Cold Weather Recipes to Soothe a Sore Throat

Winter weather is upon us. With the drop of temperatures comes seasonal ailments like colds and sore throats. 

If you start to feel sick with a sore throat, which is also a symptom of COVID, taking care of yourself with nourishing foods that soothe your throat will help you feel better. Avoid foods that are acidic or scratchy. Some people also recommend avoiding dairy to avoid mucus buildup. 

Below, find some cold-weather recipes to help soothe your sore throat:

Iced Green Tea with Mint & Ginger

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 6 TO 8)

• 6 cups water
• 1/4 cup ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 to 6 bags of green tea (depending on how strong you like your tea)
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, tightly packed, plus extra to serve
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 lemon, divided

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the water and ginger slices in a medium-sized pot. Bring to a boil. Once the water boils, lower the heat to a simmer and add the tea bags and mint leaves. Cover the pot and let steam for about 15 minutes.
2. Strain the tea, separating the liquid from the mint leaves and tea bags. Mix in the honey and juice from half of the lemon into the tea. Pour in a pitcher and cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
3. When ready to serve, add 1 to 2 lemon slices into each glass with a few mint leaves and ice cubes. Once the tea has cooled, pour it into the glasses and serve.

Blueberry Pie Smoothie

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 2)

• 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup rolled oats (gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons shredded coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place all ingredients except the shredded coconut into a high-speed blender and whirl away until smooth. Garnish each smoothie with shredded coconut.

Sore Throat: Common Cold, Bacterial Infection Or Throat Cancer?

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CHICKEN SOUP

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 6 TO 8)

• 1 3- to 5-pound chicken
• 3 large carrots
• 5 stalks celery
• 2 large yellow onions
• 1 bay leaf
• Handful of parsley stems
• Fresh parsley, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the chicken and water in a large soup pot: Remove the chicken from its packaging, drain any liquid, and pat dry with paper towels. Leave the skin on the chicken, but trim away any large pieces of fat. Place the whole chicken in a soup pot. Add enough water to cover by about an inch.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Keep your eye on the pot as it comes to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pot as soon as the water is boiling.
3. Skim any foam that rises to the surface: For the first half-hour or so, you'll see foam and scum collecting on the surface of the liquid. As it clumps together, skim it off with a spoon and discard.
4. Keep the soup at a steady simmer: Keep the pot partially covered and at a low simmer. You should see slow but steady bubbles and wisps of steam coming from the pot (don't reduce the temperature so low that the water falls below 165°F, otherwise the chicken won't cook through). Add more water as needed to keep the chicken covered.
5. Simmer for at least 1 or up to 3 hours. The chicken is ready as soon as the meat registers 165°F and easily falls off the bone, after about 1 1/2 hours, but you can continue simmering for up to 3 hours for richer flavor.
6. Prep the vegetables: While the chicken is simmering, peel the carrots and remove the skin from the onions. Chop everything into large chunks.
7. Add the vegetables to the soup: Roughly one hour before you plan to finish the soup, add the vegetables, the bay leaf, the parsley stems, and any optional extras to the pot.
8. When done cooking, transfer the cooked chicken and vegetables to a cutting board: Use tongs to pull the chicken and the vegetables out of the liquid and to a cutting board.
9. Strain the broth: Pour the cooking liquid — now broth — through a strainer into a large mixing bowl.
10. Return the broth to the soup pot and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat.
11. Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
12. Shred or chop the chicken: When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the chicken bones, discarding the skin and bones. Shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bay leaf and parsley stems.
13. Return the chicken and chopped vegetables to the broth, and warm.
14. Season to taste: Give the broth a taste, and then season with a few teaspoons of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Taste again and add more salt or pepper if needed.
15. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Store leftovers in the fridge for no longer than 5 days.

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EGG DROP SOUP

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2-4)

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or low-sodium broth (32 ounces)
• Salt, tamari, or soy sauce
• 2 to 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon 
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm the stock or broth. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt, tamari, or soy sauce as needed.
2. Whisk the eggs and cornstarch together.  Place the eggs and 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until well combined.
3. Whisk more cornstarch into the broth. Place the remaining cornstarch in a small bowl. Scoop out 1/4 cup or so of the broth into the bowl and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Pour this mixture back into the broth and let it simmer for a minute or two until the broth no longer tastes starchy.
4. Drizzle the eggs into the hot broth. Holding the fork used for whisking over the bowl, pour the eggs through the tines, stirring the broth with your other hand with a wooden spoon as you pour. Let the soup simmer for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs. Serve immediately.

MASHED POTATOES

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 8 TO 10)

• 5 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 cups half-and-half
• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Stir in 2 tablespoons of salt. Cover and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Uncover and reduce the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Cook until knife tender.
2. Heat the butter and half-and-half and add salt. About 20 minutes into the potato cooking time, melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Heat the half-and-half and remaining 1 tablespoon salt over low heat in another small saucepan.
3. Drain the potatoes. When the potatoes are ready, drain them in a colander. Turn off the heat on the butter and half-and-half.
4. Mash the potatoes. If using a potato masher or ricer, peel the potatoes — you can pick each one up with a potholder and peel with a knife. In either case, mash, rice, or process the potatoes back into the pot they were cooked in. This will cut down on extra dishes and help the potatoes stay warm.
5. Add the dairy. Add the hot butter to the potatoes, gently stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula to incorporate. When all the butter is absorbed, add the hot half-and-half. 
6. Taste and serve. Taste and season with more salt as needed. Add pepper if using. Spoon into your dish and serve. 

PUMPKIN SPICE STEEL-CUT OATMEAL

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4 TO 6)

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
• 1 cup pumpkin or squash puree
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups milk
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. In a 3-quart (or larger) saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. (the butter should melt quickly.) When the butter foams up, stir in the oats and fry them, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until they smell toasted.
2. Push the oats up against the side of the pan and drop the second tablespoon of butter in the center of the pan. Dump in the pumpkin puree. Fry it in the butter, only stirring after about a minute. Stir in the sugar and spices and continue frying the puree for another 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Pour in the milk and whisk in the water, vanilla, and salt. Put a lid on the pan and put it in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, and carefully lift the lid. Stir the oatmeal.
4. Eat immediately with a drizzle of cream or milk and maple syrup.