Home Remedies for Cough and Cold Honey and Lemon

Home Remedies for Cough and Cold Honey and Lemon 

My kids do not easily take to home remedies. They distrust them and look at them as some torture weapons that I have in my arsenal.

In fact once when my elder one was small she had severe stomachache, and I had a tough time convincing her and her father that warming ajwain in a kitchen napkin over a tava, then lightly applying it to the tummy will relieve the kid of pain.I am sorry to say I lost my temper with both of them. But when the kid felt better both of them grudgingly accepted that I know some medicine.

Then her pediatrician told them that some of the home remedies are good and she listed out some of them the chief being hot water and lemon with honey for a cold.

I love to add tulsi/holy basil when I am boiling the water. In Goa when a child is small they also add black raisins called pasa here. 

I make this and have a lot of takers now that it has the doctor’s seal.

Home Remedies for Cough and Cold Honey and Lemon 

Honey and Lemon 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup water
• 4-5 leaves of tulsi/holy basil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tblspn honey
• 4-5 black raisins (if using)

Method:

• Boil the water with the black raisins (if using) and tulsi leaves reduce it to 1 cup.
• Add the honey and lemon stir well.
• Drink up hot.

Note:

• Never heat lemon juice as boiling water breaks up the Vit. C molecules hence add to the water in the end.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 45

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

 

Kiwi Crush (Mojito)

Kiwi Crush (Mojito)

We made this amazing mojito in the summer this year.

 It looks so awesome does it not? It tasted good too. Try it and enjoy!!

Kiwi Crush (Mojito)

Yield: 1 glass

Ingredients:

• 2 tblspn ready squash (I used Kiwi Crush )
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 1 tblspn lemon juice
• 100 ml soda, chilled

Kiwi Crush (Mojito)

Method:

• Macerate the mint leaves and add the lemon juice and set aside for at least half an hour.
• Strain the mint leaves and add the squash. Mix well.
• Add the soda stir.
• Half fill a glass with ice cubes and add the mixture and serve.

 Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: August -- Week 1'.

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Orange Mist

When Valli announced mocktails it was kismet. It was hot and we were having a lot of liquids. I had not thought of clicking pictures or noting down what we mixed.

Most of what we mixed we went on adjusting to suit individual tastes.  These were what we repeated and enjoyed.

To see what a mocktail is check here.

Twilight ~A mocktail

Twilight ~A mocktail

This Blogging Marathon the theme I have chosen is Mocktails.

Let’s begin with cocktails …

What a cocktail is? I am sure you know but for the sake of repetition let’s see what a cocktail is.

When I googled I found this site.

 She has said,” The earliest definition of this type of drink comes from the May 13, 1806, edition of the Balance and Columbian Repository, a publication in Hudson, New York, where the paper provided an answer to the question, "What is a cocktail?”

 It reads:"Cocktail is a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters — it is vulgarly called a bittered sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said, also to be of great use to a Democratic candidate: because a person, having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow anything else."

A cocktail is a mixed drink of   spirits, sugar, water, and bitters originally but now it means almost any mixed drink containing alcohol. Modern cocktails have a mixture of one or more types of liquor and flavorings and one or more liqueurs, fruit juices, sugar, honey, water, ice, soda, milk, cream, herbs, bitters, etc.  Cocktails are made with gin, whiskey, rum, tequila, brandy, wine, beer, vodka, etc.

So what are Mocktails?

According to the Hindu,”mocktails are smooth blends of non-alcoholic beverages — fresh fruit juices, syrups, cream, herbs or spices. They are meant especially for those who do not consumer alcoholic beverages or need to refrain from them, and so, the blends can be enjoyed by anyone. You don't need any sophisticated equipment to churn out an exotic mocktail. All you need is a lot of innovation and imagination to produce some unusual, delicious blends.”

In short a mocktail is a non-alcoholic cocktail. Again like a cocktail you mix 2 or more non-alcoholic ingredients to get a mocktail.

The different ways of creating a mocktail are:

• Shake and strain that is you shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain in an appropriate glass.
• You can stir and strain the ingredients in a glass then serve it in another glass.
• Blend with a blender and then transfer to the serving glass.
• Build in the serving glass itself.

Mocktails are offered because the host is responsible for the well-being of the guests. It is important to offer guests an alternative to drinks with alcohol. Some people, such as designated drivers or pregnant women, will be grateful to have a drink selection that is non-alcoholic. Even people who are having a few drinks might like to alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the evening.

Shahi Shikanji~Indian State Madhya Pradesh

Shahi Shikanji~Indian State Madhya Pradesh

Day 15 we are today at Madhya Pradesh!! Land of Ahilyabai Holkar!!

But let get down to cuisine here for I have been told that is what  you are interested in but I could not resist puting the link of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar so do check it out if you are interested! She is an amazing lady!!

The cuisine in Madhya Pradesh varies regionally. Wheat and meat are common in the North and West of the state, while the wetter South and East are dominated by rice and fish. Milk is a common ingredient in  Gwalior and Indore. The street food of Indore is renowned, with shops that have been active for generations. Bhopal is known for meat and fish dishes such as rogan josh, korma,  keema,  biryani,  pilaf   and kebabs. There is street named "Chatori Gali" in old Bhopal where one can find traditional Muslim non-veg fare like Paya Soup, Bun Kabab, and Nalli-Nihari as some of the specialties.

Dal bafla is a common meal in the region and can be easily found in Indore and other nearby regions, consisting of a steamed and grilled wheat cake dunked in rich ghee which is eaten with dal and ladoos. The culinary specialty of the Malwa and specially Indore region of central Madhya Pradesh is poha (flattened rice); usually eaten at breakfast with jalebi. Beverages in the region include lassi, beer, and  rum  and sugarcane juice. Local liquor is distilled from the flowers of the mahua tree and date palm toddy is also popular. In tribal regions, a popular drink is the sap of the sulfi tree, which may be alcoholic if it has gone through fermentation.

Butter Beer

Harry Potter has made his appearance in our household for the last 11 years. Yes when Akanksha, my kid no 2 was born. I still remember my husband coming to me and handing me the first HP book Philosopher’s Stone and from page 1 I was hooked!! Thankfully Akanksha was of the age when she slept most of the time so I could read the book.

Then I started with the book 2 and so on.

To get my elder daughter reading, she was 7 then, I read out the books to her. I just cannot imagine how I read out two full books then ditched her half way in the third book. Since she was interested in the book she finished it!! Down she went hook line and sinker!!! Now she is the one who is our HP encyclopedia.

My younger daughter celebrates her birthday on 6^th Dec. and I had expected to have party on the 8^th Dec a Saturday, but unfortunately that was not to be. So we are having her birthday on the 15^th Dec.

Why am I mentioning this?

I plan to have a HP theme party for the kid and she does not know, yes a surprise. She has already got her acceptance letter from Hogwarts!

In preparation I made this butter beer! There are more that I plan to blog but right now it’s just this.

It’s to be my welcome drink!!

Do let send me your feedback.

Here is the recipe from Mugglenet here. It’s just the same I have substituted butterscotch with chocolate an d Irish coffee syrup

 
Ingredients:

·       1 cup (8 oz) club soda 

·       1/2 cup less 2 tsp (4 oz) chocolate syrup   (ice cream topping)

·       2 tsp Irish coffee syrup

·       1/2 tablespoon butter

Method:

1.    Heat the chocolate and Irish coffee syrup with butter in the microwave 1 minute or until syrup is bubbly and butter has melted.

2.    Stir and cool for 30 seconds, then slowly mix in soda. Mixture will fizz quite a bit.

3.     Serve in two coffee mugs; a perfectly warm Hogwarts treat for two!

Sending this to Srivalli's Kids Delight guest hosted by me.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content are copy-written @The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen!! unless mentioned. Please Ask First
 

Blue Curacao and Eggless Lemon Curd

After Mixing 

 I would like to thank each one of you for your loving messages when I said that my back was paining in my post of Methi Muthia.  Thanks a lot I am sorry I cannot thank each one of you individually (lazy here)!! I am fine now. Thanks a million!!

