Hello September and Happy Spring everyone!
Spring is in the air and everything outside looks so much brighter.
The skies are clearer, the mornings are more crisp and the blommetjies are colourful.
Although the days are getting warmer, it is important to still be cautious, stay safe and take care of our health.
With all the yummy fruit and veg we have in season, we can take full advantage of all the benefits and nutrition we get from eating it.
All these colourful veg and fruit can help strengthen our immune system by “Eating the Rainbow”, that means eating different colours every day.
When we felt the flu coming on, Mom always doubled up on Vitamin C by giving us oranges and I always remember her saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
There’s so much truth in this saying and there’s a wide range of health benefits that come from eating colourful fruits and veg.
It’s linked to high levels of specific nutrients, especially if you consume at least two from each colour every day.
Red fruits are nature's powerhouse in nutrition and include beets, strawberries, raspberries, red apples, cranberries, cherries and pomegranate.
Orange and yellow fruits are packed with nutrients and are rich in Vitamin C.
Yellow Fruits include the beautiful citrus family like lemons, oranges, and grapefruit and also pineapple, papayas, peaches, and apricots.
Green coloured fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest foods you can eat and when put together they can make a mean green juice or smoothie.
They include kale, spinach, celery, cucumbers, avocado, kiwi, green grapes and green apples.
So let’s boost our immune systems with the help of Mother Nature.
Enjoy and stay safe, Love your Cooksister
Recipes:
Honey Ginger Lemon Tea
Ingredients
2 cup water
½ juice of fresh lemon
1 teaspoon honey
Half tsp piece fresh ginger
Method
On a stove top, in a tea pot bring to all the ingredients to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat, allow to cool slightly, strain and enjoy warm
Turmeric Golden Milk
Ingredients
1 -2 cups milk or almond milk
¼ tsp turmeric
½ tsp size piece ginger
Crack black pepper
Pinch fine cinnamon
Honey
Method
On a stove top, in a tea pot bring to all the ingredients (except the honey) to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat, allow to cool slightly, strain, add in the honey and enjoy warm
Ginger and Apple Cider Tea
Ingredients
1 cup water
¼ tsp raw grated ginger
½ tsp tea leaves
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
Method
On a stove top, in a tea pot bring to boil the water, ginger and tea leaves and simmer for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the honey and apple cider vinegar.
Allow to cool and strain. Enjoy warm
Cool me down
Ingredients
¼ cucumber sliced
11 mint leaves
The juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp size ginger
1 litre water
Method
Mix all ingredients together and add to a fridge safe jug.
Chill and enjoy as desired.
Green Juice
Ingredients
1 cup parsley
2 cups spinach
1 green apple
The juice of 1 lemon
1 small cucumber
3 celery stalks
1 tsp size ginger
Method
Juice or blend all ingredients together and enjoy.
Tropical Smoothie
Ingredients
1 cup mango pieces
1 cup pineapple pieces
¼ cup double cream yoghurt
¾ cup milk or orange juice
Method
Add all ingredients to your blender and whiz until smooth
Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
2 cups mixed berries
½ cup double cream yoghurt
1 cup ice
Dash honey
Method
Add all ingredients to your blender and whiz until smooth
Green Smoothie
Ingredients
4 to 5 leaves of kale or spinach
2 bananas
1 cup blueberries
A few slices cucumber
Mint leaves
Inch ginger
Dash lemon juice
Method
Add all ingredients to your blender and whiz until smooth