Eating healthy has never been more delicious

Lifestyle Monday 19/February/2018 16:40 PM
By: Times News Service
Eating healthy has never been more delicious

Yoga mats, kale salads, fitness trackers, standing desks and gym memberships. It seems like everywhere you look, people are taking strides to get healthier. And with good reason. In the U.S, 37.9 per cent of adults aged 20 and older suffer from obesity, and heart disease accounts for one out of every four deaths. Despite these harrowing numbers, many people have difficulty embracing a heart-healthy lifestyle, especially when it comes to food. Part of the reason for this is that too often people think that eating right involves a list of what you cannot eat. It’s easier to focus on all the things you can eat.
Embrace convenience
Sometimes, at the end of the day you just want a quick meal. Unfortunately, most fast food options and restaurants don’t offer heart-healthy options. A strict nutrition guidelines for a main dish, with each serving having:
• No more than 500 calories
• No more than â≤ 3.5 grams of saturated fat
• No more than 600mg of sodium
• A serving from at least two of the following food groups: Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs or nuts; fruits and vegetables; milk, yogurt or cheese; bread, cereal or pasta
• No added sugar and no trans fat
Eat deliciously
There’s a widespread misconception that a heart-healthy diet involves giving up all meat and snacks and only eating kale and whole grains.
That’s far from the truth. Many of the best cuts of meat are also ideal for a heart-healthy diet and can satisfy the most ardent carnivore. Meat tenderloin, skinless chicken and turkey breasts are naturally lean, while fatty fish, like salmon, trout and tuna, are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.
As far as snacks go, it’s really just a matter of embracing things like fresh fruit with low-fat yoghurt, vegetables and hummus, or a savoury mix of nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pistachios.
The list goes on, but the point is that a heart-healthy diet doesn’t have to be limiting; rather, it’s full of delicious food.
Shopping is easy
So how do you know if something meets the nutritional standards you need to maintain a healthy heart? You don’t need to be a nutritionist for this. Simply look for the marks on food packages when you ship, and you’ll instantly know it meets recommended standard of a healthy eating pattern.
Try it and see
Still not convinced about how delicious and easy it is to follow a heart-healthy diet? Check out this recipe for Tandoori-style chicken with Bombay curried potatoes.
Ingredients
• 2 to 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• Tandoori spice blend
• 1 onion
• Potatoes
• 4 sprigs of fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup peas
• 1 1/2 ounces baby greens
Preparation
• Prep and cook the chicken.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season generously with salt, pepper, and the tandoori spice blend.
• Place the chicken on a pan lined with foil and roast at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Halfway through, turn it over.
• Prep the potatoes.
• Chop 3/4 cup of onions.
• Scrub potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch pieces.
• Coarsely chop the cilantro for garnish.
• In a large frying pan warm 2 to 3 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until starting to soften. Stir in the curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
•Add the potatoes, vegetable broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a vigorous simmer, cover and cook between five and seven minutes.
• Uncover and cook until the liquid has thickened and the potatoes are tender.
• Stir in the peas and cook for about two minutes.
• Stir in the greens and cook until just wilted.
•Transfer the chicken and Bombay potatoes to individual plates, garnish with the cilantro. — BPT