Immune Boosting Fire Cider (GF)
Homemade immune boosting and cold busting remedies are power tools in your arsenal. Made preemptively, in anticipation of seasons changing, cooling weather, moments of high stress, or added travel, fire cider can be your all natural support instead of turning directly to your drugstore filled medicine cabinet. Each ingredient has a purpose, so choose the highest quality that you can find, organic is best. Ingredients & health benefits listed below…
Servings: Intended to fill up two 32oz. Ball jars. Once strained, will make about 4 cups of fire cider liquid.
Ingredients:
-2 oranges (rich in vitamin c)
-2 lemons (rich in vitamin c, improves digestion, etc.)
-3 habaneros, chopped (increases blood circulation, which aids in healing & signals brain to release endorphins)
-1 large ginger root, chopped (decongestant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, improves digestion, improves circulation, just an overall powerhouse)
-1/2lb turmeric root, peeled & chopped (anti-inflammatory)
-4tbsp. black peppercorn (turmeric becomes more bioavailable when paired with black pepper)
-16 garlic cloves, smashed (antiseptic, antibacterial, antimicrobial)
-2 small onions, chopped (lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, anti-inflammatory, & rich in antioxidants, protecting us from free radicals)
-Fresh rosemary (rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, improving blood circulation, which aids in healing)
-Fresh thyme (natural cough remedy, rich in vitamin c & a, anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiviral, mood-boosting)
-4tbsp. local raw honey (antibacterial, anti-fungal, balances the strong flavor of other medicinal ingredients, local honey can acclimate us with nearby environments & improve allergy symptoms, raw honey allows for these benefits to be stronger instead of highly processed honey which can strip away these healing properties)
-Apple cider vinegar, I like Bragg’s or an organic brand sold with mother (thins mucus, reduces congestion, improves digestion, acetic acid levels help to stabilize blood sugar, can reduce blood pressure & cholesterol levels, malic acid levels make it anti-fungal, antiviral, & antibacterial. Should I keep going?)
Directions:
-Layer all ingredients evenly between two jars, layering honey throughout.
-Fill up with apple cider vinegar & close. I recommend using a plastic Ball jar cover to avoid rust. If using the traditional metal cover, place wax paper underneath before screwing on lid (as seen in the top photo).
-Shake up and down slowly a few times to get the juices flowing.
-Let sit for 1 month minimum in a cool & dark place, strain, and enjoy! The longer it sits, the stronger the fire cider gets, but I recommend consuming within 2 years of the bottling date. Feel free to write the bottling date on the jar for your reference.
For immune support, take a spoonful a day. I like to fill a shot glass for me and my partner & have a cheers, “To Life!” If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, fire cider can be added to salad dressings or used as a marinade for meat, fish, or tofu. Fire cider can also be turned into a sparkling tonic by adding seltzer, a sprig of fresh rosemary, & ice! You can add a spoonful to a mug of hot ginger & lemon tea as a replacement for drugstore Theraflu. A few other ingredients that you can try adding are star of anise, fresh chopped horseradish, dried schizandra berries, or chili peppers. Make a batch, taste it, & tweak ingredients to change the flavors to be more pungent or sweet. This also makes a great gift in the winter months!
Enjoy & let me know if you try it!
For your health,
Lily
