Discover honey

Health Note
Health Canada advises that infants under one year of age should not have honey, but it is safe and wholesome for older children and adults. Visit www.hc-sc.gc.ca for more information.

Did you know
• Beekeeping is the oldest form of agriculture, and Canadian beekeepers have one of the highest honey yields per hive in the world. All provinces produce honey and Alberta leads in production.

• Having the unique distinction of being the only insect that produces food eaten by humans, worker honeybees tap two million flowers and fly more than 88,000 kilometres in order to produce one pound (500 g) of honey. A hard-working bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip yet produces only about 1?12th of a teaspoon of honey in her short lifetime (worker honeybees are female).

Recipes to try
• Ricotta Honey Cheesecake
Greek thyme honey, traditionally used in this cheesecake, adds an intriguing herbal flavour. Closer to home, try wildflower or melon honey.

• Roasted Honey Cinnamon Nuts
Fabulous on their own, these sweet, toffeelike nuts are also delicious sprinkled on salads or sautéed vegetables, such as green beans, mashed sweet potatoes or squash.

• Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
This creamy, sweet dressing with a hint of citrus pairs nicely with a spinach and strawberry salad. For 4 servings, toss 1/3 cup (75 mL) dressing with about 8 cups (2 L) greens.

• Prairie Honey Oatmeal Muffins
Filled with honey, oats and sunflower seeds, these wholesome muffins are a nutritious start to the day or a tasty pick-me-up snack.

• Roast Pork with Cider and Honey
Searing the pork before roasting ensures a golden brown crust. Cipolline onions are small, flat Mediterranean onions found in many supermarkets and Italian markets. You can replace them with 13 small onions, chopping one and roasting the rest.

Photo: Ricotta Honey Cheesecake
Photography by Yvonne Duivenvoorden

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