Topping, Oil, Seasoning & Salt Tips

Try different toppings.

• In recipes that call for sour cream, use buttermilk or plain yogurt instead.
• On baked potatoes, skip the sour cream and gravy—instead, try plain yogurt or a little butter or trans fat-free margarine.
• Plain yogurt makes a great topping for fruit and other desserts.

Use less gravy.

• Make healthier gravy—pour off the fat, thicken the meat juices, and go easy on the salt.
• Instead of gravy on your meat, try using tomato, barbecue, Worcestershire or steak sauces—Avoid sauces high in salt. Try to buy sauces labeled “no salt added” or “low sodium”.
• Use a little trans fat-free margarine or gravy on brown rice or mashed potatoes.

Choose trans fat-free margarine.

• When you use margarine, look for tub or squeeze margarines that say trans fat-free.
• Don’t use regular stick margarines or shortening, which are high in trans fats.

• Stay away from lard (high in saturated fat).

Use vegetable oil for frying.

• Vegetable oils are better for your heart than bacon grease or shortening.
• When you fry, use vegetable oil—just enough to keep the food from sticking.

Get creative when you bake.

• Use vegetable oil instead of margarine, lard, butter, or shortening for baking. Two teaspoons of oil can replace one tablespoon of hard shortening.
• For muffins and cakes, replace some of the margarine or butter with buttermilk, applesauce, or pureed prunes.

Use healthy seasonings for vegetables and salads.

• Instead of fatback, side meat, or stick margarine, season your vegetables with these:
• A small amount of lean ham
• Onions and garlic with vegetable oil
• Vinegar or lemon juice
• Low sodium bouillon
• Fresh or dried herbs
• A little transfat-free margarine
• Make your own olive oil and vinegar dressing for tossed salads—stay away from bottled dressings with a lot of salt (sodium) and watch out for dressings with high fructose corn syrup or other sugars.

Go the low salt way.

• Buy foods that say low or reduced salt (sodium) or no salt added.
• Eat out less often at restaurants—even healthy restaurant meals often have a lot of salt.
• Keep the salt shaker away from where you cook and eat.
• Taste your food before salting it. You’ll get used to the taste of less salt.
• Use seasonings like pepper, lemon juice, vinegar, herbs, and spices.

Mix your favorite herbs or spices in a handy shaker.

• Watch out! Packaged meals with noodles can be high in salt (sodium) and trans fats.

Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry

Serves: 4 (1 heaping cup per serving)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-10 minutes

This basic stir-fry recipe gives you many options. You can choose between Asian and Italian flavorings and vary the meat. (See Italian Stir-Fry and Cook's Tip below) Save more time by using precut vegetables or no-salt-added frozen mixed vegetables (no need to thaw). Even if you make only half of this recipe, you'll probably want the entire about of sauce.

Ingredients:
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. bottled low-sodium stir fry sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch

Stir Fry:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat removed
1 tsp. acceptable vegetable oil
1 cup broccoli florets, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
1/2 cup no-salt-added canned baby corn, rinsed, drained, and cut into bite-size pieces
2 green onions, sliced (about 1/4 cup)
1 tsp. bottled minced garlic or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
For sauce, in a small bowl, stir together all ingredients; set aside. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Thinly slice chicken. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat bottom. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Push chicken mixture aside, making a will in the center of the wok. Add sauce mixture; stir chicken mixture into sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.

Italian Stir-Fry:
Prepare as directed above except replace sauce mixture with 3 Tbsp. low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tsp. cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbed; replace vegetable oil with olive oil; and replace carrots and corn with 1/2 cup fresh sliced asparagus and 1/2 cup sliced zucchini. Add 1 medium sliced Italian plum tomato when adding sauce mixture. Serves 4 (1 1/4 cups per serving). (Calories: 167; Protein: 26 g; Carbohydrates 6 g; Cholesterol 67 mg; Total Fat 4 g; Saturated 1 g; Polyunsaturated 1 g; Monounsaturated 2 g; Fiber 2 g; Sodium 73 mg)

Cooks Tip:
Substitute 1 lb. of any of the following for chicken (remember to remove all visible fat before slicing): boneless round steak, thinly sliced; pork loin chops or pork tenderloin, thinly sliced; shark, halibut, or other firm-flesh fish, cut into 3/4 inch cubes; bay scallops; or 10 ounces reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 171
Protein: 26 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Cholesterol: 67 mg
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 153 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg. 160

Sweets, Snacks & Beverage Tips

Sweets and Snacks

Watch out for sweets.

• Fill up on healthy foods so that you are not as hungry for sweets.
• Try fruit for dessert.
• Save sweets for special occasions (birthdays and holidays), not every day!
• When you do eat sweets, eat small amounts.
• Avoid doughnuts, sweet rolls, pies, cakes, cookies, candy bars, milk chocolate, caramel candies, and cream-filled desserts.
• Small amounts of dark chocolate (more than 50% cacao [cocoa] solids) are okay 2–3 times a week. A small amount is ½–1 oz. (or ¼ of a standardsized candy bar).
• Avoid foods with added sugar when you can. Many processed foods contain high fructose corn syrup—foods like salad dressings, spaghetti sauces, ketchup, baked goods, and even bread.

Choose cold and frozen desserts with care.

• For a refreshing summer dessert, have a chilled slice of watermelon or a bowl of fresh berries with plain yogurt.
• Popsicles can be a tasty treat. Be sure store-bought popsicles are made with 100% fruit juice, or make your own! Freeze 100% fruit juice in small cups with popsicle sticks.
• Eat a small amount of ice milk, sherbet, or frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, but not too often—they still have added sugar and can be high in calories.

