30-Day Anti-Inflammatory Mediterranean Diet Dinner Plan
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Chronic inflammation is a known cause of chronic disease, from heart disease and cancer to diabetes and arthritis. Certain foods, including the ones in these dinners, can help relieve inflammation and its pesky symptoms like joint stiffness, digestive issues and high blood pressure.
These dishes feature ingredients like legumes, fatty fish, dark leafy greens and herbs which are not only anti-inflammatory, but they're also staples of the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns you can follow.
Recipes like our BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous and Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens are delicious meals that will help you meet your nutritional and health goals.
BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous
In the U.S., dry whole-wheat couscous has been partially cooked, making it a quick-cooking (5 minutes!) whole-grain weeknight dinner champ. And when you buy peeled shrimp, plus a bag of prechopped kale and bottled barbecue sauce, the savings in prep time helps to get this healthy dinner done in a jiff.
Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens
Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe.
Herby Fish with Wilted Greens & Mushrooms
This healthy fish recipe makes a tasty and easy weeknight meal. Serve with wild rice or roasted potatoes.
White Bean & Veggie Salad
This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.
Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls
These shrimp, pesto and quinoa bowls are delicious, healthy and pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame.
Slow-Cooker Kale & White Bean Stew
Warm up to a hearty bowl of soup made with winter vegetables and protein-rich white beans. Comforting spices like oregano and thyme build flavor, while Parmesan provides an irresistibly savory finish.
Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and pack them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long.
Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli
The vibrant combo of cheese, cilantro, chili, and lime—inspired by Mexican street corn—makes this salmon sheet-pan dinner burst with flavor.
Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Diet Stew
With a focus on vegetables, fiber-rich legumes and healthy fats, this slow-cooker stew fits the bill for those following the Mediterranean diet. Swap out the chickpeas for white beans for a different twist, or try collards or spinach in place of the kale. A drizzle of olive oil to finish pulls together the flavors of this easy vegan crock-pot stew.
Kale & White Bean Potpie with Chive Biscuits
In this vegetarian white bean potpie recipe, kale and hearty white beans are topped with easy, homemade chive biscuits. If desired, add a little shredded Gruyère or Cheddar cheese to the biscuit dough.
White Bean Soup with Pasta
We use mirepoix—a combination of onion, celery and carrots—to flavor this white bean soup. Keep a store-bought bag of the mixture in your freezer to ensure you always have some on hand without worrying about it going bad.
Walnut-Rosemary Crusted Salmon
Salmon and walnuts are both great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Pair this easy salmon recipe with a simple salad and a side of roasted potatoes or quinoa.
Sheet-Pan Shrimp & Beets
For this easy sheet-pan dinner, beets get a head start in the oven while you prep the shrimp and kale. For a prettier presentation, leave the shrimp tails intact. Serve this one-pan recipe with a cool glass of rosé.
Braised Black Lentil & Quinoa Bowls
These healthy vegetarian bowls feature black lentils braised in spices like thyme and smoked paprika. Riced cauliflower and quinoa bulk up the dish to make it satisfying for any weeknight dinner. A creamy yogurt topping finishes the recipe.
Slow-Cooker Chicken, Spinach & White Bean Stew
Warm up to a comforting bowl of chicken stew scented with thyme, oregano and smoked paprika. Adding spinach and white beans provides a hearty dose of fiber that will keep you satisfied until the next meal.
Roasted Salmon Rice Bowl with Beets & Brussels
Roasting vegetables and salmon together on one sheet pan while the rice cooks make an easy, satisfying meal packed with protein, whole grains and veggies. To ensure that you're getting 100% whole grains, look for a wild rice blend that consists of wild and brown rice.
Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without adding too much sodium in this healthy recipe for weight loss.
Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Broccoli
This sweet and savory baked honey-garlic chicken thigh recipe comes with a side of veggies that cook on the same sheet pan as the chicken. The honey-soy-garlic marinade for the chicken does double duty as an irresistible sauce to drizzle over everything. Lining your baking sheet with foil will protect your pan from the sticky honey-soy-garlic sauce, so cleanup will be a breeze too. If you can't find small carrots, cut medium carrots in half lengthwise.
Pan-Seared Halibut with Creamed Corn & Tomatoes
For this healthy fish recipe, you steep corncobs in milk; the resulting "stock" boosts the intensity of made-from-scratch creamed corn, plus extra starch from the corn contributes to its thick texture. This recipe calls for halibut—line-caught from the Pacific Ocean is the most sustainable option. Can't find it? Swap in Pacific cod or U.S.-farmed tilapia instead. Serve this summery combination of seared fish, corn, tomatoes and basil for weeknight family dinners or to company on the weekends.
Roasted Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Broccoli
This easy one-pan roasted salmon with broccoli is quick enough for weeknight dinners but elegant enough for company. The lemony pistachio crust would also be lovely on other types of fish or on chicken breasts.
Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara
Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.
Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls
Skip the tortillas in favor of this warm fajita salad, which features a nutritious medley of chicken with roasted kale, bell peppers and black beans. The chicken, beans and vegetables are all cooked on the same pan, so this healthy dinner is easy to make—and the cleanup is easy too.
Creamy Shrimp & Mushroom Pasta
Cashews are the base of this delicious shrimp pasta dish. Blending the nuts helps thicken the sauce and provides creaminess—no actual cream is required. Straining the cashew mixture removes any unwanted large pieces. Chopped rosemary adds freshness to break through the creaminess of the dish.
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.
Sheet-Pan Garlic-Soy Chicken & Vegetables
This easy dish comes together quickly and is cooked all on one baking sheet. Putting the pan in the oven while it preheats makes it hot enough to lightly sear the chicken and vegetables, adding texture and flavor and also reducing the cook time. Chicken thighs emerge from the oven succulent and coated in the savory sauce (with less salt because of the low-sodium soy sauce) and fragrant from the garlic, ginger and scallions. We recommend serving this with brown rice or whole-wheat noodles.
15-Minute Salmon & Creamy Orzo with Spinach & Mushrooms
In this quick salmon dinner, salmon fillets are paired with creamy orzo, wilted spinach and earthy mushrooms. Cooking the salmon at a high temperature helps speed up the cooking in this healthy dinner recipe. Look for pre-sliced mushrooms to speed it up even more.
Three-Bean Chili
This rib-sticking bean chili is richly flavored with cumin, chili, paprika, oregano and an assortment of peppers. Use whatever beans you have in your pantry.
Chhole (Chickpea Curry)
This healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry you can make in minutes. If you want to add a vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.
Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Bowl
This cilantro-lime shrimp bowl has tons of flavor and texture. The cilantro-lime shrimp is tangy and fresh, with brown rice and creamy avocado to balance the flavor. The two-chile cream sauce is easy to make and brings all the flavors of this bowl dinner together.
Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils
This earthy bowl of lentils is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
