There are some staple foods that are believed to be good for your immune system such as garlic, onions, ginger, chillies, colourful vegetables, herbs and spices due to their phytonutrients content (plant compounds that are beneficial for our health) and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

This recipe is packed with vegetables and spices. It includes spinach as a source of immune-supporting iron, beta-carotene and vitamin C, aubergine which is high in phytonutrients (anthocyanins), and courgette contains vitamin B6 and C and beta-carotene. Interestingly, most antioxidants (including glutathione!) are located in the courgette’s skin, that is why it is a good idea to leave the skin on.

And overall it is a very comforting meal for 2 which takes only 30 min to prepare.

Ingredients

• aubergine
• 1 small courgette
• ½ of big onion, or 1 small
• 4 cm ginger root
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• ½ small red or green chilli pepper or tip of a teaspoon of powdered chilli (or according to your spice preference)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder or 2 cm turmeric root
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 heaped teaspoon of spices of your choice (e.g. curry powder) or your own blend (I like a DIY grinder-blend of cumin, coriander seeds, smoked peppers, garlic powder, onion powder, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves)
• good quality salt (sea, rock, Celtic, Himalayan) and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 cup of Basmati rice
• ½ cup of a thick coconut milk

Directions

1. Cut aubergines and courgettes into smaller pieces and roast in the oven until tender (180 °C for around 30 min), leave the skin on.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice with a little bit of salt.
3. Chop onions and chillies, grate or finely cut garlic and ginger (and turmeric if using turmeric root).
4. Heat olive oil or coconut oil in the pan and add onions, cook for 2 min until soften then add chillies, ginger, garlic, spices, turmeric, salt and pepper and cook for another 1-2 min
5. Add coconut milk and spinach and mix it well, cook until spinach begins to soften
6. Add aubergines and courgettes and mix everything together, cook for another minute.
7. Serve on the Basmati rice (or omit this part if trying to reduce carbs).

Enjoy!

References:

Hedges LJ, Lister CE (2007) Nutritional attributes of spinach, silverbeet and eggplant. Crop and Food Research Confidential Report no. 1928. Christchurch: New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research.

Kochhar KP (2008) Dietary spices in health and diseases: I. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol 52:106–122

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We all crave something sweet from time to time.

In the current situation, it is so easy and comforting to reach for a biscuit.

However processed food have a negative impact on our immunity.

What if we could switch unhealthy desserts for a healthier (and delicious) version which could even help our immune system?

I am sure everyone has already heard about the avocado mousse. But did you know that this simple dessert contains some nutrients which are important for our immune system:

Avocado:

This super plant contains immune system supporting nutrients including vitamins A (beta-carotene), C, E, B6, healthy omega 3 fats, and small amounts of zinc and selenium, plus phytochemicals, and due to fat content it is filling and it even contains fibre!

Cocoa powder:

Contains polyphenols (bioactive compounds found in plants having a beneficial effect on health) and it has a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it influences the gut immune system; if you use raw cocoa nibs even better! Look for a high quality unsweetened cocoa powder.

Honey:

High-quality honey is a source of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, it has been shown to be beneficial for upper respiratory tract infections, other products such as propolis or bee pollen are immune superstars and can be added as well; it is important that you use the high-quality honey, with Manuka being probably the best yet pricey!

If you top it with pomegranate or blueberries you will have an additional antioxidants boost!
Why not add cinnamon which in addition to having anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties may help to balance blood sugar (depending on how much honey you add!) or anti-inflammatory turmeric?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 avocado
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
• you may add a pinch of good quality salt

Directions:

Blend everything together and top up with pomegranate, berries or cocoa nibs!

References:

Mark L. Dreher & Adrienne J. Davenport (2013) Hass Avocado Composition and Potential Health Effects, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 53:7, 738-750

Pérez-Cano, F. J., Massot-Cladera, M., Franch, A., Castellote, C., & Castell, M. (2013). The effects of cocoa on the immune system. Frontiers in pharmacology, 4, 71.

Samarghandian, S., Farkhondeh, T., & Samini, F. (2017). Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research. Pharmacognosy research, 9(2), 121–127.

The post A new take on the well-known avocado mousse (and does it have anything to do with immunity?) appeared first on Convalia.

Check your cupboards

Before you rush to the shop, focus on you all the things stored in your cupboards or pantry. We have all bought those packs of chickpeas, lentils or dried algae (!) that we never had time to cook with. The best way is to put everything outside and organise it according to the category e.g. legumes, different types of rice, pasta, flours, teas, spices, cans etc. On top of that check your freezer, you may find some things you completely forgot about and now may be a good time to use them! Checking on what you already have at home will prevent you from panic buying and also from buying too much.