Go easy on snack chips and crackers.

• Snack chips and crackers can be high in trans fats, which are NOT good for you. Check the ingredients list for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or look for trans fat on the food label.
• Choose whole grain crackers with no trans fats.
• Look for snack foods that are unsalted or only lightly salted.
• Have raw vegetables or fruit, a small handful of nuts, or unbuttered popcorn.

Beverage Tips

Choose healthy drinks.

• Stay away from sodas, bottled fruit drinks, sports drinks, and other sugary beverages—they are full of sugar, which means lots of empty calories!
• Avoid drinks that list high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, or corn sweetener on the ingredients list—these sugars are not good for you.
• Instead of Kool-Aid™ or sweet tea, drink water with a twist of lemon or lime, sparkling water with a splash of 100% fruit juice, or iced tea with lemon.
• Try a little skim milk in your hot or cold tea or coffee instead of sugar.

Choose 100% fruit juice, but not too much!

• Go easy on the fruit juice. Aim for 8 ounces or less each day.
• Check the label to make sure you drink 100% fruit juice.
• Choose whole fruit instead of juice whenever possible.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Pasta

Serves: 4 (3 ounces chicken and 1 cup pasta per serving)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes

This fantastically easy recipe uses bottled sun-dried tomato pesto to cut your prep time.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, all visible fat removed (about 4 ounces each)
Vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup bottled sun-dried tomato pesto
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. dry red wine (regular or nonalcoholic)
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil, crumbled
1/4 tsp. salt
9 ounces refrigerated fat-free angel hair pasta

Directions:
Put hot tap water for pasta on to boil, covering pan. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and spray with vegetable oil spray. Return to heat and cook chicken for 2 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients except pasta. Pour over chicken. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 6-8 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center. When water for pasta comes to a boil, cook pasta using package directions, omitting salt and oil; don't overcook. Drain well. To serve, place pasta on serving platter, arrange chicken on top, and spoon sauce over all.

Basil-Parmesan Pesto Chicken and Pasta
Replace sun-dried tomato pesto with basil-Parmesan pesto, dry red wine with dry white wine, and balsamic vinegar with lemon juice. (Calories: 367; Protein: 33 g; Carbohydrates: 37 g; Cholesterol: 67 mg; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated fat: 2 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium 293 mg)

Cook's Tip
If you don't have a tight-fitting lid to use while preparing this dish, tightly cover the skillet with aluminum foil. This will keep the moisture in, helping the sauce get marinara-like consistency.

Cook's Tip on White Meat Chicken
Remember that white meat can overcook quickly. Cook breasts just until they are barely pink in the middle; then remove them from the heat. Residual heat with will cooking the breasts.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving)
Calories: 319
Protein: 32 g
Carbohydrates: 39 g
Cholesterol: 67 mg
Total Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sodium: 249 mg

Source: American Heart Association - Meals in Minutes Cookbook pg.148

Situational Eating Tips

At parties, picnics, covered dish dinners, and restaurants.

• Bring a healthy covered dish.
• Take a friend who will help you stick to your new way of eating,
• If you eat cake or pie, split a small piece with a friend—3 or 4 bites.

When you’re on the road.

• Pack healthy snacks to bring along—foods like carrots and celery sticks, fruit, or a small handful of nuts.
• If you stop at fast food places, stay away from foods with trans fat and try to pick items that do not have lots of salt, sugar, and calories.

• Drink water or unsweetened iced tea or coffee to keep your mind off food.

When you’re cooking a meal or cleaning up.

• If you are hungry, eat a small, healthy snack before you start cooking.
• Fix the same food for everyone—you will spend less time in the kitchen.
• Have someone else help clean up the leftovers—that way you won’t be tempted to eat them.

When you’re eating meals or snacks at work.

• Instead of buying snacks at vending machines and snack bars, bring your own healthy snacks from home and keep them handy— small amounts of nuts or fruit are good choices.
• When a snack bar or vending machine is your only choice, choose fruit, low-fat yogurt, or small amounts of animal crackers or fig bars.
• If you are bored, get up and stretch or get a drink of water.

When you are stressed out, bored, tired, angry, or depressed.

• Do something else instead of eating, like:
• Go for a walk
• Work on a hobby
• Read a magazine or book
• Call a friend
• Play with your kids or grandkids

When you see unhealthy foods around your home or at work.

• Don’t bring unhealthy foods into the house.
• If you must buy some unhealthy foods for your family, choose foods that don’t tempt you. Talk to your family about healthier choices.
• Keep unhealthy snacks like chips, candy, and cookies out of sight.
• Put tempting foods in containers you can’t see through in the refrigerator.
• Avoid the snack food area at work, especially at day’s end when you are tired.
• Keep healthy snacks like raw vegetables, fruit, nuts, or popcorn handy.
• If you end up eating unhealthy foods, don’t give up. Try again!

Make good choices when you eat at restaurants.

• Eat out less often—a lot of restaurant food is unhealthy and costs more.
• If you eat at fast food places, choose carefully.
• Choose healthy menu items—for example, grilled or baked red meat, poultry or fish; tossed salads with oil and vinegar dressing; lightly steamed or seasoned vegetables; fruit plates; whole grain breads; and water with a twist of lemon.
• Stay away from fried foods. Most restaurants use partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fats) for frying.
• Drink a glass of water before the meal so you are not as hungry. Avoid drinks with lots of sugar.
• Order small portions, split an order with a friend, or take leftovers home with you.