Keep your immune system strong
Making juices, smoothies, and nutritional drinks is one of the tastier ways to stay healthy. But no matter what juice you like, you can always add other super foods such as chia seeds and wheat germ for more health benefits.
Other ways to keep your immune system strong include practicing good hygiene, staying hydrated, and exercising frequently.
USE A BLENDER
If you don’t have a juicer, use a blender. Add 1 cup of coconut water or nut milk to get the machine going. You’ll also benefit from the fiber content of a blended smoothie.
Meal #1
Side
Carrot Apple Glow Juice
https://www.tasteloveandnourish.com/carrot-apple-glow-juice/
Serves: 2 eight ounce servings
Ingredients
2 large organic carrots tops trimmed
1 organic Granny Smith apple cut into quarters
1 Naval orange quartered and peeled
Special equipment: Juicer
Instructions
Place the ingredients into the juicer according to the manufacturer's directions.
Drink or place in a tightly sealed glass container and refrigerate immediately. Keeps for about two days.
Side
VEGAN ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH MARINATED CHICKPEAS
https://runningonrealfood.com/vegan-roasted-beet-salad-marinated-chickpeas/
PREP TIME: 15 MINS
COOK TIME: 45 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR
YIELD: 4
This beautiful roasted beet salad is full of flavour, texture and nutrition. It’s vegan and gluten-free and high in fibre and nutrients making it just as healthy as it is delicious. Since this salad is made with sturdy kale that will keep well, you can prepare it as needed or it can be put together 1-2 days in advance.
INGREDIENTS
For the Marinated Chickpeas
1 19 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp olive oi
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
optional: 1/4 tsp chili flakes
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
For the Salad
1 medium-sized beet per person/serving
2 carrots per person/serving
a few big handfuls of kale per person/serving, finely chopped
fresh, frozen or canned corn kernels
raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
INSTRUCTIONS
To Make the Marinated Chickpeas
Place all the ingredients in a container or bowl and mix them up. Place in the fridge, covered for at least a few hours up to overnight. The longer, the better!
To Make the Balsamic Vinaigrette
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl or container.
To Make the Whole Roasted Beets
Pre-heat the oven 400 degrees.
Give the beets and quick wash and scrub. No need to cut the ends off, you can to keep all those juices in there.
Rub each beet with a few drops of olive oil then wrap in tin foil.
Place them in the oven on a baking sheet and roast until easily pierced with a fork. This can take anywhere from 40-60 minutes depending on their size.
Open them up and let them cool. Once they’re cool you can easily peel the skin off, cut the ends off and then chop them up for your salad.
To Make the Whole Roasted Carrots
You can make these at the same time as the beets. If your carrots are very large, cut them in half lengthwise. If they’re quite small in diameter, you can roast them whole.
Place the whole or sliced carrots on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Add a few drops of olive oil, you just need a very light coating. You can use your hands or a brush to coat each carrot.
Give them a little sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper and then roast until they’re very tender and starting to brown and bubble.
Either chop them up or serve whole on top of your salad.
To Assemble the Salad
Place the finely chopped kale in serving bowls and add a small amount of the dressing, or fresh lemon juice and a few drops of olive or avocado oil. Give the kale a quick massage then let it sit for 10 minutes to allow it to soften up a bit.
Top with the chopped roasted beets, marinated chickpeas, corn, pepitas, whole or chopped roasted carrots and finish it off with the balsamic vinaigrette.
NOTES
The chickpea and dressing recipes make enough for about 4 salads, adjust the amount of veggies and salad ingredients as needed.
I also roasted the corn for this salad and while it’s totally optional, it added a nice layer of texture and flavour and really brought out the sweetness of the corn. To make the roasted corn, just add the corn kernels to a lined baking sheet, add some spices like chili powder, sea salt, cumin and paprika and roast at 400 until it’s starting to crispy and blacken a bit.
Main Dish
Weeknight Lemon Parsley Pasta
https://food52.com/recipes/36292-weeknight-lemon-parsley-pasta
SERVES4
Ingredients
16 ounces pasta of choice
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 lemons, juice and zest
Pecorino cheese, grated (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions
While pasta is cooking in salted water, sauté garlic and crushed red pepper with olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat for approximately 2 minutes.
Shut off the heat.
Once pasta is just al dente drain pasta and add to pan with garlic and crushed red pepper, reserving approximately a cup of pasta water.
Over a medium flame, toss and combine pasta with the juice and zest of two lemons, parsley and some of the pasta water to moisten until pasta is completely coated.
Add generous amount of Pecorino cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.
Dessert
Beet Cashew Cake
http://www.createnplate.com/2014/02/07/raw-vegan-beet-cashew-cake/
serves 8
Crust: 1 cup dates 1/2 cup almonds
Blend together ingredients and spread evenly into an 6-7" round pan.
