Heart Healthy Recipes for Heart Month
The month of February is Heart Month, a time to focus on maintaining a healthy heart through lifestyle choices that contribute to strong cardiovascular health. One of the most important factors that affect heart health is a well balanced, nutritious diet. Incorporating heart-healthy recipes into your meals can be a delicious and simple way to prioritize your health and keep your heart healthy. Here are five mouthwatering recipes that will not only satisfy your taste buds, but also contribute to a healthier heart.
Chicken Kebabs
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- 1 lemon
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt and pepper
Veggie Combos
- 12 cherry or grape tomatoes + 1 small zucchini, cut into thick half-moons
- 1 red bell pepper + 8 oz fresh pineapple (both cut into 1 inch chunks)
- 1 sweet potato, cut into 1 ½ inch chunks + 1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges, each halved crosswise
Directions
- Heat grill to medium-high. Place chicken in a large bowl. Finely grate zest of lemon over the chicken. Add scallions, parsley, 2 Tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Toss to combine. Squeeze lemon juice over top and toss again.
- Choose a veggie combo and in a second bowl, toss vegetables with remaining Tbsp oil and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper.
- Thread chicken and veggies onto skewers. Grill, turning occasionally, until chicken is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Source: https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/a32884878/chicken-kebabs-recipe/
Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
Ingredients
- 8 oz gluten-free penne pasta or whole-wheat penne pasta
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, trimmed, if necessary, and cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 10 cups chopped fresh spinach
- 4 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese, divided
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, lemon juice and zest; bring to a simmer.
- Remove from heat. Stir in spinach and the cooked pasta. Cover and let stand until the spinach is just wilted.
- Divide among 4 plates and top each serving with 1 Tbsp parmesan.
Source: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/267768/chicken-spinach-skillet-pasta-with-lemon-parmesan/
Fruity Oatmeal Yogurt Parfaits
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced hulled strawberries, thawed and patted dry if frozen
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries or fresh or frozen halved blackberries, or a combination, thawed and patted dry if frozen
- 1 Tbsp plus 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
- 2 cups fat-free plain Greek yogurt
Directions
- In a medium bowl, gently stir together the strawberries, blueberries, honey and cinnamon.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the water and oats to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In each parfait glass, layer ¼ cup oatmeal, ¼ cup fruit mixture, ¼ cup yogurt and ¼ cup fruit mixture. Repeat the layers.
Source: https://recipes.heart.org/en/recipes/fruity-oatmeal-yogurt-parfaits
Air Fryer Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 salmon filets (6 oz each)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
Directions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°. Drizzle oil over salmon. Combine salt, garlic powder, pepper and paprika; sprinkle over fish. Place salmon in a single layer in air-fryer basket. Cook until fish is lightly browned and just beginning to flake easily with a fork, 7-9 minutes.
Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/air-fryer-salmon/
Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins
Directions
- Combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter, sugar and molasses in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth, about 2 more minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in the raisins by hand. For the best flavor and texture, cover the dough and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Form the dough into 12 balls, about 2 tablespoonfuls each, and arrange 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten with the back of a fork.
- Bake until the cookies are golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in heart-healthy recipes and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I can provide you with information related to the concepts used in this article. The article focuses on heart-healthy recipes for Heart Month, emphasizing the importance of a well-balanced and nutritious diet for maintaining cardiovascular health. Incorporating these recipes into your meals can not only satisfy your taste buds but also contribute to a healthier heart.
Chicken Kebabs
- This recipe features boneless, skinless chicken breasts marinated with lemon zest, scallions, parsley, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The chicken is then threaded onto skewers along with various vegetable combinations like cherry tomatoes and zucchini, red bell pepper and fresh pineapple, or sweet potato and red onion. The kebabs are grilled until the chicken is cooked through.
Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
- This recipe combines gluten-free or whole-wheat penne pasta with boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, garlic, dry white wine, lemon juice and zest, fresh spinach, and grated parmesan cheese. The pasta is cooked separately and then mixed with the cooked chicken, spinach, and other ingredients in a skillet. The dish is served with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.
Fruity Oatmeal Yogurt Parfaits
- This recipe includes layers of fresh or frozen sliced hulled strawberries, blueberries or halved blackberries, honey, ground cinnamon, water, uncooked rolled oats, and fat-free plain Greek yogurt. The oats are boiled in water and then layered with the fruit mixture and yogurt in parfait glasses. The layers are repeated to create a delicious and nutritious parfait .
Air Fryer Salmon
- This recipe involves drizzling olive oil over salmon filets and seasoning them with salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika. The salmon is then placed in an air fryer and cooked until it is lightly browned and flakes easily with a fork. This cooking method provides a healthier alternative to traditional frying.
Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
- This recipe combines rolled oats, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, molasses, egg, vanilla extract, and raisins. The dry ingredients are mixed with the wet ingredients to form a dough, which is then chilled before baking. The cookies are flattened with a fork and baked until golden.
These recipes offer a variety of flavors and ingredients that are not only delicious but also beneficial for heart health. By incorporating these recipes into your diet, you can prioritize your health and contribute to a stronger cardiovascular system.
I hope you find these recipes helpful and enjoyable! Let me know if you have any further questions or if there's anything else I can assist you with.
