AS one of the main men running the kitchen of London’s famous Claridge’s restaurant, Chris Ark knows more than most about managing one’s health and that of his staff. This week he gives us some tips of how to stave off the dreaded cold and flu’s, starting with his wise adage: “the best time to treat a cold is when you don’t have it”.
Prevention is always better than cure. That’s my old philosophy. But with winters onset immanent and some of us already being struck down with the sniffles, I’m pleased to say that the same fruits and vegetables that keep colds and flu at bay, will also help you get rid of them faster.
No treatment of colds would be complete without the addition of Vitamin C. My list below features the all time legends of the Vitamin C world.
There are NO excuses for not kicking a flu or cold this winter. As mentioned last week, the streets of London are full of stores and farmers markets that are overflowing with inexpensive fruit and veg! So look for the bowls, stock up on vitamins and stay healthy.
As with most things in life making it ‘all fun and no work’ is the key to success. Having the right juicer that appeals to you and selecting that all time favourite glass will help to motivate you as the cold weather kicks in. Many shops like Argos have a great range of juicers at great prices. The cost of the juicer is far less than the cost of missing a big night out with mates!
And don’t forget, if you’ve got any leftovers from the recipes and ‘concoctions’ below – don’t’ waste them down the sink, freeze them and take them to work!
Here are my top ingredients to look for:
Ginger, Carrots, Oranges, Limes, Lemon, Celery, Spinach, Pear, Apples, Strawberries, Beetroots, Wheat grass, Blackberries, Pineapple, Sage, Kiwi fruit, Honey, Pomegranate, Banana
Five tasty recipes to get you through the winter blues:
(Remember to give the fruit a wash before blitzing)
Pineapple — ginger — peppermint — strawberries and dash of fresh lime
Dice all the fruits except for the lime. Blitz the fruits and pour into your favourite glass. To finish, squeeze half of the lime into the drink and enjoy!
Blackberries — beetroot – apple — kiwi fruit — lemon juice
Peel your kiwi fruit and beetroot with a potato peeler or small sharp knife. Dice all the ingredients and blitz for 10 secs. It’ll be a mean colour with a killer kick. Yum.
Carrots — pear — oranges — pomegranate
Give the ingredients a good wash but make sure you don’t peel the carrots, the skins hold most of the goodness. Dice the pears and remove the seeds.
Quarter the pomegranate and scrape out the seeds. Place in the juicer and blitz for 10 seconds. Pour into the favourite glass…
Spinach — apple — carrots — pineapple — mint
Wash the spinach leaves, dice the apple removing the seeds, dice the carrots and pineapples. Remove the leaves from the stems of the mint and wash with cold water. Place into the juicer/blender and blitz for 10 seconds.
Banana — pineapple — honey — orange juice
Dice all the fruits and place into the juicer/blender and a tablespoon of honey. Blitz for 10 seconds.
If you like your healthy shakes a bit smoother, feel free to blitz longer than 10 seconds. Experiment a little and come up with some super shakes that match your tastebuds. And of course, if the shakes and fruit don’t work and the pain persists…please see your doctor.
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @ChrisArkOnFood