Easy Kitchen Remedies for Spring
By Abbey Cmiel
Springtime Greetings from Northern California! Abbey here with some homey herbal remedies to help you weather the shifting seasons.
A “Pride of Madeira” with spring blooms
Here in Sonoma County, the weather has been an unpredictable whirlwind of the elements. It seems the season flops between hot, arid summer days, and cold, dreary wintery ones daily. In the midst of this transition, I have found myself with the springtime sniffles and scratchy throat.
Over the last month, I was lured back into my action-packed schedule by the fiery Aries season and the opening of the world after two years of Covid closures. Perhaps too excited by all the possibilities to interact with friends, new jobs, and fun opportunities, I stretched my immune system thin. I’m doing my best to see this cold as an opportunity to drop back into my grounding practices, nurture the inner hearth, and find balance amidst change.
Even if we didn’t grow up in a home where herbal medicine was a common practice, almost everyone I’ve met has a few traditions they turn to when they get sick- and most involve common, yet potent herbs. In fact, many of the most powerful herbs have become so integrated in everyday cooking that we can forget we’re adding healing allies to our foods. Oregano, thyme and basil are potent antiviral allies that have been used for centuries to ward off plagues. Ginger, turmeric, clove, and cinnamon are all warming, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory powerhouses that can help us kick a cold in no time.
A collection of spring flowers with medicinal benefits
When we get sick, it’s an opportunity to lean into the deeply embedded healing knowledge of our families and cultures to receive the TLC we need. When I feel myself getting sick, I think back to the recipes my mom made for me as a kid to help heal.
The first, and perhaps simplest is adding honey and lemon to hot water for a warming and soothing tea. If you are congested, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper to open your sinuses and warm your body. It’s best to avoid caffeine and white sugar while you’re sick as both are quite dehydrating. So, making your favorite herbal tea with honey can be a beneficial alternative. My favorites are ginger, chamomile, and dandelion root.
Simple Lemon Tea
Boil water
Add the juice of half a lemon and a tsp of honey
If you’re feeling brave, add a dash of cayenne pepper and feel the spice help open your sinuses!
When I’m craving something with a bit more flavor, I’ll make a spin on an Ayurvedic chai by adding cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, ginger, and clove to a pot of boiling water and then adding a splash of almond milk.
I also love to lean into eating soup while sick. When you’re feeling under the weather, a crock pot or instant pot can make ALL the difference for making healthy food simple. Add your favorite chopped veggies, precooked beans, and grains to the crock pot or instant pot, and then toss in as many healing herbs as you can find in your pantry. For a classic aromatic blend, try adding rosemary, garlic, onions, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, black pepper, and salt to taste. Any flavor that is pungent will help clear out the cold, as potent flavors are a sign the herb has lots of oils which are antiviral and antibacterial.
Healing Seasonal Soup
Ingredients:
1 C garbanzo or white beans (soaked)
2 C chopped veggies of choice: sweet potatoes, carrots, red pepper, squash, etc.
1 onion, diced and sautéed
5 cloves of garlic, diced
1 tsp each: dried thyme, oregano, rosemary
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Add all ingredients to an instant pot and cook for 15 min on high or place in a slow cooker on high for 2 hours
Garnish with cilantro
Finally, my new favorite healing tool is making medicinal honey. Growing up, I would eat a clove of garlic smothered in honey when I felt a cold coming on. This is a pretty effective remedy, but can also cause nausea and stink up whatever room you enter. I now love to chop up garlic and fresh ginger and stir about a tablespoon of each into a few tablespoons of honey. Then I mix in a few dashes of whatever other spices are calling me, including cinnamon, cardamom or clove. This is a great blend because the ginger helps calm any nausea the raw garlic may induce. Garlic is an incredibly potent herb which is often called “nature’s penicillin” in the herbal community. It is a warming and drying herb and helps your body fight off infection. So take a small bite of this herbal honey any time you feel a cold coming on.
Medicinal Honey
Ingredients:
1/2 C honey
1 tbsp cinnamon
5 cloves chopped garlic
1 finger-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and allow to sit for one day. Eat a tsp a day to prevent or ward off a coming cold
We are in a time of many transitions: elemental and seasonal, as well as broader social and cultural shifts. It is in these times of profound change that we build resilience and courage to build the future we desire. In these times of transition, we must take extra time to tend to the wellbeing of our bodies, minds, and communities in order to stay healthy and strong. I hope these simple and accessible recipes help you maintain a sense of inner balance. Modify them as feels appropriate based on your favorite childhood or cultural recipes in order to feel a deep sense of connection to your whole and healed self.
Harvesting a bouquet of medicinal flowers- they’re beautiful too!
I am incredibly grateful to all the herbalists who have shared their knowledge of how to align our bodies with the seasons and heal from within. I highly recommend checking out all of their work and centers:
Dr. Sínead Corrigan, founder of Inner Body Data in Raleigh, NC
Bob Linde, founder of Traditions School of Herbal Studies in St. Petersburg, FL
GretaGrizz, founder of MASHH Clinic Collective and Gentle Strength Botanicals in Arcata, CA
With lots of love,
Abbey