Hubby’s Honey-Lemon-Ginger Antidote to Sickness

Whether the weather is cold or hot or both in the same day, your body can take a beating. Usually the first sign that you’re about to get sick is a runny nose, a headache due to an inflamed sinus, or a tickle in the throat.

My ever loving husband, concocted what I think is an anti-sicky warm cocktail of honey lemon and ginger to counteract the effects of whatever “bug” I caught. 

Honey and lemon are already a popular alternative to easing the discomfort of having a cold, it does not cure the cold (because there is no cure) but it will help ease the discomfort. Staying hydrated while on the cold is as important as getting a lot of rest, as a hot drink, it loosens the phlegm and clears the sinuses. Honey leaves a coating that is soothing and the vitamin C in the lemon will help shorten the duration of your cold. The ginger acts as a booster for your immune system, it is also said to have antihistamine properties and the “spice” in it mixed in with the honey will not only soothe that croaky throat of yours, but also help in decongestion as you breathe in the steam from your warm drink.

With all this natural healing properties of honey, lemon and ginger mixed together, I find this brew as a great alternative to medicines, and something I feel safe and comfortable with giving to my own children instead of medicines. Now, if you already are sick (and I hope not yet), this will help ease that I-just-got-hit-by-a-bus feeling.

Here’s how to make it…

You will need:

1 cup Honey

2 Fresh lemons

1 thumb Ginger

Slice the lemons into really thin wedges and add crushed ginger. Put these in a jar and add the honey.  To make the antidote all you need is a cup of hot water and a spoonful of the mixture. Drink it and feel the soothing effect of the ginger, lemon and honey. Store it in the fridge, it should last you about 2 weeks, but if you drink it twice a day, you’d probably need to make more (or your husband would have to make you more).

So there… Enjoy!... Be well!

Kid-Stuff Christmas

Preparing for your Christmas feast is one busy feat. An idea to make it a bit easier on you is to get the kids busy while you prepare for your holiday spread.

Here are a couple of ideas.

Get the kids busy starting with having them make their own breakfast on Christmas morning. Have them make…

Reindeer Sandwiches

Mid-day is also crucial task-filled time especially when you are hosting your holiday party. Have the kids make their own creations while you make some magic happen in your own kitchen. Get them to create some

Marshmallow Men

When all the guests have arrived, greetings are done, gifts are opened, and food have been served, some catching up with invited friends and family usually commence.  While you and your guests get a chance for some adult time, have all the kids do a little get together of their own by decorating

Oh So Sweet ChristmasTrees

Oh So Sweet Christmas Trees

You Will Need:

Ice Cream Cones

Tub/s of Frosting (White or Green)

Paper Plates

Pieces of Candy

The first thing I ask the kids to do is to spread the frosting on the plate. I usually use white for a snowy landscape, then have them use green to spread all over the cone. Green frosting, however, is hard to come by. So I would put a drop or two f green food coloring on the white frosting and just mix it until all the green is evenly distributed. You can, of course, go all-white, for a White Christmas effect, or just all-green and tell them it’s for a grassy field or meadow! 

When the frosting has been put on the plate and on the cone. Invert the one over the plate. This will be the tree. Then use the candy pieces to decorate.

I just used the extra choco chips and M&Ms from the Reindeer Sandwiches, and what was left over from the Marshmallow Men, and added a little bit extra from what I could find in the pantry (think left over Halloween Candy!)

So the kids are a bit more invested in the creative process, tell them the best Christmas Tree wins a prize! When everything is decorated and done, have the children set all their creations on a table or corner and call in grandma to be the judge. The best one wins a special prize!

Marshmallow Men

You Will Need:

Toothpicks

Marshmallow in different sizes (during the holiday season they also come in different colors and Holiday flavors!)

Tube icing (optional)

This one is easy. All the kids need to do is use their imagination (which they seem to have an abundant supply of) to put together the marshmallow pieces and hold them with toothpicks. Use tube icing to make little dots for the eyes or mouth.

They need not create just one Marshmallow Man (or woman), they can make their own army of Marshmallow People! Or a whole herd of Marshmallow monsters, or Aliens. Let get carried away with their creations, but DON’T let them poke each other with the toothpicks! 

Reindeer Sandwiches

You will Need;

Sandwich slices

Plastic knife

Chocolate chips

Red M&Ms

Pretzels

Spread (could be anything your kid like)

The objective is to have the children get their own feel for food preparation. Whether it be making a PB&J sandwich (spreading peanut butter on one slice and jelly on the other) or a Bananas and Chocolate (spreading Nutella on one slice and having them peel and cut their own bananas), you want the kids have fun making food that they will eat. 

After deciding on what spread you want your kids to have, the Reindeer effect is all in the assembly. See the picture.

Use the pretzels for the ears, be sure to tuck them in the middle layer between the bread slices, use chocolate chips for eyes, and a red M&M for the nose.