The season of vitamin C is here: 3 easy recipes to help you beat cold and flu
Vitamin C is one of the most important ingredients for our bodies. It helps boost our immune systems.
When we consume food rich in vitamin C, we are likely protecting ourselves from several chronic diseases. It is common for many of us to reach for vitamin C to help protect us from things like the common cold or the flu.
This is because vitamin C has been shown to enhance cellular immunity by promoting the infection-killing ability of white blood cells.
As a result, it is responsible for the proper functioning of the immune system. While it does not usually prevent infection, it can reduce the severity of cold symptoms and can shorten the duration of an infection.
Spicy orange salad
Ingredients
6 oranges
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
Spice blend (see recipe for spice blend below)
1 mild red onion peeled and sliced
½ cup finely slivered fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Salt
About ½ cup kalamata olives
Fresh mint leaves
Method
Cut, peel, and remove the white membrane from the oranges. Slice the oranges and discard the seeds.
In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of vinegar with olive oil and sugar. Stir in the spice blend.
In a wide, shallow bowl, gently mix orange slices, onions, slivered mint, and chopped cilantro. Pour in dressing and mix gently. Taste and add salt and more vinegar if desired.
Scatter olives, mint leaves, and cilantro leaves over the top. Spoon salad and dressing onto plates.
Spice blend: Combine ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika or mild ground dried chilli, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns or ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon curry powder, and ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon; if using whole spices, whirl mixture in a grinder or small food processor to a powder.
Pineapple and orange juice punch
Ingredients
500ml Rhodes Quality Orange 100% fruit juice
500ml Rhodes Quality Pineapple 100% fruit juice
500ml lemonade
1 x 440g can Rhodes Quality pineapple rings in syrup, drained
To serve: Ice, fresh berries
Method
Combine the Rhodes Quality Orange 100% fruit juice and the Rhodes Quality Pineapple 100% fruit juice in a larger jug. Stir to mix.
Add the lemonade. Pour the punch over ice into glasses.
Slice a slit into each Rhodes Quality Pineapple ring and use it to garnish each glass.
Add fresh berries as desired.
Sticky burnt orange self-saucing pudding
Ingredients
50g butter
200g caster sugar
2 oranges, zested
3 large, free-range eggs, separated
50g cake flour
1⁄3 cup milk
1⁄2 cup orange juice
3 tbsp marmalade
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cream the butter, caster sugar, and orange zest until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, flour, and milk to the butter-and-sugar mixture, mixing to combine.
Don’t be alarmed if the mixture appears lumpy or curdled.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add a spoonful of the whites to the flour mixture and gently combine.
Gradually fold in the remaining egg whites, trying to keep as much air as possible.
Spoon into a greased 22 cm ovenproof dish.
Place the dish in a roasting tray and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
Mix the orange juice with 1⁄2 cup boiling water, pour over the pudding, and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden and set.
During the last 5 minutes of baking time, mix the marmalade with 1⁄4 cup boiling water, spoon over the pudding, and place under the grill until sticky.
Serve warm with chocolate ice cream and lightly grilled citrus.
Recipes from IOL Archives
Read the latest issue of IOL Health digital magazine here.