It's that time of year and many people come down with the annual cold or flu. In the spirit of "let food be your medicine" here are 3 delicious recipes that will soothe your symptoms. Of course, see your doctor if symptoms are severe.Let's start with a variation on an old standby; chicken soup. While it would be great to make it from scratch, when you are feeling under the weather, it may be easier to start with a can of organic chicken soup or broth.
Souped up Chicken Soup to Help Boost the Immune System
- 1 can organic chicken soup
- 3 slices of Astragalus. If you can't find the raw herb you may be able to find Astragalus tea in a health food store. Brew a strong cup of the tea and add it to the soup.
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- a few shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tsp. chopped ginger or a 1/2 tsp. of dried ginger powder
- 1 to 4 cloves of garlic
- simmer 30 minutes until the mushrooms are done
Dry Cough Pear and Almond Soup
- 5 ripe pears
-
2 quarts of water
-
honey
-
fresh mint leaves
-
4 handfulls of
almonds (chopped)
Cut pears in half and remove
stems and seeds. Chop into
small pieces. Combine pears,
almonds and water in medium
sized saucepan. Bring to boil,
cover, and simmer for 15
minutes. Remove from heat.
Add honey and mint to taste.
Drink one to two cups daily to
enhance the Lung function and
prevent dry coughs.
Cold Relief Soup
-
2 cloves of garlic
-
1 chopped scallion
-
1 Tbsp. miso paste
-
4 cups of water
-
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
Add all ingredients, bring to boil, simmer for 15 minutes. Drink 1 cup every hour. You will begin to sweat.
Bon appetite'
Sources: Chinese Home Remedies. Wang, L., New Page Books, 2005. Secrets of Healing. Ni, Dr. M., Avery Press, 2008.
