More Proof That Healthy Eating is Essential to Wellness
Inflammation is often a contributing factor to many of the diseases which currently plague our society: arthritis, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, cancer, and many, many more. Medicine helps, but lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise can both increase the effectiveness of these medications, as well as prevent the diseases they are prescribed for.
Foods which assist in relieving inflammation are common, and one only needs to be aware to incorporate them more frequently into their diet. Here is the short list:
Legumes Ginger
Tomatoes Olive oil
Nuts Green, leafy vegetables
Fatty fish Fresh fruits
Mangoes Prunes (dried plums)
Sweet cherries
HT Pharmacy went on the hunt for delicious recipes that included some of these anti-inflammatory foods and found some of the best at EatingWell.Com, an excellent site for healthy recipes. These are our favorites.
Lets start with a salad!
Peach, Raspberry & Watercress Salad with Five-Spice Bacon
Five-Spice Bacon:
8oz thick cut Bacon
¼ cup Port
¼ cup Red Wine
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
2 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 ½ teaspoons Chinese Five-Spice
Salad:
1 medium Shallot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Maple Syrup
¼ teaspoon Chinese Five-Spice
Pinch of Seas Salt
¾ cup fresh Raspberries
3 firm, ripe Peaches (cut into ¼ inch wedges)
4 cups Watercress, tough stems trimmed
½ small head Radicchio, leaves separated and cut into 1 inch strips
Flaky Sea Salt for Garnish
Preparation:
Cut bacon crosswise, approximately ¼ inch strips. Cook over medium heat until crispy (3-5 minutes), then transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper-towel. Transfer the hot grease to a safe container where it can cool and be discarded.
Using the same pan, increase heat to high then add port, wine, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, garlic cloves, and 1 ½ teaspoons of five-spice powder. Bring to a boil. Add bacon pieces and cook (stirring often) until the liquid is reduced all the way to a thick, sticky sauce that coats the bacon (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat.
Prepare the salad by mixing shallots, vinegar, oil, maple syrup, five-spice, and salt in a large bowl. Then, stir in the raspberries, gently crushing them with the back of the spoon. Add watercress, peaches, and radicchio. Toss, coating evenly. Top with the glazed bacon, and garnish with the flaky salt (if desired).
Moving on to the main course...
Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens
Ingredients
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tbsp smoked paprika
½ tsp salt, divided, plus a pinch
1 (15 oz) can unsalted chickpeas, rinsed
⅓ c buttermilk
¼ c mayonnaise
¼ c chopped fresh chives and/or dill, plus extra for garnish if desired
½ tsp ground pepper, divided
¼ tsp garlic powder
10 cups Kale, chopped
¼ cups water
1¼ pounds salmon, divided into 4 portions
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°F, with the rack one-third from the top
Combine 1 tablespoon oil, paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt in a bowl. Pat the chickpeas dry, then add to bowl and toss.
Spread seasoned chickpeas evenly onto a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring twice.
While chickpeas are baking, use a blender to puree buttermilk, mayonnaise, herbs, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder. Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the kale and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water, then cook till tender (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat, add a pinch of salt and stir.
When chickpeas have finished, push them to one side of the pan. Place the salmon on the other side and season with the remaining salt and pepper.
Cook 5-8 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through.
Drizzle the dressing over the salmon and garnish.
The following are drinks that can be added to any lifestyle to give you a healthy boost in addition to (or in spite of!) your regular diet.
Matcha Green Tea Latte
Ingredients
¼ cup boiling water
1 tsp matcha tea powder
1 cup milk (low-fat)
1 tsp honey
Preparation
Pour boiling water into a blender. Add matcha powder and blend until foamy.
Heat milk and honey until almost boiling.
Whisk hot milk until frothy, then pour into a mug.
Fill the rest of the way with the tea, and enjoy.
Herbal Chamomile Tonic
Ingredients
4 cups boiling water
6 bags chamomile tea
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
4 lemon slices
2-4 tsp honey
2 sprigs rosemary
Preparation
Into boiling water, stir tea bags, ginger, lemon, honey, and rosemary (lightly bruise the rosemary before adding for optimum flavor).
Steep for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain and enjoy.