This Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip makes a healthy snack or appetizer, and will help boost your immune system. Serve with colorful fresh cut vegetables. Sponsored by MegaFood.
A strong immune system is important to staying healthy year round, being your first line of your body’s defense against disease. Eating a healthy diet, rich in antioxidants, nutrients and polyphenols from a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is one way to help build a strong immune system. Exercising and getting enough sleep are also important.
Winter where I live (in Connecticut) means more time spent indoors. And of course, the holidays come with their own taxes on immunity. I created this Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip, with a seasonally appropriate flavor profile, as an immune boosting after-school snack.
Immune Boosting Ingredients* -1
This smoky roasted red pepper feta dip contains several immune boosting ingredients, including a variety of sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is an essential dietary nutrient and is important for the immune system, as well as the cardiovascular, neurological and endocrine systems. 2 Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and protects the body from free radicals, which can cause cell damage. 3
- Red bell peppers are nutrient dense, providing a good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin K, thiamine, folic acid and vitamin B6. Red peppers also have significantly higher total phenolic content than green peppers. 4
- Garlic has antibiotic and antibacterial action, and is also known as “Russian penicillin” because Russian physicians have used it as a tonic to support the body’s immune response. 5
- MegaFood Daily C-Protect Nutrient Booster Powder is a natural way to nourish the immune system. It’s made with vitamin C-rich organic whole oranges (from Uncle Matt’s Farm), phenol-rich organic blueberries and organic cranberries, as well organic astragalus root and organic schisandra berry which work together to fuel your overall immune system and support the body’s healthy response to stress.*
Making Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip
This dip takes just a few minutes to make because everything is whizzed together in a food processor. Roast your own peppers, or you can buy roasted red peppers in the deli section of the supermarket (I think these are much better than jarred red peppers).
One scoop of MegaFood Daily C-Protect Nutrient Booster Powder provides a little extra immune booster.*
Spanish smoked paprika, toasted cumin and cayenne add a little smoke and kick to this dip . I highly recommend using toasted cumin powder, which has deeper, richer flavor than regular cumin powder. To make your own toasted cumin powder, pan roast cumin seeds until fragrant and then grind into a powder using a coffee grinder.
Feta cheese and extra virgin olive oil give this smoky roasted red pepper feta dip its rich, creamy consistency, perfect for dipping with a rainbow of colorful vegetables.
Try this smoky roasted red pepper feta dip as a healthy after-school snack or the next time you have a party. Your family and friends will thank you for helping boost their immune system.
Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip
This vibrant dip complements any crudite platter.
Ingredients
- 3 roasted red bell peppers
- 1/3 cup feta cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground roasted cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 scoop MegaFood Daily-Protect Nutrient Booster Powder™
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- minced parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except olive oil and parsley in a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue processing and drizzle in olive oil until combined. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with assorted crudite.
Sources:
1) 5 Foods To Boost Your Immune System, U.S. News
2) Nutritional Sciences, Michelle McGuire and Kathy A. Beerman
3) Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact o human health, Pharmacognosy Review
4) Antioxidant activities of different colored sweet bell peppers, Journal of Food Science
5) Extracts from the history and medical properties of garlic, Pharmacognosy Review
Disclosure: This blog post was sponsored by MegaFood as part of my participation in their Ambassador program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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