February is American Heart Month!
Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States? Your heart affects every part of your body. That means that lifestyle, emotional well-being, and diet can affect your heart. To ensure that we maintain a healthy heart, we have to be proactive when it comes to choosing heart-healthy meal options. Making sure to include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats into your diet is a great way to help protect yourself against heart disease. Below are three heart-healthy recipes to help inspire you to be heart focused this month:
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts
Ingredients:
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
• ½ cup sliced strawberries
• 2 tablespoons vinaigrette, such as Annie’s Light Raspberry Vinaigrette
• ¼ medium avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons toasted walnut pieces
Directions: Combine spinach, onion, and strawberries in a medium bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss to coat. Top with avocado and walnuts.
Nutritional Facts: Serving Size: About 3 1/4 Cups. Per Serving: 296 calories; protein 8.2g; carbohydrates 27.1g; dietary fiber 10.3g; sugars 11.2g; fat 18.1g; saturated fat 2.1g; vitamin a 11083.5IU; vitamin c 102.6mg; folate 62.5mcg; calcium 191.6mg; iron 6.6mg; magnesium 146.4mg; potassium 385.3mg; sodium 194.8mg.
Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos
Ingredients:
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 small clove garlic, grated
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 pound large raw shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons salt-free Cajun spice blend
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ½ cup prepared pico de gallo
Directions: Preheat grill to medium-high. Mash avocado with a fork in a small bowl. Add lime juice, garlic and salt and stir to combine. Pat shrimp dry. Toss the shrimp with Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl. Thread onto four 10- to 12-inch metal skewers. Grill, turning once, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Serve the shrimp in tortillas, topped with the guacamole, lettuce, cilantro and pico de gallo.
Nutritional Facts: Serving Size: 2 Tacos. Per Serving: 286 calories; protein 24g; carbohydrates 30.4g; dietary fiber 6.9g; fat 9.3g; saturated fat 1.4g; cholesterol 158.8mg; vitamin a 492.1IU; vitamin c 9.2mg; folate 55.2mcg; calcium 117.8mg; iron 1.6mg; magnesium 87.2mg; potassium 662.1mg; sodium 442.7mg; thiamin 0.1mg.
Tomato & Kale Pesto Pasta
Ingredients:
• 2 cups fresh baby kale (2 ounces)
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves
• ⅓ cup canned reduced-sodium chickpeas
• 1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, quartered
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 6 ounces whole-grain penne pasta
• 3 cups seeded and chopped tomatoes (6 medium)
• 1 pinch Shaved Parmesan cheese
Directions: For pesto, combine kale, basil, chickpeas, the finely shredded Parmesan, the lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Cover and pulse until starting to mix; then process until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as necessary. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Stir the pesto into the hot pasta. Fold the tomatoes into the pasta mixture. If desired, garnish with shaved Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 3/4 Cup. Per Serving: 154 calories; protein 6.2g; carbohydrates 21g; dietary fiber 3.6g; sugars 2.7g; fat 5.8g; saturated fat 1.4g; cholesterol 3.8mg; vitamin a 1432.5IU; vitamin c 19.3mg; folate 14.8mcg; calcium 94.9mg; iron 1.2mg; magnesium 37.9mg; potassium 225mg; sodium 177.1mg.