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Your immune system’s designed to protect you from toxins and infections. Fortunately, improving your immune system isn’t hard and doesn’t require specialty supplements. One of the best ways to strengthen your immune system is to fill your diet with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods. Don’t worry, eating healthy doesn’t mean that your dinners will be boring. Try one of these immunity-boosting recipes that you can make in your crockpot this week.
Short Cut Salsa Verde Turkey Soup
There’s a reason why chicken soup is good for colds. Poultry, in general, contains 40 to 50 percent of your daily recommended amount of B-6, which is vital to supporting biochemical reactions in the immune system. If you need a new soup to add to your crockpot rotation, try this flavorful soup.
You’ll need:
Ground turkey
Ground cumin
Chili powder
Ground coriander
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Ground pepper
Salsa verde
Onion, diced
Garlic cloves
Cannellini beans
Chicken stock
Cilantro, chopped
Limes
Scallions
Queso fresco
Sour cream
Avocado
If you are craving a chicken soup with a kick, try this version that’s full of fiery Thai flavor. In addition to getting the B-6 boost from the chicken, this recipe also gets a Vitamin C boost from the red bell pepper and lime juice. Round that out with garlic’s infection-fighting properties and ginger’s inflammation-reducing abilities and you’ve got a flavorful soup that will help keep your immune system in top condition.
You’ll need:
Red curry paste
Coconut milk
Chicken stock
Fish sauce
Brown sugar
Peanut butter
Chicken breasts
Red bell pepper
Onion
Ginger
Frozen peas
Lime juice
Cilantro
White rice
Lentils are low in calories, rich in iron and folate, an excellent source of protein, and they are the star of this crockpot dish. Lentils also pack health-promoting polyphenols and may reduce several heart disease risk factors. This soup is the perfect dish for meatless Mondays.
You’ll need:
Butternut squash
Carrots
Potatoes
Celery
Green lentils
Yellow split peas
Onion
Garlic
Vegetable or chicken broth
Herbs de Provence
Salt
Kale
Parsley
Olive oil
Sherry, red wine vinegar, or lemon juice
The soup may have hamburger, but the real star is the sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are one of the richest natural sources of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in your body which is critical to a healthy immune system. Together with the hamburger, peppers and fire-roasted tomatoes, this soup will satisfy any craving for a burger.
You’ll need:
Sweet Potato
Celery
Carrots
Onion
Red Pepper
Beef broth
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Italian seasoning
Sea salt
Black pepper
Grass-fed ground beef
Tapioca starch
Parsley
