Archives for 2011

A modification of banana bread, using oil and Egg Beaters instead of butter and eggs. I made the batter ahead, scooped it into muffin papers, and froze it. Christmas morning all that’s needed is an extra 5 minutes in the oven and we have fresh, no-work muffins. These pass the heart-test, but that doesn’t mean […]

This will be my second attempt at a whole chicken. My first did not turn out (a crock pot recipe, and chicken is not a slam dunk in a crock pot). This is Joy of Cooking recipe, so I’m feeling pretty confident. 3 1/2-4 lb. chicken 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. dried sage 1/2 […]

I’ve been making this recipe for years. It is creamy, yummy, and light, and a bit different from the usual ranch-based veggie dip. 1 garlic clove, minced 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 16 oz. can butter beans, rinsed and drained 3/4 tsp. cumin 1 tbsp + 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 3-4 tbsp. olive oil salt […]

This is my invention, combining the Light and Tasty Pesto from the American Heart Association cookbook, with a roasted vegetable preparation from a Real Simple dish I made last week. Serves 6. Pesto Sauce 4 ounces fresh spinach leaves 1/2 cup firmly packed basil leaves (jam as many in there as you can, you want […]

This is my mom’s recipe – a light and delicious version of the Chinese take-out classic. She first made it for us when Owen was in the hospital and she lived near us. She shopped and cooked and fed us for weeks. If she hadn’t, I don’t know what we would have eaten! The first […]

So named by Owen years ago the first time I made them. He took one bite and looked up and said “these are the goodest pancakes ever!”  They can easily be made these diet-approved without losing flavor. Preheat a griddle to 350 degrees. 1 1/2 cups flour 3 tbsp sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder […]

Assemble-your-own meals always mean everyone’s happy and I’m heart-healthy. The fish is grilled or sauteed and I make the sauce with minced canned chipotles and Greek yogurt, with just a dollop of mayo (which, counter-intuitively, is fine for me to eat!). This recipe is from Ellie Krieger’s excellent book The Food You Crave. You can […]

I love this infographic shared by the Yale Heart Study this week. It makes parsing the heart-healthy diet rules much easier. Avoiding saturated fat is the easy part; remembering all the other rules is harder. (Though I’m pleased to report I’m doing very well in the red wine 1-2 glasses per day category.) The whole […]

This complete meal recipe is a standout. It is easy, took just 45 minutes to have on the table, and features completely whole foods, including many stars on the heart-healthy food pyramid. You have mushrooms, quinoa, walnuts, olive oil, garlic, sweet potatoes, and a very lean protein – the humble and ubiquitous chicken breast. Serve […]

This is another Real Simple gem. It is indeed simple, fast, and tasty. My son gave it a 9 (on a 1-10 scale) and so did my husband. An easy crowd-pleaser featuring heart-healthy mushrooms . . . that’s a win-win. The original recipe called for ground pork, which I’m sure would taste sensational, but I […]