The back-to-school season is a time for new opportunities and beginnings. For some students, especially those with compromised immune systems, the susceptibility to illness increases. Protecting your child(ren) and yourself against common colds or other infections that circulate the classroom can be a lot easier with the right steps in place. 

Developing a back-to-school routine is a challenge in and of itself. Waking up earlier, establishing a quick and efficient routine, and leaving the house on time can prove difficult, especially after summer vacation. Many health officials state that immune health is tied to diet, sleep, and exercise. Building a healthy diet and establishing movement and proper sleep hygiene can enhance immune function, which your child needs as they face the new school year. Hopefully, the following tips can help better prepare your child’s immune system for the back-to-school reality.

Get Plenty Of Sleep

The Sleep Foundation encourages school kids between the ages of six and 13 to get nine to 11 hours of sleep every night. Without sufficient sleep, the body has a more difficult time regulating biological rhythms. Not to mention, insufficient sleep makes the body more susceptible to sickness. If you or your child has trouble sleeping, there are practices that have proven to be quite effective. Click here to learn more about methods that help you fall asleep.

Drink Water

Water is essential for a healthy life because it has many roles in the body. Not only does it help with waste elimination, but it also helps the immune system function optimally. If the body is in a dehydrated state, it cannot effectively produce white blood cells, which help fight off bacteria, pathogens, and viruses. Drinking plenty of water can also help flush toxins from the body, which keeps the immune system functioning optimally. Need help getting your kiddos to drink more water? Spice it up by adding fresh fruit to the water, or consider blending some fruit with water to make a healthier rendition of a punch.

Eat The Right Foods

Dietitians agree that one of the best ways to boost the immune system is to eat the right foods. Focus on fruits and vegetables because they are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that boost the function of immune cells. High-fiber foods also work to maintain a healthy digestive system. What foods do you eat to encourage better immune function? Consider packing the following snacks in your child’s lunch: 

• Oranges: One orange can have up to 75% of the daily value (DV) of vitamin C. 
• Mandarins: Mandarins pack a considerable amount of vitamin C and make for the perfect lunch snack. They are easy to peel, easy to put in lunches, and their seedlessness makes them easy to enjoy!
• Sunflower seeds:  Make sure to opt for the unsalted, shell-less sunflower seeds because they are very easy to eat. Sunflower seeds are also rich in vitamin E, which exhibits antioxidant effects in the body. 
• Almonds: Similar to sunflower seeds, almonds are naturally rich in vitamin E, which helps to fight off free radicals and boost immune function. They also contain heart healthy fats, protein, and lots of fiber. 
• Broccoli: It may be very difficult to get your child to eat broccoli, but it is an excellent source of vitamin C and sulforaphane, both of which encourage immune function. Sneak broccoli into meals like broccoli tater tots or fruit smoothies!

Exercise Regularly

It’s no secret that kids like to run amok like they haven’t a care in the world. The important thing to remember is to not let your child immediately plop on the couch or bed and watch TV or play video games from the time they get home to the time they go to bed. Even if your child is active in school sports or playground activities, make sure they remain active outside of school hours. This is especially important as they progress through the year and the weather starts to cool off. 

Maintain A Healthy Weight

Childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States, and it puts children and adolescents at risk for poor health. Between 2017-2020, 19.7% of children between the ages of two and 19 were affected by obesity. Obesity prevalence between two- and five-year-olds amounted to 20.7%, and 22.2% among six- to 11-year-olds. Data revealed that obesity prevalence was higher in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black children than it was in non-Hispanic White children and non-Hispanic Asian children. Aside from decreased immune function, obesity increases the child’s risk of other health problems. Consult your family doctor if you notice the child’s weight is becoming a problem.

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When we present you with a creative recipe, we try to keep it as simple as possible. The ingredient list may be long or short, but the preparation is meant to be easy. That is especially true for raw vegan recipes. A recipe should not scare you away! It should invite you to make it and inspire you to be more creative in the kitchen. That’s exactly what we though when we came up with this recipe.

All you really have to do for this recipe is soak the sunflower seeds and sun-dried tomatoes for a few hours. Blend them with the other ingredients to create the taco “meat,” and then roll up the nori wraps. Speaking of nori, make sure that you get the sheets that have not been roasted. You can usually find them at a number of grocery stores, especially health food stores. And another quick note about using the nori sheets: make sure to wet your finger and dab one end with it before you roll them up. That will help seal the roll.

These rolls differ from other raw vegan sushi rolls we’ve posted in the past. These have a raw vegan taco “meat” in the center. Roll that smoky, delicious, nutty concoction up with lettuce, bell peppers, avocado, and cilantro and you have a raw nori taquito. If you really want to go the extra mile, feel free to make your own pico de gallo or guacamole to put inside the rolls. That really just depends on the time you are willing to dedicate to this recipe. Whether you make those dips or not, these nori taquitos will have your tasted buds jumping for joy.

