I have a confession to make. One morning last week, at approximately 9:15 a.m., I, out of pure necessity, had to make the treacherous walk of shame home. Although there is no evidence that anything you eat, drink or do will cure a hangover, eating something delicious can make you feel a lot better. Here are three recipes worth dragging yourself out of bed to make.
When you need some energy
Why not cure that hangover with an energizing fruit smoothie? Sure, you could just walk to Jamba Juice, but that would entail having to put real clothes on. And if you have access to a blender, smoothies are surprisingly easy to make. Here’s my suggestion for a satisfying raspberry-mango version:
What you’ll need:
• ¾ cup low-fat or non-fat yogurt (I prefer vanilla, but any flavor works)
• ½ cup crushed ice
• ½ cup frozen raspberries
• ½ cup frozen mango
• A splash of orange juice (the exact amount varies depending on how thick you want your smoothie to be)
Place everything, except for the orange juice, in a blender and blend until smooth. This may take a few minutes, and you may have to stop a few times to stir the ingredients with a spoon. Continue blending and slowly add the orange juice until you have achieved the desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy!
When the only way to curve that hangover is by drinking more
I personally am not a fan of this practice, but I have many friends who firmly believe that the only way to get over a hangover is starting the morning off with another drink. So, in tribute to them, I present to you my version of a acclaimed brunch drink, the Blood Mary:
What you’ll need:
• 1 shot of vodka
• ½ cup of V8 juice
• 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
• Cracked black pepper
• 2-3 splashes of hot sauce
• 2-3 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 celery stick, for garnish
Combine the vodka, V8 juice, lemon juice, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a shaker with one cup of ice cubes. Shake the mixture well and pour into a tall glass filled with ice. Stir in a few grinds of black pepper and garnish with the celery stick. Cheers to no more hangovers!
The nourishing breakfast
When I need something to really nourish and coat my stomach, I always go for oatmeal. It’s healthy, cozy and filling, and a blank canvas for a limitless amount of toppings. How could you go wrong? Here’s my recipe for strawberry-banana oatmeal. Sound weird? I promise it’s delicious!
What you’ll need:
• ½ cup oatmeal
• 1 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 4 large strawberries, diced
• ½ banana, sliced into rounds
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, depending on how sweet you like your oatmeal
Place the oatmeal, strawberries, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Top with water and stir to combine. Cook in the microwave for 2½ minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir in the bananas and brown sugar. If you like your oatmeal creamy, pour in a few tablespoons of milk and stir. Enjoy this cozy treat as you nurse your hangover.
When you’re hungover, gathering the energy to cook is probably the last thing you want to do. But I promise that these recipes are both quick and easy, and may even do the job of making you feel better!