MyPlate For The Heart

dietary guidelinesgrainscookingmyplate
Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Here are 15 Ways to Say, "I Love My Heart!" with MyPlate...This wonderful meal has 15 ingredients that your heart will love, and it can be made in just 30 minutes or less.

On the menu:
  • Salmon with Red Velvet Relish
  • Barley Date Walnut Pilaf
  • Steamed Broccoli
  • Apple Slaw

This 30-minute dinner would make a great Valentine’s Day meal, but you could try it on any day that you want to show your heart a little extra love.

Salmon:

2 3-ounce fillets of salmon

Red Velvet Relish:

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes

1/4 avocado, diced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

One dash of extra virgin olive oil

Juice from half a lemon

Broccoli:

1 cup broccoli, steamed

Apple Slaw:

1/2 apple, cut into strips

3 baby carrots, cut into strips

2 tablespoons of nonfat Greek yogurt

Drizzle of apple cider vinegar glaze (or apple cider vinegar, in a pinch)

Barley Date Walnut Pilaf:

1/2 cup quick cooking barley

1 cup water

2 tablespoons chopped dates

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Place the salmon in a shallow dish with a bit of water at the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees until done (usually about 20 minutes).

2. Make the pilaf. Place the barley, water, chopped dates, and chopped walnuts in a rice cooker. Cook for 15 minutes.

3. Make the relish. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and mix them gently with the diced avocado, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice.

4. Make the slaw. Mix the apple and carrot sticks with the Greek yogurt. Toss lightly.

5. Make MyPlate:

  • Place the salmon on a plate and top it with the tomato relish.
  • Arrange the broccoli, pilaf, and slaw in small groups around the salmon.
  • Top the slaw with the apple cider glaze.
  • Top the pilaf with chopped dates and nuts. Use a small ramekin to mold it onto the plate (see below).

Check out the latest heart health materials and MyPlate resources for 2012 in our store.See the winners of the USDA MyPlate Video Contest here.View the new SuperTracker tool here.You can feature this meal in our MyPlate for the Heart powerpoint show (heartmyplatemeal.ppt). The show even includes the magenta MyPlate graphic!

Print Friendly and PDF
Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

Previous

Balance Calories
Next

2011 Nutrition Highlight Review