Let’s Dish Up Some Anti-Inflammatory Recipes

Inflammation can wreak havoc on your health. It’s the body’s natural reaction to a stressor, which can be an injury, illness, infection or even a tough workout. Acute inflammation is a good thing, as long as it resolves the effects of stress on the body in the short term. But when it is chronic, occurring at high levels over a period of time due to a lack of sleep, poor diet, repeated infections, or other health conditions, it can lead to digestive problems, reduce the body’s ability to heal and lower immunity, leading to inflammatory diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.

Exercise, getting enough rest and reducing emotional stress are ways to reduce inflammation in your body. As far as eating right, there are many foods that help reduce or avoid chronic inflammation. Fortunately, they are easy to work into your diet and quite delicious. For more information, see our nutritionist Ginger Hultin’s article on the benefits of anti-inflammatory foods.

We keep coming back to the Mediterranean diet, which is high in lean proteins like fish, as well as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low saturated fats such as olive oil. And if you look at some of the ‘blue zones’ including Icaria, Greece, and Sardinia, Italy, the long, healthy lives of those residents are attributed to their Mediterranean diet and a lifestyle of integrated physical activity and social connections.

Whole grains are a key part of a Mediterranean diet, plus they are hearty and satisfying. My Savory Oatmeal with Baby Spinach and Poached Egg provides the protein and vitamins from the egg. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, K, iron, folate, and potassium. Spinach also adds some protein to your diet. The oatmeal provides antioxidants, improves insulin response, lowers blood sugar, improves cholesterol levels, promotes healthy bacteria in the digestive tract while it’s also a good source of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, folate, and vitamins B-1 and B-5. Cooking the oats in the skillet with the onions gives it a risotto-like texture.

I’ve included an international selection of savory oatmeal recipes in my latest cookbook, Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World. This recipe is a new one for you.

Savory Oatmeal with Baby Spinach and Poached Egg

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 Tbs. olive oil

½ medium yellow onion, chopped

1 cup rolled oats

2 cups water

4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1 cup), divided

1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 cups washed baby spinach (about 2 oz.)

4 large eggs, poached*

2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. Heat oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3-to-4 minutes. Stir in oats; cook 1 minute. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring often, until oats are tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Stir ¾ cup cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper into oats mixture. Spoon ½ cup of oats mixture into each of 4 serving bowls; top each with ½ cup spinach and 1 poached egg. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper to taste, and top evenly with remaining ¼ cup cheese. Sprinkle evenly with chives.

Note: For an extra boost, add sautéed mushrooms.

*For perfect poached eggs:

• Use the freshest eggs possible.

Crack each egg into its own ramekin; pour the egg into a fine mesh strainer to remove the watery part of the white to avoid the ‘whispies’.

• Fill a large pot with about 3 inches of water; bring to a boil; add 1 Tbs. of apple cider vinegar.
• Turn down the heat to barely a simmer; spin the water to create a vortex; place the egg into the center of the vortex; leave in for about 3 minutes.
• Once the white is opaque, gently scoop out the egg with a skimmer and place it on a paper towel. Repeat with all the eggs.
• Just before serving, place all the eggs into a bowl of hot water to heat.

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes

This is a hearty vegetarian ‘chili’ loaded with flavor and nutrition. It contains 39 percent of the RDA for fiber, 24 percent for protein, 215 percent of vitamin A, which protects vision, boosts the immune system and is beneficial to reproduction, growth, and development. Vitamin A also helps keep the heart, lungs, and other organs working properly.

Ingredients

Serves 5

1 ½ Tbs. olive oil

2 (12 oz.) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ -inch pieces

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 poblano peppers, diced

4 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 Tbs. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 qt. unsalted vegetable broth

1 (10 oz.) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles

2 cups of water, divided

1 cup uncooked white or multicolored quinoa

1 ½ cans (about 23 oz.) of no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed

½ teaspoon salt

Sliced jalapeño peppers, plain Greek yogurt, and cilantro for serving

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened and lightly charred, 6-to-7 minutes.
2. Add onion and poblanos; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomatoes, green chiles, and 1 cup of water. Cover, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.

4. Stir in quinoa, beans, and salt. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes, adding the remaining 1 cup of water during the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Garnish with jalapeño slices, Greek yogurt, and cilantro.

Cashew and Avocado Dip

From my Age Beautifully cookbook, this creamy dip is delicious on crackers or raw vegetables. If you thin it out with more water, you can use it as a dressing for salads or steamed vegetables.

Cashews and avocados both contain anti-inflammatory monounsaturated fats, which help nourish and hydrate the skin and protect the heart and brain. Ginger is also a potent anti-inflammatory.

Ingredients

Yields 2 cups

1 cup cashews (raw or roasted)

⅓ cup water

¼ cup avocado

3 Tbs. cilantro leaves

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt or salt substitute

½ tsp. minced or grated ginger

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Place all the ingredients in a food processor bowl and puree for 1–2 minutes or until smooth.

Mind and Body Juice

This juice blend appears in my cookbook, Age Beautifully, and  is specifically formulated to help the skin look young and beautiful while protecting the mind. I use my Blendtec® Tabletop Total Blender to pulverize the carrots, cantaloupe, and cucumber. Carrots and melons have carotenoids, an antioxidant that fights skin aging. Cucumbers have silica, a mineral that helps skin retain moisture. I add a raw egg white for its collagen-building strength and its choline, which supports healthy brain function. And I stir in nutritious green tea because its catechins will help keep teeth cavity-free and brains sharp.Serves 2

Ingredients

1 (16-oz.) bag of organic baby carrots
½ cantaloupe, rind removed, seeded, cut in pieces
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut in pieces
1 egg white, beaten
8 oz. green tea, cold

Procedure

1. Place carrots, cantaloupe, and cucumber pieces in a juicer.
2. Mix the resulting liquid together with the beaten egg white and green tea.

Our Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist,  Ginger Hultin shares more details about the science and benefits of anti-inflammatory foods when you follow the link.