Recipes to Resolve Mucus and Relieve Sinus Congestion
This content is informational and is not meant to diagnose or prescribe.
Please seek the advice of a medical professional before implementing changes to your diet.
Recipes to Resolve Mucus
The best approach to resolving chronic and recurring sinus issues, from an Eastern Medicine perspective is to use a combination of Acupuncture treatments (12 weeks recommended), prescription medicinal herbs (as indicated and based upon diagnosis), food as medicine, and lifestyle changes.
In my prior Blog post, I discussed the flavors that are used to treat chronic sinusitis from a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) perspective. The following recipes feature the ingredients that have long been used for their anti-inflammatory and mucolytic (mucus fighting) properties.
Veggie Pho Broth
This recipe aromatically transforms phlegm. Sip one cup daily or make a soup.
INGREDIENTS
Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
2 star anise
1 cardamon pod, crushed
1 large white onion, peeled and quartered
4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and halved lengthwise
4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable stock or broth
4 cups water
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
6 ounces (one large handful) rice noodles
1 tablespoon avocado oil, mild extra-virgin olive oil or your neutral-flavored oil of choice
5 ounces thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
Salt
GARNISHES
Mung bean sprouts
Sprigs of fresh basil (use Thai basil if you can find it) or cilantro
Sprigs of fresh mint
Thinly sliced green onions (mostly green parts)
Very thinly sliced fresh jalapeño (omit if sensitive to spice)
Small wedges of lime
INSTRUCTIONS
Warm a medium soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, crushed cardamon pod, and star anise. Toast until fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the onion, ginger, vegetable stock, water and tamari. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes to give the flavors time to meld.
In the meantime, prepare your rice noodles by cooking them according to package directions. Set them aside.
To prepare the shiitake mushrooms, warm oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and a few dashes of salt. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned, about 4 to 6 minutes, then set them aside.
Once the broth is done cooking, strain out the onions, ginger and spices (this is easiest with a small metal sieve, but you can also strain the mixture through a colander into another large bowl). Season it to taste with extra tamari and/or salt until the flavors of the spices really shine.
Ladle the broth into bowls, add cooked noodles and mushrooms, and fresh garnishes to your heart’s content (don’t forget the lime!). Serve immediately, with chopsticks and soup spoons.
Homemade Beet and Horseradish Sauce
This recipe is anti-mucolytic, anti-inflammatory, and mildly anti-biotic.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups peeled and coarsley chopped horseradish root
1/2 cup peeled and coarsley chopped beets
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Store in a mason jar in the fridge.
Will keep for about 3 weeks, no problem. The potency will diminish over time.
Grilled Sweet Potatoes & Horseradish Sauce
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. Coconut oil
1 Tbsp. Oil for Grill
3 large Sweet Potatoes (about 2 lb. total), scrubbed, sliced into ¼"-thick rounds (Replace with Pumpkin or Turnips for even stronger mucus fighting effect)
2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
1 bunch scallions, trimmed
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ cup crème fraîche (plain greek yogurt)
½ cup mayonnaise (Just Mayo is BEST!)
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus leaves for serving
Flaky sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1
Prepare a grill for low heat; oil grate.
Cut 3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lb. total), scrubbed, sliced into ¼"-thick rounds
Toss with 2 Tbsp. Coconut oil, 1 tsp. Salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper in a medium bowl to coat.
Place 1 bunch scallions, trimmed, on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil; turn to coat.
Step 2
Arrange sweet potatoes and scallions on opposite sides of grill.
Grill sweet potatoes until charred in spots and tender, 10–12 minutes per side; transfer to a platter.
Grill scallions, turning halfway through, until tops are charred and whites are tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Transfer scallions to a food processor; pulse until lightly chopped but not puréed.
Add chopped garlic clove: ½ cup crème fraîche or plain greek yogurt: ½ cup mayonnaise: 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice: 1-2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish sauce (above or store bought): ¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley: 1 tsp. salt: ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper.
Pulse until well combined.
Step 4
Drizzle sauce over sweet potatoes.
Top with parsley leaves; sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
This recipe is wonderful on a bed of Alfalfa Sprouts or blackened Radicchio and these ingredients are also excellent for sinus health.