When the month of February rolls around, you may think Valentines and chocolates, but did you know that February is also American Heart Month? Check out these recipes that offer alternatives to treat yourself in a healthy way featuring ingredients beneficial to heart health.
Ginger Apple Walnut Bars
These delicious bars feature heart healthy ingredients, like soluble fiber from oats and apples that help lower blood cholesterol, along with healthy unsaturated fat from almonds and walnuts. Walnuts are also a good source of omega 3 fatty acids that help fight inflammation. These lightly sweet bars are nutritious and filling for a snack, breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup creamy or crunchy natural almond butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup chopped dried apples
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- Wax or parchment paper
Directions: In a medium sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Press mixture into an 8 by 8-inch pan. (Lining the pan with a large rectangular piece of parchment paper, placing the mixture on one side and then folding the paper over to press down works nicelywell. The dough will be a bit crumbly but will come together nicely as you continue to work with it and pat it down into the pan). Chill in the fridge for an hour or more, cut into 16 bars and serve. Wrapping the individual bars in wax paper and storing in baggies is great for convenience. Store in the fridge. These bars also freeze well!
Makes 16 bars
Serving size: 1/16th of recipe: Calories 150 Protein 5 g Carb 12 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 7 g Fat 10 g Saturated fat < 1 g Sodium 10 mg
Garlic Edamame
Edamame is a naturally well-balanced snack -containing plant protein, healthy unsaturated fat and high fiber carbohydrates. While it is delicious eaten with just a sprinkle of sea salt, this recipe kicks up the flavor of edamame with toasted sesame oil and garlic. Substituting plant protein from soy in place of animal products has been shown to lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups frozen edamame in pods
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions: Cook edamame according to package directions. Add oil and garlic to a large sized pan and sauté on medium high heat for 1 minute. Put in cooked edamame and soy sauce and sauté for another 3-4 minutes until lightly browned, then serve warm.
Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1/4th of recipe: Calories 212 Protein 16 g Carb 8 g Fiber 5 g Sugars 3 g Fat 14 g Saturated fat 2 g Sodium 400 mg
Blackberry Basil Snack Smoothie
Smoothies are a great way to help you feel energized and is an easy way to increase your daily fruit intake. This snack smoothie is light and refreshing, easy to make and includes blackberries which contain beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols, which may reduce inflammation that can lead to heart disease.
Ingredients:
- ½ frozen banana
- ½ cup fresh blackberries
- 1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
- ½ cup fat free or low-fat milk or unsweetened almond milk
Directions: Add all the ingredients to a blender and mix on high for 30 seconds to a minute, until well blended. Serve and enjoy. Note: if the blackberries used are not super sweet, add a tiny bit of your favorite sweetener.
Makes 1 serving
Serving size: the whole recipe,1 smoothie: Calories100 Protein 2 g Carb 21 g Fiber 6 g Sugars 11 g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 90 mg
Dark Chocolate Protein Truffles
You cannot go wrong with these delicious treats. They are high in protein, low in carbohydrates and sugar but big on chocolate flavor. Speaking of chocolate, there has been quite a bit of research demonstrating its beneficial impact on cardiovascular health. Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a naturally occurring antioxidant found in some plants, including cocoa, that are believed to be responsible for cardioprotective effects of chocolate, such as protecting blood vessels. So, enjoying dark chocolate in moderation, such as this truffle recipe, can be good for your heart.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup creamy or crunchy unsalted natural almond butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup of unflavored protein powder such as whey or egg white varieties
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- extra cocoa powder, coconut, chocolate chip for rolling (optional)
- Wax or parchment paper
Directions: In a medium sized bowl, combine the almond butter, honey, cocoa powder and salt and mix well. Stir in protein powder and chocolate chips and mix some more. Form into 18 balls. Roll in extra cocoa powder, coconut or chocolate chips if desired. Store in the fridge. They also freeze well!
Makes 18 bites
Serving size: 1 bite Calories 114 Protein 6 g Carbohydrates 6 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 3 g Fat 8 g Saturated fat < 1g Sodium 105 mg