Slap That Cold Silly with Food as Medicine

Utilize spices in your food to give healing support to that cold or flu. Here’s an easy exotic and delicious soup recipe when you are feeling miserable. Soup recipe included.

Update: The response to this article has been tremendous! Thank you! Almost 500 people have read it the past few weeks. Another over 2700 have read it since I put it up. Thank you for all your support everyone!

Any adventurous cook knows that the biggest adventure can be found right in your own pantry. The weather was really cold the January I developed this recipe. Sometimes I like to get creative and give amusing names to new recipes. Some people name their pets; I name my recipes. Who knew?

My friends and relatives were feeling miserable that year with colds - and the flu season was haunting a lot of the country. Everyone knows chicken soup is the natural remedy for cold and flu season.

Every cook asks themselves from time to time, “How can I do a creative twist?” Better yet, what foods and spices could be combined for added health benefit? Below is a list of the most of the soup ingredients and why they are of benefit.

Your kitchen's pharmacy for cooking healthy:

Chicken broth is a low level antibiotic.

Ginger is a digestive for upset stomachs. Also an anti-inflammatory, especially it blocks prostaglandins that are so annoying for a lot of reasons. They can cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain, bringing on debilitating migraines.

Garlic is fantastic for the lungs and sinuses, both as an antibiotic and anti-fungal. Anyone who has ever lived in a third world country knows the benefit of large amounts of garlic in the diet helps defend against dysentery.

Note: To get the best benefit of garlic, save a small amount of crushed raw garlic for individual servings, especially if you have a cold or the flu. Go easy on the raw garlic as it can irritate the stomach. Small amount means like ¼ teaspoon. Raw garlic contains the most effective health benefits while cooked garlic just tastes good.

White pepper is a weight loss aid as it helps pull out excess water and speeds up the metabolism. It is a warming spice that helps circulation. It is also associated with bitterness - and bitter foods and spices are fabulous for dealing with a lot of conditions, the most notable is swelling and mucous, pertaining to colds and the flu. White pepper helps to dry up that stuffy nose like honey does.

Red Lentils are added protein that also is a bitterness factor. Bitterness is great for aiding the liver to function at a higher efficiency to process all those illness toxins. Lentils are the third highest in plant protein behind soybeans and hemp and are rich in iron, a great way to prevent iron deficiency. They also help stabilize blood sugar and just plain cook fast!

Hot curry is great for the sinuses and lungs to help clear stuffiness. Curry spices act as digestives. Curry also contains turmeric which acts as an anti-inflammatory and red pepper which helps clear congestion.

Angostura bitters were originally developed as a digestive and carry a wonderful orange flavor.

Cumin also acts as a digestive and is a spice that goes well with lentils or beans as it reduces intestinal gas. Cumin has been used since ancient times and is known for great healing powers as an antiseptic for colds. It contains a lot of iron too. Cumin also acts as a partner to the liver giving it tremendous help to rid the body of toxins.

Extra virgin olive oil has wonderful benefits and is easy on the stomach. Olive oil contains higher levels of antioxidants, especially vitamin E and is known as one of the healing oils. Generally, it is known for heart health.

Fresh parsley is bursting with vitamin A, thousands of units, and as a green helps alkalize the blood. Some vitamin C in it as well though cooking tends to destroy it. If you set aside some fresh parsley to sprinkle on the soup when serving then the vitamin C is preserved.

Crabmeat is well loved down South. It works well for people who tend to eat a diet that makes them hot all the time like diets rich in heavy meat, coffee, alcohol and are smokers.

Note: If you don’t qualify for that kind of diet then it’s best not to add the crabmeat to this soup IF you have a cold. Crabmeat has a cooling effort on the body. This soup is good without the crabmeat.

