It’s that time of year again.

No, I’m not talking about rain, snow, sleet or hail, nor February weather in general.

It’s coughing, sneezing, stuffy head, ache-all-over time, and even though you may have had that annual flu shot, you could still be hit with the energy-draining, bothersome blight known as the common cold. When you’re the one who catches it, it’s anything but common.

Every other person I talk to, it seems, is either coming down with or just getting over a winter cold. Unless you choose to shut yourself indoors, stay away from all other people and become a recluse, your chances of being exposed to cold germs skyrocket during February. Sure, you wash your hands constantly, stay away from crowds of people, and especially stay away from small children with runny noses, but there’s virtually no way to protect yourself totally from that random cough or sudden sneeze that fills the air with invisible terrorists.

There are, however, ways to arm yourself against their attacks, weapons you can add to your arsenal that just might keep you safe until the cold and flu season is over, or at least greatly diminished. Some of these you probably already use; others may surprise you, but all are readily available and most could be at hand in your kitchen right now.

Beans, for example.

How often do you prepare a pot of beans, which couldn’t be easier to do, and just have them on hand for a quick snack, lunch, side dish for dinner, even with a scrambled egg at breakfast?

Beans are nutrient dense carbohydrates, loaded with zinc; they increase the production and aggressiveness of white blood cells which fight infection. Just a half cup of beans at least two or three times a week can give a huge boost to your immune system, helping you fight off the cold bug.

Same thing is true of mushrooms; cooked or steamed (but not raw); they also stimulate your immune system by kicking up those white blood cells that are the infection fighters. I know a number of people who really dislike mushrooms, however, and for them I suggest lightly cooking the ’shrooms then giving them a run in the blender. The flavorful, immunity boosting purée is easily added to soup or casseroles and not recognizable as “mushrooms” per se.

You already know the nutritional value of leafy greens and that they should be on your daily menu somewhere, so it’s no surprise that they’re on the list of immune builders. Packed with nutrients that protect your blood vessels, reduce inflammation and neutralize oxidation (a cell-damaging process), a daily salad or side dish of leafy greens is a huge weapon in your immunity arsenal.

Nuts. An ounce a day keeps the colds away. Nuts not only provide cardiovascular benefits and aid in diabetes prevention, they’re rich in minerals like zinc, selenium and magnesium, all of which help fight off infection.

We’re going to run out of space, so I’ll add a few other weapons quickly. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna and trout have powerful effects on your immune system and aid in the production of antibodies that fight off infections and inflammation.

Berries, especially blueberries, low in sugar and high in antioxidants, stimulate your body’s own antioxidant production and reduce inflammation, as well as help prevent DNA damage.

Onions, leeks, garlic and shallots are all infection and bacteria fighters and should be added to your immune boosting arsenal. About a half cup a day of any combination of those should do the trick.

Add a half cup or more of Greek yogurt every day to provide your GI tract with friendly bacteria that will put down any unfriendly ones lodged there and consider yourself well-armed and ready to face the enemy.

And last but no way least, eat those once-forbidden eggs! The highest quality protein of any food, eggs contain choline, which keeps attackers from getting into your cells in the first place. An egg, several times a week, is also recommended as prevention for several autoimmune diseases, thanks to their anti-inflammatory qualities.

It’s important to note that eating any or all of these only now and then will not provide the kind of weaponry we need to hold the cold and flu germs at bay. Add as many of these as you can as often as possible and at the very least, you’ll know you’ve done your best to help your body fight back when that barrage of cold or flu germs hits the air anywhere near you.

Gesundheit!

RECIPES

Some of the above information came from two books I recommend if you’re interested in boosting your body’s defense system; “Superfoods” by Tonia Reinhard, and “Super Immunity” by Dr. Joel Fuhrman.

Now, let’s talk about those nutritional powerhouses, beans.

Red beans, kidney beans, black beans, fava beans, butter and lima beans, navy beans and pinto beans; they’re easily obtained, canned or dried, relatively inexpensive, especially if you buy them dried and prepare them yourself, and you can use them in endless different ways.

First, I’ll give you one quick way to prepare pinto beans, rich in flavor and nutrition, but you need a pressure cooker for this method.

PRESSURE COOKER BEANS**

2 cups dried pinto beans, picked over and rinsed

8 cups water

Salt, to taste (you can always re-season when you finally use the beans)

2 T. vegetable oil or olive oil

Onion, quartered or sliced

Garlic, to taste, peeled, leave cloves whole or slice, as preferred

Bring the water to a boil in your pressure cooker. Add the beans and return to a boil; boil for 5 min., remove from heat, cover and let stand for at least 1 hr. (This method is called the “quick soak” and is useful for any dried beans as it replaces the old “soak beans overnight” necessity.)

When you’re ready to complete the cooking add a bit of salt, the oil and quartered onion (or shallot) and garlic cloves. Put cover on pressure cooker and cook beans at 15 lbs. pressure for 10 min. Allow pressure to drop normally (don’t release steam).

Serve simply in a bowl topped with chopped green onion, a sprinkle of crushed oregano, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (any or all of those). Makes about 6 cups of beans.

Note: I make a batch of these beans and keep them in the fridge, using them for breakfast (warmed and mashed a bit) with scrambled eggs and a tortilla, or as a side dish with grilled pork chops, or as a quick lunch snack (one of my granddaughters, currently a vegetarian, loves a bean sandwich), adding seasonings (salt/pepper/cumin/herbs), sometimes a bit of molasses, as I reheat and/or use the beans.

** If you don’t have or don’t want to use a pressure cooker, do the beans as in Step 1 and 2, but cover the pot and cook the beans on simmer for about 1½ to

2 hrs., until tender.

IMMUNE BOOSTER SOUP

3 oz. prosciutto, chopped

2 T. olive oil

2 leeks (white part only), diced (about 2 cups)

1 T. minced garlic

1 T. chopped fresh oregano

¼ cup dry white wine

2-3 T. fresh lemon juice

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 cups shelled fresh fava beans (if you don’t know how to prepare fresh favas, see instructions below), or use canned; or use cannellini beans, if preferred

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped asparagus (or substitute chopped fresh green beans)

¹/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

½ cup thinly grated or shaved Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh mint, to taste

1 T. minced lemon zest

Saute prosciutto in olive oil in a large saucepan over med.-high heat until it’s crisp tender. Transfer to paper towel to drain; reserve drippings. Sweat the leek, garlic and oregano in the same pan in the drippings over med.-low heat just until they’re softened. Deglaze the pan with wine; simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated. Stir in broth and lemon juice, bring to a boil. Add beans, zucchini and asparagus. Reduce heat; simmer until vegetables are tender. Stir in basil and sautéed prosciutto. Serve soup garnished with cheese, mint and lemon zest.

To prepare fresh fava beans, string them and open the pod. Remove the beans and blanch them in boiling water for about half a minute, then immediately shock them in cold water. When they’re cool enough to handle, peel off the outer shells (which are difficult to digest), leaving bright green fresh fava beans to use in soups, salads or pureed spreads.