Claiming Immunity...

     This has been a particularly bad year for germs in the Pacific Northwest.  The kids have been continually sick, their friends have been continually sick, and more importantly, I have been continually sick.  This just doesn't happen.  While it's true that I observe the holy pre-Christmas tradition known as Snotmas Eve, I rarely get sick the rest of winter.  I save my bouts of pneumonia for Summertime when it's pretty outside.  Like God intended. 

     This last cold was the straw that broke the camel's back.  It's my third of the season, the kid's fifth, and my husband's second.  The time had come to boost the immunity in this place.  So I sat on my couch with my tissues in my hand and my pocket and tucked into my cleavage and searched that mighty database of human knowledge known as the Internet for "immunity boosting foods."  And then I went to the store and bought All Of Them. 

The top contenders were:

• yogurt
• leafy greens, particularly spinach
• broccoli
• citrus fruits, particularly oranges
• raw garlic
• fish, beef, and chicken (particularly chicken soup)
• black or green tea
• orange foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, and winter squash
• mushrooms, particularly Shiitake, maitake, and reishi
• apples
• oats
• beans and lentils
• nuts like almonds and cashews

     I didn't want to eat yogurt because it may or may not increase mucus production depending on who you listen to, so I bought probiotic capsules and also a vitamin D supplement since it is good for boosting immunity and it is well known that people in this area are deficient.  One of the main ways to get it through food is salmon, which of course, I don't eat.

     I set to work.  One night we had steamed sweet potatoes with kidney beans and steamed broccoli tossed with raw garlic.  We had oatmeal for breakfast.  And last night the meat eaters had salmon cakes with this salad.

Immunity Salad with Raw Spinach Garlic Dressing
Dressing:
1/2 C raw cashews
1/2 C water + 1/4 C water
1 carrot
1 C raw spinach
Juice of 1/2 meyer lemon, seeds removed
2 small cloves garlic*
1/4 tsp salt

Blend cashews and 1/2 C water in a blender until the cashews are completely liquified (about 1 minute or so).  Add remaining ingredients, using the extra water to help the blending process throughout.  If you want a thinner consistency, another 1/4 C of water would probably do it.

*Taste the strength of your garllc before adding the second clove, some varieties are stronger than others.  You might even want to add a third small clove, depending.

Salad
4 C raw kale pieces
1 large apple, cubed
1 large orange, segmented
1/4 C cashews toasted in a pan

Put all ingredients into a large bowl and toss to combine. 

Review:
     The boys are funny about salad.  My eldest loves kale all by itself so he was upset there was salad dressing on it.  My youngest loved the dressing and the kale, but didn't like the cashews and apples.  In the end, they both ate their entire salads for the promise of splitting the last salmon cake.  Here's to Health!  Oh!  And this just happens to be little green for St. Patrick's Day!  Happy Eatin' o' the Greens!

Resources:
Livestrong.com
Prevention.com
Eatingwell.com
Webmd.com