Breakfast is the first meal of the day, and it affects not only your mood but also your overall health. Eating the right breakfast helps provide energy for the whole day, maintains a high level of performance, and strengthens your immune system. Recipes of vitamin dishes to strengthen immunity.
It’s important to remember that strengthening your immune system requires a comprehensive approach that includes healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management.
What to include in a menu that strengthens the immune system?
The effect of healthy foods is ensured by their regular, reasonable consumption.
#1. Fruits and vegetables rich in the main natural immunomodulator – vitamin C (citrus fruits, kiwi, pumpkin, zucchini).
#2. Products with pronounced antibacterial and antiviral properties (primarily garlic and onions, you can also include turmeric and pepper).
#3. Products with vitamin D, which is responsible for the functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems (fish, eggs, dairy products).
#4. Probiotics that promote health and enrichment of beneficial intestinal microflora (yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk).
#5. Drinks rich in antioxidants that protect the body from pathogenic damage (green tea, coffee, matcha).
#6. Nuts and seeds contain vitamins and minerals (for example, almonds are rich in iron and vitamin E, and pumpkin seeds are a valuable source of zinc).
The strength of our immunity largely depends on our lifestyle. All the necessary vitamins can be obtained from your diet. A balanced and varied diet is an important condition for maintaining the normal functioning of the immune system: up to 80% of the body’s immune cells are located in the gastrointestinal tract.
#1. Salmon with spinach and oranges. Recipes of vitamin dishes to strengthen immunity.
This nutritious dish is delicious and contains vitamins. Oranges are a source of vitamin C, and spinach contains phytonutrients and antioxidants. Salmon contains special Omega-3 acids, which are necessary for the protection of all body systems.
Ingredients for 4 servings:
Olive oil 2 tablespoons
Salmon fillet 4 pcs.
Salt, pepper to taste
Spinach leaves 3.53oz
Red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 pc.
Orange pulp 2 pcs.
Orange juice 1 tablespoon
Instructions:
Cooking time 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 356°F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper, and fry it for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Put the pan with the salmon in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until the fish is tender.
While the salmon is cooking in the oven, mix the spinach, onion, oranges, orange juice, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the finished fish with the resulting salad.
#2. Eggplants baked with chickpeas and herbs. Recipes of vitamin dishes to strengthen immunity.
Eggplants are recommended to replenish the lack of vitamins B and C in case of weakened immunity. Chickpeas increase the body’s defense functions and are an excellent product for preventing colds. They are rich in zinc, the deficiency of which affects our well-being and ability to resist viruses.
Ingredients for 3 servings:
Eggplant, roughly chopped 2 pcs.
Paprika 2 tsp
Coriander 1 tsp
Cumin 1/2 tsp
Olive oil 3 tbsp
Chickpeas, canned 14.2oz
Cherry tomatoes, halved 8.82oz
Almonds, slivered 1 tbsp
Fresh mint leaves, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve
Parsley, chopped 1/2 cup
Cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp
Tahini 3.53oz
Garlic, chopped 2 tsp
Lemon juice 3 tbsp
Instructions:
Cooking time 45 minutes
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Blend tahini, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro and parsley in a blender until smooth.
In a bowl, mix the eggplant pieces with olive oil and spices. Add salt.
On a sheet lined with foil, place the eggplants in one layer, then the chickpeas. Bake for about 30 minutes until done. Add the cherry tomatoes and bake for another 5 minutes. Cool.
Serve the finished dish with green tahini dressing, garnished with almond flakes, mint and lemon wedges.
#3. Coconut banana pancakes. Recipes of vitamin dishes to strengthen immunity.
Vegan coconut milk pancakes with banana filling and passion fruit topping.
Photos by Elena Petrova, Mikhail Borisov
Ingredients:
wheat flour 5.29oz
baking powder teaspoons
sugar 3 tablespoons
coconut milk (shake well) 2 cups
vegetable oil, for frying
bananas, thinly sliced 2 pcs
passion fruit (pulp) 3.53oz
Instructions:
Cooking time 30 minutes
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl, add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour coconut milk into a bowl, whisk, then measure out 1 cup and slowly pour into the flour mixture to form a uniform batter, or whisk everything in a blender.
Heat a flat frying pan and grease it with oil. Put 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake, adding 4-5 pieces of banana. Fry for 2 minutes, then carefully flip and fry the other side for 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 10 pancakes.
