Foods to Boost Immunity

The Anti-Cold: Foods to Boost Immunity

While you can’t completely protect yourself from getting sick, you can pump up your body’s defenses by eating certain foods that boost your immune system. These super foods increase your white blood cells (the germ battlers) and eliminate substances that make you sick.

Think of these foods as your own personal protection against colds. Let them be your bodyguards.

First, load up on vitamin C, which is the biggest and best immune booster around. Drink plenty of orange juice and eat a lot of fruit. Try to forgo the vitamin C tablets–these usually contain a lot of sugar–and get the nutrient naturally. Vitamin E is another important nutrient that seeks out and destroys germs. You can find this super vitamin in seeds, vegetable oils and grains.

Aim to eat foods high in carotenoids, bioflavenoids, zinc, selenium and Omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re a fan of garlic, you’ll like this tidbit: garlic is a powerful immune booster and may protect against cancer. So go ahead, roast some garlic cloves and eat up.

And if you do get sick, eat some spicy foods. Hot mustard, chili peppers and onions contain substances known as “mucolytics” that, just like cough syrups, work to break up mucus.

Zesty Tomatoes and Hominy

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Zesty Tomatoes and Hominy

What You Need:

3/4 lb. of bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 (15 1/2 oz.) cans of homey, drained
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with juice
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

How to Make It:

Place the bacon in a skillet over medium heat.
Cook the bacon for 10 minutes or until crisp.
Drain well on paper towel then crumble.
Place the onion and green pepper into the skillet with the bacon drippings.
Sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes or until tender then drain well.
Place the hominy, both cans of tomatoes with their juice and the tomato sauce into the crock pot.
Stir the bacon, onions and green pepper into the mixture well.
Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours or until heated through.

Makes 12 servings

Preparation Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 6 hours 20 minutes

This colorful and delicious side dish goes great with pork, chicken or turkey.

Slow Cooker Orange Juice Chicken

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Slow Cooker Orange Juice Chicken

What You Need:

6 chicken leg quarters
3/4 C ketchup
1/2 C orange juice
1/4 C sucanat or honey
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
4 t fresh parsley, minced
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t garlic salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T + 2 t cornstarch
1/4 C water

How to Make It:

Cut the leg quarters at the joints and place into the slow cooker.
Whisk together the ketchup, orange juice and sugar until dissolved.
Whisk in the vinegar, oil, parsley and the Worcestershire sauce.
Sprinkle in the garlic salt and pepper and whisk until well combined.
Pour the mixture over the chicken and turn the chicken to coat on all sides.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 degrees.
Remove the chicken to a warmed serving platter and cover to keep warm.
Dip out 2 C of the cooking sauce from the slow cooker and place in a saucepan.
Whisk the cornstarch and water together until smooth.
Add the mixture to the cooking sauce in the saucepan and place the pan over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a brisk boil.
Stirring constantly cook the mixture for 2 minutes or until thick.
Pour the sauce over the chicken before serving.

Makes 12 servings

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