Recipes to fight Omicron: Boost your kid’s immunity with these healthy foods

Healthy food has replaced comfort food in these pandemic times even for kids. Parents are increasingly on look-out for healthy alternatives for their little ones when it comes to preparing their meals, desserts and snacks. Eating healthy is one of the ways to build immunity against highly virulent and contagious Covid strains, the latest one being Omicron.

Especially in winters, when children have an increased appetite, they need something to keep them full as well as help them stay energetic. Considering kids can be a bit picky about the foods they eat, it is important to make your healthy stuff a tad interesting.

Shivani Bavalekar, Senior Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Navi Mumbai (Vashi) suggests 5 healthy recipes that you can make for your kid.

1. Dates-sesame seeds laddoo

Dates-sesame seeds laddoo(Pinterest)
Dates-sesame seeds laddoo(Pinterest)

Preparation time: 10 min

Cooking time: 5 min

Total time: 15 min

Ingredients

* Deseeded dates: 100gm

* Sesame seeds: 3tbsp

* Roasted khuskhus: 1-2tbsp

* Cardamom: 4 green

Method

* Dry roast sesame seeds on a low heat until they turn aromatic.

* Cool them; add cardamoms and grind it.

* Mash the dates.

* Then add the sesame seeds and cardamom powder and knead it to make a soft mixture.

* Roll this mixture into bite size balls.

* Roll them in khus-khus

* Serve this healthy recipe as mid-meal snacks to your little one.

Health benefits

The above recipe is energy and nutrient dense. It has good amount of zinc, selenium and calories. This sweet helps to increase the immunity and hemoglobin in the blood.

2. Golden Milk

Golden milk(Shutterstock)
Golden milk(Shutterstock)

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Milk: 200ml

Almond powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Cinnamon powder: 1/4 tsp

Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder: 1/4 tsp

Jaggery powder: 1 tbsp

Method

* Keep all the ingredients ready. Take milk in a saucepan and add all the dry ingredients to it. Mix well.

* Heat the milk in low flame until frothy, transfer it to glass.

* Serve your kid this healthy milk every night for sound sleep.

Health benefits

Turmeric, cinnamon have antibacterial properties that will help your child to fight against cold and flu. Milk will help to improve bone strength owing to its calcium content. Jaggery helps lung health and has tiny traces of iron too.

3. Bajra soup

Bajra soup(Pinterest)
Bajra soup(Pinterest)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

For curd mixture

* 1 cup Water

* ½ cup Curd

* Salt, to taste

* ½ tsp turmeric powder

* ½ cup bajra flour

For soup

* 2 tsp oil

* ½ tsp cumin seeds

* 1 medium onion, sliced

* ¼ cup carrot, diced

* ¼ cup green peas

Method

* For curd mixture, combine water, curd, salt, turmeric and mix it well.

* Dry roast the bajra flour on low flame for 5 minutes. Mix the roasted flour in the curd mixture and keep aside.

* Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.

* Sauté sliced onion for few seconds. Add the vegetables and saute well for few minutes.

* Add in the curd mixture and cook on slow flame for 10 minutes.

* Serve the soup in the bowl to your little one.

4. Carrot fries with hummus

Carrot fries with hummus(Pixabay, Pinterest)
Carrot fries with hummus(Pixabay, Pinterest)

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

* 10 carrots

* 2 tablespoon curry powder

* 1 pinch black pepper

* 2 teaspoon honey

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Method

* Preheat oven to 200 degree celsius for 20 minutes. Wash and peel the carrots. Cut them into thin strips.

* Keep the carrot strips in a bowl then add curry powder, extra olive oil, and pepper with salt according to your taste. Ensure that carrots are coated properly.

* Then transfer the coated carrots in a baking tray and bake for about 25-30 minutes. Drizzle with some honey. Once well cooked, take out, put them in a serving dish and serve along with hummus.

Benefits

Carrot is good source of vitamin A and soluble good fiber. Hummus dip is good source of protein. Curry leaves help to fight against bacteria.

5. Pumpkin thalipeeth

Pumpkin thalipeeth(Pinterest)
Pumpkin thalipeeth(Pinterest)

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

* 1.5 cups pumpkin cooked and mashed

* 1 tbsp oil

* 1.5 cup mix flour (bajara, ragi, jowar)

* Salt as per the taste

* 1/4 tsp clove powder just for taste

Recipe

* Cut the pumpkin and cook it in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes till it get soft and mushy.

* Prepare and set out the remaining ingredients, mix the flour and add clove powder.

* Add the cooked pumpkin puree to the above mixture and knead it completely, if needed. Add around 2 tsp water.

* With a wet finger pat the batter on the plastic or wet cloth and then, make small hole through the dough. Place a few drops of oil in each of these hole.

* Cover and start cooking the thalipeeth on medium flame.

* Serve the thalipeeth with tomato chutney or raitha as per your child’s choice.

Health benefits

A good source of vitamin A, thiamine, zinc and carbohydrate, it boosts immunity and helps meet fiber needs.

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