Undergoing a procedure to help relieve chronic pain can be daunting at first leaving patients with many questions and concerns. One of the common questions many people inquire about is what the recovery process looks like and is there are any additional strategies to aid this process or speed up the healing following the treatment. The recipes detailed below are great for recovery from stem cell therapy injections as well as PRP and surgical procedures. These recipes are simple so anyone can cook them and provide great nutrition, proper protein and are generally anti-inflammatory. For best results use these recipes the week following your procedure.
1. Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Assorted vegetables (zucchini, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes)
Instructions:
- Preheat the grill for 15 minutes at medium to high heat.
- In a bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, dried thyme, salt, and pepper to create a marinade.
- Coat the chicken breasts with the marinade and let them sit for at least 15 minutes at room temperature in the refrigerator.
- Grill the chicken until fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes per side.
- Toss assorted vegetables in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast them in the oven for about 15-20 or until tender.
- Serve the grilled chicken on a bed of roasted vegetables. Aim for at least 8 ounces of chicken for proper protein consumption!
2. Sweet Potato and Turkey Hash
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey (organic preferred)
- 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled and diced in .25 inch chunks)
- 1 onion (diced as finely as possible)
- 2 bell peppers (diced in .5 inch stips)
- 2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)(organic if possible)
Instructions:
- In a large skillet, melt ghee or coconut oil over medium heat over the stovetop.
- Add ground turkey and cook until browned thoroughly.
- Add diced sweet potatoes, onion, and bell peppers to the skillet. Cook until vegetables are tender for approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Season with a little paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Stir well for a couple minutes and let it cook until the sweet potatoes are golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. You’ll want to keep this recipe in the rotation!
3. Zucchini Noodles with Pesto Shrimp
Ingredients:
- 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined as best as possible)
- 4 medium zucchinis (spiralized into noodles)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic (minced roughly)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a food processor or blender, blend basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil to make pesto.
- Season shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until cooked through.
- In the same pan, add zucchini noodles and cherry tomatoes on top.
- Cook until the noodles are slightly softened to preferred consistency.
- Toss the pesto and shrimp with the zucchini noodles until well combined.
- Serve immediately and let the whole family enjoy it!
- Tip: avoid if you have seafood allergies
4. Baked Salmon with Asparagus and Lemon
Ingredients:
- 4 salmon filets
- 1 bunch asparagus (trimmed by cutting the root ends)
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 lemon (sliced)
- Fresh dill (chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place salmon filets and asparagus on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle ghee over salmon and asparagus. Season with salt and pepper to your preferred taste.
- Place thin lemon slices on top of the salmon.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily and can visibly separate.
- Garnish with fresh dill before serving. The omega-3’s in this dish are fantastic for stem cell procedure recovery and for inflammation in general.
5. Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (diced)
- 1 head cauliflower (riced)
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 1 cup peas
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 3 green onions (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a large skillet, cook 1 inch diced chicken until browned and cooked through.
- Push the chicken to one side and add riced cauliflower to the skillet.
- Add carrots and peas to the cauliflower. Stir to combine.
- Push the vegetables to one side and pour beaten eggs into the skillet. Scramble the eggs until cooked.
- Mix everything together, add coconut aminos, and drizzle with sesame oil.
- Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped green onions. This one the whole family will love including the kids!
6. Turkey and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
- 4 bell peppers (halved or quartered and seeds removed)
- 1 lb ground turkey (organic is best)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup cauliflower rice
- 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a skillet, cook ground turkey until browned thoroughly.
- Add finely diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook until softened well.
- Stir in cauliflower rice, diced tomatoes, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Slowly Spoon the mixture into halved bell peppers.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro before serving. This recipe is a great source of vitamin C from the bell peppers and protein from the turkey.
- Tip: have your hands pre-greased to avoid the ground turkey stinking all over the place!
7. Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh (organic free range is ideal)
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 lemon (juiced and zest)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a bowl, mix minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place chicken thighs and Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet.
- Brush the chicken and Brussels sprouts with the lemon-garlic mixture.
- Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves over the chicken and vegetables.
- Roast for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken has a golden coat and the sprouts are crispy. This is a hearty classic that is nutrient and protein dense.
8. Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)(fresh is preferred but thawed frozen also works)
- 2 avocados (diced, organic is preferred)
- 1 cucumber (sliced)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- Red onion (thinly sliced)
- Fresh cilantro (chopped very finely)
- Lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook until pink and opaque.
- In a large bowl, combine diced avocados, sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion.
- Add cooked shrimp to the bowl.
- Drizzle lime juice over the salad and toss gently.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
9. Eggplant and Ground Beef Skillet
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large eggplant (cubed)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions:
- In a skillet, cook ground beef until browned. Drain excess fat.
- Add diced eggplant, diced onion, and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook until vegetables are softened.
- Stir in diced tomatoes, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Let it simmer until flavors meld together.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
- Tip: use grass fed ground beef if possible for enhanced nutrition and more of an anti-inflammatory effect. Buying grass fed beef frozen or in bulk from Costo greatly helps lower the cost!
10. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and cubed)(organic squash is best)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 2 apples (peeled, cored, and chopped)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste, don’t over salt!
- Coconut cream (for garnish)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place butternut squash, chopped onion, chopped carrots, and chopped apples on a pre-greased baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender to taste.
- Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Add chicken bone broth or organic vegetable broth and blend until smooth.
- Pour the soup into a pot and heat over medium until warmed through.
- Serve with a drizzle of coconut cream on top. The coconut cream is so good, everyone will want seconds!
These Whole30-type recipes feature a variety of proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats, adhering to the principles of the Whole30 program that enable a healthy recovery from a stem cell therapy procedure. These recipes are also great for recovery from surgical and other regenerative medicine procedures as well! Remember to check ingredient labels and adapt recipes based on your specific dietary preferences and needs. Always consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have specific health concerns or conditions such as celiac disease. Enjoy your wholesome and nutritious meals!
