Meal Plans and Recipes for Heart Health
Cardiac Diet recipes that are simple to prepare with easy to find, budget friendly ingredients.
Meal Plans that are specifically designed for Heart Failure patients with Diabetes.
FREE printables to help you with meal planning, shopping, and tracking your progress.
Cooking Heart Smart
Welcome to your new best friend when it comes to Meal Planning for Heart patients or anyone on a Cardiac diet.
Because many heart patients also have Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, or High Cholesterol, other Risk Factors that Affect Your Heart are considered when creating recipes and meal plans
Because Meal Planning should not be that hard, every Recipe and Meal Plan includes Nutrition Facts and Food Groups. Most importantly, it gives you confidence that you’re managing your diet needs.
About Meal Plans
NEW Meal Planner is here!!
These will be weekly meal plans that you can edit, scale recipes, and print an organized shopping list. Oh Happy Day!!
- Each Meal Plan is carefully planned to follow healthy heart guidelines that focus on low fat, low cholesterol, low sodium, and reduced sugar and carbs.
- Every Meal Plan includes nutrition facts, Food Groups, tips, and a printable shopping list that is organized by grocery store aisles.
- All recipes are low sodium, low cholesterol, and low saturated fat
Why Focus on Three
Because Sodium (salt) causes the body to retain water which can be a burden on the heart. This is one reason why many doctors recommend that you weigh yourself daily to monitor any weight gain that is not explained. Excess sodium can also raise your blood pressure which makes your heart work harder and increases your risk of stroke or heart failure. The American Heart Association recommends 1500-2300 milligrams of sodium per day.
Good vs Bad Fat
Bad Fat is Saturated and comes from animal proteins such as beef, pork, and dairy products.
Good Fats are Unsaturated such as Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated.
Saturated Fats also raise Cholesterol levels in your blood which can increase your risk of stroke or heart disease. Therefore, it’s important that you understand the differences between fats. To get you started, read about the Best Cooking Oils for Heart Health.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting Saturated Fat to 5-6 percent of total calories. That means about 13 grams for a 2,000 calorie diet.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that travels through your blood and can cling to your arteries. Too much buildup can block blood flow to your heart, brain, and other organs. Thus, increasing your risk of stroke, heart attack, or heart failure.
HDL is the “good” cholesterol and LDL is the “bad” cholesterol. Increasing HDL and lowering LDL may help reduce risks. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting cholesterol to 300 milligrams or less per day.
Roast Pork Loin with Pepper Jelly Glaze
Don't let the "Pepper Jelly" scare you away. The pepper jelly adds a great flavor to the glaze with just a slight heat. Marinate the
Horseradish Flank Steak over Cauliflower-Potato Mash
Slow cooked flank steak with a slightly tangy onion gravy served over creamy cauliflower-potato mash. This dinner is elegant enough from company, or any special
Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Roasted carrots are a super easy side dish that pairs well with any meat. You can use any herb you want, so pick what works
Homemade Pizza with Roasted Veggies and Fresh Mozzarella
Start with your favorite homemade pizza dough, or store bought pizza dough found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. One pound of dough
Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
What says Italian like Capicola ham, pesto, red peppers, and mozzarella cheese melted into a delicious sandwich? It all comes together pretty quick when you
Low Cholesterol Egg and Tomato Scramble
Substituting liquid egg whites for half of the eggs in the recipe reduces the total cholesterol. Just be sure to choose high quality 100% Liquid