Hangover cures can ease the ache of too much cheer
No question about it. We're right in the middle of the holiday entertaining maelstrom.
This weekend, especially, promises to be packed with neighborhood open houses, work-related gatherings and general merriment. Despite your good intentions, you may eat too much and, dare I say, even drink a little too much.
Before your designated driver gets you safely home and tucked into bed, make sure to have some products on hand that will make your morning more palatable. Like Solixir Restore, a pomegranate and ginger sparkling beverage.
Made with 70 percent sparkling water, 30 percent fruit juice and 1,700 mg of beneficial botanicals, Solixir will restore (hence the name) your electrolytes and nourish your body.
Partner Robert Lynch of the Glenview-based company says the ginger reduces digestive discomfort and eases nausea/vomiting. Dandelion root helps the liver detoxify alcohol and stabilizes blood sugar while nettle leaf provides minerals to shake that foggy morning-after feeling.
Also try Awaken with orange and mate, or Relax with blackberry and camomile. You'll find them at Whole Foods Markets for $1.99 for a 12-ounce can.
Shake it up: If you think you can handle the whirring of a blender, you might want to try the Holiday Hangover Milkshake, a recipe that comes to us today from the folks who make the Ninja Prep Master blender/food processor.
In a blender, combine 2 cups milk, 2 cups ice cubes. 2 scoops vanilla ice cream, 1 frozen banana, sliced, 1/2 cup frozen strawberries and 2 teaspoons honey. Use long pulses until the mixture is well blended or until it has reached a desired consistency.
According to Health911.com, banana helps calm the stomach and replenishes magnesium and potassium depleted during heavy drinking. The honey builds back up your blood sugar and the milk soothes the stomach and rehydrates your system.
And the flavor will make it a favorite, even after the party season.
Meet the author: Terra Brockman will sign copies of her book, "The Seasons on Henry's Farm," Saturday, Dec. 19, during the Community Winter Market at Inglenook Pantry, 11 N. 5th St., Geneva.
The book shares the story of Brockman's younger brother, Henry, who grows 650 varieties of vegetables on about 12 acres between Peoria and Bloomington.
He and his family have proven that, by farming in sensible, sustainable ways focused on producing healthy, nutritious food, they can buck conventional agribusiness wisdom.
Find more information about Terra Brockman or her book at terrabrockman.com.
• Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at food@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4524. Listen to her discuss food and restaurant trends on Restaurant Radio Chicago, 5 to 6 p.m. Saturdays on 560 AM WIND.