Tag: heart health

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Recipe: Spaghetti With Fresh Tomato Sauce and Roasted Vegetables @ClevelandClinic #nutrition

Why not try your hand at making homemade tomato sauce? The freshness of the tomatoes and the smokiness of the roasted vegetables make this a great topping for spaghetti. If you don’t have your own garden, use canned Roma tomatoes for a tasty dish that includes roasted mushrooms, broccoli and peppers.

Ingredients

Tomato sauce

Olive oil cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small carrot, minced
1 shallot, minced
4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced ripe tomatoes or one 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Pasta

1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti
3/4 pound broccoli florets and stalks, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
2 portobello mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly grated pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. To make the sauce, coat a large pot with cooking spray and saute the garlic, carrot and shallot over low heat until they begin to wilt, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, vinegar and red pepper flakes (if using). Cover and simmer slowly for 30 minutes.
  3. Stir in the basil and simmer for 10 minutes more. (To make a smoother sauce, cool and process in batches in either a blender or food processor.) Set aside.
  4. Place the broccoli, mushrooms and bell pepper on the prepared pan. Toss with oil and vinegar. Roast about 10 minutes until crisp or done to your taste. Sprinkle with pepper.
  5. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
  6. In a large serving bowl, toss the pasta with 2 cups tomato sauce. Top with the roasted vegetables and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 363
Total fat: 4 g
Protein: 15 g
Carbohydrate: 71 g
Dietary fiber: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 100 mg
Potassium: 93 mg

— Cleveland Clinic Healthy Heart Lifestyle Guide and Cookbook (© 2007 Broadway Books).

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Nutrition Assures Sound Health @ClevelandClinic #heartaware

Registered dietitian Lara Whitson, RD, LD, shares how watermelon is actually healthy for you, along with five watermelon recipes.

Is watermelon healthy?

Watermelon is 92% water. No surprise there, considering it’s in the name. But more than keeping you hydrated during hot summer days, watermelon has a number of other health benefits. It’s packed with antioxidants like lycopene that can help protect against chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

And when eaten regularly as part of a healthy balanced diet, it can help make you feel fuller longer. With a low amount of calories, sodium and cholesterol, alongside higher amounts of calcium, vitamin C and magnesium, watermelon is one fruit you don’t want to miss out on year-round. Even the rind and its seeds offer some benefits.

“You can stir-fry the rinds with other vegetables and add spices to the seeds, like you might do with pumpkin seeds, for an easy and healthful snack,” says Whitson.

Watermelon basil granita

This shaved ice dessert gets a fruity twist with watermelon chunks. It also pulls in star ingredients like fresh lime juice and basil leaves, which offer their own health benefits for a refreshing mid-afternoon sweet escape.

A bowl of watermelon salad with feta cheese, herbs and sliced almonds

Watermelon, tomato and herb salad with feta

Calorie-conscious dishes can still go big on flavor. This refreshing salad, perfect for picnics and cookouts, pairs watermelon with tomatoes bountiful in benefits, alongside red wine vinegar, fresh mint, almonds and feta cheese.

Slices of lemon, lime, watermelon and strawberries in a glass of water

Fresh watermelon fruit smoothie

This is just one of several ways to crank up your chill summer drinks: Puree 1-1 1/2 cups chopped watermelon with 1 cup ice and a little water or fresh juice for a sip-worthy smoothie as you soak in the sun.

A salad in a white bowl containing watermelon, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers and almonds

Watermelon salad with cucumber, tomato and almonds

This recipe doubles down on the use of veggies by incorporating beefsteak tomatoes, cucumber, a fresh ear of corn and basil, along with a hearty serving of watermelon for a subtly sweet finish.

fruit spring rolls

Fruit salad spring rolls

Not only is this sweet snack filling, but it also puts a dessert-like twist on classic Vietnamese and Thai spring rolls. By wrapping julienned watermelon, green apple and pineapple in spring roll wrappers made from rice paper, and creating a dipping sauce with Greek yogurt and tahini, this recipe makes for a great palate cleanser for any summer cookout.

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Recipe: Raspberry Chive Salad @ClevelandClinic. A salad combination you may not have thought of, but will now be hooked on

A salad combination you may not have thought of, but will now be hooked on

This salad is a perfect addition to a large dinner menu when you have guests over for dinner and have a lot of other dishes to prepare. It’s bright and flavorful, and you can make the dressing a day or two ahead to prep!

