Meals That Heal: 100+ Everyday Anti-Inflammatory Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less: A Cookbook

by Carolyn Williams

100+ delicious, quick, and easy anti-inflammatory recipes to make for the whole family—all ready in 30 minutes or less!

Low energy. Bloating or other digestive issues. Inability to focus or memory loss. Eczema or skin irritations. Arthritis, joint pain, or onset of autoimmune issues. Any of these symptoms sound familiar? These conditions are more common than you think, and recent research suggests that chronic inflammation caused by unhealthy food choices could be the culprit. Here’s the good news you can prevent future diseases, as well as heal or improve most conditions by making a few simple changes to your diet, and Meals that Heal can show you how.

These 100+ quick and tasty recipes feature fresh, healthy ingredients that have researched-backed abilities to cool inflammation, balance gut health, and detox the body. Featuring a complete list of anti-inflammatory foods (including the top inflamers to avoid) as well as on-the-go eating guidelines, Meals that Heal can help you improve and maintain your overall health. Now you can gain more energy, improve concentration, eliminate headaches and skin conditions, slow the aging process, and much more! All recipes are backed by the latest research and reviewed by a James Beard award-winning registered dietitian allowing you to do the easy eat, enjoy, and feel your best!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Health, Food and Drink

547 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2019

About the author

Carolyn Williams, PhD, RD, is a 2017 James Beard Journalism Award winner, dietitian, and culinary nutrition expert known for her ability to simplify the concept of healthy eating when cooking and to break complex research down into content that consumers relate to and use. A contributing editor for CookingLight.com, Carolyn also develops content for a variety of media outlets, lifestyle brands, publishers, and health professionals. Other work includes nutrient analysis, recipe development, and writing, including three previous cookbooks. She is also a tenured faculty member at a local college teaching culinary arts and nutrition classes.

Reviews

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was geared more toward people looking to change their entire eating plan.
I was just looking for some tasty recipes that wouldn't increase my joint pain.
There were a few recipes we will start incorporating into our weekly meal plan (like that delicious granola recipe).
I started with the kindle version and had to quickly change to the Adobe since the kindle version is not formatted correctly and didn't include any of the recipes.
The book isn't due out till June 25th and I am hoping this get sorted before then.
Thank you NetGalley and Tiller Press for my DRC.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is informative and full of good looking recipes. I think it boils down to leaning more to plant-based diet and eating 'clean' - the least refined and processed foods and ingredients.

The author refers to 'studies' many times, but has not included information for any studies she refers to. I think it would have been nice to see some actual citation.

Adding one to my reading challenge to compensate for adding this as 'read.'

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more than a cookbook!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Laid out beautifully with so many food options and ideas. The first half is all about education with tips and tricks sprinkled in. Even though I borrowed this book from the library for my husband, I like it so much I’ll be buying it.

[Michelle Ogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

In exchange for my honest review, I was given an electronic advance copy of this book.

I have an older model Kindle paper white and the formatting of the introduction and beginning chapters did not transfer into a readable format for me. The sentences were jumbled together and lists were mixed up, also not pictures were present and there were notes present to the editor or copy setter. Because of this I missed most of the explanation of inflammation and its maliciousness. However I have an autoimmune issue so I am personally familiar with it.

The book begins with a disclaimer that this is not medical advice and advises that the reader seek the advice of the medical professional of their choice. These statements gave me confidence in the author and publisher. Many books do not include this and I feel it is the morally and medically responsible thing to do. After explaining how the author came to know about inflammation and its presence in many of the main medical conditions plaguing people today; she covers the symptoms and causes. As a nutritionist the author suggests that food can aggravate the inflammation or help it. She lists foods to watch, foods to avoid and foods to include in your diet.

As a way to make eating healthy easy the author mentions Simple Staples. Items to prepare ahead of time that make cooking easier through the week. This could be a big batch of lightly seasoned chicken, sauces or roasted veggies that are then easy to through into a quick stir fry or breakfast bowl. Also included is one weekly meal plan for each of seven different medical issues along with the recipes. Ending with lists of seasonal fruits and veggies by the season they are available, gives the reader a blueprint for healthy eating and reducing inflammation in their body.

More a diet and nutrition book than a cookbook, this title will be a great addition to the library’s nutrition and diet section.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I received a "sample" of this book from the publisher, it's difficult to provide a full review. However, I'll do my best with what was provided!

From what I saw, the book is lively and well put-together. The graphics are eye catching and easy to read, and the information is laid out in an ordered fashion. With some diet books, there are simply large blocks of text, and that can get a bit wearing, but "Meals that Heal" had a lot of photos, type-settings and other touches that made the book aesthetically appealing.

