A recent survey found that most people know what foods are heart healthy, but they just aren’t making them into their shopping carts. Here are some simple tips on how to “Heart Your Cart” from the Diet Diva Tara Gidus.
Concord Grape Juice:
Most people know that a glass of red wine is good for your heart, but did you know that the same heart-healthy plant nutrients in red wine are also in grape juice made with Concord grapes? 100% concord grape juice has no added sugar and just 4 ounces is a serving of fruit. More than a decade’s worth of research suggests that thanks for the Concord grape, Welch’s 100% Grape Juice can help support a healthy heart. Go to welchs.com/rewardyourheart for recipes and heart health tips.
Eggs and Beef get a bad rap, but you can have both!
Eggs:
Egg Beaters are made of real Midwestern eggs, pure and simple. Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites are a heart-healthy option that provide the nutrients your body needs without all of the fat, calories, and cholesterol. Try this Easy French Toast Egg Mug Scrambler for a quick hot, fresh breakfast in the microwave with lean protein and essential vitamins and minerals.
Beef:
Some of the most popular cuts of beef- like Sirloin, Tenderloin, T-Bone steak, and 95% lean Ground Beef – meet government guidelines for lean. On average, a 3-oz serving of lean beef is about 150 calories and provides 10 essential nutrients.
According to a new study called BOLD (Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet), eating lean beef every day, as part of a heart-healthy diet can be good for the heart and can reduce LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels by 10%. This ground-breaking study found the improvements in heart disease risk factors seen on the lean beef diets were just as effective as other heart-healthy diets, many of which emphasize plant proteins. You can follow the same diet as the BOLD study by using The Healthy Beef Cookbook, a collection of more than 130 recipes featuring lean beef. Here are two examples of recipes used in the study also highlighting whole grains: Sirloin with Sugar Snap Pea and Pasta Salad with Gremolata Dressing and Beef, Mango, and Barley Salad.
Whole Grains:
Whole grains are getting easier to get in! Need a whole grain snack for mid-afternoon? Look no further than 6 Grain SunChips! These chips are 100% natural with 21 grams of whole grain per 1 ounce serving. This new recipe has 6 whole grains: corn, wheat, oats, rice, buckwheat, and quinoa. Less sodium than you’d think at 150 mg per serving.
Find more great health tips from Tara here.
Recipes
Easy French Toast Egg Mug Scrambler
Hands On: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Makes: 1 scrambler serving
Ingredients
PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 frozen Banquet Brown N Serve Turkey Sausage Patty, chopped
1/2 cup Egg Beaters original
1 slice cinnamon swirl bread, torn into small pieces
1 tablespoon maple-flavored syrup
Instructions
1. Spray inside of microwave safe mug with cooking spray. Place sausage in mug. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds; blot sausage dry with paper towel.
2. Add Egg Beaters and bread to mug; mix well.
3. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Stir; microwave 30 seconds more or until set. Top with syrup. Serve immediately.
Cook’s Tips
The Scramber puffs up and fills the mug while cooking. It falls quickly once removed from the microwave. Use a large (15-ounce) microwave safe mug to hold the ingredients and to reduce the change of overflow. Mugs that are wider and shorter work best. A 2-cup glass measure may be used as well.
Beef, Mango & Barley Salad
Total recipe time: 1-1/2 hours
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 beef tri-tip roast (1-1/2 to 2 pounds)
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 medium mangoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 large Boston lettuce leaves (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place bell peppers on metal baking sheet; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Press 1 teaspoon paprika evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Do not add water or cover. Roast in 425°F oven 30 to 40 minutes for medium rare; 40 to 45 minutes for medium doneness. Roast bell peppers in oven with beef about 30 minutes or until tender. Set peppers aside to cool.
3. Remove roast when instant-read thermometer registers 135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium. Transfer roast to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium.)
4. Meanwhile, cook barley according to package directions. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Cut beef into 1/2 inch pieces; season with salt and black pepper. Whisk lime juice, oil and 1/2 teaspoon paprika in small bowl until blended. Toss with beef, barley, roasted peppers, mangoes, green onions and cilantro in large bowl. Serve in Boston lettuce leaves, if desired.
Recipe and photo as seen in The Healthy Beef Cookbook, published by John Wiley & Sons
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Nutrition information per serving: 309 calories; 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 4 g monounsaturated fat); 60 mg cholesterol; 246 mg sodium; 35 g carbohydrate; 4.3 g fiber; 26 g protein; 8.4 mg niacin; 0.8 mg vitamin B6; 1.3 mcg vitamin B12; 2.3 mg iron; 27 mcg selenium; 4.7 mg zinc.
This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber and iron.
Cook’s Notes:
Mango adds an interesting punch to this salad, both with its sweetness and with a boost of vitamin C.
Sirloin with Sugar Snap Pea & Pasta Salad
Total recipe time: 60 minutes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 1 pound)
2 cups fresh sugar snap peas
2 cups cooked gemelli or corkscrew pasta
1 cup grape or teardrop tomatoes, cut in halves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
Freshly grated lemon peel
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Gremolata Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Bring water to boil in large saucepan. Add peas; cook 2 to 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain; rinse under cold water. Combine peas, pasta and tomatoes in large bowl. Set aside.
2. Whisk Gremolata Dressing ingredients in small bowl until well blended. Toss 2 tablespoons dressing with pasta mixture. Set aside.
3. Combine 3 cloves minced garlic and 1 teaspoon pepper; press evenly onto beef steak. Place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 9 to 12 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning once.
4. Carve steak into thin slices; season with salt, as desired. Add steak slices and remaining dressing to pasta mixture; toss to coat evenly. Garnish with lemon peel and parsley, if desired.
Recipe as seen in The Healthy Beef Cookbook, published by John Wiley & Sons
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Nutrition information per serving: 369 calories; 12 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 7 g monounsaturated fat); 5 mg cholesterol; 216 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrate; 4.2 g fiber; 32 g protein; 1 mg niacin; 0.7 mg vitamin B6; 1.4 mcg vitamin B12; 4.4 mg iron; 46.5 mcg selenium; 5.3 mg zinc.
This recipe is an excellent source of protein, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber.
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