Lemon Ginger Blast - Laryngitis and Cold / Flu Fix

This recipe drink has been used in our family for a few years now. I am not sure where my older sister got it but she has been wowing people with it for about ten years if I remember right. 

We have a friend that is a popular local artist and she gave him some onetime when he was singing at a conference and had a cold. He called her a few years later saying he was making a new album and had studio time and had laryngitis and could she make some for him. After that, he got the recipe and made it himself. 

I don't get sick that often so I forget about it. My sister shares it with others for many ailments and has people calling her regularly for the recipe. I thought I had posted it years ago but looked for it today as I have one of the worst illnesses I have had in years. I think it is mold related while I was out of town cleaning but whatever the illness, I am having a hard time shaking it. 

I can't get any "Seagate" nasal spray (see my post about that here) which works wonders in my small town so I am trying all the other wonderful things which help and am hoping to shake it soon. My sister reminded me about this recipe today and I made some with a few substitutions.

My sister throws the entire apple in, strains it, drinks the juice and throws out the pulp as it says in the recipe. 

I core the apples using the cutting/corer and wash them so I can drink the entire thing rather than straining it.  

It does go down quicker strained but I like the taste and texture of the pulp so I usually just drink it thick.    

Also, I didn't have ginger root on hand so I used some dried ginger and threw in a few pieces of sugared ginger root which gave some texture to the mixture. It didn't have quite the power as fresh ginger root but it still did something so feel free to alter the recipe as needed for what you have available. Ginger root is for sale in most grocery produce sections of your supermarket. I was sure that they didn't sell it in our small town. I was wrong. They do have it. I suggest you get some and try this recipe if you are feeling the slightest bit sluggish. It will really get you feeling great.  

Lemon Ginger Blast

BEGINNER Recipe:
1 - 2 inches of fresh GINGER ROOT (peel any bad parts)
2 - 3 APPLES (peeled if not organic)
1 - 2 LEMONS (peel the yellow part off and discard it as it makes the drink bitter)
1/2 tsp CAYENNE PEPPER (or fresh hot peppers...any kind) 2 - 3 cups of PURIFIED WATER

If using a blender:
Puree all ingredients.  Strain in a large strainer.  Drink the liquid.

If using a juice machine:
Juice all ingredients in the juice machine (except cayenne pepper).  If using fresh hot peppers, juice them first.  Add the water and powered cayenne pepper and stir.  Drink.
 

INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED Recipe:
CAYENNE PEPPER: 
Gradually go from using the spice rack variety of cayenne pepper to the 40,000 and then finally to the 90,000 heat unit cayenne pepper available at the health food store.  Then gradually increase it to 1 Tablespoon total.

Fresh GINGER ROOT:
Gradually increase it to 5 or 6 inches.

FYI...The Lemon Ginger Blast is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-fat, anti-mucous, anti-tumor and is great for the heart and circulation!

That last part came on the recipe as I got it. Of course, I must add the disclaimer that this has not been verified by the FDA or anyone to my knowledge but we have used this for years and it works wonders on the sick and weary.  

One last warning, the pepper you get in the spice rack is mild compared to the cayenne you get at the health food store. It comes in 40,000, 90,000 and 120,000 btu strength and depending on what strength you buy, depends on how much you add. Start with a little, taste it, if you can tolerate it, add a bit more etc. As you get used to it, you can tolerate more and more.