Fire Cider and Me Time

 

You know, us Mamas just have way too much “me” time….said no woman ever in the history of all time.

Because once you become a Mama, “me” time is a mythical thing you only dream of and glimpse in rare solo trips to the grocery store.  Or heck, even just solo trips to the bathroom!  Gone are the days of reading an entire book in one weekend, audiobooks are my only literary connection at this point in my life.  Remember when you and your closest girlfriends would get together and spend an entire evening sipping wine and complaining about your husbands?  Now all you get is a group text debating the best way to burn a recliner (both with and without said husband in it).

Weeks of not talking become years, and only the truest friendships last. 

These friends are more like sisters. 

I had the chance not too long ago to spend an evening with two of the sister friends in my life, and we the best time laughing, chasing babies, and making our own version of Fire Cider.

It’s an herbal folk remedy that has incredible immune-supporting properties.  This spicy, vinegary, sweet concoction is packed full of anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral goodness.  With the flu and crud floating around, we all need to be supporting our bodies this time of year!  I’m sure you all know that I choose natural and herbal remedies for myself and my little family.  We use the highest quality essential oils for everything from natural healing to chemical-free cleaning, and I love using them in conjunction with other herbal remedies to maintain our health.

This is our spin on Fire Cider, and you can tweak it to meet your needs and taste buds.  It’s my kind of recipe, chop everything up, dump it in a jar, leave it for a month, and add it to everything.  You can use this as a base for dressings and marinades, or take as a shot with equal parts cider and honey.  It’s super simple and versatile, and so good for you.

Fire Cider

You’ll Need….

-1 grapefruit
-1 orange
-zest and juice of 1 lemon
-2 Jalapeños 
-1 onion, coarsely chopped
-1/2 cup ginger root, chopped or grated
-1/2 cup turmeric root, chopped or grated (I used powder, but it tends to settle at the bottom even after strained.)
-1/2 cup horseradish root, chopped or grated
-8- to 10 garlic cloves, chopped or crushed
-1 tbsp whole peppercorns
-1 tsp cayenne pepper
-fresh herb sprigs (rosemary, thyme, oregano)
-raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar
-local raw honey

Throw it together….

Now, this is the part that gets reaaallly tricky.  A super technical recipe, this one. You put all of the ingredients into a quart jar, top it off with apple cider vinegar, and put the lid on and give it a shake.  Whew! Good work Mama, you’ve earned yourself a glass of wine!

You’ll notice the glass pictured above is only half-full…it was a lot of chopping and such.  I could’ve said half empty, but I’m just a silver lining kinda gal. 

We weren’t super technical about measuring (did I mention wine?) and ended up with four quart-sized jars.  Since the ACV is so acidic, you’ll want to put a piece of parchment paper under the lid to prevent the metal ring from rusting.  Then you just tuck this baby away in a cool dark place for a month.  You need to shake it daily to keep errrything mixed up in there, then strain it through cheesecloth at the end of the month.  This beautiful, tangy, golden goodness can be stored in a glass jar right in your pantry and keeps well for up to six months!

I’ve used it as a base for dressings and sauces and even taken it in a warmed shot with honey and whiskey to ease a sore throat.  I really love how versatile it is, and it has a great flavor!

What are you doing to keep your family healthy during this sickly time of year?