February is here, and it’s the month of love! Not only is it Valentine’s Day, it is also American Heart Month. It’s a great time to incorporate some healthy meals for your loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Although it is fun to go out to eat, cooking at home this Valentine’s Day can help you keep your diet in check and your heart healthy and happy.

Some heart-healthy guidelines are to include a variety of healthy choices for carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Most carbohydrates should come from fresh vegetables and fruit due to their high content of antioxidants to prevent diseases and fiber to keep our gut healthy. Healthy fats to incorporate are fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados. These are crucial to help our brain health, lubricate joints and keep us full. Lean protein sources such as chicken, tuna, beans,, and eggs are important to keep your energy
high and boost your metabolism. Here are a few great examples of heart-healthy recipes to make this month:

Mediterranean Salmon with White Beans¹
From Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 (6-oz.) salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

How to Make It
Step 1:
Sauté onion in 1 Tbsp. hot oil in a saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add beans, olives and tomatoes; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and stir in basil.

Step 2:
Sprinkle salmon fillets evenly with salt and pepper. Cook salmon in a large nonstick skillet in remaining 1 Tbsp. hot oil over medium-high heat 3 minutes on each side. Spoon bean mixture evenly over salmon fillets and serve immediately. Garnish, if desired.

Simple Persian Salad²
From American Heart Association

Ingredients
2 cucumbers (seeded, diced)
4 medium tomatoes (diced)
1 medium red onion (diced)
2 Tbsp. fat-free feta cheese (crumbled)
1/4 cup chopped, fresh mint or parsley
2 limes (juiced)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions
1. Mix cucumber, tomatoes, onion, feta, and herbs in a bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, oil, and pepper – whisk well.
3. Pour over vegetable mixture and serve.

And course you can finish up the meal with red wine and dark chocolate. The Mayo Clinic reports that red wine contains antioxidants that can help prevent the development of heart disease. The antioxidants help increase the HDL (good) cholesterol and protect against artery damage. ³ Dark chocolate contains flavonoids and antioxidants as well. ⁴

Looking for more tips to improve your nutrition? Contact me today for a nutrition consultation! Visit: http://www.liveyourlifept.com/physical-therapy- wellness-services/dietary- services to learn more about how we can help you!

Nicole Carlson RD, LD
Registered Dietitian
Live Your Life^TM
Bringing Physical Therapy & Wellness to You!

Nicole is a registered and licensed dietitian in the state of Minnesota. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and completed her accredited dietetic internship through Iowa State University.

Nicole has a passion for health, nutrition, and cooking. She enjoys experimenting with and sharing new recipes and cooking techniques with her clients. She is dedicated to educating her clients on how to be mindful of their habits and make healthy changes that will last a lifetime.

Nicole currently works in clinical and private practice settings where she gained experience with diabetes management, heart-healthy cooking, weight loss or weight maintenance, food allergies and sensitives, chronic kidney disease and heart failure.

References
¹“Mediterranean Salmon With White Beans.” MyRecipes, Feb. 2007, www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mediterranean-salmon- with-white- beans. Accessed 1 February 2018.

²Association, American Heart. “Simple Persian Salad.” American Heart Association,
https://recipes.heart.org/Recipes/1103/Simple-Persian- Salad. Accessed 1 February 2018.

³ “Red wine and your heart.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 12 Nov. 2016, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart- disease/in-depth/red- wine/ART-20048281. Accessed 1 February 2018.

⁴ “Chocolates & Heart Health.” Cleveland Clinic, 2015.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16774-heart- healthy-benefits- of-chocolate. Accessed 1 February 2018.