Heart Healthy Salmon Patties

serves 3

1/3 cup cooked cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
7 ounces left over salmon or canned salmon
1/3 cup almond meal
1 tablespoon diced onion
1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
1 tablespoon minced parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 clove garlic, minced or grated
2 tablespoons grated carrot
2 tablespoons grated yellow squash or zucchini
1 large egg
Coconut oil for frying

1. Drain & rinse cooked beans
2. Drain & rinse cooked salmon
3. Place beans, herbs, onion, carrot, squash, garlic, egg and herbs in food processor and process.
4. Add the beans and salmon together with the almond meal and combine well. 
5. Add coconut oil to warm skillet at med-high heat. 
6. Form into 3 patties and fry 4-5 minutes on each side.
7. Serve on bun as a sandwich, as a salad topper, alone, etc

Day Four - Heart Healthy Menu

BREAKFAST
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal - Use the recipe from Day One and use diced, peeled apple in place of the raisins.

LUNCH
Salmon Patties
1/2 pound Steamed Asparagus
Mixed organic salad with Italian dressing - 2 cups
Iced Tea

SUPPER
Bean Taquitos
Fiesta Black Bean Salad, 1 cup
Mixed organic salad, 2 cups
Cherries, Grapes, or berries, 1 cup

SNACK
Apple with peanut butter
Nut Cup (1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds,  2 tablespoons raw almonds and pistachios, 1 tablespoon raw walnuts and pecans, 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds) MANDATORY
1 Banana MANDATORY
Dill Pickle
1 cup Raw Vegetables & Hummas or Black Bean Dip

Bean Taquitos
Serves 2+ the toddler
1 cup refried pinto beans
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/4 cups Salsa (we love our Fermented Salsa always in our frig)
2 medium peppers, roasted
4 med gluten-free corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 medium avocado, sliced
1/2 medium lime
4 tablespoons grated Mexican Blend Cheese

1. Heat beans and cayenne pepper in a saucepan on med-high heat.  Once the beans bubble stir in salsa and remove from heat.
2. Spread 1/4 of the bean-salsa mixture on each tortilla. 
3. Cut peppers in half and place 1/2 pepper over beans on each tortilla.
4. Add shredded cabbage and sliced avocado. 
5. Drizzle lime juice evenly over cabbage.
6. Sprinkle cheese over cabbage.
7. Roll tortilla into taquito and serve.

Fiesta Black Bean Salad
serves 2 + the toddler
1 1/2 teaspoon virgin olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1/8 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
pinch ground black pepper
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 med garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp red chili flakes (or to taste)
3/4 cups black beans, cooked, drained, and rinsed
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 Avocado, diced
1 med tomato, chopped
11/2 teaspoon lime juice

1. Heat pan to medium-high heat.  Add oil, onion, green pepper, salt, black pepper, cumin, and oregano.  Saute for about 2 minutes until onion softens. 
2. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic with red chili flakes, heat 1 more minute, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the black beans corn, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice with the onion-spice mixture. 
4. Serve immediately or serve later chilled.

Menu Plan and recipes on this page adapted from The 30-Day Heart Tune-up by Steven Masley, MD

Oh Nuts!

"Many people shun nuts because they believe them to be too fatty, but this is a mistake.  Nuts are another miracle food, because they decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.  They are packed with protein, anti-aging compounds, and fiber.  They make you feel full, so you're less likely to reach for an unhealthy snack.  And they contain mostly healthy fats.  Most recently, research published in the NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE showed that adding extra olive oil and nuts (2 handfuls daily of pecans, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts) to your diet was better at reducing rates of cardiovascular events (especially strokes) than following the traditional American Heart Association-recommended moderate fat diet.  Further, these same nuts have been shown in randomized clinical trials to lower cholesterol levels when you eat 102 ounces a day.  Research published in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINACIAL NUTRITIONS found that people who ate 1-2 ounces (1-2 handfuls) o almonds daily lost more weight than those who ate other complex carbohydrates, so nuts appear to benefit both your heart and your waistline.  Every study published to date has shown that eating nuts regularly decreases your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death."  Steven Masley, MD in his book THE 30-DAY HEART TUNE-UP.


Below is an article by Suzanne Robin at http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-nuts-raw-vs-roasted-3920.html

"Nuts, once shunned because of their high fat content, are now recognized as a nutritionally valuable food. The type of processing nuts undergo can affect their nutritional benefit; some alternative health professionals advocate eating nuts raw rather than cooked. Both raw and roasted nuts have benefits and drawbacks; most nuts sold as raw have actually been dried or soaked to remove harmful substances.

