Meal Plans ThePrep Anti-Inflammatory Dinners You Can Make in 3 Steps or Fewer (Weekly Plan & Shopping List!) Keep dinnertime light, easy and stress-free with these 3-step anti-inflammatory recipes. By Megan Ginsberg Megan Ginsberg Megan Ginsberg is the Senior Editor for EatingWell. She has a keen eye for grammar, is always looking for new recipes to try and loves the satisfaction that comes from meal planning. Most of her 20-plus-year editing career has been focused on food-related content. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 27, 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 Our column, ThePrep, has everything you'll need to make dinner planning and grocery shopping as easy as can be. Nutritional needs differ from one individual to another, and we invite you to use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit. Sign up to get a dinner plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday! I’m leaving for vacation in less than a week, and while I’m really looking forward to getting away, getting ready to go can be a little stressful. There’s tying up projects at work and then there’s packing, reviewing the itinerary, confirming reservations and so on. While I’m trying to get through everything systematically and hoping to keep stress at bay, I’m also leaning into anti-inflammatory dinners all week, as stress can cause inflammation. By filling my plate with anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, legumes, dark-colored vegetables and omega-3-rich fish, I’m hoping to keep my body energized and feeling great while I check off everything on my pre-vacation to-do list. And by opting for dinners that can be made in three steps or fewer, I’m keeping dinnertime stress-free. Your Weekly Plan Sunday: Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & ParmesanMonday: Anti-Inflammatory Vegetable-Packed Grain BowlsTuesday: Anti-Inflammatory Sweet Potato SaladWednesday: Broccoli & Quinoa Casserole Thursday: Old Bay Salmon with Lemony Mashed Peas Friday: Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes & Broccolini Get the Shopping List 01 of 06 Sunday: Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan Photographer: Jen Causey Not only can this dinner be made in just three steps, but it also uses only one pan. Talk about low-stress! It’s a simple combination of whole-wheat penne, chicken and lots of spinach. White wine, garlic, lemon and Parmesan cheese ensure that it has lots of flavor. Get the Recipe 02 of 06 Monday: Vegetable-Packed Grain Bowls Farro, a whole grain that can help reduce chronic inflammation, is the base of these colorful veggie grain bowls, which also contain a mix of beet greens and beets, carrots, green peas and celery. Crumbled goat cheese on top adds a creamy, tangy element. The bowls are super satisfying with some whole-grain bread on the side. Get the Recipe 03 of 06 Tuesday: Sweet Potato Salad Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling With sweet potatoes, kale, cherries and avocado, this easy salad is packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help fight inflammation. The dressing—a mix of tahini, orange marmalade, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar and olive oil—gives the dish so much flavor. Be sure to massage it into the kale to soften it. Get the Recipe 04 of 06 Wednesday: Broccoli & Quinoa Casserole Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee This quinoa casserole offers the same comfort as a pan of baked mac and cheese, with a lot more protein and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Plus, it’s gluten-free, so it’s a nice option for anyone avoiding gluten. Broccoli and beans add texture, while yogurt and fontina cheese add creaminess. Serve it with some mixed greens for a light, fresh side. Get the Recipe 05 of 06 Thursday: Old Bay Salmon with Lemony Mashed Peas Rubbing salmon fillets with Old Bay is a great way to ensure that they are well seasoned, plus it helps the salmon develop a crisp crust when cooked. The lemony mashed peas get a little richness from crème fraîche. And both the peas and salmon get a nice dose of toasty, nutty flavor from a drizzle of browned butter on top. Serve it all with some precooked brown rice to round out the meal. Get the Recipe 06 of 06 Friday: Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes & Broccolini Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell Crispy chicken thighs with roasted sweet potatoes and broccolini is a go-to combination for me all fall long. In this version, everything gets cooked on one sheet pan for easy cleanup. Serve it with some warmed canned black beans on the side to bolster the meal with a little extra protein and fiber and to meet our anti-inflammatory nutrition parameters. Get the Recipe I wish you all a great week, and I hope you enjoy this dinner plan. If you try a recipe, remember to add a review. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit