'heart health' posts

Some days just feel like soup days, so it’s good to have a recipe that you can make without much effort. This hearty (but not heavy) chowder can be on the table in less than 20 minutes (and serves 4-6). Our secret ingredient is the sweet potato, but other potatoes work just as well. Nonfat milk gives a creamy texture without the added calories. Serve with hearty grain roll and hard cheddar cheese wedge.

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1½ cups broccoli, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups nonfat milk
• 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon basil
• ½ teaspoon salt, optional
• Dash black pepper

Directions

1. In a large soup pot bring broth, broccoli, and sweet potato to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Do not drain. Set aside uncovered.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat olive oil, add mushrooms and onions, cook until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Whisk flour into milk and add all at once to mushrooms. Turn heat to low and stir with a whisk until bubbly.
4. Pour mushroom mixture into soup pot with broccoli, broth, and sweet potato.
5. Add corn, green beans, red pepper, and basil. Heat through 2-3 minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Per serving: 245 calories, 12 gm protein, 42 gm carbohydrate, 5 gm fat, 1 gm sat fat, 3 gm mono fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 5 gm fiber, 503 mg sodium (253 mg without salt)

THE SEASONED COOK The green beans and red pepper add a pleasant crunchiness to this soup. Use whatever fresh vegetables may be in season. Experiment with the vegetables you have on hand.
One ounce of low-fat cheddar cheese adds only 48 calories and 2 grams of fat. 

If you relish an explosion of flavors, you’ll love this savory blend of spices, olives, and chicken. And it’s as heart-healthy as it is delicious. Spices offer a wealth of antioxidants, which contribute to healthy arteries. Ginger and turmeric are known to help circulation, similar to aspirin. Serves 4.

Try this with: Festive Bulgur Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 pound boneless skinless fryer chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 12 pitted large green olives, halved
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine paprika, cumin, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and flour. Toss with chicken pieces.
3. Place chicken and mixture in small baking dish. Combine broth and lemon juice and pour over chicken. Add olives and lemon slices.
4. Cover dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve.

Per serving: 243 calories, 37 gm protein, 11 gm carbohydrates, 6 gm fat, 1 gm sat fat, 2 gm mono fat, 96 mg cholesterol, 3 gm fiber, 286 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK Turmeric gives food a beautiful golden color and cumin adds a spicy note that you’ll recognize from your favorite Mexican dishes.

This is a dessert that most people love from their childhoods, but for some reason today it gets overlooked as not “special enough.” But special is exactly what it will be called when you make it. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 4 baking apples such as Rome or Jonathan Gold
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped candied ginger
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Core apples to ½ inch of bottom.
3. Combine the dry ingredients plus ½ teaspoon of the water in a small bowl and mix, then spoon into the cavities until full.
4. Set apples in an 8" x 8" baking pan, pour remainder of water in pan bottom, seal in foil and bake 30 minutes or until apples are soft.
5. Serve warm. Optional toppings include a dollop of nonfat frozen yogurt or nonfat sour cream.

Per serving: 93 calories, 0 protein, 24 gm carbohydrate, 0 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 gm mono fat, 2 gm fiber, 5 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK Use the remaining mixture by simmering 5-10 minutes and spoon over apples before serving. Make extra apples for breakfast too!

This is a perfect and heart-friendly meal for company without being too fussy or labor intensive. And, if you prepare plenty, you’ll have leftovers for your family the next day. You’ll be amazed at how much better homemade chutney is—and less expensive! With cancer-fighting sautéed Swiss chard and whipped winter squash, you’ve prepared a flavorful—and memorable—meal. Serves 4.

Fruit chutney (serves 6)

Ingredients

• Canola oil spray
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Spray saucepan with oil. Sauté onions 2-3 minutes until translucent.
2. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, 6-10 minutes.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving (1 tablespoon): 71 calories, 0 gm protein, 19 gm carbohydrate, 0 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 0 gm mono fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 gm fiber, 4.9 mg sodium

Pork

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon tarragon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Combine the Dijon mustard, vinegar, water, and tarragon.
3. Place pork on broiler pan. Spread half of Dijon mixture on top.
4. Broil 7 minutes. Turn and spread with remaining mixture. Broil 7 more minutes or until done. Slice and serve with fruit chutney, squash, and Swiss chard.

Per serving: 180 calories, 26 gm protein, 1 gm carbohydrate, 7 gm fat, 3 gm sat fat, 3 gm mono fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 0 gm fiber, 152 mg sodium

 Remember twice-baked potatoes—yummy but oh, so fattening? Here’s a richer and sweeter version that’s much more heart friendly. Sweet potatoes are a rich source of antioxidants; pears are high in fiber. Next time you’re tempted to serve baked potatoes, think sweet.

Try this with: Honey Grilled Salmon

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 3 large pears, peeled and sliced into bite size pieces
• 1 tablespoons olive oil, extra-light
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• chopped hazelnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Bake whole sweet potatoes at 425° for 45 minutes, or until done. Cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet sauté pears in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well for about a minute until sugar dissolves.
3. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out pulp, leaving skin intact. Mash pulp.
4. Mix mashed potatoes and pears together and stir well. Stuff mixture back into shells.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with chopped nuts if desired.

Per serving: 170 calories, 2 gm protein, 35 gm carbohydrate, 4 gm fat, 0 gm sat fat, 3 gm mono fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 gm fiber, 12 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK Extra-light olive oil has the same number of calories as regular olive oil, but has a very light flavor making it quite useful in sweet dishes. Sweet potatoes are often referred to as yams, but they’re actually two different vegetables. To save time, you can prepare ahead through step 4.

 
This tasty dish (serves 4) is easy enough for a week-night family meal while impressive enough for company. Any vegetable works well on the side.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt, optional
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
• ½ cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine coriander, ginger, and pepper in small bowl. Trim any translucent “silver skin” from tenderloin. Rub tenderloin with 1 teaspoon olive oil, then coat with spice mixture.
3. Make glaze by combining marmalade with remaining ingredients.
4. Heat remaining teaspoon olive oil in oven-proof skillet. Sear pork over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Transfer skillet to preheated oven and roast for 6 minutes.
5. Spread glaze over pork and continue to roast until meat is just done through, about another 6 minutes. Let meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Drizzle some of the remaining glaze over the pork slices.

Per serving: 299 calories, 24 gm protein, 28 gm carbohydrate, 11 gm fat, 2 gm sat fat, 7 gm mono fat, 74 gm cholesterol, 321 gm sodium (175 mg without salt)

THE SEASONED COOK If you’ve never cooked with coriander, you’ll find it a wonderful addition to your spice rack. Although coriander is the seed of the plant whose leaves we know as cilantro, it has a very different flavor.

Nutrition Goldmine: Pork tenderloin is the leanest cut of pork with only 4 grams of fat per 3 ounce portion, and is an excellent source of B vitamins.

Peas and mint team for texture and flavor in this super simple, light pasta dish. A perfect complement to pork, beef, chicken or fish, you’ll turn to this recipe often, especially when serving leftover meat. Serves 4.

Try this with: Glazed Raspberry Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 10-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
• 2 tablespoons mint
• ½ cup minced parsley

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan bring broth and olive oil just to a boil.
2. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Fluff couscous lightly with fork. Add peas, mint, and parsley. Serve.

Per serving: 271 calories, 12 gm protein, 46 gm carbohydrate, 5 gm fat, 1 gm sat fat, 3 gm mono fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 gm fiber, 127 mg sodium

THE SEASONED COOK To thaw peas, place in colander and rinse with warm water.