The book's premise is that inflammation is the key to solving gut health, and preventing a number of illnesses like cancer. The author - Carolyn Williams - presents recipes that eliminate certain food groups, while boosting others. So - you might give up dairy, but you can try new foods like tahini or nutritional yeast. I love cheese, but even I know it's not the absolute best thing for our bodies. Appreciated the emphasis on eggs and other whole proteins, as well as lentils and other wholesome foods.

But I should note that I completely disagree that coconut oil is bad for us. I was disappointed to see such an old-fashioned belief (not backed up by research) put forward in this book.

Again, the sample of the book didn't show many recipes, but what I saw looked promising and delicious - and the book really is visually appealing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of factors to consider when eating to change your health, and all of that can be overwhelming. She has done a great job of explaining the science and the thought behind eating within each food category. It definitely takes the stress level of a diet change down some.

Sadly, because I was reading an advanced version, I did not get to see all of the recipes, just a handful of them for breakfast. I will be looking at the final copy in hopes of finding some new additions to our meal rotation.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Tiller Press and Netgalley for a copy of Meals That Heal by Carolyn Williams for review. Publishing June 25/19.

I really liked how adaptable this cookbook was! Basic, easy to find ingredients for the most part but my favourite parts were the guides. She had basic ways to build things like a breakfast bowl with plenty of suggestions for each layer so you could adapt it to your tastes, budget and diet so easily and also mix it up a lot. You could easily make a different bowl every morning for example if you wanted just by mixing up her basic recipe and changing the ingredients. Love these books to be able to learn how to adapt recipes to my family’s tastes and even to tailor each to our individual diets or needs!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really impressed with this book! I was expecting very little educational text and mostly recipes. That is not what it is. It is very educational throughout the book, and the literature matches the evidence based approach I'm familiar with as a health psychologist. It's full of color, organized designs to make seeing things easier, and pictures for every recipe.

There are about 10-20 recipes per food chapter, which I feel is plenty, and it ends with meal plans directed at various different diseases: diabetes, heart disease, autoimmunity, cancer, brain health, and pain/joint health. Each one is a combination of the recipes included for one week.

Something else I was impressed with was that it's pescatarian and vegetarian friendly, despite having meat options as well. I'm pescatarian, and very few cookbooks make it easy on me to find the recipes that fit my diet. This book does. The lunches and meat (duh) chapters are the only ones that are meat heavy. There's a fish chapter that's separate and a vegetarian chapter as well.

Don't expect desserts 😉

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book as part of a goodreads giveaway.

The beginning of this cookbook sets up the recipes by describing nutritional facts in a very consumable way. There are descriptions of the terminology, which foods are good/bad, and also summary pages with easy reference guides. I love how there is a realistic expectation of how much you can realistically make from scratch vs purchasing, with recommendations of specific prepackaged products you can buy while meeting the expectations of an anti inflammatory diet.

The recipes included look fresh and delicious. There are also recommendations on making the recipes kid friendly (like blanching basil for pesto to give it a milder flavor). There are descriptions of what to prep in advance to prepare for an easy week of meals, and sample meal plans at the end with recommendations for specific focuses (autoimmune issues, heart health, diabetes, etc)

Overall I think this is going to be a really useful cookbook on my shelf and I’m excited to add recipes here to my repertoire.

[Michelle Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, there is a definition of inflammation and the diseases of inflammation. There is a recommendation of which types of foods to increase and which foods to decrease. Generally, avoid processed foods, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. Limit the amount of fatty proteins, increase green leafy vegetables, increase fruit, etc. Included are a variety of recipes designed to meet these goals. The book recommends a week long detox before utilizing the recommendations. It provides suggested menu items for the detox. There are several to choose from. I found this book to be highly relevant to me as I have fibromyalgia which is an autoimmune disorder. I may have difficulty limiting red meat, but I will be adding more of the recommended fish. Anyone with inflammation and chronic pain should check out this book.

[Andrea Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a kind of sample of MEALS THAT HEAL, not in the usual format and somewhat erratic across the pages, but I'll comment on what I could discern. After reading the beginning I felt as though I had actually learnt some useful information about the reasons why we suffer certain ills and many of them seem to be caused either because we're eating the wrong foods, or too much of some and not enough of the other. I had read previously that inflammation within the body can cause problems and it was very helpful to have it explained more fully. I can't comment on the graphics or photographs because they were either not complete or not there at all, but there were recipes that looked delicious and that I will certainly follow.
My thanks to Carolyn Williams, Tiller Press and Net Galley.

