By: Misty Murph'Ariens

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Autumn is here, and with it brings cooler, damp weather and back to school, and thus, for many, colds and flus. Every time I meet someone who is sick I want to tell them a of a delicious recipe that will warm their aching chests, soothe their ragged throats and nourish their bodies for a speedy recovery.  Bryce and I love inventing recipes, especially using our garden fresh produce, and with my penchant for herbalism, those recipes tend to be packed not only with flavour, but also with lots of medicinal constituents.  Before I ate a home-cooked, whole foods diet, I was getting sick all the time.  But now, Bryce and I hardly ever get sick. Using medicinal herbs in recipes is far from a new idea, though. In fact, many of the traditional ethnic recipes we all love were originally created with the purpose of boosting health in mind.  Many herbs are very strong in flavour on their own, so taking a decoction of this or that might work, but it's a chore.  Well, a spoonful of sugar sure does help the medicine go down, and for thousands of years, mom has been slipping healthy things into our favourite treats.  For example, we are all familiar with chicken noodle soup for colds, but I bet quite a few of us have lost track of why it's so good.  Well, first, the traditional recipe is made with REAL stock, which means that a big pot was left to simmer for hours with water, chicken bones, mirepoix (chopped carrot, onion and celery), and bouquet garni (an onion or leek leaf tied up with sprigs of thyme, bay, and peppercorn).  This extracts the flavour of all these yummy things, and with it comes volatile oils, vitamins, minerals, soluble fibre and, in the case of bones, gelatin.  When you then stick in noodles, lean meat, garlic and assorted vegetables, you have a nutrient rich, easily digestible meal.  If it is served piping hot (as it should be), the wonderful smell is the antiseptic essential oils being vaporized into your nose and throat, loosening the phlegm and killing germs as it goes.  The warm soluble fibre-thickened broth coats a sore throat and soothes it as the heat of the liquid kills more germs on the way down.  Eating it hot also minutely increases body temperature, which, combined with a full stomach, prompts the eater to become sleepy and get much needed rest.  The body's natural defences are quite miraculous in themselves, but an immune response requires fuel and body-repairing materials.  However, digestion also uses a large proportion of nutrients in and of itself, especially when eliminating accumulated toxins.  So, finding nutrient rich foods that deliver nutrients readily and pass through the system quickly is a must.  For some variety during this health-challenging season, I leave you with several immune-boosting ideas.
-Hearty root vegetable soup.  Toast some powdered nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon in a little warm oil. Add any combo of chopped: carrot, beet, squash, pumpkin, onion, turnip, or parsnip.  Sauté veggies until a little browned.  Add stock and simmer 'til everything is cooked through. Pureé soup and if desired, stir in a dash of cream or butter. Season to taste.
-Need Some Rest tea: steep some mint, and lemon balm in half a tall mug of water for 2 minutes. Strain.  Dissolve a spoonful of natural honey in this.  Top up mug with milk and add a dash of real vanilla extract.  Sleep like a baby.   (If muscle aches are keeping you awake, add a splash of orange liqueur)

“Why should a man die when sage grows in his garden?” Proverb

“If any man can name...all the properties of mint, he must know how many fish swim in the Indian ocean.” Winifred of Strabo, 12th century