When Pollen Attacks

To all of you who suffer during allergy season, fear not. You’re not alone. I write to you urgently in between sneezes. I never suffered from allergies, until a couple years ago. Oh what a wonderful 20 years that was. Enjoying the Spring air with no worry of pollen count. My nose is runny, and red. My throat feels tender. My face hurts. Everything in my head feels itchy. I can hear fluid enter my ears while I blow my nose. My coworkers stare, silently telling me that they will not bless me after the third sneeze in a row. I carry around pocket hand sanitzer, as they are convinced I’m a germ cloud. I pick B up from work, tell him about my day, and he chuckles at my congested nasally voice. Personal tissues with Lotion sit at my desk at work. Honey and tea now sit with my regular sandwich in my lunchbox.

If you are a fellow allergy sufferer like me I am sorry for you. I figured I could compile a simple list for you on how to get through this Spring season. Any helpful tips you have to send my way are of course always greatly appreciated.

• Tissues with Lotion – Otherwise your little nose will be raw my friend.
• Chapstick – I have Yes to Blueberries and I love it! Highly Recommend.

• Tea – My personal favorite is Chamomile.
• Honey – from a local farmers market, as apparently it can help to have the honey from local bees.
• Chicken Noodle Soup – It’s super easy to make so I’m going to share my homemade recipe with you! Now I don’t do too well when it comes to measurements because I just kind of make it up as I go along. So don’t take them too literally now. Adjust them according to how many you’re feeding.

Homemade Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• Chicken Broth (Or Chicken Bouillon if you don’t have broth
• Noodles (I like a small amount of noodles for this soup)
• 2-3 Potatos
• 1-2 Carrots, or several baby carrots
• 3-4 Stalks of Celery
• Fresh Cilantro
• Chicken (I’ve made this soup with canned chicken if you want something quick. I’ve also used leftover rotisserie chicken before. Or cubed cooked chicken. Either one works perfect!)
• Salt to taste
• Two Shakes of Parsley

Directions:

Peel, and cube your potatoes. Chop your carrots and celery. I usually boil my potatoes, noodles, and carrots seperately in water since they take a little longer, for fear of boiling away all of my chicken broth. Not totally necessary, but that’s what I do. Then I pour my chicken broth in a pot with the chicken. Keep on medium to high heat. Add your celery, and cilantro. Once your other stuff has softened strain them, and add to the broth. Add salt to taste, and Voilà. You have yourself chicken noodle soup. Serve with Ritz or Saltines!

I know what you’re thinking. That’s it? She didn’t even make her own broth! Don’t judge me, I never said I was a chef. I need one of those I kiss better than I cook signs in my kitchen, because I make do with the cooking skills I have. Ask my husband. When you’re sick, and feeling crummy there’s no way you’re going to spend forever in the kitchen making yourself soup. So this is a simple recipe. Something to get you by. Stay strong my fellow pollon hater. I hope I’ve helped.