Roasted Eggplant and Heirloom Tomatoes
"As registered dietitians, we often recommend that half of your plate be comprised of vegetables as part of a heart healthy diet," says licensed dietitian and certified diabetes educator Patty Berry of Texas Nutrition Consultants in Austin, Texas.
Berry created the following easy and delicious recipe to help meet that goal on cold winter days when a salad may lack appeal. The dish is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber and uses healthy monounsaturated fat in the form of olive oil, Berry says.
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant
- 4 heirloom tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, gently toss all ingredients. Spread the vegetables onto a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes.
Swiss Chard and Chicken Sausage
As a nutritionist, registered dietitian and mom, Kyle Bunton of Ann Arbor Nutrition says her goal is to provide healthy food that tastes good too.
"My family loves this recipe, which uses Swiss chard as it grows easily in the summer and is plentiful in the fall and winter months," Bunton says.
Swiss Chard comes in many colors and varieties to add delicious taste to this dish. Chard is rich in natural nutrients that promotes good health and disease prevention as well as being low in calories, Bunton says.
More: Which Are the Best Leafy Greens?
"It is rich in minerals like copper, calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus," Bunton says. "Potassium plays an important role in the control of blood pressure. Regular intake of chard has been found to prevent osteoporosis, iron-deficiency anemia, and is believed to protect form cardiovascular disease."
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Large bunch of cleaned and chopped Swiss chard
- 1 large onion sliced
- 12 ounces of sliced mushrooms
- 4 to 6 small fingerling or redskin potatoes
- 2 to 4 medium size chicken and maple flavored sausages
- 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- Low fat/sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- Nutmeg
- Black pepper
Set a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add the olive oil, mushrooms, potatoes, sausage and garlic. Saut? until the potatoes are tender and slightly browned. Add the Swiss chard and broth and cover. Cook until just tender to prevent it from becoming bitter. Before serving flavor with the black pepper and nutmeg.
Option: In place of the sausage and potatoes, add a 14-ounce can of drained white beans.
More: Love Yourself With This Heart-Healthy Grocery List
Get more nutrition advice here.
