3 Anti-Inflammatory Recipes Perfect to Serve this Holiday Season

While you’ll read almost everywhere how inflammation is the root cause of every single illness that ails the body, inflammation wasn’t actually designed to be the bad guy. In fact, in appropriate amounts, inflammation helps protect your body from infection and injury.

However, It is when inflammation occurs even when it is not supposed to and continues to linger in the body for an extended period of time, it ends up doing more harm than good. Prolonged periods of inflammation can lead to autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, lupus, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, and more. Inflammatory diseases occur when your body responds to triggers with an overly powerful, inappropriate reaction, and attacks your body in the process.

The main untoward effect of inflammation is seen almost readily over the skin. Seasonal allergies, eczema, and psoriasis are just a few of the most common and debilitating conditions with underlying inflammation as the culprit.

So, while we gorge and load on delicacies this holiday season, let us try to include beneficial anti-inflammatory foods as well, to strike that balance and enjoy the goodness that these Whole Foods have to offer.

1. Ginger Salmon

This recipe features salmon marinated in plum vinegar and fresh-grated ginger. Ginger and garlic have been used in various forms in both traditional and modern medicine, and research has found that the active ingredient gingerol present in ginger has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon umeboshi plum vinegar
• 2 4-ounce wild-caught salmon fillets
• Lime slices, for garnish

Directions

1. Make the marinade by combining oil, garlic, ginger, and vinegar. Place fish in a shallow baking dish, cover with marinade, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to a low broil setting.
3. Remove fish from marinade, then set remaining marinade aside for basting.
4. In an oven-safe dish, broil fish skin-side down for 6-8 minutes, basting twice with the remaining marinade.
5. Garnish with lime slices and serve.

2. Lemon Garlic Spinach

This recipe features spinach, garlic, and lemon, all of which boast powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Spinach is a great source of anti-inflammatory compounds, B vitamins, and fiber. Lemons are high in vitamin C, and the citrus flavonoids in the fruit may help reduce inflammation.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 bunches organic spinach, stems removed, washed and dried
• Juice of one lemon
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté or saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook gently for about 3 minutes, until the garlic is lightly browned.
3. Add the spinach and cook, moving the uncooked spinach to the bottom of the pan with tongs, for about 5 minutes, until fully wilted.
4. Drain off any excess water from the bottom of the pan.
5. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

3. Spatchcocked Turkey

This recipe makes for a beautiful (and delicious!) centerpiece of your holiday table. Juicy and tender, this whole turkey is seasoned with garlic, thyme, and anti-inflammatory rosemary. Research shows that rosemary may help reduce inflammation, due to its high polyphenol content. Some studies even found that rosmarinic acid (a polyphenol found in rosemary and oregano) reduced inflammation markers in many inflammatory conditions.

Ingredients

• 1 whole young turkey, thawed
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 whole onion, quartered
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 whole orange, quartered
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup white wine

Directions

To spatchcock turkey:

1. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed. Allow turkey to come close to room temperature, about an hour and a half depending on size.
2. Discard turkey packaging and remove any giblets from the cavity. Pat the turkey dry all over to ensure crispy skin.
3. On a sturdy cutting board, lay the turkey with the breast face down. Locating the backbone, cut along one side of it with designated kitchen shears. This will take more effort than you may think – you’re cutting through cartilage and bones!
4. Cut along the other side of the spine and remove the backbone. 
5. Once the backbone is removed, turn the turkey over on the cutting board so that the cut side is on the board and the breast side if facing up. Using both of your hands, press down on the breasts until the wishbone cracks and the turkey rests flat.
6. Transfer your spatchcocked turkey (breast-side up) to a baking sheet.

To season and cook:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).
2. Melt butter in a small pan, then combine with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Once combined, brush the mixture all over the turkey, on both sides.
3. Arrange garlic, onion, celery, orange, thyme, and rosemary around the turkey, and pour white wine into the bottom of the baking tray. This will also help to season any gravy you make later!
4. Place turkey in the oven for 20 minutes, then lower heat to 350°F (176°C) for at least one hour. Cook until the skin is golden brown, and the thickest part of the breast reads 165°F (74°C).
5. Remove from oven and let rest for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. 

These recipes are simply to serve as an inspiration for introducing anti-inflammatory recipes to your holiday crowd. Be mindful – that this should only act as a guide when exploring anti-inflammatory foods. What works for you and your situation may not work for everyone else. Always remember you are a Bio individual being. [I delve into its details in the post here- Do Diets work? Understanding Bio-individulality]

Let me know what are your favorite holiday family recipes.

Take care and Stay Blessed ?

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