It’s no secret that I’m not a big fan of winter. I ask myself every winter why I live in such a cold climate! One thing I hate about winter is getting sick. I believe that we’re sick more in the winter because we’re cooped up with all of the germs. Once my son gets sick, we all get sick, because we’re stuck in the house nursing him. I will try anything to keep me and my family healthy. One way to keep our immune systems strong is taking elderberry syrup.
Elderberries are high in vitamin A and vitamin C. The elderberry is known to help the immune system fight viruses like the flu and can help inflammation. Some say it helps with pain, hay fever, constipation, chronic fatigue, and even some cancers. Last winter I had so much good luck with the elderberry syrup I bought from the store- only 1 cold, and was able to stop 2 colds before they got bad- I decided to make my own this year in my Instant Pot. I thought this was a quick, safe way to make it without worrying about stirring and watching it boil.
I keep my recipe simple: dried elderberries, cinnamon sticks, ginger, orange, lemon, water and honey. My man and my son don’t like cloves, so leave them out.
I buy my organic elderberries on Amazon. It’s best to buy them in the warm months, because by the fall, the prices go up!
I keep my elderberry syrup in a mason jar and store it in my fridge for about a month. During cold and flu season, my 9 year-old son and I each take a teaspoon every day (adults can take up to 2 teaspoons). When we feel a cold coming on, we double it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried elderberries
- 4 slices ginger root
- 1/2 orange
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5-6 cloves (optional)
- 4 cups bottled water
- 1 cup raw honey
Instructions
- Put elderberries, ginger, orange zest, lemon zest, orange, lemon, cinnamon sticks, cloves and water in Instant Pot.
- Close lid and set pressure cooker for 10 minutes.
- Do a quick pressure release and set Instant Pot on "Saute." Boil for 10 minutes to cook down some of liquid.
- Strain liquid, mashing berries to get all of that good juice. Throw berries away, as they are not safe to eat!
- When liquid is almost completely cooled, add raw honey and mix.
- Keep refrigerated for about a month.
Enjoy!