Ingredients

Dressing

1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
2 to 4 tablespoons orange juice (depending on thickness desired)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Salad

1 pound romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 pound radicchio, washed, dried, shredded
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained, patted dry
20 cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

  1. Assemble salad ingredients in salad bowl and toss.
  2. Put all ingredients for the dressing in food processor or blender (except for 2 tablespoons chives), and process.
  3. After all is processed, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons chives.
  4. Pour over salad just before serving and toss.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Calories: 107
Total fat: 0.5 g
Saturated fat: 0.1 g
Protein: 3 g
Carbohydrate: 25 g
Fiber: 5.4 g
Sodium: 37 mg

—Recipe developed and copyrighted by Kristine Napier, MPH, RD, LD.

Posted on

Recipe: Raspberry Chive Salad @ClevelandClinic. A salad combination you may not have thought of, but will now be hooked on

A salad combination you may not have thought of, but will now be hooked on

This salad is a perfect addition to a large dinner menu when you have guests over for dinner and have a lot of other dishes to prepare. It’s bright and flavorful, and you can make the dressing a day or two ahead to prep!

Ingredients

Dressing

1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
2 to 4 tablespoons orange juice (depending on thickness desired)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Salad

1 pound romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 pound radicchio, washed, dried, shredded
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained, patted dry
20 cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions

  1. Assemble salad ingredients in salad bowl and toss.
  2. Put all ingredients for the dressing in food processor or blender (except for 2 tablespoons chives), and process.
  3. After all is processed, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons chives.
  4. Pour over salad just before serving and toss.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Calories: 107
Total fat: 0.5 g
Saturated fat: 0.1 g
Protein: 3 g
Carbohydrate: 25 g
Fiber: 5.4 g
Sodium: 37 mg

—Recipe developed and copyrighted by Kristine Napier, MPH, RD, LD.

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Few things come close to that feeling of uninhibited joy as you sink your teeth into a ripe slice of watermelon. Filled with nutrients, this raw fruit can be enjoyed many different ways.@ClevelandClinic #healthaware

Registered dietitian Lara Whitson, RD, LD, shares how watermelon is actually healthy for you, along with five watermelon recipes.

Is watermelon healthy?

Watermelon is 92% water. No surprise there, considering it’s in the name. But more than keeping you hydrated during hot summer days, watermelon has a number of other health benefits. It’s packed with antioxidants like lycopene that can help protect against chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

And when eaten regularly as part of a healthy balanced diet, it can help make you feel fuller longer. With a low amount of calories, sodium and cholesterol, alongside higher amounts of calcium, vitamin C and magnesium, watermelon is one fruit you don’t want to miss out on year-round. Even the rind and its seeds offer some benefits.

“You can stir-fry the rinds with other vegetables and add spices to the seeds, like you might do with pumpkin seeds, for an easy and healthful snack,” says Whitson.

Watermelon basil granita

This shaved ice dessert gets a fruity twist with watermelon chunks. It also pulls in star ingredients like fresh lime juice and basil leaves, which offer their own health benefits for a refreshing mid-afternoon sweet escape.

A bowl of watermelon salad with feta cheese, herbs and sliced almonds

Watermelon, tomato and herb salad with feta

Calorie-conscious dishes can still go big on flavor. This refreshing salad, perfect for picnics and cookouts, pairs watermelon with tomatoes bountiful in benefits, alongside red wine vinegar, fresh mint, almonds and feta cheese.

Slices of lemon, lime, watermelon and strawberries in a glass of water

Fresh watermelon fruit smoothie

This is just one of several ways to crank up your chill summer drinks: Puree 1-1 1/2 cups chopped watermelon with 1 cup ice and a little water or fresh juice for a sip-worthy smoothie as you soak in the sun.

A salad in a white bowl containing watermelon, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers and almonds

Watermelon salad with cucumber, tomato and almonds

This recipe doubles down on the use of veggies by incorporating beefsteak tomatoes, cucumber, a fresh ear of corn and basil, along with a hearty serving of watermelon for a subtly sweet finish.

fruit spring rolls

Fruit salad spring rolls

Not only is this sweet snack filling, but it also puts a dessert-like twist on classic Vietnamese and Thai spring rolls. By wrapping julienned watermelon, green apple and pineapple in spring roll wrappers made from rice paper, and creating a dipping sauce with Greek yogurt and tahini, this recipe makes for a great palate cleanser for any summer cookout.