Sarah Mohrman, dietitian, Parkview Heart Institute, shares some general guidance for maintaining a heart-healthy diet.
Whether you are living with heart disease or trying to prevent it, your nutrition goals are the same. You want to adhere to a plant-forward diet, meaning your meals revolve around fruits and vegetables and less around meat protein. Your goal should be at least 5-9 servings or more of fruit and vegetables a day. You also want to try to eat whole foods and cut back on processed options or those with added sugar or high sodium.
Simple recipes for success
Your Way Lasagna Soup
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 jar low sodium marinara sauce
2 cups water
Black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper, to taste
Protein of choice (veggie crumbles, lean beef or lean turkey)
7 lasagna noodles, broken
2 cups baby spinach leaves
For the slow cooker option, add everything but the lasagna noodles and spinach to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, add the noodles and spinach.
For the pressure cooker option, put everything into the pot except the spinach, close the lid, set the valve to close and start for 4 minutes. Remember, it will take 15 minutes for the soup to come up to pressure. Allow the pressure cooker to natural release for 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt and serve.
Overnight Oats
Mason jars
½ cup old fashioned oats to each jar
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup milk of choice
Add the entire list of ingredients to each mason jar. You can fill as many as you like. Simply shake the jar and place it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat the oats, heat for 30-60 seconds in the microwave and enjoy.
These recipes are great for planning ahead and packing healthy meals for the day. Keep it simple with whole foods that are plant forward and your heart will thank you.
