Recipes

Make Dude Food Heart-Healthy

Posted: 2/9/2012

Having a heart-healthy diet is easier than many men think.

(NAPSI)—Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one killer of U.S. men, accounting for about a third of all deaths. Men have a higher incidence of CVD than women and tend to experience their first cardiac event earlier.

“Sometimes men take a fatalistic approach to heart health,” says nutrition consultant Christopher Mohr, Ph.D., R.D. “They think if someone in their family had heart disease, it’s over for them the same way, but really, they can prevent it up to 80 percent of the time with a healthy diet and lifestyle.”

On the flip side, he added, some men, especially when young, think they’re invincible and don’t have to worry about heart health. But they should.

To combat these attitudes and statistics, CanolaInfo created a “Heart-Healthy Dude Food Recipe Collection” to encourage men to make some of their favorite dishes better for them. Each recipe is made with canola oil, which has the least saturated fat and most omega-3 fat of all cooking oils. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a qualified health claim on canola oil’s potential to reduce heart disease risk when used in place of saturated fat.

“I don’t tell my patients to give up their favorite foods,” Mohr says. “I simply encourage them to make smarter choices, like substituting canola oil for solid fats or other oils and choosing lean cuts of meat, and to be mindful of portion sizes.”

CanolaInfo’s Dude Food recipes include Hoisin-Whiskey Glazed Meatballs, Beef Tenderloin with Balsamic-Coffee Sauce, Herbed Pork Chops on Mustard Sauce, Fall-Apart Beer Brisket, Grilled Tuna Steaks with Cilantro and Basil and this one:

Deep, Dark and Stout Chili

2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

1-1/2 lb extra lean ground beef (or 1 lb extra lean ground beef and 15-oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained)

2 cups diced green bell peppers

1 cup diced red onion

3 cans (14.5 oz each) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes

1 bottle (12 oz) dark stout beer

3 Tbsp chili powder

1-1/2 Tbsp ground cumin

1-1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika (optional)

1 Tbsp sodium-free beef bouillon granules

1 tsp salt

Toppings

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1 medium lime, cut into six wedges

1. In Dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp canola oil over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown beef, about 3−4 minutes per batch, stirring frequently. In sauté pan, heat remaining 1 Tbsp canola oil and cook bell peppers and onions 4 minutes or until onions are soft, stirring frequently. Stir in cooked beef and add remaining ingredients, except salt. Bring just to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in salt.

2. Serve chili with choice of toppings placed in three small bowls.

Yield: 8 servings. Serving size: 1⅓ cups.

Nutritional Analysis per Serving: Calories 240, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 45 mg, Sodium 480 mg, Carbohydrates 18 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 20 g

The complete “Heart-Healthy Dude Food Recipe Collection” is available at www.CanolaInfo.org. Visit Facebook.com/CanolaInfo and Twitter.com/CanolaInfo for more information.