Enjoy the taste of eating right – often the food you cook yourself tastes the best! Also, you have the advantage of knowing exactly what goes into your food when you prepare it yourself. Check out some of these heart healthy recipes from the Australian Heart Foundation. For more great tips and ideas, check out their website: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/recipes

Breakfast

Apple & cinnamon crepes served with Greek yoghurt

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes (preparation 10 minutes)      Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Apple filling:
• 2 ½ medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon water
• Crepes:
• 1 egg
• ½ cup reduced fat milk
• ¾ cup wholemeal plain flour
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Spray olive oil
• 4 tablespoons reduced fat Greek yoghurt, to serve
• 1 tablespoon honey, to serve

Method:

1. For Apple Filling, place apples, cinnamon and water in a medium sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until apple is tender. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milk, plain flour and honey and until mixture is smooth and lump free.
3. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Using a ladle, scoop approximately ½ cup batter into the pan and distribute the batter around the pan so the crepe is as thin as possible. After 1-2 minutes or when little air bubbles appear, flip the crepe over using a spatula. Cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes and transfer to a plate. Repeat for the remaining mixture.
4. To serve, place crepe on a plate, top with apples and 1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt and a drizzle of honey.

Banana, Berry and Oat Smoothie

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Cooking Time: 5 minutes       Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup reduced fat milk
• 2 tablespoons reduced fat Greek yoghurt
• 1 banana
• ½ cup frozen (or fresh) mixed berries
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds, to serve
• 1 tablespoon flaked coconut, to serve

Method:

1. Place milk, yoghurt, banana, mixed berries and oats into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Pour smoothie into two tall glasses and top with chia seeds and coconut before serving.

Smashed banana on fruit bread

Cooking Time: 5 minutes (preparation time 5 minutes)       Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 8 slices wholemeal fruit toast, thinly sliced
• 4 medium sized bananas
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 480g reduced fat ricotta
• 20 strawberries, washed, hulled and diced
• 2 tablespoons honey

Method:

1. In a bowl, mash together banana, cinnamon, and ricotta. Set aside.
2. Toast fruit toast.
3. Spread the banana mixture evenly over the toast. Evenly scatter diced strawberries over the banana mixture.
4. Drizzle over honey and serve.

Bircher muesli with tropical fruit

Cooking Time: Nil (preparation 10 minutes, plus 1 hour standing)  Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
• 1 pear, peeled, cored and grated
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened pear juice
• 150g reduced fat vanilla yoghurt
• 50g flaked almonds, toasted
• 1 cup (250ml) reduced fat milk
• 2 mangoes, peeled and chopped (use frozen mango if not in season)
• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 passionfruit, pulp

Method:

1. Put the apple, pear, rolled oats, cinnamon and pear juice in a bowl and mix to combine, allow to stand covered in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Fold through the yoghurt and almonds. Spoon the muesli into individual bowls and serve topped with the milk, mango and banana then drizzle with passionfruit pulp.

Tip: To toast the flaked almonds, place in a small non-stick frypan over a medium-high heat and stir until lightly browned.

Baked eggs with grainy toast

Cooking Time: 20 minutes (preparation time 5 minutes)     Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Spray olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced
• 2 medium red capsicums, halved, seeded, thinly sliced length-ways
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 4 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 300g can no added salt kidney beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoon parsley, to serve
• 4 thick slices multigrain bread, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic to the pan cook for 1-2 minutes, or until just softened.
3. Add capsicum, cumin, coriander and paprika and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
4. Add tomato, kidney beans and spinach and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Divide tomato, capsicum and kidney bean mixture between 4 large ramekins.
6. Use a spoon to create a well in the centre of each ramekin. Crack 1 egg into each well.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until egg white is set and yolk remains soft. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with grainy toast.

Tip: The tomato, capsicum and kidney bean mix can be made ahead of time and reheated in the morning before adding the egg.

