Healthy Recipes to Boost Immunity & Ward Off Colds

August 27, 2019
Stay healthy with our immunity-boosting recipes to ward off colds. These healthy recipes to boost immunity feature foods that can help ward off colds, such as chicken soup, yogurt, green tea and foods with soluble fiber, including apples, oats and beans. To keep your immune system strong, eat a variety of foods that provide vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, particularly those rich in vitamin C, beta carotene and zinc. Stay healthy with our delicious and healthy recipes to boost immunity.
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Asian-Inspired Chicken Soup

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What is so obliging about this hearty chicken soup is that you can add any vegetables that suit your fancy: napa or Savoy cabbage, mushrooms, Chinese broccoli, broccolini, onions, leeks, mustard or turnip greens, celery or whatever tickles your bonnet. Just be sure that you don't overcook the vegetables. Spice it up with Asian-style chile sauce, such as sriracha, and/or serve the soup over noodles to make it a more substantial main dish.

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Breakfast Parfait

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A little low fat dairy and some vitamin-rich fruit and you've just started your day right, nutritionally speaking.

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Apple Oatmeal

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In this healthy oatmeal recipe, cook apples into your morning oatmeal and you'll start the day right with whole grains and a serving of fruit.

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Autumn Chicken Stew

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This simple chicken stew stars three of fall's best crops--apples, carrots and parsnips. Serve with toasted sharp Cheddar cheese sandwiches and a brown ale.

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Good Green Tea Smoothie

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This green smoothie is packed with grapes, spinach, green tea and avocado. A touch of honey adds sweetness.

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Green Tea & Mango Splash

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Feel the island breezes as you sip this cooling concoction.

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Maple-Nut Granola

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We love the maple-nut flavor combination of this heart-healthy granola, but feel free to substitute your favorite nuts or dried fruit for your own custom blend.

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Chicken Noodle Soup with Dill

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Chicken noodle soup is undeniably comfort food for many people (especially when they're not feeling well) and this version gets a healthful update. Whole-wheat egg noodles add fiber and nutrients and reduced-sodium chicken broth cuts the sodium. By all means use homemade chicken broth if you have it.

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Half-Hour Chili

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This truly tasty half-hour vegetarian chili is made possible by using convenient canned beans and tomatoes (no pantry should be without them). Whole-grain bulgur adds another layer of toothsome texture and nutritional heft. This chili is relatively mild, so it's a good crowd-pleaser. If you like it spicy, add extra chili powder or serve with hot sauce.

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Clean Breeze Smoothie

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This refreshing smoothie is made with cucumber and kiwi and gets a kick from ginger-flavored kombucha and fresh cilantro.

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Chicken & White Bean Soup

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Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine.

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Ginger Baked Apples with Oats & Pecans

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Think of these baked apples as individual apple crisps. Use apples that get nice and soft when they're cooked. Try serving it with a splash of dark rum and a dollop of fat-free Greek-style yogurt.

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Tutti-Frutti Muesli

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Muesli mixed with yogurt and fruit packs in the nutrition and satisfies all morning long.

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Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

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This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients--boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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Smoky Black Bean Soup

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This will probably be the most hauntingly delicious black bean soup you've ever tasted. The coffee adds a slightly toasty, woodsy background note. The optional ham hock adds smoky, salty ham flavor. Serve with a mixed green salad or a grilled cheese sandwich with pickled jalapeños. Recipe by Joyce Hendley for EatingWell.

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Citrus Berry Smoothie

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This meal-in-a-glass smoothie is bursting with berries and orange juice, healthful sources of carbohydrate and powerful antioxidants. Getting plenty of antioxidant-rich foods makes sense for active people, since free radicals are produced any time the body's cells process oxygen.

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Curried Squash & Chicken Soup

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Red Thai curry paste adds heat and depth of flavor to this simple soup. If you like, omit the chicken and spinach to make an even simpler first-course soup.

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Dried Fruit Compote with Green Tea & Lemon

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When the selection of fruit in the winter is lacking, poaching shelf-stable dried fruit in lemon-infused green tea creates a luscious fruit compote. Serve topped with low-fat plain yogurt and chopped pistachios for breakfast or dessert.

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Cranberry Muesli

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There may be as many versions of muesli as there are breakfast cereals, but this one's modeled after the original Swiss wake-you-up--a combination of overnight-soaked grains, nuts, dried fruit and yogurt. Make it the night before and you'll have breakfast ready when you are.

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Lisa's Granola

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This easy cinnamon-spiked granola is loaded with almonds, walnuts and pepitas, but substitute other nuts and seeds if you prefer. For vegans who don't eat honey, this can be made with all maple syrup.

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Black Bean Quesadillas

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In a hurry? These satisfying quesadillas take just 15 minutes to make. We like them with black beans, but pinto beans work well too. If you like a little heat, be sure to use pepper Jack cheese in the filling. Serve with: A little sour cream and a mixed green salad.

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Southwestern Three-Bean & Barley Soup

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Serve this zesty bean and barley soup garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired.

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Pina Colada Yogurt Parfait

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Take a trip to the tropics with our piña colada inspired parfait. It even makes a great breakfast when you need a sunny start to your day.

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Skillet Chicken with Cranberries & Apples

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Celebrate the flavors of fall with chicken cooked in a fast apple-cranberry sauce. If you prefer a less tart flavor, try dried cranberries instead of fresh. Serve with quick-cooking wild rice and roasted Brussels sprouts.

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Warm Lentil Salad with Sausage & Apple

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We like the firmer texture of French green lentils in this hearty dinner salad featuring sausage and tart apples. Serve with pickled beets and your favorite beer.

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Vegetable Lover's Chicken Soup

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Classic comfort food is yours, in just slightly more than half an hour. Serve with some crusty whole-grain bread and top with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

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Stir-Fried Noodles with Green Tea

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Perfect for a hot summer's night, baked tofu, bell peppers and scallions are stir-fried with udon noodles in this quick and easy dish.

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Crunchy Granola Wedges

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This recipe was inspired by chef Lars Kronmark's granola wedges from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Substitute your favorite fruit, nuts and/or seeds for the sunflower seeds and/or dried cranberries in these granola bars.

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Korean Chicken Soup

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This quick and easy spicy chicken soup recipe is made with leftover cooked chicken and is spiked with garlic, ginger and hot sauce.

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