Show Your Love with a Heart-Healthy Dinner
Putting It All Together
Plan a romantic Valentine's Day dinner or a month-long celebration with heart-healthy foods that celebrate your love. Devise a menu of your own, trying to incorporate as many of the above foods as possible, or use our sample menu. It includes a few standout favorites pulled from our WLC collection, as well as a new salmon recipe, for a wonderfully delicious meal fit for the love of your life.
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic's Sweetheart Menu
Spinach Squares (recipe below)
Soy nuts
Quick Vegetable Bean Salad (recipe below)
Roasted Pecan Salmon (recipe below)
Steamed brown rice
Medley of steamed vegetables
Yogurt Parfait (recipe below)
Glass of red wine
Bon Appetit!
Spinach Squares
By Elaine Magee
1 egg
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 cup unbleached or all-purpose flour (whole wheat can be substituted for half
of the flour)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp butter or canola margarine, melted
1/3 cup fat-free or light sour cream
8 oz reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (gently squeeze
excess water with hands)
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9x9-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.
- Beat egg, egg substitute, milk, flour, salt, baking powder, melted butter, and sour cream in mixing bowl on medium-low speed until smooth batter has formed.
- Stir in cheese cubes and spinach. Pour into prepared pan, spread evenly with spatula, and bake about 35 minutes. Test center to make sure it isn't runny. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving.
- Cut the spinach squares after they come out of the oven, then keep them
refrigerated. Just eat them cold as a snack or warm what you need in the
microwave. These are a low-calorie, higher protein snack with only 17 grams of
carbohydrate per serving.
Yield: Makes 9 side servings or snacks
Nutritional Information: per serving: 188 calories, 12.5 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 525 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 38%.
Our advice: Journal as 1 slice bread, 1 oz. low-fat cheese, and 1/2 cup vegetables with 1 tsp fat.
Quick Vegetable Bean Salad
By Elaine Magee
3 cups baby carrots, diced, or thinly sliced carrots
3 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
1/2 cup finely chopped mild onion (use less if desired)
1/2 cup 1/3-less-fat bottled vinaigrette made with canola or olive oil (I use
Seven Seas 1/3 less fat Red Wine Vinaigrette with canola)
6 oz can albacore tuna canned in water (optional)
- Add carrot pieces to microwave-safe covered dish with 1/4 cup water and cook on HIGH about 3-5 minutes (or until just barely tender). Drain well and add to medium-sized serving bowl.
- Add broccoli pieces to microwave-safe covered dish with 1/4 cup water and cook on HIGH about 3-5 minutes (or until just barely tender). Drain well and add to medium-sized serving bowl.
- Add beans, chopped onion, and vinaigrette (and tuna if desired) to serving
bowl and toss well to blend.
Yield: Makes 8 servings.
Nutritional Information: per serving: 110 calories, 5 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7 g fiber, 310 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 20%. Carotenes/vitamin A: 1568 RE (196% RDA), folic acid: 70 mcg (39% RDA), vitamin C: 51 mg (86% RDA).
Our advice: Journal as 1/2 cup vegetables with 1 tsp of fat, and 1 slice of bread.
One serving of this quick salad gives you a dose of alpha- and beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin C, fiber, and plant omega-3 fatty acids from the canola oil. If you want to make this more of a meal and you want to add fish omega-3 fatty acids and some protein into the picture, stir in a can of albacore tuna.
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-199
200-239
240+
Your level is currently
Congratulations! Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, and your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is optimal.
Congratulations! Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, and your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is near optimal.
Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is borderline high. If your LDL goes higher, your total cholesterol level could become Borderline High. Consider reducing the amount of foods you eat with saturated fats and increasing physical activity. If you get more exercise, your level of "good" HDL cholesterol may increase, which could also help to keep your levels of LDL and total cholesterol in check.
Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is High. This may mean that your level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, is too low. It is best to have a high level of "good" HDL and a low level of "bad" LDL. The HDL helps keep your LDL level in check. Ask your doctor for your HDL level. If your HDL is low, increasing your physical activity can increase it, which may help reduce your LDL level.
Your total cholesterol level is in the Desirable range, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Very High. This may mean that your level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, is too low. It is best to have a high level of "good" HDL and a low level of "bad" LDL because the HDL helps keep your LDL level in check. Ask your doctor for your HDL level. If your HDL is low, increasing your physical activity can increase it, which may help reduce your LDL level.
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High, but fortunately your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have other non-measured increases in LDL-like particles that can increase heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High, but fortunately your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is near optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have other non-measured increases in LDL-like particles that can increase heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Borderline High, too. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol level is Borderline High. But your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Very High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol is High, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have elevated secondary lipids, such as non-HDL particles that increase the risk of heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol is High, but your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is near optimal. This could mean you have a high level of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" HDL cholesterol, which protects against heart disease. Or you could have elevated secondary lipids, such as non-HDL particles that increase the risk of heart disease. Your LDL level also could be optimal if you are taking a statin medication. Please check with your doctor to get your complete lipid profile and see if you may need additional treatment. In the meantime, find more information on WebMD's Cholesterol Health Center.
Your total cholesterol level is High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Borderline High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels!
Your total cholesterol level is High. Your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is High, too. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels! If you are struggling to bring down your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, your doctor may prescribe medication, such as statins. Following medication, dietary, and exercise instructions should result in improvements.
Your total cholesterol level is High, and your level of "bad" LDL cholesterol is Very High. Working to bring down your total cholesterol decreases your LDL cholesterol level. You can do this by exercising more and eating less food with saturated fats. Check food labels! If you are struggling to bring down your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, your doctor may prescribe statins or other cholesterol-lowering medications.
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