Cooking For a Healthy Heart
We all know that heart problems are one of the most common ailments ailing modern man and that a majority of people today suffer from one or another kind of heart problem. However, do you know that heart diseases are the number one cause of deaths in the United States with more than a million people dying of coronary and cardiovascular diseases every year? Another startling fact is that more than a third of these deaths would not have occurred if people had incorporated required changes in their lifestyles and diets. Making food choices that keep your heart healthy is not just a necessity for people who are already suffering from heart problems but for healthy individuals who want to avoid getting a heart disease in the future. Incorporating simple changes in your eating and cooking habits can make a large amount of difference to the health of your heart and help you in avoiding heart problems. Follow our tips below if you want to keep yourself and your family heart healthy for life.
Change Your Cooking Medium: An unhealthy cooking medium is one of the most important causes of clogged arteries and heart problems. For making your food healthier, banish all kinds of animal fat and switch to using vegetable oils for all your cooking needs. Instead of choosing just any cooking oil, go for olive and seed oils since they are known to be heart friendly.
Get Vegetable Friendly: Food products from animals generally have high cholesterol levels and therefore if your meal consists mainly of meats, milk, eggs, cream, butter and poultry, then it is high time that you incorporated a variety of vegetables in your diet. Make it a point to serve at least one portion of vegetables with every portion of meat or poultry and you will balance the bad effects of your high cholesterol diet instantly. You can do this by making salads, stir fries and steamed veggies a part of all your menus. They are easy and fast to make and are tasty enough to be consumed by even hardcore non- vegetarians without too much of a fuss.
Lower Your Salt And Sugar Intake: Sodium from salt in foods, specially fried and packaged snacks is a major cause of high blood pressure. Therefore, try to cook with the minimum possible amount of salt and substitute packed snacks for home made ones. While sugar does not directly cause any heart problems, it causes obesity which is another major reason contributing to all kinds of heart diseases. Start making desserts that constitute mostly of fruits and have a low fat and sugar content. Fruit salads, sorbets, low fat fruit yoghurt and raw fruit served with dips are great dessert ideas that are easy to make and healthy to boot.
Switch To Low Fat “Everything”: Even salads can prove to be unhealthy for your heart if they are laced with cholesterol laden cream dressings. Apart from making a conscious effort to buy low fat milk and animal products for cooking, you should also do away with fat and cream products. Go for non-cream dressings for your home made salads and try to substitute non-cream gravies and dressings for cream ones in pasta and non-vegetarian dishes.
Cooking wholesome, healthy meals need not be time consuming and difficult. Try some of Lisa’s easy to follow crock pot recipes which are made from scratch. You can prepare something like her apricot ginger chicken crock pot recipe in minutes in the morning and enjoy a full meal at evening with no more work.
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Need a Quick, Tasty Meal? Open a Can of Tomatoes
Canned tomato products are rich in vitamins A and C. One half cup of canned tomatoes equals a serving from the vegetable group on the U.S. Government Food Pyramid. The USDA has posted recommendations for storing and using canned tomatoes on its Website. Canned tomatoes should be stored in a cool, dry place, the FDA says, on a shelf and not on the floor.
You should avoid freezing canned tomato products or exposing them to sunlight, the FDA adds, because temperature changes shortens their shelf life and speeds deterioration. Leftover tomatoes should be refrigerated in non-metallic containers that have tight lids. Use these leftovers in 2-4 days.
Never buy products in dented or bulging cans. Tomatoes are acidic and, to prevent a reaction between the acid and the metal, the inside of the cans has been sprayed with a protective lining. Dents may damage this lining and the product may be spoiled.
Tomatoes are a fruit and an adaptable fruit at that. There’s nothing like a bowl of Tomato-Basil Soup with Caesar Croutons on a rainy day. If you like fish you’ll like Sole Poached in Tomatoes and White Wine. As for Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes and Tomatoes with Bacon, they go with just about everything, including scrambled eggs. Got a can opener?
