Finding immune boosting recipes to help avoid illness can make a huge difference in your life. With everything happening in the world right now, it is incredibly important to focus on all aspects of your health. There is a good chance that you are largely based from home currently. With that comes a whole range of mental, social and physical health challenges.
Whilst it might seem easy and it could certainly be tempting to put your feet up and try to wait it out, it is incredibly important to be vigilant on those aspects of your health. Keeping a good routine, maintaining exercise and boosting the immune system should all be a central focus throughout your day. Finding ways to divide your day up into ‘blocks’ or ‘tasks’ is a fantastic way to make it feel a lot more productive and certainly helps to keep the sanity levels where they need to be.
One of those blocks can be an increased amount of time learning some new recipes. Nutrition is one of the biggest factors when it comes to our health, and they age old saying of ‘you are what you eat’ certainly can ring true. Whilst it might seem easy to eat bad because we feel bad, we should instead approach it with eating great so we can feel great.
Below are three immune boosting recipes that require different levels of attention and time. They are all delicious and they will all help to build your immune system.
Citrus Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups fresh berries
- ¾ cup low-fat plain yogurt
- 1 x orange
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons protein powder
- 1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions
Step 1
Place berries, yogurt, orange juice, dry milk, wheat germ, honey and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.
Why is this one of our immune boosting recipes?
Fresh fruits are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants.
We all know the benefits of vitamins but are you aware of this importance of antioxidants?
Having antioxidants in your daily nutritional intake ensures that you are protecting your body against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer as well as other diseases.
Asian-Inspired Chicken Soup
Ingredients (serves 8)
- 1/2 ounce (about 1/2 cup) dried shiitake or mixed dried mushrooms
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola oil
- 2 cups diced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 6 1/8-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger
- 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1x 2-to-3-inch cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into pieces
- 1 bulb fennel, cored and cut into 2cm pieces
- 8 spring onions, whites cut into 5cm pieces and greens chopped, divided
- 500g baby bok choy, white stems sliced lengthwise and greens chopped, divided
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts
- ½ cup chopped fresh coriander
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- Lime wedges for garnish
Directions
Step 1
Place mushrooms in a heatproof measuring cup and cover with boiling water. Soak for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. Remove the mushrooms from the water, remove and discard stems (if any) and cut into slices; set aside. Strain the soaking liquid and reserve.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Pour in the reserved mushroom liquid, broth, soy sauce, cinnamon stick, star anise and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in fennel, spring onion whites and the reserved mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add bok choy stems, return to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in bok choy greens and bean sprouts. Cook until the greens are just wilted, about 2 minutes more.
Step 4
Discard the cinnamon stick and star anise. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with spring onion greens, coriander and a 1/4-teaspoon drizzle of sesame oil. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Why is this one of our immune boosting recipes?
This recipe has a fantastic balance between protein, good fats, carbohydrates and vitamins. Chicken soup has long been a fan favourite when it comes to illness because it has the full ability to restock a depleted immune system + fill you up. If it is good for you when you are unwell, then it will probably be good to have when you are looking to prevent illness!
Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower “Rice” Tabbouleh
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried marjoram
- ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ kg boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 cups cauliflower rice (I buy the containers premade)
- 2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup spring onion
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to medium-high.
Step 2
Mix 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons cumin, marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon salt, allspice and cayenne in a small bowl. Brush on chicken.
Step 3
In a non-stick pan, grill the chicken, turning occasionally for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through
Step 4
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add cauliflower rice, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes and spring onions toss to coat.
Step 5
Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the chicken and serve over the tabbouleh.
Why is this one of our immune boosting recipes?
Full of clean protein and immune boosting veggies, this is a perfect recipe that shows flavour and health can be combined. Adding the citrus also allows for those fantastic antioxidants to join in the fun as well.
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