For the cookie base:

4 ounces (1 cup) whole-wheat pastry flour

2 ounces (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons organic sugar or raw brown sugar

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 to 3 teaspoons ice water

For the filling:

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter

1/3 cup mild honey, like clover

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or chocolate chips

8 ounces (2 cups) pecan halves

1. Butter or oil a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan and line with parchment. Butter the parchment. Sift together the flours and salt. Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and add the sugar. Pulse to blend together. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. With the machine running, add the vanilla extract and ice water and process until the dough comes together on the blades. Stop the machine and, using your hands, press into an even layer in the prepared pan. Pierce with a fork all over and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Bake the cookie base for 20 minutes, until it is just beginning to color. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before adding the top layer.

3. Cream the butter with the honey, salt and nutmeg in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. The mixture will look broken, which is fine.

4. Distribute the chocolate and then the pecans evenly over the cookie layer. Scrape in the butter and egg mixture and spread in an even layer. Place in the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until set. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 18 to 20 bars

Advance preparation: This will keep for 3 or 4 days.

Nutritional information per serving: 244 calories; 6 grams saturated fat; 3 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 58 milligrams cholesterol; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 50 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/health/nutrition/06recipehealth.html?_r=1&ref=health

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Healthy eating, regular exercise and controlling your weight can increase your quality of life and even help you to live longer. There are certain aspects to eating that a healthy diet requires including emphasizing certain foods and limiting others. Exercise is only useful when done regularly and if done right can increase your well-being and reduce your risk of chronic disease like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Macronutrient Recommendations

First and foremost, healthy eating means eating only as many calories as your body needs. When you exceed the calories your body uses, you gain weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for developing chronic disease. A healthy diet consists of getting 45 to 65 percent of your total calories from carbohydrates. The USDA recommends getting at least half of your carbohydrates from a whole-grain source. An additional 10 to 35 percent of your calories should be from protein. Where you get your protein also matters. Lean sources like fish, poultry, soy and nuts are healthier sources than red meat. Your total fat should not exceed 35 percent of your total calories, you should also limit saturated fat intake to 10 percent or less of your total intake.

Fiber

Fiber is one of the healthier foods you to eat. Dietary sources of fiber include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Fiber may be your secret weapon to healthy eating because it can help control your weight, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Most high-fiber foods are also low in energy density, meaning there are a small amount of calories for a large portion.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise is the kind of activity that gets your heart pumping faster and body moving. Aerobic physical activity is usually some kind of dynamic movement that involves moving the large muscle of your body, such as biking, swimming, walking or running. For health-related benefits from exercise, an adult should get 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Resistance Training

Another important part of your exercise program is resistance training. Resistance or weight training helps to increase the strength of your muscles. This is beneficial because it can help increase your metabolic rate, your balance and your overall health. To successfully participate in a resistance-training program pick eight to 10 exercises that work the major muscle groups of your body including your legs, arms, shoulders, chest, abs and back. Start by performing one set of eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, eventually working up to one to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. Try to use a moderate weight. Only perform your resistance-training program two to three days per week on non-consecutive days. Weight training is hard on your muscles, so they need at least one day of rest between sessions.

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Your body makes cholesterol and some of the food you eat may contain cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol can accumulate in your arteries, restricting blood flow that could lead to heart disease. You should restrict the amount of cholesterol you eat each day. Nutrition labels can help you make intelligent choices about the food you eat. “No-cholesterol foods” may, but do not necessarily, promote heart health.

Food Nutrition Labels

Nutrition labels provide you with important information about how food may help or harm your health. A nutrition label will include information that could affect your weight, such as serving size and calories, and information about the amount and type of fat a product contains. It will also tell you whether a food item contains protein, carbohydrates and fiber and, if so, how much. A nutrition label can help you keep track of your sodium consumption and whether a product will help you meet your recommended daily value of vitamins and minerals. A food label also tells you how the information fits into a standard 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.