TOMATO-BASIL SOUP WITH CAESAR CROUTONS
INGREDIENTS: 1 large can of tomato puree (28 ounces); 42 ounces prepared chicken stock (the kind in the cardboard carton); 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, garlic powder to taste (about 1 teaspoon); 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil; Caesar salad croutons; grated Parmesan cheese
Pour tomato puree into soup kettle. Using the empty can as a mesuring cup, add 1 1/2 cans of chicken stock to the puree. Pour in a little more stock if the soup seems thick. Add remaining ingredients except croutons. Cover soup and heat until it starts to simmer. Garnish with Caesar salad croutons and grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 6-8 servings.
SOLE POACHED IN TOMATOES AND WHITE WINE
INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 pounds sole fillets (or talapia); 3/4 cup diced canned tomatoes, drained; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley; 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1 clove of garlic, minced; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1/4 cup half and half; 1 tablespoon soft butter; 1 tablespoon Wondra flour
Place fish in a non-stick skillet. In a bowl combine tomatoes, onions, parsley, seasonings, and white wine. Pour over fish. Put lid on skillet, leaving a crack for steam to escape. Poach fish for 5-10 minutes or until it flakes with a fork.
Take lid off skillet. Drizzle half and half around fish. Work the flour into the soft butter and add this roux to the fish sauce. Move the skillet in a circular motion over medium heat until sauce thickens. Serve with rice and butter lettuce salad. Makes 4 servings.
CHEDDAR SCALLOPED POTATOES AND TOMATOES WITH BACON
INGREDIENTS: 3 medium potatoes, washed but not peeled; 14 1/2- ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice; 3/4 cup frozen chopped onions; 1 1/2 tablespoons Wondra flour; 2 cups mild cheddar cheese, grated (may use Velveeta); 2.8-ounce package of real bacon pieces (the precooked recipe kind)
Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Cut potatoes into thin slices. Combine tomatoes, onions, and flour. Spoon a little of this sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Layer potatoes, tomato mixture, bacon, and cheese in dish, ending with cheese. You should have enough for two layers.
Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Tent the dish with non-stick aluminum foil if the cheese browns too quickly. Cool for five minutes before serving. Makes 6-8 servings.
Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson
Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for the former “Rochester Magazine” in her hometown of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD, is avalable from http://www.amazon.com. A five-star review of the book is also posted on Amazon.
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A Totally Healthy Chicken Recipe
Sometimes the best chicken recipe is not only totally healthy, but it is also fast, easy to make and will have your family coming back for a second helping !
The following chicken recipe is for those people who are health conscientious and watching how much fat they take into their routine diet.
If using frozen chicken breasts: this chicken recipe is best when a frozen skinned chicken breast has been thawed slowly in cold water or even in the refrigerator. The meat seems to stay more firm and keeps in its moisture much better than if you defrost the chicken in a microwave or even at room temperature. Fresh chicken breasts can also be used.
Now onto the rest of the chicken recipe.
- Choose as many chicken breasts as you wish to serve.
- Slice a fresh lemon in half. Rub the lemon all over the breasts. (note: one lemon will be sufficient for about 4 medium-sized breasts)
- Wrap the breasts in tin foil and place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake in a moderate oven until done – depending upon the size of your breasts – it should not be more than 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from oven, and put the chicken breasts into a baking dish or platter that you would like to serve them on.
Making the sauce for this chicken recipe is fast, easy and flavorful. All you will need is a couple of medium-sized onions, four or five tomatoes, some cilantro and/or oregano, three our four garlic cloves, olive oil, mushrooms if you like, and black olives – also optional.
Just dice it all up, add the oregano or cilantro and garlic to your specific tastes and you are done.
Cover the chicken breasts with your freshly made sauce and serve with a freshly steamed vegetable of your choice.
That is all there is to this chicken recipe if you want completely healthy and no fat or carbs to speak of.
If you would like to add a few carbs, then prepare some angel hair pasta and place the baked chicken breasts and sauce over the angel hair and sprinkle with a bit of parmesan cheese.
As a note, you can alter this chicken recipe in a multitude of ways. The main thing to keep in mind when you do alter it is to focus on keeping the chicken recipe fat free and completely healthy.
Try to avoid making sauces out of dairy products. If you should choose to make a sauce that has dairy products as a part of its ingredients, then to minimize your fat intake, try to avoid butter and sour cream, or minimally go with a light sour cream.
