The “Whole Body” section at Whole Foods sees a significant spike in sales about 1-2 weeks into January. Can you guess why?
This is about the time a person realizes his or her symptoms are no longer the effects of a well celebrated New Year and are, in fact, the start of a cold or flu. Since all I was hitting on New Year’s Eve was tea (admittedly lame), I was faster to recognize the softball in my throat as an ailment and not the consequence of celebration.
“Hippy” inclinations aside, I’ve long thought cough medicine was a form of syrupy, grape TORTURE. Why add suffering on top of suffering? Instead, I turn to nature for remedies I actually want to drink.
Landing somewhere between a soothing vegetable broth and Tang (in a good way!), this herbal tea’s ingredients unfold as you sip- a hit of ginger here, a faint kick of garlic there, a tart pucker of lemon and the sweetness of raw honey.
Whether not there’s a softball in your throat, this tea is a healthy way to start the morning or sip while cozily escaping the winter just beyond your window.
Sip and be well!
Herbal Cough Suppressant with Lemon & Turmeric
Recipe from Bon Appétit
Yield: Makes about 8 cups
About This Recipe: Imagine a cross between broth and the Tang from your childhood, in a good way, and you have this homemade elixir. Smooth and flavorful enough to drink even when your throat is in tip-top shape. Be careful not to boil the tea. It will give you a cleaner flavor and be more nutrient-rich.
Ingredients
1 bunch oregano
1 bunch thyme
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, grated (or more if you like ginger)
2 1-inch pieces turmeric, peeled, grated
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 small garlic clove, grated
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 Tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice (regular lemon or lime also work)
Directions
Lightly whack oregano and thyme with a wooden spoon to bruise and release oils.
Heat herbs, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns, and 8 cups water in a medium saucepan until an instant-read thermometer registers around 130°—it should be uncomfortably hot to the touch but not boiling.
Reduce temperature to low and let mixture steep 6 minutes.
Add garlic, honey, almond milk, and citrus juice, stirring to dissolve honey.
Strain into a pitcher or large heatproof container, pushing on the herbs to squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Divide among mugs, sip and enjoy!
