Valentine's Day Power Pair: Oatmeal and Pomegranate

February is National Heart Month! Maintain a healthy heart by consuming oats for breakfast. Oats contain soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels by removing plaque build up in the arteries making the heart pump more efficiently. Oats can be made into oatmeal or added to yogurt, pancakes, and smoothies!   

 

You just can’t find a more perfect food for the month of February (heart health month ablaze in the color red) than the ancient pomegranate seed. They have been around for 4,000 years and have been a symbol of hope, prosperity and abundance. Small but mighty these little bubble-like (juice packed) seeds are considered a true “superfood” because of their high nutrient content. For a mere 70 calories per half cup of seeds you get a nice amount of the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium as well as a shot of vitamin C and a whopping 5 grams of dietary fiber. Try sprinkling red pomegranate seeds on anything and everything from salads to pancakes!

Recipe: VALENTINE’S DAY HEART HEALTHY BREAKFAST OF LOVE: OATMEAL AND POMEGRANATE PANCAKES

Start off your Valentine’s Day with love by adding shredded beets to your pancakes for a natural red food coloring and additional antioxidants and phytochemicals. 

INGREDIENTS:

Yield: 2 pancakes (1/3 cup of mixture per pancake) 

·         2 fluid ounces of egg whites (or 2 eggs with the yolk removed)

·         1/3 cup of rolled oats

·         ½ medium banana, mashed

·         2 teaspoons of ground flax seed

·         1 teaspoons of cinnamon

·         2 Tablespoon of beets, shredded *

·         Topping: pomegranate seeds

·         Additional topping ideas: blueberries, blackberries, chocolate chips, unsweetened coconut, and unsweetened cocoa powder

*if you don’t have beets on hand, you can substitute minced or pureed strawberries

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all the ingredients into a small bowl to make the pancake batter. Spray a pan with olive oil or canola oil. Place 1/3 cup of the pancake batter on the pan. On medium heat, lightly brown each side of the pancake. Serve immediately with optional toppings.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Food weight: 2.0, Calories: 210 calories, Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 116 mg, Carbohydrate: 35 g, Dietary Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 10g, Protein: 11 g

Lighten up your carb meals with squash!

Reduce the calorie content in high carbohydrate dishes by replacing the hearty potato with the lighter winter squash, such as acorn squash and butternut squash. Winter squash contain a rich source of dietary fiber to help lower cholesterol levels, normalize bowel health, and control blood sugar, as well as vitamin A to build and maintain healthy eyes, skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, and mucus membranes.

Recipe: SWEET MASHED ACORN SQUASH

Eat light and try this delish acorn squash dish. Plus, improve your heart disease risk by simply incorporating the healthy polyunsaturated fats from walnuts in your diet. 

Yields: 8 servings, 1 serving = ½ cup

INGREDIENTS:

·         1 large acorn squash

·         1 Tablespoon of maple syrup

·         2 Tablespoons of walnuts, chopped

·         2 Tablespoons of raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds. Place the acorn squash halves in a 9 x 9 inch or 9 x 13 inch pan with the flesh facing down. Fill the pan with ½ inch of water. Place the pan in the oven and roast the acorn squash for 45-60 minutes until the flesh is soft. Remove the pan from the oven and let the acorn squash cool for 10-15 minutes before scooping out the soft flesh into a bowl. Add the maple syrup, walnuts, and raisins and mix well. Serve hot or cold for breakfast, dinner or dessert!

Nutrient Information Per Serving (1/2 cup):

Food weight: 1.0, Calories: 82 calories, Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 5 mg, Carbohydrate: 19 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 7g, Protein: 1 g

Go Greek!

Non-fat Greek yogurt is a creamy substitute to replace sour cream, cream cheese, and/or mayonnaise in your favorite Super Bowl party dip or dish. In fact, a 6-ounce serving of plain Greek yogurt contains zero fat, about 15-20 grams of protein (equivalent to 2-3 ounces of meat), and 20% of your daily recommended calcium intake!