7 Healthy Recipes to Combat Flu Season

Healthy Recipe Ideas

Notice everyone around you falling sick? Yep, the biannual flu season makes its way around again in May, and on top of that, COVID-19 infections were seen to almost triple in cases from March to May

That means it’s time to eat well and strengthen your immunity – and we’ve got you covered with our healthy recipe ideas. And no, healthy doesn’t mean bland and boring! Here’s a compilation of 7 recipes that are tasty, filling, high in nutrients, and easy to make too. 

1. Black Chicken Herbal Soup

 

Don’t be intimidated by the appearance of Black Chicken Herbal Soup – we promise it’s yummy! And we’re not telling you this because our grandma forced us to. 

The soup is rich, savoury and earthy, owing to the aromatic Chinese herbs used in the soup. It goes perfectly with the slightly sweet and nutty, fall-off-the-bone meat of the Black Chicken. Pair it with a bowl of brown rice for a healthy and hearty meal! 

Black chicken is also a known superfood – rich in antioxidants, it’s also packed with vitamins B, E and is a source of iron and calcium. Plus, it’s well known in the Chinese medicine field for boosting immunity – isn’t that exactly what we need? 

P.S. To our amazing women out there: Black Chicken Soup is also great for replenishing blood, so if you just finished your cycle, you know what to do! 

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/black-chicken-soup/

Preparation Time: 1 hour. Serves 3-4 pax. 

2. Itek Tim

 

Itek Tim, otherwise known as Salted Vegetable Duck Soup, boasts of hearty duck meat and addictive sour vegetables simmered in a light, savoury broth. Best part? You can just throw in all the ingredients and let the slow cooker do all the cooking . 

This traditional Nonya soup also includes various herbs and spices. Our recipe calls for quite a bit of ginger (50g!), which has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Apart from having anti-inflammatory properties, ginger also serves as an immune booster! If you’re down with a common cold or flu, consider adding more ginger to your Itek Tim – it’s known to alleviate symptoms like coughing and nasal congestion.Pro tip: Keen for a less fatty meal? Lots of duck fat is found in its skin, so try removing the skin before cooking. 

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/itek-tim/

Preparation Time: 1 hour 35 mins. Serves 3-4 pax. 

3. Stir Fried Pork with Mushrooms

 

This 30-minute-dish is perfect for all our fungi fanatics! 

Our Stir Fried Pork with Mushrooms calls for 2 types of mushrooms – Shimeji and Oyster Mushrooms, each offering their own unique set of health benefits! Shimeji mushrooms are rich in antioxidants and fibre that promote a happy, healthy gut, whereas Oyster mushrooms boost immune function and help with regulating cholesterol levels. 

Additionally, mushrooms are also a great source of protein, so feel free to swap out the pork for more mushrooms if you want a vegan alternative! 

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/stir-fried-pork-with-mushrooms/

Preparation Time: 30 mins. Serves 3-4 pax. 

4. One Pot Chicken and Mushroom Rice

 

All this dish takes is a rice cooker, $5 for ingredients, and 45 minutes. Think Singapore chicken rice, but with a healthy twist – served with mushrooms and Chye Sim for a balanced meal. We ensured to keep this dish packed with flavour using chives, garlic and ginger to season the rice, making each bite refreshing and fragrant. Apart from adding flavour to your dish, garlic also contains compounds that help support the body’s natural defences against bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. 

We made this One Pot Chicken and Mushroom Rice really easy to prepare. So even if you’re feeling under the weather, you’ll be able to make this without expending much energy. (Yep, just toss the ingredients into the rice cooker and crawl back into bed.) 

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/one-pot-chicken-and-mushroom-rice/

Preparation Time: 45 minutes. Serves 2-4 pax. 

5. Teochew Steamed White Pomfret

 

Teochew Steamed White Pomfret is probably familiar to those who celebrate Lunar New Year,  with its annual appearance on the dining table. But who’s to say you can only eat it during the festive season? Pomfret makes for a healthy protein anytime, anywhere.

We stuffed our pomfret with ginger slices, salted plums, vegetables and mushroom strips to pair with the fish. This adds another dimension of flavour to the sweet and tender flesh. 

Pomfret’s also loaded with omega-3-fatty-acids, which have been shown to do wonders for your heart, brain and body. We recommend integrating pomfret into your regular diet – after all, when it comes to staying healthy, prevention is always better than cure! 

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/teochew-steamed-white-pomfret/

Preparation Time: 25 minutes. Serves 4 pax. 

6. Steamed Cabbage Rolls

 

These Steamed Cabbage Rolls is one for the books – it only requires 20 minutes to make, and you can get your daily intake of meat and vegetables all in one simple dish. 

The cabbage wraps pack in the moisture from the minced chicken and prawns, making each bite burst forth with flavour. When drizzled over with the scallop sauce, you’ll get that extra oomph of umami that completes the dish. 

Cabbage isn’t just yummy – it’s also a great source of vitamins and minerals, and is packed with vitamin C, K, folate and potassium. These nutrients support your immune system by facilitating the production of white blood cells, which help to fight off infections and diseases. 

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/steamed-cabbage-rolls-with-scallop-sauce/

Preparation Time: 20 minutes. Serves 4 pax. 

7. Old Cucumber Soup

 

Sometimes, all we want to do is curl up at home and indulge in a warm bowl of comforting soup. This Old Cucumber Soup from home gives you just that, complete with a sense of nostalgia as many of us recall eating this when we were children. 

After being simmered for hours, the soup is light and refreshing with a sweet aftertaste from the pork ribs. This soup also incorporates superfoods in the form of Wolfberries, Red Dates and Almonds – the power trio that are high in antioxidants and support immune system function. 

No wonder this was a hit with our parents and grandparents. 

Recipe: https://themeatmen.sg/old-cucumber-soup/

Preparation Time: 2 hours 15 minutes. Serves 3-4 pax. 

Healthy Home Cooked Recipes

Combating the flu can be challenging, but incorporating healthy and nutritious meals into our diet can help us strengthen our immune system, making it easier for us to fight off the virus. 

We hope these 5 easy recipes will help you kickstart your journey towards healthier eating! Remember that practising other healthy habits such as getting enough sleep and staying hydrated (peep: hot weather season) can also help us in warding off the flu (and COVID-19 as well!) 

—-

More of what you might like: 

P.S. We’ve got recipes for all your Singaporean and Asian favourites on our Youtube channel. Subscribe and share with your friends!

P.P.S. Can’t find a recipe you like? Drop us a comment or ping us on our socials. 

—-

Get cooking with us:

Facebook | Instagram | Telegram | TikTok | Pinterest

Bite into this.
More mouthwatering articles here.

Sichuan Recipes Easy   Most of us were acquainted with Sichuan cuisine when the Mala…

For all the end-of-year parties and potlucks, we’ve got you 10 easy finger food recipes…

Whipping Cream vs Heavy Cream    You’re at the supermarket aisle looking for a cooking…

From Cabbage to Crunch: Your Guide to DIY Korean Kimchi Authentic Kimchi Recipe Did you…

4 Asian Kitchen Basics- Master You Must Pay Tribute to our Asian Roots Image: Disney…

Plant-based recipes 2023   For many Singaporeans, we’ve grown up eating our fair share of…