I was on the phone with my mom the other day when she broke into a coughing spell that was so deep that it scared me. It was one of those hacking, mucous-filled coughs that made her gag because she couldn’t stop. Hearing her and feeling helpless not to be right by her side took me right back to my childhood when she was the best at-home nurse ever!

Sick days (which were seldom) meant staying in bed all day, snuggled up with a good book and Mom waiting on us hand-and-foot. Even when the illness was only something simple like a cold.

First, there was the extra blanket that was always extra-soft and fresh from the dryer. A sick tray next to the bed included tissues, water, orange juice, aspirin, Vicks Vapor Rub and cough medicine. A second tray would appear at meal times stocked with fresh-made cinnamon toast, chicken noodle soup and a cup of her special cocoa.

Remembering those days prompted me to make a healing soup for Mom’s cold, full of fresh garlic, herbs and vegetables.

Garlic  is best when it’s eaten raw, and has tremendous medicinal powers that not only helps knock out colds but can also serve as a natural antibiotic. I’ll actually take it chopped up fine, placed on the back of my tongue and swallowed with a big glass of tepid water right behind it.

Since I couldn’t stay right by her side and nurse Mom the way she took care of us, I made her a care package that included peppermint tea, honey, fresh ginger, oatmeal, blueberries, raisin toast and a big pot of my vegetable soup.

I made it from scratch, with love, and it was filled with ingredients that are specific to helping break up a cold.

I wanted the soup to have lots of vegetables with vitamin C, so I included lots of fresh tomatoes. For some heat, I added plenty of fresh garlic and onions; fresh parsley; cilantro; cayenne pepper; red, orange and yellow peppers, and sweet potatoes.

By the way, I store in my freezer pot-liquor made of left0ver broth from any vegetables that I cook.

 Soup to fight colds

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs plum tomatoes (skinned and cored)

2 ½ lbs vine ripe tomatoes (skinned ad cored)

1 head of garlic (skinned and finely chopped)

½ cup virgin olive oil

2 yellow onions (chopped)

1 med red pepper (cut lengthwise on into ¼ pieces)

1 med orange pepper (cut lengthwise on into ¼ pieces)

1 med yellow pepper (cut lengthwise on into ¼ pieces)

3 small zucchinis (quartered and sliced)

4 med yellow squashes (quartered and sliced)

3 large yams (cut lengthwise into thick slices)

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes (diced -1 inch pieces)

1 cup leftover collards (chopped)

3 cups vegetable broth (pot-liquor is best)

1 jar gourmet spaghetti sauce (My favorite is Neumann’s Own- Sock-aroon)

1 small bag baby carrots

2 tbs onion  powder

3 tbs  Sazon

1 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it real spicy)

2  tbs honey

2 tbs oregano

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbs Tamari Sauce

 Directions

• Place tomatoes in a pot of boiling water until the skin cracks, let cool, core and set aside
• Heat  ½ of the olive oil on a low flame, and sauté garlic, onions, peppers and herbs
• Add carrots, yams, potatoes, carrots, squashes and collards
• Follow with all liquids, remaining olive oil and tomatoes, and break them into soup with a wooden spoon
• Add all of the herbs, spices, Tamari, honey and  stir completely
• Reduce heat and simmer while covered
• When vegetables are soft, turn off heat and let soup rest while covered for 5 minutes. Serve with seven-grain toast and avocado slices

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