Immune boosting

#5 Creamy broccoli soup

When I was a kid I absolutely hated broths or soups of any kind so much that I used to have nightmares about it. It was a thing that I always associated with being ill. It is not until I become an adult that I started to appreciate the health benefits and enjoy the nourishing side of soups.

Chicken broth has been considered a remedy for cold and viral symptoms for centuries, that’s why Giulia and I decided to create a soup that would contain this delicious ingredient.

When we get a cold, our body reacts to the virus by creating an inflammatory response. Chicken soup may have an anti-inflammatory action on our immune system which stops our white blood cells from migrating in the affected area. Another great bonus about eating soup when you are ill is that they help keep your body hydrated.

We chose broccoli as the main vegetable for this soup as it is high in vitamin C and antioxidant compounds such as lutein, zeaxanthin and carotenoids. Broccoli are also rich in vitamin K and vitamin A which are known to improve vitamin D metabolism. As we mentioned in the previous posts, vitamin D is an essential nutrient for our immune system health.

Creamy broccoli soup

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Total Time: 40 min

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN STOCK

2 garlic cloves

3-4 chicken wings

1 carrots

2 celeries stalks

1 onion (100g)

bayleaves

2 tsp peppercorn

1 tsp salt

BROCCOLI SOUP

200g broccoli

200g potatoes 

2 garlic cloves 

1/2 onion (70g)

2 celery stalks

butter 10g

600ml chicken stock

a handful of rosemary

salt

pepper

GARNISH

thyme 

extra virgin olive oil

black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the chicken stock, chop the carrots, celery and onions in big chunks. In a big pot place all the ingredients and cover with water.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 3-4 hours.

To make the creamy broccoli soup, finely chop the onion and crush the garlic cloves first. Then chop the celery into small cubes. Heat up the butter in a deep pot and fry the onions, celery, garlic and rosemary for 2 minutes.

Slice the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Chop the broccoli of approximately the same size as the potatoes as well.  Add it to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. 

Filter the chicken stock through a fine sieve and place it a separate pot. Strip some of the chicken from the chicken bones. You will add this to your broccoli soup later on. Bring the chicken stock to a boil.

Pour the chicken stock into the broccoli’s pot and cook it for approximately 25 minutes at medium heat. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Save some of the broccoli in a small plate to use as a garnish later on. Blitz all the remaining content and bring the pot back to the stove to reduce further more.

Portion the soup into two small bowls. Add in some thyme, a drizzle of olive oil and pepper if you wish.

The soup is also great cooked served with croutons.  

Buon appetito!

Immune boosting

#3 Homemade oat & wheatgerm granola with goat’s yogurt and berries

The world is divided into two, between people that love breakfast and people that skip it all together. 

I get very grumpy if for some reason I can’t have breakfast, it is my favourite meal of the day! My breakfasts vary from unhealthy options such as buttery croissants and ultra sweet jams every now and then, to healthier ones to redeem myself from my gluttony sins. 

It is not until I arrived in London that I discovered granola, and I really liked it, although now you can find it anywhere in the world even in Italy. The problem with granola brands you find in supermarkets is that they often contain high amounts of refined sugars. That’s why me and Giulia decided to make our own recipe.

We put a spin to this recipe using rolled oats and wheatgerm.  Wheatgerm is literally the germinating part of the seed that turns into a plant, it is often discarded during the milling process although it is a very nutritious ingredient, packed with minerals such as zinc —an essential nutrient for our immune system.

Nuts and seeds were also added to the mix for their beautiful texture and their vitamins, minerals and healthy fats content.

Yogurt is a great source of probiotics, those friendly microorganisms that help support our gut health and our immune system. If you are ok with dairy or you only have a mild sensitivity to it, you may want to try goat’s yogurt instead of a regular yogurt. According to research, goat’s milk contains less casein and lactose than cow’s milk, and it is high in nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, omega-3, vitamin B12, vitamin D. 

Note: In case of a proper dairy allergy or a strong sensitivity, please use a plant-based yogurt alternative.

