The following is based on the American Heart Association guide for healthy American Adults:
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Choose 5 or more servings per day.
- Eat a variety of grain products, especially whole grains and bran, which is particulary good for the heart. Choose 6 or more servings per day.
- Include organic milk products, legumes, beans, seeds and nuts.
- Choose healthy fats like Omega 3 fatty acids from flax, nuts, and avocados.
- Limit your intake of foods high in calories or low in nutrition. This includes foods with a lot of added sugar like soft drinks and candy.
- Choose foods low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol (animal products such as red meat, chicken, pork and eggs are high in these fats).
- Limit your daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg.
- Limit alcohol intake.
- Maintain your ideal weight.
- Get plenty of physical activity. Walk or do other activities for at least 30 minutes a day.
Here are a few meal ideas for a heart healthy day:
Breakfast: Fruity Muesli with Unsweetened Vanilla Soymilk (see recipe below).
Lunch: Experiment with Veggie Sandwiches on sprouted wheat bread. Some ideas include: avocado, spinach, carrots, beets, sprouts and cucumber. Add cheese and tofu if you need more fuel. Garnish with mustard, vegan mayo and spices.
Dinner: Minestrone Soup with Baby Beet Salad (see recipes below).
Fruity Muesli
from Readers Digest.com
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup nonfat milk
1 apple, grated
2 Teaspoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
4 ounces strawberries, chopped
4 Tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
4 Teaspoons honey
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place the oats and raisins in a large bowl and add the milk. Stir well, cover, and place in the refrigerator. Soak overnight.
2. The next day, just before serving, grate the apple, discarding the core. Toss the apple with the lemon juice to prevent browning.
3. Stir the hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds into the oat mixture, then stir in the grated apple and chopped strawberries.
4. Divide the muesli among 4 cereal bowls, and top each with the yogurt and honey.
Serves 4
Each serving provides: Calories 239, fat 6 g, saturated fat 1 g, cholesterol 3 mg, sodium 56 mg, carbohydrates 41 g, fiber 4 g, protein 8 g.
The following recipes are from The Recipes of Dr. Aoukar. www.diagnosisheart.com:
Minestrone
Servings: at least 6
INGREDIENTS:
½ each of dry kidney beans, navy beans and black-eyed peas
4 carrots, diced (brunoise)
1 large stalk of celery, diced (brunoise)
1 medium onion, diced (brunoise)
2 large white potatoes, diced
2 yellow squash, diced
2 zucchini, diced
½ head white cabbage, chiffonade (fine slice)
5 fresh tomatoes or 1 can plum tomatoes, drained, chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
6-8 cups vegetable stock or water
½ pound ditalini or orzo pasta
2 bay leaves
fresh oregano, marjoram, thyme and/or basil, chopped or chiffonade
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, minced
sea salt and crushed red pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Soak the beans overnight.
2. In a pot, cover the beans with water, bring to a boil and continue to boil until they are tender, about 1 hour. Set aside.
3. In a separate 4 quart pot, sauté onions, celery and carrots in olive oil until they start to brown. Add garlic and cook until it begins to brown. Add the potatoes, bay leaves and fresh herbs (use one or all). Sauté for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and enough stock to cover by at least one inch. Bring to a boil, turn heat down, cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender.
4. Add beans and pasta and continue to cook until pasta is very al-dente. Add cabbage and both types of squash. Simmer for a few more minutes until pasta is al-dente and turn heat off. Add parsley and season for salt and pepper.
Baby Beet Salad
Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds baby beets
1/3 cup sliced almonds
sea salt to taste
crushed black pepper to taste
fresh orange juice
fresh tarragon (optional)
3-4 Tb Fresh Lemon Vinaigrette, with garlic
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut the stems off the beets and wash them. Place them in a pot, cover with water, add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until they are just fork tender (the beets should hold their shape completely, even when cut). When they are done cooking, run under cold water or place in an ice bath until cool. The skin should come right off. Slice the beets into halves or quarters.
2. To make the vinaigrette, blend 1/2 part fresh orange juice, ½ part fresh lemon juice, 1 part extra virgin olive oil, 1/24 part sea salt, crushed black pepper to taste
fresh crushed garlic, pinch (optional)
3. In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the almonds to a light brown color. Add to the salad. Add some fresh torn tarragon leaves and the dressing. Mix the ingredients well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
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