The idea of an anti-inflammatory diet is to provide your body with the healthiest ingredients that are shown to provoke the fewest inflammatory responses. While each person will react differently to foods, research has shown diets including a wide variety of vegetables are the healthiest. At Arizona Pain Monthly, we also believe in seasonal eating. These recipes combine both a great variety of vegetables, and produce you should find in plenty at your local market in winter.

Curried Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
2 (15-oz) cans solid-pack pumpkin
4 cups water
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, or coconut water if opting for low-fat
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons curry seasoning

Directions:
On low heat, cook onions in butter for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, stirring for 1 minute. Then add cumin, coriander, curry and cardamom for another minute. Add salt, red pepper
flakes, pumpkin, water, broth, and coconut milk/water and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring when necessary. using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Top with sour cream or plain yogurt before serving.

These autumnal recipes use seasonal produce to flavor your holiday table. They are easy to prepare and great to share. We wish you a lovely Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon flour (or corn starch,to be gluten free)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups broth
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon all spice
• 1 cup milk
• Dash of salt

Preparation:
In a Dutch oven, warm flour and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until a light caramel color. Add broth and brown sugar. bring to a boil and then lower to simmer. Add potatoes and spices. With an immersion blender, puree soup until it is smooth. (This can also be done in batches in a blender.) Add milk and a dash of salt and pepper last.

These autumnal recipes use seasonal produce to flavor your holiday table. They are easy to prepare and great to share. We wish you a lovely Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:

• Dash of olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 small can chopped chilies,drained
• 1 small can black beans, rinsed
• 1 small can kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 small can corn kernels
• 1 bag frozen squash or sweet potatoes
• 1 large can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation:

In a cast iron skillet, warm a dash of olive oil until bubbling. Add garlic and onion. Lower heat to medium. Add turkey. Cook until no longer pink, then drain cooking liquid. Add to crockpot with remaining ingredients, minus squash and corn. Cook on high for 6 hours. Turn down to medium heat. Add frozen squash and corn. Cook one more hour. Top with sour cream, cheese or salsa.

May the respite of cool weather reach us this month! October brings the first crisp, cool nights to Phoenix – a taste of the next glorious six months. In celebration of the ability to return outside for meals on the patio, a collection of fall-inspired recipes:

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds acorn squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• salt
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Chopped fresh mint

Directions:
Heat grill. Prepare squash by halving and removing seeds. Peel the squash and cut into 1/2 inch sections. In a bowl, combine oil, garlic and salt to taste. Coat squash in this mixture and then carefully place on the grill. In a saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar. Cook until the syrup is thick. Drizzle over squash and garnish with mint.

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4-6 cloves diced garlic
• Pepper, salt

Directions:

Chop sweet potatoes into inch sized cubes. Boil potatoes until they fall off your fork easily when stabbed.  Drain off water, remove from pan. In that pan, sauté garlic and butter until garlic gets soft and slightly brown. Return the potatoes to the panwith the garlic and butter and mash until smooth.  Pepper and salt to taste.

Ingredients:

• Brussels Sprouts – 1 pound
• Garlic (minced) – 3 cloves
• Vegetable Stock – 2 ½ cups
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt & Pepper – to taste

Directions:

Heat sauté pan on medium high. Add oil, garlic, and Brussels sprouts and mix well.

Add 1 cup of vegetable stock and reduce. Once the stock is almost cooked off add another cup. Reduce again. W

hen that is cooked off, add last ½ cup and reduce. Season with salt and pepper.