Fire Cider
Fire Cider is an old herbal folk remedy. The pungent, hot, sour and sweet properties of this herbal tonic is sure to kick out a cold. But Fire Cider is not only used to for cold and flu season. Fire Cider is a great immune enhancing formula that can be taken daily as part of your daily regimen. It can promote circulation and also aid in digestion. Sip it straight, add it to other beverages or even add to create a craft cocktail. You can even cook with it.
I love Fire Cider because it is simple to make, and uses ingredients that you may already have in your house or garden. There are hundreds of variations out there, and there really is no right or wrong. Here is my recipe: (This is a recipe that you should try to use all organic ingredients)
1/2 Cup grated organic ginger root
1/2 cup grated organic horseradish root
1/2 cup dice organic turmeric root
10 cloves organic garlic, crushed or chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
I medium organic onion chopped
Sprig of fresh rosemary plus 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
1 orange, halved and sliced
1 lemon, halved and sliced
Zest of one lemon
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
1/4 raw local honey, or to taste
Raw organic unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar.
Prepare all your ingredients and place them in a quart or 1.5 quart size jar. Fill with Apple Cider Vinegar. If using a mason jar, place a piece of wax paper between the jar and the lid to prevent the vinegar from corroding the metal lid. Place in a cool dark area (cabinet) for 4 weeks and shake daily. After weeks, strain ingredients through a cheesecloth into a clean jar, squeezing every last drop out. Add more honey if desired.
You will want to immediately start your next batch, as you will see, this won't last very long!
Cheers to making food into medicine and staying healthy during cold and flu season!
Elderberry Syrup
Elderberries are a great general immune booster. These berries contain anthocyadins, a chemical compound know to have immunostimulant effects. Elderberries have been proven to be be effective for cold and flu season. Take at the first sign of sniffles to help lessen the duration of illness. This is a simple recipe that you can make at home and have on hand if the chance that you or someone in your family gets sick. This is also great for children because it tastes sweet and not like medicine.
4 cups cold water
2 cups organic dried Elderberries
1 organic Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp fresh grated organic ginger root or organic dried Ginger Root
raw local honey
To make the syrup, combine the berries and herbs with cold water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow herbs to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and mash the berries in the liquid mixture. Strain the berries and herbs through cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice. Measure the liquid and add an equal amount of honey. Gently heat the honey and juice for a few minutes until well combined. Do not boil! Bottle in sterilized glass