Recipes To Boost Your Immune System
As monsoon days play hide & seek, they bring along some days of downpour, dreamy weather, childhood memories & a few common infections. Our immunity lowers with the onset of monsoons as common cold, cough, indigestion & other infections take a toll on our health. Few careful precautions & taking care of our nutritional needs help boost our immunity, so that we enjoy monsoons carefree. Consuming certain superfoods that contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Fiber, Probiotics, antioxidants & other nutrients coupled with exercise help boost our immunity levels & guard us against infections to a large extent.
We often read about foods that help boost immunity but sometimes due to lack of interesting or easy recipes may skip including them in our diets. Here are a few easy recipes that boost your immunity:
Chicken Soup- A hot bowl of chicken soup is our go to remedy for infections like common cold that occur frequently during monsoons. The anti inflammatory properties of the ingredients used in making the soup help bring relief from congestion. Adding garlic or ginger further enhance the immunity boosting properties of the soup. To make simple chicken soup at home, take 1 liter chicken stock & place on a stove top on slow simmer, add 5-6 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp freshly grated ginger & 250 gms chicken breast cut into small chunks. Add salt to taste & a few peppercorns for extra heat. Simmer till chicken is tender & add chopped coriander before serving.
Stir Fried Spinach- There is a reason why Popeye eats that much spinach. Rich in Vitamin C, anti oxidants & beta carotene, consumption of spinach, helps strengthen the immune system. One of the simplest ways to consume spinach is to make easy stir fried spinach. Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadhai, add 1 tsp chopped garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add one bunch roughly chopped spinach, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and sugar to taste & stir fry till spinach begins to wilt. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
Malabar Fish Curry With Turmeric- Turmeric is a key ingredient in many curries made across Indian kitchens. The high concentrations of curcumin found in turmeric is responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties that help boost immunity. Nothing like relishing a hot fish curry made Kerala style with fluffy rice on a monsoon day. During our stay at Wayanad, Kerala we relished a delicious fish curry & urged the head chef to share his recipe. You can make a delicious fish curry by following his recipe here
Mushroom Stew- Studies show consumption of mushrooms especially shiitake mushrooms boost immunity & may help fight many diseases including cancer. Make a delicious & easy mushroom stew & relish it with hot rice & add loads of goodness to your diet.Take 250 gms mixed mushrooms like portobello & button mushrooms, cheap & chop them. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a skillet & add two chopped onions. Saute till light pink, add 1 tsp finely chopped garlic & saute till the onions turn brown. Add mushrooms & cook till moisture evaporates. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk (use heavy cream if you don't like coconut taste) & let it cook. Add some fresh herbs like chives or thyme, salt & pepper to taste. Simmer till the gravy thickens. Serve it with hot rice.
Herbal Tea- There are many ways to enjoy a cup of herbal tea. Consuming green tea is a great way to enjoy a dose of anti oxidants & adding herbs like tulsi & mint are a great way to enjoy health in a cup. In your favorite cup add roughly chopped tulsi or mint leaves & a bag of green tea. Add hot water to the cup & brew the tea for 3-4 minutes. Remove the tea bag & add honey to taste. You can also add flowers like chamomile for an calming effect.
We often read about foods that help boost immunity but sometimes due to lack of interesting or easy recipes may skip including them in our diets. Here are a few easy recipes that boost your immunity:
Chicken Soup- A hot bowl of chicken soup is our go to remedy for infections like common cold that occur frequently during monsoons. The anti inflammatory properties of the ingredients used in making the soup help bring relief from congestion. Adding garlic or ginger further enhance the immunity boosting properties of the soup. To make simple chicken soup at home, take 1 liter chicken stock & place on a stove top on slow simmer, add 5-6 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp freshly grated ginger & 250 gms chicken breast cut into small chunks. Add salt to taste & a few peppercorns for extra heat. Simmer till chicken is tender & add chopped coriander before serving.
Stir Fried Spinach- There is a reason why Popeye eats that much spinach. Rich in Vitamin C, anti oxidants & beta carotene, consumption of spinach, helps strengthen the immune system. One of the simplest ways to consume spinach is to make easy stir fried spinach. Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadhai, add 1 tsp chopped garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add one bunch roughly chopped spinach, soy sauce, vinegar, salt and sugar to taste & stir fry till spinach begins to wilt. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
Malabar Fish Curry With Turmeric- Turmeric is a key ingredient in many curries made across Indian kitchens. The high concentrations of curcumin found in turmeric is responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties that help boost immunity. Nothing like relishing a hot fish curry made Kerala style with fluffy rice on a monsoon day. During our stay at Wayanad, Kerala we relished a delicious fish curry & urged the head chef to share his recipe. You can make a delicious fish curry by following his recipe here
Mushroom Stew- Studies show consumption of mushrooms especially shiitake mushrooms boost immunity & may help fight many diseases including cancer. Make a delicious & easy mushroom stew & relish it with hot rice & add loads of goodness to your diet.Take 250 gms mixed mushrooms like portobello & button mushrooms, cheap & chop them. Heat 1 tsp ghee in a skillet & add two chopped onions. Saute till light pink, add 1 tsp finely chopped garlic & saute till the onions turn brown. Add mushrooms & cook till moisture evaporates. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk (use heavy cream if you don't like coconut taste) & let it cook. Add some fresh herbs like chives or thyme, salt & pepper to taste. Simmer till the gravy thickens. Serve it with hot rice.
Herbal Tea- There are many ways to enjoy a cup of herbal tea. Consuming green tea is a great way to enjoy a dose of anti oxidants & adding herbs like tulsi & mint are a great way to enjoy health in a cup. In your favorite cup add roughly chopped tulsi or mint leaves & a bag of green tea. Add hot water to the cup & brew the tea for 3-4 minutes. Remove the tea bag & add honey to taste. You can also add flowers like chamomile for an calming effect.
Nice article
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