This is a partnered post with The Motherhood and the National Honey Board. All opinions are my own.
Did you know there are over 300 varieties of honey in the United States? Me either, until I took a trip to South Dakota with the National Honey Board to learn about the story of honey. Dealing with my family’s food allergies means I am always looking for simple, allergy friendly ingredients. Although I keep a jar of honey in my cabinet, I hadn’t realized how honey is versatile and all natural! Guess what honey is made of? Honey. That’s it. A bottle of pure honey contains the natural sweet substance produced by honey bees from the nectar of plants or secretions of living parts of plants. Nothing else. Plus, it’s naturally gluten free. I’ve been making honey recipes all week, much to the delight of my family, including these Gluten Free Honey Muffins, because honey can mask the bitterness of gluten-free flours, and this Fruited Honey Lemonade.
We started our journey with a trip to an apiary. As soon as we had suited up in our bee keeper outfits, we drove to a field to see bees “up close and personal.” Thankfully, the bees were not too active that morning and the smoker kept them calm as hives were pulled out for our inspection. As we gazed over the surrounding fields the bees used for nectar, we learned the color, flavor, and even aroma of a particular variety of honey may differ depending on the nectar source of flowers visited by the honey bee. Colors can range from nearly colorless to dark brown, and the taste ranges from mild to bold. Depending on the feeding source, even the odor of the honey may be mildly reminiscent of a flower.
When we returned to the honey storage facility, we were shown how honey was removed from the combs. I had thought, with the invention of so much technology, the process of making honey would have been simplified. Instead, it is still made much the way it was 150 years ago.
I love to travel, but I think the bees get to travel more than I do! Each fall part of the hives are shipped from South Dakota to Texas to spend the winter. Trailer trucks are loaded with hives in the evening and the bees are driven through the night to their new home. Some of the lucky bees spend time in California during the spring, where they are used to pollinate almond trees.
The highlight of the day was a cheese pairing, hosted by Marie Simmons, former food columnist for Bon Appetit and author of the Taste of Honey cookbook. She walked us through the subtle nuances found in four different types of honey; Tupelo, Orange Blossom, Buckwheat and Clover, and suggested foods which would compliment and enhance each variety; including sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory . Hint: Try Buckwheat, a dark honey, with a taste reminiscent of molasses, paired with dark chocolate.
Our next day was spent touring the SueBee Honey Factory. Instead of being a large corporation as I had imagined, SueBee is an American cooperative, with over 100 beekeepers from around the country supplying the honey. While they do import some wildflower honey from other countries for industrial use, all the honey you see in the cute bears (or any bottle with the SueBee label) is 100% pure, 100% all-natural and 100% American. Honey can take up to three or four days before it is ready to be shipped, due to heating, straining for impurities, like pieces of honeycomb or bees, and packaging, but it leaves without being altered in any way because honey is naturally anti-microbial which helps to resist spoilage and extend shelf life.
- 2 1/2 cups gluten free baking mix
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup milk
- Beat egg. Place gluten free baking mix, honey, milk and eggs in a large bowl. Using a mixer set on low, stir until blended. Place batter in greased muffin tins, filling half full. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cooking Tips For Honey:
- • Honey can easily be substituted for another sweetener. For sauces, marinades and salad dressings, substitute honey for up to half the sweetener. In baking, for each cup of honey used, reduce any added liquid by ¼ cup, add ½ teaspoon baking soda and reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit
- • Honey adds a rich, golden or amber color to foods making it ideal for browning and glazing.
- • Honey is an emulsifier: the perfect ingredient to thicken and add body to sauces and dressings.
Honey is best stored at room temperature. But if you have some honey in your cabinet that has crystallized, don’t throw it out! Place a pan of water on the stove and bring to boiling. Remove the pot from heat. Place the container of honey in the water and allow to cool. It will be good as new!
Even though honey was voted the 2015 Flavor of the year by Firmenich, it has other uses too! : Honey provides an all-natural energy boost, is a natural cough suppressant and an effective natural skin moisturizer. Want to learn more about honey?
*Honey is recommended for children after the age of one.
These looks really yummy! I will have to make these for breakfast tomorrow!
I love the presentation of this post! This looks like a really good recipe for muffins!
I had honey which had actually crystallized during winter and I was thinking of throwing it away. However, my husband warmed it in the microwave for very about 15 seconds and we were able to use it.
These muffins looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to try making this recipe on my baking day. I always do a bunch of baking on Sundays.
The honey muffins and honey creme brulee look soooo good! I love using honey to sweeten my drinks and desserts.
These muffins looks delicious. I can’t wait to make these for my family. I hope you will link this post up on the #HomeMattersParty at http://adventuresfrugalmom.com/home-matters-linky-party-48/
I use honey for all my sweet needs. That is neat to be able to see it made.
I’ve never been that close to bees, and I’m not sure I could be. However, I do use muffins every day. Those muffins look yummy.
Love using honey in recipes, this looks so good! Love the pics of the bees, wouldn’t want to be too close but enjoy looking at them from a far!
I have made honey muffins before. Sounds wonderful.
I love baking with honey! Especially in bread type products. They add make them so soft and moist! And even better that this recipe is gluten free!
Yum. I love muffins, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a honey muffin before. Sounds really good, would love to try it!
I like that they’re GF. My DIL Is switching to GF for herself just to test and see if it helps with some issues she’s having.
I had no idea there were so many varieties of honey. I love how easy this recipe is and while I have issues with gluten, would love to try it s written.
I love a good honey muffin recipe! This looks like it would be a great addition to an egg breakfast!
I had no idea there was a National Honey Board, nevertheless that they are based in SD! Looks like you had a very informative trip! Thanks for sharing the muffins recipe too.
These muffins look so fluffy and delicious. I enjoy my muffins with lots of butter on them as well.
I love honey muffins. I can’t wait to try out new gluten free recipes.
This looks like a satisfying dessert. I love using honey, it is so much better than table sugar.
Over the last few years I have learned just how important bees truly are and wish more people understood they are necessary for our survival! We use honey as a sweetener in so many recipes around our home.
We are not following gluten free but these look so good though I may try them!
I think bees are fascinating and the fact that they make honey blows my mind! I had no idea there were over 300 varieties either.
I agree! Honey Bees are so interesting to me.
We eat gluten, but with all of the focus on removing it I’ve tried to cut back considerably. Our bellies thank us. It’s wonderful you don’t miss out on treats like these.
I love how few ingredients this recipe calls for. I’m always looking for yummy & easy treats for my family.
Looks so good. We love honey around here
I think bee hives are so cool. I had no idea bee keepers were using the same methods for all of these years.
Honey muffins sound really good. Thank you for another terrific gluten free recipe.
Those look delicious! I’m glad you included some information on bees, as well. They are having a tough time of it right now.
I’m sure some honey muffins would be just delicious with a little bit of melted butter. Yum! And I’ll be keeping an eye out for those fancier honeys, they sound so good.
Oh my word…these look delicious! I love your photos—especially the one with the bees! My boys have always been fascinated with bees! 🙂
I agree, they do look delicious. I like using honey instead of sugar when I cook. Thanks for the recipe.