Recipes for Elderberry Syrup and Chicken broth

Allergy season has kicked in at our house. Our kids have everything from runny noses, sore throats, and itchy eyes. Maddie’s eyes are swollen and puffy and Titus is already sounding pre-pneumonia. I should know by know to start all my remedies a week early so I actually have them on hand as start them even before allergy season. Lesson learned, I’ll start preparing a head next year.

There are three basic go-to remedies I try to keep stocked. The first is raw local honey, I am thankful that our natural store just down the road carries delicious local honey! The second is chicken broth, I will start using this in almost everything! I will make sure to have either warm broth to drink at meals, make rice with the chicken broth, or soups. This is a sure way to get nutrients into my families bodies. The third remedy is elderberry syrup. I learned of this syrup from a friend of mine who had made it for her family. All three of my kids, as well as my husband and I suffer from weak immune systems. You can use dried or fresh elderberries, either work fine. I will post recipes for all three of my go-to remedies.

Elderberry syrup:
Elderberry Syrup Recipe
1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup dried organic Elderberries (harvest blue or black, avoid poisonous reds)
3 cups water
1 cup raw local honey
1 organic Cinnamon stick
3 organic Cloves
Organic Ginger

Place berries, water, and spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Smash the berries to release remaining juice and strain the mixture. Allow liquid to cool and stir in honey. Will last for 2-3 months stored in the fridge.

Chicken/Beef broth:
Chicken bones (I save the bones from the chickens I’ve roasted or grilled, once I have two or three whole carcasses I start my broth.)
Vegetables: Carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and ginger.
Herbs: Marjoram & sage, dried or fresh work fine.
I can usually get my chicken broth to gel using three chicken carcasses, yielding about three gallons of bone broth.

To make broth:
Dump chicken bones, veggies, and herbs in a crock-pot or roaster add water to the top of your crockpot or roaster. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Let set for an hourish (this will aid in breaking down the bones and getting the most nutrition out of them). After an hours has passed, bring water to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover, and let simmer anywhere between 12 to 48 hours depending on what you have time for. I usually let mine simmer until all of the vegetables have turned a pale color, telling me the broth has pulled out as many nutrients from the veggies as possible.

Allow  to cool to make the broth easier to handle. Then you don’t bump and burn your knuckles on the hot surfaces. Once it has cooled to a temp you are comfortable handling it is time to strain your broth. I use a large bowl, put a colander in the bowl and then cover the colander with a dish towel. The towel works like cheesecloth without the added expense of buying cheesecloth. The towel will keep your broth yellowish/clear rather than have herb tidbits in the broth. Once your broth is strained pour into your desired containers and freeze. I do not recommend using glass jars because they will break in your freezer. Plastic handles much better in the freezer and saves you from having to buy new glass jars.

Use when you make rice, quinoa, soups or for other delicious recipes where you would normally add water. It adds nutrients and flavor to your meals.

Local Raw Honey:
This really is worth checking in your area to find a local source. It tastes ten times better than the store stuff and does wonder for allergy sufferers!

One more thing that helps my families sinuses is warm tea with honey, it soothes the throat, soothes the nasal passages and tastes yummy. Given right before bed the honey helps with calming coughing attacks.

I pray these remedies bring relief to your allergy sufferers!