You don’t have to be sick in order to benefit from a little immune system support. In fact, what you eat in the long term can even impact your immune age – and the last thing you want is for that system to age faster than the rest of you.

With that in mind, this recipe from Mildreds is one you’ll want to bookmark for weeks when you just need a little pick-me-up. As well as ras el hanout (a North African spice mix made from spices such as cardamom, allspice, mace, nutmeg, paprika and fenugreek), this stew-like soup also contains turmeric (a powerful anti-inflammatory), cumin (high in energy-boosting iron) and ginger (an antimicrobial).

Then you’ve got carrots (rich in vitamin A), lentils (packed with fibre) and harissa paste. Again, this tends to be used for flavour but it’s also teaming with health benefits thanks primarily to its capsaicin content – found to improve heart health, blood pressure and immunity.

Make this Mildreds red lentil harira soup the next time you need an immune system boost