10 Easy Dinner Recipes That Your Heart (and Wallet) Will Thank You for
Maintaining a healthy heart is one of the keys to long life and a healthy body and mind. A healthy heart reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes — and eating right is an important practice for achieving that.
Drugs are not nearly as effective at reducing heart disease risk as is a healthy diet, ABC News reported. A heart-healthy diet is one that balances high-fiber foods, whole grains and fatty fish, and which is high in essential omega-3 fatty acids, according to the University of Maryland. On the other hand, it's low in saturated fats, sodium and whole-fat dairy products. The goal is to reduce overall cholesterol and harmful lipids and instead increase good cholesterol, or high-density lipoproteins.
Read more: How to Eat Healthy When You're Broke AF
Is your heart something you take into consideration when preparing dinner? Here are 10 easy and inexpensive dinner recipes that are good for your heart — and tight schedule, based on a list of heart-healthy foods on WebMD.
1. Caper salmon salad
Season a salmon fillet with salt and pepper before tossing it into the oven for just 10 minutes, or until flakey. Add lemon juice, capers, dill and olive oil for a super healthy lunch or dinner. Find the recipe here.
2. Lentil tacos
Seasoning and then simmering lentils and tomatoes with garlic, cumin, coriander and chili powder make for a great meatless and heart-healthy protein. To complete the taco experience, just add salsa, equally heart-healthy avocado or a little bit of cheese. Find the recipe here.
3. Almond crusted chicken
Coat chicken breast with almond meal for a healthier version of chicken tenders. If you pound the chicken breast beforehand then it only takes a few minutes to cook — using olive oil, obviously. Find the recipe here.
4. Peanut and chili crispy tofu stir fry
This vegan and gluten-free recipe uses tofu marinated with just four ingredients: peanut butter, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and vinegar. Take just a few minutes to fry it up, along with some peanuts and vegetables and dinner is served. Find the recipe here.
5. Quinoa with chai-spiced almond milk
The whole protein of quinoa is usually prepared as a savory dish, but try something new by cooking it in almond milk with a chai tea bag for about 15 minutes. Then garnish with walnuts or cinnamon. Find the recipe here.
6. Quick and easy black bean soup
Soup doesn't get easier than this — you don't even need a crockpot. Pour two cans of beans, diced tomatoes, salsa, cumin and chili powder into a pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Then just top with sliced avocado. Find the recipe here.
7. Chickpea, cucumber and avocado salad
For a light and refreshing meal that takes literally minutes, just drain and rinse a can of chickpeas and mix it in a bowl with diced cucumbers, avocados and spinach. Sprinkle in some feta, drizzle heart-healthy olive oil and enjoy. Find the recipe here.
8. Simple hummus without tahini
For an incredibly easy hummus recipe, tahini is optional. Just blend chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice and some seasoning. Hummus is a great and healthy spread to use on sandwiches, wraps and more. Find the recipe here.
9. Vegan cannellini bean and spinach pasta
This two-pot dish consists mainly of pasta, spinach, cannellini beans, a can of crushed tomatoes, black olives and artichokes. Find the recipe here.
10. Pesto pasta with grilled chicken
This meal only takes about 20 minutes to complete. While boiling up some pasta, grill chicken for about five minutes before cutting into slices. Then just combine it with the pasta, pesto (which includes heart-healthy oil and nuts) and tomatoes. Find the recipe here.
