The Lunch Combo Your Heart Loves

You could have the lowest rate of heart disease of your whole lunch bunch if you choose this for your midday meal: spinach salad with an olive-oil-based dressing.
In a study of healthy women, those who tended to eat lots of leafy greens topped with olive oil had as much as a 45 percent lower risk of heart disease compared with their salad-eschewing peers.

Supersize My Salad
Researchers examined the women's food choices over an 8-year period and compared their choices with their risk of developing heart disease and found that certain foods seemed to buoy heart health. The women who consumed at least 2 cups of leafy greens or 2 ½ tablespoons of olive oil each day had the lowest heart disease rates of all -- most likely thanks to the B vitamins, healthy fats, and antioxidant vitamins like C, E, and beta carotene in these nutrition superstars. 

Here's a crunchy salad topper that can help lower your blood pressure naturally.

Snacking on protein-rich sunflower seeds may help lower your blood pressure.
Recent research shows that a diet with ample amounts of vegetable protein, such as the protein found in sunflower seeds, may help keep blood pressure down. A diet high in animal protein offered no such benefit in the study. Stock up on sunflower seeds, cashews, and kidney beans to get your fill of blood pressure-lowering veggie protein.
Increasing your intake of fresh vegetables provides you with fiber and disease-fighting nutrients. Vegetable-rich diets may help reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Results of a new study suggest eating a diet high in vegetable protein may help lower blood pressure, though it's not known how vegetable protein creates this effect. The unique protein composition or mineral content of vegetables may play a role. Exercising regularly, reducing stress, and limiting salt intake if you are salt sensitive will help you get a handle on your blood pressure as well.

Heart Help
Nutrients in leafy greens and olive oil may help with everything from lowering signs of heart-harming inflammation to preventing plaque buildup in the arteries and guarding against the oxidative damage that contributes to heart disease. Olive oil and leafy greens aren't the only way to a healthy heart. In the recent study, cabbage and raw tomatoes also were associated with lower rates of heart disease. And, in general, fresh vegetables can do wonders for your heart and overall health. So don't be conservative at the salad bar. The more vegetable variety, the better. 





Here are six more foods you should feed your heart.
To help prevent high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inflammation, and arterial aging, eat these delicious foods for your heart's sake:

1. Strawberries -- and just about any other colorful fruit or veggie you can find. Why? Because fruits and vegetables like red grapes, cranberries, oranges, plums, and tomatoes are bursting with flavonoids -- antioxidants that help quell inflammation. And that's a good thing, because inflammation is one of the many processes involved in heart disease. Eat them fresh -- sliced or whole. What could be easier? Aim for 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit a day.

2. Rye bread -- and any other grain product made from whole grains. Whole-grain breads and cereals, brown rice, quinoa, flaxseeds, and whole soybeans are full of heart-protective fiber and magnesium that can help keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in a healthy range. Try for six or more daily servings of whole grains. 

3. Avocado -- and other healthy vegetable-based fats. Use mashed avocado, olive oil, and nut butters in place of unhealthful fats. Mashed avocado makes a good sandwich spread if you mix it with a little salsa. And olive oil is a great butter substitute when you're sauteing veggies. Use nut butters and peanut butter in place of butter and cream cheese. Substitutions like these are delicious ways to bring down "bad" LDL cholesterol and boost the "good" HDL kind. Just remember to limit portion size as you would with any other oils or fats.

4. Salmon -- and other fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. A strong body of research shows that eating fish (as long as it's not fried) helps lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia, high triglycerides, arterial plaque buildup, and inflammation in your arteries. Opt for three portions per week of oily fish rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

5. Nuts -- yep, not only do they make healthy nut butters, but they make a great snack, too. And eating nuts regularly can cut your risk of heart disease by 20% to 60%. Almonds, pistachios, and especially walnuts are loaded with heart-friendly fats and are a great source of vegetable protein. Just stick to one handful per day to keep your calorie count down.

6. Dark chocolate -- see, you don't have to avoid sweets entirely. In fact, a little dark chocolate every day is good for your heart. 


WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Garlic Steak and Asparagus

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

18 mins

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 12- to 14-oz. boneless beef top loin (strip) steak, cut about 3/4 inch thick
• 1 or 2 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 to 10 thin asparagus spears, trimmed (6 oz.)
• 2 tsp. garlic-flavored olive oil or olive oil
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 Tbsp. dry white wine
• 1/4 tsp. Dijon-style mustard

 

Directions

Rub the steak on both sides with a mixture of the garlic, pepper, and salt, pressing in the mixture with your fingers. 

Place the asparagus in a shallow dish and drizzle with the oil. 

For sauce, in a medium skillet stir together the broth and wine. Cook over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in mustard; keep warm.

Preheat an indoor electric grill on high setting, if available. Place steak on the grill rack. If using a covered grill, close lid. Grill until steak is desired doneness. (For a covered grill, allow 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare or 5 to 7 minutes for medium. For an uncovered grill, allow 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare or 8 to 10 minutes for medium, turning steak once.) If space allows, add asparagus to covered grill for the last 2 to 3 minutes or for uncovered grill the last 4 to 5 minutes of grilling. Cook asparagus until crisp-tender.*

Spoon sauce on serving plate. Cut steak in half crosswise. Serve steak halves atop sauce with asparagus on top. Makes 2 servings.

Note: The asparagus cooking time will vary with the size of asparagus. Also, if there is no room on the grill, the asparagus can be grilled after the steak.

Conventional Method: Prepare as above through Step 1. Place steak on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from the heat for 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare or 10 to 12 minutes for medium, turning once and adding asparagus to the rack of the broiler pan the last 2 minutes of broiling. Serve as directed above.

about this recipe
Tender beef steaks and asparagus, grilled indoors or out, is a tasty combination for this super fast weeknight dinner.