Heart Healthy Home Cooking
African American Style
With Every Heartbeat Is Life
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
African American Style
With Every Heartbeat Is Life
NIH Publication No. 08-3792
Revised May 2008
Special thanks to Wahida Karmal y, Dr.P.H., R.D.,
CDE, CLS, and her col eagues at the Irving Center
for Research at Columbia University for testing the
recipes with the African American community.
Recipes were analyzed using the Nutrition Data System for Research, 2005.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Salads, Vegetables, and Side Dishes
Good-for-You Cornbread ............................................................................. 4
Homestyle Biscuits ....................................................................................... 5
Savory Potato Salad....................................................................................... 6
Candied Yams................................................................................................ 7
Smothered Greens ......................................................................................... 8
Limas and Spinach ........................................................................................ 9
Vegetable Stew............................................................................................... 1 0
Classic Macaroni and Cheese .....................................................................11
Autumn Salad .............................................................................................. 12
Flavorful Green Beans ................................................................................ 13
Caribbean Casserole ....................................................................................14
Spicy Okra .................................................................................................... 1 5
Main Dishes
Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken ....................................................................... 18
Mouth-Watering Oven-Fried Fish ............................................................ 19
Finger-Licking Curried Chicken ............................................................... 20
Poached Salmon ...........................................................................................21
Jamaican Jerk Chicken................................................................................ 22
Baked Pork Chops ....................................................................................... 23
Jumpin’ Jambalaya...................................................................................... 24
Scrumptious Meat Loaf .............................................................................. 25
Spicy Southern Barbecued Chicken.......................................................... 26
Desserts
1-2-3 Peach Cobbler .................................................................................... 28
Mock-Southern Sweet Potato Pie .............................................................. 29
Southern Banana Pudding ......................................................................... 30
Summer Breeze Smoothie ...........................................................................31
Tangy Fruit Salad ........................................................................................ 32
Recipe Substitutions for Heart
Healthy Cooking.......................................................................... 34
Is It Done Yet? Temperature Rules
for Safe Cooking ......................................................................... 36
Introduction
Good food is one of life’s great joys. And good meals are a shared pleasure at the heart of African American family life and special celebrations. This recipe book brings together many African American favorite recipes, prepared in a heart healthy way, lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium! It shows how to prepare dishes in ways that help protect you and your family from heart disease and stroke. This is important because heart disease and stroke are the first and the third leading cause of death for African Americans. By making
small changes in the way you and your family eat, you can
help reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.
This updated recipe book includes new recipes, along with some of your old favorites. New information on heart healthy food substitutions and food safety is also included.
So, make a start today. Give those old favorites a new, tasty, heart healthy makeover. And help keep the heart of your family strong!
Salads, Vegetables, and Side Dishes
Good-for-You Cornbread
Homestyle Biscuits
Savory Potato Salad
Candied Yams
Smothered Greens
Limas and Spinach
Vegetable Stew
Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Autumn Salad
Flavorful Green Beans
Caribbean Casserole
Spicy Okra
Good-for-You Cornbread
This is not only good for you, but good in you—making it a healthy comfort food.
n 1 cup cornmeal
n 1 cup flour
n ¼ cup sugar
n 1 teaspoon baking powder
n 1 cup low-fat (1%) buttermilk
n 1 egg, whole
n ¼ cup margarine, regular, tub
n 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (to grease baking pan)
1. Preheat oven to 350 oF.
2. Mix together cornmeal, flour, sugar, and baking powder.
3. In another bowl, combine buttermilk and egg. Beat lightly.
4. Slowly add buttermilk and egg mixture to dry ingredients.
5. Add margarine and mix by hand or with mixer for 1 minute.
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes in an 8 x 8-inch, greased baking dish.
Cool. Cut into 10 squares.
