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Monday 14 March 2022

Three Ways to Cook Your Vegetables so they are more healthy and anti-inflammatory


We're all about constantly striving to make our food even more healthy and while many vegetables are packed with inflammation-fighting vitamins and minerals on their own, here are a few easy tricks to take them to the next level. 

1. Toss them with spices and herbs.
Many of your favourite spices are not only adding flavour but also providing anti-inflammatory properties. While turmeric gets a lot of the spotlight (and rightfully so; a ton of studies have shown its anti-inflammatory effects), all spices and herbs contain unique, health-promoting qualities—and their flavours pair perfectly with so many vegetables. Toss your veggies with turmeric, cinnamon, or chopped rosemary with a generous pinch of fine-grain sea salt before roasting with a high-quality oil (see No. 3 for more on that). You can also use spices and herbs to turn a basic three-ingredient soup into something that tastes gourmet. Simply sauté a diced yellow onion in avocado oil or olive oil in a medium pot until translucent, then add a generous pinch of sea salt and peeled, chopped squash or root veggie of choice. Top with veggie broth and cook until the veggie is easily pierced by a fork, then blend with your spice of choice until smooth.

Moroccan seasonings like harissa play well with the sweet warmth of butternut squash while parsnips love cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise. Play around—you could have a different dinner with almost the exact same ingredients almost every night simply by changing the spice blend!

2. Deglaze with bone broth.
Bone broth is consistently cited by functional medicine experts as one of their top inflammation-fighting foods. "The glucosamine in bone broth can actually stimulate the growth of new collagen, repair damaged joints, and reduce pain and inflammation," explains Amy Myers, M.D. Take advantage of its healing powers by swapping it for stock or broth whenever a recipe calls for it. You can use it in stuffing, in soups, and to deglaze veggies. The best way to make sure you always have some on hand when you need it? Freeze it in an ice cube tray, then, when it's completely frozen, pop out the cubes and store them in a large, freezer-safe bag. You can pop out a few cubes if you need a cup or two of broth, or just use one at a time to add pops of flavour to stir-fries or add a savoury, umami-packed sheen to roasted veggies.

3. Lean into anti-inflammatory fats.
Start with your cooking oils: Toss your veggies with fats that have been found to have inflammation-fighting benefits like olive oil and avocado oil (bonus: They're both liquid at room temperature, which makes tossing them with cold veggies on a roasting pan much easier). Then, up the ante even more by mixing in more anti-inflammatory fats by incorporating nuts and seeds. Regular nut consumption has been found to lower a number of inflammatory markers, and they also add a satisfying toasty flavour and crunch to seasonal dishes. Top your roasted root veggies with a sprinkle of chopped toasted pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts; mix pistachios into a butternut squash and dried cranberry salad; spoon a generous amount of nuts onto your favourite soup to add texture and interest. Inflammation-fighting and crave-worthy? Sounds like a perfect dish.
Above words and image from article here
h/t Marks Daily Apple here

Related Reads You May Find Interesting
What is inflammation, and why is it dangerous? - see here
Root Vegetables - So Healthy - see here
Hearty Root Vegetable Soup - Immune Boosting - see here
Prebiotic Roasted Tray Bake With Tahini Drizzle - see here


You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan 

34 comments:

Tom said...

...things that I haven't tried!

J.P. Alexander said...

Gracias por los consejos por lo general las hago al vapor .

Christine said...

Good tips

peppylady (Dora) said...

Squash does sound good.
Coffee is on and stay safe

Margaret D said...

Good read Jan.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

This is wonderful, Jan. I use fresh herbs and spices in my food a LOT. So glad to read I am doing something right. Love this wonderful post that was both informative and reasserting.

Jo said...

I've never thought about making vegetables even more healthy before.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,
Great ideas for cooking the veggies.
Take care, enjoy your day and new week ahead.

CJ Kennedy said...

I'll have to try this

Iris Flavia said...

Sounds great!

Giorgio said...

Great post about healthy veggies! ... Never heard before. Thank you, Jan!
Have a nice week.

Jeanie said...

I guess I'm doing smart things and I had no idea I was!

Divers and Sundry said...

Good spice/herb ideas, thanks. I tend to be boring with that, using the same ones, so your suggestions are welcome :)

Martha said...

Great tips! Thank you.

Caroline said...

It's looking delicious.

DVArtist said...

Always looking for new ideas for veggies.

Pam said...

I love roasted veggies. Garlic, onions, taters and carrots......YUM

Rose said...

I need to try some of these...I never think of adding nuts to things.

Mary Kirkland said...

Those sound like good ideas.

Valerie-Jael said...

Some great tips again, thanks, Valerie

happyone said...

Some great ideas!!

Creations By Cindy said...

YUM! Love roasted veggies. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Sue said...

There's something about bone broth that just seems really unappetising, but we do use lots of olive oil. Take care and have a great week, Sue xx

My name is Erika. said...

I like how you have a posted a few posts about anti-inflammatory foods. I find that really interesting and as I have a very overactive immune system and chronic hives, I keep wondering if I should keep track of this to see if it helps my ever erratic hives. Happy new week.

Lowcarb team member said...

My name is Erika. said...
I like how you have a posted a few posts about anti-inflammatory foods. I find that really interesting and as I have a very overactive immune system and chronic hives, I keep wondering if I should keep track of this to see if it helps my ever erratic hives. Happy new week

Hello Erika
Many thanks for your comment.
You may find this article helpful
'Spot your triggers with a chronic hives diary'
https://www.healthcentral.com/article/chronic-hives-diary

I do hope it may help.

Wishing you a good week ahead.

All the best Jan

Sandra Cox said...

More great information. Thanks for sharing.

William Kendall said...

Good ideas!

Bill said...

Wonderful tips Jan, thanks for sharing.

My name is Erika. said...

Thanks for the article. It was a great read and was much appreciated!

https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com said...

It would make a change to have spicy roast veg.

Phil Slade said...

One of our favourite herbs for this is oregano- learnt in Greece where they use oregano an awful lot. It's great in stews and superb with roasted tomatoes when we have bacon, egg and mushrooms. Adds a whole new dimension to breakfast.
Good advice again. We now rarely boil veg separately. If the oven is on just make room for a tray of roasted veg.

Teresa said...

Me encantó tu reportaje. Besos.

carol l mckenna said...

Great post ~ so rich with information ~


Wishing you lots of love and peace in your days,

A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

Debbie said...

my favorite way to enjoy vegetables is raw, i don't love them cooked!!