RECIPE: Heart Healthy Recipes
For National Heart Month this February, Discover Great Veg has shared five delicious heart healthy recipes...
All the recipes are lower in saturated fat and salt, which eating too much of can raise cholesterol, risk of heart disease[i] and blood pressure[ii]. To quality as being heart healthy, recipes must score green on the traffic light nutrition system for saturated fat and either green or amber for salt – you can check the nutrition of each below.
Each of these breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas also contains the wonder greens cavolo nero, kale and spinach, which provide important nutrients for heart health, including fibre, which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and stroke[iii].
So, this February and beyond, give these recipes a go for a delicious and easy step towards good heart health.
Falafel with Tomato & Cavolo Nero Sauce
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Skill level: Easy
Ingredients
- 200g pack shredded Cavolo Nero
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 400g can chickpeas, drained
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 300ml vegetable stock
- To serve: cooked couscous
Method
- Cook the cavolo nero in a large saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes, drain. Reserve the saucepan.
- Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion for 4-5 minutes until golden, tip half into the saucepan and set aside.
- Add the spices to the onion in the frying pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Transfer to the bowl of a food processor with the chickpeas, 50g cooked cavolo nero and the flour.
- Season and blitz to give a coarse paste.
- Divide into 12 balls with damp hands and flatten slightly.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and stock to the saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the remaining cavolo nero and cook for a further 3 minutes, season.
- Heat remaining oil in the empty frying pan and fry the falafels for 3 minutes each side or until golden.
- Serve the falafels with the tomato sauce and couscous.
Nutrient | Per 100g | Per Serving | %GDA | Traffic Lights |
| Energy (kcal) | 62 | 278 | 14 | N/A |
| Protein (g) | 2.2 | 9.9 | N/A | N/A |
| Fat (g) | 2.4 | 11 | 16 | Low |
| Sat Fat (g) | 0.3 | 1.4 | 7 | Low |
| Carbs (g) | 6.6 | 30 | N/A | N/A |
| Sugar (g) | 2.8 | 13 | 14 | Low |
| Fibre (g) | 1.9 | 8.3 | N/A | N/A |
| Salt (g) | 0.12 | 0.56 | 9 | Low |
Breakfast Spinach Shakshuka
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 200g spinach
- 4 medium eggs
Method
- Heat the oil in a large sauté or frying pan and fry the leek and pepper for 3-4 minutes, add the spices and cook for 1 minute, season.
- Stir in the tomatoes and 100ml water, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for a few moments until just wilted. Make 4 indents in the mixture with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Cover and cook gently for 3 minutes until the whites have set but the yolks are still runny. Serve immediately.
Nutrient | Per 100g | Per Serving | %GDA | Traffic Lights |
| Energy (kcal) | 61 | 348 | 17 | N/A |
| Protein (g) | 4 | 23 | N/A | N/A |
| Fat (g) | 3.6 | 20 | 29 | Medium |
| Sat Fat (g) | 0.7 | 4.2 | 21 | Low |
| Carbs (g) | 2.4 | 13 | N/A | N/A |
| Sugar (g) | 2.2 | 12 | 13 | Low |
| Fibre (g) | 1.1 | 6.1 | N/A | N/A |
| Salt (g) | 0.08 | 0.5 | 8 | Low |
Lemon and Kale Chicken Tagine
Prep: 20 Minutes
Cook: 20 Minutes
Serves: 4
Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 2 preserved lemons, roughly chopped
- 28g pack coriander
- 2 cloves garlic
- 150g leeks, sliced
- 250g pack kale
- 200ml chicken stock
- 500g chicken breast fillets, cut into large chunks
- 200g couscous
- Fat free natural yogurt and pomegranate seeds to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
- Place the lemons, coriander including the stalks, garlic, leek and 50g kale into a food processor with the stock and blitz to give a coarse paste.
- Heat the paste in a frying pan with the chicken for 5 minutes and transfer to a casserole dish, cover with a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, blanch the remaining kale in boiling water for 3 minutes and then stir into the chicken tagine.