Cholesterol-Free

Only animal products contain cholesterol. If a food nutrition label says an item contains no cholesterol, this means it was not derived from an animal. Meat, eggs and dairy products contain cholesterol. If you’re buying a bakery item, a cholesterol-free item does not contain eggs, milk, butter or other animal fats such as lard. To help you fight against heart disease, you should keep your daily consumption of cholesterol below 300 mg. If factors beyond your diet put you at risk for heart disease, MayoClinic.com recommends you keep daily cholesterol below 200 mg. Risk factors include underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, family history of heart disease and your age.

Fat-Free

Cholesterol-free does not mean fat-free. A product that contains no cholesterol may include saturated fat. Saturated fat, like cholesterol, comes from animal products. But you can also find saturated fat in tropical oils such as coconut and palm. If you’re purchasing processed food, note the information about saturated fat as well as cholesterol. An apple turnover, for instance, may include no cholesterol, but high amounts of saturated fat from palm oils may be used to make its flaky crust. MayoClinic.com recommends you limit saturated fat to 10 percent of your daily calories. This amounts to about 20 g.

Considerations

A product free of cholesterol may also include another type of unhealthy fat called trans fat. A nutrition label will tell you this. Commercial baked goods may contain trans fat, made by processing liquid vegetable oils to create solid fats, such as margarine and shortening. You should severely limit your consumption of trans fat to 2 g, or 1 percent of your daily calories. A small bag of potato chips may contain no cholesterol but more than a day’s supply of trans fat.

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So that glass of red wine not only adds 128 calories, but it may inadvertently add hundreds more due to poor food choices. That’s right, that 6 ounces of fermented grape juice (or 1 ounce of hard alcohol or 12 ounces of beer) contributes to a change in your dietary habits, for the worse.

A joint study by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) , published April in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found that increasing your alcoholic beverage consumption is associated with a decreased diet quality. Reviewing the data of 15,000 U.S. adults who participated in the National health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the CDC, the research group found that increased consumption of alcohol, any kind of alcohol, resulted in poorer food choices, including increased calorie intake and decreases in fruit, grains, and milk.

“Heavy drinking and dietary factors have independently been associated with cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and other chronic health problems,” said NIAAA Acting Director Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D. “This finding raises questions about whether the combination of alcohol misuse and poor diet might interact to further increase health risks.”

We’re not talking frat boys here, but grown adults imbibing and lowering their food standards. Inebriation can make people a bit lazy, grabbing for a bag of chips or thinking starches like French fries will help to offset the effects of alcohol. Skipping meals in favor of happy hour is contributing to growing waistlines and an increase in obesity and other health problems.

Everything in life should be done in moderation, whether it is food, liquor or exercise. Moderate drinking, as defined by U.S. Dietary Guidelines, is one drink per day for women, and no more than two drinks per day for men. Don’t add insult to injury by piling useless alcohol calories on top of unhealthy food choices.

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Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.

Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can improve your health by boosting your energy, sharpening your memory and stabilizing your mood. Expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart.  Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.  As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet.  The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Think of exercise as a food group in your diet.

Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation.  Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only an occasional indulgence.
• Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small.  Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case. (see resources for more serving size tips)

Healthy eating tip 3: It’s not just what you eat, it’s how you eat

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal, and be your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.

The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:

• Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
• Sweet Vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
• Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible

The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer’s markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest.

Avoid: Fruit juices, which can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit is often in sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried veggies and those with dressings or sauces—too much unhealthy fat and calories.

Water—a vital part of a healthy diet

Water makes up about 75% of our bodies and helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches.
Caffeinated beverages, in particular, actually cause the body to lose water. Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain plenty of water and can help with hydration, especially when you are looking for an alternative to your eighth glass of water for the day.

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.

Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

• Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
• Make sure you’re really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look for the new Whole Grain Stamp. If there is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check the ingredients.
• Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.

Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Fiber—an essential component of a healthy diet

Dietary fiber, found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by helping you feel full faster and for a longer amount of time, and keeping your blood sugar stable. A healthy diet contains approximately 20-30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half that amount.
The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble.

• Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit and oat products.
• Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails.  Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

• Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans) and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
• Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

• Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
• Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.

Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:

Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

• Beans:  Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
• Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
• Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.

Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal—focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.

Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Complete, incomplete and complementary proteins

• A complete protein source—from animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese and eggs—provides all of the essential amino acids.
• An incomplete protein—from vegetable proteins like grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and beans—is low in one or more essential amino acids.
• Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs. For example, rice and dry beans are each incomplete proteins, but together they provide all of the essential amino acids.
• Do complementary proteins need to be eaten in the same meal? Research shows that your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.
• Why are complete and complementary proteins important? Complete and complementary proteins that provide all of the essential amino acids will fill you up longer than carbohydrates because they break down more slowly in the digestive process.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium & vitamin D for strong bones

Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong, healthy bones—vitamin D is essential for optimum calcium absorption in the small intestine. Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.

Great sources of calcium include:

• Dairy products, which come already fortified with vitamin D.
• Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and collard greens
• Dried beans and legumes

Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar, salt and refined grains

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar, salt and refined starches.

Sugar and refined starches

It is okay to enjoy sweets in moderation, but try to cut down on sugar. Sugar causes energy ups and downs and adds to health problems like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.

• Give recipes a makeover. Often recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
• Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
• Eliminate processed foods. Processed foods and foods made with white flour and white sugar cause your blood sugar to go up and down leaving you tired and sapped of energy.

Salt

Salt itself is not bad, but most of us consume too much salt in our diets.

• Limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day – the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume far more than one teaspoon of salt per day.
• Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended teaspoon a day.

Healthy eating tip 10:  Plan quick, healthy & easy meals ahead

Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.

Plan your meals by the week or even the month

One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store

In general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).

Cook when you can

Try to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.

Have an emergency dinner or two ready to go

Challenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.

Stock your kitchen to be meal ready

Try to keep your kitchen stocked with recipe basics:

Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables:

• Garlic, onions, carrots and celery are great recipe and soup starters.
• Frozen corn, peas, carrots and berries for recipe additions and smoothies.
• Dark greens for salads and salad add-ins like dried fruit, nuts and seed

Fresh and dried herbs and spices

Fats and oils—liquid vegetable oils (olive, canola, sunflower, corn, and peanut) for cooking. Specialty oils like sesame oil, walnut or pistachio oil or truffle oil for adding flavor.

Unsalted nuts—like almonds, walnuts and pistachios for snacking

Vinegars—such as balsamic, red wine and rice vinegar for salads and veggies

Strong cheeses, like aged Parmesan or blue cheese for intense flavor in salads, pasta and soups.

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Eating a healthy diet doesn’t mean the end of taste—just check out this collection of delicious low-cholesterol recipes. You’ll forget you’re eating for your health!

Parmesan Potato Pancake
With only 4 milligrams of cholesterol, this potato pancake packs a punch of flavor. Olive oil is a healthier way to fry or sauté foods because it’s rich in monounsaturated fat.

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Ginger-Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream Sandwiches

Instead of buying your own ice cream sandwiches, which may contain saturated or trans fat, use this DIY recipe. And, for a more figure-friendly option, use fat-free ice cream.

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Sangria

health experts say that red wine—in moderation—can help raise HDL, the good cholesterol.

health/images/slides/sangria-hl-1906416-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”sangria” />

Apple-Cinnamon Granola

Whole grains in granola are a tasty way to promote heart health. The oats in this recipe contain soluble fiber, which reduces bad cholesterol. Making your own granola allows you to keep the sugar content lower than store-bought brands.

health/images/slides/apple-granola-ck-1120321-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Apple-Cinnamon Granola” />

Lighter Penne a la Vodka

Just because you have to cut cholesterol doesn’t mean you have to cut flavor. Choosing low-fat or fat-free milk instead of a cream creates a lighter, lower-cholesterol sauce.

health/images/slides/penne-vodka-hl-1886446-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Lighter Penne a la Vodka” />

Morning Glory Muffins

Packing in fruits and nuts into a whole-grain muffin provides a boost of heart-healthy fiber. Enjoy this breakfast treat with a fat-free yogurt.

