How well do you regenerate? Your red blood cells are replaced every four months, your skin in 30 days and the lining of the small intestine in less than a week! Each day your body turns over a total of 50 to 70 billion cells.
Through your food choices, you decide if the replacement cells are vibrant or dysfunctional. The quality of the replacement cells relies on the building materials that are available when the new cells are being created. By eating anti-inflammatory foods, newly formed cells can actually be stronger and healthier than the old cells they replace.
These recipes star anti-inflammatory ingredients to help you get started (to learn more about anti-inflammatory foods, read “9 Foods that Fight Inflammation” in this issue of alive@work). Bonus: comfort foods like our healthy onion rings and apple pie are perfect for Father’s Day.
Skinny Onion Rings
SERVES 8
Purple onions and other alliums (like garlic) contain high levels of compounds that have been shown to decrease inflammation. Apple cider vinegar slows the release of sugar from foods into the bloodstream. When blood sugar is balanced, inflammation is reduced.
1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing pan
2 egg whites
1/4 cup (60 mL) non-dairy milk
2 Tbsp (30 mL) apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup (125 mL) whole wheat flour
1 tsp (5 mL) dill weed
1 1/2 cups (350 mL) puffed whole grain cereal
1 tsp (5 mL) nutritional yeast
1/4 to 1/2 tsp (1 to 2 mL) sea salt
2 large purple onions, sliced into 1/4 in (0.5 cm) thin rings
1/2 tsp (2 mL) curry powder (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
Lightly grease cookie sheet or baking dish with olive oil.
Beat egg whites, non-dairy milk, vinegar, flour, dill weed and 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil in bowl until light and foamy.
Combine puffed cereal, nutritional yeast and salt in mixing bowl.
Add onion rings to egg white mixture and coat well. Drop a few onion rings at a time into dry mixture, gently coating rings with seasoning.
Spread evenly on cookie sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until crispy.
Each serving contains: 101 calories; 3 g protein; 3 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 17 g total carbohydrates (2 g sugar, 2 g fiber); 168 mg sodium
Raw-licious Cinnamon Apple Pie
SERVES 8
Forget baking an apple pie. The nutrients are so much higher if you keep it raw. This is such a healthy gourmet recipe that you won’t miss the flour, sugar or butter.
Apple skin has the ability to reduce the histamine response, a cause of painful inflammation. Cinnamon reduces inflammation and balances blood sugar, but few recipes call for a medicinal dose! When you eat one slice of this pie, you get 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon—more than the minimum dose that has been clinically shown to reduce blood sugar when taken daily.
Filling
4 large apples
1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cinnamon
2 Tbsp (30 mL) honey
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground ginger
1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg
Pie crust
1 cup (250 mL) dried coconut
1 cup (250 mL) hemp hearts
1/2 cup (125 mL) Medjool dates
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
Crumble topping
2/3 cup (160 mL) pie crust
1/4 cup (60 mL) rolled oats
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried cranberries
Dash of sea salt
Slice apples with mandoline or food processor with the slicing attachment on fine setting. Set aside.
In mixing bowl, blend lemon juice, cinnamon, honey, ginger and nutmeg. Transfer apples to mixing bowl and marinate for 20 minutes.
Place pie crust ingredients in food processor. Pulse until texture is fine and it sticks together. Remove 2/3 cup (160 mL) of crust and set aside. Mold piecrust into bottom of pie plate.
For topping, put reserved pie crust back into food processor with rolled oats, cranberries and sea salt and pulse.
Drain extra liquid from pie filling and reserve. Layer apples into pie crust and sprinkle crumble on top. Place pie in fridge to chill.
Serve cold within 48 hours of making. Drizzle reserved cinnamon sauce on top of each piece, if desired.
Each serving contains: 353 calories; 23 g protein; 17 g total fat (7 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 50 g total carbohydrates (27 g sugar, 8 g fiber); 18 mg sodium
Beet Poppy Seed Salad
SERVES 10 (as a side)
Beets are one of the best plant sources of betaine, which lowers C-reactive protein levels, a marker of heart disease and chronic inflammation. Pea sprouts are high in vitamin A. Retinol, which is an active form of vitamin A, plays a pivotal role in the development of our immune cells, which fight off foreign invaders that cause inflammation.
1/2 tsp (2 mL) sea salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grated ginger
4 cups (1 L) grated beets
2 pears, chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp (15 mL) poppy seeds
2 cups (500 mL) pea sprouts
Mix together salt, lemon juice, oil and ginger.
Combine beets, pears, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds and pea sprouts in large bowl.
Pour dressing over top. Mix and serve.
Each serving contains: 156 calories; 4 g protein; 9 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 18 g total carbohydrates (8 g sugar, 3 g fiber); 163 mg sodium
