Anti-inflammatory midsummer food

Holiday food is often considered unhealthy, but it is easy to adapt traditional Midsummer food to more anti-inflammatory food.

• Boiled and chilled new potatoes, contain plenty of prebiotic fiber that feeds the good bacteria in the intestinal flora.
• Salmon and herring contain plenty of the healthy omega-3 fats, which are needed to keep inflammation in the body down.
• Asparagus contains inulin, a prebiotic fiber variety, that the good gut bacteria like very much. In addition, inulin has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity, reduce metabolic syndrome and counteract the development of type 2 diabetes.
• Strawberries, like many other berries, contain the antioxidant anthocyanin which is said to have an anti-inflammatory effect.

3 anti-inflammatory recipes for Swedish Midsummer

The classic dishes eaten during midsummer can easily be adapted to become more anti-inflammatory. For example, the creamy potato salad can be replaced with a fresher variant with caper vinaigrette.

The classic midsummer dessert – fresh strawberries with ice cream or whipped cream, can be combined with a creamy avocado and banana cream instead. This combination will make both your taste buds and intestinal flora cheer! Also, try Stig’s tarragon créme as an accompaniment to salmon or other fish. All these recipes can be found below!

The following recipes are taken from Stig Bengmark’s book Välj Hälsa Recept Bok (Choose Health Recipe Book). For more recipes – buy the book in Swedish here!

Salad on new potatoes, sugar peas & caper vinaigrette

For 4 people:

800 g-1 kg of new potatoes

1/2 liter of fresh and grated leaf spinet

1 pkt fresh sugar peas

1 head of cauliflower

Vinaigrette:

1 small red onion (finely chopped)

2 dl MCT oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon tamari soy

3 tablespoons capers

1 dl finely chopped dill

Salt and pepper

Boil potatoes, as well as rinse and cut up the vegetables. Finely chop the red onion and stir together with the remaining ingredients for the vinaigrette. Mix potatoes, vegetables and vinaigrette into a ready-made potato salad – ready!

Tarragon créme

Stir together:

2 shallot bulbs (peel and finely chop)

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons chili sauce

2 dl soy yogurt

Sea salt and white pepper

Avocado cream

Mix together:

1 avocado

1-1.5 green/unripe bananas

1.5 dl water

0.5 dl coconut oil