5 winter-vital recipes for boosting your natural immunity

Winter is coming. Which means the flus and colds are too. The most effective way of steering clear of those circulating flu viruses and other nasty contagious microbes, is by keeping your immunity at full strength. Here at The School of Natural Health Sciences we are experts in Holistic Nutrition, and get excited whenever we come across nutrient-packed meal ideas that anyone can make at home! These super immunity-boosting recipes are brimming with essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients that’ll never let another sneeze bother you.

Immunity Booster Nº1

Coconut-roasted Cauliflower Wedges with Cilantro and Lime

Serves: 4-6

By Chef Seamus Mullen (from wellandgood.com)

Fat florets of cauliflower stay meaty when roasted—you could even try this with orange or yellow cauliflower. If you happen to have pickled chiles, use them in place of the fresh chiles here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower head, leaves discarded, bottom trimmed
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil, warmed until just liquid
• 2 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1/2 red finger chile, sliced
• 1/2 lime
• Handful of cilantro sprigs
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half, then divide each half into four wedges. Place wedges on rimmed baking sheet, in single layer. Spoon coconut oil over cauliflower. Sprinkle with salt and coriander.
2. Roast cauliflower until it’s very browned on top and bottom, about 30 minutes. Divide among four to six serving plates.
3. Top with sliced chile, lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or hot.

Immunity Booster Nº2

Chicken Soup with Ginger, Leeks, Mushrooms, Okra and Bok Choy

Serves: 4-6

By Chef Seamus Mullen 

This is a beautiful tangy twist on the traditional chicken soup, known for healing all sorts of illnesses and filling up the soul as well as hungry bellies. Chef Seamus Mullen is fast becoming the go-to guru for healing meals, with every recipe having medicinal value as well as delicious outcomes and 5-star presentations.

Ingredients:


• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 3 chicken legs (about 1.5 pounds)
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 small winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks (2 cups)
• 2 small leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 3⁄4-inch slices (1 cup)
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 bok choy, leaves kept whole, stems cut into 1-inch slices
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 12 okra pods, trimmed and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
• 10 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps quartered
• 1⁄2 long red chile, seeded, if desired, and thinly sliced
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges

Method:

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat. Add the coconut oil and swirl to coat bottom of pan. Generously season chicken with salt and pepper and add it to hot oil, skin-side down. Cook until skin is golden brown, about 8 minutes.
2. Flip chicken legs over and reduce heat to medium-low. Add squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add leeks and fish sauce, stir well. Add soy sauce and vinegar. Let liquids bubble and reduce a bit.
3. Add bok choy stems and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and season with salt. Add garlic and ginger, simmer for a minute. Add okra and mushrooms, simmering until okra is just cooked through, about 6 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in chile. Add bok choy greens and fold in just until wilted, about 1 minute. Divide among four to six serving bowls and top with cilantro. Serve immediately, with the lime wedges alongside.

Immunity Booster Nº3

Switchel

Yields: 10 cups

By Chef Seamus Mullen

For those who are unfamiliar, this is old-time country-hydration mix. It replenishes electrolytes, improves the balance of healthy bacteria in your GI tract, and is a natural source of manganese, zinc, and potassium.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• 3/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 Tbsp magnesium powder (optional)

Method:

1. Put the ginger in a blender with a few tablespoons water. Blitz until very finely chopped, adding more water if needed to get the blender going and scraping the bowl occasionally.
2. Transfer to a small saucepan and add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup and salt until both dissolve. Let steep for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Transfer to a large pitcher or jar. Stir in the vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, magnesium powder (if using), and 8 cups water. Refrigerate until very cold. Stir or shake before serving.

Immunity Booster Nº4

Banana Spice Smoothie

Serves: 2

We can’t have a wellness recipe blog without a vitamin-packed smoothie. Breakfast is definitely one of the most influential meals of the day, setting the tone for your metabolism until the next meal, and kick-starting the absorption process. This all-natural superfood smoothie is the ultimate in boosting immunity levels. Adding just a ½-inch chunk of fresh ginger to your green smoothies provides amazing health benefits, like reducing inflammation, aiding digestion, and helping the body naturally detoxify. It may also help alleviate pain—from arthritis to menstrual pain and more. It’s like an all-natural ibuprofen, immunity booster, and anti-inflammatory.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups spinach
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 3 bananas
• 1 piece (½-inch) fresh ginger, peeled
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground cardamom

Method:

Blend the spinach and coconut milk until smooth. Add the bananas, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom and blend again.

Tips: 
For a gut-healing super boost, swap 1 cup coconut milk for 1 cup coconut yogurt. A little ginger goes a long way, so if you’re not used to using fresh ginger, start off small and add more as your tastebuds adjust. If you’re feeling the sniffles or a cold coming on, ginger will help kick that cold to the curb just a bit faster.

Immunity Booster Nº5

Citrus Cold Recovery

Serves: 2

Taken from Simple Green Smoothies by Jen Hansard & Jadah Sellner

Don’t worry if banana spice isn’t really up your street, this cold recovery smoothie is just the ticket for a refreshing, zingy immunity boost that will nurse you back to health whenever you’re in a bit of a pickle. Beets are loaded with antioxidants like vitamin C, which can help boost your immune system. Flaxseed oil contains both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids; having a proper balance of these fatty acids is important for brain function and heart health.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups green cabbage
• 1 cup water
• 2 oranges, peeled
• 2 cup chopped pineapple
• ¼ cup peeled and cubed raw golden beet
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 Tbsp flaxseed oil

Method:

Blend the cabbage, water, and oranges until smooth. Add the pineapple, beet, lemon juice, and flaxseed oil and blend again.