Yield: 10 servings
Serving size: 1 square
Calories 178
Total Fat 6 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 22 mg
Sodium 94 mg
Total Fiber 1 g
Protein 4 g
Carbohydrates 27 g
Potassium 132 mg
4
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
Homestyle Biscuits
Update your homestyle biscuits with this easy, low-fat recipe.
n 2 cups all purpose flour
n 2 teaspoons baking powder
n ¼ teaspoon baking soda
n ¼ teaspoon salt
n 2 tablespoons sugar
n ⅔ cup low-fat (1%) buttermilk
n 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1. Preheat oven to 450 oF.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
3. In small bowl, stir together buttermilk and oil. Pour over flour mixture and stir until well mixed.
4. On lightly floured surface, knead dough gently for 10–12 strokes.
Roll or pat dough to ¾-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, dipping cookie cutter in flour between cuts. Transfer biscuits to an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Yield: 15 servings
Serving size: 1 biscuit
Calories 99
Total Fat 3 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 72 mg
Total Fiber 1 g
Protein 2 g
Carbohydrates 15 g
Potassium 102 mg
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
5
Savory Potato Salad
Here’s a potato salad that’s both traditional and new—with great taste and a low-fat twist.
n 6 medium potatoes (about 2 pounds)
n 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
n 2 scallions, finely chopped
n ¼ cup red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
n ¼ cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
n 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
n 1 egg, hard boiled, chopped
n 6 tablespoons mayonnaise, light
n 1 teaspoon mustard
n ½ teaspoon salt
n ¼ teaspoon black pepper
n ¼ teaspoon dill weed, dried
1. Wash potatoes, cut in half, and place in saucepan of cold water.
2. Cook covered over medium heat for 25–30 minutes or until tender.
3. Drain and dice potatoes when cool.
4. Add vegetables and egg to potatoes and toss.
5. Blend together mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and dill weed.
6. Pour dressing over potato mixture and stir gently to coat evenly.
7. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Yield: 10 servings
Serving size: ½ cup
Calories 98
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 21 mg
Sodium 212 mg
Total Fiber 2 g
Protein 2 g
Carbohydrates 18 g
Potassium 291 mg
6
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
Candied Yams
A bit of margarine and some orange juice make this dish sweet.
n 3 medium yams (1½ cups)
n ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
n 1 teaspoon flour, sifted
n ¼ teaspoon salt
n ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
n ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
n ¼ teaspoon orange peel
n 1 teaspoon soft tub margarine
n ½ cup orange juice
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Cut yams in half and boil until tender, but firm (about 20 minutes).
When cool enough to handle, peel and slice into ¼-inch thickness.
3. Combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and grated orange peel.
4. Place half of sliced yams in medium-sized casserole dish. Sprinkle with spiced sugar mixture.
5. Dot with half the amount of margarine.
6. Add second layer of yams, using the rest of the ingredients in the order above. Add orange juice.
7. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: ¼ cup
Calories 110
Total Fat 0 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 115 mg
Total Fiber 2 g
Protein 1 g
Carbohydrates 25 g
Potassium 344 mg
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
7
Smothered Greens
These healthy greens get their rich flavor from smoked turkey, instead of fatback.
n 3 cups water
n ¼ pound smoked turkey breast, skinless
n 1 tablespoon fresh hot pepper, chopped
n ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
n ¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
n 2 cloves garlic, crushed
n ½ teaspoon thyme
n 1 scallion, chopped
n 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
n ¼ cup onion, chopped
n 2 pounds greens (mustard, turnip, collard, kale, or mixture) 1. Place all ingredients except greens into large saucepan and bring to boil.
2. Prepare greens by washing thoroughly and removing stems.
3. Tear or slice leaves into bite-size pieces.
4. Add greens to turkey stock. Cook for 20–30 minutes until tender.
Yield: 5 servings
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories 80
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 16 mg
Sodium 378 mg
Total Fiber 4 g
Protein 9 g
Carbohydrates 9 g
Potassium 472 mg
8
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
Limas and Spinach
Your family will love vegetables cooked this way.
n 2 cups frozen lima beans
n 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
n 1 cup fennel, cut in 4-inch strips
n ½ cup onion, chopped
n ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
n 4 cups leaf spinach, washed thoroughly
n 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
n ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
n 1 tablespoon raw chives
1. Steam or boil lima beans in unsalted water for about
10 minutes. Drain.
2. In skillet, saute onions and fennel in oil.
3. Add beans and broth to onions and cover. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in spinach. Cover and cook until spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes.
