3 No-Chopping-Required Dinners

Written by Emily Brown

Posted on July 30, 2024

When you’re living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), making dinner can be a pain — literally. Chopping ingredients may be the last thing you want to do after a long day, especially when your hands and wrists are stiff or aching. However, cooking at home can help you save money and avoid certain foods and ingredients that can make inflammation worse, like saturated fat.

The good news is that you don’t need to stand at a cutting board, chopping away, to prepare tasty, healthy, easy meals. Using simple recipes and cooking hacks like prechopped ingredients, you can make delicious main courses with minimal meal prep. These three no-chopping-required dinner recipes combine some of the best foods to eat with rheumatoid arthritis, like legumes, whole grains, and ginger. These healthy recipes can help you get dinner on the table with less pain.

1. Stew With an Italian Flair

Precut ingredients let you prepare the Arthritis Foundation’s Italian Pasta and Bean Stew without a lot of effort. You can have this one-pot meal on the table in under an hour, and most of that time is spent just letting the ingredients simmer. White beans provide protein and fiber, and you can opt for whole-wheat orzo to reap the additional health benefits of whole grains.

Italian Pasta and Bean Stew

Servings: 6 | 1 hour

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups prechopped onion
5 ounces prechopped pancetta or bacon
2 teaspoons garlic paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ to 1 teaspoon chile flakes
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (15 ounces) tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
8 ounces presliced mushrooms
1 package (8 ounces) frozen spinach or kale
½ cup dried orzo
1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium or unsalted white beans, such as cannellini
Salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

In a large pot over medium, heat the olive. Add onion and pancetta or bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meat starts to get crispy and the onions begin to brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, oregano, and chile flakes. Add the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and mushrooms. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in the spinach or kale and orzo, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the beans (with liquid), and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread, if desired.

Recipe Note

For a vegetarian version, replace the pancetta or bacon with a second can of white beans, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

2. 10-Minute Tacos

In just a little more time than it takes to open a can and a jar, you can serve these healthy Two-Ingredient Black Bean and Corn Tacos from the Arthritis Foundation. Black beans are packed with fiber, protein, and antioxidants, and whole-grain tortillas provide a nutritious shell. Add spinach, avocado, and cheese for more bulk and nutrients, if you want. If you’re feeling up to it, chop a little cilantro for a pop of fresh flavor.

Two-Ingredient Black Bean and Corn Tacos

Servings: 2 | 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium black beans
½ cup low-sodium chunky corn salsa
Whole-grain or corn tortillas, warmed

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine the beans and salsa, and bring to a simmer.
Place the mixture in the tortillas. If desired, add toppings such as baby spinach, sliced avocado, low-fat shredded cheese, and chopped cilantro.

Recipe Note

This recipe can easily be doubled.

3. One-Pan Salmon Supper

One-Pan Ginger Salmon and Whole-Grain Rice from Arthritis Action stars omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, and ginger, which may help ease inflammation and arthritis pain. This recipe requires minimal hands-on time when you use jarred or squeezable ingredients, but note that you’ll need to allow an hour for marinating. Use any combination of prechopped veggies you like, including frozen vegetables — just add a little more time to make sure they’re cooked. And because you use just one pan, cleanup is as easy as prep.

One-Pan Ginger Salmon and Whole-Grain Rice

Servings: 2 | 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon soy sauce
Juice of half a lime
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 salmon fillets (about 3.5 ounces each)
½ cup instant brown rice
1¼ cups cold water
2 to 3 cups cooked vegetables, such as a combination of sugar snap peas, baby corn, and French beans

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, brown sugar or honey, and garlic.
Place the salmon in a dish, and pour the mixture over the salmon. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the salmon marinate.
In a medium, deep skillet, add the rice and water. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir the rice. If it hasn’t softened, cook for 5 minutes more.
Place the marinated salmon on top of the rice and surround with the vegetables. Cover and cook on low heat until the salmon is just opaque and cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Recipe Note

Make sure you use quick-cooking brown or whole-grain rice so that it’s cooked through by the end. If you don’t use instant brown rice, you’ll need to cook it another 25 to 30 minutes before adding the salmon.

Prep Dinner Without Pain

With a few conveniences like premade, healthy ingredients and jarred, bottled, or canned goods, you can make delicious meals without needing to hold a chopping knife. Try one of these three recipes when you want a hearty, healthy meal with minimal effort and pain — you may even be inspired to develop chop-free versions of your favorite recipes.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On myRAteam, the social network for people with rheumatoid arthritis and their loved ones, more than 206,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with rheumatoid arthritis.

Do you have a favorite recipe that doesn’t require chopping? Can you offer more tips on how to cook healthy meals without pain? Share your experience in the comments section or by posting on your Activities page.

References