Day 7 Of The Healthy Immune Boosting Foods Recipes

Today is the last of the postings for the 14 Healthiest Recipes of Immune Building Foods topic. We’ve covered GARLIC, BROCCOLI, OYSTERS, GRAPEFRUIT, YOGURT, CABBAGE, MUSHROOMS, SALMON, TURMERIC and SWEET POTATOES – and now we feature CHICKEN SOUP and GREEN TEA.

Chicken Soup as we all know, is superior for its immune boosting properties. 1) Its cleansing – “plenty of fluids” is often advised when you’re ill. A body full of attacking allergens (like a virus) and battling antibodies needs to be flushed in order to get healthy. To that effect, the abundant broth in chicken soup performs aptly. 2) Its disinfecting – chicken soup is generally fairly salty (with lower-sodium versions), so that when it goes down your throat it acts in much the same way as gargling warm salt water. In other words, it removes bacteria in the throat, mouth, and tonsils. 3) It clears sinuses – much like other warm liquids (for example, tea), it can help to clear the sinuses with steam. 4) And its strengthening – the lean protein in chicken and nutrients from added vegetables work to bolster your strength when your body is feeling drained of energy. And the ingredients used in chicken soup are full of healing properties as well. So the next time you hear your mom or grandma tell you how good chicken soup is for you, heed their words.

Green Tea - so many health benefits in this beverage. It is rich in the polyphenol EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which has been shown to slow the spread of breast cancer cells. Some experts also believe that the same EGCG catechin can fight off viruses. In one study, green tea prevented a particular strain of the cold virus from replicating. It’s thought to work thanks to a boost to the number of “regulatory T cells” in the body, a marker of stronger immune system functioning. Read more about the HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA.

So there you have it! And now on to the last of the 14 healthiest recipes. Today we feature CHICKEN POT PIE SOUP compliments of How Sweet It Is, and MATCHA GREEN TEA LATTE WITH ALMOND MILK compliments of a Simply Raw Life. Enjoy

CHICKEN POT PIE SOUP

SERVES 4-6
TOTAL TIME: 30-45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 cleaned and trimmed leek, sliced
1/3 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup lowfat half and half
1.5 pounds yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup frozen corn

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil and butter. Stir in onions, carrots, celery, leeks, salt and pepper, tossing to coat, then let cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in flour. Stir well to distribute the flour throughout the vegetables and coat them, then cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring to create somewhat of a roux and thickening agent. Most of the flour will stick to the vegetables, but you do want it to turn a slightly golden color and smell a bit nutty.

At this point, use a biscuit cutter (or even a knife) and cut 12 “biscuits” out of your thawed puff pastry sheet. Place them on a baking sheet (brushing with some beaten egg if desired) and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Add in potatoes, chicken stock and half and half to the soup, stirring and allowing the mixture to come to a bubble. Reduce heat to medium low, add in chicken, peas and corn and cover, simmering for 10-15 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with puff pastry on top!

Note: you can definitely use heavy cream or regular half and half (it will probably be even more delicious) in place of the low fat half and half. you can also use a mixed corn + peas blend if you have one, I just happened to have separate bags of organic peas and corn, which is why I separated them. you can also cube the chicken instead of shredding. finally, to reheat, add to a saucepan and add a little liquid (I do a bit of both stock/half and half or milk) and heat over low heat, stirring.

MATCHA GREEN TEA LATTE WITH ALMOND MILK

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder
12 oz almond milk
1 tablesppon agave nectar

Pour 1 teaspoon of the Matcha Green Tea powder into your mug. Warm the almond milk over the stove until its hot but not boiling. Pour the almond into the French Press and pump the handle up and down several times until the milk is frothed. Pour the milk into your mug and stir well. Add in the agave (you can use more or less depending on your desired sweetness) and stir until everything ins mixed well. Now it’s ready to drink!