According to an ancient saying, "One winter with the nourishment of the Ninth Nine, and the following year will be free from illness and pain." Winter is a golden season for nourishing the body. Supplementing the body with nutrients during this time not only helps to keep warm but also promotes health and beauty. Drinking a bowl of hot soup is a wonderful moment in winter. So, what soups are good to drink in winter? Let me introduce some nourishing soups for you!
1. Lily and Quail Soup
Ingredients: Food: 2 to 4 quails, 1/2 pound of carrots Medicine: 4 qian of lily, 6 honey dates
Function: Nourishes Yin, strengthens the lungs, stops coughing, and replenishes Qi. Suitable for those with chronic cough and asthma.
Method: Remove the intestines and impurities from the quails. Peel and slice the carrots. Add lily, honey dates, and five bowls of water to the pot. Simmer for three hours.
Note: This soup is mild and nourishing, suitable for the whole family to drink, especially in autumn and winter.
2. Lotus Seed and Lily Soup
Ingredients: Food: 1/2 pound of lean meat Medicine: 1 liang of lotus seeds, 5 qian of lily, 4 honey dates
Function: Lotus seeds are famous nourishing food that nourishes the spirit, calms the mind, and lowers blood pressure. Lily helps to replenish Qi, warm the lungs, and stop coughing. Fresh lily has effects on relieving cough, treating chronic bronchitis, and stopping hemoptysis. Dried lily, when cooked as a powder, has the effect of nourishing and providing multiple nutrients. The combination of these two ingredients with lean meat not only nourishes the middle Qi, strengthens the lungs, and nourishes the skin but also calms the mind and regulates blood pressure. Moreover, it tastes delicious.
Method: Most lotus seeds and lilies are dried. Wash all the ingredients thoroughly and put them in the pot together with the lean meat. Add six bowls of water and simmer for three to four hours until the lotus seeds soften and the lilies release their flavors.
Note: Every part of the lotus can be used as medicine, including lotus root, lotus seeds, lotus leaves, lotus heart, lotus flower, lotus seedpod, and lotus stem. They are all widely used herbal materials.
3. Winter Mushroom and Whelk Soup
Ingredients: Food: 6 medium-sized winter mushrooms, 1 whelk, 6 chicken feet, 2 slices of ginger Function: Nourishes and moisturizes, strengthens the lungs, clears phlegm, and strengthens the knees and feet.
Method: Soak the winter mushrooms until soft. Blanch the whelk in boiling water and then slice the meat. Add chicken feet and ginger to the pot. Add four to five bowls of water and simmer for four hours.
Note: In autumn, when the weather is dry, this soup is suitable for the whole family to drink, as it can moisturize and nourish.
4. Fig and Almond Soup
Ingredients: Food: 4 ounces of lean meat Medicine: 3 qian of apricot kernels, 5 honey dates, 10 figs
Function: Figs can clear heat and benefit the respiratory system and other organs. Apricot kernels can clear phlegm, stop coughing, moisturize the lungs, and nourish the skin. Honey dates are added for their moisturizing effect.
Method: Wash the lean meat and put it into the pot. Add the above ingredients and six bowls of water. Simmer for two hours.
Note: This soup is a health-preserving tonic. If you happen to have a cold, cough, or excessive phlegm, you can also drink this soup to accelerate the healing process.
