Super Immune Pesto Chicken Pasta

My 3 year old and husband ate tonight's dinner so quickly I knew I have a winner on hand.

Ingredients:
Free range chicken breast, diced
Spinach
Garlic, one whole head
White sesame seeds (I happen to have this at home, would have loved pine nuts)
Lemon Balm (home grown, great for sore throat and cognitive development)
Lemon Thyme (home grown)
English parsley (home grown, super food, best known for its healing property)
Sage (home grown, immune booster)
Teddy bear pasta
Olive oil
Kelp powder
Sea salt
Cottage cheese (optional)

Instructions:
1. Boil pasta. Probably takes 8-10 mins.
2. Blend spinach (90%), herbs (10%), handful of sesame seeds, head of peeled garlic and olive oil.
3. Heat some olive oil in pan. Fry diced chicken breast.
4. When chicken is almost fully cooked, add in blended vegetables puree. Stir for 10 mins or till chicken is thoroughly cooked.
5. Stir in pasta. Season with organic kelp and sea salt.
6. Add cottage cheese if desired. Gives the extra calcium. My girl is a cheese monster and expects cheese with her pasta.

Total time: 20 mins

15 mins Immune Boosting soup

The husband came home from work feeling under the weather. It appears to be viral, considering the symptoms came on quickly. His head feels woozy, congestion builds up quickly and I know just the thing to whip up for tonight's dinner.

Soupy stuff is great when you are under the weather and your digestive system starts slowing. Plus it hydrates the body when your body has to work harder to get you better. Loaded with crucial vitamins and anti oxidants, think of this soup as your imported soldiers to help your immune fight whatever it is fighting.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower (decongestant, thins mucus)
Red capsicum (decongestant, thins mucus)
Purple carrot (high in beta carotene, anti oxidants)
Celery (decongestant, thins mucus)
English parsley
Garlic
Onion

Instructions:
1. As with most phytonutrients, I like to use as little heat as possible. In this case, I chop up the ingredients, fill with just enough water and chicken stock to cover and blend using a hand blender. You can easily blitz up in a food processor beforing transfering to a pot.
2. Bring to boil. I boiled for 10 mins. You can probably get away with less if your chicken stock is flavourful enough. The longer you boil, the sweeter the soup is from all the vegetable. But the heat kills the nutrition.

That's it. Easy peasy dish which takes them 15 mins to make. I will be serving with brown rice as a soupy rice main course, and grilled salmon as a protein.

I keep aside some portions for the baby. I don't fill up the jars (meant for freezing) so I can add carbohydrates and protein in later. This allows me to vary the menu for the baby easily.

Wheatgrass, Parsley, Kelp: Butter & Herbs Pasta

My little girl and I love butter. Luckily for her, she is blessed with extremely high metabolism. Me, not so blessed. -wink-

Here's a recipe for a butter & herbs pasta I like to whip up for her. Extremely nutritious, amazing immune booster and guilt free. Adults friendly too.

Done in less than 10 mins and super nutritious. 50% of the calories of a young child should be derived from carbohydrates. 

Ingredients:

Organic pasta

Butter - I don't use organic but I always make sure it is from Australia

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)

Organic wheatgrass - finely chopped

English Parsley - finely chopped

Chia seeds - a dash

Organic white sesame - a dash

Organic Kelp - for taste (Kelp is a seaplant whose benefits are numerous and include thyroid health, increased immunity, weight loss, iron and mineral supplementation and cancer prevention)

Avocado - mashed and added for a creamy sauce

Instructions:

1. Boil organic pasta in a separate pot for slightly less than the required time. I tend to skip salting.

2. Melt butter, add VCO

3. Add the wheatgrass and English parsley. Try not to overcook these as they get bitter.

4. Add in pasta and avocado. Stir thoroughly

5. Add a dash of kelp for taste

6. Remove from heat, add chia seeds and white sesame before serving. I have been introducing glass and ceramic crockery to my three year old because I think it is time she learns to handle fragile items.

Wheatgrass, English Parsley & Kelp: Guilt-free Butter & Herbs Pasta