Macronutrients and polyphenols

After checking your cupboards, you can start thinking about the different macronutrients categories. Think about fats, proteins and carbohydrates as well as sources of antioxidants and polyphenols. A body with less oxidative stress will be better equipped to fight any infection. Consider what would last you for a long time (hint: not processed packaged food!) in every macronutrient category. For example, good sources of fat include olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, nuts; good sources of proteins include fatty fish, good quality meat, legumes and beans; good sources of carbohydrates are rice, sweet potatoes, butternut squash; and for the ever important antioxidants and polyphenols, in addition to fruits and vegetables, you may include olive oil, dark chocolate (above 70%), different teas, herbs are spices. Also, always eat fresh food first as the nutritional value will decrease with time.

Get creative, engage your family and do not forget about the microbiome

As our gut microbiome likes variety, so try not to eat the same meal for lunch every day. Try to be creative and create new recipes based on what you have in your cupboards and freezer, make sure you add a lot of herbs and spices. Involve your family and make it fun! If you do not find your favourite type of particular ingredient in the supermarket such as flour, try to use alternative flours such as almond, coconut, rice, buckwheat to create new recipes. Also, make sure that your gut microbiome remains healthy during this challenging time, think about what kind of probiotic and prebiotic-rich food you can add to your meals.

Kitchen equipment and what can be used

Check your kitchen equipment, if you have a juicer, blender, slow cooker or pressure cooker, dehydrator now is the time to use it. The slow cooker is ideal for the preparation of certain meals such as meat, legumes and beans as a long cooking time makes them more digestible.

Did you know that you can prepare your own bone broth at home using a pressure cooker or just cooking it in the normal pot for a long time? You just need bones, spices and some vegetables (any bones left from a chicken dinner or Sunday roast will do).

If you have a juicer you can buy a bunch of vegetables, fresh herbs, ginger and turmeric and after juicing place them in a container you normally use for ice cubes. They will last for longer and you will have an instant nutrient boost! You can also freeze your broth in the same way.

Do not forget to use the reusable cotton bags for shopping which can be easily washed after coming back from the shop

How to make food more nutritious and last longer?

General rules for making food more digestible, last longer and preserving nutrients include:

• choose vegetables or fruits that will last longer such as apples, onion, garlic, butternut squash, (sweet) potatoes etc. just do not store onions and potatoes, or apples and bananas together!
• for fresh products such as fruits and vegetables you normally store in the fridge, remove them from any plastic containers, make sure they are dry (you can wrap them in a paper towel) before placing them in the fridge; any moisture contributes to faster spoiling.
• soak and sprout legumes, beans, grains before eating them, this will make them more digestible
• make fermented vegetables yourself, you will just need a jar, some salt and water; the process of fermentation and food preservation with salt is an ancient technique – and fermented foods contain good bacteria
• although I normally do not advise eating pasta(!) if you cook and cool down certain foods such as pasta or potatoes (you may reheat them after cooling) you are increasing the levels of healthy resistant starch
• buy frozen foods (vegetables, fruits, herbs, meat, seafood, fish, even garlic or ginger) or freeze immediately after buying, freezing will preserve nutrients and ensure food will last for longer
• buy canned food like sardines, mackerel, tomatoes, beans, coconut milk; although canned food is not ideal it may be useful during this time, but be sure to look for BPA and BPS-free containers and no added ingredients
• consider dried food like dried mushrooms, spices or algae (e.g. nori)
• you may need a powdered form of certain foods e.g. powdered coconut milk

Healthy snacks

When you spend more time at home or under stress, you may tend to deviate towards more unhealthy sugary snacks. When in that situation, after asking yourself WHY you crave certain foods such as biscuits and seeing if there are other ways you may meet that need (e.g. hug, 10 min of rest, drinking herbal tea, taking 10 deep breaths), you can consider these healthier snacks: nuts with honey e.g. almonds, fruits with nut butter e.g. apple with almond butter, dates with walnuts, tahini on dark chocolate, apple with cinnamon, frozen fruit sorbet, canned fish, hardboiled eggs or vegetables sticks with hummus.

Mindful eating and reflection

We tend to eat ‘on the go’ and not to pay too much attention to HOW we eat. Now it may be a good opportunity to slow down and practice more mindful eating, which includes eating in a seated position, taking deep breaths before eating, actually smelling and looking at our food (remember that the digestion process starts in the brain!), taking small bites and then chewing multiple times and feeling the texture and really tasting it.

Even now, we can still make sure we eat healthy. However, in the current time of perceived food scarcity, maybe we can also reflect on where our food came from before it ended up on our plate. What about the welfare of farmers, workers and animals? It may be a good time to reflect on our current food supply and feel the gratitude for living in food abundance for most of our lives.

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