Whip up one of these recipes the next time you’re under the weather for healing and relief.
A wise Greek man once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” We’d like to think that if Hippocrates were still around he might appreciate the 44-garlic soup, lemon ginger honey tea, and other dishes that follow. Whether you’re nursing a runny nose, stuffed-up head, upset stomach, or a general case of the blahs, the following immunity recipes offer a natural pathway to relief. While we can’t promise that you’ll forgo the doctor’s office altogether, we can assert that the foods below are warming, comforting, and contain ingredients with healing properties that will ease your symptoms and boost your body’s immune defenses. Plus, they’re packed with delicious flavors you may want to come back to even when you’re not sick.
44-Clove Garlic Soup
Garlic is packed with antioxidants and may give your immune system a boost in warding off a cold. This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetite by Deb Perelman at Smitten Kitchen. As for the handfuls of garlic contained in this recipe, she summed it up best: “The soup has 44 cloves of garlic in it. 28 are roasted and then peeled, 18 peeled and then simmered, and somehow the outcome is subtle, but not boring.”
Serves 4
26 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 1/4 cups sliced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
18 garlic cloves, peeled
3 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
4 lemon wedges
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 26 garlic cloves in small glass baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic between fingertips to release cloves. Transfer cloves to small bowl.
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 18 raw garlic cloves and cook 3 minutes. Add chicken stock; cover and simmer until garlic is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan; add cream and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide grated cheese among 4 bowls and ladle soup over. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon wedge into each bowl and serve.
Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Lemon Ginger Honey Tea
Reap the soothing effects of lemon and honey with the invigorating zip of ginger in this throat-soothing cocktail. There’s no need for whiskey in this home remedy, just let the antimicrobial effects of honey and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger do its work.
Ingredients
- 1-inch fresh ginger root (no need to peel it)
- 1 cup water (boiling)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon honey (raw, unpasteurized)
- Optional: 1 shot whiskey
Preparation
- Bring water to a boil and remove from heat.
- Cut lemonand ginger into thin slices. Add to the hot water.
- Steep for 5-10 minutes.
- Strain and pour teainto mug.
- Add honey, stir, and serve.
Immunity-Boosting Juice
If you feel a cold coming on it’s a good idea to pay extra attention to your diet. This juice blend of carrot, apple, ginger, and lemon is packed with vitamin C and antioxidants to help fortify your body’s defenses before you get sick.
Reap the soothing effects of lemon and honey with the invigorating zip of ginger in this throat-soothing cocktail. There’s no need for whiskey in this home remedy, just let the antimicrobial effects of honey and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger do its work.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 apples
- 5 carrots
- 1 in (2.5 cm) piece of ginger root
- 1/4 lemon, peeled
DIRECTIONS:
- Wash all ingredients.
- Cut produce to fit into your juicer and juice!
- Enjoy this juice daily for preventative health benefits.
Servings:1
By – Amanda Jedeikin
Healing through Art 