The nuts you buy in the store have generally been roasted, often in oil. Nuts naturally contain little sodium, but commercial manufacturers often add salt to their nuts. If you're watching your sodium intake, look for unsalted nuts. Oil-roasted nuts have more calories than raw nuts, but the difference isn't significant. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists oil-roasted cashews as containing 580 calories per 100 grams, compared to 553 calories for raw cashews. The vitamins and minerals in the two products varied little, except for extra monounsaturated fat in the oil-roasted nuts. Monounsaturated fat is considered heart-healthy, since it helps lower cholesterol levels.  PLEASE NOTE: Make sure the oil is monounsaturated, this is not always the case. Jean

Raw nuts that haven't been soaked or dried contain substances that can cause harm. Plants such as nuts contain enzymes or other substances that protect the plant from germinating too soon or from being eaten by insects. Phytic acid in raw nuts protects the plant but can block your body from absorbing nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. Soaking the nuts or drying them removes the phytic acid. Getting too much phytic acid in your diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

Raw nuts can also harbor harmful bacteria. For this reason, raw almonds, which have been implicated in several salmonella outbreaks, are no longer sold in California, the main almond producer in the United States. Roasting, blanching, lightly steaming and heating destroy salmonella bacteria. Peanuts can harbor aflatoxins, harmful fungi that, like salmonella, can cause severe illness. Roasting kills about 50 percent of the aflatoxins present in nuts; hand sorting after roasting to remove discolored nuts further reduces the number of contaminated nuts that make it to market, according to the International Food Safety Network.

Roasting nuts also has its risks. Acrylamides -- chemicals that form in foods during the roasting process -- have carcinogenic effects in animals and could also have harmful human effects. In a Swiss study reported in the 2005 "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," researchers noted that nuts highest in free asparagine, a type of amino acid, had the highest levels of acrylamides after roasting. In this study, roasted hazelnuts contained low levels of acrylamides, and European almonds contained less than almonds grown in the United States.

Our Daily Nut Cup: Nut Cup (1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon walnuts, hazelnuts and pecans, 2 tablespoons raw almonds, and 2 Brazil nuts)

Is soaking nuts necessary?

How to soak nuts.....

Day Three - Healthy Heart Tune-up

BREAKFAST
Breakfast Shake: (serves one), 1.5 cups milk or milk substitute (I used a container of full fat, raw milk yogurt and a bit of water, 1 cup frozen berries (or 1/2 banana and 1/2 cup berries), 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (grind in small coffee grinder or spice grinder), 1 scoop protein powder of your choice


LUNCH
Lentil Chili
Mixed organic salad with Italian dressing
Iced Tea

SUPPER
Cod with Hazelnut Crust, Wild Rice with Kale and Wild Mushrooms, Mixed green Salad (2-3 cups), 2 tablespoons Vinaigrette dressing, 1 cup fruit topped with 2 tablespoons yogurt




SNACK
Apple with peanut butter
Nut Cup (1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds,  2 tablespoons raw almonds and pistachios, 1 tablespoon raw walnuts and pecans, 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds) MANDATORY
1 Banana MANDATORY
Dill Pickle
1 cup Raw Vegetables & Hummas or Black Bean Dip

Please note:  USE ONLY US BROWN RICE!  WE USE ONLY LUNDBERG RICE!

Cod with Hazelnut Crust
serves 2 plus the toddler
4 cod fillets (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 large egg (omega-3, free-range, organic)
1 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian herb blend
pinch ground black pepper
Nut oil (almond or walnut)
2 med garlic cloves, minced
2 Lemon wedges

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Rinse fish fillets, soak in orange juice for 10 minutes, then pat dry.
3. Meanwhile, beat the egg in a bowl.
4. Heat a saute pan to medium, saute the ground hazelnuts with salt, herbs, pepper and garlic for 2 minutes, enough to toast the hazelnuts slightly, but not brown them.
5. Transfer 1/2 of the nut mixture to a plate at a time.  Dip the fish first in the egg, then in the hazelnut mixture.  When dipping fish coated with egg in the nut flour, some of the flour will become wet and will clump.
6. When finished coating the fish, discard all the excess nut mixture that came in contact with raw fish.
7. Coat a baking dish with nut oil and place fish on it.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes, until tender and flaky.  Garnish with a wedge of lemon.

