“Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can cure the patient with food. – Hippocrates”
More and more people are turning to their kitchen to whip up a remedy for their ailments. People are looking to natural, alternative means to beat the flu with some delicious and easy to prepare meals. These healthy recipes can help you get through the symptoms and recover faster.
Easy and Healthy Recipes
It is flu season and nobody is completely spared from the possibility of contacting the virus. However, we can take measures in building up our immunity defense. Aside from getting a flu shot, frequent hand washing and loading up on Vitamin C, it is also best to look at the power of food as our primary source of immunity. Below are some healthy and easy to prepare meals said to eliminate or reduce flu symptoms.
Chicken Soup
The good old-fashioned “cure” for the common cold and flu, homemade hot chicken soup provides relief for congested nose and throat brought about by the flu. The spices help to thin out the mucus while the chicken itself has natural amino acids to help in the whole recovery process. Here is a simple way to prepare this age-old recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken (3 – 4 lbs)
- 6 peeled carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- ¼ large onion
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 8 cups of water
How to Cook
- In a large pot, place the chicken, 3 carrots (cut), and 2 celery stalks
- Add in the onion, salt, peppercorns and 8 cups of water
- Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked
- Transfer the cooked chicken to another bowl and strain the broth
- Return the strained broth to the pot
- Put in the remaining carrots and celery that are thinly sliced
- Simmer for 10 minutes
- Shred the meat of the cooked chicken and put into the soup
- Serve while hot
Arugula, Avocado and Tomato Salad
Arugula is packed with protein, carbohydrates, Vitamin A, Vitamin K and Vitamin C while Avocado and Tomato are full of vitamins and antioxidants. Mix these three together and you have a delicious blend of flu fighting salad.
Ingredients
- 3 cups arugula leaves, rinsed
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 small avocados, pitted and sliced
How to Prepare
- Put everything together in a large plastic bowl starting with arugula, cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar
- Toss well
- Serve into separate plates and top each serving with sliced avocado
Ginger Garlic Shrimp
One of the best ways to enjoy the benefits of ginger and garlic is to mix with a palatable ingredient like shrimp. You can enjoy this simple and delicious dish along with the benefits of virus fighting compound gingerols in ginger. Ginger is acclaimed for its capacity to open up congested nasal passages and even soothing nausea. This pungent combination of garlic and ginger will surely open up your senses and help prevent the bland taste buds brought about by the flu.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs peeled, deveined shrimp
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 quarter-sized slices peeled fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine
- 4 onions, finely sliced
How to Cook
- In a bowl, mix the shrimp with salt for about a minute
- Rinse the shrimp with cool water in a colander
- Heat oil in a frying pan and add ginger and garlic. Fry for 30 seconds
- Add the shrimp and rice wine, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes
- Put in the onions and stir for a minute until shrimps are opaque
Whole Wheat Orange Juice Muffins
Who can go wrong with a load of Vitamin C? Although there is no proven fact that it can cure flu, these delicious and filling muffins made of orange juice can give you a needed boost of Vitamin C. Bake a batch and indulge!
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon rind
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large beaten egg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup golden raisins
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon sugar
How to Cook
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon
- In a mixing bowl stir the above mixture with a whisk and make a well at the center of the mixture
- Combine the juice, rind, oil, and egg
- Add to the flour mixture and mix until moist. Stir in the raisins
- Spoon the batter into the muffin cups coated with cooking spray
- Sprinkle with sugar
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes
- Remove from pan and cool completely
The above recipes are just a few of the many healthy foods that you can prepare to help you in the battle against flu. Strengthen your immune system with immunity boosting foods along with lots of fluid, rest and exercise.
Other recommended foods are berries, oysters, almonds, garlic and onions. You may also want to load up on some herbal supplements that will keep you a step ahead of the flu.
References:
Kappel, J. (2016). Boost Your Flu-Fighting Power | MyRecipes.com. [online] MyRecipes.com. Available at: http://www.myrecipes.com/healthy-diet/best-foods-fight-flu#boost-your-flu-fighting-power [Accessed 13 Apr. 2016].
Best Health Magazine Canada. (2009). 5 flu-fighting foods | Page 5 of 6 | Best Health Magazine Canada. [online] Available at: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/cold-and-flu/5-flu-fighting-foods/5/ [Accessed 13 Apr. 2016].
Sara, Q. (2016). Classic Chicken Soup. [online] Real Simple. Available at: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/classic-chicken-soup [Accessed 13 Apr. 2016].
Healwithfood.org. (2016). Arugula, Avocado and Tomato Salad | Healthy Recipes by HealWithFood.org. [online] Available at: http://www.healwithfood.org/recipes/arugula-avocado-tomato-salad.php [Accessed 13 Apr. 2016].