Winter Wellness Shots

Every portion is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and antiviral properties to help your immune system fight the cold & flu season. These warming, tangy and slightly spicy shots have become an essential part of my winter morning routine and are bound to become part of yours.

The Inspiration

You probably have seen similar tiny little jars of liquid gold in your local grocery store's wellness and/or freshly pressed juice section. They are small and expensive, often 5-6$ for one tiny bottle, making them unaffordable for most if you wish to take them on a regular basis (which you have to if you want them to be effective). Looking at the ingredients of different brands, I figured that I could try to make my own to cut costs, and I succeeded.

I found these little Ball jars (not an affiliated link) that I use for storing them in the refrigerator, and I find that they are the perfect portion for me.

The Ingredients

Many of these ingredients are in season during winter, making them accessible and affordable to most. Lemons, grapefruits and oranges are full of vitamins and antioxidants, while frozen pineapple (or mango) are high in fibre as well.

Turmeric root has been used for thousands of years in India in the Ayurveda practice. Its medicine has spread across Asia and is also widely used in TCM, and then reached Africa around 800 AD. Today, it is a worldwide ingredient in herbalism preparations for its numerous health benefits.

Ginger root is a powerful ally to the immune system, with antiviral and antimicrobial properties helping us fight the flu and common cold amongst so many other benefits of this root.

Fire Cider is an oxymel made from Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) and raw honey, in which various roots and herbs are infused for a few weeks. If you don't have fire cider, I have included a substitution for it in the recipe.

For this recipe, I highly recommend using fresh and organic ingredients if available, especially for the ginger and turmeric roots.

The Recipe

This recipe makes four portions, that you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Shake well before use, as the mixture will separate when undisturbed for a certain period of time.

With Fire Cider

2 Large oranges, juiced

1 Grapefruit, juiced

1 Lemon, juiced

1/2 Cup of frozen pineapple (or mangoes)

4 tablespoons of Fire Cider

2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons of freshly grated turmeric

1 teaspoon of sea salt (or Kosher salt, or pink Himalayan salt)

Without Fire Cider

2 Large oranges, juiced

1 Grapefruit, juiced

1 Lemon, juiced

1/2 Cup of frozen pineapple (or mangoes)

4 tablespoons of raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (AVC)

1 teaspoon of raw honey

1 pinch of cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons of freshly grated turmeric

1 teaspoon of sea salt (or Kosher salt, or pink Himalayan salt)

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and pulse a few times. Then blend on high for 1 or two minutes and check the consistency of your mixture. It should be a thick juice, not a smoothie! Depending on the size of your citruses, you might have to add the juice of another grapefruit or orange if they were quite small. Pour the brew into your shot glasses and consume now or cover well if you plan to store them in the refrigerator.

Take a shot every morning during winter. I personally like to have them on an empty stomach just before breakfast, but some people with sensitivities might experience heat burns, so I would recommend taking them after breakfast if that's the case for you.

Let me know if you try this recipe!

All the Light,

Mortie

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Disclaimer: The content of this website is not intended to cure, treat, or diagnose illnesses or ailments. This recipe is not a substitute for proper professional and medical help. Please use discernment when harvesting plants from the wild. Always make sure you have a positive ID before ingesting anything. If you have any adverse effects or undesirable symptoms, please stop ingesting and immediately consult a doctor. I am not responsible for any injury or adverse effect occurring after or during the making and/or ingesting of this recipe.