Cashew Cake: 2 cups cashews, soaked for 2 hours 1 beet, peeled and sliced 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons water
Blend together ingredients until a smooth consistency is reached. Pour into pan, over crust. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Sprinkle hemp seeds or any other toppings if desired before serving.
Serve, enjoy!
Meal #2
Side
Serves Serves 1
CARROT, BEET, BLOOD ORANGE, GINGER, TURMERIC JUICE
https://gourmandeinthekitchen.com/carrot-beet-blood-orange-ginger-turmeric-juice/
YIELDS ABOUT 8 OZ
Fresh, bright and full of heat it comes to the rescue, soothing sore throats, easing congestion, settling upset stomachs and just generally offering a welcome dose of energy.
10 min Prep Time
Ingredients
1 medium beet, peeled and chopped
3 medium carrots, well- scrubbed and chopped
1 medium blood orange (or any juice orange), rind, pith and seeds removed
½ a lemon, rind, pith and seeds removed
2 inch piece/10g turmeric root
1 inch piece/10g fresh ginger
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Pass all the ingredients up through the cayenne pepper through a juicer ..
Stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of black pepper and serve immediately over ice.
Notes
Fresh juice is best enjoyed immediately but if you have a masticating juicer you can store the juice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
If you can’t find fresh turmeric, stir in 1 tsp of organic turmeric powder instead.
Side
One-of-Each Soup
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/one-of-each-soup-105905
YIELD
4–6 servings
ACTIVE TIME
15 min
TOTAL TIME
30 min
INGREDIENTS
1 large boiling potato (1/2 lb), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery heart (inner pale stalks with leaves), coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 large apple (preferably Granny Smith), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 firm-ripe banana, coarsely chopped
1 pint chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 rounded teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
PREPARATION
Simmer vegetables and fruits in broth in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, covered, until very tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in cream, butter, curry powder, and salt and heat just until hot (do not boil).
Purée soup in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Thin soup with water if desired and serve sprinkled with chives.
Cooks' Note
Soup can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
Main Dish
Rosemary Beets with Garlicky Kale
https://paleogrubs.com/roasted-beets-with-kale
Ingredients
6 large leaves of kale (stalks omitted)
3 beets
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp rosemary (or more, to taste)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut stalks and greens off beets, then peel and chop into 1” cubes.
Mix 1 tbsp olive oil, beet cubes, rosemary, sea salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Transfer beet mixture to baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, or until beets are tender enough to pierce with a fork.
10 minutes before the beets are ready, rip kale leaves into bite-size pieces.
Add either a small amount of olive oil or water into a pan, and sauté kale and minced garlic on medium heat until wilted.
Place kale onto a plate, and then add the beets on top. Enjoy!
Dessert
Pear Ice Cream
http://archive.jsonline.com/features/recipes/116335914.html
Given the range of unusual fruit-based ice creams, including apple, pineapple, mango and papaya, why are there no pear ice creams in stores? This is our attempt to bridge this baffling frozen dessert crevasse.
Pear purée is incorporated into the ice cream base, and then reserved chopped pears, marinated in pear liqueur, are added as the ice cream churns, for an extra burst of pear flavor. You'll need an ice-cream maker.
Ingredients:
2 pounds ripe pears, peeled, cored and halved (about 4 large, 5 small)
2 cups water
2 ¾ cups sugar (divided)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (cut zest into thin strips)
1 vanilla bean, halved and split (divided)
2 tablespoons pear liqueur (divided) (see note)
1 ½ cups whipping cream (divided)
4 egg yolks
Pinch cardamom
Preparation:
Place pear halves in large saucepan with water, 2 cups sugar, lemon zest strips, lemon juice and ½ of a split vanilla bean. Cook over medium-low heat until pears are fork-tender, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on ripeness of pears. Using a slotted spoon, remove two pear halves and chop into ¼-inch dice. Mix chopped pears with 1 tablespoon pear liqueur, cover and reserve in fridge until needed at end of ice cream preparation.
Remove remaining pear halves, strain liquid to remove other solids, then purée pears with ½ cup of strained poaching liquid.
In saucepan, combine 1 cup whipping cream with remaining ¾ cup sugar. Scrape seeds from remaining vanilla bean half and add seeds and bean husk to cream mixture. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved and bubbles form along edge of saucepan, about 5 to 7 minutes.
In bowl, whisk egg yolks. Whisking constantly, pour hot cream mixture slowly along bowl side into egg yolks, until well combined. Add cardamom. Return mixture to saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat 8 to 10 minutes, until custard thickens enough to coat back of wooden spoon. (Your finger run across back of spoon should leave a streak.) Remove from heat and discard vanilla bean husk.
Stir in pear purée, remaining ½ cup whipping cream and remaining 1 tablespoon pear liqueur. Place wax paper directly on top of custard to keep a skin from forming and refrigerate mixture for several hours or overnight. At the same time, freeze ice cream bucket for several hours or overnight, according to manufacturer's instructions.
