Within just a few months of moving to NYC, I quickly got over any fear of germs that I had ever had.
There are people everywhere, touching everything, and spreading all kinds of germs all over the place. On a daily basis, I find myself packed into subways, stairs, and streets with strangers from all over the world.
And while I do envy my boyfriend’s ability to balance in a moving subway car without holding on to anything at all, I’d rather risk touching a dirty handrail than end up falling over sideways (which I may or may not have done a few times anyways).
The one good thing about living around so many germs is that I’ve probably built up a tolerance to pretty much every strain of disease by now–or at least that’s what I like to tell myself.
But even if that is true, I still like to fill my diet with healthy, whole, immunity-enhancing ingredients…because even though it’s a good excuse to stay home, sleep all day, and drink lots and lots of hot tea, I absolutely hate getting sick.
Introducing this beautiful immunity-boosting salad! It’s loaded with health-promoting ingredients and it really is as good as it looks.
Part of the reason why it’s so healthy is thanks to all of the vitamin C it packs in. One serving of this yummy salad gives you 50% of what you need for the entire day!
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can help promote health by neutralizing disease-causing free radicals. Studies have shown that vitamin C could be protective against certain types of cancer. One trial even found that the risk of lung cancer decreases 7% for every 100 mg/day of vitamin C consumed (1).
Not only that, but vitamin C is also highly concentrated in immune cells and can quickly become depleted when your body is fighting off an infection (2).
If you’ve ever felt a case of the sniffles coming on and loaded up on the Emergen-C to prevent a full-fledged cold, what you’re really doing is upping your intake of vitamin C.
But does vitamin C actually work when it comes to stopping the common cold?
A 2005 meta-analysis looked at 29 research trials with over 11,000 participants and found that vitamin C supplementation didn’t reduce the chances of getting a cold…but it was able to shorten the duration (3).
Non-smoking adults need at least 60 mg of vitamin C per day to prevent deficiency (aka scurvy…yikes).
This recipe features spinach, mandarin oranges, red cabbage, and pomegranate arils–all high in vitamin C to help you meet your daily needs.
Aside from vitamin C, this dish is also full of other good stuff, like protein and fiber. A bowl of this will give you 10 grams of protein while fulfilling up to 20% of your fiber requirements for the day. And did I mention it’s just 250 calories per serving?
It also features quinoa, which is a complete protein. That means that it contains all nine of the essential amino acids that our body needs. This is especially important for vegans and vegetarians, as there are limited plant-based foods that contain all nine of these amino acids.
This rainbow quinoa salad is super easy to make, incredibly nutritious, and oh so delicious. The flavor is amazing all on its own, but feel free to top it off with your favorite dressing–just don’t go overboard. Mix it all up and get ready to enjoy!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 1/2 cup quinoa, dry
- 1 leaf red cabbage
- 1 mandarin orange
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/4 cup edamame
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
Ingredients
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- Combine 1/2 cup dry quinoa with 1 cup water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and let it cook about 15 minutes or until water has been absorbed.
- Let quinoa cool, then combine with other ingredients in a large bowl.
- Top with your choice of salad dressing (optional) and enjoy.
I topped my salad off with a bit of Marie's Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing to amp up the flavor even more. Feel free to leave it as is or drizzle on your favorite salad dressing instead.
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