Lunch

Chicken and corn soup

Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes (preparation 25 minutes)      Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 x 200g skinless chicken breast fillets, trimmed of fat
• 1 litre water
• 3 corn cobs, husks removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• pinch dried chilli flakes
• 1 cup reduced salt chicken stock
• 1 cup canned creamed corn
• 2 teaspoons reduced salt soy sauce
• Extra sliced spring onions, to serve, optional

Method:

1. Place chicken in a large saucepan. Add water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, then cover with a lid and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid in a jug. Shred the chicken into small pieces.
2. Cut the corn kernels from cobs.
3. Heat the oil in the same large saucepan over a medium heat. Add onions, garlic and chilli. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes until onion is softened slightly. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring for a further 3 minutes.
4. Add stock, creamed corn, soy and 3 cups of the reserved liquid from chicken. Bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer. Add shredded chicken. Simmer 3-4 minutes until chicken is hot. Serve topped with extra sliced spring onions, if desired.

Tip: You can replace fresh corn kernels with 2 cups frozen corn kernels or 2 cups drained, canned no added salt corn kernels, if preferred.

Pumpkin, walnut and herbed ricotta flatbreads

Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes (preparation time 10 minutes)          Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup reduced fat ricotta
• 1 tablespoon oregano leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
• 2 wholemeal flat breads/pita breads
• 1 cup butternut pumpkin, grated
• Spray olive oil

Method:

1. Place ricotta, oregano, parsley, walnuts and spring onion in a small bowl and mix to combine.
2. Spread the mixture on 1 wrap base and top with grated pumpkin and add the other wrap on top as a lid.
3. Heat a large non-stick round frying pan over medium heat with spray olive oil. Place flatbread in pan, cooking 4 minutes each side or until golden brown. Slice into quarters.

Chicken, rice and bean bowl

Cooking Time: 12 minutes (preparation time 5 minutes)     Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 chicken tenderloins (about 500g total)
• 250g green beans, trimmed
• 2 cups ’90 second quick’ brown rice and quinoa blend
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 425g can black beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 300g corn kernels, rinsed, drained
• 4 lemon wedges, to serve

Method:

1. ​Combine the zest, paprika, lime juice and olive oil in a ceramic dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Set aside.
2. Steam, boil or microwave the green beans for 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Drain.
3. Heat a large chargrill pan or barbeque hotplate over medium heat. Grill the chicken for 3-4 minutes each side, or until cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, heat microwave brown rice & quinoa blend according to packet instructions.
5. Divide the brown rice & quinoa blend between the 4 bowls. Top each with spinach, black beans, tomatoes, corn kernels and 2 chicken tenderloins. Serve with a lemon wedge in each bowl.

Dinners

Almond & oat crusted salmon with vegetable kebabs

Cooking Time: 30 minutes (preparation time 25 minutes plus 30 minutes soaking time) Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 x 100-120g salmon fillets
• 1 tablespoon rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon almonds
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Vegetable Kebabs

• 6 Bamboo Skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1 medium red capsicum, halved, seeded, cut into chunks
• 1 zucchini, cut into chunks
• ½ red onion, cut into chunks
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 lemon wedges, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a small baking tray and a large baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
2. To prepare salmon crust, place rolled oats, almonds, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil in a mortar and pestle and pound until paste forms. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, a small food processor can be used instead.
3. Place salmon fillets onto prepared small baking tray and press crust on top. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until salmon is cooked and crust is golden.
4. To prepare vegetable skewers, place capsicum, zucchini, red onion, cherry tomatoes, garlic and pepper into a small bowl and toss to combine. Thread the vegetables onto 4 skewers.
5. Place vegetable skewers onto the prepared large baking tray and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are roasted and cooked through.
6. Serve salmon with vegetable skewers and a lemon wedge.

Baked sweet potato with spiced cannellini beans and vegetable stew

Cooking Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes (preparation time 10 minutes)           Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 x 200g small sweet potatoes, unpeeled
• Spray olive oil
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 small red capsicum, halved, seeded, diced
• 1 small yellow capsicum, halved, seeded, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 4 medium ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 600g canned no added salt cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 3 cups kale, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper
2. Scrub the sweet potatoes, then prick with a fork and place on prepared tray. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
3. Uncover, and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until very soft.
4. Meanwhile, spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add onion and red and yellow capsicums to the pan cook for 4-5 minutes, or until just softened.
5. Add ground coriander, chilli powder, and paprika and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomato, and cannellini beans and water and cook for 5-10 minutes or until mixture slightly thickens.
6. Add the kale, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until kale is soft. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through lime juice.
7. Slice roasted sweet potatoes lengthways, nearly all the way through. Fill with the cannellini bean mix and garnish with coriander.
8. Serve.

Tips:

• Instead of step 2, cook sweet potatoes for 8-10 minutes in the microwave.
• For a milder flavour, add a dollop of reduced fat greek yoghurt to serve.

Beef and green vegetable pasta bake

Cooking Time: 15 minutes (preparation time 5 minutes) Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400g lean beef mince
• 1 green capsicum, halved, seeded, thinly sliced length-ways
• 500g vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 x 400g can no-added-salt chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 250g wholemeal penne pasta
• 1 bunch broccoli, trimmed and chopped
• 2 cup green beans, trimmed and chopped
• 4 tablespoons shaved parmesan

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a large deep baking tray.
2. Add olive oil to a large non-stick frying pan and set over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic to the pan cook for 1-2 minutes, or until just softened.
3. Add beef mince and capsicum and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until browned. Add all tomatoes and bring to the boil.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir through spinach leaves.
5. While meat sauce is simmering, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.
6. Add broccoli and green beans for the last minute of cooking time. Drain.
7. Stir pasta and green vegetables through tomato sauce.
8. Add pasta-green vegetable mix to prepared baking tray and sprinkle with shaved parmesan.
9. Grill for 5 minutes or until cheese is golden.
10. Serve.

Desserts

Berry swirl yoghurt pops

Cooking Time: Nil (preparation 15 minutes, plus freezing)   Serves: Makes 10 x 100ml popsicles

Ingredients:

• 500g low fat natural Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 300g frozen berries, thawed

Method:

1. Blend yoghurt, vanilla and half the icing sugar in a blender or food processor until combined. Transfer mixture to a jug.
2. Add berries and the remaining icing sugar to blender or food processor. Pour in 1 cup of the vanilla yoghurt mixture and process until smooth and combined.
3. One-third fill popsicle moulds with vanilla yoghurt mixture then top up moulds with berry mixture.
4. Run a skewer through mixture in each mould to create a swirled effect.
5. Place moulds in freezer for 1 hour then insert a popsicle stick in each one and return to freezer for several hours or overnight until frozen solid.
6. Remove popsicles from moulds just before serving. If popsicles are difficult to remove, wrap a warm damp cloth around moulds for a few seconds and they should slide out easily.

Tip: Popsicle moulds are available in different shapes and sizes from department stores and specialty kitchen shops. Popsicle sticks are available from newsagents and craft shops.

Mini berry and yoghurt pavlova

Cooking Time: 30 minutes (preparation 10 minutes)            Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 150ml egg whites (approximately 4 eggs)
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 400g reduced fat Greek yoghurt
• 300g strawberries, diced
• 300g blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting 30 seconds between each tablespoon. Whisk for 6 minutes or until stiff and glossy.
3. Scrape the sides of the electric mixer, add the vinegar and whisk for 2 minutes or until glossy and combined.
4. Spoon 6 rounds onto the baking tray. Reduce the oven temperature to 120°C and bake for 30 minutes or until crisp to touch.
5. Cool in the oven for 1 hour.
6. Top meringues with yoghurt and fresh berries.

Oat based fruit crumble

Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes (preparation time 15 minutes)          Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium stone fruits (e.g. yellow peaches, nectarines), halved and stones removed
• olive oil spray
• 4 teaspoons maple syrup
• 400g reduced fat vanilla Greek yoghurt
• ½ cup pecans, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Combine rolled oats, flour, cinnamon, maple syrup and olive oil into a bowl and mix until combined.
3. To prepare the filling, combine apples, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Transfer to a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish and add water.
4. Spoon crumble mixture over the apples. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and apples are soft

Content Source:

The Heart Foundation. Recipes. Retrieved from: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/recipes.