This blog originally appeared on motionconnected.com
We scoured the web looking for recipes that are not only delicious, but are also quick to make, require only a few ingredients and most importantly, are heart-healthy!
**Quick Guide: incorporate these foods into your diet to boost your heart health and reduce inflammation.**
Any fresh or frozen fruit or vegetable – fruits and vegetables contain fiber, which lower triglycerides and cholesterol. They also contain potassium, which helps reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure.
The foods below provide an extra boost:
Leafy greens – known for being rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
Fatty fish, like Salmon or Mackerel – high in Omega 3’s, these fish boost HDL levels (the good cholesterol)
Green tea - anti-inflammatory beverage that also improves the function of blood vessels
Avocados – contain mono-saturated fat, which may help lower LDL levels (the bad cholesterol)
Raw seeds & nuts, especially almonds and walnuts – rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and help maintain cholesterol levels and can lower blood pressure
Garlic – prevents cell damage, regulates cholesterol and removes the buildup of plaque in the arteries.
Dark Chocolate – full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and even fiber, dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure and increase HDL cholesterol. Aim for 1 to 2 pieces that contain 70% to 85% of cacao.
American Heart Association - Healthy for Good Recipes
Delicious. Simple. Affordable. Quick. Cooking that's good for your heart and your wallet. Browse by one-dish meals, soups, salads, main dishes and more, while choosing dishes to fit your lifestyle, like kid-friendly, slow-cooker or vegetarian.
It’s understandable why avocado toasts are so popular; the spreadable avocado is both a delicious and simple breakfast solution.
Diced apple brings a sweet crunchiness to this tangy shrimp salad, which is elegant enough to serve as lunch for guests yet portable enough to add to a container for a work lunch.
These mini turkey burgers just melt in your mouth thanks to gooey cheese, warm mushrooms, and creamy avocado.
Cleveland Clinic’s Heart Healthy Recipe Corner
Cleveland Clinic’s Heart Healthy Recipe Corner
Get heart healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert that are easy to prepare and approved by Cleveland Clinic nutrition experts.
This is a favorite breakfast or post-workout smoothie. It’s filled with healthy fats from chia seeds and almond butter, and features one of our favorite nutrient-rich berries. The whole family will love this one!
Sometimes, presentation is everything. If your son or daughter is bringing that ho-hum sandwich back home uneaten, try our fun take on the traditional. Even the pickiest eaters can’t resist gobbling up our deconstructed version – which serves up healthy doses of calcium, whole grains and vitamin C.
This lighter chicken noodle casserole includes a creamy base but with fewer calories and fat. It offers niacin, a B vitamin that helps increase HDL (your good cholesterol) levels in the blood, and folate which assists in DNA and RNA production.
Cooking Light
Heart-Healthy Recipe. Delicious recipes filled with good-for-the-heart fresh ingredients, healthy fats, and whole grains. Explore Cooking Light’s ‘Nutrition 101’ series: heart-healthy basics, heart-healthy entrée's, as well as seafood, vegetarian and dessert recipes.
A simple base for an easy breakfast, this recipe requires nothing more than stirring and sitting. Jazz them up with one of these 14 tasty topping combinations, whether savory or sweet, to make a breakfast worth waking up for.
Fava beans are traditional in this stew, which we updated with edamame. You can also substitute green peas for the edamame, if you like. Scoop up the thick stew with Teff Injera Bread or pita.
The American Heart Association recommends eating salmon or other fatty fish twice a week to reap the cardiovascular benefits that the omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish provide.
EatingWell
These recipes boost the whole grains, vegetables and healthy fats while limiting sodium and saturated fat to help your heart stay healthy. All of the recipes included can be made in 25 minutes or less, to save you time on busy nights while still putting a healthy dinner on the table. Try our quick and heart-healthy recipes for salmon, salads, chicken, pasta and more to get in on the heart-healthy deliciousness.
In this zesty Mexican-inspired recipe, queso fresco cheese, peppers, onion, chicken sausage, and eggs are cooked up with crisp corn tortilla pieces, and garnished with jalapeño and cilantro.
This healthy chicken recipe tops a simple salad for an easy dinner that's ready in 25 minutes.
All of the ingredients for this easy beef stir-fry recipe are cooked in one wok (or skillet), so not only is the meal-prep fast for this healthy dinner, cleanup is quick too.
Heart-Healthy Recipe. Delicious recipes filled with good-for-the-heart fresh ingredients, healthy fats, and whole grains. Explore Cooking Light’s ‘Nutrition 101’ series: heart-healthy basics, heart-healthy entrée's, as well as seafood, vegetarian and dessert recipes.