Heart-Healthy Recipes

Last week I told you about the “Go Red” American Heart Association event in Cooperstown.

I wanted to finish that interview with the meal that was made. I hope you will try these recipes. Everything is just great, the Salmon is absolutely one of the easiest dishes I have ever made, and very tasty. When you make the salmon dish I wanted to point out too that I added much more of the rub than called for. I like it spicy though.

I also wanted to give the final two questions I asked Sherri Stastny, who works in the Academic Dietetics Program.at NDSU.

High Plains Reader: Can you tell us a little about the menu for the event. Also you made some changes, we would love to know more about those too.

Sherri Stastny: This was a wonderful meal that Brooke [Frederickson] planned. It featured foods high in numerous phytochemicals such as lutein, zexanthin, beta-carotene, and lycopene, as well as many healthy fats from the Omega 3s in salmon to the mono-unsaturated fats in olive oil. We need to increase our daily cups consumed of fruits and vegetables, servings of healthy fats, and in general, we need to eat less processed food such as white rice and other starchy foods. Brooke’s menu was chock full of whole grains, about half-a-day’s recommendation of fruit/vegetable servings, plus half-a-week’s worth of our fish recommendation.We need to eat more green leafy vegetables, and the way this spinach was prepared was very easy.

HPR: Sherri, What do you think, guessing, the cost would be for this meal for the average person? I think it is important that people know it doesn’t cost a lot to eat heart-healthy.

SS: I spent $65 forabout six portions, but many of the ingredients would be easily usable in other recipes (such as the leftover dried apricots, spices, yogurt, lite sour cream, and olive oil. I would budget would budget about $3.50 for a meal such as this, but if you served the same meal minus the salmon, you’d lower that to under $2.50 (substitute chicken thighs, skin removed, for example).

Apricot-and-Walnut Brown Rice Stuffing

1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups cooked brown rice
2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup coarsely chopped apricots
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup chicken broth

Cook 1/2 cup dry brown rice in 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth until almost tender (about 35 minutes).
Cook onion and celery in olive oil in small skillet over medium heat.
Combine rice, walnuts, apricots, pine nuts, parsley, thyme, pepper and remaining broth in large bowl; turn into greased 2-quart baking dish.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes. Yield: 4 servings

Salmon Florentine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Remove stems from fresh spinach leaves--6-8 cups or about 2 quarts
Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan with vegetable spray, such as canola. Add spinach to pan
4 Salmon filets, 4 oz. each: rinse and pat dry.
Brush each portion, both sides, with 2 tsp. olive oil.
Spices: 1 tsp.Mrs. Dash, regular, 1 tsp. ground black pepper, 1 tsp. paprika, ½ tsp.cayenne pepper.
Mix spices together and rub on each portion of salmon (using plastic gloves if desired).
Lay salmon filets on bed of spinach.
6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped: toss on top of spinach and salmon.
Cover tightly with saran wrap.(I used foil)
Bake 15 minutes if salmon is thawed; 20 minutes if frozen, until center of fish flakes easily with fork.

Sauteed Green Beans and Garlic

4 small cloves chopped fresh peeled garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil, not virgin (light-colored)
½ cup unsalted almonds, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 bag fresh or frozen green beans, about 10 oz.
¼ cup red, dry wine (optional)
1 tsp. butter (optional)

Heat olive oil in bottom of large frypan.
Add garlic and almonds.
Cover to prevent splatter.
Stir every couple of minutes.
Saute until just starting to brown.
Add butter, wine if desired.
Add thyme.
Add green beans and cook for only 5-6 minutes, tossing to mix. Do not overcook.
Utensils Needed: large frypan, good chopping knife, wooden spoon, cutting board, measuring spoons and cups
Pan/kettle Size: 3 quart or larger
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4-5

Strawberries Romanoff

2 pints fresh strawberries
2 tbsp.granulated sugar
Remove stems, wash, drain and quarter strawberries.
Toss berries in sugar.

Sauce ingredients:
½ cup vanilla reduced-fat yogurt.
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tbsp. raspberry liqueur
1 tsp.real vanilla extract
Whisk sauce ingredients together.
Refrigerate everything.
To serve, portion berries on serving dishes, each serving with 3-tbsp. sauce dollop on top.
Optional: Sprinkle with chopped pecans rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Well, let me know what you thought of these. I am sure that Sherri and Brooke would love to know your thoughts too.
Next week I hope to have a conversation about the new Prime Steakhouse Restaurant, located in the Ultra Lounge.

Oh yes, I was going to say this last week. I want to thank all of you that voted for me in the Best Bets. It is just such a cool thing to know you still enjoy our music, not to mention being in such great company with the other winners. Thanks from Deb J! Eat well and stay safe.