Fresh fruit is a very important part of a healthy breakfast —and you could add potentially more fruit to this recipe. We chose a variety of berries since they are rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and they are low in sugar.

Try out this version and let us know what you think! 

You can make a large batch of it if you wish. If placed into an airtight container, it can last as long as one month. 

Homemade oats & wheat germ granola with goat’s yogurt and berries

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Total Time: 20 min

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS

GRANOLA

30g wheat germ

30g oats

20g mixed seeds

20g almonds and walnuts 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1tbs honey

10ml water

25ml coconut oil

240g goat’s milk natural yoghurt 

mixed berries

1 tsp honey 

INSTRUCTIONS

For the granola. First thing preheat the oven to 200ºC 

Roughly chop the walnuts and almonds. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, wheat germ, mix seeds, honey, almonds and walnuts, cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, honey and water. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry, and mix until evenly blended. 

Spread the compost on a baking tray covered in parchment, to form an even layer. Cook for about 15minutes. 

Split the yoghurt  into two bowls and add in the berries.

Sprinkle some of the granola. Drizzle some honey on the top if you wish for extra sweetness.

Pronto!

Immune boosting series

#2 Roasted Sardines with peppers salad

Do sardines come from Sardinia? I have been asked this question several times. I always thought it was hilarious, it is one of these question people often used to break the ice as soon as they find out I am from Sardinia.

The straight answer is: No! Although there is some speculation that the word sardines derives from the Greek “Sardò”, indicating the island of Sardinia, there is no proven link between the two.

Another recurring question I am asked is “do you miss Sardinia being in London?” Of course I miss my island sometimes! What I miss the most is the long days and months of sun and very warm springs. In London I have suffer from Vitamin D deficiency before.  

Talking to my friend Giulia from Cromonutrition I found out that it is extremely common to see vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency amongst people. The reason for this is the reduced day-light from autumn to early spring, which impacts the skin’s ability to make vitamin D.  Vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients for the immune system, according to Giulia. 

What you could do to increase your vitamin D level is to eat more fish such as salmon, tuna, sole… and sardines! 
Sardines are also packed with essential fatty acids, low in toxins —as they are a small fish with a short lifespan— and they take 15 mins to cook, so you now have plenty of reasons why you should include them into your diet.

So together with Giulia we decided to make a pepper salad to go with our roasted fish because “yellow and red peppers are the fruits with the highest vitamin C content —yes, peppers and not oranges!” I’ve learnt from Giulia. “Bell peppers are also rich in vitamin E, betacarotene and flavonoids, so they do contain a wide variety of antioxidants. We also added capers for their quercetin content and parsley as it is high in betacarotene. The cherry on top of the cake for this healthy meal is Apple Cider Vinegar. Being a fermented food, ACV contains healthy probiotics which can improve our gut flora and, therefore, support our immune system.”

“I still remember the first time I ate sardines… It was many years ago, in one of my summer holidays in Southern Italy with my dad. The restaurants where we were having dinner had some Sarde a Beccafico on the buffet and I got tempted by their inviting appearance. Wow! Nothing was ever quite the same after I tried them.”

You can find Giulia on Instagram under @Cromonutrition

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Roasted Sardines with yellow & red peppers salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes 

Servings: 2 serves 

INGREDIENTS

6 fresh whole cleaned sardines

2tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp dried oregano

parsley

2  tsp salt

ground pepper

PEPPERS SALAD

1/2 red pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

10 black olives

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp capers

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS

For the salad, cut the peppers in very small cubes. Then cut the black olives in a half and slice them into small pieces. Put these in a large bowl, add in the capers and toss with the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

For your sardines, first thing when you purchase them make sure to ask your fishmonger to clean them for you, unless it is something you enjoy doing.

Preheat the oven to 200 ºC.

Pat dry the sardines and place them on a oven’s tray with some baking paper underneath. Rub the sardines on the inside and outside with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano. Then chop the garlic cloves very thinly and do the same with the parsley. Place parley and garlic inside the sardines together with a small slice of lemon.

Cook the sardines in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, until well cooked and crispy. 

