Warm Drinks for Cold Season
Whether you're feeling sniffly, fatigued, or just need the comfort of a warm mug in your hands, here are four all-natural recipes to try.
A couple weeks ago, I was hit by a nasty stomach bug. It came out of nowhere. The primary symptoms were week-long nausea and fatigue. By the seventh day, paranoia was setting in and I was beginning to wonder whether, despite the fact that “Aunt Irma” had just concluded her monthly visit, I had somehow managed to defy biology and become pregnant. No such luck.
I did, however, use this miserable opportunity to try the “Healing 3-Ingredient Turmeric Tonic” recipe I’d come across recently on the Minimalist Baker blog and to ask TulsaKids’ Facebook followers for their own favorite home remedies for cold season. (I know, I didn’t have a cold, but the Tumeric Tonic promises to soothe a multitude of ailments, and cold season recipes sounded more helpful than “phantom stomach bug” recipes.) So here are four recipes you can try the next time you are feeling a bit “off” this winter.
Healing 3-Ingredient Turmeric Tonic
Ingredients (these are the ingredients I used, which may vary slightly from the original recommendations):
- 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Maple syrup, to taste (original recipe calls for 1-2 tsp., optional, but I have a sweet tooth and probably doubled this. At least.)
- 3 c. filtered water
- Optional: cayenne pepper
Add all ingredients to small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and strain into a mug. Enjoy!
Hot Lemon and Basil Tea, With Honey
Laura Zurita shared this recipe with us on Facebook. Her three kids (pictured below) love it; it’s all-natural and sounds versatile, simple and delicious!
Boil water, squeeze in fresh lemon juice and add two basil leaves. Simmer for a few minutes. Turn off heat, stir in a bit of honey, and enjoy.
Garlic Lemonade
My friend Christi introduced me to this garlic lemonade, and I believe there are several versions out there. She uses this one. As with all of these recipes so far, the ingredients can be measured to taste, so it may take a few tries before you find your optimal flavor balance.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups boiling water
- 3-4 medium cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 c. lemon juice
- Honey/maple syrup
- Optional: peeled fresh ginger
Place garlic and ginger (if using) into a 1-quart jar (since you are just steeping the mixture, you could probably put it in any heat-proof container, but a jar might be easiest for pouring). Add boiling water and steep for 20+ minutes. Strain out garlic, if desired. Add lemon juice and honey.
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Christi also recommended including a recipe for elderberry syrup, which, according to realfoodrn.com, is high in vitamins A and C, a specific type of antioxidant, and has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. The website says that the standard dose for kids is 1/2-1 tsp. daily, and 1/2-1 Tbsp. for adults. If your child does become sick, the dose can be increased to 1/2-1 tsp. every 3-4 hours. Here is the recipe, as found on realfoodrn.com.
Ingredients:
- 2/3 c. dried elderberries (can be found at Amazon.com and probably at local health food stores)
- 3 1/2 c. water
- 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. whole or powdered cloves
- 1 c. raw honey
- In a medium saucepan, add water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer at least 45 minutes (until liquid has been reduced by half.) Remove from heat.
- When slightly cooled, strain the mixture into a glass bowl. Discard berries and cool liquid mixture until it is lukewarm.
- Add honey and stir well.
- Pour into 16 oz. glass container of some kind. Keep refrigerated. Should last up to several months.
