<h3>Elderberry Syrup</h3>

   1st Corinthians 6:19-20
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

  Have you ever heard of elderberries? Elderberries are high in immune-boosting compounds. They reduce swelling, fight inflammation, and it might help with sinus infection and bronchitis. Elderberry eases cold symptoms like sore throat, cough, and headache. Also, people use it for high cholesterol.
  Elderberries are good to take when sick, and when healthy. 

Warning:Never eat raw elderberries!
  
   The other day, we ordered some elderberries from Mountain Rose Herbs. And last night, my Mom made some Elderberry syrup!

   
  Some places sell Elderberry syrup, but by making your own, you can save a lot of money. 
   
  To make your own elderberry syrup, you'll need 

• 2/3 c dried black elderberries (find elderberries here!)
• 3 1/2 c water
• 2 T fresh or dried ginger root
• 1 t cinnamon powder
• 1/2 t cloves or clove powder
• 1 cup raw honey

  We found this recipe on Wellness Mama. To see her post, click HERE. Also on her site is a recipe for homemade gummy bears using elderberry syrup. See that recipe HERE.

    

  The following is copied from the Wellness Mama site:

How long does elderberry syrup last in the fridge?

The short answer is that it really depends. I’ve found that placing the finished syrup in a mason canning jar while it is still warm creates an air-tight seal and allows it to last much longer in the fridge, up to several months. As a general rule, it lasts about two weeks in the fridge and I typically freeze whatever I won’t use during that time. You can also freeze small amounts in an ice-cube tray and defrost small amounts when needed.

If you know how, you can also can the elderberry juice concentrate or the finished syrup to greatly extend the shelf life.

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  Now to make your own: Begin by gathering the ingredients.

1. Pour water into a saucepan and add elderberries, ginger,cinnamon,and cloves. NOT HONEY.


2. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 45 min to an hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half. Remover from heat and let cool enough to be handled. Mash the berries carefully using a spoon or other flat utensil. Pour through a strainer into a glass bowl or jar.
   
   
   
   
3. Discard the elderberries and the the liquid cool to lukewarm, then add a cup of honey and stir well.
4. When honey is mixed well with the elderberry mixture, pour the syrup into a pint sized mason jar or glass bottle.

Copied from Wellness Mama:

Ta Da! You just made homemade elderberry syrup! Store in the fridge and take daily for its immune boosting properties. Some sources recommend taking only during the week and not on the weekends to boost immunity.

Standard dose is ½ tsp to 1 tsp for kids and ½ Tbsp to 1 Tbsp for adults. If the flu does strike, take the normal dose every 2-3 hours instead of once a day until symptoms disappear.

Enjoy! And feel free to share, and or comment.