Easy-to-Fix Recipes for Keeping Your Heart Healthy

By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N.

February is Heart Health Month. Here are some nutrition strategies and easy-to-fix recipes to help keep your heart healthy.

NUTRITION STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING YOUR HEART HEALTHY

• Add at least 25 grams of soy to your diet per day.
• Eat plant sterol- or plant stanol-enriched products such as Take Control® or Benecol® margarine or chews if you have high blood cholesterol.
• Limit the amount of trans fatty acids - eat as little as possible.
• Eat 20-25 grams of dietary fiber per day. At least 10 grams should be from functional (soluble) fiber. Foods high in functional (soluble) fiber are oats, legumes (beans) and the fleshy portion of apples, pears, citrus fruits and bananas. A good source of dietary fiber should contain 3-5 grams per serving. Read the food label to find out how much fiber is in a food.
• Limit foods high in saturated fat and/or cholesterol such as full-fat milk, fatty meats, tropical oils, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and egg yolks. Choose fat with 2 grams or less of saturated fat per serving. Foods high in saturated fat are meats, butter, dairy products and desserts. Read the food label to find out how much saturated fat is in a food.
• Eat at least two servings of fish per week. Increase the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil or plant sources such as soybeans or canola oil and flaxseed.
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Choose five or more servings per day.

The more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more nutrients it contains.

• Include adequate amounts of folic acid and Vitamin B6 daily.

MEDITERRANEAN MEDLEY SALAD

Per Serving : 161 calories, 4g protein, 13g of fat (3 saturated fat), 10g of CHO, 3g of fiber, 324mg sodium.

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Serves : 4.

Ingredients

• 4 cups roughly chopped raw vegetables (I use a combination of carrots, red onions, tomatoes, green or red peppers and zucchini)
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup torn basil leaves (or 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together and enjoy.

Shopping List

• Vegetables (carrots, red onions, tomatoes, green or red peppers and zucchini)
• Feta cheese
• Kalamata olives
• Fresh basil leaves or ground cumin
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar  

To broaden fishcakes' appeal and maximize their nutritional health protection, this recipe calls for an unusual combination of salmon and sweet potatoes.

Per serving : 287 calories, 10g of fat (1g saturated fat), 29g of carbohydrate, 20g of protein, 4g of dietary fiber, 374mg sodium.

Serves: 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound yams (or sweet potatoes), sliced (may use canned sweet potatoes)
• 3/4 pound salmon filet, cooked (baked, steamed, or grilled) and flaked with a fork*
• 3 large scallions, very thinly sliced
• 1 Tsp. dry mustard
• Grated zest of 1/2 lime, plus juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 Tsp. fresh lime juice

Steam yams until very soft, about 20 minutes stovetop or 2 to 4 minutes in a microwave oven. (If using a microwave, drape a damp paper towel over the top of the yams). Cool yams until easily handled. Using your fingers, peel skin from the slices. In a medium bowl, coarsely mash yams with a fork.

Mix in salmon, scallions, mustard, the lime zest and juice, plus salt and pepper to taste. Blend until well combined. Shape mixture into 8 cakes, using about 1/3 cup each. Arrange fishcakes on a plate; cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.

Spread cornmeal over a small plate. Coat a large non-stick skillet generously with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Meanwhile, dredge fishcakes in cornmeal, coating them all over. Cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

Make the sauce by mixing together in a small bowl the mayonnaise, mustard, rosemary and lime juice. Serve the sauce with salmon cakes. If desired, serve fishcakes in hamburger buns, preferablely whole wheat, along with a lettuce leaf and a dollop of the sauce.

*In a pinch, may use canned salmon.

Shopping List

• Yams or sweet potatoes
• Salmon
• Scallions
• Dry mustard
• Lime
• Cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• Reduced-fat mayonnaise
• Dijon mustard
• Fresh rosemary

Per serving : 360 calories, 7g fat (1 g sat fat), 20g protein (12g soy protein), 55g carbohydrate, 1423mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 12g dietary fiber.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes. C ook Time: 45 minutes. Serves: Six 1 1/2 cup servings.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 Tsp. soybean oil
• 1 (15 oz.) can white soybeans
• 1 (15 oz.) can black soybeans
• 1 (15 oz.) can red beans
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 Tsp. salt
• 1 Tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tsp. ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp, chili powder

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Cook onions until soft. Drain and rinse three cans of beans and add to onions. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.

Shopping List

• Onion
• Soybean oil
• White soybeans
• Back soybeans
• Red beans
• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Brown sugar
• Ground cumin
• Garlic
• Chili powder

With permission from www.soyfoods.com.

CAJUN STEW

Per serving : 356 calories, 7g fat (1g sat fat), 15g protein (8.5g soy protein), 56g carbohydrate, 600mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 3g dietary fiber.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 15 minutes. Serves: Eight (1 cup stew over 1 cup rice).

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. soybean oil
• 2 cups chopped onions (about 2 large)
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 large)
• 3 Tbsp. soy flour
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken or beef broth
• 1 1/2 cup chopped tomato
• 1 (8 oz.) package soy sausage-style links
• 8 oz. firm frozen tofu, thawed
• 1 Tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 Tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 1 Tsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tsp. black pepper
• 1 Tsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 8 cups cooked long-grain rice*

On medium-high, heat oil in large soup pot or Dutch oven. While oil is heating, squeeze thawed tofu of all water. It will be dry and crumbly. Tear into shredded-like pieces or chunks. Set aside. Add onions to oil and cook until slightly soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add soy flour and stir constantly as flour starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add broth. Raise heat to high and stir to loosen any brown bits from flour. Add green pepper. Cover pot and bring to a boil, about 3 minutes. Slice the soy links into 1/2-inch thick circles and add to soup pot along with tofu pieces, tomatoes and all spices. Cover and boil until the green pepper is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve stew immediately over cooked rice.

Shopping List

• Soybean oil
• Onions
• Green bell pepper
• Soy flour
• Chicken or beef broth
• Tomato
• Soy sausage-style links
• Tofu
• Crushed red pepper
• Ground cayenne pepper
• Ground cumin
• Chili powder
• Garlic
• Long-grain rice

*May substitute brown rice for a nuttier taste, more fiber and more nutrients.

With permission from www.soyfoods.com.

Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is the publisher and nutrition editor of KHF and a runner, cyclist and hiker.