5 Easy Ways to Get More Turmeric Into Your Diet
This bright yellow spice has potential
anti-inflammatory benefits—and just so happens to be a delicious way to jazz up everyday meals.
By Lynn Andriani
A No-Fail Classic with a Pleasant Surprise
This uncomplicated chicken-and-rice dish would be as welcome on a Wednesday night as it is on a casual dinner-party night. The no-stress recipe has you cook onion, garlic, some spices and chicken pieces in an ovenproof pot, then add rice, broth and dried cranberries. You slip it into the oven for an hour, or so, and that's it. The finished dish is warm and satisfying; the turmeric gives it a slightly golden tinge and a gentle orange taste.
Get the recipe: Chicken and Wild Rice
Photo: Gus Filgate and Jason Lowe
An English Classic (That Isn't Tea Sandwiches)
Kedgeree, a versatile, filling rice dish, isn't well-known in the U.S., but it ought to be. Traditionally made with flakes of fish and other humble ingredients, this inventive version gets its heft from halved hard-boiled eggs. Turmeric gives the rice a rich, paella-like look, and accents the bright yellow egg yolks.
Get the recipe: Kedgeree with Eggs and Tarragon Butter
A Salad to Bring to Every Potluck
It's easy to see why chicken salad is standard picnic fare: It's portable, tastes better when all the ingredients have had a few hours to mix together and can be eaten with a fork, on a sandwich or in avocado halves or lettuce-leaf cups. This marigold-yellow rendition includes nonfat yogurt, cumin, celery, onion, parsley, cashews and, yes, a good dash of turmeric for color and a subtle orange flavor.
Get the recipe: Curried Chicken Salad
The Soup You'll Be Snacking On
Make a pureed soup on Sunday, and you won't just have lunch for the first few days of the workweek—you'll also have a handy dip that, along with some pita or crackers, will tide you over between meals. This roasted sweet-potato puree is especially perfect for snacking; with some lime juice and cayenne pepper (which go especially well with ginger-like turmeric), it has a kicky taste that's delicious with tortilla chips.
Get the recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato and Garlic Soup
The Quickest Way to Liven Up a Standard
A simple chicken breast can seem like a ho-hum dinner option after a while, but there is a way to make the cheap and easy protein taste brand new. It's simply a matter of saucing. As soon as you remove the meat from the heat (whether you've roasted, sautéed or grilled it), "paint" it with this wonderfully fragrant but not too spicy mixture of ginger, coriander, turmeric, salt, cayenne, cardamom and melted butter. Boring chicken no more.
Get the recipe: Punjabi Spice Paint
Published 04/18/2016
