You are young and feel invincible, but starting a disease-fighting diet strategy now can pay off in the future. Prepare an anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean meal plan that includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and healthy omega-3 (wild salmon, walnuts, flax) and monounsaturated (olive oil) fats. We've got 20 healthy recipes to get you started.

Highly regarded for its delicious flavor, salmon has a stellar nutritional reputation. It's packed with healthy fats plus plenty of vitamins and minerals -- and yet it lacks the high mercury levels that taint some of its seafood kin.

Browning the chicken adds another layer of flavor to this hearty stew. Cook it in two batches to ensure that the chicken browns properly and doesn't steam. The caramelization on the chicken and on the bottom of the pan is what flavors the stew.

This spicy dish is packed with veggies; covering them while cooking helps trap the steam so they cook more quickly. We used healthful almond butter instead of peanut for a twist.

Salting the eggplant removes some of its water, which makes for better grilling.

A mixture of grains often served as a warm breakfast cereal, Kashi's 7 Whole Grain Pilaf also works beautifully as a savory side dish. Look for it alongside rice and other whole grains in natural-foods stores.

After they simmer with shallots, garlic, black pepper, red-pepper flakes, fresh thyme, and parsley, baby artichokes are paired with tender, blanched fava beans.

Dolmades can be made a day in advance and refrigerated; serve chilled or bring to room temperature.

Chopped fresh veggies add crunch to the creamy texture of chickpeas, which are a good source of protein, folate, fiber, and iron.

These muffins freeze well; defrost individually for a quick and easy breakfast.

Get your protein, potassium, calcium, fiber, and omega-3s in a delicious morning shake.

Chicken provides a great source of protein, while the tapenade adds healthy fats. Artichoke hearts and tomato bring fiber to the table. The whole-wheat wrap offers a better carb choice than a white wrap.

Cayenne pepper gives these slightly sweet walnuts a piquant kick. If you have a large pan, you can easily double this recipe.

Heated with lemon and a little sugar, blueberries cook down to an almost jammy topping to mix with blackberries; spoon over whole-wheat pancakes for a breakfast that delivers a great dose of fiber.

A healthier twist on this easy-to-make pasta sauce.

Whole-wheat pasta has almost twice the amount of fiber as traditional semolina pasta.

These cookies are a great way to sneak some omega-3-rich walnuts into your dessert.

Chard makes its way into both the crust and custard.