There’s nothing worse than being sick. Healthy eating, hand washing and cough covering can help keep your family from coming down with a cold or the flu. It’s important to eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups throughout the year and adding certain “flu fighter” foods this time of year can boost the body’s immune system.
Yogurt and other cultured milk products with the “live active culture” seal contain probiotics, beneficial bacteria with immune-boosting benefits. Garlic boosts the immune system, increasing resistance to infection and stress. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C and chicken contains zinc, nutrients that play important roles in the proper functioning of the immune system.
Serve your family a delicious flu-fighting family meal of Simple Roast Chicken, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Creamy Orange Shakes.
SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN
http://www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/Meals-Recipes/Browse-Search-Recipes/rid/62416/simple-roast-chicken.aspx
Total preparation time: Less than 15 minutes
Number of servings: 8
Actual cooking time: 2 hours
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 5-pound chicken, giblets removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Pepper
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place onion, garlic, tarragon and thyme into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the legs together with kitchen string, mostly closing the cavity opening. Pull the wings so the tips overlap on top of the breast; tie in place, wrapping string around the wings and body. Rub the chicken with oil, salt and pepper. Set in a roasting pan, breast-side down.
3. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Turn breast-side up and continue roasting, basting occasionally with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching bone, registers 175 degrees, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the string before carving.
COOK’S NOTES:
Roasting Tips
1. Very cold meat won’t roast evenly. Place it on the counter while preheating the oven.
2. Durable cotton kitchen string is sold at kitchenware stores, most gourmet markets and large supermarkets. Do not use sewing thread or yarn, which may contain inedible dyes or unsavory chemicals.
3. A heavy-duty, high-sided roasting pan is essential for conducting heat evenly. Never substitute a cookie sheet. A broiler pan will work in a pinch, but the roast will inevitably be somewhat chewier.
4. Give it a rest. A roast’s internal temperature will rise about 10 degrees while resting. The natural juices will also reincorporate into the meat’s fibers and the skin or crust will dry out slightly for a more toothsome yet more succulent dinner. The nutrient information is for a 3-ounce piece without the skin.
Source: EatingWell
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
http://www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/Meals-Recipes/Browse-Search-Recipes/rid/8254/garlic-mashed-potatoes.aspx
Total preparation time: 15 to 30 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Actual cooking time: 1 1/2 hours
1 whole garlic head
1 1/2 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes, washed, cut into quarters
1/2 medium onion, peeled, diced
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup plain-fat free yogurt
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel papery skin from garlic, leaving whole head intact. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool and separate cloves to extract garlic pulp. Discard skin and squeeze garlic pulp into small bowl; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, place potatoes and onion in large pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat; simmer 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain in colander.
4. In large bowl, combine potatoes, onion, garlic pulp, milk, yogurt, rosemary, salt, pepper and onion powder. Mash with potato masher until all blended but still chunky.
Serve immediately.
COOK’S NOTES:
Roast the garlic ahead of time, then mash ingredients together when ready to serve.
Source: Slim Fast
CREAMY ORANGE SHAKE
http://www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/Meals-Recipes/Browse-Search-Recipes/rid/12040/creamy-orange-shake.aspx
Total preparation time: Less than 15 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Actual cooking time: No cooking required
2 cups calcium-fortified orange juice
2 cups fat-free frozen yogurt
4 teaspoons vanilla
Preparation:
Blend all three ingredients, pour into four glasses and serve.
Source: Prevention
Summary: Serve your family delicious meals with foods with immune boosting qualities that may help keep the flu at bay.
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“Family Meals Matter” features registered dietitian-approved recipes with foods from all the food groups to reflect Dairy Council of California’s nutrition philosophy. For more information, nutrition tools and additional family meal recipes, visit healthyeating.org.
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