Posted April 3, 2010
HEALTHY FOOD CAN TASTE GOOD — really good, according to the American Heart Association. Gone are the days where heart-healthy foods are thought to boring and bland. The American Heart Association emphasizes variety in cooking. Desserts, kid-friendly meals, soul food and ethnic dishes can make a heart-healthy diet easy to follow.
“The perception is that ‘You’re going to take away everything I like to eat, the fat and the sodium. I just want some flavor back in my food,'” said Sara Bernstein, a registered dietitian at Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, who regularly works with the heart association.
According to the heart association, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. About one of every six deaths in 2006 were as a result of heart disease.
Yet realizing a patient needs to do something is one thing, actually implementing diet changes is another, Bernstein sad.
The heart association and professional organizations, such as the American Dietetic Association, have used the expertise of chefs to teach people how to cook healthy, Bernstein said.
Precooking, menu planning and understanding what’s in food is important, Bernstein said.
“We have to cook from scratch,” she said. “It makes a difference.”
Reducing sodium is one of the biggest concerns among heart patients, Bernstein said. Low-sodium items taste different and take time to get used to, she said.
There are lots of options to reduce the salt, while keeping the flavor. Fresh herbs, light salts, nonsalt seasonings, such as Mrs. Dash, can pack a punch without the sodium.
Substituting fat is easier, Bernstein said. Saturated fats and trans fats are bad. Unsaturated fats, which are found in foods such as nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocado, are fine in moderation, she said.
Experiment with cooking techniques too. There are many good baking techniques for mock-fried foods, Bernstein said.
Everyone needs to indulge in favorite foods that might not be considered heart-friendly, Bernstein said. The key is not to do it all the time.
“You don’t have to give up everything completely,” Bernstein said. “There are no ‘never foods.’ ”
Take your favorite fried dish. For instance, if you eat your favorite french fries (not the super size, sorry) once a month, it won’t have a huge impact on your heart, Bernstein said. But indulging in the same food once a week or once a day will make a difference, she said.
Sample these recipes from the American Heart Association. Your heart will love them.
Chewy apple pie for the soul
Yield: 8 servings, 1 slice per serving
Cooking spray
3/4 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup diced, peeled apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, dry-roasted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 8-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the sugar, egg whites, baking powder and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the flour until smooth and well blended. Stir in the apples and nuts. Transfer to the pie pan.
Bake for 30 minutes. The batter will puff up slightly as it bakes, then collapse as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutritional information per serving: 163 calories, 5 grams fat, 0.5 gram saturated fat, 3.5 grams polyunsaturated fat, 0.5 grams monounsaturated fat, 64 mg sodium, 28 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 21 grams sugars, 3 grams protein
Source: “Healthy Soul Food”
Go red chickpea spread
Yields: 4 servings
1 (15-ounce) can unsalted chickpeas, drained and liquid reserved
2 tablespoons onion, grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon parsley, minced
Paprika, pinch, sprinkle for garnish
For a smooth texture, process the ingredients in a blender or a food processor until smooth.
Add a small amount of reserved liquid if mixture is too dry. Mound on a serving plate and sprinkle with paprika and parsley.
Serve with warm pita bread or sliced vegetables.
Nutritional per serving: Calories 141, Total Fat 4.0 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3.0 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 171 mg, Carbohydrates 20 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugars 1 g, Protein 6 g
Source: “Go Red For Women Recipe Collection”
Go red Greek fish fillets with fresh tomatoes
Yield: 4, 3-ounce fish per serving
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large rib of celery, chopped
cup chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
10-12 ounces Italian plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
1 small bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
teaspoon (heaping) ground cinnamon
teaspoon salt
4 thin mild fish fillets, such as sole, cod or tilapia (about 4 ounces each), rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 -2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Snipped fresh parsley, optional
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the celery, onion and garlic for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, adjusting the heat if necessary so the mixture doesn’t brown. Stir in the tomatoes, carrot, bay leaf, pepper, cinnamon and salt. Cook for 5 minutes.
Make four depressions in the tomato mixture. Place the fish in the depressions. Spoon the tomato mixture over the fish to cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the fish is almost done. (There should be just a little resistance when you try to flake the fish with a fork.) Remove from the heat.
