Valentine’s day may be over, but love is still in the air! Keep your heart healthy during February, National Heart Health Month, by eating foods that help keep your heart strong!
Fats usually get a bad name, we always hear fat and automatically think it’s bad. While we want to limit or avoid the unhealthy fats that come in animal products, fried foods, and prepackaged foods, there are others which are great for our body! One way to keep a healthy heart is to know the type of fats that help keep our hearts beating strong, like omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids help lower triglyceride levels and lower the risk of heart disease. These fats are essential, which means our body cannot make them on its own and we need to eat them regularly to benefit from them. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in foods such as fish, flaxseed, walnuts, and different types of seafood. Eating foods high in omega 3 fatty acids will keep your heart beating healthy and strong! The recipe below is rich in omega 3s and can be a great start to incorporating these fats into your diet!
Grilled Salmon Avocado Salad:
Image from: http://www.skinnygirldressings.com/recipes/grilled-salmon-salad/
INGREDIENTS
- 2 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
- ½ avocado
- ½ lemon
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup walnuts
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat grill to 400℉.
- Rub salmon fillets with olive oil, lemon, and season to taste.
- Place salmon filets onto the grill and cook about 4-5 minutes. *Once the fillets have been placed on the grill, do not move them until you are going to flip them over, otherwise they may fall apart. Flip salmon to cook on the other side for another 4-5 minutes.
- Combine spinach, tomatoes, walnuts, onions, and avocados.
- Whisk olive oil, lemon, and seasonings to taste.
- Toss salad and add the grilled salmon.
Written by Fatima Abdelhafeez and Karina Diaz-Infante, RD