Wild Rice with Kale and Mushrooms
serves 2 plus the toddler
1/2 cup wild rice
2 cups water
1/2 cup chicken stock (homemade preferred)
1 1/2 teaspoon nut oil (almond or walnut)
1/2 med onion, diced
1/8 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
2 cups wild mushrooms (shiitake, crimini, canterelle, or oyster)
2 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed (thin slices)
7 ounces garbanzo beans (or other white or red beans), cooked, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon rough chopped pecans

1. Combine wild rice, water, and stock in a pot; bring to a boil.  Simmer 50 minutes, until rice is barely firm.  Drain and set aside.
2. Ten minutes before rice is ready, heat a large saute pan to med-high and add oil, onion, salt, pepper and herbs.  Saute 1 minutes, with occasional stirring. 
3. Add mushrooms and saute an additional 2 minutes until mushrooms soften.
4. Add kale and beans, reduce heat to medium, cover, cook 2 minutes, and remove from heat.
5. When rice is cooked and drained, mix with sautéed vegetables.
6. Garnish with pecans.

Vinaigrette Dressing
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons white wine or apple juice
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon tamari sauce
1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 med garlic loves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

1. Combine ingredients and serve.

Menu Plan and recipes on this page adapted from The 30-Day Heart Tune-up by Steven Masley, MD

Day Two Heart Healthy Tune-up Menu

BREAKFAST
Breakfast Shake: (serves one), 1.5 cups milk or milk substitute (I used a container of full fat, raw milk yogurt and a bit of water, 1 cup frozen berries (or 1/2 banana and 1/2 cup berries), 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (grind in small coffee grinder or spice grinder), 1 scoop protein powder of your choice

LUNCH
Turkey Breast, 5-6 ounce, sliced.  Wrap with 1 cup of sliced tomatoes and lettuce.  You are allowed two gluten-free corn tortillas but I just made a salad.  Mustard or Salsa are approved condiments.

SUPPER
Chicken Stir Fry with Orange-Ginger Sauce

SNACK
Apple with peanut butter
Nut Cup (1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds,  2 tablespoons raw almonds and pistachios, 1 tablespoon raw walnuts and pecans, 1 tablespoon raw pumpkin seeds) MANDATORY
1 Banana MANDATORY
Dill Pickle
1 cup Raw Vegetables & Hummas or Black Bean Dip

Please note:  USE ONLY US BROWN RICE!  WE USE ONLY LUNDBERG RICE!



Chicken Stir-Fry served with left-over Brown Rice made yesterday
serves two + the toddler
1 1/2 teaspoon nut oil (almond or walnut)
1 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1/2 medium onion, diced
3/4 pound organic, free-range chicken, cut into strips
2 med garlic cloves, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced (can use green)
1 cup snow peas
1 cup broccoli, sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chicken broth (homemade preferred)
1 green onion, roots trimmed and discarded, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind from organic orange
3 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed and seeds removed.
1 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free tamari sauce or liquid aminos
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
Garnish: 1 tablespoon chipped cashews, toasted

1. Heat large saute pan over med-high heat.  Add oil, ginger root, and onion, and stir occasionally until onion becomes translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add chicken and stir until opaque, 4-5 minutes. 
2. To the pan add garlic bell pepper, broccoli, snow peas, pepper and chili flakes.  Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
3. In a bowl, mix the broth, green onions, orange rind, orange juice, tamari sauce, sesame oil, and tapioca starch
4. When vegetables are brightly colored and tender-crisp, add liquid to skillet and stir until chicken and vegetables are coated with the thickened sauce, 1-2 minutes
5. Toast nuts for 1 minutes in saute pan on med-high heat and sprinkle over stir-fry.
6. Serve immediately over hot brown rice.

Black Bean Dip
15 ounces black beans, cooked, drained and rinsed
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted
1/2 cup prepared Mexican salsa
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 tsp red chili flakes (or to taste)
2 tbsp. grated Monterey Jack cheese
Rinse and drain beans, In a food processer, combine ingredients and blend until smooth.  Heat and serve with julienned vegetables or baked tortillas cut into triangles.