When we went to Mapro’s in Mahableshwar we had picked up a lot of squashes.

 The one that we enjoyed most was Citrus Blue. Once those bottles were over we were left pining for Citrus Blue. But it is not available here so when I saw Mala’s Blue Curacao I picked it up. But there are hardly any takers for it.

Before Mixing

Reposting Iced Tea

With the summer heat soaring we are consuming more and more of chilled beverages. Most often Kid no 2 asks me for Iced Tea. I serve the same Lime Tea only to suit her tastes it is called Iced tea.

I avoid the packaged iced tea as always. Why should I pay so much for something that can be made easily at home? Not only do I monitor what goes in the beverage it’s easy on the pocket.  

Ingredients:
1 litre water
2 cups sugar
3 lemons
4-5 springs of Pudina/mint
½ tsp green tea

Method:

1.    In a vessel add the water, sugar, and green tea.

2.    Bring to a boil. Switch off the gas and add the pudina/mint leaves if using.

3.    Let the leaves steep in the water till it cools down.

4.    Strain and add the lime juice.

5.    Adjust the sugar.

6.    Chill. Serve in tall glasses iced.

Here I have made ice cubes using slices of strawberries and grapes in the water. Pretty are they not?
P.S.    

v You can substitute lemon grass leaves, sugar with honey.

v As kid needs a lot of sugar I use sugar syrup as it is easier to mix. You can also add honey.

v Green tea can be substituted with ordinary tea only reduce the leaves, say 1 pinch.

As my brother says”EEnjoy!”

Jal Jeera

Imagine this scene it’s Saturday, about 1.35pm and the Sun is very pleased that that finally he has caught you,  when you  have forgotten your cap and sun coat at home in the morning.

He turns his on his devilish smile and grins just at you!!

 To add to it you are sweating (you cannot escape that in Goa). All the way the down from Office to home, a mere 5 kilometers turns in a nightmare, for I am allergic to the sun’s rays.

Bridal Shower for Nithya : Custard Apple Shake

There are very few moments as cherished, as beautiful as the day you embark the new journey of life. Holding someone's hand, with dreams in heart and sparkle in the eyes. The day she started dreaming for, even before she knew its’ meaning. The day she has visualized so many times, that by now every detail is clearly itched in her mind. Yes the day a girl becomes a bride, is like no other.

Very soon one of our friends, a great blogger and a gifted photographer, is going to live her dream. And since I'm sure you read the header before reading this, you all know who am I talking about...Yes Nithya of 4thsensecooking is getting married this November.

Thanks to the world of connectivity, distances have become a lesser shortcoming. Though nothing can reclaim the joy of celebration in person. Yet in absence of actually being with her during her most joyous period..here we are all, united, to wish her all the best. So today we are throwing this virtual bridal shower for Nithya to express our happiness and celebrate with her.

And what could be a better way to celebrate than with food, the subject, the emotion that binds us all...So we decided to cook it up, literally and that too Nithya's own dishes from her own blog - 4thsensecooking. Hope she likes the recreation of her own favouite dishes and gets a taste of it through the world wide wide.

Cheers...This is for you Nithya and for all those visiting this virtual bridal shower!!

  Like Nithya I am not too fussy about fruits I love them. 

One of my favourite fruits has been Custard apple see the health benefits of the fruit here.

One of my first memories of the fruit has been when I was a kid we had been to a small village called “Umred” I think in Vidharba of Maharashtra and  the first fruit I squeezed not knowing it was  ripe. My so sticky my hands  were but what custard apples we ate. Ripe and off the tree!! Mmmm!

So Custard apple shake was an obvious try.

Hubby dear also loves the fruit so in the market they were our first purchases.

Ingredients:

3 Custard apples (weight ½ kg)

2 tsp sugar

½ cup milk

3-4 scoops Vanilla ice cream

Method:

1.     Wash and open the custard apple. Scoop out all the pulp in the mixer.

2.     Add ½ cup milk and pulse 2 to 3times. (Next time I will try the process in the anjali puran yantra).

3.     Now remove the pulp and strain through a big soup strainer. Rub the pulp with the back of a ladle and remove maximum pulp.

