Singaporebrides | Beauty

April 2020

7 Immunity-Boosting Recipes To Keep COVID-19 Away

By Natalie Hanna Tan

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The best time to build up your immunity is now. The best time to pick up some easy recipes in the kitchen is now, too. Here are 7 easy and delicious immune-boosting recipes to keep COVID-19 at bay.

It is not surprising that supplements and vitamins are being emptied out in shelves all around the world. Everyone is trying to get their hands on anything that can boost their immunity and health as COVID-19 continues to spread.

At a media briefing on 20th March 2020, the World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared some advice on how individuals can look after their health during this period. The first advice on his list is to eat a healthy and nutritious diet. Not only will this help to boost your immunity in these couple of months, but it will also help your health in the long-run.

In light of this advice, we have put together seven different easy-to-make recipes that can quickly boost your and your family’s immunity. With everyone staying at home now, it is definitely the best time to spend your “down-time” in the kitchen too. According to Executive Chef Geert Jan Vaartjes at Anantara’s Hoi An, Vietnam property, he believes that the easiest and healthiest way to boost one’s immune system is simply to eat freshly cooked and prepared food. “When you make dishes from scratch,” he shares, “you control the ingredients, and by using fresh produce, you are eating more nutrients than you would get from packed food.”

Instead of having to queue up endlessly for your go-to supplements and vitamins to be stocked up again in health stores, try one of our curated hassle-free recipes to get your daily dose in!

1. Immunity Booster Turmeric Tea (from Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara, Oman)

Ingredients:
½ cup of fresh raw turmeric
¼ cup of fresh raw ginger
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp of honey
4 tsp of distilled water (boiled water that has cooled)

Method:
Blend all ingredients until they become a well-emulsified paste. After you’ve created the base, use 2 tablespoons to 1 cup of hot water. Let sit for two minutes and add a few mint leaves for serving.

2. Cinnamon-Lemon-Honey Immunity Shot (from Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort, UAE)

Ingredients:
Cinnamon bark (3-4 sticks per 2 cups of water)
1-2 lemons (to taste)
Honey (to taste)

Method:
Boil cinnamon bark for 45 minutes and strain. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Add fresh lemon and honey according to taste. You can store the drink in the refrigerator before serving.

3. Immune Booster Smoothie (from “4 Easy Recipes to Boost Your Immune System”, SingaporeMotherhood)

Ingredients:
1 medium banana
50g raspberries or red dragonfruit
75g kefir or plain yoghurt
15g baby oats
25g oat milk
1 Tbsp raw honey

Method:
Put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. If you find the consistency a little too thick, add more oat milk or water. Serve with ice and a dash of oat milk to create layers of different colours.

4. Chilled Spinach Salad (from “4 Easy Recipes to Boost Your Immune System”, SingaporeMotherhood)

Ingredients:
70g China spinach
8g lily bulbs
10g dreid red wolfberries
10ml teriyaki sauce
50ml roasted sesame dressing

Method:
In a pot, pour in water and bring to a boil. Add spinach and cook for 2 minutes until it softens. Remove the cooked spinach and set aside to cool. Put in the fridge for 10 minutes. Soak the dried red wolfberries in hot water until soft. Wash the lily bulbs and soak the with cold water. On a plate, place the cold spinach, then drizzle the teriyaki sauce and roasted sesame dressing. Add the red wolfberries and lily bulbs.

5. Classic Gazpacho (from Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Resort, Spain)

Ingredients:
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 Tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup slightly stale crusty white bread soaked in water for 20 minutes

Method:
Mix the diced tomatoes, peppers, and cucumber with the crushed garlic and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Squeeze out the bread, tear it roughly into chunks, and add to the mixture. Blend until smooth and add the salt and vinegar to taste and stir well. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Serve with small pieces of cucumber and pepper.

6. Seared Tuna Loin with Papaya Salad (from Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort, Thailand)

Ingredients:

For Salad –
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup cherry tomatoes
¼ cup of a green papaya, shredded
1.4 cup fresh lemongrass
¼ cup fresh mint, lightly packed
¼ cup fresh cilantro, lightly packed
¼ cup fresh basil, lightly packed
3 x 200g lean tuna loin steaks cooked to your liking
Toppings: ¼ cup friend onions and ¼ cup roasted peanuts

For Dressing –
¼ cup lime juice
2 Tbsp palm sugar
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/8 tsp Vietnamese chili paste (or fresh chopped Thai chilis)

Method:
Add all salad ingredients (except toppings) to a large mixing bowl and toss. To prepare the dressing, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, chili paste, and palm sugar together in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir to coat. Top with friend onions and roasted peanuts. Serve with seared tuna.

7. Classic Green Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup dried green beans, or mung beans
2 Tbsp pearl sago
1.5 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 Tbsp sugar
3 pandan leaves, knotted loosely
8 cups water

Method:
Add water and pandan leaves and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the rinsed green beans and boil for 30 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes at the 15-minute mark. Once the 30 minutes are up, add pearl sago and sugar, and boil for another 10 minutes. Choose to serve this hot or chilled when the beans are split. Boil for a few more minutes if needed.

The above recipes are provided courtesy of our sister site SingaporeMotherhood and from menus created by wellness experts at Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas.

Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to genuine places, people, and stories through personal experiences and providing heartfelt hospitality in the world’s most exciting destinations. From cosmopolitan cities to desert sands to lush islands, Anantara connects travellers to the indigenous, grounds them in authentic luxury, and hosts them in passionate expertise. The portfolio currently boasts over 35 stunning properties around the world.

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