This Sniffle Stew contains anti-inflammatory foods and will clear your sinuses right up. Photograph by Cheryl Harris.
When winter brings on the sniffles, dietitian Cheryl Harris brings out the stew.
Rather than wallowing over a bowl of ramen, cook up her recipe for a soup that’s just as comforting, almost as easy, and packed with nutritional benefits that will actually help you feel better.
Sniffle Stew, as Harris calls it, is a filling curry with garbanzo beans, tomatoes, kale, and nut butter. Most of the ingredients are things you can keep on hand in the pantry, so you can whip it up without a trip to the grocery store. (You can keep frozen mixed greens in the freezer and use those instead of fresh kale to make it even easier.)
Cayenne and ginger, which both make an appearance in the stew, are great for colds, Harris says. Not only do they have anti-inflammatory benefits, but they also help open your sinuses. Turmeric, which gives curry its yellow color, is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory foods out there and can even rival some prescription anti-inflammatory pills, she says.
Kale, every nutritionist’s sweetheart, can also help reduce inflammation. Like most beans, garbanzos are packed with protein, fiber, and some iron and calcium, too.
This recipe freezes well, so Harris suggests making a double batch and keeping a stash in the freezer.
Sniffle Stew
Yield: 5 servings
Calories per serving: 332
Ingredients:
1 pound chopped kale or collards
3 cups broth
1 can diced tomatoes
½ cup sunbutter, almond butter, or peanut butter
¼ cup diced uncrystallized ginger or 1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 generous tablespoon garam masala or curry powder
1 squeeze of lemon
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1) Steam or boil kale four to five minutes.
2) Simmer the broth, tomatoes, nut butter, ginger, kale, and spices on low for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Stir occasionally.
3) Add drained garbanzo beans. Simmer a minute or two more, and add salt and pepper as desired.
Cheryl Harris, of Harris Whole Health, is a wellness coach and a registered and licensed dietitian. She is also the author of the blog Gluten Free Goodness.
