Anti-Inflammatory Salad With Tahini Dressing

This colorful anti-inflammatory and nutrient dense salad is not only delicious, it also contains ingredients known to help reduce inflammation in the body.

Are you concerned about inflammation? 

If you are not, maybe you should be. 

Did you know that inflammation is the number one predictor of heart disease (which can be a silent killer) and plays a key role in aggravating and contributing to many other diseases. 

There is also a direct link between weight gain and inflammation. In addition, inflammation may cause aches and pains in the body. 

What Causes inflammation? 

Everyone gets inflammation, but it depends how acute and chronic it becomes to whether how dangerous it is. Inflammation is our body's defense for infection, injury, or disease. 

Continuous exposure to inflammation may cause symptoms such as body pain, fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, acid reflux, or diarrhea,  prone to infections, and weight gain.

Which foods are inflammatory? 

 Some foods that may cause inflammation are 

• trans fats- hydrogenated oils, margarine, and processed foods that use trans fat . 
• fast food - food from fast food restaurant where vegetable oils, margarine, high sugar, and refined carbs are used.
• sugar-all cookies, cakes, candy, etc, 
• refined carbohydrates- white bread, white rice, anything from sugar and white flours. 
• processed meat - bologna, salami, pastrami, lunch meats, etc.
• alcohol
• vegetable oils-corn oil, safflower, sunflower, soy oil or any oil that is high in Omega 6- which is in most processed food.

Which foods help relieve inflammation ? 

Did you know that some foods may actually help reduce inflammation.We are looking antioxidant rich foods that are protective and restorative to cellular health.

• Vegetables- such as celery, broccoli, spinach, sweet potato etc.
• Fruit- such as apples, pears, citrus, 
• Berries- especially blueberries
• Turmeric- A wonderful spice to reduce inlfammation  
• Coconut oil- excellent antioxidants to reduce inflammation
• Ginger-helps soothe digestion and inflammation
• Foods high in calcium- I choose plant-based foods such as spinach, kale, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, figs, and tofu.
• Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts

What do you think? Does it make you hungry? 

Ingredients:

3 cups of romaine lettuce, chopped

1 cup of kale, chopped

2 cups of chopped red cabbage

2 cups of sliced celery

2 cups of chopped cucumber

1 cup of sliced scallions

1 cup of parsley, chopped

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

1 and half cups of chickpeas

2 cups of cooked and cubed sweet potato (or butternut squash), seasoned with za'atar

Directions: 

Mix all the ingredients in a large salad bowl.  Serve and top with Tahini dressing or homemade dressing of your choice.

Tahini dressing:

Ingredients: 

1/3 cup of tahini paste

1/3 cup of water

1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon of cumin 

Directions: 

Mix together and use as a dressing

Shared on Souper Sunday at Deb's Kahakai Kitchen