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Sometimes, you need a quick and easy salad dressing to dress your entree or side salad. A creamy dressing, especially if it is raw vegan, usually contains cashews because help create a smooth consistency. This creamy cilantro dressing uses raw sunflower seeds in place of cashews, making this dressing friendly for anyone with a nut allergy. It requires a mere five to 10 minutes of your time and five simple ingredients, some or most of which you probably already have in your kitchen.

Why did we choose sunflower seeds for this dressing? Sunflower seeds have a milder flavor when compared to cashews. They also contain essential nutrients, such as selenium, zinc, folate, vitamin E, and vitamins B5 and B6, in addition to many more. Fresh lemon juice is a great addition to most salad dressing recipes because it adds a refreshing zest. Not to mention, it provides a healthy dose of vitamin C and helps promote alkalinity within the body.

Now, for the star of the show, we have the cilantro, which colors the dressing a vibrant green. If you are one of those people that has an aversion to cilantro because it tastes like soap, we feel sorry for you. That said, you can choose another herb, such as basil or parsley, to use in place of cilantro. The flavor will change, but all of the other ingredients work with both of those herbs. You can even use dill if you want, but dill has a stronger flavor, so just keep that in mind.

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Dear friends, followers, recipe lovers, and Dherbs family members…it’s time to talk about the wonderful world of vegan “tuna” salad. Made entirely from vegan ingredients, this entree is a true culinary delight! It offers the same creamy, dreamy goodness that you would get from a mayonnaise-based tuna salad. In addition to the incredible depth of flavor, it also offers great texture from the crunchy celery, onions, and pickles. If you close your eyes and savor the flavors, you may just taste the fish that isn’t there!

This dish is truly as easy to make as it is to devour. We cannot stress this point enough: the texture is so tantalizingly close to the real thing. You may even reconsider buying canned tuna after you make this! Even though it is completely plant-based, you don’t want to consume the entire bowl in one sitting. It’s be tempting, trust us, but sunflower seeds are calorically dense, offering about 165 calories per quarter cup. Even though they offer protein, vitamin E, selenium, folate, and zinc, too many won’t do any favors to your waistline.

The key to keeping this “tuna” salad textural is to not over-blend the sunflower seeds in the food processor. You want to pulse them with the lemon juice and olive oil to a point where they are combined, but not a paste. After a few pulses, taste the beginning of what will be your vegan “tuna” salad and check for texture. If it needs more blending time, give a few more pulses and taste for texture again.

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“When the moon hits your eye like a big…” bowl of zoodles tossed in a savory tomato sauce, you know that’s amore, right? Sometimes you just have to improvise the lyrics to a classic song in order to fit your raw vegan lifestyle. Even more important than the lyrics are the ingredients you use. Forget the store bought jar of sauce and packaged pasta because you won’t need them for this recipe. In fact, you don’t ever need to use jarred sauce because it is filled with sodium and preservatives.

This raw vegan entree is not only filling, but also a pleasant break from salads and smoothies. The first task is to spiralize the zucchini, which is quite an easy process. We recommend that you use a spiralizer that is not handheld, i.e. it has feet and a hand crank so that you can secure it to your countertop. This type of spiralizer is great for zucchini, sweet potatoes, carrots, and more! Once you have your zoodles, you need to make the sauce. Before you do that, we recommend that you pat the zoodles dry with some paper towels.

The great thing about a savory, raw vegan tomato sauce is that you can achieve great depth of flavor without cooking. When you use the proper seasonings and ingredients, you can achieve greatness. Nutritional yeast gives your sauce a cheesy flavor, which would come from parmesan cheese. The sun-dried tomatoes (make sure they are packaged and not the ones that are jarred in oil) offer a lovely acidity and richness. To help thicken the sauce, you have one date and some raw sunflower seeds. Those may seem like odd additions to your sauce, but trust us…they work!

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We always like to say that people who do not like salads just haven’t found the right dressing yet. A great dressing is something that you can enjoy on salads, bowls, tacos, entrees, or even as a dip. You love it so much that you want to drench everything in it! That’s how we feel about this garlic sunflower seed dressing, which is 100% raw vegan and gluten-free. It looks like ranch, but tastes way better and offers more nutrients.

If you have a nut allergy, sunflower seeds can be great alternatives to cashews, which you commonly see in raw vegan creations. That is especially true when making raw cheeses, dressings, sauces, and more. Not only are sunflower seeds fairly inexpensive, but they also exhibit an impressive nutritional profile. In fact, sunflower seeds are high in protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants, which work to protect your cells from damaging free radicals. Sunflower seeds also contain magnesium, potassium, fiber, and oleic and linoleic acids. Some studies even found that they may aid in efforts to lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol levels!

The reason that you soak sunflower seeds prior to blending them is to yield a smoother consistency. Soaked sunflower seeds blend more easily, which is great if you don’t have the most high-speed blender. You can also make this dressing in the food processor if you prefer that method, or you simply don’t trust your blender. We hope you enjoy this dressing as much as we do!

