5 Vegetable recipes for a healthy heart

 

Do you feel energetic enough to do all your daily chores? Are you ready to rock 24/7? If not, then be careful. There is every possibility that you may have cholesterol build ups in your heart. Take a look into some great mouth watering recipes that will not only soothe your tongue but also your heart. You can improve your cardiovascular health with these healthy food and prevent heart attack and stroke and also reduce your risk factors. The following heart-healthy recipes will prove that you don’t have to give up taste when you eat healthfully.

1. Tunisian Vegetable Chili

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup chopped onion
2. 1/2 cup sliced carrot
3. 1/2 cup green or yellow sweet pepper(1/2-inch pieces)
4. 2 tsp chili powder
5. 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
6. 1/4 tsp salt
7. 1 can diced tomatoes
8. 1 can Great Northern, cannelloni, or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
9. 1/2 cup apple juice or cider
10. 1/3 cup raisins
11. hot pepper sauce
12. 2 cups of cooked couscous
13. 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts (optional)
14. Nonstick spray coating

Directions

Put onion, carrot, and sweet pepper in a medium covered saucepan with non-stick coating. Cook over a medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or till carrots are just tender stirring occasionally. Then, add chili powder, cinnamon, salt, tomatoes, beans, apple juice or cider, raisins, and hot pepper sauce to the above mixture and boil at low heat for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir occasionally. Once done serve with couscous. Sprinkle peanuts if required.

2. Asian Chicken Kabab Salad

Ingredients

1. 4 medium chicken breast halves (skinless, boneless)
2. 1cup fresh pineapple chunks
3. 1 yellow sweet pepper (1-inch pieces)
4. 3 tbsp rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
5. 2 tbsp water
6. 1 tbsp salad oil
7. 1 tbsp soy sauce
8. 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
9. 1/2 tsp dry mustard
10. 1 tbsp bottled plum sauce or bottled chili sauce
11. 2 cups red cabbage(chopped)
12. 2 cups bok choy (chopped)
13. 16 to 24 snow pea pods (strings and tips removed)
14. 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms(sliced)

Directions

Cut all chicken breast halves into four lengthwise strips. Then, thread each of the two chicken strips, pineapple, and sweet pepper on eight 6-inch skewers. For the dressing, mix vinegar, water, salad oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, and dry mustard in a screw-top jar. Cover and shake well. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing and cover the remaining. Chill until needed. Mix together 2 tablespoons of the reserved dressing and plum sauce or chili sauce. Brush over the kababs. Grill kababs directly over medium coals for 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is tender turning once halfway through grilling. Mix the red cabbage and bok choy; divide the mixture in 4 dinner plates. Decorate with kababs, pea pods, and mushrooms. Lastly, drizzle the chilled dressing over salad.

3. Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup onion(chopped)
2. 2 cloves garlic (minced)
3. 2 tsp olive oil
4. 2 cans reduced-sodium chicken broth(14-ounce each)
5. 1-1/2 cups brown rice
6. 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
7. 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
8. 1/4 tsp salt
9. 1/8 tsp paprika
10. 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (14-ounce)
11. 1 can whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained ( 11-ounce)
12. 2 tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
13. 8 small green, yellow, or red sweet peppers

Directions

Cook onion and garlic in hot oil in a large saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Stir in the broth. Boil it and add uncooked rice, oregano, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the rice is tender. Then remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes, corn, and cilantro. Take a 3-quart rectangular baking dish, arrange sliced pepper in a single layer. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Then spoon the rice mixture into sweet peppers and again place pepper tops onto rice. Cover it and bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven to 400 degree or until the peppers are crisp and tender and the rice mixture is heated through.

4. Asparagus-Zucchini Frittata

Ingredients

1. Nonstick cooking spray
2. 12 ounces fresh asparagus or one 9- or 10-ounce package frozen cut asparagus
3. 1 small yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
4. 1/2 cup of a small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
5. 1/3 cup chopped onion
6. 1/4 cup chopped roasted red sweet peppers
7. 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese
8. 8 eggs
9. 1/2 cup fat-free milk
10. 1 tbsp snipped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dillweed
11. 3/4 tsp salt
12. 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
13. 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
14. 3 – 4 tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese
15. Fresh dill sprigs (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 2-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. If using fresh asparagus, snap off and discard woody bases. If desired, scrape off scales. Cut into 1-inch-long pieces. Boil half cup water in a large saucepan and add asparagus, yellow sweet pepper strips, zucchini, and onion. Boil again at low heat slightly for about 5 minutes or until it becomes crisp and tender. Drain well. Stir in roasted red sweet peppers.Take a baking dish and evenly spread the asparagus-pepper mixture. Shower it with some amount of mozzarella cheese.

Whisk together egg product, milk, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until well mixed. Whisk in flour and mix thoroughly. Pour over vegetables in a baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for about 35 minutes or till it becomes slightly puffed and top shakes set. Sprinkle wit
h remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish individual servings with dill sprigs.

5. Glazed-Chicken Spinach Salad

Ingredients

1. 1 recipe Ginger-Apple-Glaze
2. 4 chicken breast halves (skinless, boneless)
3. Nonstick cooking spray
4. 2 medium apples, cored and sliced
5. 1 medium leek, sliced, or 1/3 cup chopped onion
6. 2 cloves garlic (minced)
7. 2 tbsp.apple juice, apple cider, or chicken broth
8. 10 cups spinach, stems removed (about 10 cups)
9. Salt
10. Ground black pepper

Directions

Grill the chicken directly over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes (170 degree F) turning once halfway through grilling. Brush with Ginger-Apple Glaze during the last 5 minutes of grilling. Meanwhile, lightly coat an unheated large saucepan or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat and add apple, leek, and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the Apple Glaze (1/4 cup) and the apple juice and boil. Add spinach and toss just until wilted. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot.