Tag Archives: cold

Viral Attack!

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I have a confession to make. Despite what I believe to be valiant efforts, these damn bugs continue holding my body hostage. That’s right, I’m still sick. Just wanted to get that off my chest, in case yesterday’s blog mislead anyone to believe all was well in veg land. What I also want to get off my chest is whatever gunk is lodged in there. Who knew the human body was capable of producing so much…well…mucous. Ugh that’s a god-awful word!

So anyway. Feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Luckily I have a great family. Aside from a few good-natured but snarky observations about how I got sick just as I entered vegan-hood, they’ve all offered to help fight this unwelcome virus in some way or another.

My bro offered to go to the grocery store and get me whatever I wanted. My mom said she would have happily made me homemade chicken noodle soup in my pre-veg days. Thanks Mom! In this case it’s definitely the though that counts. And my sister came through with a spicy quinoa veggie chili….amazing! Not only for its taste but for its nasal passage clearing effect…I could actually breathe for a millisecond.

So here I am again. About to cuddle up in bed with a book, this time The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. So far amazing. Thank you to my aunt Liz for urging me to read it 🙂

Stay virus-free!

ilona

Need Warmth. Now.

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Driving home from work I was forced out of my car into the frigid weather by the little yellow “you’re out of gas” light. Bahh. Standing there, filling up my tank, I decided that tonight calls for a hearty, filling dish…the kind that warms you from the inside out. Also, I needed something to sop up the last dregs of this innocent little cold that had me waking up every hour or so last night (stuffy noses do not make for good slumber!). Comfort food is needed at times like these.

When  I got home I was so ridiculously excited to find that I had ALL the ingredients for a dish I came across earlier this week, Maple Baked Lentils with Sweet Potatoes (again from Oh She Glows, serious major girl crush on the gal behind that site!).

Seriously, when does that ever happen? Serendipity was smiling down on me today 🙂

There was still a smidgen of daylight when I got home (YAY), so I can show you a few of the ingredients I will be using (the recipe calls for whole lentils, I only had these split ones in my cupboard…c’est la vie).

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Well, off I go to work some magic in the kitchen.

Hope your evening is warm and cozy and delicious. Bon Appetit! Which reminds me, isn’t it weird that in the English language we don’t have a Bon Appetit equivalent? In Polish we say Smacznego. What do you say at the start of a meal?

ilona

I Had it Coming…

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I jinxed myself. For the past few months, while colleagues, family and friends have fallen under the grip of all the nasty bugs and viruses circling around, I have been boasting about the superiority of my immune system. How haphazard that sounds now, as I sit here going through tissues at a break neck speed. Yup, I’ve been infected. Though I think this enemy is weak and I believe I can battle these invaders with my mighty three-pronged plan of attack:

  1. Soup. I’m not prepared for this one so “homemade instant soup” it is. Not much to it: veggie stock + minced up garlic + cooked rice or noodles + a handful of whatever veg are stashed in the freezer…in proportions that are pleasing to you. Oh, a dash of cayenne does wonders to clear up the stuffiness 🙂
  2. Homemade Lemon and Ginger Anti-Cold Warrior:
    • boil a 3 inch chunk of ginger in 6 cups water for 10 minutes or so (so the ginger can release its fiery juices – add more or less ginger depending on how much gingery heat you want, smash it beforehand for good measure)
    • add 3 Tablespoons agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener, maple syrup works too) and 4 Tablespoons of lemon juice (about 2 lemons worth, I used my organic bottled one), simmer for a few minutes for all the flavours to come together and party
    • adjust flavours to your liking, remove ginger
    • sip hot brew throughout the day and feel the bugs surrendering
  3. Rest. Being sick is a pretty fine excuse to cuddle up in bed with a great book. Last night I started reading “Brain on Fire” by Susannah Cahalan…needless to say I am hooked!

That’s it. Wish me luck in the quest to annihilate my adversaries.

ilona