The Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Action Plans: 4-Week Meal Plans to Heal the Immune System and Restore Overall Health (47 page)

Making your own broth is always more flavorful than using store-bought versions. It’s so easy to make and store, it’s perfect to have on hand to add a flavor boost when needed. You’ll taste the difference right away. And, to make a super anti-inflammatory drink, float a few slices of ginger and turmeric root in a cup of hot broth. Breathe in the aroma, relax, and enjoy.

2 leeks, halved lengthwise

1 fennel bulb, halved

1 onion, halved

2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 garlic head, halved widthwise

3 fresh parsley sprigs

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

6 cups water

1.
In the slow cooker, combine the leeks, fennel, onion, carrots, garlic, parsley, rosemary, cider vinegar, and water. Cook on high for 6 hours.

2.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard any solids.

3.
Store the broth in airtight containers in the refrigerator or freezer.

STORAGE TIP:
Freeze the broth in 1-cup canning jars for easier use.

VARIATION TIP:
To make chicken broth, add 2 pounds of chicken bones to the slow cooker with the other ingredients.

PER SERVING
(1 cup)

Calories: 36; Total Fat: 0g;

Total Carbohydrates: 5g;

Sugar: 1g; Fiber: 1g;

Protein: 1g; Sodium: 21mg

B
y great fortune, I was born into a large Greek family filled with good cooks and people whose green thumbs ensured we always had fresh ingredients readily available. “Cooking from scratch” didn’t have meaning, because everything we cooked naturally just came from the fields. My childhood experiences engendered in me a deep respect for food and cooking, which has sustained me both physically and professionally throughout my entire life.

In addition, I’d like to thank and acknowledge my husband, Bob, my daughter, Claire, and all the family and friends who gather regularly around my table. Thanks also go to my editor, Clara Song Lee, for her patience and grace, and the entire Callisto Media team. Lastly, thanks to my junior-high friend, Tom Hanks, whose visits for crêpes and Fleetwood Mac inspired my culinary journey those many years ago.

I
believe that building health is a group activity, nourished by the wisdom, insight, knowledge, and love of those around us. I’m grateful to all the healers in my life: my husband, family, friends, complementary medicine practitioners, mentors, teachers, chefs, physicians, fellow writers, entrepreneurs, and those I’ve yet to meet. I’m fortunate to have people around who tell me what they think, not what I want to hear—so thank you for challenging me to grow and change, instead of clinging to comfort.

I want to express special appreciation for my mom, who loves me more than anyone else—even more than my dog (and my dog thinks I’m the most awesome person ever).

VOLUME EQUIVALENTS (LIQUID)

VOLUME EQUIVALENTS (DRY)

OVEN TEMPERATURES

WEIGHT EQUIVALENTS

A
nonprofit and environmental watchdog organization called Environmental Working Group (EWG) looks at data supplied by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about pesticide residues. Each year it compiles a list of the best and worst pesticide loads found in commercial crops. You can use these lists to decide which fruits and vegetables to buy organic to minimize your exposure to pesticides and which produce is considered safe enough to buy conventionally. This does not mean they are pesticide-free, though, so wash these fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

These lists change every year, so make sure you look up the most recent one before you fill your shopping cart. You’ll find the most recent lists as well as a guide to pesticides in produce at
EWG.org/FoodNews.

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Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge, Seth Wechsler, Mike Livingston, and Lorraine Mitchell. “Genetically Engineered Crops in the United States.” ERR-162 (February 2014) 9. US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

Kaptoge, Stephen, Sreenivasa Rao Kondapally Seshasai, Pei Gao, Daniel F. Freitag, Adam S. Butterworth, Anders Borglykke, Emanuele Di Angelantonio, et al. “Inflammatory Cytokines and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: New Prospective Study and Updated Meta-Analysis.”
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