When I was growing up and came down with a stuffy nose, chicken soup from the can seemed to make me feel better. But those same mushy noodles and few bites of chicken don’t seem to satisfy any more. I crave something spicy to unclog my sinuses and warming spices like garlic and ginger to soothe my throat.
So a few days ago when I was beginning to feel under the weather (and knowing my family would be catching the same unpleasant symptoms soon enough,) I whipped up this simple soup with as many ‘immunity ingredients’ as I could think of:
- Fresh herbs and veggies chocked full of antioxidants
- Beef rich in protein and zinc – Zinc has been shown to help shorten the length of colds, and chapped noses and inflamed throats need protein to repair
- Ginger and garlic to soothe sore throats
- Spicy jalapeno pepper to unclog stuffy noses
- Vitamin C rich lime juice rich in vitamin C to help heal
Immunity Soup

Fight off the flu, colds and winter blues with this immunity soup brimming with nutrients from ginger, garlic, lime juice, jalapeno peppers and more!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 medium onion, about 1 cup
- 1 inch-square piece of fresh peeled ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 can (14 to 14 ½ ounces) fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
- 8 ounces lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Toppings:
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
- Shredded carrots and/or bean sprouts
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped
- Cooked brown rice
Instructions
- Heat oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 5 minutes until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add ginger and garlic; cook and stir one minute.
- Pour in chicken broth and 3 cups water; turn heat up to high. While water comes to a boil, pinch ground beef into teaspoon-sized free-formed meatballs and place on a plate.
- When soup is boiling, slide in meatballs. Stir well, and simmer 3-4 minutes until meat is cooked through.
- Stir in lime juice and serve with toppings.
What do you eat to help strengthen your immune system and ward off sickness?