Serve with the peppers salad and with a slice of bread if you wish. 

Immune boosting series

#1 Pumpkin gnocchi with aromatic herbs

I started my first collaboration with Giulia, a lovely human being and a knowledgeable nutritionist. It feels lonely working as a freelance sometimes and it is good to get inspired by people that do something different from what I do. It helps to open my views and learn something new. If I can then bring that something into my photography is a plus!

Together we joined forces to create a series of healthy Italian inspired recipes. All the nutritional info here have been written by Giulia, together we created the recipes and photographed them.

We decided to prepare this primo piatto, since gnocchi are a traditional Italian dish that we both remember making them with our grandparents.

We used zucca (pumpkin) instead of just potatoes as pumpkin is a great source of antioxidants and beta-carotene, precursor of vitamin A.

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for cellular growth and for maintaining a healthy and responsive immune system. Research has also linked this vitamin to lung function improvement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is an excellent reason why we should start eating more vitamin A -rich food during these times.

The sauce we created for our pumpkin gnocchi has several health-boosting ingredients! In extra virgin olive oil, we infused garlic, oregano, rosemary and sage which can all help fighting microbes. Then we used a combination of seeds as a healthier substitute for Parmesan cheese, since pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds are rich in zinc which plays a key role in immune function, and because dairy products could be quite inflammatory on the body.

“Autumn is all about pumpkin and chestnut from where I am from, near Lake Garda in Northern Italy. From October to December, homes and restaurants start cooking pumpkin-everything: soups, ravioli (tortelli di zucca, a typical recipe from Mantova), salads, cakes, even gelato — which is incredibly tasty.

The flavour of pumpkin brings me back to my childhood in Italy, and the fact that this vegetable is also packed with health-promoting properties makes me feel glad to consider pumpkin one of my comfort foods! “ said Giulia.

You can find Giulia on Instagram under @Cromonutrition

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Pumpkin gnocchi with aromatic herbs

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1hour 20minutes

Servings: 2 serves

INGREDIENTS

GNOCCHI

300g pumpkin

200g old potatoes

40g corn starch

100g flour

1 medium egg

a few twists of ground black pepper

5g salt

AROMATIC OLIVE OIL

60ml extra vergin olive oil

10 sage leaves

3 crushed garlic cloves

a few rosemary leaves

1/2 tsp oregano

To sprinkle

2 tbs ground sunflour and pumpking seeds

10g grated parmesan

To cook the gnocchi

2.5l water

2 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

For the sauce, start by placing all the ingredients in a bowl with the olive oil.

For the gnocchi. Pre-heat the oven to 220 ºC

Cook the potatoes in the oven wrapped in tinfoil for about 50 minutes or until soft.

Cut the pumpkin into cubes, remove the seeds, filament and skin. Place on a tray with baking paper. Sprinkle some salt on the top and cook them in the oven for about 40 minutes or until soft.

In a large bowl peel the potatoes and mash them so they completely smooth. Then mash the pumpkin. It is essential to mix the ingredients together while they are still warm to obtain a compact dough. Put in the flour and the corn starch and mix lightly together using your hands.

In a separate bowl whisk one egg. Then make a hole in the middle of the gnocchi dough previously made and place half of the whisked egg, mix lightly until fully incorporated. The dough should be firm and compact and not too moist but not too dry and hard. If it is dry add more egg, if it is too wet add more flour. For best results try not to touch the dough too much.

Put it into a container, cover with clingfilm and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Dust a flat surface with flour. Take a third of the dough and roll it into cylinder of about 1 inch thick. Then cut it into small pieces of about 1 inch long.

Place the gnocchi on a tray dusted with flour and covered with a cloth to rest for 10 minutes.

Boil about 2.5 liters of water in a large and deep pot. Add in the salt. Bring to a simmer and cook the gnocchi in batches. They are ready when they start to float.

Divide into two portions. Drizzle the herbal olive oil on top of them and finally sprinkle the ground seeds and parmesan on top.

If you wish to use the gnocchi in a separate occasion they can be frozen for up to three months or in the fridge they can be used up to 3 days.