Special Diets Diabetes 11 Easy Anti-Inflammatory Dinners to Help Manage Blood Sugar 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 February 25, 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 Trending Videos Close this video player You can get one of these delicious meals on your dinner table in just 15 minutes or less. From veggie-packed wraps to roasted seafood plates, these flavorful, anti-inflammatory dishes are packed with nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, berries and vitamin D-rich eggs and seafood. These ingredients can help you combat pesky symptoms of inflammation like mental fog, joint stiffness and muscle aches. Plus, each dish is made with lower amounts of calories, carbs, saturated fat and sodium to fit a diabetes-appropriate eating pattern. Recipes like our Vegetarian Niçoise Salad and Braised Lentils & Kale with Fried Eggs are easy, mouthwatering mains that can help you feel your best. 01 of 11 Vegetarian Niçoise Salad This vegetarian take on a traditional Niçoise salad omits the fish and piles on plenty of vegetables. View Recipe 02 of 11 Anti-Inflammatory Beet & Avocado Wrap Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Styling: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Packed with fiber and monounsaturated fats, avocados are one of the best foods to eat to fight inflammation. Combined with beets, which contain their own inflammation-fighting phytochemicals, you'll get a lunch that packs a healthy punch. The tahini-lemon mixture adds brightness and a nutty flavor to the wrap. To julienne beets, cut them into thin rounds, then slice the rounds into matchsticks. Or to save time, simply grate the beets on the largest holes of a box grater. View Recipe 03 of 11 5-Ingredient Miso-Glazed Salmon Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This miso-glazed salmon is quick but jam-packed with flavor thanks to red miso, which has a stronger, more distinct flavor than sweet miso. You can easily double the recipe when serving guests without tacking on additional time. Serve with steamed broccolini and a side of brown rice. View Recipe 04 of 11 Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts Serve this summery strawberry spinach salad alongside soup or a half sandwich, or top with grilled chicken or roasted salmon for a complete and easy healthy meal. View Recipe 05 of 11 Arugula & Cucumber Salad with Tuna Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Spicy baby arugula pairs with crisp Persian cucumbers and celery in this refreshing salad. Italian Castelvetrano olives offer a mild, buttery flavor that doesn't compete with the flavor of the tuna. If you want more punch from your olives, Niçoise olives or Kalamata olives work well too. View Recipe 06 of 11 Braised Lentils & Kale with Fried Eggs Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster These braised lentils are cooked with tender kale and bathed in a fire-roasted tomato broth with an egg on top to pack in the protein. Microwaveable lentils need just a short time in the pan to finish cooking. If you have cooked or canned lentils on hand, you can use them in their place, but you may have to shave a few minutes off the cooking time so they don't get too soft. We like how the soft, runny yolk coats the dish. If you want a harder yolk, cover the pan and add 2 or 3 minutes to the cooking time. View Recipe 07 of 11 Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights. View Recipe 08 of 11 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal. View Recipe 09 of 11 Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can't find it, you can use romaine instead. View Recipe 10 of 11 Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts. View Recipe 11 of 11 3-Ingredient Salmon & Veggie Sandwich Photographer: Carson Downing, Food stylist: Annie Probst, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek This 3-ingredient salmon sandwich recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked veggies and salmon (you can also use canned salmon). Pulling out the insides of the bread makes a nice pocket for the filling. Use those bread pieces to make breadcrumbs or croutons. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit