Luckily, there are some really easy things we can all do to make the recipes we love heart-healthier. Here are a few of my favorite tricks and recipes for making heart-healthy recipes at home.
Skip the deep fryer. With just a bit of breading or batter and a little oil or cooking spray, you can get a crispy, delicious coating on just about anything! Try our Crispy Fish Sandwich with Pineapple Slaw (recipe below) to see how easy it is.
Choose whole grains over processed grains. Processed grains are stripped of many key nutrients that whole grains have. Swap in whole-wheat pasta instead of regular for Inside-Out Lasagna, whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, whole-grain bread instead of white and brown rice instead of white rice.
Substitute heart-healthy oils for butter. Pick oils like olive, canola or walnut oil. These are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, as opposed to butter, which is loaded with saturated fat. But keep in mind that even though unsaturated fat is better for your heart, these oils are still high in calories and need to be used in moderation to maintain a healthy weight. Dan has a severe sweet tooth, so I’m always sure to have a batch of cookies on hand, such as Double Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chewies, which skips the butter in favor of canola oil and natural peanut butter. (See our 5 secrets for making cookies healthier—but still taste great—here.)
Add vegetables. In order to keep servings generous but still healthy, use less of higher-calorie ingredients like meat or pasta and add in more vegetables. (Find 5 easy ways to sneak vegetables into your meals here.)
Choose low-fat or nonfat dairy products instead of the high-fat versions. Part-skim mozzarella, nonfat milk, nonfat ricotta cheese and nonfat sour cream are great dairy products that you can include in a heart-healthy diet and skip all the saturated fat in their full-fat counterparts.
Crispy Fish Sandwich with Pineapple Slaw
Active time: 25 minutes | Total: 25 minutes
A fish sandwich doesn’t have to be deep-fried and doesn’t have to be off your list of “healthy” foods. Try our version with a tangy, zesty pineapple slaw. It’s worth taking the extra minute to chop pineapple slices instead of using crushed pineapple—the crushed is too small and disappears into the slaw.
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks or rings, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cups coleslaw mix (see Tip)
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 pounds haddock or Pacific cod, skinned and cut into 4 portions
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
8 slices whole-wheat country bread, toasted
1. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar and crushed red pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add pineapple and coleslaw mix and stir to combine.
2. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of fish with Cajun seasoning and salt. Dredge the fish in the cornmeal.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the fish and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and fish, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning.
4. Top toasted bread with the fish and pineapple slaw to make sandwiches. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 425 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 105 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrate; 44 g protein; 7 g fiber; 684 mg sodium; 865 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (45% daily value), Iron (20% dv), Calcium (15% dv).
Shopping Tip: Look for convenient pre-shredded cabbage-and-carrot “coleslaw mix” near other prepared vegetables in the produce section of the supermarket.
By Carolyn Malcoun – When associate editor Carolyn Malcoun came to Vermont to attend New England Culinary Institute, she knew she didn’t want to work in a restaurant but knew that she wanted to do something in the food industry. Luckily she discovered EatingWell, where she’s able to combine her love of food and writing.
Source: Yahoo Shine
