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The anti-inflammatory diet seems to be everywhere today, but it’s no fad diet. First of all, eating an anti-inflammatory diet just means eating real, whole, and unprocessed foods, like this white bean salad recipe, to promote a healthy inflammatory response in your body.

Some of the most significant benefits to reducing your body’s inflammation are decreasing your risk for conditions such as chronic body aches, persistent indigestion, and diseases such as fibromyalgia, heart disease, and cancer.

What Is Inflammation?

So, what exactly is inflammation and why do you want to avoid it? If you’ve ever had a cold, sprained your ankle, or scraped your knee, you’ve experienced inflammation.

It is your body’s natural, and necessary, response to outside stressors on your body such as injury or infection. Normally, once your body has the stressor under control the response turns off.

However, when the inflammation response does not stop working and continues to function long after the original need, it can lead to damaging chronic inflammation in your body.

What is an Anti Inflammatory Diet?

The good news is that you can help promote a healthy inflammatory response in your body and control and reduce chronic inflammation through healthy diet and lifestyle choices.

Nature is filled with foods that contain powerful, inflammation-fighting nutrients.

If you fill your plate with foods like brightly colored fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, and healthy fats every day, you’ll be on your way to promoting a healthy inflammatory response in your body.

Halibut with Pineapple Avocado Salsa_FINAL01 — Another delightful recipe you’ll find in the ILMIP Anti-Inflammatory Diet Book: Halibut with Pineapple Avocado Salsa

What Foods are Anti Inflammatory?

In addition to eating anti-inflammatory foods, you’ll also want to avoid or limit foods that can cause a harmful inflammatory response.

Foods that are known to cause inflammation include refined carbohydrates found in foods like crackers, cakes, and bagels; foods containing gluten; dairy foods containing casein; foods with added sugars; and foods with trans fats, such as fried foods.

Cooking an Anti Inflammatory Diet in an Instant Pot

And that’s where your Instant Pot® comes in. Cooking with an Instant Pot® is a life–changing experience, especially when you are trying to eat whole, healthy foods to fight inflammation.

This multifunction cooking tool allows you to sauté, brown, steam, and warm your food. It cooks soups, eggs, and even cakes! And the high-pressure cooking and steaming ability of an Instant Pot® does wonders to steaks, pork shoulders, and chicken.

With the touch of a button, you’ll be able to cook cuts of meat that would normally take hours upon hours in just minutes.

Health Benefits of Cooking in an Instant Pot

In addition, the Instant Pot® actually cooks food at a lower temperature, but it does it more efficiently than other methods because the pressure denies steam to release.

This cooking method also seals in essential vitamins and minerals, making it the ideal tool for your anti-inflammatory diet recipes.

The more you cook, the more you’ll realize how versatile the Instant Pot® really is, whether you’re making a hearty breakfast, an amazing main course, or a delicious dessert.

So plug in your Instant Pot® and get ready to enjoy some amazing, delicious, and quick anti–inflammation meals.

White Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Avocado Recipe

Excerpted from The “I Love My Instant Pot®” Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipe Book by Maryea Flaherty. Copyright © 2019 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Photography by James Stefiuk. Used with permission of the publisher, Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

When you need an easy and flavorful salad, turn to this White Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Avocado.

The simple dressing doesn’t overpower the star of the show: fresh basil.

Fresh basil brings incredible flavor to this salad along with health benefits. Basil has compounds that inhibit the same pro-inflammatory cytokines as anti-inflammatory drugs.

If you’re lucky enough to have basil growing in your garden, you’ll want to make this salad weekly.

It’s equally suitable as a light lunch as it is for a side dish you can bring to a potluck.

• Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serves 4

Instant Pot White Bean Salad Ingredients

1 cup dry cannelloni beans
2 cups water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced
1 cup packed basil leaves, chopped

Instant Pot White Bean Salad Directions

Place the beans in a medium bowl and cover with 3″ water. Soak the beans 4–8 hours.

Drain the beans.

Place the beans and 2 cups water in the inner pot. Secure the lid.

Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust the time to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small container or jar with a tight lid. Shake until the ingredients are well combined; set aside.

When the timer beeps, let pressure release naturally until float valve drops and then unlock lid.

Allow the beans to cool, and then add them to a large bowl along with the tomatoes, avocado, and basil. Drizzle with the dressing and gently stir to coat.

MAKING THIS AHEAD OF TIME?

If you want to make this salad ahead of time, wait to add the avocado until just before serving. This will ensure you don’t have brown avocado pieces.

White Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Avocado Recipe

This is a delicious and filling salad that you'll love. White beans, tomatoes, and avocados, oh my.

Ingredients

1 cup dry cannelloni beans
2 cups water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1⁄2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced
1 cup packed basil leaves, chopped
1 Place the beans in a medium bowl and cover with 3" water. Soak the beans 4–8 hours.

Instructions

Place the beans in a medium bowl and cover with 3" water. Soak the beans 4–8 hours.

Drain the beans.

Place the beans and 2 cups water in the inner pot. Secure the lid.

Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust the time to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small container or jar with a tight lid. Shake until the ingredients are well combined; set aside.

When the timer beeps, let pressure release naturally until float valve drops and then unlock lid.

Allow the beans to cool, and then add them to a large bowl along with the tomatoes, avocado, and basil. Drizzle with the dressing and gently stir to coat.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 336Total Fat: 15gCarbohydrates: 39gSugar: 1gProtein: 13g