4 Delicious Recipes Featuring Anti-Inflammatory Foods

I’ve always believed that the foods we eat can be some of our most powerful tools for supporting good health. This is especially true when it comes to inflammation.

Inflammation is part of the body’s natural defense system. It helps us respond to an injury, illness, infection, or even a strenuous workout. This short-term response is necessary for healing. But when inflammation continues over time, it can begin working against us instead of helping us.

Chronic inflammation can be influenced by ongoing stress, inadequate sleep, repeated infections, certain health conditions, and a diet high in heavily processed foods. Over time, it may affect the immune system and the body’s ability to repair itself, and it has been associated with many chronic health conditions.

The encouraging news is that our everyday choices can make a difference. Regular exercise, restful sleep, stress management, and a nourishing diet can all help support a healthy inflammatory response. Our nutritionist Ginger Hultin explains more in her article, How You Can Reduce Chronic Inflammation.

At FoodTrients, we often return to the Mediterranean way of eating because it includes so many of the flavorful, nutrient-rich foods I love: colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, fish, herbs, and plenty of olive oil. This way of eating is also part of daily life in regions known for longevity, including Icaria, Greece and Sardinia, Italy. Of course, food is only part of the story. The people in these communities also stay naturally active, maintain close social connections, and enjoy a strong sense of purpose.

The four recipes that follow make it easy to bring more wholesome, anti-inflammatory ingredients to your table. Best of all, they prove that eating for better health can still be comforting, satisfying, and delicious.

Savory Oatmeal with Baby Spinach and Poached Egg

Oatmeal doesn’t have to be sweet. In this savory version, cooking rolled oats with sautéed onion gives them a creamy, risotto-like texture. Spinach contributes vitamins A, C, and K, along with folate, iron, and potassium, while the poached egg adds satisfying protein. Oats also provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that support heart and digestive health.

You’ll find an international collection of savory oatmeal recipes in my cookbook, Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World. This recipe is a new one for you to enjoy.

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
• ½ tsp. sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
• 2 cups washed baby spinach (about 2 oz.)
• 4 large eggs, poached
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3–4 minutes.
2. Stir in the oats and cook for 1 minute. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until the oats are tender and creamy, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Stir ¾ cup of the cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper into the oats.
4. Divide the oatmeal among four serving bowls. Top each serving with spinach and a poached egg. Season to taste, then finish with the remaining cheese and chopped chives.

FoodTrients boost: Add sautéed mushrooms for even more savory flavor.

For Perfect Poached Eggs

• Use the freshest eggs possible.
• Crack each egg into a separate ramekin. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the thin, watery portion of the white, then return it to the ramekin.
• Fill a large pot with about 3 inches of water and bring it to a gentle boil. Add 1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar.
• Reduce the heat until the water is barely simmering. Stir the water to create a gentle vortex, then carefully slide one egg into the center.
• Cook for about 3 minutes, until the white is opaque and set. Lift the egg out with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
• If necessary, place all the eggs in a bowl of hot water briefly just before serving to warm them.

Quinoa Chili with Sweet Potatoes

This hearty vegetarian chili is filled with colorful, fiber-rich ingredients. Sweet potatoes provide beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A to support vision, immune function, and healthy organs. Quinoa and pinto beans add plant-based protein and fiber, while poblanos, green chiles, cumin, coriander, and cayenne create layers of warming flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 1½ Tbs. olive oil
• 2 sweet potatoes (about 12 oz. each), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 poblano peppers, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 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 water, divided
• 1 cup uncooked white or multicolored quinoa, rinsed
• 1½ cans (about 23 oz.) no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ tsp. salt
• Sliced jalapeños, plain Greek yogurt, and fresh cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened and lightly browned, 6–7 minutes.
2. Add the onion and poblanos. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add the broth, tomatoes, green chiles, and 1 cup of the water. Cover, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil.
5. Stir in the quinoa, pinto beans, and salt. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Add some or all of the remaining water during the last few minutes, as needed, to reach your preferred consistency.
6. Serve garnished with sliced jalapeños, Greek yogurt, and cilantro.

Cashew and Avocado Dip

From my cookbook Age Beautifully, this creamy dip is delicious with whole-grain crackers or crisp raw vegetables. Add a little more water and it also becomes a flavorful dressing for salads, grain bowls, or steamed vegetables.

Cashews and avocado provide satisfying unsaturated fats, while ginger and cayenne add lively flavor and beneficial plant compounds.

Ingredients

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 cup raw or roasted cashews
• ⅓ cup water, plus more as needed
• ¼ cup avocado
• 3 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. salt or salt substitute
• ½ tsp. minced or grated fresh ginger
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1–2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. For a thinner dressing, add water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

Mind and Body Juice

This colorful juice blend also appears in Age Beautifully. Carrots and cantaloupe contain carotenoids—antioxidant pigments that help protect cells from oxidative stress. Cucumber contributes hydration, and green tea supplies catechins, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. Pasteurized egg white adds protein without introducing the food-safety concerns associated with consuming raw shell eggs.

I use my Blendtec® Total Blender to thoroughly blend the carrots, cantaloupe, and cucumber, but the recipe can also be prepared with a juicer.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 1 (16-oz.) bag organic baby carrots
• ½ cantaloupe, rind removed, seeded, and cut into pieces
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into pieces
• 1 pasteurized egg white or equivalent pasteurized liquid egg white
• 8 oz. brewed green tea, chilled

Directions

1. Process the carrots, cantaloupe, and cucumber in a juicer. If using a high-powered blender, blend until completely smooth and strain if desired.
2. Stir or blend the resulting juice with the pasteurized egg white and chilled green tea. Serve immediately.

A Delicious Daily Strategy

No single ingredient can prevent chronic inflammation or erase the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle. The real benefit comes from the pattern created by your everyday choices. Meals centered on colorful produce, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and other minimally processed foods can help provide the fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body needs.

These four recipes offer an easy place to begin—from a savory breakfast and comforting chili to a creamy dip and refreshing juice. Eating to support long-term health can still be flavorful, satisfying, and joyful.