[False · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading about anti-inflammatory food plans, and this book seems a step above in that it uses (for the most part) practical ingredients and each meal can be prepared in under 30 minutes. Large photographs that are attractive.

This is a great cookbook that has ways to prepare healthy meals and also includes healthy tips. So many diseases and illnesses can be traced back to foods that cause inflammation. Whole Foods are definitely the answer and with this cookbook taste delicious.
Carolyn Williams has some easy shortcuts that make the meals quicker, so everything is not from scratch.

I've made a few of the recipes, which turned out well. I'm going to make her granola which reviewers rave about. From the anti-inflammatory books, this seems like one of the most practical.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meals that Heal is a recipe book that includes over 100 quick and easy, everyday, anti-inflammatory recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less! After an introduction which explains that this book is not a substitution for seeking medical advice, there are also many tips and guides on how to improve your diet and lifestyle including foods to avoid.
The author also sets out some Simple Staples, which are items that can be prepared ahead of time and kept on hand to make eating well easier.
This book reads much more like a plan for eating better than a cookbook. Highly recommended!

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Lisa Swinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I acquired another cookbook.
But, I'm really excited about this one.
We have several people in our home that deal with chronic issues that can be affected both positive and negative by diet.
And I'm all for doing what I can to help everyone feel as good as they can.
I read the book cover to cover before starting to use the recipes.
I really like her approach with the 80/20 set up.
It's more life sustainable and practical for everyday living.
It is less restrictive than other anti-inflammatory cookbooks I've use too.
And she is all for shortcuts!
I'll be cooking these recipes for years to come.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains a lot of useful information, in addition to recipes. A lot of it is common sense, but it's great to see it all in one place. Also, there is full nutrition information. While there are meal plans in the back dealing with specific issues, you can break out the recipes to suit your own needs. I found the poultry and seafood recipes to be the most useful. The best part of this is that you can feed these to your friends and family and they won't know they are eating healthy.

A really helpful book if you are trying to improve your diet and need to get dinner on the table every night.

[Cyndy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My family loves this book! We started with a different book that was recommended by our NP (which my husband calls “the most awful books ever” 😂) but the recipes were bland and no matter how healthy it was supposed to be, it won’t help if we won’t eat it. The recipes in this book are awesome which makes it completely doable for our family and the author gives guidelines for eating some processed foods which makes my husband happy. Her philosophy of eating this way 80/20 pleases all of us. If you’re considering AI eating, I recommend this book 100%.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The recipes in this book are really good. Like, really, really good. And they don't look like they would be. They're simple and don't *sound* like they'd be as good as they are. There's a chicken salad with cashews and apples and fresh basil that is just incredible. The black bean quesadillas take maybe 10 minutes to put together, but they're great. This book is full of surprises like that. Give it a try.

[AngelLeah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful cookbook! The recipes have a label that say if they are gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free. There are a lot of pictures not for every recipe but for a lot of them. Lots of ideas for meals and a last chapter that gives you menus based on what you might want to work on (for example heart health).

[Leslie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best cookbook with so much information on how to eat to reduce inflammation. The recipes actually taste good and don’t use too many weird ingredients that no one has. She has a ton of great information on myths you might hear about food and provides clear science with flexibility for different lifestyles. As a dietitian, I approve!

[Susan Norwillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Healthy Meals

I read all the recipes in this book and I would try all of them. All recipes contain foods that are easily available and easy to prepare. I am most impressed by the suggested meal plans for the different medical conditions. I am so inspired to begin this journey to a healthier life!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great reference for anyone who experiences some type of chronic pain. This book helps explain foods relationship to inflammation and your gut health. Love how the recipes show I’d they are Vegan, Gluten free or dairy free. Also big plus...pictures!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent - especially if you're new to eating an anti-inflammatory diet. I find the link between food and health fascinating and am always willing to read something on the subject. This book is a great foundational block if you don't have a lot of background in what and/or how to eat cleaner.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative but not what I wanted. I was looking for recipes to make to help with inflammation. Not the kind of meal recipes I wanted.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book! Not only does it give you delicious recipes, it gives you information to rework your diet. I love that you can take away as much as you want to! Highly recommend!

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly different perspective, some new ideas and recipes to try.

[Gay Waltrip]

There are several recipes that I will be adding to my daily food plan.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The information and recipes in this book are amazing! This is the most recent cookbook I've purchased and the cookbook I've used the most out of all the cookbooks in my collection.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting - I learned a lot about healthy meal choices.

[JACQUELINE BECTON · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always looking for new information. This didn't tell me anything I didn't know but it had some good recipes.