Menu Plan and recipes on this page adapted from The 30-Day Heart Tune-up by Steven Masley, MD

Day One Heart Tune-up Diet

BREAKFAST
Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal with 1/2 cup Blueberries and whole raw milk
Hot Herbal Cinnamon Tea

LUNCH
Grilled Organic, Free-range Chicken over Mixed Greens and Vegetables, Vinigrette
Unsweetened, Ice Peach Tea

SUPPER
Grilled Spiced Citrus Salmon, 1/2-3/4 cup Brown rice, Broccoli Shitake Mushroom Saute (1 cup), Mixed Green salad (2 cups) as for lunch

SNACK
Apple with peanut butter
Nut Cup (1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon walnuts, hazelnuts and pecans, 2 tablespoons raw almonds, and 2 Brazil nuts)
Dill Pickle
Raw Vegetables & Hummas

Please note:  USE ONLY US BROWN RICE!  WE USE ONLY LUNDBERG RICE!

Plan your day: 
Morning or night before

1. Thaw your chicken and Salmon in the refrigerator. 
2. Make enough salad in the morning to get you through the entire day for all members of your family joining in the plan.
3. Cook your chicken, leave enough in frig for lunch then freeze the rest.  If you are using what you've previously prepared then thaw what you need for lunch in the refrigerator.
4. We suggest using DRY BEANS to avoid the BPA and other things in your commercially canned beans.  If you use commercially canned beans PLEASE rinse well.  I keep a supply of pre-cooked beans in the freezer and get out what I need for the day each morning.
5. Busy Afternoon?  Rice can be made ahead (try using chicken stock for at least half the water when cooking the rice) and warmed for Supper and you can do all the vegetable slicing and keep it in the refrigerator for later.

Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
(Serves Gabriella and I)
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 cup raisins
1.4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 cup water
Bring to simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook on low 5 minutes.  Stir, cover and cook another 5 min.  Add some additional water if necessary.  Place in bowl and add milk or milk substitute as desired.

Grilled Chicken over Mixed Greens and Vegetables
NOTE:  I cook the chicken ahead, slice and freeze.  Then I thaw and use in the salad
Serves ONE (I give Gabriella some of this and she also gets some kind of gluten-free muffin with fruit)
4 ounces skinless, boneless, organic, free-range Chicken breast
2 cups mixed organic salad greens (I add a leaf of chopped kale)
1/4 cup shredded carrot (optional)
1/4 thinly sliced red onion (optional)
1/4 cup diced cucumber (optional)
4 cherry tomatoes
6 tablespoons garbanzo beans, cooked, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup cooked, quartered, drained artichoke hearts (I use 3 oz Native Forest Marinated Artichoke Hearts)
1 tablespoon Dried Cranberries
1 tablespoon raw almonds (chopped or use slivers)

1. Set grill at 450 degrees or turn on the broiler.  Mix us a low carb vinaigrette and set aside 4 teaspoons for this salad.
2. Marinate chicken breasts in your favorite low-carb marinade for 15minutes.
3. Shake off excess marinade and grill 4-5 minutes on each side.  Let rest 10 minutes before slicing into 1/2 inch strips.
4. Combine salad greens, tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, garbanzo beans and artichoke hearts in a salad bowl and toss with 4 teaspoons vinaigrette dressing. 
5. Plate salad and lay chicken slices over it.  Garnish with berries and nuts.

Spiced Citrus Salmon
Serves 2 + our 2 yr old
3/4 pound salmon Fillets (wild caught please)
1/2 cup orange juice (I juiced a whole organic orange and grated the peel for later use, DO NOT use citrus peel from a conventional, non-organic fruit)
1/2 medium lemon
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill week
Olive Oil Spray

1. Rinse salmon fillets in cold water.  Marinate in orange juice for 15 minutes.  Preheat grill to 450 degrees.  Drain fillets and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle lemon juice over fillets.  Combine salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, sugar and dill weed.  Sprinke over the salmon and spray oil over herb-coated fillets.
3. Grill 4-5 minutes per side.

Broccoli Mushroom Saute
Serves 2+ our toddler
1 tsp virgin olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, sliced into long slivers
1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced long slices
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, cooked, rinsed and drained
1/8 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
pinch ground black peper
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 teaspoon white wine
2 cups broccoli, sliced into 2-3 inch slices

1. Heat pan to medium-high.  Add oil, onion, mushrooms, salt, pepper and herbs.  Saute 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add wine, beans and broccoli, cover and steam for 2-3 minutes until broccoli is al dente.

Menu Plan and recipes on this page adapted from The 30-Day Heart Tune-up by Steven Masley, MD