February is all about Hearts! It's American Heart Health Month. It's Valentine's Day. Show your valentine you really care about his/her heart with meals that make the heart stronger and healthier. It's amazing what the right food will do for hearts...health...and LOVE!
Start your Valentine's Day celebration with a tomato and basil treat from Italy called Bruschetta and a glass of red wine. Only one glass, please! Red wine contains resveratrol, which is associated with reducing the risk of heart disease; when consumed in moderation, it can be a boost for your health. Tomatoes and olive oil give you lycopene, a natural antioxidant that reduces inflammation and, and heart-healthy fat that helps lower cholesterol.
For the main course, choose fish that is full of omega-3s like salmon or cod! We recommend baking or broiling for maximum health. Pair it with heart-healthy green vegetables like spinach or broccoli. Skip the red meat today!
It's Valentine's Day, so chocolate is a must-have! Impress your loved ones with mouth-watering combinations that are so delicious, it's hard to believe they're loaded with healthy antioxidants that help prevent damage to blood vessels. Moist Chocolate Cake with less than 200 calories and Fudgy Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies (See Recipes section).
Happy Valentine's Day from Harvest Home: Wishing you love and healthier hearts for longer loving.
Chocolate Cake
Recipe from Apple-of-my-Eye.com
These mini chocolate cakes are only 160 calories and loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants! Perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth while doing some good for your body. Ingredients
3 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup nonfat Greek vanilla yogurt
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup dark semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together the bananas. Add in the sour cream, Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla and egg. Mix until smooth.
Add in the cocoa powder, flour and baking soda. Mix until just combined.
Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips
Pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined 8 x 8 baking dish. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips if desired.
Bake for 30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For more inspiration, check out these Fudgy Dark Chocolate Zucchini Brownies!
Tips for Better Health
Keep portions moderate. There's nothing romantic about feeling over stuffed after a meal!
Use olive oil instead of butter. The fat in olive oil is actually good for you.
Cut visible fat off meat and chicken. An easy way to cut down on unnecessary fat.
Avoid frying when possible. Broil, steam or bake meat and veggies. Not just better for you, they will taste better.
Reduce the red meat you eat. Chicken and fish have less cholesterol and saturated fat that is bad for your heart.
Increase your leafy greens like kale, spinach and broccoli. They are loaded with B vitamins that help maintain our cardiovascular system.
Eat Healthy Chocolate: Skip the milk chocolate which is mostly sugar. Look for chocolate that is 70% cocoa.
Thinking seriously about your heart?
Why not participate in American Heart Health month? Take a look at the simple steps for better heart health that are recommended by the Center for Disease Control.
Click HERE to learn more. You may be surprised by how little effort it takes to get healthier!
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