A Simple Breakfast

One of my all time favorite ways of using Creamed Honey is with peanut butter on toast. Sometimes if I have 2 pieces of toast, I put peanut butter on one and honey on the other and put them together to mix and warm each other. Then pull apart and eat each piece separately. The honey oozes into the peanut butter and the result is simply fabulous. Make sure the toast is warm and you use crunchy peanut butter.

A Visit to the Monastery

In January my husband came home from the supermarket with a surprise jar of lemon flavored Monastery Creamed Honey that he had spied on the shelf. A delicate hint of lemon in the honey gives it a twist of subtle perfection that makes morning toast and tea pure pleasure! I have raved about its delights to all who would listen.
My husband, a quiet observer to my great joy of spreading honey on my toast or using it to add a gentle touch of lemon to my tea, clearly understood my deep appreciation for this wonderful creation and suggested we take a trip to the Redwoods Monastery some time to pick up the honey directly from the nuns.
Once that jar was finished, and not wanting to wait for a trip, I went to New Seasons (a Portland, Oregon grocery chain that tries to buy local products and contributes a percentage of profits to community causes) to see if they had or might be willing to sell this wonderful product in our city. The store called me back to explain that they had looked into buying the honey but suggested I go online and buy it directly from the Monastery.
What to do? My husband and I decided to get in our Honda and head south to Whitethorn, California where the Redwoods Monastery is nestled among ancient Redwood trees and surrounded by a peace that only nature seems able to impart in today’s fast-paced World. The location of this quiet and remote spot is breathtaking and the serenity of the monastery and the surrounding environment touches every cell of one’s being! I also think it touches the honey in a special way too!
I purchased a case of the lemon honey, two jars of the orange and one of the ginger honeys. We have had the honey less than a week and already one jar of the orange is halfway gone!
If I could only organize my words so that others could fully understand how fabulously wonderful this honey tastes, the Cistercian Nuns would not be able to keep up with the volume of daily orders! The nuns’ honey can be creatively used in multiple ways from making homemade granola to adding a dollop of its sweetness in a soup or stir-fry or to injecting depth to cooking and baking. I encourage everyone to enjoy this honey for it beautiful simplicity and divine properties!
Jill M.

Spiced Chai Tea with Creamed Honey

This delicious drink is the creation of Sr Kay, a faithful monastery guest.

Chai Tea

It's important to get the right Spiced Chai tea bag. It can be either black or green, spiced but without additional flavoring. Recommended brands Peet's or Stash tea.

Brew tea bag with 8 oz of boiling water in a tall mug
Add 1/2 cup hot mild
Stir in 1-2 teaspoons Monastery Creamed Honey - Orange honey shines!

For a non caffeine afternoon or evening energizer use Trader Joe's Rubey Red Chai. This is made with rooibas, a South African herb tea.

Monastery Granola

Here is the much requested recipe for Monastery Granola. It is a staple breakfast food at Redwoods Abbey. Serve with milk or yogurt and add a dollop of creamed honey or a spoonful of preserves for a little sweetness.


In a large oven proof bowl:

1 cup wheat bran
1 cup brewers’ yeast
1 cup sesame seed
1 1/2 cups sunflower seeds
1 cup coconut
1 cup ground flax seed
4 cups of oats (a little more or less to taste)
1 cup oil over the top & mix thoroughly

Dry in a warm degrees oven until
You begin to smell it.

Let cool then mix in dried fruit:
raisins
apples
apricots etc.

This recipes makes about 1 gallon.

Recipe from Holy Orders

Here are some recipe ideas from Jeanne of Holy Orders. Holy Orders offers a unique selection of monastery products from monasteries all over the world. Visit Holy Orders website at www.holyorders.biz.

• At our Holy Orders Christmas Open House we served barbecued sliced polish sausage with a dip using equal parts of your original Monastery Creamed Honey and Divinely Original Monastery Mustard from Queen of Angels Monastery in Oregon – deliciously divine!

• And of course I always love a dollop of monastery creamed honey on a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. It’s very similar to a butterscotch sauce in texture but healthier and quite heavenly.

• Another good one is cream cheese mixed with monastery honey spread on a bagel – absolute bliss!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Here is a recipe for pancakes that is simple and nutritious. The key is to get the grill hot enough, but not too hot. Also generously grease the grill. Avoid making really big pancakes. These are great topped with butter and a little honey - orange flavored creamed honey is my choice.

1 container cottage cheese (12oz)
6 Tablespoons flour
6 Tablespoons melted butter or oil. (I used butter/half canola oil)
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs with a whisk. Add all other ingredients. Allow all ingredients to come to room temperature before cooking.

Grill at 400° a few minutes on each side.

Belgium Whole Wheat Bread

When the Sisters came to California in 1962 from the monastery of Nazareth in Belgium they brought with them the recipe for Whole Wheat Bread. This bread has become a trademark of Redwoods Monastery ever since. Because it is so simple, it is the perfect bread to eat topped with any flavor of Monastery Creamed Honey. Sister Veronique was the first bread baker at Redwoods. Now Fr Maurice, our Chaplain, carries on the tradition. We use no mixer. All kneading is by hand. We use only organic ingredients.

Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients for 12 loaves

About 18 pounds of whole wheat flour – preferably organic and high in glutton
4 cups rye flour
½ cup of salt
½ cup of yeast (dry)
1 and ¾ gallons warm water

Mix flour, salt.
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to flour.

Knead until dough holds together and dough does not stick to hands – add more flour if necessary.

Let rise for ½ hour. Push down and divide dough into 12 equal portions. Let rise again in pans for the desired size. Bake at 425 ° oven for 1 hour.

For smaller batches flour – yeast ratio may need to be adjusted.