Heart healthy recipes and nutrition to show your heart some love

This recipe not only follows the Mediterranean diet, but it’s also gluten free.

Ingredients

1 19-ounce can chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)

1 red pepper

1 cucumber

2 stalks celery

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

Juice of 1 large lemon (about 1/4 cup)

1 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas and put in a large mixing bowl.
2. Core red pepper and dice into half-inch squares. Add to bowl.
3. Peel and chop cucumber; slice celery lengthwise and chop. Add to bowl.
4. Add halved grape tomatoes.
5. In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Pour over salad ingredients.
6. Toss well to coat all ingredients.
7. Add parsley and mix again.
8. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. Season to taste. Serve chilled.

Serves 6

Each serving contains about 142 calories, 4 g protein, 6 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, and 208 mg sodium.

Including nuts in your diet can provide a host of health benefits. The list includes lower cholesterol levels, reduced risk for heart disease and stroke, improved weight control, and lower insulin needs for people with diabetes. Add some nuts to your spinach for a tasty, healthy side dish.

Ingredients

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tsp olive oil

1 (9-ounce) bag of fresh spinach (about 4 cups raw)

2 tbsp golden raisins

Directions

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add chopped walnuts.
2. Shake the pan to turn the nuts. After about 3–5 minutes, or when you start to smell them toasting, turn off the heat.
3. Transfer toasted nuts to a bowl.
4. Remove stems from spinach. Rinse and drain in a colander and pat with a paper towel.
5. Heat oil in the skillet over medium heat and sauté spinach until soft and bright green.
6. Add raisins and nuts and stir until hot. Serve immediately.

Serves 2

Each serving contains about 120 calories, 7 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 49 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, and 4 g protein.

Spice up your chicken for a tasty option—without the salt.

Ingredients

1 lime

1 tbsp grated ginger root

1 tbsp dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 fresh chicken (about 3-1/2 pounds)

3 small Vidalia onions

6 Roma tomatoes

1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Grate the zest off the lime and mix with the ginger, thyme, and minced garlic. Mix with the olive oil.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Loosen the skin around the breast and legs with your fingers. Rub the herb mixture under the skin. Cut the lime in half and put into the chicken cavity.
3. Slice onions about 1/2-inch thick and place in the bottom of a baking dish. Center the chicken breast-side-up on the bed of onions.
4. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place skin-side-up around the chicken. Sprinkle peeled garlic cloves around the chicken.
5. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and test the leg-thigh joint with an instant-read thermometer; it should read 165–170°F. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes to allow juices to settle into meat. Remove skin, carve, and serve with vegetables and skimmed pan juices.

Serves 6

Each serving contains about 292 calories, 35 g protein, 11 g fat, 98 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, and 114 mg sodium.

Get a hot helping of heart healthy black beans and sweet potatoes with this quick vegetarian chili. Sweet potatoes are grown in Louisiana year-round and are high-fiber sources of iron, vitamins B and C, and calcium. Top each bowl with sliced avocado dusted with Cajun seasoning for heart healthy fat serving—with a kick.

Ingredients

1 tbsp plus 2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

2 tbsp chili powder

4 tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp salt

2 ½ cups water (or low-sodium vegetable/chicken broth)

2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 14-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with chilis

4 tsp lime juice

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and sweet potato, sautéing until onion softens (3–5 minutes).
2. Add chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir spices and sweet potato mixture constantly for about 30 seconds.
3. Add water (or broth) and bring to a simmer.
4. Cover pot with lid and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until sweet potatoes are tender (about 10–12 minutes).
5. Increase the heat to high and add beans, tomatoes, and lime juice, stirring often for 3 minutes.
6. Lower the heat to a simmer again and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Serves 6

Each serving contains about 120 calories, 1 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 242 mg sodium, 21.9 g total carbohydrates, 8.1 g dietary fiber, 4 g total sugar, and 7.1 g protein.

You don’t have to tell anyone these are homemade (and healthy!) granola bars.

Just let your guests enjoy the chewiness of the oats and dense chocolate flavor from the highest-quality dark chocolate you can find.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 large egg

1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1/2 cup artificial sweetener brown sugar blend

1-1/2 cups gluten-free quick oats

2 tbsp milled flaxseed

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet baking bar broken into small chunks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together the egg, yogurt, and brown sugar.
3. Blend in oats and flaxseed.
4. Add chocolate chips.
5. Spread mixture in an 8-inch-square pan coated with cooking spray.
6. Bake for 30 minutes.
7. Cut into 12 bars.

Makes 12 bars

Each bar (using plain yogurt) contains about 92 calories, 3 g protein, 3 g fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, and 12 mg sodium.