What's Your Intention?

Each day whether the chirping of the birds or the interruption of a buzzing alarm clock announce the new day to me I have a choice. Sometimes I choose well all day … sometimes part of the day … or sometimes I don’t choose well at all. I am, after all, human.Today was no different. It’s Labor Day and since I didn’t have to work, I delayed my usual weekend activity until today … menus, shopping lists, cooking and baking for the week. It is not a burden for me at all as I love to do it, but trying to keep my cholesterol numbers within the normal range does take a bit of planning just like any other medical condition. Opting to bypass the prescription solution, adjusting my diet and lifestyle was the way to go for me besides I hate the side effects of medications. To date, removing saturated fats, high sugar foods, and other foods was a better choice for me. So here is a list of what I’ll be eating this week - in no particular order … (recipes and links included!):My Favorite Sandwich
A large, fat slice of tomato with plenty of fresh spinach and a bit of olive oil mayo, salt and pepper on whole wheat bread. And a good, crisp dill pickle. No chips. No fuss. A simply delightful sandwich.
MorningStar Hickory BBQ Riblets with smashed red potato with fresh chopped spinach and a side of steamed broccoli.

Smashed Red Potatoes with Spinach

• Cook cleaned small red potatoes until done. While the potatoes are cooking chop fresh spinach into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Drain and rinse the potatoes and return to the stove. Smash with a potato smasher, add a little butter or cholesterol-friendly margarine, some salt and pepper and toss in the chopped spinach … stir until the spinach wilts and serve. Variations: boil some carrot chunks with the potatoes … adds great color!

Easy-Does-It Pizza

• Put a whole wheat tortilla in the center of a 325 degree oven until it crisps up a bit … about a minute. Remove and drizzle some pizza sauce over it. Add whatever vegetables you love on pizza - my favorites are mushroom, fresh diced tomatoes, diced zucchini, onions, and black olives; sprinkle lightly with mozzarella, Parmesan, and/or Romano cheese … remember … lightly is the key word here after all we are watching our cholesterol! I will tell you this … you should have more vegetables than cheese!

Pasta E Fagioli (my favorite way to eat vegetables!) This recipe is from Sherry Brescia's book, Great Taste, No Pain. If you have any type of digestive concerns, this is a great place to begin ... and get off meds!

• 2 cans of cannellini beans
• ⅛ cup olive oil
• ½ large Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 minced cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ⅛ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups cooked pasta, such as mini shells, elbows, or other small pasta
• ¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus more for later

1. Mash 1/2 cup of the beans - or puree in a blender. Set aside.
2. After you heat the olive oil in heavy pot, saute the onion for five minutes and add the carrots, celery, garlic, parsley and basil. Continue cooking until vegetables are softened. Add the broth, mashed beans, whole beans and tomato paste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cover; simmer for about a half an hour or until the carrots and celery are tender.
3. Stir in pasta and cook until heated through - about three minutes or so. Stir in cheese.
4. Serve in soup bowls, grating some fresh cheese over the top and serve with a whole wheat garlic bread. A tossed salad would be a nice addition, too.

Salad in a Pita

• One of my favorite ways to eat a salad is in a pita pocket. Now that they make a whole wheat pita, I’m all set. Just make a salad, stuff it in the pocket and drizzle some dressing and I’m good to go.
  

Hummus and Pita Chips

• A great snack … low in fat and full of protein. Either buy ready-made hummus (usually in the deli department) and select a healthy chip … like baked Pita chips. Watch your serving size! It’s easy to over do it!

My Favorite Salad

• Plate full of part romaine / part spinach or other lettuces you like
• 1 cooked chicken breast, diced (I pass on the chicken most of the time ... don't really miss it!)
• ½ diced red apple
• ½ diced green apple
• Handful of dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons crumbled bleu cheese
• Small handful of roasted nuts, sunflower seeds, whatever you like
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate dressing

Assemble in order and enjoy.

Breakfast Oatmeal (I eat this three times a week, plus twice a week for a snack)

• ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats … please avoid instant or one minute oatmeal
• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup golden raisins, dried or fresh fruits - blueberries, cherries, cranberries, etc.
  
• ¼ chopped red or green apple - leave the skin on
• 2 tablespoons almond slices or any roasted nut*
• almond or soy milk

Combine ingredients, except the nuts and milk. Cook until water is absorbed and apples are tender. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle nuts over all; add milk of choice. You can add a sweetener, if desired. I prefer Stevia.

* to roast your own, purchase raw nuts and in a heavy pan, like cast iron, cook them over medium heat, shaking the pan so they don’t burn, until they become aromatic.

Eggs My Way

• 2 organic eggs from vegetarian-fed chickens, whisked or 4 egg whites, whisked
• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup fresh diced mushrooms
• ¼ cup diced Vidalia onion
• ⅓ cup shredded zucchini
• 2 tablespoons low-fat cheese, I prefer mozzarella

In a small skillet, saute onions and mushrooms over medium heat until cooked through. Pour eggs over all, allow the egg to set, just a bit. Lift the edges of the egg all around the pan allowing the uncooked egg to slip under. Continue until egg is almost set. Invert a plate over the pan and ‘flip’ it over; then slide the egg back into the pan. Sprinkle the cheese on the cooked side of the egg and fold it over. Continue cooking over a low heat until the cheese melts. Add salt and pepper as needed. I don’t usually eat eggs with bread, but you can if you’d like. Just look for a good whole wheat.

This is good for lunch or dinner, too.

So, there you have it … of course, I eat more than what is listed above but honestly, those are my staples … rarely does a week go by without eating the majority on these foods.

Got a recipe you love and want to transform it into a more heart-healthy dish? Let me know … maybe I can help you make some adjustments.

As the French would say, Bon appétit! (Enjoy your meal.)