Winter is a season dreaded by many, myself included as I really feel the cold, but it has a magic all of it’s own that’s not just due to Xmas. Here are some of my favourite things about winter.

* Cosy nights in – they’re just not the same unless it’s freezing [...]]]> Photo Credit

Winter is a season dreaded by many, myself included as I really feel the cold, but it has a magic all of it’s own that’s not just due to Xmas. Here are some of my favourite things about winter.

* Cosy nights in – they’re just not the same unless it’s freezing cold outside! Staying in with a movie, wrapped in a blanket on the sofa with a glass of mulled wine or a hot chocolate, appreciating the “downtime” and simple comforts such as central heating!

* Winter Clothes- They’re fabulous! Layering can create so many wonderful looks, brightly-coloured scarves and gloves can really complete otherwise plain outfits and wooly hats are just great, even if I’m still searching for the perfect winter hat to fit my strange huge head.

* Frost – When it makes everything sparkle and glitter beautifully!

* Appreciating the Cold – You can always put a few more layers on, whereas if it’s too warm there’s little that can be done about it!

* Seasonal Coffee – Every year I look forward with great anticipation to the arrival of the Gingerbread Latte!

* The Doctor Who Xmas Special – I’m a geek, it’s awesome!

* January Sales – A time for bargains and bruised elbows, I can’t resist the thrill of big discounts!

* New Starts – The symbolic new start of New Years Day, resolutions and plans for the year ahead always make me feel motivated and ready to make big positive changes! Deep down I realise that this is silly and change can come at any time of year, but it just feels right to make a commitment at the start of a new year!

* Getting Excited About Snow – It very rarely actually appears in England, at least, not over Xmas, but it doesn’t stop people placing bets, getting sleds out of the garage in preparation and generally being all eager with anticipation for the first snowfall of the year as soon as the weather is cold enough!

* Soups and Stews – Plus other winter comfort food. The sort of foods you don’t really fancy during the summer but which are easy to cook, delicious, and perfect for warming up in the cold!

* Less Football on TV – This might not be a good thing to all of you, but I love it!

What are your favourite aspects of the cold season?

Having been off work for a few days with what I have almost convinced myself is flu (highly unlikely since I had the vaccine last week so it’s far more likely to simply be a bad cold), I’ve had a bit of time on my hands. Instead of spending it [...]]]> Photo Credit

Having been off work for a few days with what I have almost convinced myself is flu (highly unlikely since I had the vaccine last week so it’s far more likely to simply be a bad cold), I’ve had a bit of time on my hands. Instead of spending it doing something productive however (and I wasn’t feeling so bad that I couldn’t write for example), I spent it entrenched in my own illness coping process.

• Wrapped up in thick sweaters with messy hair, not really caring what I look like.
• Watching comedy shows online to cheer myself up.
• Resting lots.
• Spending far more time in the shower than usual, as the steam makes me feel better.
• Taking every anti-cold drug I can get my hands on that won’t kill me when combined with the other anti-cold drugs I’ve already taken!

Photo Credit

I’ve never been one of those people who can work through an illness, going to the office, probably infecting everyone else and “soldiering on” with little or no pharmaceutical assistance. I can understand going into work if you don’t get paid leave, but I don’t think I’ll ever understand people who would rather suffer than take non-addictive, occasional over-the-counter remedies when they’re feeling really bad!

How about you? Do you get on with things even though you’re ill, or do you take a few days to wallow at home and recover slowly?

Inspired by Miss Corrine‘s post, “Sniffles Be Gone“, in which she shares some excellent ways to get rid of the colds I think everyone I know has or has recently had, I thought I would share mine – my curried pumpkin soup which contains lots of natural cold-fighting yummyness! Sadly, I [...]]]> Image by kawanet

Inspired by Miss Corrine‘s post, “Sniffles Be Gone“, in which she shares some excellent ways to get rid of the colds I think everyone I know has or has recently had, I thought I would share mine – my curried pumpkin soup which contains lots of natural cold-fighting yummyness! Sadly, I don’t have a photo of the soup I made, but the one above is similar in colour.

Scientific studies have also shown that the main ingredients of curry such as garlic, onions, ginger, chilli and turmeric may help to fight the symptoms of colds. Chilli peppers are a rich source of vitamin C and are reputed to have anti-viral properties, onions are also a source of vitamin C, while garlic and turmeric both have antiseptic properties. Dried ginger is known for its natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

(Source: http://www.vhi.ie/hfiles/hf-025.jsp)

This soup contains all of those delicious anti-cold ingredients, as well as lemon juice for extra vitamin C and of course, the main ingredients, pumpkin and sweet potatoes which are also nutritious and good for you.

1. Soften the onions in a large saucepan with the oil, adding  the garlic after a few minutes. Add the turmeric, curry powder, ginger and chili stir-frying it all for a few more minutes until the onions are translucent and the spices are lightly roasted.

2. Throw in the chopped, peeled sweet potatoes, pumpkin and stock. If the vegetables are raw, add a little water and bring to the boil, simmering them until they’re soft. If they’re canned, skip the water, just let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes.

3. Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and some chopped parsley, and stir it in. Add cream if you wish, then taste it to see if you need to adjust any of the spices or seasonings. Once it tastes perfect, take it off the heat, liquidise it and enjoy!

After eating a bowl of this,I always feel a little better, even if it’s just because the chili has cleared my nose! A word of warning however, if you make this whilst you have a cold and freeze some of it, taste with caution once you’ve recovered – last time I did that, the chili blew my head off since my taste-buds were working again!