Avocado Salsa Fresca

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 large tomato, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, (seeds and membranes removed), minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup (packed) cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt, to taste

Place avocado and lime juice in large bowl and toss gently to coat. (This will help to keep the avocado from browning.) Add tomato, yellow pepper, onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, and black pepper. Toss gently to combine. Add salt to taste.

Serves 4

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 118
Fat: 7 g
Saturated fat: 1.5 g
Monounsaturated fat: 1.4 g
Carbohydrate 12 g
Fiber: 5.5 g
Protein: 3 g

IF Rating: 146 (moderately anti-inflammatory)

Excerpted from The Inflammation Free Diet Plan: The Scientific Way to Lose Weight, Banish Pain, Prevent Disease and Slow Aging. © 2006 Monica Reinagel & Lynn Sonberg Book Associates

Easy Italian Style Tomato Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium onions
2 cans Italian-style plum tomatoes or 2 lbs. fresh plum or cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp. red or white wine
1 Tbsp. chopped basil
1 tsp. fresh oregano leaves, crushed
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pour the olive oil into a pan and sauté the garlic and onions for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If you're using canned tomatoes, crush or chop them in a blender. For fresh tomatoes, chop them into small cubes. Add the wine and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. The sauce will keep for up to 1 week, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 100
Calories from Fat: 45
Total Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 15 mg
Carbohydrate: 12 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 7 g
Protein: 2 g

Fresh Tomato Salsa

2 large tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and chill several hours before serving.

Makes 2 servings

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 70
Calories from Fat: 10
Total Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 20 mg
Carbohydrate: 16 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Sugars: 8 g
Protein: 3 g

Fried Rice

1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 dozen mushrooms, sliced
½ package frozen peas
1 Tbsp. shredded daikon
4 cups cooked short-grain brown rice
½ Tbsp. tamari soy sauce
Chopped scallions or fresh chopped parsley

Brush skillet with sesame oil. Heat for a minute or less but do not let oil start to smoke. Add onion, mushrooms, peas, and daikon; place rice on top. If rice is dry, moisten with a few drops of water. Cover skillet and cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Add tamari soy sauce and cook for another five minutes. Stir before serving. Garnish with scallions and chopped parsley.

Harvest Trail Mix

It may take some sleuthing at your local natural foods store to find all the ingredients for this trail mix, but it's well worth the effort. On days when I'm busy seeing patients, I've been known to eat a large helping of this mix as my lunch. Make sure to choose organic nuts and seeds whenever they're available.

Almonds
Dry-roasted soybeans
Dates
Dried apples
Dried cranberries
Peanuts
Pumpkin seeds
Raisins
Sunflower seeds
Walnuts

Mix ingredients together in roughly equal proportions and store in an airtight container. Use within a month, because the oils in nuts can go rancid. One serving equals 2 ounces.

Holiday Cranberry Slaw

This salad is easy to prepare, packed with antioxidants, and makes a refreshing addition to any traditional holiday meal.

½ head green cabbage (about 2 cups), shredded
½ head red cabbage (about 2 cups), shredded
6 scallions, sliced or 1 small red onion, diced (or use a combination of both)
1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground, dried mustard powder

Mix together cabbage, onions, and cranberries in large mixing bowl. Whisk oil, vinegar, and seasonings together in a small bowl. Pour over cabbage mixture; mix thoroughly. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour. This slaw keeps for 4 or 5 days.

Serves 8.

Homemade Mexican Seasoning Mix

Mix up your own seasoning mix and store it in a jar until needed. To use, brown 1 pound of meat and drain off excess fat. Add 1/2 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of seasoning mix. Stir over medium heat until slightly thickened.

4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoon red paprika
2 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt or salt substitute
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

Makes enough to season six pounds of meat

Lemon Poppy Seed Dip

2/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
4 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon peel
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Makes 2 servings
Yield: About 1 cup

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 100
Calories from Fat: 15
Total Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 4 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 20 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 16 g
Protein: 4 g

Mediterranean-Style Chili

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 to 1 ½ pounds lean ground lamb
1 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14 ½ ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 ½ tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained

Warm olive oil in a large pot for about 30 seconds. Then add the lamb, onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until lamb is browned and well crumbled. Drain oil from pot and return to heat. Stir in tomatoes, red wine and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Add black beans and cook 30 minutes more.

Makes 8 servings

PAMM Ginger Dressing

1 green pepper (sweet)
3 organic carrots
1 onion (Spanish is best)
1 lemon, sliced with the skin on
5 cloves garlic
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
½-¾ cup soybean oil (I substitute olive oil and recommend that you do, too)
4-5 Tbsp. mayonnaise (for a zestier flavor, substitute 1 Tbsp. tomato sauce or paste for 1 Tbsp. of the mayo)
3-4 inches of ginger root, peeled

Slice the vegetables into manageable pieces and pulse in food processor with the lemon and garlic. Add soy sauce, oil, mayonnaise, and ginger root and puree. Use as a dressing for salad or dip for fresh vegetables. Ginger dressing keeps for two weeks in the refrigerator. Liquid will separate during storage, so just stir before using again.

Makes 6 cups

Tofu with Sesame Seeds

8 oz. firm tofu
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
8 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine

Chop tofu into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle sesame seeds into tofu. Add garlic, scallions, soy sauce, and rice wine and mix well. Chill several hours before serving.

Serves 2

Nutrition Facts per Serving:

Calories: 210
Calories from Fat: 90
Total Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 550 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 2 g
Protein: 14 g