1 Introduction Hippocrates said “let food be thy medicine.” Sounds good, yes? Ask people if they agree, and many would say yes. But we know from grocery store sales, restaurant menus, and fast food choices that most people don’t eat like they believe it. Some don’t have the means to choose and buy only healthy foods. Some don’t have the knowledge. And food’s other roles as comfort, connection, tradition, reward, and recreation often tri- umph over food’s medicinal potential. My family tree includes a wide array of deadly diseases—cancer, heart attack, congestive heart disease, stroke, and Parkinson’s. These are just the ones that killed my parents and grandparents. I want to use food as medicine to help me avoid an early death. But mere survival or longevity isn’t the goal. I want to thrive. I want to hike Yosemite Falls in my seventies. I’d love to run the Portland Half Marathon into my eighties (when showing up truly is 90 percent of success). I want to still be playing the piano in my nineties. I want to work in my garden, laugh with family and friends, write, take photos, and teach for many more years. As it happens, the diseases in my family tree and the conditions that hold back an energetic life have one thing in common: inflammation. Chronic inflammation can create an environment that allows diseases and disorders to start, grow, and flourish. By focusing on a diet that science has shown to be most effective for lowering inflam- mation, I’m hoping to live my best life and hold off the diseases that brought down my parents and grandparents too early in their lives. A plant-based diet is an excellent way to calm inflammation and lower our risk of chronic diseases. A systematic review and meta-analysis of forty research studies found that vegan- and vegetarian-based dietary patterns were associated with lower concen- trations of inflammation markers in the blood compared with non-vegetarian diets.1 1 Joel C. Craddock, Elizabeth P. Neale, Gregory E. Peoples, Yasmine C. Probst, “Vegetarian-Based Dietary Patterns and their Relation with Inflammatory and Immune Biomarkers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” Advances in Nutrition, Volume 10, Issue 3, May 2019, Pages 433–451, https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmy103.2 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook There’s a lot to unpack and define about how a plant-based diet fights inflammation, and I’ll do that in the following chapters. This cookbook is for those who want to calm chronic inflammation with food, but not at the expense of enjoyment or satisfaction. I’ve developed the recipes in this cook- book to be tasty and filling in addition to being anti-inflammatory. As you’ll see in the next chapter, a plant-based diet generally and certain plant foods specifically are linked to lower levels of chronic inflammation and can go a long way toward decreas- ing inflammation and lowering the risk of related diseases. The next chapter offers recommendations on cooking techniques, equipment, and meal prep approaches to help make this kind of cooking feasible for those who are new to healthy plant-based cooking and especially those who have a busy life and need as many shortcuts and efficiencies as possible. The eighty recipes that follow encompass my favorite cuisines and most beloved ingredients. The goal of each dish is to be delicious in its own right, not just “okay for a plant-based recipe.” I believe we can have it all—pleasure, satisfaction, and lower inflammation—on a plant-based diet, and I hope that some of these recipes become lifelong favorites for you. If you suffer from inflammation caused by allergies or an autoimmune disease, the plant-based approach described here and reflected in my recipes could go a long way toward helping calm the swelling and pain you experience. However, you may need to work with a dietician or doctor to uncover other food sensitivities or triggers that exacerbate your condition. In some cases, if diet alone does not relieve inflammation, medication may be needed as well. I’ve provided several resources that offer in-depth nutritional information for autoimmune conditions in the Resources and Deep Dives chapter (page 267).94 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook Italian Chopped Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing Makes 4 large servings or 8 small servings Sun-dried tomatoes aren’t as popular as they once were, but they still deserve to shine. Their strong flavor dominates this dressing, but the salad offers other high-volume flavor options like radicchio, red onions, and Kalamata olives that stand up well against the sun-dried tomatoes. I love cooked grains in chopped salads to make them hearty enough to be the centerpiece of lunch or dinner, so feel free to add grains if you like. Make the dressing. Blend the following ingredients together in a blender. 1¼ cups water ½ cup dried sun-dried tomatoes, each cut into a few pieces* ¼ cup tahini ¼ cup tofu of choice or cooked white beans 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 clove garlic, cut into a few pieces 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast 1 teaspoon basil ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste) Freshly ground black pepper to taste Make the salad. Create a mix equaling 8 cups of the following ingredients. Add them to a large mixing bowl or salad bowl. Romaine lettuce, chopped Radicchio, chopped Baby spinach, chopped Raw or roasted red bell pepper, diced or sliced Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed Red onions, chopped or sliced Cherry tomatoes, whole or halved * If your sun-dried tomatoes are old and dry, soak them in warm water for about 20 minutes, then drain them. (Continued on page 96)96 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook Add the following ingredients to the same bowl and toss everything together. 11/3 cups Greek or Kalamata olives, halved or sliced ½ cup raw or roasted walnuts, roughly chopped 1 cup sun-dried tomato dressing (or more to taste) Once dressed, the salad will last an hour or 2. Undressed, the salad will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. It does not freeze well. Leftover dressing will thicken up, so you may need to stir in more water before serving.135 Soups and Stews (Continued on next page) Mexican-Inspired Lentil Soup Makes 6 servings I’ve coached a lot of students in plant-based eating and cooking, and I can’t think of a single one of them who didn’t like lentil soup. For their sake I’ve tried to create variations on lentil soup over the years to increase the number of ways they can eat this superbly healthy legume. Lentils and Mexican spices go very well together, perhaps because lentils have an earthy flavor similar to pinto beans. This soup pairs nicely with Spicy Sweet Potato Chipotle Quesadillas with Guacamole (page 189). Pressure cooker directions. Add the following ingredients to an electric pressure cooker. Lock the lid. Move the valve to “Sealing.” Use the “Manual,” “Pressure Cook,” or “High” mode and set for 10 minutes. Wait for 10 minutes after the pressure cooker is done, then move the knob to “Venting” and release the remaining steam before opening the lid. 6 cups vegetable broth 1 (15-ounce) can petite diced or diced tomatoes (fire-roasted, if available) 1 (4-ounce) can mild green chiles, undrained 1¼ cups uncooked brown lentils 1 medium red, yellow, or white onion, diced (about 1½ cups) 2 celery stalks, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon chili powder, chipotle powder, or ancho chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin ½ teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon coriander ½ teaspoon smoked paprika After opening the pressure cooker, add the following ingredients and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings (more lime, cilantro, chili powder, salt) and serve. ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped 2 teaspoons lime juice (or more to taste) 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) Freshly ground black pepper to taste If you want a creamier soup, pulse it a few times with a stick (immersion) blender.136 The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook Stovetop directions. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, increase the water to 6½ cups. Combine all remaining ingredients above except the cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pot all the way or partway, and simmer for 45 minutes. When done, add in the cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. The soup is ready to serve. Garnish, if desired, with one or more of the following toppings. Chopped fresh cilantro Sliced avocado Sliced green onions Sliced jalapeños This soup will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. It freezes well.Next >