Special Diets Anti-Inflammatory 15 Anti-Inflammatory Lunch Recipes for the DASH Diet By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 3, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Photo: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD For years, the DASH diet (short for Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension) has been one of the best eating patterns to help lower high blood pressure. This diet prioritized eating plenty of whole foods and lower amounts of sodium and saturated fats, so each delicious lunch recipe in this collection meets our heart-healthy nutrition parameters. Plus, these dishes feature nutritious ingredients like dark leafy greens, legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats to help fight against inflammation that could cause or worsen high blood pressure. Recipes like our Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing and Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas support heart health without sparing any flavor. 01 of 15 Smoked Salmon Salad Niçoise This twist on a classic Niçoise salad uses smoked salmon in place of tuna and adds extra vegetables in place of hard-boiled eggs and olives. View Recipe 02 of 15 Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes). View Recipe 03 of 15 Green Goddess Wrap Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf A soft and silky green goddess dressing blends with crunchy fresh cucumber and tender greens in this easy wrap. If you prefer, you can ditch the wrap and enjoy the filling as a salad instead. View Recipe 04 of 15 Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas Greg DuPree A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling. View Recipe 05 of 15 Strawberry-Chocolate Smoothie Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners, Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hilegas This creamy, rich strawberry-chocolate smoothie will satisfy any chocolate cravings. It's so decadent you might want it as a dessert, too. View Recipe 06 of 15 Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender. View Recipe 07 of 15 Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable Soup Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This vibrant and wholesome soup recipe helps support your well-being. It’s packed with a variety of colorful vegetables, like tomatoes, which contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help reduce inflammation. The base of the soup is prepped ahead of time and stored in separate containers. Simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water. View Recipe 08 of 15 Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Pesto Your co-workers will be jealous when you pull out this healthy lunch of roasted veggies and brown rice. Put together 4 lunches when you have time and you will have packable lunches (or ready-to-eat dinners) for several days--just grab a container on your way out the door in the morning. View Recipe 09 of 15 Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe. View Recipe 10 of 15 Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch. View Recipe 11 of 15 Lemon-Garlic Vegetable Soup Jacob Fox This light and lovely soup features fresh vegetables, herbs and a splash of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Serve with a dollop of homemade pesto. View Recipe 12 of 15 Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing Curly kale forms the base of this salad, but you could use chard or spinach. To the greens, add a multitude of chopped veggies, such as broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Finish with rich salmon for protein and a drizzle of creamy yogurt dressing to bring it all together. View Recipe 13 of 15 Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowls Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. It also delivers more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, key for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be excellent make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin it as needed. View Recipe 14 of 15 Lemon Shrimp & Orzo Salad Consider making a double batch of this easy pasta salad--it's delicious the next day. The orzo will absorb the dressing as it sits, so add a little more olive oil and lemon juice if you'd like. View Recipe 15 of 15 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit