Recipes for a Heart-Healthy Diet

Foods to Avoid for Heart-Healthy Diets

• Limit your total fat consumption to between 25 percent and 35 percent of your daily calories.
• Limit your saturated fat consumption to less than 7 percent of your daily calories.
• Limit your trans fat consumption to less than 1 percent of your daily calories.

Heart-Healthy Diets: Foods to Include in Your Diet

• fruits
• legumes (beans, peas and lentils)
• vegetables
• whole grains.

Experts believe that these high-fiber options do wonders in fighting heart disease. Experts recommend you consume at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.

Heart-Healthy Cooking

Fruit and Celery Salad

This heart-healthy variation of Waldorf salad eliminates mayonnaise and tastes delicious as a crunchy snack or side-dish.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (Note: For a nuttier taste, spread walnuts on a baking sheet and bake for four to five minutes, or until lightly browned.)
• 2 celery stalks, sliced thinly (use celery leaves for garnish)
• 1 tart green apple, cored, halved and sliced thinly
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 1 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt
• ground pepper, to taste.

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine celery, apple, grapes, walnuts, vinegar and oil.
2. Season with pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Toss all ingredients and garnish with celery leaves.

Broiled Salmon with Spinach

Low in sodium and full of protein, this dish tastes great as an appetizer or entrée.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 salmon fillets
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1/2 cup of white wine (dry)
• 1/2 pound fresh spinach, washed and trimmed
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 green onions (scallions), sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon, sliced.

Directions

1. Rinse and pat dry salmon.
2. In large skillet, combine water, wine, green onions, garlic and tarragon. Bring to a boil.
3. Add salmon.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until fish is flaky.
5. In a separate skillet, cook spinach with olive oil on medium heat.
6. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Add nutmeg.
7. Preheat broiler.
8. Top salmon with spinach mixture and place on a broiler pan.
9. Sprinkle with cheese and add pepper.
10. Broil until cheese melts (one to two minutes).
11. Squeeze lemon on top of each fillet and use the leftover lemon as a garnish.

Low-Fat Tabbouleh

This refreshing side dish from the Middle East is overflowing with flavor and fiber.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3/4 cup uncooked bulgur or cracked wheat
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed.

Directions

1. Pour bulgur in boiling water and stir well. Let stand at room temperature until water is absorbed (usually 25 minutes).
2. Add parsley, tomato, onion and mint. Stir and then add lime juice, lemon, water, olive oil, salt and garlic.
3. Cover and chill at least two hours. Toss before serving.