Heart-healthy recipes



Treat your heart right with these low-fat, high-fiber recipes. You can try just one, or prepare a heart-healthy meal – even dessert! Our recipes are inspired by the heart health team at The University of Kansas Hospital.

Southwest Guacamole Dip

Serves 6

½ ripe avocado (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried cilantro, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of hot sauce, optional, to taste

Peel, pit and cut the avocado into pieces. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients until well blended. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with fresh vegetables like bell pepper strips, tomato or cucumber slices.

Nutrition information (per serving)

32.5 calories
3g carbs
2.6g fat
.33g fiber
4g protein

This recipe comes from Lisa Lillien, New York Times best-selling author and founder of Hungry Girl. Lisa was also the featured speaker for the 2011 Girls' Night In event.

The Whole Enchilada Chicken Soup

3 cups fat-free chicken broth
1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery
1/2 cup diced sweet yellow onion
3 cups green enchilada sauce
1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin
10 oz. cooked boneless, skinless lean chicken breast, chopped or shredded
1 cup frozen white or yellow corn
Optional: dash hot sauce, or more to taste
Optional toppings: shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, crushed baked tortilla chips

  1. In a large pot, bring broth to a low boil on the stove. Add celery and onion, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until slightly tender.
  2. Stir in enchilada sauce and pumpkin. Once soup returns to low boil, add chicken and corn, and mix well. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until soup is heated throughout.
  3. Add a dash or more hot sauce. (Or not, it's your soup) Serve and, if you like, top with shredded cheese and/or crushed chips.

Serves 9

Parmesan-artichoke spread

1 8-ounce package low-fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup light or fat-free sour cream
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
¼ cup sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped pepperoncini peppers
1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Garlic powder to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with low-fat, baked pita or baked tortilla chips.

Tomato soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cup diced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon allspice
6 cup fat-free or low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
2 cans (28 ounces each) peeled plum tomatoes, drained and chopped (save juice to add later if needed)
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Heat oil in heavy pot. Add onions, stirring. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle allspice over onions, and cook 1 minute longer.
  2. Add broth, tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes. Puree soup in food processor. Return to pot. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  3. Serve hot, or cool in refrigerator overnight. Can serve hot or cold. Garnish with dollop of low-fat or fat-free sour cream. Serves 8.

Healthy Minestrone

2 cups tomato juice
1 14 oz. can fat-free vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (Italian-seasoned or plain)
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained
1 16 oz. package frozen Italian or Mediterranean-style vegetables
1 cup uncooked whole-wheat rotini, penne or other short pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnish: grated Parmesan cheese

  1. In large pot sprayed with olive oil, sauté onion and garlic till soft. Add tomato juice, broth and tomatoes, and bring to boil. Add dry pasta and vegetables, and cook till soft (about 8 minutes). Add seasonings and beans.
  2. Simmer until warmed through. Remove bay leaf. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Serves 8

Green Beans

1 1/4 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ lbs. Roma tomatoes
½ teas. salt
¼ cup water
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
¼ teas. freshly ground black pepper
¼ teas. ground red pepper

  1. Heat olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic. Sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  2. Add salt and beans. Sauté 1 minute. Add ¼ cup water. Cover and cook 5 minutes till beans are crisp-tender. Add basil and tomatoes. Cover, reduce heat and cook 4 minutes till tomatoes begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Stir in peppers.

Spinach-berry salad (winter or summer)

Baby spinach or mixture of salad greens
Strawberries, thinly sliced (summer) or dried cranberries (winter)
1 cup low-fat feta cheese
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted briefly in oven 

Cranberry vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup low-sugar cranberry juice cocktail (or low-sugar pomegranate juice)
2 teaspoons minced shallot
Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Whisk together vinegar, oil, honey and juice. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in shallots.
  2. Assemble salads on plates. Drizzle each lightly with dressing just before serving.

Quinoa and black bean salad

2 cups uncooked quinoa
3½ cups water
Sea salt
1 cup chopped cilantro
5 green onions, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
2 cups cooked black beans
¾ cups mango, diced (You can use fresh or thawed frozen mango.)

Dressing
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ teaspoon sea salt

  1. Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer under warm water.
  2. Place in medium pot with water and a pinch of sea salt.
  3. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer about 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
  4. Remove cooked quinoa from pot, place in a large bowl to cool.
  5. For the dressing, combine olive oil, lime juice, cumin and sea salt in small bowl. Whisk together and pour over cooled quinoa, toss well with fork.
  6. Add cilantro, green onions, peppers, mango and black beans. Toss again.

Brown sugar baked salmon

1 2- or 3-pound salmon fillet in 1 piece, skinless, or 6 salmon steaks

Marinade:

1 cup brown sugar (or combination of ½ cup brown and ½ cup Splenda blend brown sugar)
1 stick unsalted low-fat margarine, melted
6 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water

  1. Line baking pan with foil. Spray with olive oil non-stick spray. Place salmon in 1 layer on pan. Whisk marinade ingredients in bowl. Pour over salmon. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes up to 6 hours. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before baking to bring to room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn pan 180 degrees, and bake another 10 minutes. Fish should flake with fork in thickest part.
  3. Serve hot (also good at room temperature). Serves 6.

Summer berries with yogurt cream

1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut in half
2 cups mixed berries (blue, raspberry, black)
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fat-free half and half
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla

  1. Toss fruit with juice, sugar and vinegar. Allow to stand 15 minutes. Toss again. Whisk half and half until slightly thickened. Fold into yogurt and vanilla.
  2. Serve berries in stemmed glasses with a dollop of yogurt.

Pumpkin-orange cheesecake

¾ cup graham cracker or ginger snap crumbs
2 Tbs. margarine
Combine and press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
2  8 oz. packages light cream cheese (Neufchatel) 
½ cup nonfat ricotta cheese
¾ cup packed brown sugar
11/2 cup pure pumpkin
3 Tbs. orange juice
2 Tbs. evaporated fat-free milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
11/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
¾ cup egg substitute

Topping:

Combine in small bowl:

½ cup light sour cream
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. orange juice

Spread on cake after cooled to room temperature.

  1. Beat cream cheese, ricotta cheese and sugar till creamy. Add pumpkin, orange juice, evaporated milk, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Beat till well blended. Add egg substitute and beat until just blended. Pour into crust.
  2. Bake for 60-65 minutes, till edges are set, but center still moves slightly. Cool in pan to room temperature on wire rack. Spread with topping.
  3. Refrigerate several hours or overnight; then remove side of springform pan.

Heart cookies

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup low sodium, low saturated fat butter (softened)
1 cup equivalent granulated sugar substitute
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Sprinkles (optional)

Tools
Medium mixing bowl
Large mixing bowl
Electric mixer
Zester
Rolling pin
Plastic wrap
Baking sheet(s)
Wire cooling rack(s)
Silicone non-stick baking mat(s)
A Change of Heart Cookie Cutter

  1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt then set aside. Beat butter and ¾ cup of sugar substitute with mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add orange peel and vanilla. Mix well. Blend in egg and beat for 1 minute. Gradually add dry mixture and beat on low speed after each addition until well blended. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.
  2. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into heart shapes and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup sugar substitute. Place 2 inches apart on silicone non-stick baking mat. Apply sprinkles if desired.
  3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove and place on wire cooling racks until cooled completely. 

Apple banana smoothie

1 large, ripe banana, peeled and chopped
1 Fuji apple, peeled and chopped
¾ cup nonfat yogurt
1 cup nonfat soy or skim milk
½ tablespoon sugar

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend for about 1 minute, until smooth. Serve immediately.

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