5. Stir in vinegar and pepper. Cover and let stand for 30 seconds.
6. Sprinkle with chives and serve.
Yield: 7 servings
Serving size:
½ cup
Calories 93
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 84 mg
Total Fiber 6 g
Protein 5 g
Carbohydrates 15 g
Potassium 452 mg
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
9
Vegetable Stew
Here’s a great new way to use summer vegetables.
n 3 cups water
n 1 15-ounce can sweet corn,
n 1 cube vegetable bouillon, low sodium
rinsed and drained
n 2 cups white potatoes,
(or 2 ears fresh corn, 1½ cups)
cut in 2-inch strips
n 1 teaspoon thyme
n 2 cups carrots, sliced
n 2 cloves garlic, minced
n 4 cups summer squash,
n 1 stalk scallion, chopped
cut in 1-inch squares
n ½ small hot pepper, chopped
n 1 cup summer squash,
n 1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
cut in 4 chunks
n 1 cup tomatoes, diced
Note: You can add other favorite vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower.
1. Put water and bouillon in large pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add potatoes and carrots and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except for tomatoes, and continue cooking for 15 minutes over medium heat.
4. Remove 4 chunks of squash and puree in blender.
5. Return pureed mixture to pot and let cook for 10 minutes more.
6. Add tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes to allow stew to thicken.
Yield: 8 servings
Serving size: 1¼ cup
Calories 119
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 196 mg
Total Fiber 4 g
Protein 4 g
Carbohydrates 27 g
Potassium 524 mg
10
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
Classic Macaroni and Cheese
This recipe proves you don’t have to give up your favorite dishes to eat heart healthy meals. Here’s a lower-fat version of a true classic.
n 2 cups macaroni
n 2 cups onions, chopped
n 2 cups evaporated fat-free milk
n 1 medium egg, beaten
n ¼ teaspoon black pepper
n 1¼ cups low-fat cheddar cheese, finely shredded
n nonstick cooking spray, as needed
1. Cook macaroni according to directions—but do not
add salt to the cooking water. Drain and set aside.
2. Spray casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Preheat oven to 350 oF.
4. Lightly spray saucepan with nonstick cooking spray.
Add onions to saucepan and saute for about 3 minutes.
5. In another bowl, combine macaroni, onions, and the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
6. Transfer mixture into casserole dish.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for
10 minutes before serving.
Yield: 8 servings
Serving size: ½ cup
Calories 200
Total Fat 4 g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Cholesterol 34 mg
Sodium 120 mg
Total Fiber 1 g
Protein 11 g
Carbohydrates 29 g
Potassium 119 mg
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
11
Autumn Salad
This fresh and tasty salad will delight all.
n 1 medium Granny Smith apple, sliced thinly (with skin) n 2 tablespoons lemon juice
n 1 bag (about 5 cups) mixed lettuce greens
(or your favorite lettuce)
n ½ cup dried cranberries
n ¼ cup walnuts, chopped
n ¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds
n ⅓ cup low-fat raspberry vinaigrette dressing
1. Sprinkle lemon juice on the apple slices.
2. Mix the lettuce, cranberries, apple, walnuts,
and sunflower seeds in a bowl.
3. Toss with ⅓ cup of raspberry vinaigrette dressing,
to lightly cover the salad.
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories 138
Total Fat 7 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 41 mg
Total Fiber 3 g
Protein 3 g
Carbohydrates 19 g
Potassium 230 mg
12
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
Flavorful Green Beans
The seasonings are perfect companions to the green beans.
n 2 pounds fresh green beans
n ½ cup water
n ⅓ cup onions, chopped
n 4 cloves garlic, chopped
n nonstick cooking spray
n ½ teaspoon black pepper
n ½ teaspoon dried basil
n ½ teaspoon oregano
1. Rinse green beans and snap off tips.
2. Place green beans in a large pot and add ½ cup of cold water.
3. Cook green beans on stovetop over medium heat for 10 minutes.
4. In a separate pan, saute chopped onions and garlic, using the cooking spray, for 5 minutes or until they are tender and very lightly browned.
5. Add onions, garlic, and black pepper to green beans. Spray the cooking spray over mixture, and cook on medium heat for another 20 minutes or until green beans are tender, but not soft.
Stir occasionally.
6. Sprinkle dried basil and oregano over green beans. Mix and serve.
Yield: 7 servings
Serving size:
1 cup
Calories 40
Total Fat 0 g
Saturated Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 12 mg
Total Fiber 4 g
Protein 2 g
Carbohydrates 9 g
Potassium 179 mg
Heart Healthy Home Cooking
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