GloryBee Blog

Honey-Vanilla Peppermint Foot Scrub

Summer can take a toll on your feet for a number of reasons, but we don't all have the time or money to get a pedicure every week! We've created an easy and effective sugar scrub to make and use at home that will keep your feet soft and callus-free all summer long. The sugar acts as an exfoliant while the coconut oil and honey work to moisturize and smooth your soles. Use 1-2 times a week for best results!

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups Organic Cane Sugar or Aunt Patty’s Raw Demerara Sugar
½ Cup Aunt Patty’s Organic Fair Trade Virgin Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp GloryBee Organic Clover Blossom Honey
½ tsp Aunt Patty’s Pure Vanilla Extract
1-5 drops GloryBee Peppermint Essential Oil (enough drops for your liking)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

2. To use, dampen skin with warm water and gently scrub to exfoliate. Rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Grilled Habanero Honey Salmon

Our Habanero Honey Salmon is cooked to tender, flaky perfection in just 10 minutes on the grill! With a flavorful spicy honey glaze, you can make it your own by adding lemon slices or cilantro to the recipe. Serve with a fresh salad and it will be the perfect meal after all your holiday cooking and baking.

INGREDIENTS

2 salmon fillets, skin on
¼ Cup GloryBee Habanero Honey
2 Tbsp Aunt Patty’s Fair Trade Virgin Coconut Oil
¼ Cup lemon juice
2-3 Tbsp Aunt Patty’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Rinse fresh salmon fillets with cool water, pat dry.
To keep salmon from sticking to the grill, create foil trays as a cooking surface. Rub foil with coconut oil and place fish on foil.
Squeeze lemon juice onto the fish and drizzle with olive oil, rub into the fish gently.
Drizzle slightly heated habanero honey over fish, add salt and pepper to taste.
Set grill to high heat (about 500° F) and place fish onto foil trays on the grill, skin-side down. Cook until salmon begins to separate, about 8 minutes.
Serve warm and enjoy!

Brie with Honey & Coconut Sugar

Here's an easy sweet-and-savory appetizer idea that only requires a few ingredients and is ready in under 20 minutes. Brie is a mild, soft cheese that is delicious spread or spooned onto just about anything, which makes it a great party dish. Served on baguette or crackers, this is a light, yet filling appetizer that is sure to be a hit at your next get-together.

INGREDIENTS

1 wheel brie cheese
¼ Cup GloryBee Raw Organic Clover Blossom Honey
1/8 Cup Aunt Patty’s Coconut Sugar
1/8 Cup Aunt Patty’s Pecan Pieces

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Place wheel of brie in a baking dish.

3. Drizzle honey on the brie, sprinkle coconut sugar and top with pecans.

4. Cover baking dish with foil and place in the preheated oven.

5. After 8 minutes, remove the foil and continue to cook for an additional 12-15 minutes.

6. Let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Upcycled Bee Boxes

The days are long and hot, and the kids are out of school. If you’re looking for a project idea, a great place to get inspiration is BRING's Planet Improvement Center. The Planet Improvement Center is kind of like the DIY crafters Disneyland; they have everything from old doors to fountain fixtures. Starting this week, they also have about 600 bee boxes which were returned to GloryBee after Bee Weekend and donated to BRING.

Hopefully all 8 million bees that were once housed in these bee boxes are happily producing honey in their new hive homes. The honey bees were transported from their Northern California breeder in the middle of the night, carried in their bee boxes.

But what do you do with the bee box once it’s done being a temporary home to bees? Recycling would take a lot of time, separating the wood and the metal from all 600 boxes. This is a perfect chance to upcycle! Here are three upcycling suggestions that our employees made:

1. Create a living wall out of succulents.

Stack 6 boxes on top of each other, fill with dirt, and cut holes in the wire. Plant succulents for a low maintenance living wall.

2. Make a bug house.

Kids love bugs. Use the bee box as a little house for bugs to live in.

3. Bird house.

Nail the box to a tree or porch area, create a friendly bird habitat, and wait to see who comes to live in the box.

Have a good idea for upcycling a bee box? If you have a bee box or purchase one from BRING, let us know what you did with yours!

Soap Making: Saponification and SAP Values

Saponification is the chemical process that turns fat into soap by combining the fats with either potassium hydroxide (KOH) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) also known as lye. Potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide are both alkalis.

All of the different types of fats (olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, mango butter, cocoa butter, etc.) have a saponification value assigned to them. These saponification values are also known as a "SAP value." This SAP value equates to the number of milligrams of KOH (potassium hydroxide) it takes to convert or "saponify" a fat into soap. It is the average molecular weight of the amount of fatty acids present. This is the industry standard for SAP values.

