Power Couple #2: Pot roast and carrots - Rev immunity

This popular comfort food makes you feel good for a reason. Carrots are chock-full of vitamin A, a retinol that plays a key role in preventing and fighting off infections. But without the zinc in beef, your body wouldn't be able to use it. Vitamin A can travel through the blood only when it's bound to a protein. "And zinc is required to make that retinol-binding protein," says Roberta L. Duyff, RD, author of American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. "So if you don't have enough zinc, vitamin A is not going to move from the liver to the tissues, where it does its job." Not a fan of pot roast and carrots? Luckily, there are other ways to take advantage of this vitamin A and zinc combo to rev your immunity. Any dark orange, yellow, red and green fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamin A. For a little lighter fare, pair them with zinc-rich proteins: slice a fresh mango into low-fat yogurt, eat a small sweet potato with your fish or stuff your chicken with spinach, such as in this great recipe for Chicken Florentine.

Chicken Florentine
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 10-ounce package of frozen spinach
• 2 tablespoons shredded basil
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, coating them evenly on both sides.
2. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the chicken, cooking it gently over medium heat. Turn the chicken over once the first side is cooked through. Once both sides are done, move pan off of the heat and cover to keep warm.
3. Defrost the spinach and drain any excess liquid. Mix with the basil and garlic and cook in the pan for about 2 minutes.
4. Place 4 equal portions of the spinach mix on 4 plates making "the bed," and placed a chicken breast on top of each bed.
5. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts 222 calories per serving