This elegant and simple recipe from Forever Young contains two superfoods- salmon and watercress- as well as the anti inflammatory all star spice, cinnamon.

Serves 8
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 pounds wild salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon mild smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon (available at most supermarkets)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 bunches B&W watercress

Preparation

1. Mix the orange juice, the 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon of the thyme in a small bowl. Place the salmon in a large glass baking dish, add the marinade, and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking dish with foil and grease the foil.
3. Mix the paprika, cinnamon, orange zest, sea salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme in a small bowl.
4. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place it in the prepared baking dish; discard any remaining marinade. Rub the smoked paprika mixture evenly over the salmon. Roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
5. Wash and trim the watercress. Heat the remaining teaspoon oil, add the watercress, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until wilted. Serve the salmon over the watercress.

For more anti aging recipes, please go to the Start Fresh Menu.

Ingredients

• Two 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup rice
• One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 4 cups packed (2 bunches or bags) B&W watercress (a few sprigs reserved for garnish, the remainder cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Combine the broth and rice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the rice is very tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Place the artichoke hearts, eggs, and lemon juice in a blender and puree. With the machine running, ladle about half of the rice mixture through the opening in the cover, and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the pureed mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160F, reducing the heat as necessary to prevent the soup from boiling.
3. Stir in the dill, watercress and pepper. Garnish with the reserved sprigs of watercress.

For more Start Fresh recipes, please click here.

Ingredients

For the crust:

Unlike most rice, Forbidden Rice is a low-inflammatory food that provides a high dose of the secret anti aging antioxidant anthocyanin, also found in blueberries. Its nutty, sweet flavor is similar to jasmine rice, and it’s firm texture serves as a perfect medium for a Thanksgiving stuffing. It’s also a naturally gluten-free food.

My family loves the cherries and toasted walnuts in this recipe. But feel free to create your own variation with other fruits, veggies and nuts. Try chopped apples and almonds, or diced butternut squash with pecans – yum! Toast the nuts ahead of time on a baking sheet for about 10 to 15 minutes in a 425 degree oven. If you’re planning a gluten-free Thanksgiving, be sure to use a gluten-free turkey stock or gluten-free chicken stock.

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

• 2 tbsp Grape Seed Oil (or Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 1 ½ cups Yellow Onion, diced
• 1 cup Celery, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp Dried or Fresh Thyme Leaves
• 1 ½ tsp Crushed Dried Sage
• 1 ½ cups Forbidden Rice
• 2 ¾ cups Turkey or Chicken Stock
• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ tsp Salt
• ⅛ tsp Pepper
• ¼ cup Fresh Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley, minced
• ½ cup Dried Tart Cherries
• ½ cup Walnut Pieces, toasted

Preparation

In medium stock pot, heat grape seed oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring, 3 minutes. Add celery and continue to saute, 2 minutes more. Stir thyme and sage, and saute one minute more, checking that onions and celery are tender and transparent.

Add dry rice and stir to coat with oil and herb mixture, one minute. Pour stock over mixture in pot. Add one more pinch of salt, stir, and increase the heat to high. Bring the stock to a boil, cover with a lid, and reduce to a simmer over medium/medium-low heat. Simmer covered, stirring once or twice, until the rice is firm but tender and only a very small amount of liquid remains in the bottom of the pot, 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove pot from heat and stir in olive oil, ½ tsp salt, pepper, minced parsley, cherries, and toasted walnuts.

Serve immediately as an accompaniment to Thanksgiving turkey or keep warm, covered, in an oven proof dish at 180 degrees for up to 30 minutes.

Next week, stay tuned for an anti aging pie recipe with a new anti inflammatory ingredient that will surprise you.

Adding Shiitake mushrooms is a great way to enhance not only the flavor of your favorite soups, but also increase their nutritional value and provide your immune system with a boost. This is a favorite of recipe of mine from Forever Young.

Chicken Egg Drop Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 Cups low-sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup finely diced Celery
• 1/2 cup finely diced Shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons minced Onion
• 2 large Eggs, well beaten
• 2 bunches Watercress, trimmed

1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the celery and onion and simmer, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. With the soup at a rapid boil, slowly pour in the beaten eggs, stirring until the eggs form fine shreds. Add the watercress and cook only about a minute longer.

Enjoy in good health!

How do you incorporate mushrooms into your diet?

Today’s guest blogger, Amanda, a busy mother of 2 loves to cook and entertain incorporating staples from the anti inflammatory kitchen. Today, she shares a slimmed down and nutritionally richer version of Classic Pesto, incorporating the anti aging all star, Watercress.

