Heart Healthy and Tastes Good

[Annie]

I went on and then off blood pressure meds last year. I did it through diet and exercise, even though I didn't quit smoking, which I do need to do.

My blood pressure is ok right now, but looking for some good recipes, low sodium and low fat. Here is one of my favs:

Chicken Chili Monterey
Low Salt/Sodium Recipe
This "white" chili packs all the punch of the traditional "bowl of red," and then some. For a distinctive look, use blue corn tortillas instead of the more traditional yellow ones.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
Two cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
One, 15-ounce can reduced-sodium navy beans, great Northern beans, or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
One, 14-1/2-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1-3/4 cups water
1/2 of a 4-1/2-ounce can (about 1/4 cup) diced green chile peppers
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
Two 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into thin, bite-size strips
1 to 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

In a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion and garlic in hot oil about 4 minutes or until onion is tender; stir in the chili powder and cumin. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in beans, chicken broth, water, and chile peppers. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the chicken and cilantro or parsley. Heat through. Top each serving with tortilla strips and cheese. Recipe makes four 1-1/2-cup low salt/low sodium servings.

Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories: 301
Total Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Protein: 27g
Total Carbohydrate: 26g
Dietary Fiber: 6g
Sodium: 472mg

 

[Shadow]

Here is a good one for dessert,if you like cheese cake..

Berry Cheesecake Dessert

1/4 of an 8-ounce tub (1/4 cup) fat-free cream cheese
1/4 cup light ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
2 teaspoons orange juice
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, blueberries, and/or sliced strawberries
2 gingersnaps or chocolate wafer cookies, broken (optional)
Fresh mint (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta cheese, sugar, orange peel, and orange juice. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

To serve, divide cream cheese mixture between two parfait glasses or dessert dishes. Top with berries. If desired, sprinkle with the broken cookies. If desired, garnish with mint.


And of course another with avocados ...love em


Shrimp-Avocado Nachos

16 medium frozen peeled, cooked shrimp, thawed
1 medium avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped
1 small plum tomato, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons bottled green salsa or salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
16 baked (low-fat) tortilla chips

In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, avocado, tomato, salsa, oregano, and garlic. Cover and refrigerate 10 minutes to 1 hour.

Arrange chips on a serving platter. Remove shrimp from slasa mixture. Place one shrimp onto each chip. Spoon salsa mixture onto each chip. Serve immediately.

 

[Shadow]

More dessert...another priority IMO...


“Cocoa-Nut” Bananas

4 teaspoons cocoa powder
4 teaspoons toasted unsweetened coconut
2 small bananas, sliced on the bias

Place cocoa and coconut on separate plates. Roll each banana slice in the cocoa, shake off the excess, then dip in the coconut.

Per serving: 80 calories; 1 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol

My kids loved these when they were younger and wanted a snack..

 

[Annie]

Me love desserts! Actually, me love good food!

 

[Shadow]

Now that we have been talking about heart healthy foods I was looking at a recipe book I have. In it I found a heart healthy recipe for fish tacos,which posters were discussing the restauraunt syle tacos, in another thread. I'm going to have to try these... But if fish taco folks are interested here it is..

Grilled Fish Tacos

1 pound fresh or frozen skinless cod, sole, or flounder fillets, 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 7- to 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Arrange fish in a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour over fish. Turn fish to coat with marinade. Cover and chill for 15 minutes. Drain fish, discarding any marinade. Stack tortillas and wrap in foil.

2. For a charcoal grill, grill fish and tortillas on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and tortillas are warmed, turning tortilla stack once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish and tortilla stack on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

3. Transfer fish to a cutting board. Cut or flake fish into 1-inch pieces. Serve in warmed tortillas topped with Pineapple Salsa and/or Chipotle Coleslaw.



Another from the same book that I'm going to try this weekend..I'll let you know if it is good (sounds good).



Quick Caribbean Chicken

12 ounces chicken breast tenderloins or skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut lengthwise into 1-inch strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 small fresh banana pepper, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 unripe bananas, quartered lengthwise and sliced 3/4 inch thick
2 cups hot cooked brown rice
Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Sprinkle the chicken strips with salt and ground red pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the sweet potato and banana pepper. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes more or just until sweet potato is tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together pineapple juice and cornstarch. Add juice mixture to chicken mixture in skillet. Cook until juice mixture is bubbly, stirring gently. Add the banana pieces; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

To serve, divide the hot brown rice among 4 shallow bowls. Top with the chicken mixture. If desired, garnish with snipped fresh cilantro.

 

[Annie]

Now that we have been talking about heart healthy foods I was looking at a recipe book I have. In it I found a heart healthy recipe for fish tacos,which posters were discussing the restauraunt syle tacos, in another thread. I'm going to have to try these... But if fish taco folks are interested here it is..

Grilled Fish Tacos

1 pound fresh or frozen skinless cod, sole, or flounder fillets, 1/2 inch thick
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 7- to 8-inch fat-free flour tortillas

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Arrange fish in a 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour over fish. Turn fish to coat with marinade. Cover and chill for 15 minutes. Drain fish, discarding any marinade. Stack tortillas and wrap in foil.

2. For a charcoal grill, grill fish and tortillas on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and tortillas are warmed, turning tortilla stack once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish and tortilla stack on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

3. Transfer fish to a cutting board. Cut or flake fish into 1-inch pieces. Serve in warmed tortillas topped with Pineapple Salsa and/or Chipotle Coleslaw.



Another from the same book that I'm going to try this weekend..I'll let you know if it is good (sounds good).



Quick Caribbean Chicken

12 ounces chicken breast tenderloins or skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut lengthwise into 1-inch strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 small fresh banana pepper, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 unripe bananas, quartered lengthwise and sliced 3/4 inch thick
2 cups hot cooked brown rice
Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Sprinkle the chicken strips with salt and ground red pepper.

In a large nonstick skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the sweet potato and banana pepper. Cook and stir for 5 to 6 minutes more or just until sweet potato is tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together pineapple juice and cornstarch. Add juice mixture to chicken mixture in skillet. Cook until juice mixture is bubbly, stirring gently. Add the banana pieces; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

To serve, divide the hot brown rice among 4 shallow bowls. Top with the chicken mixture. If desired, garnish with snipped fresh cilantro.

Both sound good! Can't crank out the Weber, well could, but won't with snow falling and 8" or more already down. But may try with George Foreman.

 

[Shadow]

Both sound good! Can't crank out the Weber, well could, but won't with snow falling and 8" or more already down. But may try with George Foreman.

Yeah, I used to have an indoor grill too. Came in handy during the winter,I may need to get a new one. No snow in NM right now though...actually it's pretty nice out... 47 degree's and sunny.

 

[Annie]

Yeah, I used to have an indoor grill too. Came in handy during the winter,I may need to get a new one. No snow in NM right now though...actually it's pretty nice out... 47 degree's and sunny.

My dream would be a commercial grade kitchen and all utensils. Sigh.