Healthy meal options for morning, midday, and evening, focusing on heart health
Discover a selection of heart-healthy recipes designed to help control high blood pressure and lower cardiovascular disease risk. These dishes focus on reducing sodium, increasing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Moroccan Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash
This flavourful stew serves 8 and includes ingredients such as canola oil, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, pepper, butternut squash, low sodium vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, lentils, cilantro, and lemon zest. Cook for 40 minutes to enjoy this nutritious meal.
Heart-Healthy Breakfast Options
Spinach Muffins
Offered by the British Heart Foundation, these spinach muffins serve 6 and include self-raising white flour, baking powder, sunflower spread, dried red chili flakes, baby spinach leaves, half-fat mature Cheddar cheese, black pepper, egg, 2% fat milk, and are baked at 374°F (190°C) for 25-30 minutes.
Heart-Healthy Cod Fish Recipe
Provided by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, this cod fish recipe is another heart-healthy source of protein and helps to boost vegetable intake. The specific cooking instructions were not provided, but this dish serves 4.
Lean Protein and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Sauté lean meats in olive oil until cooked, add vegetables, and season with fresh or dried herbs and spices. Serve over cooked brown rice or quinoa for a balanced meal that supports heart health.
Avocado Toast with Egg
Top whole grain bread with mashed avocado and a poached or boiled egg. Season with pepper and herbs as desired for a delicious breakfast or lunch option.
Additional Tips for Heart-Healthy Meal Planning
- Gradually increase fruit, vegetable, and whole grain servings to avoid digestive discomfort.
- Use herbs and spices like rosemary, basil, ginger, paprika, and cinnamon to flavor food instead of salt.
- Balance meals with a mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Consider adopting the DASH diet principles, which emphasize low sodium and nutrient-rich foods to manage hypertension.
Chicken with Ginger and Snow Peas
This lean chicken dish serves 5 and requires the use of a heavy skillet. Cook for 7 minutes, adding extra broth as needed to prevent burning.
Chicken Shawarma
Serve 4 with this chicken shawarma recipe, which includes ingredients like olive oil, onion, skinless chicken breasts, fat-free, low sodium chicken broth, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, pepper, salt, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, low fat feta cheese, and parsley.
Heart-Healthy Chicken Recipe
This chicken dish is lean and part of a heart-healthy menu. Cooking instructions were not provided, but this dish requires a pressure cooker.
- The Moroccan Lentil Stew with Butternut Squash is a heart-healthy recipe, designed to help control high blood pressure and lower cardiovascular disease risk, with key ingredients like lentils and lemon zest.
- The British Heart Foundation offers a heart-healthy breakfast option in the form of spinach muffins, made with ingredients such as baby spinach leaves, Cheddar cheese, and sunflower spread.
- The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada provides a cod fish recipe that's another heart-healthy source of protein, promoting hypertension management and increased vegetable consumption.
- A Lean Protein and Vegetable Stir-Fry, made with olive oil, herbs, spices, lean meats, vegetables, brown rice, or quinoa, supports heart health by offering a balanced mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Avocado Toast with Egg is a heart-healthy breakfast or lunch option, incorporating whole grain bread, mashed avocado, and a poached or boiled egg for a nutritious meal.
- To improve heart-healthy meal planning, you can gradually increase fruit, vegetable, and whole grain servings, use herbs and spices for flavor instead of salt, and balance meals with a mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Adopting the DASH diet principles, which emphasize low sodium and nutrient-rich foods, can aid in managing hypertension and overall heart health.
