How To Make Anti-Inflammatory Smoothies, Our Meal Prep Tips, Seasonal Foods And More!

Including two anti-inflammatory smoothie recipes!

Welcome to May - a great time of year to take advantage of fresh, seasonal produce. This issue is all about eating in-season foods. We’ll cover what’s in season right now, along with helpful tips for selecting and using each ingredient. We’re also diving into the world of anti-inflammatory smoothies, and giving you a peek at how we each approach weekly meal planning and cooking. It's all about making easy, delicious meals feel streamlined and sustainable.

We’d love to hear from you: What’s your favorite smoothie combination? Share your go-to recipes and smoothie tips in the comments! Become a paid subscriber to join the conversation.

How We Cook During The Week

Dr. Weil:

When I’m cooking for just myself, I try to keep things easy so it doesn’t become a chore. Cooking for one can be a great opportunity to simplify while still eating well. A few strategies have served me well over the years: I’ll often make a pot of soup and portion it out for a few days - it’s efficient and nutritious. Salads are perhaps the easiest one-person meal, especially when you keep a variety of greens and toppings on hand. A baked sweet potato or a simple vegetable stir-fry also make satisfying, low-effort dinners. Wraps are another go-to: they’re versatile, quick to assemble, and can be made with whatever’s in the fridge. And when I do cook something more involved, I make the full recipe and freeze the leftovers in single portions. It’s a small investment of time that pays off on busier days - and keeps solo meals enjoyable, not burdensome.

Diana:

Meal planning is essential for our family of three, especially since both Harley and I work full-time. Every Sunday, I spend about 10 minutes planning out our dinners for the week. From there, I create a grocery list and make one big shopping trip -going to the store only once during the week saves me time. I make sure to cook enough so that everyone has enough for lunch the next day. This can mean sometimes doubling the portions, as we’re all big eaters. Cook once, eat twice is my motto!

When I plan meals, I like to include a variety - so we can choose what we’re in the mood for each night, instead of being stuck to a rigid schedule. I also mix in recipes that vary in effort: a few quick and reliable meals for busy nights, and a couple that are a bit more elaborate for when I’m in the mood to cook and make something new. I always make sure to have salad ingredients on hand, since we have a salad with dinner nearly every night. It’s a simple way to guarantee we’re getting a good serving of vegetables and some extra fiber. Beyond that, I keep staples stocked - things like yogurt, eggs, bread, and easy snacks like nuts, fresh fruit, and applesauce - so there’s always something easy within reach. This method of meal planning helps me budget, keeps us from ordering takeout every night, and makes things realistic for our busy schedule. I hope this is helpful for you too!

Black Sesame Smoothie

As we dive into how to make anti-inflammatory smoothies, below, check out one of our favorites, the Black Sesame Smoothie! And paid members get a bonus recipe this week, the Anti-Inflammatory High-Iron Smoothie - upgrade to paid to access!

How To Make Anti-Inflammatory Smoothies

With the right ingredients, smoothies can be a powerful way to pack in nutrients - but with the wrong ones, they can turn into sugar and calorie bombs. We both enjoy homemade smoothies (Diana more so), especially ones that focus on anti-inflammatory ingredients. Below we share our favorite ingredients for healthy and delicious smoothies, a breakdown of how to build a smoothie, and, of course, a recipe to try!

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie Ingredients

For a smoothie that’s both nutrient-dense and anti-inflammatory, you’ll want to include a combination of:

• Liquids. We like to use unsweetened plant-based milks, such as almond, coconut, or cashew milk, but dairy milk also works if that’s your preference. If you prefer a thinner texture, green tea or coconut water