Immune-Boosting Salsa

I rarely get sick, but when I do get the odd sniffle I prefer not to take any medications unless absolutely necessary. I love using foods in their natural form to boost my immune system and fight whatever bugs are getting me down. In particular, I think that the antimicrobial benefits of fresh garlic and ginger are exceptionally powerful but unless you love chewing on raw garlic, getting them in can be a struggle. That's why I came up with this immune-boosting salsa.

It perfectly combines the super potent anti-microbial effects of ginger, garlic and parsley with the immune boosting anti-oxidant Vitamin C (from the tomatoes, lime juice, and parsley). It also includes some turmeric which has anti-inflammatory benefits whilst the tahini and pepper help to enhance the absorption of the turmeric. Best of all, you will hardly notice that you're eating 4 whole cloves of raw garlic with this delicious salsa!

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For my patients on calorie-controlled meal plans:

1 x 400g serving of this recipes =

  • 5 veg servings
  • 1/2 fat serving

It all starts with...

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 english cucumber, finely chopped
  • 4 large roma tomatoes, finely chopped
  • Handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 inch ginger root, finely chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp za'atar (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp celery salt
  • 2 grind black pepper

Method:

1. Place your chopped tomato, cucumber, garlic, ginger and parsley in a bowl and mix together.

2. In a separate bowl whisk together the tahini, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, water and spices until you get a smooth creamy sauce.

3. Pour the sauce over your chopped vegetables and stir through. Serve as a condiment on top of your hot dishes or as a dip for crackers or bread.

Notes:

* Large doses of garlic can be irritating for the digestive system. If you are not used to eating lots of garlic, take it slow and eat this in small amount over the course of 2 or 3 days.

Mark SebbaComment