Dietitians Dish – March 16, 2025
More Veggies, Please!
Planning meals that include some additional vegetables offers numerous health benefits. Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. That’s due to the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in these valuable food groups.
Lowering sodium and fat with better-for-you ingredients can improve nutritional value of comfort food recipes. Serve this protein and veggie-filled casserole paired with a leafy green salad and fruit for a simple weeknight meal.
Heart Healthy Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped fine
- 4 cups cooked cubed chicken breast
- 1 can (10.75 oz) low fat, low sodium cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup low-fat sour cream 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup corn flakes, crushed
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 2 Tbsps. chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté pepper, onion and celery until vegetables are softened. Place half the vegetables into a 2-quart casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, mix the remaining half of the vegetables, chicken, soup, sour cream and water until combined. Add chicken mixture to vegetables in the casserole dish. In a small bowl, combine the crushed corn flakes, paprika and parsley and mix until well combined. Top the casserole filling with the cornflake mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and lightly spray corn flake topping with nonstick cooking spray. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe and image courtesy of Healthecooks.com.
Heart Healthy Apple Gorgonzola Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsps. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard (gluten free if needed)
- 2 Tbsps. olive oil
- 3 apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 5 cups torn Romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
- Black pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, Romaine, walnuts and Gorgonzola. Add the vinaigrette, season with black pepper and toss to coat evenly.
Recipe and image courtesy of Healthecooks.com.