The idea behind this chicken recipe is to help you eat a delicious dinner while still eating healthy.
As a note, there are some excellent chicken soup and fried chicken recipes on the web as well, so if this one doesn’t hit your taste buds tonight, then consider a good chicken soup or fried chicken meal for your family.
Chicken on a Bun provides useful information on
chicken recipe,
fried chicken and
chicken soup.
Healthy Recipes - Help Protect Your Vision with Coleslaw!
Healthy Recipes - Help Protect Your Vision with Coleslaw!
By Melinda Banks
We all know that eating junk food can hurt us in the battle of the bulge. But now there’s a new reason to control our intake of these highly processed foods: They may cause eye problems. According to a study by Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, fatty snack foods may lead to macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision impairment for Americans over 55.
The key to eliminating junk food from your diet is to replace them with healthier alternatives. The good news is there are plenty of healthy foods that contain vitamins that actually promote eye health. Carrots, beef, chicken, cantaloupe, mangos and sweet potatoes all contain beta-carotene (vitamin A), which has been proven to positively affect both night vision and day-to-day eyesight. It also aids in cataract and macular degeneration prevention. Pork, liver, whole-grain cereals and breads, wheat germ, potatoes and legumes contain thiamine (vitamin B1), which prevents lens deterioration. Vegetable oils, egg yolks, milk fat, green leafy vegetables and nuts contain vitamin E, which also aids in lens deterioration prevention. And tomatoes, citrus fruit, strawberries, cabbage, green leafy vegetables and sweet bell peppers contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps prevent glaucoma.
There also are other nutrients that support your eyesight. The National Eye Institute states there may be evidence that lutein — a carotenoid antioxidant available in spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, amaranth, spirulina and red paprika — could reduce eye problems. The Institute states definitively that zinc, found in shellfish, eggs, legumes, herring, liver and milk reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration and associated vision loss. Additionally, fish, such as salmon and sardines, contains omega-3 fatty acids that are known to promote healthy retinas.
It’s easy to incorporate foods that protect your eyesight into your diet. Carrot sticks, citrus fruit, mangoes, and even sweet peppers and tomatoes make great portable snacks. Fresh carrot juice packs a concentrated dose of vitamin A in every glass and is easy to make if you have a juicer. Or you can try the healthy recipe below, which is designed to taste good while giving your eyes a boost:
Visionary Coleslaw
Makes 8 servings
- 2 6-oz. containers of low- or non-fat pineapple yogurt
- 2 T. low-fat mayonnaise
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
- 4 carrots, shredded *
- 1 small sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
1. Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Chop cabbage, sweet bell pepper and onion; shred carrots. Add to the bowl with the yogurt mixture and toss well. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.
* It’s best to scrub carrots instead of peeling them. Some of the vitamins and minerals lie near the surface and can be whisked away with the peels.
For another healthy recipe to help protect your eyesight and for a full spectrum of other natural health articles, visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticles.com.
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Healthy Recipes - An Easy Asparagus Recipe
Healthy Recipes - An Easy Asparagus Recipe
By Melinda Banks
Behold the amazing asparagus! Just a half-cup of it cooked contains over 80 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C, and about 25 percent of the RDA for folic acid. (Folic acid helps prevent birth defects and is important for the formation of blood cells.) It also contains vitamin A, vitamin B6 and potassium, and is a good source of fiber and glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. It has no fat or cholesterol, and one serving (about five spears) of the green variety contains only 20 calories.
Asparagus can be prepared in a number of ways. Unlike some vegetables, it’s just as nutritious either raw or cooked. And if you make the following healthy recipe, you’ll bring elegance to your table, along with good health:
Asparagus Rolls Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh asparagus
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 slices thinly sliced deli ham or turkey, or prosciutto
- 4 T. butter, melted
- 1 C. dried whole wheat or regular bread crumbs
- ½ C. grated Parmesan cheese
Steps
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove, and drain.
- Layer a slice of cheese on top of a slice of ham, then place 3 to 4 asparagus spears on top of the cheese slice.
