Christmas is almost here, so soon it’s time for Christmas dinner. In the past couple of years, many people have found new variations on the traditional dishes that usually make their way to the Christmas table, and in this article we want to give you some tips on how to make your Christmas dinner a little more anti-inflammatory! Some general tips to keep in mind are to choose fiber-rich ingredients, cook from scratch, avoid high temperatures, opt for gluten-free foods and prioritize plant-based dishes over animal products. As for the desserts, they can easily be raw and sweetened with dates instead of icing sugar or similar. But the most important thing at Christmas dinner is to enjoy good food and good company!
A Christmas classic that also benefits the gut microbiome. Try making several salads in different varieties, using kale, Brussels sprouts or red cabbage. Green and red cabbage can be served raw and Brussels sprouts can be steamed or cooked in the oven at a low temperature. You can also serve the cabbage with, for example, pomegranate seeds, orange slices, turmeric or walnuts.
The taste of gingerbread is very much associated with Christmas, and of course it belongs on the Christmas menu. In addition, the spices contained in gingerbread have anti-inflammatory properties. You can also read more about the anti-inflammatory spices of Christmas here. Below you can find an easy and super tasty recipe for raw gingerbread balls.
Mix all ingredients and blend until smooth. If you want a firmer consistency, you can put the gingerbread balls in the freezer.
Wild-caught salmon is a perfect choice for your Christmas dinner. Salmon contains a lot of good fats which makes your belly full and happy. And let’s not forget that salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3, which reduces inflammation in the body.
As is tradition, there is always some kind of bread served with Christmas dinner and we think gluten-free seed crackers are the perfect alternative. Feel free to add a little Ceylon cinnamon for an extra festive touch. There are many different recipes for seed crackers, but we would like to recommend the recipe “Frasigt fröknäcke” (crispy seed crackers) included in the Välj hälsa (Choose Health) recipe book, written by Stig Bengmark. You can find the recipe book here.
Hummus is a popular staple that can be used as an ingredient in a dish or as a spread for a cracker. We recommend using the following ingredients for your hummus: chickpeas, lemon, tahini, MCT oil, cumin, paprika powder, sea salt, pepper, garlic and water.
Potatoes may appear ordinary, but the fact is that they are a food with many health benefits. Both potatoes and sweet potatoes contain resistant starch that makes its way down to the large intestine where it acts as food for the good bacteria to grow. In addition, potatoes are filling and go well with both salmon and cabbage. But make sure to let the potatoes cool before serving, this will increase the amount of fiber and reduce the amount of sugar in the potatoes.
The Choose Health recipe book has a delicious recipe for a simple panna cotta with lovely dark chocolate, but without gelatin. Below you can find the recipe for this delicious chocolate panna cotta.
Roughly chop the chocolate. Mix the coconut cream and dates well. Mix in the agar powder and pour into a saucepan. Simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens. Remove from the heat, stir in the roughly chopped chocolate and allow it to melt. Pour into serving bowls and leave to cool. Serve with fresh berries.
As a variation on deviled eggs, you could just as easily use avocado, which is a staple in anti-inflammatory cuisine. Serve the avocado halves with squeezed lemon, organic shrimp, diced mango and a sprinkle of salt. If you want to read more about the amazing properties of avocados, read this chronicle by Stig Bengmark.
A cup of hot chocolate is both delicious and warming in the Christmas season. We have already recommended an anti-inflammatory version of hot chocolate, which you can find here.
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