:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Prep-square-121424-b97e79aa459140c78bffd199823d0212.gif?w=1385&resize=1385,1385)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Prep-square-121424-b97e79aa459140c78bffd199823d0212.gif)
I find that there’s so much to focus on at this time of year—holiday shopping and baking, cleaning and decorating the house, preparing for holiday travel or guests, running last-minute errands—that when it comes to dinnertime, it helps to streamline. That’s why, for this week, I selected recipes that all have six ingredients or less. This means I can pare down both grocery shopping and prep. And while the ingredient lists are short, these recipes are not only flavorful but they’re also packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like fish, legumes and dark-colored produce. Anti-inflammatory foods have nutrients that can help prevent colds and the flu and also protect against a number of chronic conditions, including diabetes and heart disease. Let’s get cooking!
Your Weekly Plan
Sunday: Salmon with Potatoes & Horseradish Sauce
Monday: White Bean & Veggie Salad
Tuesday: Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup
Wednesday: Black Bean Fajita Skillet
Thursday: Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale
Friday: Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Our column, ThePrep, has everything you’ll need to make dinner planning and grocery shopping as easy as can be. Nutritional needs differ from one individual to another, and we invite you to use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit. Sign up to get a dinner plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday!
Sunday: Salmon with Potatoes & Horseradish Sauce
When it comes to anti-inflammatory foods, salmon is one of the best choices. It is rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, all of which can help reduce inflammation. The crispy red potato slices and the creamy horseradish sauce add complementary textures. Serve it all with some easy steam-in-the-bag green beans to round out the dish.
Monday: White Bean & Veggie Salad
The combination of white beans, avocado and mixed greens makes this salad an inflammation-fighting powerhouse. It comes together quickly with some chopped veggies of your choice added to the base ingredients. And it all gets tossed with a red-wine vinaigrette. The recipe makes one serving, but it’s easy to increase it (just make sure you add more to the shopping list, as needed). Serve it with a piece of whole-wheat baguette.
Tuesday: Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek
This easy soup starts with cooking broccoli until tender, then adding beans and heating them through. Then the mixture is pureed with Cheddar cheese until silky and creamy. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a compound that exhibits strong anti-inflammatory properties. Serve it with the rest of Monday’s whole-wheat baguette.
Wednesday: Black Bean Fajita Skillet
This quick dinner is like a deconstructed fajita, meaning there’s no tortilla. It’s packed with black beans—which have a pigment that contains anti-inflammatory antioxidant compounds—and bell peppers and onions. A little Southwest-style seasoning ties it all together. I like to add shredded rotisserie chicken to make it even more satisfying.
Thursday: Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale
Ali Redmond
Kale is a vegetable that offers many benefits, from disease-fighting phytonutrients, to vitamin A to support vision health, to calcium for bone health. And there are 9 whole cups of it in this recipe! The kale is cooked down in tomato sauce to create a base for poaching the eggs. It also makes a delicious mixture that’s perfect for sopping up with whole-wheat pita.
Friday: Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Ali Redmond
You can’t go wrong with this stuffed sweet potato topped with kale, black beans and a hummus dressing. It is so easy to make, and every ingredient contains inflammation-fighting nutrients. Plus sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants and fiber to help support your gut health, too. While the recipe makes just one serving, it’s easy to make more (just make sure you add more to the shopping list, as needed).
I wish you all a great week, and I hope you enjoy this dinner plan. If you try a recipe, remember to add a review.