Pour the remaining coconut milk into a small saucepan and add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add salt and simmer until the mixture thickens to the consistency of cream. Drizzle the sauce over the finished pancakes and top with passion fruit pulp.
#4. Black bean vegetable roll. Recipes of vitamin dishes to strengthen immunity.
An excellent roll with healthy plant protein and the taste of fresh vegetables and spices.
Ingredients:
ground flaxseed 3 tablespoons
water ¼ cup
oats 1 cup
canned black beans 31.77oz
vegetable oil 1 tablespoon
onion, diced 1 pc
grated carrots 2 pcs
red pepper (chopped) 1 pc
garlic 4 cloves
chili powder 1 tablespoon
oregano 1 teaspoon
corn ½ cup
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Cooking time 50 minutes
Preheat oven to 356°F and grease a loaf pan.
Combine flaxseed and water. Let it sit until the mixture thickens.
In a food processor, pulse ½ cup oats into flour; transfer to a mixing bowl. Grind 2 cups of beans into a paste and add to the mixing bowl. Add the remaining oats and beans to the mixing bowl.
Saute the onion in the oil until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the carrots, red pepper, and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the chili powder and oregano; saute for 2 minutes.
Add the cooked vegetables, corn, and thickened flaxseed/water mixture to the oats and beans and mix well. Season with salt, adjusting the seasonings as needed. Add the mixture to the loaf pan and press to even out. Bake for 40 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes. Top with avocado or guacamole before serving.
#5. Rhubarb pie. Recipes of vitamin dishes to strengthen immunity.
This pie is gluten and lactose-free. So if you have switched to a gluten and lactose-free diet, you can safely make this rhubarb pie.
Ingredients for 12 servings:
eggs 2 pcs
Rhubarb 4 stalks
butter 3.53oz
sugar 3.53oz
marzipan mass (at least 60% almonds – choose options without added flour, otherwise no gluten-free pie will work) 3.53oz
oat flour 5.29oz
any plant milk 6 tablespoons
almonds 3.53oz
baking powder (baking powder) 2.5 teaspoons
vanilla sugar 2 teaspoons
cardamom ½ teaspoon
Additional:
medium baking form with a zipper
baking paper
Instructions:
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Take the butter out of the refrigerator first. It should be soft before you start cooking.
Preheat the oven to 356°F.
Cut the rhubarb into small pieces (the thicker the stems, the shorter the pieces). Chop the nuts coarsely with a knife.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and cardamom (if the butter is unsalted, add a pinch of salt). Stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Mix the butter with the sugar and vanilla sugar and rub the butter until the sugar and vanilla are evenly dissolved in it.
Cut the marzipan mass into smaller pieces (or grate on a coarse grater). Mix the marzipan with the butter mass and rub again with a spoon or mixer. Gradually add 1 egg at a time to the butter mixture, beating thoroughly after each.
Add ¾ of the almonds and milk. Mix well. Now add the flour mixture and mix well again until smooth.
Add the chopped rhubarb and mix with a spoon. Line the baking dish with baking paper and spread the dough evenly in it. Sprinkle the remaining almonds on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes on the “Vent” mode.
Be sure to check the pie after 30 minutes, and if it is not baked, then you need to reduce the oven temperature to 348 and put the pie on the bottom of the oven. Bake the pie for another 10 minutes.
You can serve it both hot and cold. After cooling, you can cut it into portions and freeze (if you are not sure that you will be able to eat it within 4 days – this is how long you can store it in the refrigerator).
It is also better to defrost such a pie in the refrigerator – overnight it will slowly defrost, and the quality will be maximally preserved.
The path to healthy microflora and high immunity is a varied diet rich in all the necessary substances. You need to make sure that your plate always contains: vegetable and animal proteins, fiber, vegetable and animal fats, and complex carbohydrates. It is very important to eat a varied diet – choose different vegetables, sources of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and focus on seasonal products. Bon appétit!
Elena runs a private practice as a nutrition coach in the USA and many countries around the world. https://elenasunshinemagazine.com/services/
I offer:
Evaluate current meal plans and give general recommendations.
Individual consultations.
Making individual meal plans.
Recommend gradual dietary changes and consistent dietary practice.
Discuss the importance of balanced macronutrient intake.
To offer recommendations on eating behavior.
Promote the calorie recommendations set out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, MyPlate, the Eatwell Guide in the United Kingdom, or other acceptable organizations
