Immunity Boosting Ginger Pickle

One Week Of Social Distancing

It was cold outside today here in Colorado Springs and there was no sign of sunshine today.  As responsible citizens we have been in social isolation for 8 consecutive day today. I’m amazed how our children adapt to new routines  much faster than we do. With all the new developments taking place every day, we have to remind ourselves to take care of our health too – mental and physical both. As women and as mothers we have a bigger responsibility these days – our roles have broaden as we juggle between kids e-learning , meal planning with limited pantry supplies , housekeeping, kitchens , board games and tons of other things in between. One thing which I’m doing on a daily basis is that I have been reaching out to all my friends and family members – one call a day and trying to connect with them.

Another habit which is helping me these days is waking up really early before everyone else in the house as it gives me enough time for self care. I also sneak in some yoga as it keeps me calm and balanced for the rest of the day. Once I have taken care of nurturing my mind and body , I am ready to take on the new day. I will share my morning routine some other time.

One thing which is obvious is that we need to take care of our health even more. Your lifestyle choices can make you or break you. I have shared some ways to try some mindful ways to cope up with COVID 19 crisis. When we were busy chasing all our dreams just a couple weeks ago, unknowingly we forgot to take care of ourselves. Just imagine if we start adding those acts of self care back to our routines, we will end up being a better human being when this whole situation gets better.

Now, let’s talk about this easy pickle recipe. It’s a winter staple in many Indian households. This pickle adds a little extra flavor to our meals and is super healthy. And it requires no cooking skills!!  I went to the grocery store on Monday and got some fresh lemons , ginger and green chilies- thankfully they were easily available. This pickle goes well with pretty much everything- rice, lentils, chapatti, beans etc. This week I even had it with our savory pancakes- uttapam . Due to ginger, lemon and chilies used in the recipe, this pickle is anti-inflammatory, lowers blood sugar and rich in vitamin C ( lemon juice and green chili). It also boosts immunity – which is so important to fight any virus  and other foreign particles inside our bodies.

Recipe for Instant Ginger Pickle

This easy 4 ingredient ginger and green chili pickle is ready in 5 minutes. All you need is

Handful of Ginger
Handful Green Chilies
Lemon Juice- 1/4 cup
Salt – 1/2 tsp

Wash the peppers and ginger . Peel ginger and slice into thin bite size slices.Slice the green chilies too. In a glass container put these slices and add salt and lemon juice – May use white vinegar as a lemon substitute. Mix all the ingredients and let it sit for an hour . If you want to make a bigger batch and store for more than a week , let the green chilies and ginger slices air dry for couple of hours on your kitchen shelf. This will reduce the moisture and then they can be stored longer .
You can add fresh turmeric slices and garlic to this pickle to make it even healthier.

This is a great time to slow down and catch up on all the stuff you have been wanting to do- connect, breathe and eat well. Feed your body some good stuff. Now is the time to experiment in kitchen with whatever you have in refrigerator and pantries. Be creative and enjoy the process.

Be safe and please share in the comments below how you are transitioning to your new routines.