The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Beginners: A No-Stress Meal Plan with Easy Recipes

Book Preface

Lulu’s Story

I discovered the power of preparing and eating delicious, nourishing anti-inflammatory meals, when I was an exhausted new mother with a family to feed each night and no idea how to do it. Committed to offering healthy foods to my family, I slowly began to learn about good nutrition. What I noticed first was the positive impact on my energy levels and mood when I ate the way we describe in this book. I just felt better every day, and was able to relax knowing that I was setting my daughter up for a lifetime of good health.
Your sense of vitality, like mine, will increase when you eat foods that promote wellness. I know how challenging it can be to try to make healthy changes, especially when you are already feeling tired, run down, and overworked.
I became a registered dietitian nutritionist to help others access the healing power of whole foods, and to teach people easy ways to incorpo-rate balanced meals into their diets. Since then, I have helped many busy, unhealthy clients who often get stuck in today’s hurried ways of eating that leads to chronic inflammation and other diseases. It may seem overwhelming to change your eating lifestyle, but I’ve heard again and again from people who have reclaimed their own health that the effort is worth it.
It is possible—and really quite simple—to transition to a diet that supports your health goals, by using planning tools and recipes like those we present here. We’ve broken it down into easy-to-follow steps that provide a broad variety of enjoyable meals. These meals are quick to prepare and just as delicious reheated the next day for something convenient yet nourishing on the go. With these satisfying, tempting foods, you will quickly notice your sense of liveliness and energy increasing, as you begin to live your life with less inflammation and greater gusto!

Dorothy’s Story

You may be surprised to hear this, but even those of us who cook for a living are plagued
by what to eat, and when to find time to cook! When we’re busy and tired, it’s all too easy to take the path of least resistance and make poor or impulsive food choices. I have found that planning is the only way to stop this cycle. Every weekend, before I go to the store, I plan my menus for the upcoming week, then I create my shopping list and go to the grocery store.
I like to shop on Saturday and cook on Sunday for meals to enjoy all week.
In addition to exploring new recipes that I know will reheat well, I also find it helpful to make batches of simple things like grilled meats, grains, and steamed vegetables for the option of quick salads, stir-fries, or grain bowls so I can have variety and not feel like I’m eating the same thing for lunch and dinner. Although this requires a little advance planning, it saves loads of time later in the week when I don’t have time to prep a meal.
As your guide, I have done all the planning and organizing for you, so you can reap the benefits of healthy anti-inflammatory eating with minimal effort. All the recipes are uncom-plicated dishes that contain no more than five main ingredients, plus basic pantry staples like cooking oil and dried herbs and spices. These recipes can easily be doubled or tripled to make larger batches to freeze or reheat. As a culinary instructor, I understand that the novice cook may feel overwhelmed or even skeptical, so I’ve used my experiences to develop a book that guides you, step by step, to plan your meals, cook, and eat in a way that is realistic, man-ageable, and even fun. This book will help you achieve your goals to eat healthy and feel the best you’ve felt in ages.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 8
Part One: Preparing for the Anti-Inflammatory Diet
CHAPTER ONE Anti-Inflammatory Diet Basics 13
CHAPTER TWO Preparing for a Healthy Change 27
Part Two: Weekly Meal Plans with Recipes
CHAPTER THREE Week 1 Meal Plan and Recipes 39
CHAPTER FOUR Week 2 Meal Plan and Recipes 63
Part Three: Anti-Inflammatory Recipes for Life
CHAPTER FIVE Breakfast and Brunch 89
CHAPTER SIX Vegetarian and Vegan 99
CHAPTER SEVEN Fish and Shellfish 109
CHAPTER EIGHT Poultry and Meat 121
CHAPTER NINE Snacks and Sweets 129
CHAPTER TEN Sauces, Condiments, and Dressings 137
APPENDIX A CONVERSION TABLES 145
APPENDIX B THE DIRTY DOZEN AND THE CLEAN FIFTEEN 146
RESOURCES 147
REFERENCES 148
RECIPE INDEX 150
INDEX 152