Hubby and I are both home sick today. It's pretty pathetic actually; we're curled up on the couch with our mugs of tea, a box of tissue, and a packet of cough drops. Gotta love cuddling while breathing through your mouth. So sexy.
Once in college when I was sick, I went to tell my choir director that I couldn't come to rehearsal (I had lost my voice to boot). Being the "commitment guru" that he was, he quickly jotted down the recipe for a drink remedy, shoved it toward me, and told me he'd see me tomorrow. I was pretty annoyed that he assumed I'd get better in one day, but I took the scrap of paper home with me and thought, what the heck. It can't hurt.
I can now say, this remedy is my go-to drink whenever I have a cold. Sure, it doesn't taste the best, but with some honey and a stuffed up nose, you won't even realize it! :) I've grown to really love the taste and I truly think it makes a huge difference in how quickly my cold disappears. Dr. R, if you're reading this, you were right. It's a good recipe.
'Tis the season for colds, so go try it next time you've got one! It's a must-have.
Dr. R's Cold Remedy
3 cups water
1 lemon, sliced
3 cinnamon sticks, broken
3/4 inch ginger, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
10 whole cloves
Boil water and add rest of ingredients. Simmer, covered, for ten minutes. Pour through a sieve and add honey to taste.
P.S. Do you ever eat Ramen when you're sick? My dad grew up in Japan, so it's something we've always eaten during the cold and flu season. I can't ever remember not eating Ramen while sick. This is my family's version of a great bowl of Ramen, "souped up" a bit (no pun intended):
-One package of Ramen (try a package that's MSG-free; you can find quite a few brands at specialty food stores or at Whole Foods)
-3/4 cup of roughly sliced cabbage
-1/4 teaspoon chili powder, plus more to taste
-1/4 teaspoon sambal or chili garlic sauce
-A small handful of scallions, thinly sliced
Add cabbage to boiling water for 30 seconds, then add package of ramen (and included spice packet). Once cooked, add chili powder and sambal and mix together. Sprinkle scallions on top.
(taken from my iPhone)