Bay leaf has been known throughout history as a digestive to help break down and digest protein. Since the time of the ancient Greeks it has been employed to relieve chest infections, flu, coughs and bronchitis. The bay leaf is also a good source of vitamins A and C. There are significant amounts of iron and manganese. Smaller amounts of calcium, potassium and magnesium are also present in this miracle catch-all seasoning.

Marjoram is an herb long used to banish headaches and soothe the stomach. Marjoram has a sweet pleasant taste and is an easy way to add sweetness to a dish without using sugar. Used in aromatherapy to relieve muscle aches when combined with massage oil.

The ancient Sicilians believed the herb has the power to banish sorrow.  Considering that emotions and the liver are related in Taoism thoughts on health, maybe there is something to that belief!

Paprika is also an anti-inflammatory that is high in vitamin C, and this vitamin does not lessen with the drying process, rather it increases its potency. Try to choose the organic version as it is higher in the vitamin.

Paprika is an antibacterial and stimulates the circulation, helping to normalize blood pressure. With colds people tend to take antihistamines and that raises blood pressure. Also a digestive aid by stimulating saliva and stomach acids.

Did you know that paprika is nine times more potent in vitamin C than a tomato of similar weight? Paprika improves circulation by acting as a natural blood thinner. For those that don’t already know, paprika comes from aromatic sweet red bell peppers.

Enjoy the recipe! It’s easy to do and takes little time if you cook the chicken breasts the day before and store in the refrigerator. That way you can skim off the chicken fat on the top after it has cooled.

Note: This soup is equally good if you omit the crabmeat as some people are allergic or don't like the taste.

For easy homemade healthy chicken stock

In saucepan place:

2 chicken breasts - in water to cover

Add:

1 Tablespoon of garlic powder

2 teaspoons of salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons dried marjoram

3 stalks of celery, large chop

1 medium onion, large chop

1 bay leaf

Strain before storing in the refrigerator to cool. Separate chicken breasts from broth and now is the time to separate the chicken meat into smaller pieces. Discard the skin and bones, bay leaf and large vegetables.

To make the soup, add in large stockpot:

4 cups water

6 cups homemade chicken broth (chicken meat taken off the bone and added to the soup)

1 bay leaf

1 Tablespoon finest dice candied ginger

1 teaspoon finest dice candied orange

1 cup dried red lentils

2 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 – 1 ½ Tablespoon Patak’s Hot Curry Paste

1/8 teaspoon Angostura bitters

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

Simmer 1 ½ - 2 hours until red lentils dissolve into stock.

When ready to serve:

Heat 1 cup or more of fat free half-and-half cream, add to soup pot.

Add ¼ cup chopped flat leaf Italian parsley or coriander parsley.

Add 1 – 2 cups of lump crabmeat – fresh or canned – and serve.

Serve with toasted French bread or sesame crackers.

Note: This is a thin soup, very spicy hot! The flu doesn’t stand a chance. If you would like a thicker soup then add pre-cooked brown rice.

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Fun Food Blogs by Denny Lyon

These blogs are where I park my HubPage hubs/articles/recipes. Also, lots of cool photos from our friends over at flickr as I like to promote the photographers who graciously allow use of their photos in the Creative Commons area to online writers. Lots of good quotes, poems, resources and recipes.

Romancing The Chocolate – yummy photos, recipes and just plain fun. Quotes illustrated with chocolate photos to make you laugh!

Comfort Food From Louisiana – yummy easy comfort food recipes, photos of New Orleans, history and cultural traditions of south Louisiana.

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hub #18 

Sweet marjoram - Photo by Jade Craven @ flickr

Cumin seeds - Photo by paul goyette @ flickr

Paprika - Photo by meaduva @ flickr

Garlic pod - Photo by zenera @ flickr

Dried red lentils - Photo by Rob Qld @ flickr

Olive tree and jar for oil - Photo by Bill Hails @ flickr

Italian parsley - Photo by The County Clerk @ flickr

Candied orange peel - Photo by hfb @ flickr

Recipe: Candied orange peel (at the bottom of the page)