Some inflammation in our bodies is necessary, and even considered healthy in some cases. But long term low-grade inflammation—often referred to as chronic inflammation—may increase your risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. Luckily, these flavor-packed dinners feature ingredients like sweet potatoes, avocados, leafy greens, fish and beans, which can help reduce it. Plus, each of these recipes is lower in saturated fat and sodium to help support a healthy heart. Dishes like our Garlicky Cabbage Soup and our Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing are so tasty, you’ll want to make them regulars at your dinner table.
Garlicky Cabbage Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Warm, hearty and nourishing, this soup is rich with the aromatic flavor of garlic and tender-sweet cabbage for pure comfort in a bowl. Packed with veggies and a savory broth, this soup is perfect as a light meal on its own or as a starter.
Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.
Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Ali Redmond
Hearty yet simple to prepare, topping a bakedsweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic easy dinner for one!
Vegan Lentil Stew
This comforting vegan lentil stew is incredibly satisfying thanks to hearty lentils and sweet potato. The leeks provide a savory allium note while the tomato paste, miso and cumin add bold flavor.
Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Sylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali
White beans mashed with ripe avocado and blended with sharp Cheddar and onion makes an incredibly rich, flavorful filling for this wrap. The tangy, spicy slaw adds crunch. A pinch (or more) of ground chipotle pepper and an extra dash of cider vinegar can be used in place of the canned chipotles in adobo sauce.
Sheet-Pan Chicken with White Beans & Mushrooms
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
This sheet-pan dinner features chicken, kale, mushrooms and beans. A flavor-packed chimichurri sauce ties it all together.
Trapanese Pesto Pasta & Zoodles with Salmon
Trapanese pesto is the Sicilian version of the sauce that uses tomatoes and almonds instead of pine nuts. This savory pesto sauce coats low-carb zucchini noodles and heart-healthy seared salmon to create an absolutely delicious pasta dinner.
Charred Vegetable & Bean Tostadas with Lime Crema
Pile vegetables and black beans onto crisp tostadas and top them off with lime crema for a vegetarian dinner the whole family will love. Charring the vegetables under the broiler infuses them with smoky flavor while cooking them quickly.
Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach
Gochujang, a Korean red chile paste, and honey give this salmon a little bit of sweetness and a whole lot of spice.
Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli
This hearty dinner is as balanced as it is delicious. You add broccoli right into the pot along with the pasta during its last minute of cooking to save time here. One less thing to wash, too!
Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens
This dish features the Test Kitchen’s current go-to method for doctoring a can of chickpeas: spice them up and roast until crispy. Along with sauteed greens and salmon, it’s a delicious dinner that you’ll make again and again.
Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers
These vegan sweet potato-black bean burgers spiced with curry powder are easy to make. Blending the mixture with your hands gives you a soft, uniform texture and then the outside gets crispy by cooking in a cast-iron pan.
Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.
Winter Kale & Quinoa Salad with Avocado
Precooked quinoa helps keep this main-dish salad quick and simple. Loaded with black beans, kale and avocado, this recipe is as filling as it is nutritious. You can also make the sweet potatoes and dressing ahead.
One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach
Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist:Christine Keely, Food Stylist:Chelsea Zimmer
Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.
Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
In this chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.