Because SAP values are listed as KOH, the value must be converted from potassium to sodium in order to make bar soap. Potassium hydroxide will only make liquid soap. To convert, divide the average SAP value by the ratio of the molecular weight of KOH, which is 1.0, or by the molecular weight of NaOH, which is 1.403. Once you have this conversion ratio, which we have provided for you in the description for most of our oils, calculate the amount of lye you will need in a recipe by multiplying the total amount of fat by the converted ratio. Here are a couple of examples of this calculation:

Liquid Soap Calculation:
48 grams of Coconut Oil x .1900 (converted SAP value of coconut oil for KOH) = 9.12 grams of NaOH (potassium hydroxide)

Solid Bar Soap Calculation:
48 grams of Coconut Oil x .2660 (converted SAP value of coconut oil for NaOH) = 12.768 grams of KOH (sodium hydroxide)

Note: When making soap, we recommend to measure your lye and fats using a digital scale that measures at least out to 2 decimal places. It is very important that your measurements by weight are very accurate, as it is a very specific chemical process. Also, it is important to make sure that you use the same units to measure by weight. For instance, if you are measuring in grams, make sure to measure both the fats and lye in grams instead of measuring one in grams and one in ounces.

Blackberry Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream

Hot Summer days are perfect for eating ice cream, but let’s be real--every day is the perfect day when it comes to eating ice cream! The only thing we can think of that’s better than ice cream is homemade ice cream. We recommend using honey to sweeten your ice cream to avoid using refined sugar. The amazing thing about honey is the variety of flavors they offer--not all honeys taste the same.
For this particular recipe, we are using one of our Pacific Northwest varieties that is especially popular late summer, but you can use any flavor you wish. Experiment to find your perfect blend!

1 Cup whole milk
½ Cup GloryBee Raw Blackberry Blossom Honey
3 Cups heavy cream
¼ tsp salt
4 egg yolks
2 Tbsp Aunt Patty's Pure Vanilla Extract

In a saucepan, heat milk, cream, honey and salt over medium heat until hot. Be careful not to let the mixture boil and curdle.
Whisk egg yolks in a medium heat-proof bowl, then slowly pour 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking. Transfer yolk mixture into the saucepan of rest of cream mixture; heat and stir constantly until the custard thickens slightly. Again, be careful not to let it boil and curdle.
Stir in vanilla extract. Cover the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours. To speed up this process, place bowl of custard in a larger bowl of ice water to form an ice bath and stir custard occasionally, until cold. The colder the custard is, the faster the machine will be able to create ice cream.
Follow the directions on your ice cream maker to freeze. Once the mixture is frozen, put it into containers and allow it to "ripen" for at least 2 hours in the freezer.

Natural Insect Repellent

Here are some essential oil blends that will all work to repel those pesky mosquitoes. Really, you could combine all of the essential oils into one blend, but all of those fragrances together may not have the same delightful smell as a few of them put together. Experiment a little; no matter what you do, it will be sure to ward off those tiny pests. Be sure to test a small amount on your skin after mixing to check for irritation or skin sensitivity.

INGREDIENTS & SUPPLIES

¼ Cup Aunt Patty’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ Cup Witch Hazel or Rubbing Alcohol
1 tsp GloryBee Aloe Vera Liquid
2 tsp GloryBee Sweet Almond Oil
Lemon and Eucalyptus Essential Oil Blend (15-30 drops of each)
(or other Essential Oil Blend*)
Spray Bottle
Distilled Water

*Other Essential Oil Blends: 10-25 drops of each

Blend 1: Cedarwood • Eucalyptus • Tea Tree
Blend 2: Citronella • Geranium • Lavender
Blend 3: Geranium • Lemon • Eucalyptus
Blend 4: Oregano • Geranium • Cassia Cinnamon (5 drops)
Blend 5: Lemon • Eucalyptus • Oregano

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine ingredients in the bottle and shake well.
Fill the bottle the rest of the way with water. Be sure to leave enough room to shake mixture. Shake well before each use.

This bug repellent can be sprayed on clothing or bedding (especially while camping) as well as directly onto the skin. Oils have less staying power than other harsh chemical repellents, so be sure to re-apply every 30 minutes to one hour.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Happy International Chocolate Day! To celebrate this day, we have added antioxidant-packed dark chocolate chunks to a naturally sweetened zucchini bread that is baked to perfection. This deliciously moist zucchini bread will satisfy your chocolate craving while getting your veggies too!

Yield: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups shredded zucchini, about 2 small
1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
¾ Cup Aunt Patty’s Organic Honey Crystals
½ Cup Aunt Patty’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
½ Cup 2% milk
2 Eggs
¼ Cup Aunt Patty’s Organic Maguey Syrup
1 tsp Aunt Patty's Pure Natural Vanilla Extract
½ Cup dark chocolate chunks

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly oil a 9x5 loaf pan and line with parchment.
Place shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk together honey crystals, coconut oil, eggs, maguey syrup, and vanilla. Stir zucchini into maguey mixture. Fold wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Fold in chocolate.
Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 65-70 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then use the flaps of parchment to pull out and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm and store leftovers in an airtight container.

