DIY Immune Fortifying Tonics

Get Better — Feel Better — Be Better

Some may argue (including myself) that cooking makes humans out of animals. And—anyway—being in the kitchen is just plain fun and immensely satisfying. So to go along with our  Fortify Immune Health blog post, we headed into the kitchen and created several immune fortifying tonics to share with you. These are specifically delicious (goal #1), while also being powerful tonics (goal #1, it's a tie). Use these when you're getting sick. And use them when you're not and don't get sick. They're that good. Play around and find what works for you: Substitute, omit, change, and create. Experiment. And don't forget to have fun.

Mushroom Bulletproof Coffee

We created this to both substitute coffee and to create a powerful immune system tonic. There is no coffee in the recipe, but if you must, see below.

Ingredients

• 10-12 ounces water;
• 2-4 tablespoons Dandy Blend (to taste);
• 1-2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (omit if adverse) (to taste);
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (increase if omitting butter);
• 1 teaspoon Twelve Rivers MycoMedic Formula;
• 1/4 teaspoon Eternal Well Cordyceps Formula OR 1/4 teaspoon Reishi Buddha Blend;
• 1/8 - 1/4 Teaspoon Mountain Manna Rare-Earth Shilajit (to taste).

So why is there no coffee in this and why would be bother creating a coffee alternative? While coffee may feel rejuvenating, that just of energy is just an illusion. From the Chinese medicine perspective, coffee is—in fact—deeply depleting. It is literally the opposite of a restorative. The effects of coffee are produced by mobilizing Yuan Qi / Jing, ultimately leading to premature aging. We don't want that (at least I don't). But if you must drink coffee, substitute the Dandy Blend for coffee.

Directions

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and well-integrated. If you have a high power blender, set on soup mode and blend until steaming. If not, heat until warm on the stove. Serve. Enjoy.

Astragalus + Miso Soup

This is a deeply nourishing and fortifying tonic. It's easy to forget that miso soup is a prescribable herbal medicine—but it is!

Ingredients

• 4 cups water (add more to taste);
• 8 tablespoons miso (white, yellow, or red—just make sure it is unpasteurized) (add more to taste);
• 1 sheet nori or 1 oz kombu (20 square inches);
• 1/2 cup dried wakami;
• 1/2 teaspoon Seven Springs Trail Astragalus Extract Blend;
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (to taste);
• 2 fresh spring onions/green onion, trimmed, and cut on a bias;
• 1 garlic clove, smashed but intact.

Optional Ingredients

• Protein of choice (pre-cooked/pre-prepaired);
• Benito flakes;
• Several drops of toasted sesame oil.

Directions

To prepare the wakame

First, prepare the wakame by placing it in enough hot water to cover it. Let stand for 15 minutes (longer is OK). Drain. Set aside.

To prepare the soup

Heat water in a saucepan with the grated ginger and smashed garlic. When just steaming, remove 1 cup of water, let cool to approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit (add cool water to speed this process up). Add the miso paste to this cooled water, and stir until well-mixed and well-integrated.

Add the miso and water back into the remaining water. Add in all remaining ingredients, including any optional ingredients. Let sit approximately 5 minutes. If using kombu, remove it. Serve. Enjoy.

Reishi Hot Chocolate

This is great for a cold in the Fall (a cold-cold). And this one is worth the extra work. Absolutely delicious, satisfying, and deeply rejuvenating. 

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup raw cashews;
• 1 can coconut milk;
• 1 1/2 tablespoons raw or naturally processed cocoa powder;
• 1 teaspoon Reishi Buddha Blend;
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon Mountain Manna Rare-Earth Shilajit;
• Sweetener of choice: Remember, reminded sugar surpasses immune function. I like to use stevia extract, and honey or maple sugar when I'm feeling crazy. 

Directions

• Soak cashews in water for two hours or more (but don't start a science project). Drain and rinse;
• Add soaked cashews, coconut milk, cocoa powder, Reishi, and Shilajit into a blender and blend until smooth. If desired, add water until you reach the perfect consistency for yourself.
• If you have a high powered blended, put on soup mode and blend until steaming. If not, place in a sauce pan and gently heat until just steaming.
• Sweeten to taste.
• Serve. Enjoy.

Optional Ingredients (Make it Extra-Special)

Before heating, add:

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract;
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated orange zest;
• one pinch of ground cinnamon;
• one pinch of cayenne powder.

RAW and Fresh Immune Tonic

This is great for a cold in the Spring (a hot-cold). It is live with tons of natural vitamin C and other vitamins, living enzymes, and many, many minerals—fortifying and restoring after a long winter. The fresh turmeric and ginger gently warms the body while aiding digestion and assimilation.

Ingredients

• 1 kiwi (if organic, include the peel);
• 1 apple (if organic, include the peel);
• 1/2 - 1 cup blue (or other) berries;
• 1 inch of fresh ginger root (if organic, include the skin);
• 1 inch of fresh turmeric root (if organic, include the skin);
• 1 lemon (if organic, include the peel);
• 2 tablespoons dried Gou Qi Zi (Goji Berry);
• 1 tablespoon Divine Farmer Camellia Sinensis Pollen;
• 1 teaspoon Eternal Well Cordyceps Formula;
• As much fresh spinach as desired;
• Sweetener to taste (perhaps a few drops of stevia extract).

Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until you've reached your perfect consistency, adding water as desired. This is a cold (temperature wise) tonic, if you're already cold (temperature wise), it is unadvisable to consume raw or cold foods. Serve. Enjoy.