Yummy Immune Boosting Hot Winter Drink

During the long winter, my family and I drink a lot of hot drinks.  For me, mainly tea. The problem with winter drinks is they are either high sugar and or high caffeine. Tea, coffee or hot chocolate.  You can get hot apple cider but it is usually a dry commercial mix full of sugar, preservatives and fake flavours made of man made chemicals.  I am lucky enough to have three apple trees that I juice in the fall and can it for winter. My grandkids love my homemade apple cider and my daughter is happy that it is made without adding any sugar.

Years ago, I ran across a Nordic recipe for a non alcoholic Glogg or as it is known in England, Wassail.  It is so versatile and easy and makes a wonderful change for tea or hot chocolate.  It is immune boosting due to the ginger, spices and high vitamin C. I make it up and either put it on warm on the crock pot or lowest heat on the stove.  The scent alone is amazing and the longer it sits, the better it tastes.  Any left overs can be put into the fridge and either rewarmed or add ginger ale for a refreshing punch the next day.  

• 4 cp any of these juices in any combination: orange, pineapple, lemon and or apple.  You can use frozen or fresh.  
•  OR  black current, grape, and or cranberry juice. Use one or a combination depending on what you have on hand.
• 1/2 cp any of the following: raisins, dried apricots (diced), dried cranberries (craisins), dried apples or oranges, blueberries... I like a combination but use whatever I have in my cupboard.
• 1/4 cp fresh cranberries (optional)
• 2-3 Cinnamon sticks if you have any.  If not, use 1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon
• 3-4 cloves or 1/4 tsp powdered
• 1/2 tsp all spice (optional)
• 1 anise seed (optional)
• dash of cardamon (optional)
• 1/4 tsp ginger powdered or 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger (optional)
• honey if needed
• Combine either the orange combination or berry combination with the spices in a crock pot and place on warm or lowest setting on stove. Do not boil as you will loose the vitamin C.  (Vitamin C can withstand heat up to approx 140 which is to hot to drink so keep it warm instead and reap the benefits). Taste in 1/2 hour and adjust to suit your taste buds.  Serve through out the day.  Make sure you get some of the dried fruit at the bottom of the pot in each cup.  Enjoy this winter and give your immune system a boost!