50+ Lifestyles

Heart-Healthy Meal Ideas to Work into Your Week

By Nina Struss RD, LDN
Hy-Vee Registered Dietician
(309) 787-0273     nstruss@hy-vee.com

February is Heart Health Month. If you’re trying to reduce your total cholesterol, it’s important to include foods that are high in fiber and low in saturated fat. Foods that typically contain saturated fat include butter, fatty meat, cream, cheese, fried foods and highly processed snack foods.

Now, you might be thinking: Shouldn’t I be avoiding cholesterol instead? And the answer is: not really. Studies show that saturated fats raise blood cholesterol more than the cholesterol in your eggs. In fact, according to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, eggs are included in the examples for healthy diets.

So why all the fiber? Well, there are two kinds of fiber: insoluble and soluble. It’s the soluble fiber—found in oatmeal, apples, pears, berries and beans, to name a few—that binds to LDL (bad cholesterol) and prevents it from being absorbed.

Below are a few recipe ideas that are high in fiber and low in saturated fats. And if you’d like to learn about additional foods to help you lower cholesterol, you can join a free nutrition tour at Hy-Vee. Tours are held every Friday at noon. Hope to see you there!

Stuffed Peppers

Use a combination of whole grains, such as brown rice or quinoa, beans and chopped apples to stuff bell peppers. The pepper alone will boast your fiber intake by 2 grams. Find the recipe for Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers at Hy-Vee.com.

https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/vegan-and-gluten-free-quinoa-stuffed-peppers

Whole-Grain Waffles

Use oats or whole-wheat flour in your favorite waffle or pancake batter. For added fiber, mix in ground flaxseed, chia seeds and chopped apples or berries. Find the recipe for
Light and Fluffy Whole Grain Waffles at Hy-Vee.com.

https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/light-and-fluffy-whole-grain-waffles

“Fried” Cauliflower Rice

Replacing white rice with brown rice, or even cauliflower rice, is a great way to sneak in more fiber. Simply sauté the cauliflower rice with your favorite veggies and seasonings. You can serve it as a healthy side dish, or add some chicken, pork or tofu and call it a meal. Find the recipe for

Stir-Fried Cauliflower Rice with Sriracha-Marinated Pork at Hy-Vee.com.

https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/stir-fried-cauliflower-rice-with-sriracha-marinated-pork

Pumpkin Muffins

Muffin recipes are pretty easy to adapt to include more fiber and less saturated fat. Try replacing a quarter or half of the butter or oil with canned pumpkin and swap a quarter or half of the flour for whole wheat. Adding ground chia and flaxseed is also an undetectable way to bump up the fiber. Find the recipe for Pumpkin-Chia Seed Muffins at Hy-Vee.com.

https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/pumpkin-chia-seed-muffins

Bean Soup or Chili

Because beans are so high in fiber, bean soups and chili with beans are other heart-healthy recipe ideas to add to the dinner rotation. To keep the saturated fat low, try using lean ground turkey instead of beef. Find the recipe for

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili at Hy-Vee.com.

https://www.hy-vee.com/recipes-ideas/recipes/slow-cooker-turkey-chili

This information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

Nina Struss represents Hy-Vee as a nutrition expert promoting healthy eating throughout the community. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association). She can be reached at (309) 787-0273 or at nstruss@hy-vee.com.