February is Heart Month in Canada, and we could all use some extra love, especially self-love. It’s also one of the colder months of the year, taking a toll on both our physical and mental well-being. So, this month, love yourself first with some of our employee’s favourite healthy meals recipes that are good for your heart. They can be enjoyed solo, with your partner or packaged up and delivered to friends and family. Because nothing says “I love you” more than something homemade and delicious.
Kiwi to my heart: Kiwi, banana and mixed berry smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup vanilla or coconut Greek yogurt
- 1 banana
- ½ avocado
- Handful of spinach
- ½ cup whichever mixed fruit you like—mangos and pineapple add natural sweetness and lots of vitamin C. Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries add lots of antioxidants
- Milk (can substitute with coconut, oat or almond milk)
Directions
Blend together until smooth.
Eggsactly what I need: Sausage egg casserole with veggies
This healthy meal recipe is by Eating Bird Food
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato diced into 1/4-inch chunks
- cooking spray (olive, avocado or coconut oil)
- 1-pound ground breakfast chicken or turkey sausage
- 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2 cups torn kale
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 eggs
- ½ cup non-dairy milk
Makes great leftovers that can be stored in an air-tight container.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray sweet potato chunks with cooking spray and roast in the oven until tender, about 30 minutes, tossing at the halfway point.
- Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about five to seven minutes. Transfer sausage to a bowl and add two teaspoons of oil to the same skillet. Once hot, add onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook until onions are translucent, about six to seven minutes, then add kale. Cook for another two to three minutes to allow the kale to wilt. Remove from heat and transfer veggies to the bowl with the sausage.
- Add the roasted sweet potato into the bowl as well.
- Whisk eggs, milk, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper together in a separate medium bowl. Add egg mixture to the sausage, sweet potato and veggie mixture. Pour into a large baking dish (9 X 13) sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake in the preheated oven until set, about 20 to 25 minutes; the cook time will depend on the size of your baking dish. Let stand for five minutes and serve.
Chowder you doin’?: Dairy-free clam chowder
Ingredients
- 4 slices turkey bacon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (coconut oil works too)
- 2 cloves garlic— minced
- 1 onion—diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons flour (oat flour works too)
- 1 cup milk (cashew, oat or almond)
- 1 cup soup broth (homemade chicken is the way to go)
- 1 can clams with clam juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 russet potatoes—peeled and diced sweet potato can also be used)
- 1 cup half and half (coconut milk is a wonderful substitute)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Cook bacon until crisp in a frying pan or oven.
- Melt butter or add the oil to a pan then cook the onion and garlic until translucent in pot. Add Thyme for one minute.
- Add flour until lightly browned. Gradually whisk in milk, broth, clam juice and bay leaf until it’s slightly thickened.
- Stir in potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Stir in the cream and clams and let them warm up for one to two minutes.
- Garnish with cooked bacon and parsley.
Head over peels: Banana bombs
Banana bombs
Ingredients
- One or two bananas
- Peanut butter
- Dark chocolate
Directions
- Slice bananas into chunks and place on wax paper on a cookie sheet—bite-sized pieces are key.
- Spread peanut butter (or a nut free butter) on each piece then top with another piece of banana.
- Melt dark chocolate and drizzle over top of each.
- Pop into the freezer until frozen.
If you are an Alberta Blue Cross® plan member, you have access to Balance®, which has even more healthy meals recipes to try as well as nutrition tips and healthy activity challenges. Log in to our member site to access Balance®.
A healthy meal is a great start. Explore other simple ways to reduce risk and keep your heart healthy.
