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 Naturally creamy sweet potatoes are the perfect base for this hearty sweet potato and kale fall soup. (Sun Media/HO) |
What a quandary — flu season muscling in on holiday planning!
And with H1N1 in the headlines and everyone who even sneezes a suspect — what can you do to keep well? Especially during this party season.
You can start by boosting you natural immunity system, notes Liz Pearson, best-selling author, registered dietitian and founder of The Pearson Institute of Nutrition (Lizpearson.com.)
"The good news is there are four versatile produce powerhouses — kale, sweet potato, spinach and strawberries — that do just that," notes Pearson.
These are nutrient-packed foods that might as well wear a Superman cape they're so good for you!
Healthy eating
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It's all about eating well, notes Liz Pearson, by including these foods into your daily diet. Pearson offers the following advise:
KALE: Kale has been called one of the world's healthiest vegetables for good reason. University of Washington research shows it's the most nutrient-dense vegetable — a daily serving of this vegetable, (or other dark leafy greens), helps you meet your needs for many essential vitamins and minerals. These vegetables are linked to a lower risk of the most common cancers, including breast, prostate, and lung cancer. Kale is an exceptional source of vitamin K, a disease-fighting nutrient and important for the health of your bones and arteries. Kale is also rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C and is good for eye health.
SWEET POTATO: A goldmine of nutrition —sweet potatoes are low in fat and contain a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and fibre. In particular, they are an exceptional source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that is important for eye health and may reduce your risk of cancer. Orange vegetables are essential for the vitamin A. In addition to controlling your blood sugar, eating foods with a low glycemic index, which sweet potatoes have, may help you control your appetite and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
SPINACH: Nature's nutritional powerhouse, and disease-fighting superstar. Cornell University researchers put spinach at the top of the list as the vegetable we should eat more often based on its exceptional antioxidant profile and ability to suppress cancer. Spinach contains four times more potassium, seven times more folate, 11 times more magnesium and vitamin E, and 18 times more vitamin A. Research from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging shows that spinach has the potential to slow down or even reverse declines in cognition (the ability to think, learn and remember) that occur with age.
STRAWBERRIES: Nature's perfect fast food, strawberries are among the most antioxidant rich food you can eat that can help prevent damage to cells that lead to disease like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's. They're also an excellent source of vitamin C — just one cup exceeds your recommended intake for the day. Harvard researchers have found that eating two servings of strawberries each week may reduce your risk of heart disease or stroke by reducing compounds associated with inflammation of the blood vessel wall. For a healthy heart, eat strawberries!
Eating well is one of the best defences to the flu season. Here's a selection of recipes to help you plan for upcoming parties in style! All recipes courtesy of SUSTA (Gosouthfresh.com.)
SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
Spinach — in a smoothie? Don't let the title fool you. Though each serving is packed with an incredible full cup of this nutritional powerhouse, the sweetness of fresh strawberries and banana is front and centre in this deliciously drinkable treat.
1/2 cup (125 ml) low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 medium banana
1 cup (250 ml) sliced strawberries (about 6)
2 cups (500 ml) fresh chopped spinach, lightly packed
Honey or maple syrup to taste (optional)
In blender, combine yogurt, water, banana, strawberries, spinach and honey or syrup (optional). Blend on high until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.
Serves 2.
KALE AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
Naturally creamy sweet potatoes are the perfect base for this hearty fall soup. Nutritious kale adds a slight bitterness that perfectly balances the sweet potato.
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) chopped sweet onion
1 cup (250 ml) chopped celery
1 cup (250 ml) chopped Southern U.S. carrots
1/2 tsp (2 m) each salt and fresh cracked pepper
4 cups (1L) low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
6 cups (1.5L) peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
4 cups (1L) chopped kale
In large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to boil. Add sweet potato and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until sweet potatoes are tender and crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in kale and cook 10 minutes more. Let cool slightly.
Use a ladle to transfer soup to a blender in batches, processing until smooth. Repeat with remaining soup. Transfer back to saucepan and thin with water if desired. Serve warm sprinkled with wholegrain croutons.
Serves 6.
SWEET POTATO SALMON CAKES
Nutrient-dense sweet potato and salmon, two of nature's greatest superfoods, combine with zesty onion and tangy fresh dill to create a tasty and healthy lunch or dinner entree.
1 medium sweet potato
2 7.5 oz (213 g) cans low sodium wild salmon, drained
1/2 cup (125 ml) minced Southern U.S. celery
1/2 cup (125 ml) minced green onion
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) minced dill pickle
1 Tbsp. ( 15 ml) minced fresh dill
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 ml) whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
Prick sweet potato with fork all over. In microwave, cook sweet potato on High 6-8 minutes or until tender. Let cool.
In bowl, combine salmon, celery, green onion, pickle, dill and egg, just until combined.
Peel skin from sweet potato. Place in bowl and mash with fork. Gently, stir into salmon mixture with breadcrumbs. Shape into 12 patties (about 1/2-inch/1.5cm thick). In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium high heat. Cook salmon cakes in two batches, until golden, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve warm, cold or at room temperature.
SERVE WITH YOGURT DIP: In bowl, combine 1/2 cup (125 ml) low-fat yogurt with 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated cucumber 1 tsp. (5 ml) mint, 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon zest and 1 tsp. (5 ml) finely chopped dill.
Serves 6.