Cooking nutritious meals for you and your family doesn’t have to be stressful or take up hours of your time. These heart-healthy recipes will have you eating well from morning straight through to dinnertime.
Tuna-and-cabbage salad
Serving size 1 large or 2 small portions
The World’s Healthiest Foods reports that tuna is rich in heart-healthy niacin and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Cabbage, too, is high in the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid, and omega-3s can help lower blood pressure. Incorporating these nutritious ingredients into your diet is easy, thanks to this super-simple and budget-friendly tuna-and-cabbage salad. Take it with you on the go for the perfect midday meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 can of flaked tuna in water, drained
- 1 bag of coleslaw blend or 5 cups shredded green cabbage, purple cabbage and carrots
- 2/3 cup dill pickles, diced
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons pickle vinegar from pickle jar
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Directions:
- In a large bowl, toss to combine the tuna, coleslaw blend, pickles and celery.
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, pickle vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad.
- Toss thoroughly, and serve.
We have plenty more heart-healthy main dish ideas >>
Berry green smoothie
Serving size 1
Just about everything in this tasty green smoothie can assist in improving heart health. Flaxseeds and almonds are rich in heart-attack-preventing omega-3 fatty acids; spinach is filled with blood-clot-preventing B-complex vitamins; and berries are loaded with important vitamins and minerals. So whipping one up for breakfast will ensure you have a healthy start to your day.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups packed spinach leaves
- 1 cup frozen berries
- 1/2 cup frozen banana slices
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup cold water
- Pinch of stevia or 1–2 teaspoons of your favourite sweetener (optional)
Directions:
- Place all the ingredients in a blender in the order listed, and blend until fully combined.
- Transfer the smoothie to a large glass to enjoy at home or into a bottle to take with you on the go.
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Vegetarian whole-wheat pasta
Serving size 4
Between the almonds, which are rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, the B-complex-vitamin-filled spinach and bell peppers, which protect against blood clots, and the tomatoes that are loaded with heart-protective antioxidants, called carotenoids, this is one super-heart-healthy dish. Plus, if you use whole-wheat pasta that has been enhanced with omega-3-rich flaxseeds, you’ll really be helping out your ticker.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups uncooked whole-wheat rotini
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium cooking onions, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 4 cups packed spinach leaves, shredded
- 1-1/2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Directions:
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the almonds on a baking tray, and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and chop roughly.
- Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan. Add the onions, and cook them over low-medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and bell peppers, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the mushrooms and tomatoes, and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender.
- Add in the spinach, and stir until it is wilted.
- Add in the tomato sauce, basil, oregano, salt and pasta, and stir to combine.
- Finally, add in the Parmesan cheese and toasted almonds, and mix everything thoroughly.
- Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese for garnish.
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