5 Immunity Boosting Recipes for the Summer

This summer’s been quite the roller coaster that simply won’t give up. Mimosas have been replaced by vitamin C tablets, bikinis by face masks, and sunscreen by hand sanitiser. We’ve had months indoors to work on that summer bod, but no outdoors to show it off. Yes, the coronavirus is terrible and COVID-19 has ruined the year but let’s look at the silver lining: food. And let’s go one step further and look beyond the banana bread. Here are five immunity boosting recipes to get you through the pandemic, as healthy as possible.

SALSA

No, not the kind in the jar you use to dip your tortilla chips, this is the immuno-boosting version of salsa verde meets hari chutney. Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals, use this salsa as a nifty little pick-me-up with your meals for your body. It even aids digestion!

Ingredients:

• Raw mango
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Small onion
• Small tomato
• Pomegranate seeds
• Curry leaves
• Carom leaves
• Basil
• Mint leaves
• Fresh coriander
• Green chillies
• Salt
• Tamarind/jaggery

Directions:

This recipe suits all taste-buds. Simply add the ingredients in as much quantity as your palette prefers, throw it in a blender and that’s it. You’re done!

SUMMER SALAD

Some days you’re looking for a quick meal to get you through the work-from-home regime, and we have one that will pump you full of some added nutrients.

Thinly slice a bunch of kale and half a red cabbage, and toss it together with some julienned apple slices and one small pomegranate. Dress your greens—and reds—with a mixture of three tablespoons olive oil and apple cider vinegar, add the juice of one lemon, and a tablespoon of honey and mustard each. Take your salad to your desk, or better yet, put on an episode of Queer Eye to enjoy it with.

KALE AND MUSHROOM SOUP

Soup for dinner is always a great idea, but this one in particular is brimming with all the ‘superfoods’ the millennials are into. Try it for yourself.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 500g mushrooms, quartered
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 12 cups water
• 4 heads baby bok choy, bottoms chopped off
• 1/2 head kale, chopped

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onions until they’re soft and translucent. Add in the garlic next until it turns aromatic, and then the mushrooms until they begin to release liquid. Add the spices in along with the water and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and simmer for at least and hour before adding the kale and bok choy in the last ten minutes. Serve and enjoy.

INFUSED WATER

We don’t know about you, but we’ve been guzzling homemade iced tea by the litre in this summer heat. Unsweetened, of course, we’re not monsters. But this recipe will not only curb your thirst for something more-than-water, but also give your immunity a little nudge.

Layer a big jar with strawberry slices, cucumber slices, lime, crushed mint leaves and ice. Give it a little shake to release the flavours before filling the jar up with water and let it infuse for ten minutes. Enjoy the drink throughout the day. You can get about 3-4 refills of the jar with the same batch of ingredients. Oranges can make a good substitute for the strawberries too.

CHIA FRESCA

It sounds fancy, but it’s just chia lemonade. This is a great refreshing drink with an added energy kick, especially as a pre-workout substitute. Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber and vitamins, while the lemon and honey add their own goodness.

Soak two tablespoons of chia seeds in two glasses of water. Squeeze the juice of two limes (or as tangy as you like), and add a tablespoon of honey (or as sweet as you like). Shake your drink with some ice and hit cardio town!