One of My Favorite Healthy Recipes

The majority of the meals my family eats are recipes found on the American Heart Association website at heart.org. They have everything you can imagine and they‘re fun to make as a family! This is the recipe to one of my favorites. It’s a South Pacific Shrimp with Southeast Asian seasoning.

You’ll need:

1/3 cup “lite” coconut milk (see Cooking Tips)
2 serrano chiles or jalapeno peppers, preferably red, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pound medium shrimp (30-40 per pound), peeled and deveined (see Cooking Tips)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced seeded tomato
4 cups baby spinach

Start by combining the coconut milk, chiles, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, lime juice and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain well, reserving marinade.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until barely pink, about 30 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Add tomato and spinach to the pan; cook, stirring, until the spinach starts to wilt, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved marinade; simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan; heat through. Serve immediately.

Cooking Tips:
Freeze any leftover coconut milk or refrigerate it for several days; you can use it instead of broth or water to cook rice or enrich a curry or rice pudding.
Cooking with frozen shrimp: Individually quick-frozen shrimp, sold in resealable bags, are convenient to keep in your freezer. Thaw in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. If you're in a hurry, place shrimp in a colander under cold running water for about 5 minutes.

This is a great seafood main dish at only 176 calories per serving! I hope you’ll try this and many other recipes at the American Heart Association website. Enjoy!

Much love,

Haley Pontius

Healthy Foods Under $1 Per Serving

Eating healthy on a budget can seem difficult; but it can be done! Being creative can help you stick to your budget and incorporate nutritious foods into your diet. Try to incorporate some of these healthy foods under $1 into your weekly menu planning.

Apples (raw with skin)
Great for: Snacks, green salads, main dish salads and fruit salads
What's a serving? 1 large apple
Nutrition Info per serving: About 116 calories, 5.4g fiber, 17% Daily Value for vitamin C, 7% Daily Value for potassium

Bananas
Great for: Snacks and fruit salads, yogurt parfaits and smoothies
What's a serving? 1 banana (large)
Nutrition Info per serving: 121 calories, 3.5g fiber, 14% Daily Value for potassium (487 mg), 20%
Daily Value for vitamin C

Baby Carrots (raw)
Great for: Snacks, casseroles, stews, veggie platters and side dishes
What's a serving? 8-10 baby carrots (3 oz)
Nutrition Info per serving: About 30 calories, 2.5g fiber, 234% Daily Value for vitamin A

Canned Beans (kidney, pinto or navy)
Great for: Green salads, casseroles, stews and chili. Types of beans range from 50% less sodium kidney beans and black beans to white beans and garbanzo beans.
What's a serving? Each can contains about 3.5 (1/2-cup) servings.
Nutrition Info per serving (for canned kidney beans): About 105 calories, 7g protein, 7g fiber, 8% Daily Value for iron, 9% Daily Value for potassium

Canned Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice)
Great for: Italian and Mexican recipes, chili, stew and casseroles. Flavor options range from no-salt-added sliced stewed tomatoes to diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil.
What's a serving? One can contains about 3.5 (1/2-cup) servings.
Nutrition Info per serving: About 20 calories, 1g fiber, 6% Daily Value for potassium, 19% Daily Value of vitamin C

Oranges (fruit 2-7/8” diameter)
Great for: Snacks, green salads and fruit salads
What's a serving? 1 large or extra large orange
Nutrition Info per serving: About 70 calories, 3g fiber, 138% Daily Value for vitamin C, 7% Daily Value for potassium

Pears (raw)
Great for: Snacks, as an appetizer with cheese, green salads and fruit salads
What's a serving? 1 large pear
Nutrition Info per serving: About 133 calories, 7g fiber, 16% Daily Value for vitamin C, 8% Daily Value for potassium

Lentils (cooked)
Great for: Soups and stews, cold bean salads and casseroles
What's a serving? ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving: 115 calories, 9g protein, 8g fiber, 18% Daily Value for iron, 10% Daily Value for potassium

Pearled Barley (cooked)
Great for: Soups and stews, cold salads and casseroles
What's a serving? ½ cup (cooked)
Nutrition Info per serving: 97 calories, 3g fiber, 6% Daily Value for iron

Yogurt (plain, low fat or fat-free)
Great for: Smoothies, yogurt parfait, dips and dressings
What's a serving? A 6-ounce container is usually a serving.
Nutrition Info per serving: (for 6 ounces of fat-free plain yogurt): 95 calories, 10g protein, 34% Daily
Value for calcium, 12% Daily Value for potassium

Eggs
Great for: omelets, hardboiled, salads
What’s a serving? 1 medium egg
Nutrition Info per serving: 63 calories, 4g fat, 164mg cholesterol, 6g protein

Broccoli
Great for: steamed as a side dish, tossed in salads, mixed in brown rice or whole wheat pasta dishes
What’s a serving? 1 cup raw, ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving (1 cup chopped raw broccoli): 31 calories, 0g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 11% Daily Value for vitamin A, 135% Daily Value for vitamin C

Sweet Potato (cooked, baked in skin)
Great for: baked, mashed, steamed
What’s a serving? 1 medium potato (2” diameter, 5” long, raw)
Nutrition Info per serving: 103 calories, 0g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 438% Daily Value for vitamin A,  37% Daily Value for vitamin C

Brown Rice (cooked)
Great for: stir fry, steamed with veggies
What’s a serving? ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving: 108 calories, 0mg cholesterol, 2g fiber

Green Peas (frozen, cooked)
Great for: mixed into brown rice or whole wheat pasta dishes
What’s a serving? ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving (cooked): 62 calories, 0mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 4g protein, 13% Daily Value for vitamin C, 34% Daily Value for vitamin A, 7% Daily Value for iron

Fat-Free Milk
Great for: cold beverage
What’s a serving? 1 cup
Nutrition Info per serving: 83 calories, 8g protein, 30% Daily Value for calcium, 11% Daily Value for potassium

Regular Oatmeal
Great for: hot oatmeal, breakfast, baking
What’s a serving? ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving: 83 calories, 0mg cholesterol, 2g fiber 

Spinach (raw)
Great for: tossed salads, steamed as a side dish
What’s a serving? 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving (1 cup raw): 7 calories, 0mg cholesterol, 1g fiber, 56% Daily Value of vitamin A, 14% Daily Value for vitamin C, 5% Daily Value of iron, 5% Daily Value for potassium

Frozen Mixed Vegetables
Great for: quick side dish, add to soups/stews
What’s a serving? ½ cup cooked
Nutrition Info per serving: 59 calories; 4g fiber, 78% Daily Value for vitamin A, 5% Daily Value for vitamin C, 4% Daily Value for potassium

Frozen Corn on the Cob
Great for: quick side dish, kid friendly
What’s a serving? 1 ear
Nutrition Info per serving (for a cooked cob that yields about 2 oz cooked corn): 59 calories, 2g fiber,
5% Daily Value for potassium

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24.

Janet Bolin

Summer Cooking

Cookbooks are available through the American Heart Association. There are a variety of recipe suggestions to feed your need including soul food, diabetes health, yummy desserts and there are even recipes kids will crave!

One of my favorite cookbooks is the Go Red For Women Cookbook. I received a copy at the Go Red For Women launch party at Macy’s in Herald Square. My husband and I love seafood and there are a couple of great recipes we enjoy making at home. To view the entire selection of heart-healthy cookbooks, visit http://shop.heart.org/cart.php?m=product_list&c=109. 

Janet Bolin