Make Blackstrap Molassses More Palatable: Iced Molasses Recipe

Until recently I never gave one thought about including molasses, and particularly not blackstrap molasses, to my diet. I was anemic during my pregnancy and tend to have difficulty getting enough iron in my diet so I started researching natural sources of iron. Little did I know that the greatest non-meat source of iron available is none other than blackstrap molasses. I quickly purchased a bottle of House of Herbs Blackstrap Molasses and was ready to dig in. Wow, was in for a surprise. My grandfather harvested sugar cane and made sorghum molasses, a delicious sweet treat on biscuits and other breads. Blackstrap molasses is not my grandfather's sorghum! Blackstrap molasses is a thick, tar-like goo with a flavor so robust it makes NyQuil taste like weak Kool-aid.

But since just one 60 calorie tablespoon of House of Herbs Blackstrap Molasses contains 70% of my daily value of iron, I had to find a way to consume it. In addition to the 70% of iron contained in House of Herbs Blackstrap Molasses, blackstrap molasses are also known to contain other nutrients including the B vitamin complex, calcium, and folate. Sugar cane has an extremely long root and that long root allows it to reach vitamins and minerals deep in the soil, nutrients that were long ago depleted from shallow soil. Since blackstrap molasses packs such an amazing nutrient punch, I had to figure out a way incorporate this food into my diet.

To make House of Herbs blackstrap molasses more palatable, I started creating iced molasses, a cold drink that not only made blackstrap molasses edible, but even tasty. I knew that dissolving blackstrap molasses in hot water is a way to dissipate the robust taste, but just drinking the hot liquid still wasn't tasty. Here are the recipe and preparation instructions for iced blackstrap molasses:

1. Dissolve 1 Tablespoon House of Herbs Blackstrap Molasses into ½ cup hot tap water.

2. Once the blackstrap molasses have dissolved, add 1 cup of crushed ice and ¾ cup skim milk to the mixture.

3. Stir or shake until the mixture is well combined and the molasses have been incorporated into the drink. You may need to add more ice to keep it nice and cold.

4. If desired, blend the ingredients in a blender to create a blended drink.

That's all there is to creating blackstrap molasses that can be eaten and even enjoyed! If the robust taste of the blackstrap molasses is still a little much for you, try adding a teaspoon of brown sugar to the mix as well. This bit of extra sweetness cuts the strong flavor of the blackstrap molasses even more.

While I tend not to consume things that are an "acquired taste" (why acquire it? has always been my mantra), with a food as healthy as blackstrap molasses I had to at least try. Now that I have been consuming blackstrap molasses for a few weeks, I find iced molasses to be a tasty morning or afternoon treat along with a snack.

For more information on the health benefits and nutrition of blackstrap molasses check out these articles:

Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses by Angela Kaelin

Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses by Scott Kessman