If you don't know me very well, let me share this - I am not an RD, Doctor, or Medical Nutrition Therapist, but I do have a PhD in mad FOOD LOVING SKILLS. Hahahaha. I LOVE to cook because I enjoy real, healthy, good food. One of the reasons I starting cooking was because of my experience with weight loss - I learned first-hand how my weight and health changed with the subsequent food I put in my body. SO, in light of the new year...and in honor of good food, I wanted to share a couple of recipes that I tried this last week. They're SUPER great for fighting inflammation, they taste amazing and they're easy to make.
Scrambled eggs with kale, bell peppers and avocado toast
First, rinse and massage the kale. This was such a strange concept to me when I first tried and got to know kale😄... All jokes aside, massaging the kale removes the bitterness. MAGIC! Massage it until the leaves turn to a darker green color. Then chop into small pieces. I used organic green kale.
Chop the bell peppers into small pieces. I went for a red bell pepper.
Sauté kale and bell peppers for several minutes until they start to soften, then add eggs and scramble. Season with salt and pepper.
Yes, this blog is about foods that fight inflammation and yes, I used bread. However, the bread that I used for my avocado toast was organic, consisting of yeast, flour and salt....Plus, life is all about balance. Do what makes you feel good, and eat in balance and moderation. You can also use gluten free toast, sweet potato toast or any 100% whole grain bread option if you don't require a gluten-free diet. Toast the bread (or sweet potato) and smear ripe avocado on top; season with a touch of sea salt (optional). YUM!
Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup with Chickpeas (From Chelsea's Messy Apron): https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/sweet-potato-coconut-curry-soup/
The flavors in this stew are INCREDIBLE, and there are so many awesome spices and anti-inflammatory ingredients that made this super hearty and filling. It features sweet potatoes, kale, turmeric, ginger, garlic and so much more! Plus, it's vegan for those of you who can't eat or choose not to eat dairy.
The preparation for this took a little more time, so if you are in a hurry, chop and prepare all the veggies, chickpeas and sweet potatoes ahead of time. I also omitted the sugar, and it still came out great.
If you're not too familiar with chronic inflammation and its impact on the body, check out this article about the inflammatory process and how it contributes to heart related diseases here.
Here are some other examples of anti-inflammatory foods if you're curious about expanding your food repertoire: https://www.verywellhealth.com/anti-inflammatory-foods-2505929.
Remember that everyone is different. Some foods may not agree with you like they do for others. However, the more you explore real foods (foods that aren't processed and that are predominately from their natural source), the happier your body will be.
Part 2 on inflammation coming soon!
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