| Healthy summer garden recipes and cooking tips  Long summer days bring sun-ripened tomatoes, bouquets of fresh basil, bushels of corn, and plump, juicy berries. Celebrate the fresh, bright colors of the season with these easy, heart healthy recipes from the popular National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Keep the Beat™ Recipes: Deliciously Healthy Dinners cookbook.
Corn and black bean burritos
Are you in a rut when it comes to answering the age-old question, "What's for dinner?" Whip up these tasty and simple burritos that feature fresh cilantro. Substitute fresh corn for frozen. Mediterranean kabobs (shown)
Fire up the grill and let your kids put together these tasty kabobs. Toss some fresh corn-on-the-cob on the grill as well. Serve the kabobs over orzo pasta or rice. Tuscan beans with tomatoes and oregano
This cool, satisfying salad features tomatoes and fresh oregano and is easy to make. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread for a quick weeknight dinner, or pack up a serving for a satisfying brown bag lunch. Herb substitutions | Herbs are the aromatic leaves of plants without woody stems. Although each herb has its own unique flavor, many herbs can be substituted for one another. Here are some fresh or dried herb alternatives to try: For sage: Try savory, marjoram, or rosemary
For basil: Try oregano or thyme
For thyme: Try basil, marjoram, oregano, or savory
For mint: Try basil, marjoram, or rosemary
For rosemary: Try thyme, tarragon, or savory
For cilantro: Try parsley or coriander |
Basic food preparation techniques Are your knife skills rusty? Brush up on the basics demonstrated in this short video so you can chop, slice, dice, and julienne foods like a master chef. View the video on proper knife skills Variety is the spice of life Eating healthfully can help lower your risk for heart disease and other conditions. - Choose a variety of foods. Variety matters because no food has all the nutrients that your heart and the rest of your body need.
- Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
- Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts in your diet.
- Choose nonalcoholic, low/no-calorie options such as water, skim milk, iced tea, club soda, diet soda, and sparkling beverages as a substitute for regular, sweetened beverages.
Popular resources Keep the Beat™ Recipes: Deliciously Healthy Dinners cookbook
This popular cookbook features 75 heart healthy recipes, accompanied by beautiful full-color photos. Long-Term Weight Loss—What Works? Tips from the POUNDS LOST Study
A NHLBI-funded study shows heart healthy diets that reduce calorie intake—regardless of differing proportions of fat, protein, or carbohydrate—can help overweight adults achieve and maintain weight loss. This article from the NHLBI Professional Spotlight newsletter summarizes the research study. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan
Concerned about high blood pressure? The DASH eating plan is clinically proven to lower blood pressure. This booklet features sample menus, recipes, and weight loss and physical activity information. ™Keep the Beat is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. |