Beekeeping Saves Lives

Imagine each day having to walk miles to get drinkable water from a well to sustain your family—a family devastated by poverty and the horrors of HIV. This was the harsh reality that Edwine Businge of Uganda, Africa faced each day until fate brought him to the United States for a short trip to meet with supporters of the organization he was volunteering for. While in Oregon, Edwine was told that GloryBee may be interested in giving his village a charitable donation, but what he got instead was a lesson in beekeeping.

Dick and Alan Turanski taught Edwine the basics of beekeeping—hive management, catching swarms and extracting essentials. When Edwine returned to Africa he was equipped to teach his fellow villagers how to keep bees. GloryBee sent the villagers tools to build their own hive boxes, supers, and frames. Soon the village was catching swarms and keeping honey bees. They witnessed their sparse gardens begin to flourish as the bees pollinated their plants as they gathered nectar and pollen. The villagers were able to sell their honey and candles made from bees wax. Within a couple of years, Edwine’s village was thriving so successfully that neighboring villages asked him to teach them to keep bees.

With the sale of their bee products, the people of Edwine’s village were able to purchase land and build a store to sell their products. As their bee business grew, they were able to come together as a community and create the infrastructure so everyone had easy access to clean drinking water. They were able to bring a much needed medical facility to the area. What once was a harsh life is now a life full of hope and possibilities.

As beekeepers, we sometimes focus on how much our bees need from us. It’s humbling to know that when we are truly in need, our bees will be there for us.

Peppermint Beeswax Lip Balm

If you follow our blog or have made any variation of the crafting recipes that we post, you'll most likely already have everything you need to make your own lip balm. It's easier than you'd think, and it only requires a few simple, natural ingredients.

Beeswax acts to condition and protect your skin while the combination of almond oil, vitamin E oil, and aloe vera liquid provide long-lasting moisture. The peppermint essential oil adds a refreshing tingle and invigorating scent.

INGREDIENTS & SUPPLIES

1 oz bar Pure, filtered beeswax
½ Cup Aunt Patty’s Sweet Almond Oil
½ tsp GloryBee Vitamin E Oil
¼ tsp GloryBee Aloe Vera Liquid
½ tsp GloryBee Peppermint Essential Oil
Pourable glass container
Double Boiler or boiling ring
24 Lip Balm Tubes, Clear Lip Balm Jars or Small Metal Tins

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine beeswax, sweet almond oil and vitamin e oil in a small, pourable glass container and place container in a saucepan filled with approximately 2 inches of water. Create a double boiler by placing a double boiler ring or canning jar ring in the bottom of the saucepan and then setting the pourable container on the ring.

1. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the beeswax is completely melted; mix thoroughly.

1. Remove from heat and add aloe vera liquid and peppermint essential oil. Mix thoroughly.

Pour into containers. Cool completely before use.

Red, White & Blue Honey Pops

Beat the heat this summer with these simple homemade red, white and blue ice pops. A great addition to your 4th of July picnic or backyard bash, these coconut-berry patriotic pops are a perfect treat for all ages to enjoy. The coconut milk makes a creamy, refreshing base for the burst of flavorful berries and satisfies the sweet tooth without any added sugars.

Yield: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups coconut milk
2 Tbsp GloryBee® Raw PNW Blackberry Blossom Honey
1 Cup raspberries
1 Cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk and honey.
Divide berries between ice pop molds and pour coconut milk over top to fill. Place the top on the mold and insert ice pop sticks. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
Once frozen, run under warm water until popsicles easily slide out of mold.

Summer Nectar Flow in the Pacific Northwest

The type of nectar and pollen that bees collect will determine the color, flavor and grade of the honey they produce. The amount of nectar and pollen available for honey bee collection is directly affected by environmental conditions such as weather patterns and overall climate. It is because of these factors that each region of the world has a specific set of plants best suited for honey bee pollination to create an optimal quality honey.

The best plants in the Pacific Northwest during the summer months for honey bees to collect pollen from for the best honey flow are…

Snowberry (Buckbrush) - May-June, surplus
Cascara - May-June, nectar
Hairy Vetch - May-June, surplus nectar
Raspberry - June, surplus
Thistle - June, nectar and pollen
Blackberry - June-July, nectar and pollen
White Clover - June-July, pollen and nectar
Dill (oil) - July, pollen and nectar
Fire Weed - July-August, no pollen and variable nectar

For more information about regional nectar types throughout the year, check out this lesson from our Beekeeping 101 series.