By Kac Young PhD, ND, DCH
For fun, I Googled “Mother’s Day Menus” and discovered that most of the recipes were highly unsupported of heart health. One of the nicest things we can do to honor our mothers, and be honored if we are a mother, is to cook a heart healthy meal to show how much we value “Mom.”
Say “I love you,” with a meal that promotes heart health and tells her you want her to be around for a long, long time.
Part one of this article is filled with ideas for cooking for mom. Part Two contains suggestions for ordering heart healthy in a restaurant or at a brunch buffet. They can help you stay healthy.
Part One: Cooking with Love for Mom:
If you are making dinner or a brunch for Mom then please choose a meal that features a low fat main dish and sides that will keep her heart healthy.
Suggested menu: Heart Easy ™Roasted Citrus Chicken; Heart Easy™ Roasted Garlic, Grilled Avocado Mashed Potatoes; Heart Easy™ Fast & Easy Corn Pudding with Veggies. You’ll be too full for dessert, but if you insist, stick to fresh berries without the whipped cream.
Heart Easy ™Roasted Citrus Chicken
This entree roasts up beautifully moist and tenderly infused with four citrus flavors and garlic.
Ingredients:
1, 5 lb whole, low sodium, hormone free, chicken.
1 lemon, cut into 8 pieces
1 lime, cut into 8 pieces
1 orange cut into 8 pieces
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
Tangerine infused olive oil*
Fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Wash chicken and remove giblets. Pat dry.
Using a chopstick or a small spatula gently lift and separate the chicken skin from the raw breast meat.
Carefully spread 1/2 of the crushed garlic under the skin and then repeat for the other chicken breast.
Press the garlic evenly under the skin.
Mix the lemon, lime and orange pieces together and push them into the chicken cavity. Close the cavity and secure with a small skewer or a couple of toothpicks.
Rub the exterior of the chicken with 1 T of the tangerine olive oil.
Place in a roasting pan. Cover the chicken breast, wing tips and drumstick tips with foil. Bake at 375˚ for 90 minutes or until chicken reaches 165˚. Remove foil coverings after 1 hour and allow chicken to continue cooking for another 1/2 hour. Remove from heat and allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes. Carve and place on a platter for serving.
Pasolivo™ makes the Tangerine Olive Oil. https://www.pasolivo.com
You can also create your own version by grating the rind of a tangerine, adding 2 T of cold pressed virgin olive oil and let stand overnight. Drain the rind from the oil and use as directed.
Heart Easy™ Roasted Garlic, Grilled Avocado Mashed Potatoes
Inspired by David Larkworthy
This amazing side dish is fresh, festive and delicious. It adds flair to any meal and becomes a topic of conversation immediately. Dazzle your guests with this one.
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 lime,
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Smart Balance Light or I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light
1 1/4 pounds Yukon or honey gold potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1/2 – 1 teaspoon white pepper
2 ripe avocados
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh cilantro or parsley
Directions:
Scrub potatoes and cut them into 2″ pieces. Place in a microwave-safe dish and microwave 7-10 minutes until potatoes are cooked through. Set aside to cool. When cooled, peel the potatoes and place them in a bowl.
Cut avocadoes in half, remove the seed. Brush the avocado face with avocado or olive oil and place face down on a grill pan. (Pan with raised grill ribs.) Place lime face down on grill pan. Cook the avocados on medium low heat for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Cook the lime half for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. When the avocados are cooled enough to handle safely, scoop out the flesh and add to the potatoes.
Heat the milk and butter substitute in the microwave for: 30-1:00 until butter is melted and milk is warmed. Squeeze the lime over the potato and avocado mixture, add milk, butter substitute, pepper and salt. Whip with a hand mixer or food processor. When fully blended and fluffy, turn into a bowl and serve. Top with parsley or cilantro.
Heart Easy ™ Fast & Easy Corn Pudding With Veggies
This dish is a one bowl wonder. Fix it and give yourself and your family the treat of comfort food without paying a high health price.
Ingredients:
Non-fat butter spray
3 cups canned yellow corn, drained (or 16 oz. frozen and thawed roasted corn)
1 egg plus 2 egg whites, beaten well or 1/2 cup Reddi Egg
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup seeded and chopped multi-colored peppers
2 Tbs. raw sugar
1/2 cup non-fat milk
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 packages of powdered butter substitute – Butter Buds
1/4 cup SoySation® 3 Cheese Blend, or The Original Almond® Mozzarella Shreds, half reserved
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp. Kosher salt
For a little southwest flavor add one 6 oz. can green chilies.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray an oven-proof casserole dish with non-fat butter spray. Beat the egg whites or Reddi Egg until fluffy (about 1 minute). Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour into prepared casserole dish.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until casserole is firm. Top with the remainder of SoySation® 3 blend cheese or your choice of Lisanatti RiceCheeze® flavors or The Original Almond® Shreds. Allow cheese to melt for 1 minute before serving. Cut and enjoy.
Best Tip: You can order Heart Easy, The Food Lover’s Guide to Heart Healthy Eating online at: www.HeartEasy.com and give Mom the gift of heart health. Over 300 delicious recipes to help her stay young, healthy and fit.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this article…..
Heart Disease is 90% preventable according to the American Heart Association. What a wonderful way to tell Mom you care. Get more information about your heart health at: www.HeartEasy.com