Following manufacturer's instructions for your ice cream machine, churn mixture about 20 minutes or to desired thickness, adding reserved chopped pears in pear liqueur in final 5 minutes.
Note: Calvados can be substituted.
Meal #3
Side
A vegetable-based green juice is a powerhouse of nutrients for a strong immune system. Jeanette from Jeanette’s Healthy Living has a wonderful recipe that’ll make anybody, including kids, happy to drink their greens.
Throw in a handful of parsley for an extra serving of vitamin B-6. This vitamin plays an important role in immune cell proliferation and antibody production.
Kale Spinach Lettuce Apple Green Juice
https://jeanetteshealthyliving.com/kale-spinach-lettuce-apple-green-juice/
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 1
Ingredients
2 medium stalks celery
4 romaine heart leaves or 2 outer leaves
2 kale leaves
1 cup spinach
1 medium green apple
1/2 medium cucumber
1/2 lemon rind and pith removed
1 slice ginger the size of a quarter
Instructions
Feed ingredients into juicer and juice. Enjoy!
Side
Kale Salad with Root Vegetables and Apple
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/kale-salad-root-vegetables-and-apple
Active Time
20 MIN
Total Time
50 MIN
Yield
Serves : 8 to 10 This refreshing, superhealthy salad is one of chef Marcus Samuelsson’s favorite ways to showcase kale; massaging the leaves with vinegar, salt and olive oil makes them tender and sweet. This recipe is adapted from the chef’s book Marcus Off Duty. Slideshow: More Thanksgiving Kale Recipes
Ingredients
2 pounds curly kale, stemmed and leaves thinly sliced
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon agave syrup
Pepper
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and julienned
1 cup peeled and julienned rutabaga
2 scallions, thinly sliced
How to Make It
Step 1
In a large bowl, massage the kale with the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice, soy sauce, syrup and remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Toss the carrot, apple, rutabaga and scallions with the kale. Add the dressing and toss again. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Make Ahead
The salad can be refrigerated overnight.
Main Course
Vegan Roasted Garlic and Lemon Soup
https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-roasted-garlic-and-lemon-soup-1001198
Ingredients
1 large head garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more to drizzle on garlic cloves)
2 cups yellow onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon parsley (flat leaf, finely chopped)
1/2 tablespoon thyme (fresh, finely chopped)
15 garlic cloves (peeled)
4 cups vegetable stock (low sodium, divided)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)
1/2 cup soy milk (preferably a refrigerated variety)
3/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
black pepper to taste
Garnish: fresh chopped parsley
Garnish: lemon zest
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Drizzle the garlic head with olive oil, wrap in foil and place in the oven for 1 hour, or until lightly golden and very soft and fragrant. Let garlic cool until it can be handled. Using your fingers, gently squeeze the cloves to release them from their skins into a bowl, and set aside. Discard the skins.
In a medium-sized, heavy-bottom stock pot or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, parsley, and thyme and cook until the onions are just softened - about 3 minutes. Add both the fresh and roasted garlic, and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the vegetable stock and lemon juice, turn down the heat and let the soup simmer, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the garlic is very tender.
Working 1 to 2 cups at a time, process the soup in a blender, transferring the soup to another bowl or saucepan. (Note: be careful not to overwhelm the blender; never fill a blender with a hot liquid more than half-way full and make sure the lid is on securely before processing.) Transfer the pureed soup to the saucepan, add the dairy-free soy milk and salt, and return the mixture to a simmer. (Do not bring to a boil.)
Add additional salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh parsley and lemon zest, and serve.
Enjoy!
Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients
Steam expands quickly in a blender, and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only one-third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending.
Tips
The citrus notes in this light soup make it just as good of a summertime meal as it is a winter warmer-upper.
Add prepared lentils, chickpeas, or quinoa to the recipe for an added boost of protein.
Dessert
Whole Wheat Chocolate-Kale Banana Muffins
https://greenlitebites.com/2019/04/24/chocolate-kale-banana-muffins/
prep 10 mins
cook 20 mins
total 30 mins
yield 15 muffins
Whole wheat, kale, and banana flavored with a bit of chocolate. These muffins pass the kid test and are a great way to get some greens in the little ones!
Ingredients
1/2 cup cocoa powder (40g)
1 cup whole wheat flour (120g)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 medium ripe bananas
200g kale, thick stems removed
4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (56g) (butter or any fat would work)
1/2 cup sugar (96g)
1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare 15 muffin tins with liners or non-stick cooking spray.
Whisk together (or sift) the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl to remove any clumps and set aside.
Puree the banana and kale in a food processor or blender. (I wish I had a photo of this — it was awesomely green!) I was never able to get the mixture 100% smooth. Small specks of kale are fine.
Whisk the eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.
Add the banana-kale puree to the egg mixture and whisk together until well incorporated.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined.
Evenly distribute the batter across 15 muffins using an ice cream scoop. One scoop per muffin was perfect!
Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when stuck in the middle of a muffin.
Remove from tin and let cool.
Enjoy!