Heart Healthy 7 ways to be Heart Healthy all year

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by: Jessica Forget

“In honor of American Heart Month, now is a good time to focus on your cardiovascular health. Keeping your heart healthy can go a long way toward enjoying years of good health. One of the easiest ways to get on track is by making simple heart-healthy swaps in your meals. Here are some practical tips to help you hack your meals to make the most of your nutrition and put your heart and mind at ease.

Swap refined carbs with whole grains

Whole grains contain fiber which lowers LDL cholesterol, commonly known as the bad type. Fiber takes longer for the body to digest, so you will feel full longer than you would if you eat refined carbs. Choose oatmeal instead of corn flakes, make black rice instead of white rice for your carb for balance in your meals.

Minimize your beef intake

Choose fish, chicken, or turkey, and keep beef at a minimum. For a meatless way to replace beef, go with lentils and other beans, which have the added benefit of more fiber for filling you up. And when you do eat beef, go for the grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture raised products on the shelves - the quality of your meat matters!

Bake or broil rather than fry

You can try a simple swap: swap out fried foods for baked or broiled. You’ll notice that baked and broiled foods will taste better than fried foods, so this isn’t a hard swap to stick to! Oils like canola oil, vegetable oil, and palm oil are linked to inflammation and poor heart health. When you do cook with oils, choose ones that are higher in Omega-3 fats, like olive and avocado.

Choose nuts over chips

If it’s something crunchy you seek for a snack, choose nuts instead of going for chips. If you look at the ingredients list on a bag of potato chips, you’ll notice they contain all the oils I mentioned above that you should avoid! Nuts give you more fiber as well as unsaturated fat. Measure out some snack-sized servings of nuts to keep in your pantry for easy access.

Satisfy sweetness with fruit

Choose fruit over processed sugary treats when you feel like having something sweet. Fruit satisfies your sweet tooth and has fiber, so you’ll wind up feeling more satisfied when you make this healthy food swap.

Use avocado rather than mayo

Avocados are a heart-healthy swap you can use on your sandwiches. Instead of mayonnaise, mash up an avocado and smear it onto your whole wheat bread or wrap. It will add more flavor and nutrition while keeping your chosen bread from feeling too dry. Even the mayonnaise brands that claim they’re “made with olive oil” still manage to sneak in those other unhealthy oils (look at the ingredients list!).

Infuse water instead of drinking soda

Infusing water with lemon, cucumber, or herbs like mint gives it a delicious flavor and more nutrients. Choose to drink this over soda and other sugary drinks to keep your heart in good health.

By making these swaps, you’ll be taking small steps to achieve big results with the health of your heart. Make your appointment today with Nutrition Fix to find out what other changes you can make in your diet to work towards your health goals.

Shrimp Scampi Risotto

Woo your valentine with this creamy super flavorful risotto dish.

Impress your Valentine with this simple yet elegant risotto. When I first started cooking, I was scared to death to make risotto. All that stirring, and adding broth at just the right time. But I am here to tell you. just follow the instructions, and stir stir stir and you will be eating like royalty in no time at all!

If you make this recipe, be sure to drop a photo on our facebook page at:

@CommunityConnectionMonthly

Ingredients Instructions

• 3 tbsp. butter, divided

• 1 large onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced and divided

• 1 c. arborio rice

• kosher salt

• 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 1/2 c. dry white wine, divided

• Juice of 2 lemons

• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan

Shrimp:

Be sure not to overcook the shrimp. Just 3-4 minutes will do. Once shrimp is no longer opaque, remove it from the heat.

In a large deep-sided skillet or pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 to 6 minutes, then add 1 clove garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add rice and stir until combined, then season with salt.

In batches, begin adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, making sure broth is fully absorbed before adding the next batch. Once broth is done, add 1 cup wine and simmer, stirring occasionally until fully absorbed.

Meanwhile, cook shrimp: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt remaining butter. Add remaining garlic, lemon juice, parsley, and red pepper flakes and stir, 2 minutes, then add shrimp and season with salt. Cook shrimp until pink, 3 to 4 minutes, then add remaining 1/2 cup wine. Bring to a simmer, then add shrimp mixture and Parmesan to risotto and stir until combined and creamy.

Serve with parsley.

Notes:

Adding some kick: Some like it hot! Feel free to adjust the level of heat you like by adding more red pepper flakes.

Kick it up a notch: Add in some spinach until just wilted for an extra level of flavor and color!