Adventures with Heart Healthy Recipes

I am currently reading Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, by Caldwell B Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.  I was fascinated by Bill Clinton's heart disease improvement by using Dr. Esselstyn's methods, so I wanted to learn more. Watching friends and family members be rushed to the emergency room with heart issues is another motivator for me. It just doesn't have to be that way.

My biggest hurdle in any lifestyle change is my husband's view that food must TASTE GOOD.  So just in case you have a hurdle like that, I thought it would be helpful for me to share the recipes I've tried along the way, and how they fared with my taste testers.


Another hurdle I have is that I'm not that crazy about cooking. If a recipe has more than 5 ingredients, it had better get a phenomenal reaction for me to want to make it again. I am happy to report that the reactions were very good to my first two attempts on the recipes in this book. Also, I am on a gluten-free diet, and I am finding that most of the recipes in this book are fine for me, or at least adaptable. (I am quoting the recipes exactly from Dr. Esselstyn's  book, as they have been developed by Ann Esselstyn. The comments within the recipe are Ann's.) Here are the first two I've tried:




Cauliflower and Potato Curry  Makes 6 Servings
I love this dish! 
1 ½ cups onion (about 1 large onion), thinly sliced 
3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 
2-3 tablespoons vegetable broth or wine 
1 tablespoon curry powder 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 3 teaspoons) 
4 cups cauliflower florets 
1 ½ pounds red potatoes (about 4 medium), cubed 
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 
1 package frozen peas 
½ cup chopped cilantro


1. Put onion, ginger and vegetable broth or wine in a casserole dish on medium high. Cover and cook about 4 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add curry powder and garlic and cook about a minute, stirring constantly. 
3. Add cauliflower and potatoes and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. 
4. Add tomatoes, reduce heat and cook covered 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 
5. Stir in peas and cook covered until peas are warm, about 2 minutes. 
6. Add cilantro, stir, and serve with a salad and bread.


We ate this with our daughter, who is a vegetarian and has been to India. She liked it, but said she couldn't taste the curry. I'm going to try it again with fresher curry powder to see if that helps, but it was still very tasty. Great as leftovers too. I think the flavors were stronger the second day. I love the fresh ginger.


Esselstyn Jr. M.D., Caldwell B. (2007-02-01). Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure (pp. 268-269). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition. 


Sloppy Lentil Joes  Makes 8-10 Servings
     
This is Mary McDougall’s recipe, slightly adapted. We found it very flavorful, and like it best by itself, with steamed spinach or kale and a big salad, although it is also good served on whole-grain buns or over rice. 


⅓ cups water 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 
1 bell pepper— any color— seeded and chopped (1 cup) 
1 tablespoon chili powder 1 ½ cups dried lentils, red or brown 
1 15-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes 
1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos 
2 tablespoons mustard, Dijon or your choice 
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional) 
1 tablespoon rice vinegar 
1 teaspoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce 
1 bunch cilantro, chopped 
freshly ground black pepper, to taste 


1. Place ⅓ cup water in a large pot. Add onions and bell pepper and cook about 5 minutes, until onions soften slightly, stirring occasionally.
2. Add chili powder and mix well. 
3. Add remaining water, the lentils, tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and cook over low heat for 55 minutes, stirring occasionally.



I served this over mashed potatoes, and it was very filling, with just a salad to go with it. I served it to relatives, who are meat eaters, and they liked it. Actually, I cheated a bit by adding soyrizo, which has too much fat for this heart plan. But it helped the meat eaters like it better.


Esselstyn Jr. M.D., Caldwell B. (2007-02-01). Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure (p. 260). Penguin Group. Kindle Edition. 

Well, folks, this has been fun. I'd love to hear about your experiences with these recipes. I promise to give you more soon. Or get the book for yourself and start sharing what you are learning. I got the kindle version, then went to the library and got a hard cover copy too. Happy Cooking! 
Donna