Cough cure? Are you ‘in search of’? Well I don’t mind telling you…. I’ve tried it all!
Ya know, there are a bunch of things I have been doing to improve my health…. A couple of new recipes I have created that introduce new foods into my life. So I thought I would share a couple of tidbits with you.
First, let’s talk about the flu! Lol
Geez! That cough never goes away, does it?
IKR?
Yep. And it’s making me nuts. And even with a dry cough, there is still plenty of phlegm involved. So thinning your mucus when you have a cough is always a good idea…
And I’ve talked about radishes helping your body do that job. But there’s such an easy solution, that I’ve overlooked before: Tea and Water. I’ve just started drinking Dandelion Tea. So I have two reasons to make a big hot carafe and drink, drink, drink! And it’s true (for me anyway) that after a quart of hot liquid? My cough stops for a bit. So try it yourself! (And make sure you have bathroom access if you’re doing a quart an hour)! lol
Second, I was going to a Digital Photography meeting last Saturday and I always experiment (the group has become my guinea pigs) and usually hit it out of the park. (Just a shy unassuming woman, huh)? lol
I’m happy to report that is exactly what I did with my Amaranth Salad.
AMA WHAT CHEF?
Amaranth. It’s a leaf and a seed and a flower. The seeds can reduce your cholesterol, and “it’s a good source of protein”, wiki tells us. And I believe unlike quinoa which is quickly becoming extinct according to my sources Amaranth grows very rapidly and there’s an abundance of it.
Gluten free plant based protein. Say it with me!
GLUTEN FREE PLANT BASED PROTEIN CHEF!
Cool. Here’s what else wiki has to say: “It is a popular snack sold in Mexico, sometimes mixed with chocolate or puffed rice, and its use has spread to Europe and parts of North America. Amaranth and quinoa are called pseudograins because of their flavor and cooking similarities to grains.
Amaranth grains are toasted much like popcorn and mixed with honey, molasses or chocolate to make a treat called alegría, meaning “joy” in Spanish”.
My favorite man – Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, (a rock star in my world) says you can pop them like popcorn! But he doesn’t talk about the honey, molasses or chocolate. But I will say on his behalf, he would certainly approve of you melting some high cacao chocolate and drizzling it over your Amaranth when popped! And I know that buckwheat honey prevents colds and the flu. So…. maybe you should go for it! lol
Instead of popping (but don’t think I won’t do that next), I came up with this fun and funky recipe.
Boil 3 cups of broth and boil (I used Organic French Onion or Mushroom from a box). Add a cup of Amaranth. In a separate sauté pan, caramelize onions, shrooms and celery. I wait for it to go translucent, then add dry roasted cashews (a handful or two), and a mix of organic spinach, kale and swiss chard. Last? Minced garlic, salt and pepper.
I’ve been adding iodized sea salt lately, cause I need the iodine to make more thyroid hormones to help me control my metabolism. But if you think you might benefit from iodine without the salt? Cod, Tuna, Seaweed, and most Seafood. When I research plants and vegetables connected to good iodine content? There’s all kinds of disclaimers saying it depends on where and how it’s grown. So go with what you know!
The good news? You don’t need much iodine, and we generally do get it through our foods.
Here’s the US daily recommendations (borrowed from Dr. Mercola‘s website):
- 150 micrograms (mcg) per day for adult men and women
- 220 mcg for pregnant women
- 290 mcg for lactating/breastfeeding women
But what does that mean? Do you know how much a microgram is? Well the FDA is saying a half a tsp of iodized salt does it. If that gives you any measure of how much….
Keep in mind, too much or too little. Both bad! And don’t start messing around with this until you’ve done your own research, especially if you’re on medication.
Getting back to my Amaranth Recipe and health…. Because of this cough, and me knowing how good garlic is for killing bacteria? To me? It’s another vehicle for garlic, like pasta but without all the carbs and quick conversion to sugar.
One last thing about garlic? If you want to get some into your life you can either Roast a head and spread it on bread… Hey! That rhymes! Lol Or if you’re Gluten Free? Go for the rice crackers. Nice for an appetizer on rice crackers with drinks for guests! (Some grapes on the side).
Or you can take tomatoes and sprinkle raw minced garlic and place it under the broiler, topping it when it comes out with olive oil (to release the lycopene), which keeps the garlic value in tact more so than seriously cooked or roasted garlic.
More tomorrow!
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian