National Honey Bee Day, the third Saturday in August, was started in 2009, when a small group of beekeepers petitioned for and obtained a formal proclamation from the USDA honoring honeybees and beekeeping. The purpose of the celebration is to bring together beekeepers, bee associations, and other interested groups to connect with the communities to advance beekeeping, using a united effort one day a year. What better way to celebrate the honorable honeybee than to enjoy their delicious honey! 

The Lenoir County Farmers Market will celebrate National Honey Bee Day on Saturday August 20, 2022 from 9:00 am – Noon.  The market is located at 100 North Herritage Street in downtown Kinston.  At this event you will be able to;

 ·         Watch honeybees up close and safely in an observation hive

·         See how honey is extracted from the honeycomb

·         Sample local honey produced by members of the Neuse Regional Beekeepers

·         Kids can come make their own honeybee craft and get free coloring pages that will help them understand the importance of pollinators

·         Learn how you can protect our pollinators

·         Ask beekeepers questions

·         Learn about plants that are pollinator friendly

The health benefits of honey are numerous;

 *  Aids in the prevention cancer and heart disease,
*  Reduces ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders,
*  All honey is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal,

*  Increases athletic performance,
*  Reduces cough and throat irritation,
*  Helps regulate blood sugar,
*  Heals wounds and burns,
*  Is a natural probiotic, and

*  Helps improve skin.
I say the best way to celebrate is to use all natural and local honey in planning your summer meals!! 

 Homemade Hot Honey

(Hot honey is all the rage and it could not be easier to stir up your own)

¼ cup local honey

1 teaspoon your favorite hot sauce, more if desired

 That’s right two ingredients, stir them together and give it a taste, if you want it to have a little more bite add more hot sauce. 

 How to use hot honey,

 Drizzle over fresh cut wedges of sweet watermelon, then top with basil, feta and pistachios.  Could not be more fresh and delicious, and of course easy!!

 You can also use the hot honey in dressings, cocktails, and most popular in Tennessee and Kentucky is over friend chicken! 

 Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

(Better than your usual Honey Mustard Dressing)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard, your preference on course or smooth

1/8 teaspoon “local” honey

Fresh ground pepper to taste, I use a lot

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

 Whisk together garlic, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in the oil.  Save in an airtight container!

 Yields 8, 1 tablespoon servings, each serving contains; Calories 84, Carbohydrates 0.5g, Sugars 0.4g, Fat 9.2g, Sodium 48.6mg. 

Honey Glazed Almonds

1 1/2 cups raw, unblanched almonds

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 salt

 Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the almonds in a medium nonstick skillet; cook over medium heat for 6 minutes or until lightly toasted, shaking pan frequently. Combine the remaining ingredients in a 2-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds. Add honey mixture to pan, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Arrange almond mixture on prepared baking sheet in a single layer; let stand 10 minutes. Break apart any clusters.

 Serves 10, each serving contains:  Calories 138, Fat 10.6g, Protein 4.6g, Carbohydrate 8.5g,

Fiber 2.6g, Cholesterol 0.0mg, Sodium 63mg.

 Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

1 scallion, minced

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 pound center-cut salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

(Toasting sesame seeds brings out the seeds' full, nutty flavor. Heat the seeds

in a dry pan over medium heat, or on a sheet in a 275ºF oven, until golden

and fragrant, about 5 minutes.)

 Whisk scallion, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ginger in a medium bowl until the honey is dissolved. Place salmon in a sealable plastic bag, add 3 tablespoons of the sauce and refrigerate; let marinate for 15 minutes. Reserve the remaining sauce.

 Preheat broiler. Line a small baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.

Transfer the salmon to the pan, skinned-side down. (Discard the marinade.) Broil the salmon 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.

 Honey Ginger Dijon Glazed Pork Chops

4 – 6 pork loin chops
Glaze

2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger root
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

 Simmer together in a small saucepan for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

Grill 4 to 6 pork loin chops and brush repeatedly with the honey, ginger and Dijon glaze.

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

1 ½ boneless skinless chicken thighs, or I like to use breast tenders

1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons chili paste, I substituted with Sriracha

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons corn starch

 For Serving

Prepared rice, brown, quinoa, or riced cauliflower

Toasted sesame seeds

Chopped green onion

 Place the chicken in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. In a medium mixing bowl or very large measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, chili paste, garlic, and rice vinegar. Pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. If you are available, flip the chicken over once halfway through to coat both sides. (If not, don’t stress; it will still be tasty.)

 Remove the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly. Whisk the cornstarch into the slow cooker cooking liquid. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally. If you'd like the sauce particularly thick, you can cook it for a full 30 minutes in the slow cooker OR follow the stovetop method below.

 For quicker sauce thickening, reduce the sauce on the stove: After whisking in the cornstarch, transfer the cooking liquid to a medium saucepan. Cook on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. (If your slow cooker insert is stovetop safe, you can remove it from the slow cooker and place it directly on the burner, but do not do this unless you are POSITIVE your insert is stovetop safe or it may crack.)

With two forks (or your fingers if the chicken is cool enough), shred the chicken and place it in the slow cooker. If you reduced the sauce on the stove, add it back to the slow cooker now. Stir to coat the chicken with the sauce. Serve over rice, sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds.

Serves 4, each serving contains:  Calories 329, Fat 7g, Protein 35g, Carbohydrate 32g,

Fiber 1g, Cholesterol 162mg.