4.     Add the ice cream scoops in a tall vessel add the pulp and sugar and with the hand mixer beat the mixture till the mixture is nice and homogenous.  

5.     Serve in a tall glass. Since I chocolate is the only way I can get my younger kid try something new I have garnished it heavily with chocolate vermicelli.

To enjoy the drink imagine a hot sweaty day in the garden, a wash and this lovely cold shake!!

 Shake Baby Shake!!

Now I had some left over Shake Amazing isn't it well my elder daughter was about to leave for her dance class and did not want anything as she finds it difficult to dance so I stored her share in the freezer! Both of us forgot then I served it like this Choco Lava Cake and Custard Apple Ice cream . Next time I will remember the milk I have used and add some softening agent like Nithya Marie biscuits

Nithya wish you a long and happy married life!! All the very best!!

Come and check out the rest of the Party Hosts! Enjoy the treat!

   Anamika - Taste Junction 

Krithi - Krithi's Kitchen

Priya Mitharwal -  Mharo Rajasthan Recipes

Priya Mahadeven - Priyas Now Serving 

Priya Suresh - Priya easy n tasty recipes

Priya Sreeram - Bon Appetit

Radhika - Tickling Palates

Radhika Vasanth - Food for 7 stages of life  

Revathy - Kaarasaaram 

Sanjeeta - Different Strokes

Vardhini - Zesty Palette

Archana

Bridal Shower for Nithya : Walnut Almond Frappe

There are very few moments as cherished, as beautiful as the day you embark the new journey of life. Holding someone's hand, with dreams in heart and sparkle in the eyes. The day she started dreaming for, even before she knew its’ meaning. The day she has visualized so many times, that by now every detail is clearly itched in her mind. Yes the day a girl becomes a bride, is like no other.

Very soon one of our friends, a great blogger and a gifted photographer, is going to live her dream. And since I'm sure you read the header before reading this, you all know who am I talking about...Yes Nithya of 4thsensecooking is getting married this November.

Thanks to the world of connectivity, distances have become a lesser shortcoming. Though nothing can reclaim the joy of celebration in person. Yet in absence of actually being with her during her most joyous period..here we are all, united, to wish her all the best. So today we are throwing this virtual bridal shower for Nithya to express our happiness and celebrate with her.

And what could be a better way to celebrate than with food, the subject, the emotion that binds us all...So we decided to cook it up, literally and that too Nithya's own dishes from her own blog - 4thsensecooking. Hope she likes the recreation of her own favouite dishes and gets a taste of it through the world wide wide.

Cheers...This is for you Nithya and for all those visiting this virtual bridal shower!!

 Frappe is a relatively new drink for me first saw it in the blog world now regularly in KFC etc.

I want my kids to get the health benefits of nuts but they are nuts outside! Hardly have any so smuggle them in that’s the only option.  So what better than a Frappe, Coffee frappe they are told and fed walnuts and almonds.

These pictures I have taken in the night without the night mode on. So please excuse the pictures but enjoy the Frappe.

Ingredients:

3 Walnuts

10 almonds

2 1/2 tsp Instant coffee powder  

½ cup filter coffee extract

5 scoops Vanilla ice cream - 2 scoops

4 cups Milk  

2 tsp sugar

 Method:

1.     Grind the walnuts, almonds, coffee and sugar in the mixer and grind fine.

2.     In a tall container mix all the ingredients and beat till smooth creamy and frothy.

3.     Serve chilled with a scoop of ice cream!!

Delicious!!

Nithya wish you a long and happy married life!! All the very best!!


Come and check out the rest of the Party Hosts! Enjoy the treat!

   Anamika - Taste Junction 

Krithi - Krithi's Kitchen

Priya Mitharwal -  Mharo Rajasthan Recipes

Priya Mahadeven - Priyas Now Serving 

Priya Suresh - Priya easy n tasty recipes

Priya Sreeram - Bon Appetit

Radhika - Tickling Palates

Radhika Vasanth - Food for 7 stages of life  

Revathy - Kaarasaaram 

Sanjeeta - Different Strokes

Vardhini - Zesty Palette

Archana