Drizzle the fish with the lemon juice. Let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes so the fish finishes cooking and the flavors blend. Discard the bay leaf. Garnish with the parsley.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 184, Total Fat 8.0 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 5.0 g, Cholesterol 53 mg, Sodium 181 mg, Carbohydrates 7 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 4 g, Protein 20 g
Source: “Go Red For Women Recipe Collection”
Potluck black-eyed peas
Yield: 16 servings, 1/2 cup per serving
1 pound dried black-eyed peas, sorted for stones and shriveled peas, and rinsed
4 ounces Canadian bacon
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium ribs of celery, chopped
1 (6-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato paste
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
1 small bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Pepper, to taste
Put the peas in a large saucepan. Cover with water and let soak for 45 minutes. Pour into a colander and drain.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Canadian bacon until crisp. Drain well on paper towels. Chop the Canadian bacon.
Return the peas to the saucepan. Add just enough fresh water to cover. Stir in the Canadian bacon and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 3 hours or until tender.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 115, Total Fat 0.5 g, Saturated 0.5 g, Trans 0.0 g, Polyunsaturated 0.0 g, Monounsaturated 0.0 g, Cholesterol 4 mg, Sodium 114 mg, Carbohydrates 20 g, Fiber 6 g, Sugars 5 g, Protein 8 g
Source: “Healthy Soul Food”
Vegetable quiche in brown crust
Yield: 6 servings, 1 wedge per serving
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
Cooking spray
1 small or 1/2 medium yellow summer squash, chopped
1 large green onion, sliced
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg white
1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided use
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 cup egg substitute
teaspoon pepper
2 medium Italian plum (Roma) tomatoes, halved, seeds and liquid discarded, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dillweed or 1 teaspoon dried dillweed, crumbled
2 tablespoons shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
In a small saucepan, cook the rice using the package directions, omitting the salt and margarine.
When the rice is almost done, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly spray a medium skillet and a 9-inch quiche dish or pie pan with cooking spray.
Cook the squash, green onion and garlic in the skillet over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the cooked rice, egg white and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Press the mixture over the bottom and up the side of the quiche dish. Bake for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir together the milk, egg substitute, pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in the squash mixture, tomatoes and dillweed. Pour into the hot rice crust. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 149, Total Fat 1.5 g, Saturated Fat 0.5 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Cholesterol 3 mg, Sodium 330 mg, Carbohydrates 25 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 7 g, Protein 9 g
Source: “Go Red For Women Recipe Collection”
Fresh go red berry trifle
Yield: 10 serving, scant 1 cup per serving
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups fat-free milk
1 large egg
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups cubed angel food cake (about 1/2 cake)
1/2 cup strawberry all-fruit spread, warmed
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
4 cups (about 1 pound 4 ounces) strawberries, halved
2 cups (about 11 ounces) blueberries
1 (8-ounce) container fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed in refrigerator
10 whole strawberries, optional
Fresh mint sprigs, optional
In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and flour. Stir in the milk, egg and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat for 12-14 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and coats a metal spoon, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.
To assemble, arrange half the cake cubes in a 1 1/2 – or 2-quart trifle dish or clear glass bowl. Drizzle with half the fruit spread and half the orange juice. Around the side of the dish, arrange about half the halved strawberries with the cut side facing out and the tips pointing up. Sprinkle half the blueberries over the cake. Spoon half the pudding over the blueberries. Repeat. Spread the whipped topping over the top. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 4 hours. (Can be made up to one day ahead.)
To serve, be sure to reach the spoon into the layers to get all the different flavors and textures. Place each serving in a bowl or on a dessert plate and garnish with a whole strawberry and fresh mint.
Nutritional information per serving: Calories 207, Total Fat 1.0 g, Saturated Fat 0.0 g, Trans Fat 0.0 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Monounsaturated Fat 0.5 g, Cholesterol 22 mg, Sodium 172 mg, Carbohydrates 45 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 32 g, Protein 4 g
Source: “Go Red For Women Recipe Collection”
—–
To see more of the St. Cloud Times or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sctimes.com .
Copyright © 2010, St. Cloud Times, Minn.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.