- Roll the ham and cheese over the asparagus, and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining ham, cheese and asparagus.
- Place all the rolls in a casserole dish; then pour melted butter over the entire dish.
- Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crumb mixture forms a crust.
When buying fresh, look for stems that are firm and fairly straight, with well-formed, tightly closed tips. Contrary to common belief, the width of the stem is not an indication of tenderness — thin or thick stems can be equally delicious. Just be sure the stalks are similar in size so they all cook at the same rate, as it only takes a few minutes for the stalks to become crisp-tender. Don’t overcook or you’ll end up with mush.
For more healthy recipes and a full spectrum of other natural health articles visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticles.com
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Healthy Recipes - A Roasted Garlic Recipe With Antiviral Power
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Healthy Recipes - A Roasted Garlic Recipe With Antiviral Power
By Melinda Banks
Garlic has been used to treat and prevent illness dating back well over 5000 years. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used it for heart problems and headache; the Chinese used it for a variety of common ailments and to boost immunity. And modern scientific research confirms its curative powers. National Cancer Institute studies show that a diet rich in garlic may reduce risk of colorectal, stomach and prostate cancer by as much as half. Research also shows that garlic has antiviral properties that protect against infection and inflammation, may destroy certain flu viruses, and help kill intestinal parasites.
How can this little “rose” do so much? It contains a powerhouse of nutrients, including vitamins A and C; the minerals potassium, selenium, phosphorus and zinc; and amino acids. It also has an unusually high concentration of the sulfur compound allicin, which is a potent antibiotic and the compound primarily responsible for its healing properties.
If a little garlic each day keeps the doctor away, what’s the best way to get it? Cooked or raw, all forms have health benefits, but raw garlic has the edge. It’s simple to add it to a variety of dishes; for example:
• Top scrambled eggs with it.
• Add it chopped to cooked tomato sauce just before serving.
• Sprinkle it minced on a baked potato.
• Spread it minced on buttered, crusty bread.
And here’s a classic with taste that’s out of this world:
Roasted Garlic
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Peel away the outer layers of the bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top, exposing the individual cloves.
3. Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the bulb is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.
4. Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins.
You can eat it as is or mash with a fork and use for cooking. It also can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta. Fresh garlic generally offers the best prevention against disease, but eating more than three raw cloves a day may cause gas or bloating in some people. Additionally, not everyone enjoys the pungent aroma. If you’d rather not eat it, try a nutritional supplement. Research recently has shown that supplements containing an extract often work as effectively as fresh — without the garlic breath.
For a garlic salsa recipe and other delicious healthy recipes, visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticlesBlog.com.
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Healthy Recipes - A Delicious Pasta Recipe That Will Boost Your Immune System
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Healthy Recipes - A Delicious Pasta Recipe That Will Boost Your Immune System
By Melinda Banks
Love tomatoes and pasta? Did you know they can be combined to boost your immune system? This 
healthy pasta recipe does just that.
Every day, your immune system battles the millions of bacteria, microbes, toxins and viruses that try to invade your body. But this complex and highly interactive network of organs and specialized cells can help keep you healthy only if it’s healthy itself. So how do you make sure your immune system stays strong? Along with getting enough sleep and exercise, and keeping your stress level down, a low-fat, high-fiber, nutrient-rich diet will keep your immune system in top-notch condition. Research suggests that the following vitamins and minerals, in particular, regulate a wide variety of immune system functions:
- Vitamin A
- B-complex vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Magnesium
While it’s a good idea to take a vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure you’re getting the nutrition your body needs, you obviously want to get as many immunity-boosting nutrients as you can from the food you eat. The following recipe, rich in the vitamins and minerals listed above, offers a delicious way to keep your immune system strong:
Mexican Pasta Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 can (14½ oz) stewed tomatoes, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 8 oz package bow- or corkscrew-shaped whole wheat pasta
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and place in a large bowl.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions and garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Crumble in ground beef. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink.
- Add tomatoes and their juices, and jalapeño. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 minutes.
- Pour sauce over pasta.
- Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Toss to mix.
For another immune-system-building pasta recipe and to access a user-friendly herb and supplement encyclopedia, visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticles.com.
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