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Heart-Healthy Recipes to Help Lower Your Cholesterol

March 7, 2025 • 5 min read

Heart shaped plate with heart healthy foods

A heart-healthy eating plan can help you manage your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. These simple recipes below will help you prepare tasty, heart-healthy meals that could help improve your cholesterol levels by reducing excess saturated fat and trans-fat.

Breakfast:

Raspberry Coconut Overnight Oats

Yields: 8 servings Prep: 30 min

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup oats

  • 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup low-fat milk

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

  • 2 Tbsp. shredded coconut

  • 1/3 cup bananas, sliced (can omit or use another fruit, if desired)

Directions:

  1. Add oats to container of choice. Pour in milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract.

  2. Alternate layers of raspberries, shredded coconut and banana slices.

  3. Place in refrigerator overnight.

Entree:

Light Alfredo Pasta

Yields: 8 servings Prep: 45 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, diced

  • 1 tsp garlic, minced

  • 1 tsp oil

  • 2 cups skim milk

  • 1 cup chicken broth

  • 3 Tbsp. flour

  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

  • 1 lb. pasta

  • 1 package frozen broccoli

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute.

  2. In a small saucepan, stir together milk, chicken broth, flour and pepper over low heat until sauce thickens. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

  3. Cook pasta according to package directions adding broccoli to the pasta for last few minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and broccoli.

  4. Toss pasta and broccoli with sauce.

Salads

Strawberry Walnut Spinach Salad

Yields: 6 servings Prep: 10 min

Salad:

  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

  • 2 cups baby spinach

  • 2 cups strawberries, quartered

  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:

  • 1/2 lime, zested

  • 2 cloves minced garlic

  • 1/2 cup walnut halves, finely chopped

  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

  • 2 Tbsp. Mississippi honey

  • 1 tsp ground ginger

  • 1 tsp ground cumin

  • 1/2 cup champagne vinegar

  • 1/2 cup walnut oil

Directions:

  1. Toss together all salad ingredients.

  2. Whisk together all salad dressing ingredients.

  3. Top salad with 1 Tbsp. dressing.

  4. Toss or shake salad in container to coat with dressing.

Note: Replace walnuts or feta cheese with almonds, pecans, goat cheese, or blue cheese for a different flavor combination.