Heart Healthy Fruit: Cherries♥

As American Heart Month enters its final week lets make the most of it by learning about another heart healthy food: cherries (it also happens to be National Cherry Month). Recent studies have shown that a diet high in cherries reduces body fat, inflammation, weight and cholesterol which all happen to be contributing factors that lead to heart disease. Antioxidants in cherries have been proven to have great cardiovascular benefits. To learn more about the heart health benefits of cherries go to choosecherries.com.

Here is a fantastic recipe for scrumptious cherry scones. Sip on a hot cup of tea while you enjoy these tart treats.

Heart Healthy Eats: Shrimp♥

I’m a die-hard seafood fanatic and will always defend my devotion to those tasty creatures under the sea by referring to the many health benefits that fish and other water foodstuffs yield. Being that it is American Heart Month, I think it’s perfect timing to discuss one of my favorite seafood eats—shrimp. These scrumptious crustaceans are beneficial to the cardiovascular system as a whole and help lower blood pressure.
Research studies have shown a diet sufficient in shrimp raises HDL (good cholesterol; see this post for more information on “good” and “bad” cholesterol) levels and decreases levels of triglycerides (a form in which fat is carried through the blood). Shrimp is also an excellent source of nutrients that are needed to ward off heart disease, like vitamin B12. Omega-3 fatty acids, which prevent blood clots as well as heart arrhythmias, high blood pressure, and inflammation, are found in shrimp. Read more about the benefits of shrimp here.

Here is another heart healthy recipe courtesy of Eating Well that incorporates two heart-friendly ingredients: shrimp and broccoli. Whip up this tasty recipe and throw on a side of brown rice and you’ve got yourself the perfect dinner meal. Eat to your health!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr

Hearty Breakfast: Frittatas

We’ve all been told not to skip out on breakfast and that it’s the most important meal of the day. It’s true, having a plentiful meal in the morning charges you up and gets you well and ready for the day ahead. But sometimes we get a little lazy and either grab something prepackaged and eat on the go or pickup a skimpy snack on the way to work or school when in fact the best breakfast is always homemade. What makes a homemade breakfast even more rewarding and beneficial is when it’s packed with ingredients that will help your body function at tip-top levels. Frittatas are a hearty Italian dish that are usually served for breakfast but since they're so fulfilling they can serve as a lunch break eat or a quick fix for a delicious dinner meal.

This scrumptious broccoli and potato frittata recipe from The Food Channel is perfect for a satisfying breakfast. It adds nutritious ingredients including antioxidant rich oregano, rosemary and thyme as well as broccoli which aids in heart health, fiber rich potatoes (as long as you keep the nutritious skin on), and vitamin enriched tomatoes. Once you make this easy recipe you’ll definitely never miss out on a hearty homemade breakfast again.

Note: The mouthwatering photo at the top of this post features a frittata made with smoked salmon, dill, capers and onions--a great alternative recipe would be to substitute some of the ingredients in the recipe above with these healthy ingredients or even add them to this recipe. Either way the result will be a delicious one.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr

Dark Chocolate: It Does A Body Good

In the spirit of this healthy heart of a month I think it’s only appropriate to bring up my favorite topic: chocolate! I don’t discriminate, I savor every kind of this sweet eat but we all know that there is some level of distinction between the different kinds of chocolate. Turns out, the higher the concentration of cacao, the more you will benefit from it health wise. It was milk chocolate all the way for me until a moment of desperation for something sweet gave way to my discovery of the flavorful taste of dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and essential nutrients like fiber and protein. This tasty sweet also lowers blood pressure but that doesn't give you the green light to eat all the chocolate you want. Dark chocolate, like all chocolate is high in fat so consume it in moderation. Where are the heart health benefits, you ask? Dark chocolate is infused with heart healthy flavoniods that are exclusively found in this kind of chocolate. Flavoniods keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots, and slow down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries. A University of California San Francisco study showed that people who ate 1.6 ounces of dark chocolate loaded with epicatechin (a flavoniod only found in plants) a day gained health benefits. After undergoing high-tech evaluation of how well the blood vessels dilate and relax (an indictor of healthy blood vessel function) tests revealed the group who ate the dark chocolate showed high levels of epicatechin coursing through their arteries. That leads to increased blood flow and we all know what that means: good blood flow = good heart. Source

Prepare to crave chocolate because I've got a list of my favorite dark chocolate makers and the fabulous chocolates they create.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Vosges uses the purest ingredients and it doesn't hurt that it's an environmentally conscious chocolatier. These delightful morsels of dark chocolate truffles are fantastic. Vosges Haut-Chocolat




Green and Blacks
These chocolate makers produce wonderful and high-quality organic dark chocolate bars that you can find at your local grocery store. Green and Blacks








Soma Chocolates
Soma chocolates are made of premium cacao and taste splendid.
Soma Chocolatemaker




Godiva
We all love Godiva chocolates and their dark collection is superb. Godiva









Scharffen Berger
These chocolatiers are famous for their premium chocolate creations and I highly recommend their sumptuous high cacao content dark bars. Scharffen Berger

Heart Healthy Dinner: Salmon♥

My absolute favorite food has got to be salmon. I enjoy it every which way from smoked and cured to grilled or broiled. There are so many ways to season and cook salmon that there is no way you could get bored of eating it. Being that it’s American Heart Month, it’s only appropriate to bring up salmon. Salmon is chock-full of heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) which are essential to human health but not produced by the body. According to a study conducted by the American Heart Association, Omega-3 fatty acids decrease chances of a sudden heart attack and plaque on arteries as well as lowers blood pressure. The AHA recommends eating Omega-3 rich fish like salmon at least 2 times a week for optimum heart health. To learn more about the healthy benefits of salmon read this informative post or go to SalmonFacts.org.

Here’s a heart healthy dinner recipe for succulent salmon from Eating Well. Throw on a side of steamed veggies and roasted potatoes and you’ve got yourself a meal your heart will thank you for.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of cwirthy.com

Heart Healthy Breakfast: Waffles♥

Hey, folks! February is the official American Heart Month. So what would be better than starting your day off with a heart healthy breakfast? I bet you didn't think waffles could be healthy for your heart but they can be with this tasty recipe from Eating Well. Using whole wheat flour helps boost your fiber intake and non-fat buttermilk will cut the fat content. Topping this warm treat with fresh berries will help keep your heart healthy and give you a hearty helping of antioxidants. Dust off that waffle iron and get the batter ready because you'll probably be making this breakfast favorite on a daily basis after you try this recipe.