- Place the couscous in a small bowl and pour over 200ml boiling water, cover with clingfilm and leave for 5 minutes, fluff up with a fork and serve with the tagine and a spoonful of fat free natural yogurt.
Nutrient | Per 100g | Per Serving | %GDA | Traffic Lights |
| Energy (kcal) | 85 | 373 | 19 | N/A |
| Protein (g) | 8 | 35 | N/A | N/A |
| Fat (g) | 0.9 | 4.1 | 6 | Low |
| Sat Fat (g) | 0.2 | 0.8 | 4 | Low |
| Carbs (g) | 10 | 44 | N/A | N/A |
| Sugar (g) | 2.3 | 10 | 11 | Low |
| Fibre (g) | 1.9 | 8.3 | N/A | N/A |
| Salt (g) | 0.37 | 1.6 | 27 | Medium |
Ginger Harissa Roasted Vegetable Pilaf
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 2 parsnips, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5cm piece root ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 200g pack sliced Cavolo Nero
- 250g pouch super seeds with quinoa & chia
- 200g brown basmati rice
- Juice 1 lime
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
- Place the parsnips, carrot and onion on a large baking tray and toss with 1 tbsp oil, ginger and harissa, season and roast for 20 minutes. Add the cavolo nero, the seeds mix and toss in the remaining oil, roast for a further 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice in boiling water for 20-25 minutes until tender and drain well.
- Stir the rice into the vegetable mixture with the lime juice, season and serve.
Cooking tips: Great to use up leftover cooked rice.
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per Serving | %GDA | Traffic Lights |
| Energy (kcal) | 134 | 535 | 27 | N/A |
| Protein (g) | 3.6 | 14 | N/A | N/A |
| Fat (g) | 4.4 | 18 | 26 | Medium |
| Sat Fat (g) | 0.8 | 3.2 | 16 | Low |
| Carbs (g) | 18 | 73 | N/A | N/A |
| Sugar (g) | 4 | 16 | 18 | Low |
| Fibre (g) | 3.4 | 14 | N/A | N/A |
| Salt (g) | 0.1 | 0.3 | 5 | Low |
Creamy Cavolo Nero and Leek Soup, with Cavolo Nero Crisps
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients
- 200g pack sliced cavolo nero
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 500g leeks, sliced
- 1 potato, diced
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 300ml semi skimmed milk
- For a Vegan Option: Swap milk with vegan alternative (almond or oat milk)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
- Toss 75g cavolo nero with half the oil and paprika, season and spread out onto a large baking tray, roast for 10 minutes until crisp.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large saucepan and fry the remaining cavolo nero, leeks and potato for 5 minutes.
- Add the stock, cover and simmer for 10 minutes then add the milk. Using a stick blender, process to give a coarse texture.
- Divide between 4 bowls and top with the cavolo nero crisps.
Cooking tips: For a vegan option, replace the milk with soya or almond milk.
Nutrient | Per 100g | Per Serving | %GDA | Traffic Lights |
| Energy (kcal) | 34 | 187 | 9 | N/A |
| Protein (g) | 1.5 | 8 | N/A | N/A |
| Fat (g) | 1.1 | 6.1 | 9 | Low |
| Sat Fat (g) | 0.3 | 1.5 | 8 | Low |
| Carbs (g) | 4 | 22 | N/A | N/A |
| Sugar (g) | 1.9 | 11 | 12 | Low |
| Fibre (g) | 1.3 | 7.1 | N/A | N/A |
| Salt (g) | 0.3 | 1.6 | 27 | Low |
About Discover Great Veg
Discover Great Veg provides inspiration on delicious ways to enjoy cavolo nero, leeks, spinach and kale, details on how they are grown and information on what each offers as part of a healthy balanced diet.
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/eat-less-saturated-fat/
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronary-heart-disease/prevention/#:~:text=You%20should%20limit%20the%20amount,of%20fat%3A%20saturated%20and%20unsaturated.[1] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/
