Makati City—November 8, 2018—Our immune system is our body’s defense against disease-causing organisms. It keeps bacteria, viruses, and parasites, out of the body and destroys any that get in. But, the immune system can sometimes face problems, which can lead to cold or flu.
To help ward off infections and illnesses, it is important to care for your body. Other than getting your annual flu shot or taking vitamins, one of the best ways to protect your body against flu or colds is through a healthy lifestyle
Beko, the Official Partner of the Everyday, listed immune-boosting food recipes approved by the FC Barcelona (FCB) nutritionist, which you can use to help strengthen your immune system to prevent getting sick.
Chicken and Noodle Soup
A study conducted by Barbara O. Rennard, et. al., suggests that chicken soup may contain a number of substances with beneficial medicinal activity. Their research explained that a mild anti-inflammatory effect could be one mechanism by which the soup could result in the mitigation of symptomatic upper respiratory tract infections. Try this simple recipe to help boost your immune system.
Ingredients:
700 g boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 medium carrots peeled and chopped thin
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped fairly thin
1-2 cloves of garlic
25 ml of extra virgin olive oil
500 ml of water
10 g dried rosemary, crushed
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
150 g uncooked noodles
20 g chopped fresh parsley
5 ml of fresh lemon juice
Direction:
- Turn the heat into medium to high. Place a pot on the top and drizzle olive oil and add chicken, carrots onion, celery, garlic, toss and turn for 2 minutes and then add water, rosemary and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook for 35-40 minutes.
- Add salt and remove cooked chicken and allow to rest for 10 minutes, then dice into bite size pieces. Meanwhile, add noodles. Increase the temperature to high, cover and cook until the noodles are tender for 10 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and toss in cooked, diced chicken.
- Serve warm, with chopped parsley on top
Mini Salmon Hamburgers with Lentil Hummus
Fatty fish like Salmon is loaded with nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, which helps control inflammation in the body and may reduce risk factors for several diseases. Use this recipe for a healthy snack.
Ingredients:
200 g fresh salmon
100 g spring onion
50 g green pepper
1 egg
50 g bread crumbs
1 spoonful of olive oil
180 g cooked lentils
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
10 ml of lemon juice Salt and pepper
Direction:
- Mince the salmon in the food processor.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the egg & breadcrumbs and make small hamburgers.
- Slice the onion and the pepper and then lightly grill.
- Grind the lentils, add the lemon juice, oil, and salt.
- Make the mini burgers with a base of hummus and garnish with the grilled vegetables.
Broccoli Fritters
A study conducted by UCLA researchers shows that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, switches on a set of antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells, which then combat the injurious effects of molecules known as free radicals that can damage cells and lead to disease. Try recreating this healthy yet delicious recipe for the whole family.
Ingredients
1 bunch of beetroot, washed and trimmed
5 g ground cumin
300 g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
30 ml lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
80 ml tahini
80 g walnuts, chopped
100 g feta, crumbled
Mint leaves, to serve
Whole meal pita breads
Direction:
- Place broccoli florets, scallion, cilantro and garlic in a food processor and process until crumble.
- Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in whole wheat flour, flax meal, cumin and salt. Mix well and form a dough.
- Heat the oil on medium in a large skillet. Form into patties about 1/4 cup, place fritters in the skillet and cook.
Preparing healthy meals at home is one of the ways you can help fight infection and strengthen immune response. In cooking foods at home, you need a cooker with the right features.
One smart choice is by using Beko’s FSGT62010GB cooking range. It has four gas burners, gas oven, and gas grill. Its CookMasterTM feature has a 64 Litre hold capacity, which allows you to cook more food in one go for you and your family.
The FSGT62010GB cooking range also has a CleanZoneTM feature, where the inner glass doors of Beko ovens are coated in oleophobic technology, which resists dirt and grime, so you don’t have to worry about using heavy duty products or spending your time cleaning oven doors. Other features include a gas safety device for ovens and Non-stick TrayTM.
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