health/images/slides/morning-muffins-ck-1634764-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Morning Glory Muffins” />

Arugula and Goat Cheese Pizza

Even if you have high cholesterol, you can still enjoy pizza. This recipe cuts back on cheese, amps up the veggie intake, and adds walnuts, which may help lower blood cholesterol.

health/images/slides/arugula-goat-chs-pizza-hl-1871699-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Arugula and Goat Cheese Pizza” />

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Since cholesterol is found in many animal products, this creamy veggie-based soup keeps the cholesterol count low. Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene.

health/images/slides/carrot-ginger-soup-hl-1871700-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”carrot-ginger-soup” />

Jane’s Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian chili is cholesterol free and packed with fiber. Topping it with cheese will add some cholesterol, but choose reduced-or fat-free to cut back on saturated fat.

health/images/slides/veggie-chili-ck-1011281-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Jane’s Vegetarian Chili” />

Bean and Corn Salsa

Most dips are fat-and cholesterol-laden, but salsa is a light yet savory snack. Serve with multigrain tortilla chips that have about 3 grams of fiber per serving.

health/images/slides/corn-salsa-ck-1087042-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Bean and Corn Salsa” />

Lemon-Asparagus Pasta

Meat-based sauces quickly rack up cholesterol, but this tangy pasta keeps it heart-healthy with fresh asparagus and lemon. Try whole-wheat pasta to sneak in some fiber.

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Two-Potato Salad With Mustard-Chive Dressing

health/images/slides/2-potato-salad-hl-522023-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Two-Potato Salad with Mustard-Chive Dressing” />

Linguine With Red Pepper Sauce

Without meat or dairy, veggie-based sauces get the cholesterol green light. Red bell peppers add a subtle flavor and contain two heart-healthy powerhouses: vitamin B6 and folic acid.

health/images/slides/linguine-oh-1733192-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Linguine with Red Pepper Sauce” />

Grilled Scallops With Lemon-Chickpea Salad

Scallops are a great source of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. And the combination of vitamin C and A in the spinach prevents cholesterol from building up in blood vessels.

health/images/slides/grld-scallops-hl-523889-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”grilled-scallops” />

Mixed Green Salad With Dried Plums and Toasted Pecans

Fill up on a fresh, green salad and feel healthy and satisfied. Dark greens are rich in folate, potassium, and fiber. Be wary of creamy dressings, which can pack on the saturated fat.

health/images/slides/salad-plum-pecan-hl-1063302-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Mixed Green Salad with Dried Plums and Toasted Pecans” />

Mediterranean Stuffed Tomatoes

Savor these tomatoes as an appetizer or a snack. They’re rich in flavor and high in lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent the clogging of the arteries by stopping the oxidation of cholesterol.

health/images/slides/med-stffd-tomato-hl-1072227-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Mediterranean Stuffed Tomatoes” />

Marinated Feta and Olive Skewers

These flavor-packed skewers are a great treat. Goat cheese is a great source of calcium, and the serving size doesn’t boast too much cholesterol.

health/images/slides/feta-skewer-hl-1713092-L-400×400.jpg” alt=”Marinated Feta and Olive Skewers” />

Quick Roasted Vegetable Fajitas

This Mexican-inspired vegetarian dish is full of protein and monounsaturated fat. Packed with low-cal spices and salsa, you’ll never miss the meat, and fat-free refried beans add a healthy dose of fiber. Choose fat-free cheese to cut out extra fat.

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Lightened Waldorf Salad

By using fat-free mayonnaise and fat-free yogurt, you can cut back on cholesterol and fat. The lighter the dressing, the more you can taste the fruity and nutty flavors.

health/images/slides/waldorf-salad-ck-1662930-l-400×400.jpg” alt=”Lightened Waldorf Salad” />

Grilled Zucchini Roll-Ups With Herbs and Cheese

These easy-to-make roll-ups are perfect for appetizers or a light lunch. Each roll packs a punch with fiber, protein, and monounsaturated fat.

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