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Healthy Eating For A Healthy Heart

Posted 7/6/2011

(NAPSI) - More women of all ages are getting the message that heart disease is their #1 killer. However, one-third of women still underestimate their own risk for heart disease and most fail to make the connection between risk factors and their chance of developing heart disease.

To help, The Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign for women, recommends four healthful lifestyle changes-eating right, being physically active, not smoking, and keeping a healthy weight-to help women lower their risk of heart disease by as much as 82 percent. One great way to keep a healthy weight is to eat a diet low in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. In cooking and at the table, flavoring foods with herbs, spices, wine, lemon, vinegar or salt-free seasoning blends creates great-tasting meals, often with heart-healthy benefits.

In just 30 minutes, you can cook a heart-healthy meal.

Asian-Style Chicken Wraps

For Sauce:

1 small jalapeño pepper, rinsed and split lengthwise-remove seeds/white membrane and mince

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

3 Tbsp brown sugar

½ cup water

½ Tbsp fish sauce

2 Tbsp lime juice

For Chicken:

1 Tbsp peanut/vegetable oil

1 Tbsp ginger, minced

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil (optional)

1 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

For Wrap:

1 small head red leaf lettuce, rinsed, dried and separated into single leaves large enough to create wrap

8 fresh basil leaves, whole, rinsed and dried

2 cups bok choy or Asian cabbage, rinsed and shredded

Directions:

1. Sauce: add all ingredients to saucepan, bring to boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let sit in hot saucepan for 3−5 minutes. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes or until cold.

2. Chicken: heat oil in large wok/sauté pan. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry briefly until cooked but not brown (30 seconds to 1 minute).

3. Add chicken, continue to stir-fry for 5−8 minutes.

4. Add soy sauce, sesame oil (optional) and sesame seeds (optional) and return to a boil. Remove from heat, cover with lid to hold warmth in hot sauté pan.

5. Assemble each wrap: Place one large red lettuce leaf on plate, then add ½ cup chicken stir-fry, 1 basil leaf, ¼ cup shredded cabbage and fold together. Serve two wraps with ¼ cup sauce.

Each serving provides: Calories 242; Total fat 10 g; Saturated fat 2 g; Cholesterol 47 mg; Sodium 393 mg; Total fiber 3 g; Protein 21 g; Carbohydrates 17 g; Potassium 636 mg; Vitamin A 170%; Vitamin C 80%; Calcium 20%; Iron 15%.

To find more heart-healthy recipes, visit http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/healthyeating/.

The Heart Truth is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The campaign introduced the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. To learn more, visit www.hearttruth.gov.