Spicy Feel Better Broth
This broth makes you feel so much better! Whenever anyone in our family gets down with a cold or flu this is our go to recipe for immunity boosting goodness and general symptom relief. I've been making this for years and after my kids left home they called me to ask for the recipe when they first found themselves sick and away from home. It's that comforting and we really think it helps us to recover from our illness more quickly.
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It's full of garlic, ginger, citrus and chili peppers that help to comfort sore throats and coughs. Its also quick and easy to make. That's especially helpful if you are the sick one who needs to make it.
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If I have home made chicken stock on hand I'll use that but truthfully, I've made it many times using a good stock base for the chicken broth and I don't think it was any less effective.
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My husband was sick last week and I didn't have time to make a stock so I made it with Minors Chicken Base. He was over his chest cold in 5 days. He is my Superman.
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I started drinking 1 or 2 cups a day when he got sick and I think I may have avoided this bug almost entirely. Yesterday I was sure I was coming down with it so I drank the last 2 cups and today I feel much better! It really helped with the sore throat I had and now it's entirely gone.
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I think it tastes great. I've been giving it to my kids since they were in elementary school and they like it too. My husband thinks it's pretty spicy but he also likes how effective it is so he's willing to sip it down as hot as I make it.
It's definitely spicy so if that's not your thing you could leave out some of the chilies but I do recommend making this as spicy as you can handle. The capsaicin that makes the chilies "hot" is very effective for pain relief as odd as that sounds.
I like to use my copper beverage dispenser because we can leave it on the stove top and sip cups of this throughout the day.
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I fill it with water, add the rest of the ingredients, bring it to a low boil then turn it down to a very low temperature to simmer for the day adding water to it as we drink it. At the end of the day, I put away whats left in pitchers in the refrigerator then we can take cupfuls out to reheat in the microwave until it's gone. It will last about one week if we don't drink it all right away.
I add 1 teaspoon of Minor's Chicken Base per cup of water to the pot then add the juice of a lime, an orange (or a tangelo this time) a handful of whole peeled garlic cloves, a thumb size piece of peeled and sliced ginger, 3 peeled carrots cut in 3 large pieces each and 3 dried very hot chilies.
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I poke a hole in the chilies so the capsaicin from the seeds can leach into the broth without having them floating around loose in the broth. That could be a problem clogging up my dispenser or irritating your throat. Make sure the seeds stay inside the chili pods or strain them out before drinking the broth.
I also leave the peel on a few slices of the lime and drop those in along with 2 bay leaves, 10 green cardamom pods and a 2 inch turmeric root sliced in half lengthwise.
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Let the broth steep for at least 20 then drink up!
I leave the large pieces of carrots and spices in the broth when I put it away in the refrigerator.
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Strain a cup at a time into a mug and reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Enjoy a cup of this tasty healing elixir anytime you need to feel better! It's all good!
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Since this was first posted, I've added some turmeric to this recipe too. I hope you give my Spicy Feel Better Broth a try the next time you feel a cold or flu coming on and let me know how it works for you.
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Stay Healthy!
~Melisa
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If you enjoyed this post you might like these!
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Chicken Coconut Milk Curry
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My Secret Spice Blend
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Quick Turkey Ramen Pho
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Panang Pumpkin Soup
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French Onion Soup
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Spicy Feel Better Broth
Ingredients
1 teaspoon of Minor's Chicken Base per cup of water
start with about 12 cups of water
The juice of one lime
2 wedges of lime with peel
the juice of an orange or tangelo
1 handful of peeled whole garlic cloves
1 thumb size piece of ginger peeled and sliced thick
3 carrots peeled and cut in thirds
3 whole dried hot chili peppers ( or as much as you can handle)
2 bay leaves
10 green cardamom pods (optional but good!)
2 inch turmeric root sliced in half lengthwise or 1 teaspoon dried ground.
Method
Add 1 teaspoon of Minor's Chicken Base per cup of water to a pot then add the juices and the wedges of lime, the garlic cloves, the sliced ginger, the carrots, dried hot chilies bay leaves and cardamom pods. Bring the mixture to a low boil then turn it down to a very low simmer for the day, adding water to it as needed. You may add more Chicken Base if you think it needs it as you add more water.
I poke a hole in the chilies so the capsaicin from the seeds can leach into the broth better without having them floating around loose. Make sure the seeds stay inside the chili pods.
At the end of the day, put away the remainder in pitchers in the refrigerator. Reheat by straining out a cup at a time and heating in a microwave for 2 minutes. It will last about one week if you don't drink it all right away.