Anti-inflammatory Salmon Bowl Nutritious Recipe

Anti-inflammatory Salmon Bowl

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Feeling a little fatigued, puffy, or achy after the holidays?  Or maybe you’ve made a resolution to clean up your diet and exercise more in the new year.  No matter your goals, incorporating this salmon bowl into your new routine will not let you down.  It’s more of a template than a strict recipe so feel free to substitute the vegetables for some you may already have on hand.  Just be sure to include a variety of colors and textures, keeping some of the ingredients fresh while roasting others.

Why we love it

To highlight just a few of the anti-inflammatory properties in this salmon bowl let’s take a look at a few specific ingredients:

Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids ​​eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  Omega-3s stop inflammation before it starts.  They accomplish this by interfering with immune cells called leukocytes and enzymes called cytokines, which are both main players in inflammation. Nowadays EPA and DHA are pretty commonly talked about. A lesser-known antioxidant in salmon is astaxanthin, a carotenoid pigment that gives salmon its pinkish-red hue.  It is believed to work with the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon to protect the brain and nervous system against inflammation.

Red bell peppers are rich in vitamin C. Due to its antioxidant properties, vitamin C helps to neutralize free radical molecules and therefore fight oxidative stress.

Forbidden black rice contains anthocyanins, a plant pigment that gives the rice its dark purplish-black pigment.  Studies suggest anthocyanins might even be able to slow cancer growth.

Turmeric ​​contains a polyphenol called curcumin, which is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It’s been found to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. The effectiveness of curcumin matches that of some anti-inflammatory drugs, but without the side effects. It does so by blocking the molecule that moves to the cells’ nuclei and activates genes related to inflammation.

Maybe you’re seeing a common theme here.  Colorful food = antioxidants = anti-inflammatory.  The takeaway— eat as many different colors of real food as you can a day.  As Dianne Koehler, the director of NTI says, “when you think you’ve included enough different veggies in a meal, add one more”.

Anti-inflammatory Salmon Bowl Template

Ingredients

Bowl

12 oz wild-caught salmon, cut into 2 filets

1 small head cauliflower, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks

½ English cucumber, cut into half or quarter slices

1 avocado, sliced

Green salad mix or baby kale

Radish (or other) sprouts

1 Tbsp avocado oil

1-2 Tbsp coconut oil

2 tsp turmeric

Sea salt

Black pepper

Forbidden Black Rice

1 cup uncooked forbidden black rice, rinsed

1 ¾ cup water

1 tsp olive oil

Quick Pickled Red Onion

1 red onion, very thinly sliced

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup water

1 tsp sea salt

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced (optional)

½ tsp honey (optional)

Miso Dressing

3 Tbs olive oil

1 ½ Tbs rice vinegar

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

2 tsp chickpea miso

¼ tsp toasted sesame oil

½ tsp honey or maple syrup

½ tsp tamari or coconut aminos

Directions

Quick-pickle the red onion

Heat 2 cups of water to a boil. Place the red onion in a mesh strainer.  Slowly pour the boiling water over the red onion slices.  Place the blanched onion slices into a mason jar, add the apple cider vinegar, salt, and optional ingredients if using, and top with water.  Shake well and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.  (Will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge).

Make the rice

Combine the rice, water, and olive oil in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Roast the vegetables

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cauliflower with coconut oil, turmeric, salt, and pepper.  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Toss the red bell pepper with coconut oil, salt, and pepper.  Keeping the vegetables separate, add the red bell pepper to the other half of the same baking sheet as the cauliflower.  Place in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.

Roast the salmon

Meanwhile, coat the salmon with avocado oil, salt, and pepper.  Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet skin side down. When the 10 minutes are up, stir the cauliflower and red bell pepper and add the salmon to the oven for about 10-12 minutes until it is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.  The vegetable should be cooked by this time as well.

Make the dressing

While the vegetables and salmon are roasting, chop the remaining vegetables and make the miso dressing. – Combine the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth, adding a dash more vinegar or sweetener to taste.

Put it all together

Once the salmon has cooled just a bit, use a fork to flake it into bite-sized pieces. Add everything into a bowl in desired proportions and top with sprouts and miso dressing.  Enjoy!

Serves ~2

Do you want to learn how to cook food that supports optimal health?

If you said yes then the Natural Food Chef program is the place for you!  Even if you do not want to become a professional chef, you can learn the power of food and specific preparation techniques that optimize nutrient density.  Join us for a live cooking demonstration to hear from one of the chef instructors about how, in just 15 weeks, you can gain the skills to better support your own health and the health of those you cook for.

Other anti-inflammatory recipes:

Just one meal isn’t going to magically erase all of the holiday-induced inflammation.  Try out Dianne’s Beef Liver with Figs, Thai Broccoli Fish Stew, and Roasted Miso-Pomegranate Salmon for more inflammation-fighting meals to add to your weekly rotation.

For a great overview of anti-inflammatory foods in the scope of autoimmunity check out the Autoimmunity and the Holidays post.

​​Did you make this or another NTI-featured recipe?

We would love to hear your feedback, see your creations and share your recipe photo with the NTI community! Tag your photos on Instagram and/or Facebook with @ntischool, #ntieats, and #ntischool


About the Author: Amber Frazier is a self-proclaimed nutrition nerd.  She believes that life should be about thriving, not just surviving— and proper nutrition can help everyone do just that.  As a graduate of both the Nutrition Therapist Master and Natural Food Chef programs, she has experienced firsthand how powerful food can be and wants to help others come to the same realization.  Find her on Instagram at @realfoodthriving.

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