Colds and Flu

Hmm, well since D's been sick for the last two days now I thought I'd post two of my favorite feel good recipies on here....

A Drink For Colds and Flu 

2 or 3 Lemons
1 Tsp Honey
2 or 3 Cloves
Cinnamon Stick
Ginger
Water

2 tots of Brandy

Squeeze the juice from the  Lemons and place in a saucepan. Add up to half a cup of water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to simmer. Bruise the Cloves and add them to the mix, along with a Cinnamon stick. Cut up some fresh ginger and grate into the mixture. Add in a tot or two of brandy and add the Honey, stirring well. Let is simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cloves, ginger and cinnamon stick and pour the liquid into a mug. The best sore throat and cold-buster drink I know - and very yummy!!

Another Good Remedy Is Homemade Chicken Soup

It's quite interesting to note that the herbs and spices added to the soup (like garlic and pepper) are all ancient treatments for respiratory diseases, and they work the same way as modern cough medicines, thinning mucus and making breathing easier.

 

 1 large chicken
3 large onions
3 garlic cloves
5 large carrots
5 to 6 celery stems
1 bunch of parsley 

A couple of button or shitake mushrooms

1 teaspoon thyme/mixed herbs
Salt and pepper to taste 

Clean the chicken, and then put it in a large pot. Cover it with water and bring the water to a boil. Dice the onions and garlic cloves, peel the carrots and cut them and the celery as finely as you can, wash and slice the mushrooms. Then add the onions, garlic and carrots. Let it boil for about an hour. Remove fat from the surface as it accumulates (And if you have animals, add it to their food bowls, they'll love it!) Add the parsley,mushrooms,celery and thyme or mixed herbs. Cook the mixture about half an hour longer, then remove the chicken. The chicken is not used further for the soup. (The meat makes an excellent chicken mayo sandwich though.) Strain soup in a cullinder and then salt and pepper to taste.

[Note that you can leave in the chicken pieces once you've de-boned them, as well as the vegetables to turn the soup into a stew...and if you're going to do that, why not make some pasta while cooking the chicken and turn the recipe into chicken and noodle soup]

Until next time.

Daughter of Dreams