages, and check www.honey.com often for updates and new recipes! 2010-04-09T15:30:35+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/it-takes-gumption-and-a-little-honey/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/it-takes-gumption-and-a-little-honey/#When:20:55:46Z Have you ever wondered if our recipes are as easy as they seem? Well, I have news for you – they are! For Valentine’s Day this year, I decided to take my own advice by making a meal for my sweetheart, instead of going out to dinner or buying a box of chocolates. I waded through our database, looking at recipe after recipe. Everything looked delicious, but I was intimidated by some of the recipe directions. (I am not a novice in the kitchen, but I am by no means highly skilled either!) I decided to bite the bullet and to just pick something that sounded good to my taste buds – and, boy, I was surprised by the results (and so was my “honey”)!  In just a short time, I had an entire meal on the table that was scrumptious and filled with love. And to top it off, my beau was impressed and touched that I took the time and care to make him a meal. What was I so nervous about?! As Julia Child once said, “Don’t fear the duck” – meaning, don’t let your fears stand in the way of a delicious (if not adventurous!) meal. All it takes is the gumption to get started… and maybe a little honey! Happy Cooking! Emily 2010-02-16T20:55:46+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/happy-valentines-day/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/happy-valentines-day/#When:15:19:44Z The National Honey Board would like to wish all of you a very happy Valentine’s Day. Take this time to appreciate your loved ones and let them know you care. Here is a simple and delicious recipe that goes above and beyond the typical box of chocolates. We guarantee your “honey” will delight in the thoughtfulness of a homemade treat. Enjoy! Creme Honey Truffles Makes 32 servings 6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided 1/2 cup crème honey 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder In top of double boiler, melt chocolate with 1/4 cup cream. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Beat in honey and remaining cream. Chill mixture for one hour, or until firm. Place cocoa in shallow bowl. Using fingertips, shape honey mixture into 1-inch balls and roll in cocoa. Store truffles in refrigerator. Serving Size: 1 truffle Nutrition: 66 Calories * 5 g Fat Total * 8 mg Cholesterol * 3 mg Sodium * 7 g Carbohydrates * 1 g Dietary Fiber * 1 g Protein * 2010-02-12T15:19:44+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/sweet-web-site/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/sweet-web-site/#When:16:12:38Z As the Marketing Assistant for the National Honey Board, I would like to invite you to take a look at our new (as of 2010) Web site. You may notice the look and feel to be different than the previous site, but we have also updated our content and changed things around a bit for easier navigation. Our recipe database is still extensive and well-rounded. Our educational tools are still readily available. Our site is still your one-stop shop for all things honey. However, we are making it a primary goal to reach out to all of you, giving you updates on the industry and honey trends and answering any educational and technical questions you may have about honey. We’ve added this blog and our other social media tools (Facebook and Twitter) to the mix to be able to better interact with consumers and the industry. We’ve also expanded our industry reach to include the baking, beverage, snack and candy industries. Check back often for updates on featured chefs, our baking Web site (www.BakingWithHoney.com), contests and much, much more! This is an exciting time for us at the National Honey Board, and we want to include you in the journey. Bee sweet, Emily Jack 2010-02-09T16:12:38+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/and-the-winner-is/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/and-the-winner-is/#When:18:05:44Z After an overwhelming response to our contest (and by overwhelming we mean exciting and better than we could have imagined), we have finally decided on a blog name. Congratulations to Anne-Marie Barnett Nichols with her entry, “Straight from the Hive!” One of our messages here at the National Honey Board is that honey is pure and all natural. Pure honey comes straight from the hive to you, the consumer. So, what a fitting name for our blog! However, there were some amazing entries, and it was a tough decision. All of you are so creative! Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest, as well as to all of our fans. It is wonderful to watch our social media fan base grow every day, and we truly appreciate your support. Don’t forget to mention us to your friends – we want to reach as many people as we can about the sweet goodness of honey! 2010-01-22T18:05:44+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/name-this-blog/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/name-this-blog/#When:17:10:16Z Okay, so we’ve launched this blog. We have in our minds that it is going to be fabulous, thrilling and informative. (And it is!) But we have a little problem: it’s nameless! This is where you, our readers, followers and fans, come in. The National Honey Board is hosting a “Name That Blog” contest, where all of you can submit your suggestions through our Facebook page (National Honey Board) for your chance to win an amazing honey gift basket! We want to hear from you, so please, join in the fun and share your suggestions! 2010-01-06T17:10:16+00:00 http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/welcome-to-the-national-honey-boards-blog/ http://www.honey.com/nhb/features/blog-comments/welcome-to-the-national-honey-boards-blog/#When:16:39:59Z We thought we would start off 2010 with a bang – by joining the social media circuit. In this day and age, it seems that everyone is connected through social networking sites and reading blogs. It just seems natural that we follow suit. Please check us out on Facebook (National Honey Board) and Twitter (NationalHoney) to learn more about honey. We will provide updates on honey facts and nutrition information, honey in the news, new recipes and trends, and honey’s many, many uses. So, let the National Honey Board be your resource for all things honey! Thanks for your support, and welcome to 2010! 2010-01-06T16:39:59+00:00