Pasta and grains have fallen into disfavor in recent years, caught up in a rising tide of carbohydrate phobia and concerns about glycemic load and gluten sensitivity. Truly whole grains (or grains cracked into a few big pieces) are nutrient-rich foods that are digested slowly without causing spikes in blood sugar or insulin resistance. Despite labels to the contrary, whole-wheat flour and most whole-wheat breads are not whole-grain foods; from the point of view of glycemic load, they are little different from white flour and white bread. Some grains used in this book, like spelt and farro, have a lower gluten content than modern wheat, and good gluten-free pasta is available. When it comes to pasta, portion size is key. In short, I believe that true whole grains and moderate amounts of pasta are consistent with healthy eating and the principles of the Anti-Inflammatory Diet.

Recipes marked veg are vegetarian, those marked v are vegan, and those marked gf are gluten-free. The symbols veg*, v*, and gf* indicate recipes that can be modified to be vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free by substituting or omitting specific ingredients.