Cold and flu season is here! Fight them with a few tricks and the right food. Important: Wash your hands, especially when you come in from the outdoors. Wash between your fingers to get rid of any hidden germs. Stand at least 4 feet away from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Eat lots of fruit and veggies to keep your immune system strong and fight off germs.
Get enough vitamin C. Our bodies cannot store Vitamin C. We need to get it every day. Boost your immune system naturally by eating a least one of these tasty fruits or veggies every day.
Citrus fruit is everyone’s favorite for Vitamin C. Oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and clementines can give you your daily dose, but you need to eat 2 of them or drink an 8-ounce glass of juice.
Get More Vitamin C with these fruits and veggies, plus other natural benefits for your body.
Peppers are powerful:
Red Peppers have three times as much vitamin C as citrus and are also great for your skin
Chili peppers: ½ cup gives you twice the vitamin C!
Green Peppers: Not as good as red, but still have twice as much vitamin C as citrus.
Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Brussels sprouts: Low in calories, with more than twice as much vitamin C as citrus. Plus, fiber helps your body run smoothly
Pineapple, mango, papaya, guava & kiwi all give you a super dose of vitamin C with a sweet juicy taste.
Yogurt, almonds and kiwis, kale, turmeric, and green tea all help your immune system.
Get one of these “cold-fighters” every day to help your body stay strong.
Flu-Fighting Feast
RECIPE: BASIC CHICKEN SOUP
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter, chicken fat or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
Heaped tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs (4 or 5 thighs)
8 cups chicken stock or broth, low sodium or use homemade stock
5 ounces egg noodles (or pasta of choice)
Salt and pepper, to taste
TO MAKE:
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onions & carrots, stirring every few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften; 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, for about 1 minute.
Add the chicken & chicken stock, simmer. Chicken thighs should be covered by the broth. Bring the soup back to a low simmer; partially cover the pot with a lid and cook, stirring a few times until the chicken thighs are cooked through; about 20 minutes. If the broth gets low, add a more stock or a bit of water. Turn the heat to medium-low.
Salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Stir the noodles into the soup and cook until done, 6 to 10 minutes depending on the type of noodles used.
While the noodles cook, shred the chicken into strips or cubes. Slide the chicken back into the pot, taste the soup once more for seasoning. Adjust as needed.
Basic Chicken soup is comforting when you actually have a cold.
Look below for ways to turn this soup into a hardier meal
Tips: Build your Immune System
Make a Routine: Figure out what you need: Give yourself as quick “test”. For two weeks write down what vitamin C fighters you eat every day. (You may surprise yourself!) Then figure out how to add the little bit you are missing.
Almost all these fruits make a meat meal a bit tastier. Try oranges with chicken or tangelos with pork
Garlic makes everything tastier
Toss extra red pepper, broccoli or cauliflower into soups or stews
Snack on an orange or a clementine which ever is in season
Hide some kale in a smoothie or stew
Use yogurt on your cereal for breakfast
Nibble on almonds; chop them into rice
A couple of quick, really tasty additions to your meals and you can stop those colds.
Chicken Soup: Different Ways
Turn basic, comforting chicken soup into a hardy meal
Asian Chicken Soup: Changing basic Chicken Soup
Use 1 Tablespoon of sesame oil instead of butter
Add 2 inches of ginger root, diced; 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
Use ½ cup sweet potatoes, 1 head of broccoli & 3 green onions for vegetables
Serve with cooked rice, skip the noodles
Use Chinese herbs: Ju Hua; Yu Jin, or Huang Gi instead of thyme
Try new ingredients: Add kale or greens, add cauliflower
HAVE FUN, WHILE YOU STAY HEALTHY
