Undo

I have a cold. Before that I had bronchitis, and in between there might have been a bit of excess (sugar, wine, fat) going on. What you see above is my antidote to all that; a little elixer known my way as Chia Juice.

Chia is the yoga instructor extraordinaire who introduced me to this wonderful cure-all, and I've never been able to exactly match her recipe. I use all the same ingredients, but the taste is never quite the same. That said, it still tastes yummy and works miracles. It's great to sip while working out, or just when you're feeling depleted. And right now, I feel just a wee bit depleted.

Once again, I've got no real measurements for you. It's one of those things you just have to do by trial and error. This recipe makes a concentrate, and a little goes a long way. You can store the concentrate in the fridge for a few weeks.

Chia Juice
Hibiscus flowers (or hibiscus tea)
Ginger root
Good quality salt (Chia uses a rock of pink, Himalayan salt)
Fresh lemon (or lime) juice (I heart Meyer lemons)
Agave to taste

• Steep hibiscus flowers (or tea) with fresh ginger slices in boiling water to make a concentrated tea. In a separate container, dissolve salt in water (if you're using a large rock, you can just use room temperature water and let it dissolve over time, otherwise use hot). Allow both to cool.
• Mix some salt water into the tea, keeping in mind that it will be very salty, but not undrinkable. This is your concentrate.
• When you're ready to drink it, pour a small amount into a glass. Add fresh lemon juice and fill the rest with water. Add a touch of agave to taste. You will probably need to adjust the flavor balance a few times to get just the right salty/sweet/sour balance.

Enjoy!