3 Warm and Nourishing Drinks for Cold Weather
It’s cold around most of the country. Deep cold. Often that leaves you craving something hot to sip on, right?
Coffee, tea, mulled wine, and hot chocolate aren’t the only options for warm beverages. While comforting, they can be full-fat, high-sugar, caffeine-loaded or leave you feeling drowsy. They’re more ‘weekend-in-front-of-the-fire’ drinks. But what if you need a ‘gotta-go-start-the-car-and-get-to-work’ drink? Here are some of my favorite options that are way more nutritious, and – bonus – help your digestion, boost your immunity, and keep you toasty while the cold winds blow.
Warm Pear Ginger Smoothie
Sometimes cold weather makes it tough to keep up our healthy-but-fridge-cold smoothie habits. Try this wonderful way to winterize a super boost smoothie. Serve it hot. This recipe is delicious!
Ingredients:
2 small pears, chopped
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled
3 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp almond butter
1 ½ cup hemp milk
(if using unsweetened milk, add 1-2 pitted dates)
Directions:
Place all ingredients into a blender.
If you have a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix, blend on high for 3-4 minutes until mixture is hot.
If you have a regular blender, blend on high until mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small pot and heat gently over medium-low heat until smoothie reaches desired temperature.
Golden Milk
I had been eyeing this recipe for a while. When I received a newsletter from Alissa Vitti, the hormone expert, author of the The Woman Code and creator of a recent favorite app called My Flo (all about tracking the menstrual cycle and syncing it up with optimal lifestyle activities and food), I decided I had to give it a try. She says Golden Milk is the ultimate hormone-balancing concoction, and it’s also warming, soothing, and delicious. The combination of turmeric, coconut oil, coconut milk, sweeteners, and spices is warming and rejuvenating, and it’s something she recommends to clients with all kinds of endocrine issues.
Golden paste
2.5 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup organic turmeric powder
1/2 cup water
3/4 tsp black pepper
Mix all the ingredients in a small pot and simmer for about 10 minutes. Once this cools, keep it in the refrigerator in a jar for about two weeks and just take a dollop every time to make the milk.
To make the milk
Warm 2 cups of light coconut milk and 1 tsp of the golden paste in a pot, and whisk until fully mixed. Then add spices and sweeteners as you like. I use cinnamon and ginger and 2 tsp of raw honey. For an added kick, you can also add cayenne pepper!
Bone Broth
I like to sip on home made chicken broth in between meals. And apparently chicken soup isn’t just good for the soul: There’s a reason that it’s prescribed by doctors and mothers alike when you’re feeling under the weather. All bone broths — beef, chicken, fish, lamb and more — are staples in the traditional diets of every culture and the basis of all fine cuisine. That’s because bone broths are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and they boost healing. The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion.
Bone broth also inhibits infection caused by cold and flu viruses, for example, and fights inflammation, courtesy of anti-inflammatory amino acids such as arginine.
Making your own bone broth is very cost effective, as you can make use of left over carcass bones that would otherwise be thrown away. And making your own broth is easy.
Home Made Bone Broth
Ingredients:
1 whole organic and free-range chicken or 2-3 lbs of bony chicken parts, such as neck, breast, back and wings.
4 quarts filtered water
2 tbsp vinegar
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, scrubbed and coarsely chopped
3 celery sticks, coarsely chopped
1 bunch parsley
Directions:
Cut Chicken into several pieces. Place it in a stainless steel pot with the water and vinegar and let it stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This step will help pull the gelatin and minerals out of the bones. Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pot and bring to a boil. Remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-48 hrs. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. I have done this in the slow cooker and 24-48 hrs is ideal. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth. Remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon. Let cool and remove any chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches and curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and cool in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator (good for up to 5 days) or freezer (good for several months). Enjoy your cup of warm broth anytime of day.
You can buy a store bought version of a good bone broth here. Locally it is sold at MOM’s.
So you don’t need to take a break from healthy drinks just because you crave some warmth. Choose a different recipe that offers the health advantages and convenience you love at a warm and welcoming temperature. And, if you really feel you’re running on empty, it might be time to try a detox. Many of my clients love a January kick-start to
– Get a clean start to the new year
– Get rid of toxins (and weight) that built up over the holidays
– Boost their immune system during flu season
– Take special care of themselves to protect against Seasonal Affective Disorder and common air-borne viruses
– Fulfill their resolutions to put themselves first and take better care
If you haven’t signed up yet, you have until Monday, January 16th. All the details are right here! And if you need inspiration around cooking for detox, join my cooking class next Thursday, the 19th. I have a few open spots.