Elderberry Syrup

We are crawling out of a sickness pit. The change in weather brought on our seasonal allergies which became strep, colds, ear infections, and sinus trouble. It's been pretty snotty around here, but 1000 tissues and 1,000,000 coughs later, we finally see some light.

We all need some immune boosting, so I made a batch of Elderberry Syrup this morning. You can adjust this recipe based on your taste, as long as you stick to the basics.

1 Cup dried elderberries (I ordered mine from Amazon)

3 1/2 Cups water

1/2 Cup lemon juice

1 Tbsp fresh ginger

1 Cinnamon stick

2 drops Thieves essential oil

1 drop lemon essential oil

1 drop clove essential oil

1/2 to 1 Cup honey

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium sauce pan, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes. Pour syrup through fine mesh strainer into a large bowl and add oils and honey. Add honey a little add a time, stopping when you reach your desired taste.

The essential oils give a little extra oomph to the syrup, but it's also good without them.

We keep this in the refrigerator and take it before bed.

Full disclosure, my kids line up their little medicine cups in a row: allergy meds, elderberry, chaser (it's juice), and down them like they are shots.

Try out Elderberry syrup and tell me what you think. If you are local, and you'd like some, let me know.