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A lot of people think that raw nori or sushi rolls are very difficult to make. In fact, they come together quickly, especially if you make the filling in a food processor. After that, you simply spread that filling on the nori sheet, add the fresh vegetables, and roll it up. Rinse and repeat until you finish all of the rolls, and then you have and amazing entree that is not only delicious, but filling as well.

Even though there are a lot of ingredients that make up the filling, the steps are very minimal to make the recipe. The reason that there are so many ingredients is to make the filling incredibly delicious. You have a little smokiness and spice from the chili powder and cumin, and the green onion and garlic add a pleasant allium flavor. If you are allergic to nuts, this filling is for you because it calls for sunflower seeds. As a note, soak the sunflower seeds in water for about two to four hours. Drain the liquid and then add the seeds to the food processor. You’ll also need to soak the sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil) for about an hour. The reason that you soak these two ingredients is to soften them for an easier, smoother blend.

If you have a nut allergy, you don’t have to make the cashew dipping sauce. If you don’t have a nut allergy, that sauce will keep you coming back bite after bite. It complements the nori rolls in such a pleasant way. Your tastebuds won’t know what hit them!

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Greet the warmer weather with this healthy, refreshing, mixed berry walnut spinach salad with a maple vinaigrette. This salad hits a variety of flavors and textures, offering sweet and acidic notes from the berries and dressing and crunchiness from the red onion, pistachios, and sunflower seeds. It’s as if the warmer weather beckons you to make fresh, colorful dishes. While not scientifically proven to take you to your happy place, we bet that this salad may do just that.

To start you off on the right foot, you need to select plump blueberries and raspberries. If you can snag some from your local’s farmer’s market, we promise that they are worth the price tag. You have to use those berries quickly, so this salad is a great way to enjoy them all before they go bad. Plus, the fresh, sweet berries are a pleasant relief to the intense raw onion flavor. If you prefer shallots to raw red onion in your salad, you can thinly slice one shallot in place of the red onion. Thinly slicing the red onion or shallot will help mellow the intensity.

One thing that a salad desperately needs, besides greens of course, is varying textures. This salad delivers in that regard, especially with the crunch from the raw sunflower seeds and pistachios. Not only do nuts and seeds offer texture to this salad, but they also offer healthy fats and protein. Those two macronutrients are essential for anyone in need of filling up on a raw vegan diet. Lastly, the maple vinaigrette offers a sweet yet tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with the ingredients in this salad. Drop a comment below to let us know if you like it, or what you did to tweak this recipe to your liking.

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When you’re eating raw vegan, you need recipes that are: a) delicious, and b) filling. Eating a rib or two of celery is not going to fill you up, but enjoying this sunflower seed spread on cucumber slices will. The healthy fats and fiber from the sunflower seeds help you feel full, but make sure not to consume the entire dip. Why, do you ask? Well, eating the entire bowl of the sunflower seed dip will rack up some serious calories.

What makes this dip so flavorful? Aside from the long list of spices, this dip contains sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, green onion, jalapeño, and more. The tahini enhances the creaminess and adds a subtle nutty flavor. Now, if you are sensitive to spice, you can omit the jalapeño, but with all the other seasonings, herbs, and addition of maple syrup, you should be fine. This dip won’t cause you to breathe fire, but you’ll feel the kick. The refreshing cucumber slices also help tame the spice.

When it comes to blending the ingredients, we strongly encourage the use of a food processor. If you want to make the blending process easier, you can soak the sunflower seeds and sun-dried tomatoes in water (separately) for an hour or so before blending. Soaking will help soften these ingredients and ease the blending process. A good food processor can easily handle ingredients that you don’t soak, though. Finally, the spread should be a little chunky and not like a smooth sauce. Blend it to your desired consistency and then enjoy when ready!

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To all the people who love cilantro, this dip is for you. Not only is this dip raw vegan, but it is also nut-free, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious. Sunflower seeds offer a unique nutty flavor that works well with this dip. Plus, they are relatively inexpensive and soften quickly after you soak them in water. This is a necessary characteristic to yield a creamy, smooth dip. 

You have the option to use either a high-speed blender or a food processor. If your blender is average and cannot handle blending nuts or seeds, a food processor is the better kitchen tool for the job. Oftentimes, a food processor is great for nuts and seeds, as it blends them with ease. We’ve made raw vegan yogurt and other similar dips to this recipe with the food processor and it worked great. Alternatively, you can always add more lemon juice and some apple cider vinegar to yield a thinner consistency. If you go down that road, this will make a great dressing. 

One thing to keep in mind is that this dip yields about 1.5 cups, which translates to eight servings. Enjoying a large amount of this dip will increase your caloric intake, as sunflower seeds are calorically dense. They also exhibit several healthy properties, but they don’t cancel out the calories. This is something you should keep in mind when you enjoy raw nuts or seeds. 

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