Three Great Anti-Inflammatory Recipes for Autumn
Minimizing inflammation in your diet has countless health benefits, such as reducing the risk of disease, limiting bloating, and decreasing any pain or tiredness that might accompany eating foods that can trigger the body’s inflammatory response. Rather than completely giving up your favorite french fry joint and cozy pasta dishes this fall, have the best of both worlds by exchanging them for healthy recipes that reduce inflammation and make you feel better inside and out!
Spicy Arrabbiata Pasta
The first recipe I’m excited to share with you is one that has become a staple in my home over the last few months; Spicy Arrabbiata Pasta. The original recipe is sourced from the book The Anti-Inflammatory Diet Made Simple by Molly Thompson, however, I’ve made a few of my own personal changes to enhance the dish. Through simple substitutions of regular pasta for brown rice pasta (I like to use rotini!), switching out cream for a homemade cashew cream, and adding in a bunch of anti-inflammatory spices like cayenne and black pepper, the dish becomes infinitely healthier. The best part about this dish is that it’s vegetarian (unless you choose to add in some chicken, which tastes great with the pasta), and can be easily made vegan by omitting the grated parmesan topping.
Spicy Arrabbiata Pasta (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 jar (about 700 mL) of no-sugar-added arrabbiata pasta sauce
1 cup of raw, unsalted cashews
½ cup water
¼ tsp salt
1 bag (about 400 g) of brown rice pasta
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp black pepper
¼ cup pasta water
Grated parmesan to taste (optional)
Directions:
Blend cashews, water, and salt together in a food processor or blender until creamy.
Add arrabbiata sauce and cashew mixture to a pot and stir together on low heat, mixing in all other spices and seasonings.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook brown rice pasta al dente, draining and adding to the sauce pot, reserving a bit of the pasta water to mix in with the sauce.
Allow the pasta and sauce to cook together on low heat for 3-5 minutes.
Top with grated parmesan and serve!
2. Arugula Apple Salad
Autumn is the perfect time to incorporate seasonal ingredients such as apples into otherwise uninteresting dishes like salads, to add a pop of flavor and sweetness. My favorite salad as of this fall is this arugula apple salad, great with or without a meat component! If you choose to include meat, I’d recommend chicken seasoned with Italian spices such as rosemary, oregano, and garlic. Although all the ingredients included have great health benefits, the pecans specifically are thought to reduce inflammation, as they contain both Vitamin E and Magnesium, components that have proven anti-inflammatory properties.
Arugula Apple Salad (Serves 2)
Ingredients:
2 cups baby arugula
1 apple, diced
½ cup feta cheese
1 cup cup roasted pecans
¼ cup tbsp balsamic glaze
1 cooked chicken breast, diced (optional)
Directions:
Wash arugula, dice apples, and dice chicken if opting for meat.
Mix all ingredients together and divide into two separate bowls.
3. Spicy Roasted Potatoes
This recipe comes straight from Jeremy Scheck, the owner of the popular TikTok account @scheckeats and a talented young chef. When the craving for some greasy fries hits, these potatoes are the perfect remedy to curb it. That being said, I’ve cooked this recipe many a late night. With great anti-inflammatory spices and extra-virgin olive oil instead of fryer oil, Jeremy’s roasted potatoes are the healthier and dare I say tastier choice every time.
The full recipe along with Jeremy’s other creations can be found here: https://scheckeats.com/internet-famous-crispy-potatoes/
While it sometimes seems impossible to achieve a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet without giving up some of your favorite foods, these simple recipes should spice up your life and make your tastebuds happy this fall.
Photo Credit: Molly Thompson
