The weather has cooled off, leaves are starting to change and football is back: fall is here! Even though the summer always feels too short, I really enjoy it when autumn starts to take over. Beyond the seasonal events and beautiful sights, I love that fall brings a new batch of seasonal produce like apples, winter squash, root vegetables and greens. These ingredients are packed with anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve pesky symptoms of chronic inflammation like digestive discomfort, mental fog and even high blood pressure.
My favorite anti-inflammatory fall recipes not only feature these foods, but they're delicious and rely on other ingredients like canned beans, grains and canned tomatoes that you may already have on hand. Recipes like Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas and Stuffed Pepper Casserole are both nourishing and comforting mains you'll be making on repeat all fall. For more beginner- and budget-friendly cooking tips and recipes, check out Thrifty.
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Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas
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A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling.
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Garlic-Herb Roast Pork Tenderloin with Parsnip Puree & Kale
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Here we blitz parsnips with milk and butter for a flavorful alternative to mashed potatoes to go with the pork and greens.
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Stuffed Pepper Casserole
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You won't be stuffing any peppers for this stuffed pepper casserole, but you will be enjoying the sweet and smoky combination of flavors coming from bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked paprika and ground beef. You can use precooked rice from the package or leftover brown rice if you have it. If using leftover rice, you will need about 1 1/2 cups.
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Fish Taco Bowls with Green Cabbage Slaw
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Fresh salsa verde, green cabbage and avocado all contribute to the vibrant green color of this light and bright fish taco bowl. We love the mild flavor and firm, meaty texture of halibut, but any firm white fish like mahi mahi or tilapia will work well in its place. We garnish this flavorful taco bowl with cilantro, but if you want to take it a step further, try toppings like sprouts or watermelon radishes for even more bright green color.
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White Bean & Sun-Dried Tomato Gnocchi
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Sun-dried tomatoes are the star of this recipe—providing texture and umami. Combined with the spinach, they make this dish a great source of vitamins C and K.
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Ginger-Tahini Oven-Baked Salmon & Vegetables
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The tahini sauce does double duty in this healthy salmon recipe, serving as a glaze for the fish and also as a drizzle for the entire dish at the end of cooking. The green beans are cooked just slightly in this recipe, to still be crisp. If you like your green beans tenderer, look for thinner beans or haricot verts in the grocery store; they'll cook more quickly. This sheet-pan dinner recipe is not only delicious—it also comes together with just 25 minutes of active prep time, and there's only one pan to clean up afterward!
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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
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Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night.
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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
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This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta," and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way, it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.
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Salt & Vinegar Sheet-Pan Chicken & Brussels Sprouts
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A strong vinegar, like malt or sherry, gives this baked chicken recipe a pucker factor reminiscent of salt-and-vinegar chips. Everything cooks on one pan, making this chicken sheet-pan dinner perfect for weeknights when you want big results for little effort (so, pretty much every weeknight!).
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One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan
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This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body. If you avoid cheese made with rennet, look for vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which is made without it.
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Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato & Black Beans
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Loaded with roasted sweet potatoes and shallots, black beans, quinoa, feta and pepitas, this salad makes for a satisfying meatless meal. Not only does massaging the kale tenderize it, it also helps the greens absorb more of the bright dressing.
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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
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This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without adding too much sodium in this healthy recipe for weight loss.