I love the peppery bite the Watercress gives in this Pesto recipe and it is so easy to make- literally 3 steps! Don’t forget that when purchasing Olive Oil,  that Dr. Perricone recommends using Spanish varieties as they tend to have higher levels of a powerful antioxidant, Hydroxytyrosol.

• 2 cups Watercress
• 1 ½ cups Basil
• 1cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Dr. Perricone recommends Spanish Olive Oil)
• ¾ cups Parmesan cheese
• 2 oz. Pine Nuts
• 2 TBS Lemon Juice
• 2 TBS White Cooking Wine
• 3 TBS Vegetable Broth
• 1 Clove Garlic
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Pepper

1. Combine the watercress, basil, cheese, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped
2. Add the liquid ingredients until fully incorporated and smooth.
3. Season with salt and pepper.

You can use this pesto as a marinade, a dipping sauce or spread. Enjoy!

What is your favorite Perricone-friendly dish?

Even during the most hectic morning schedules, it’s important to incorporate a healthy breakfast.  This smoothie recipe is quick and easy, just blend and add to a to-go cup and you’ve got the perfect breakfast on the go!

Time-saving tip: Cut up fruit and pre-measure ingredients the night before.

Dr. Perricone’s Fruit Smoothie

(serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 nectarine or peach- pitted, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tsp. lime or lemon juice to taste
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup water
• lime zest to taste
• 2 scoops of whey protein (optional but recommended)

Preparation

Blend all ingredients until smooth and serve immediately.

What is your favorite healthy breakfast recipe?

Today’s guest blogger, Amanda, a busy mother of 2 loves to cook and entertain incorporating staples from the anti inflammatory kitchen.

Spiced Pecans from Forever Young pg. 301

Ingredients

• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 3 cups pecan halves
• ½ tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon water. Stir in the pecans, mixing until well moistened.
3. Combine the salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the moistened nuts. Spread the nuts on the baking sheet.
4. 4. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Be careful not to burn the nuts. Store in an airtight container until ready to use

If you want to spice things up, try adding a few dashes of chili powder or cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix.

Some of my favorite ways to use Spiced Pecans include:

• as a topping with spaghetti squash
• on a salad filled with pears and bleu cheese
• a take home treat for dinner guests

What are some of the ways you incorporate pecans or other nuts into your diet?

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Dark Chocolate (70% preferred), roughly chopped
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 ½ cups Coconut Milk or Almond Milk
• ⅛ tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Vanilla
• (For variation: Add ¼ tsp cinnamon along with the salt)

Preparation

Place chopped chocolate into a medium to large bowl with a pour spout. Set aside.

Prepare a double boiler or create your own with a medium deep pot or saucepan fitted with a medium heat-proof bowl set on top. (You’ll be simmering a few inches of water in the pot and gently cooking the contents of the bowl with the steam, but make sure the bottom of the bowl sets down into the pot somewhat without touching the simmering water!) In the top of the double boiler or bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, and salt vigorously until smooth and blended, about 30 strokes.

In the bottom of the double boiler or pot, bring several inches of water to a boil, then reduce to a medium simmer.

Place bowl with egg mixture over the pot of simmering water and cook, stirring gently but constantly and scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula, for 8 to 9 minutes (time this one!) until the mixture is very hot and has just thickened. Remove bowl from heat immediately.

Pour the hot egg mixture through a fine mesh colander or sieve into bowl of chopped chocolate and allow it to sit, melting the chocolate, for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and stir until chocolate has completely melted and the color is smooth with no streaks remaining.

Carefully pour chocolate mixture into 6 ramekins of ⅓ cup capacity. (Or into small bowls of any size; The number of servings and serving sizes will vary based on the type of dish used.) Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Remove from refrigerator once the custards are set and very thick, 3 to 4 hours, or store refrigerated for up to 48 hours. Serve cold or allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes. Garnish with berries, dark chocolate shavings, or sifted cocoa powder, if desired.

Do you ever make a traditional dish more Perricone? Share your recipe!

Harmony is a Perriconista and professional hair stylist for 13 years. You can find her at Hush Hair Salon in Manhattan Beach, CA

This life restoring mask is one of my favorites- it restores body, bounce and shine to your hair.  It’s easy and you can find these anti inflammatory ingredients in your own refrigerator.

Harmony’s Restorative Hair Mask

Ingredients:

• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 Avocados

Mash ingredients together and comb through wet, cleansed hair.

Let sit one to two hours and rinse. Enjoy newly restored hair!

How do you deal with lifeless hair?