9 healthy recipes from our hearts to your belly

White bean salad

Everyone loves food! But there's so much information online about which foods are healthy, and which aren't. To help, our Heart and Vascular team shared nine of their favorite heart healthy recipes.

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Which one will you try first?

1. Bruschetta salad with white beans 
This recipe is a refreshing and classic take on a traditional salad. White beans provide protein and fiber, helping you feel full longer. Mixing vinegar, basil, olive oil and lemon juice together creates a dressing low in saturated fat. Saturated fat should be avoided if you're trying to improve your heart health. 

2. Easy chickpea salad sandwich
Chickpeas are a tasty source of protein. They’re naturally high in fiber and potassium, which help to keep total cholesterol levels lower. The 100% whole wheat bread also packs a fiber punch, so pairing them together makes for a perfect heart healthy lunch.

3. Maple and mustard glazed salmon
Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, an incredibly healthy kind of fat. Regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids lowers your risk for heart disease. 

4. Potato based nacho "cheese" sauce
Typical cheese sauce recipes tend to be high in sodium and saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat can raise your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, and having too much sodium can increase your blood pressure. This alternative recipe has much less saturated fat and sodium, and is just as delicious. 

5. Roasted chickpea and broccoli burritos
Using herbs to season this recipe dramatically lowers how much sodium it would otherwise contain. And because it’s using chickpeas and olive oil for protein, it’s also pretty low in saturated fat. Hot tip: Whenever you can, consider substituting butter for olive oil. Olive oil has less saturated fat than butter or margarine, and it contains some heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. 

6. Savory turkey chili
This recipe contains less than 600 milligrams of sodium per serving thanks to the healthy ingredients. It is also low in saturated fat thanks to the ground turkey, a lean meat. Hot tip: To lower your sodium intake further, always rinse and drain canned vegetables.

7. Simple rice and veggie wrap
A wrap is a quick and easy way to fit in the nutrients and fiber from a variety of vegetables. Adding extra vegetables increases how much fiber a meal has, which can lower your blood cholesterol levels and keep you full for longer. 

8. Spiced-up chickpea stew
All the spices and vegetables in this recipe are naturally sodium free and add excellent flavor. Using soy milk and chickpeas as the protein sources also lowers the amount of saturated fat it contains.

9. Tossed grilled apple salad
Salad dressings from the store can be pretty high in sodium and saturated fat. Making an olive oil based dressing like the one in this recipe is a healthier option, especially for your heart.