We are all familiar with the health benefits of vitamin C and the importance of including vitamin C food sources in your daily meals, especially at this time of the year. Along with boosting your immune system, studies have also linked vitamin C with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as helping to eliminate those nasty free-radicals. And while you may not be able to prevent a cold by upping your consumption of vitamin C, research shows that a high vitamin C intake can help the immune system’s ability to track down and fight viruses and bacteria, potentially lessening a cold’s duration and severity.

High vitamin C food sources include fruits and veggies like citrus fruits, guava, papaya, bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, rockmelon, kiwi and pineapple. While having citrus or rockmelon with breakfast is an excellent head-start toward filling your daily requirement of this nutrient, these foods are not your only option.

Couscous is rich in selenium, which plays a role in regenerating vitamin C, so adding vitamin C–packed vegetables to a meal with couscous is a great way to add a boost of vitamin C to your lunch and dinner!

Couscous Salad

Ingredients

• 100g couscous
• 200ml low-salt vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 red pepper
• ½ cucumber
• 50g feta cheese, cubed
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nut

Method

Tip the couscous into a large bowl and pour over the stock.

Cover and leave for 10 mins until fluffy and all the stock has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, slice the onions and pepper, and dice the cucumber.

Add these to the couscous, fork through pesto, crumble in feta, then sprinkle over pine nuts to serve.