My go-to liquid therapy recipes during cold and flu season

When I’m feeling under the weather, I’m all about therapeutic liquids to get me through it.

In this post, I’m sharing my favorite all natural recipes to help comfort and heal my body during cold and flu season.

Mineral rich and nutrient dense healing vegetable broth

This mineral broth will help soothe a sort throat, give your body the liquids it needs to stay hydrated, and is loaded with immune boosting and antioxidant-rich ingredients.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 75 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, smashed

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 2 pieces of kombu (kelp) and 1/4 cup wakame, reconstituted (allow to sit in boiled water for 10 minutes)

• 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped

• 2 leeks, chopped

• 5 shiitake mushrooms

• 5 chanterelles mushrooms

• 5 small cremini mushrooms

• 1 cup maitake mushrooms, pulled apart

• 2 lemon peels

• Ginger root, peeled and chopped (about 3 inches long)

• Turmeric root, unpeeled and chopped (about 3 inches long)

• 5 bay leaves

• 1 handful fresh parsley

• 1 tbsp black peppercorns

• 1 tbsp light miso paste

• Filtered water, just enough to cover the vegetables

Directions:

1. Sauté onion, garlic, celery and miso paste in a bit of water on a medium to low heat for 5 minutes.

2. Add carrots, leeks, mushrooms; mix well for 3-5 minutes.

3. Drain excess water from kombu and wakame through a mesh strainer and add it to the pot (throw away kombu and wakame).

4. Stir in lemon peel, ginger, turmeric, bay leaves and peppercorns.

5. Add filtered watered; just enough to barely cover the vegetables and parsley. Bring to a boil and reduce to low heat.

6. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from burner and allow to sit for 30 minutes before straining the broth and serving.

Powerful greens soup

Consuming leafy greens has countless health benefits. When you’re sick, make yourself this easy powerful greens soup. It’s got a great variety of green vegetables, many of which are loaded with antioxidants to help support immunity and gut health.

Use the recipe below as a rough guide, and feel free to go ahead and sub-in whatever green vegetables you have on hand in your fridge.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 white onion, chopped

• 3 cloves of garlic, diced 

• 1 small head of broccoli, chopped

• 1 green zucchini, sliced

• 1 tbsp salt (you can always add more at the end, if needed)

• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns

• 2 tbsp almond flour (this is optional; I add it for a slightly thicker and creamy consistency)

• 6 cups of vegetable broth (I prefer a low sodium version)

• 2 bunches of leafy greens (such as spinach, chard, or dandelion greens)

• Handful of fresh dill

• Handful of fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Coat a large pot with a thin layer of spray oil (such as avocado or coconut oil), and place on a medium heat. Add cumin, stir for 15 seconds.

2. Add onions and garlic, stir occasionally until onions start to sweat and soften (about 3-5 minutes).

3. Add broccoli and zucchini to pot, mix well.

4. Once vegetables are soft, stir in salt, peppercorns and almond flour and mix well. Then, pour in vegetable broth and add in your leafy greens and herbs. Stir until well mixed.

5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low heat, cover the pot and allow the soup to simmer for 30 minutes.

6. Transfer soup ingredients to a blender and begin to blend on a low speed. Increase the speed gradually up to a medium for a chunkier consistency, or a high speed if you prefer a pureed version. 

7. Store in the fridge for up to 5-7 days or several months in the freezer. 

Golden turmeric latte

Practitioners of Ayuvedic and Chinese medicine have been using turmeric to treat a myriad of health issues for eons.

This little elixir is one I put together with inflammation, gut health and boosting immunity in mind.

I love to sip on one at night or first thing in the morning to help soothe my throat and relax me.

I recommend whipping up a batch, keeping it in an air tight container in the fridge (for up to three days) and then reheating it on the stove as needed.

Prep Time: 5 minutes |  Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 liter of hot water

• 1 cup plant-based milk of choice (sugar-free is best)

• 2 tbsp freshly grated turmeric root (or ground powder)

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

• 1/2 tsp ground vanilla bean powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1.5 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tbsp of honey (or 2-3 dates)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a medium-sized sauce pan and place it on a medium heat on the stove, and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce to a simmer and let sit for 5 minutes.

3. Pour tonic into a high speed blender. Start on a low speed and increase to highest speed, and blend until completely smooth.

4. Drink fresh or pour tonic into air tight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cold busting green smoothie

Normally, when I make a green smoothie I don’t stick to a specific recipe, just a simple formula of 1/4 cup of fruit (fresh or frozen), two handfuls of leafy greens (usually spinach, kale or romaine), one and a half cups of  filtered water, and a handful of whatever other green vegetables I have on hand.

But when I’m coming down with something, or just feel depleted and not at my best, I make this specific blend every day until I feel better. And I have to say - it really, really helps.

Ingredients

• 1/2 an orange, peeled

• 1/2 cup pineapple, chopped

• 1 lemon, peeled

• 2 inch knob of ginger, peeled

• 1/2 cucumber, chopped

• 2 stalks of celery, chopped

• 2 cups of spinach

• 1.5 cups filtered water

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender. Start on a low speed and increase to highest speed, and blend until completely smooth.

Lemon drop and ginger tonic

This easy little tonic is basically my everyday accessory, but especially so when I’ve come down with something.

I love it because it’s easy to make, comforting and good for you, and so incredibly hydrating.

For convenience sake, I like to make a batch of it and keep it on the stove and sip from it throughout the day.

Plus, the longer it steeps the more potent and flavorful it gets.

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 cups of water

• 1 lemon, half sliced and half juiced

• 2 inch knob of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 spring of rosemary

• 1 tsp of honey (optional, but recommended if you’re sick)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a medium sauce pan on a medium heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Let steep for about 5 minutes and serve.

There you have it!

Be sure to keep this post bookmarked, so that you have all of the liquid therapies you need handy, to get you through cold and flu season and keep you cozy all winter long.

FIND MORE BITS OF WELLNESS ON INSTAGRAM