You can still catch a cold or flu faster than you can say “Gesundheit!” Protect yourself with this spicy triple threat. Carrots are rich in immune-boosting vitamin A, zinc-packed pumpkin seeds ward off infection and apple juice is full of sniffle-stifling vitamin C. These three nutrients are essential for healing and to keep our immune systems fighting fit, Naudé says. Another weapon: yoghurt. Studies show that its beneficial bacteria provide another line of defence against microbes.
What You Need
½ cup wheat bran
1¼ cups nutty wheat
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground dried ginger
70ml apple juice
1 egg, beaten
½ cup Bulgarian yoghurt
½ cup carrots, grated
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
3 tbsp molasses
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
Method
1/ Preheat oven to 190°C.
2/ In a large bowl, whisk together wheat bran, nutty wheat, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon and dried ginger.
3/ In a separate bowl, combine the juice, egg, yoghurt, carrot, fresh ginger and molasses. Combine mixtures and then fold in the pumpkin seeds.
4/ Spoon the batter into paper-lined muffin trays. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes 8. Per 72g muffin: 544kJ, 1.5g fat (0g sat), 280mg sodium, 26g carbs, 4g fibre, 7g sugars, 5g protein
If you like your muffins in fuss-free batches of six, bake your treats in a silicone muffin mould. It can go right from the oven to the freezer and it’s dishwasher safe. (Available at Woolworths, R100.)
