This is a super drink for cold weather, or when you are coming down with a cold, or to scare the wits out of a cold that might be trying to come near you!
INGREDIENTS:
a teacup of water
a few thin slices of ginger root
cayenne pepper
sugar to taste
Boil the water, & add about 3 shavings of ginger…You can keep a ginger root wrapped in the freezer, & just shave off a few slices whenever you need it!
Add plenty of sugar to taste, for a nice sweet drink…
And then sprinkle some cayenne pepper on top…maybe not quite as much as shown in the picture, but to your taste…it should be spicy, but you should be able to comfortably drink it! …Stir well…
…and let it sit for a minute or two, so the flavor of the ginger is released into the water…
(Also, for some reason, the strong vapors the first few minutes always make me cough, so I give it a few minutes to cool a little before drinking.)
After a few minutes, you can fish the ginger out if you’d like…
That’s all there is to it!
Enjoy!
love,
Clay Ball
Now that the weather is turning to cooler days & nights, it may be that you or someone nearby has a cold…or just feels cold…
Here is a very simple, hot soup to warm you up anytime!
INGREDIENTS:
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf + 2 cloves (if you have them on hand)
1 carrot
4 cups water
1/2 cup of small pasta (such as alphabets, tiny butterflies, orzo), or rice
cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
First, peel the onion, & secure the bay leaf to the onion using the 2 cloves as little thumbtacks, so you can easily remove them from the pot later on. They are used to make a simple vegetable stock.
Add the onion (with attached bay leaf & clove), the carrot, and the garlic to 4 cups water, and cover & simmer for 10 minutes or more , in unsalted water, so the flavor of the vegetables is released into the water.
When the carrot is soft, you can slice it or dice it…
Then, add 1/2 cup of pasta or rice, & simmer until done.
(If you happen to be using leftover pasta or cooked rice, just allow them to simmer for a few minutes until they are heated through.)
Alphabet pasta is really nice in this soup!
The orzo today took 20 minutes to cook through…the alphabet pasta may be done much sooner…maybe just check after about 10 minutes to see if it is cooked through.
Add salt & plenty of cayenne pepper, to taste!
(Cayenne pepper is said to be really good at fighting off colds!)
For added richness, a tablespoon of butter may be added as well. But, if you are on a heart-healthy diet, you may skip the butter, & the soup will still be delicious…
…or just add a tablespoon of canola oil instead, for a bit of extra nourishment.
Sometimes, by the time everyone is on their second bowl of soup, the orzo had plumped up a bit more, so most of the liquid is absorbed… If this happens, just add some more hot water to thin the soup, & salt & cayenne to taste!
I hope you can stay very warm, because colds are afraid of heat! It’s true! And hopefully, you can get plenty of sleep, because that is a miracle cure, too!
I hope you feel better soon!
love,
Clay Ball
p.s. A good drink for a cold is this: Place a few slivers of fresh ginger (maybe 5 very thin, partial slices) into a mug, & add boiling water, cayenne pepper, & sugar for a hot & healing drink! I let it cool off just a little before drinking, because the vapor from this drink is potent & makes me cough!
copy-and-print recipe below!
Clay Ball’s Alphabet Soup
…for when you need some heat…
INGREDIENTS:
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf + 2 cloves (if you have them on hand)
1 carrot, peeled
4 cups water
1/2 cup of small pasta (such as alphabet pasta, tiny butterflies, orzo), or rice
cayenne pepper & salt to taste
1 tablespoon butter or canola oil (optional)
1. First, peel the onion, & secure the bay leaf to the onion using the 2 cloves as little thumbtacks, so you can easily remove them from the pot later on. These are used to make a simple vegetable stock.
2. Add the onion (with attached bay leaf & clove), the peeled carrot, and the peeled garlic to 4 cups water, and cover & simmer for about 10 minutes in unsalted water, so the flavor of the vegetables is released into the water.
When the carrot is soft, you can slice it or dice it…
3. Then, add 1/2 cup of pasta or rice to the pot, & simmer until done (maybe 10 minutes or so for tiny pasta, 20 minutes for orzo)
(If you happen to be using leftover pasta or cooked rice, just allow them to simmer for a few minutes until they are heated through.)
4. Add salt & plenty of cayenne pepper, to taste!
Cayenne pepper is said to be really good at fighting off colds!
5. For added richness, a tablespoon of butter may be added as well. But, if you are on a heart-healthy diet, you may skip the butter, & the soup will still be delicious…or just add a tablespoon of canola oil instead, for a bit of extra nourishment.
6. If the soup gets too thick at any time, just add some more hot water to thin the soup, & salt & cayenne to adjust the taste!
I hope you can stay very warm, because colds are afraid of heat! It’s true! And hopefully, you can get plenty of sleep, because that is a miracle cure, too!
love,
Clay Ball
