Happy Heart Healthy Valentine's Day-

       

Have aValentine's Day is full of hearts, health, and happiness!

Learn Something New 

Are you familiar with Dr. Esselstyn? He is a well known surgeon who wrote the book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. 

Here is one of his many Youtube Videos. Its so interesting and worth the 16 minute watch. Great tips to help prevent or reverse heart disease.

For more information about healthier eating 

visit these very helpful websites.  

Forks Over Knives Website - a great site for beginning to eat more plant based foods. Lots of articles written by doctors and lots of great plant-based recipes. 

Nutrition Facts - a great website by Dr. Michael Gregor with quick helpful facts about plant-based health. Author of How Not to Die

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine 

(Dr. Neal Barnard-President) - author of Reversing Diabetes. 

Food for Thought: If you keep eating the standard American diet composed of processed foods, dairy, meat, chicken, eggs, etc., most likely you will also experience the standard American diseases of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancers, etc.

My Favorite Heart Healthy Immune Boosting Soup

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Heart Healthy Valentine's Soup With Zucchini and Yellow Squash

Love and hearts are synonymous with Valentine's Day, and there is no better time than Valentine's Day to eat a heart healthy soup such as this yellow squash and zucchini soup.

 I love to create beautiful tablescapes for Valentine's Day using pink tables-cloths and decorative pink dishes, candles, hearts, love, and flowers. 

So, I've made a heart healthy soup recipe for thisValentine's Day  using yellow squash and zucchini which provides lots of taste and nutrients without lots of fat and calories.- perfect heart healthy food.

If you care about your health (and of course you do), you've got to re-think what you eat. It's a choice that you need to make everyday as well as on special occasions.

You can also think healthy red soup for this holiday and try my red (Link) Russian Borsht Soup

My Russian Borsht Soup 

 

I decided to make this yellow squash and zucchini noodle soup in my Instant Pot, but of course it can be easily made on the stove top. 

Costco sells produce bags that contain 3 organic zucchini and 3 organic yellow squash. I buy them for the zucchini but then always have to figure out what to do with the yellow squash. 

Nutritional Value of Yellow Squash and Green Zucchini

Zucchini: zero fat, low carb, low calories, Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, the carotenoids- lutein and zeaxanthin - which are excellent for the eyes, bones, and heart. 

Yellow Squash: Low carb, low calorie, no cholesterol, zero fat, good source of beta-carotene, high in fiber, A, B, and C vitamins plus many minerals. It's a heart healthy choice. 

Lots of nutrients in this plant-based heart healthy soup which also meets gluten-free, vegan, and oil-free standards.

I recently purchased a hand held very small zucchini spiralizer that is very easy to use especially for a small amount such as for this soup. 

Ingredients: 

2 cups of sliced onions (about 1 large onion)

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

2 cups of peeled and diced potatoes

4 cups of yellow squash, sliced

1 cup of chopped or sliced carrots

1 cup of diced or chopped celery

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of cumin (or more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon of black cracked pepper

2 teaspoons of Better Than Bouillon (low sodium organic vegetable) (see notes)

8 cups of water 

2 large bay leaves (remove before eating or blending)

2 cups of spiraled zucchini noodles (zoodles)

1 handful of raw spinach 

Instant Pot Directions:

Add sliced onions to the insert pot of the Instant Pot. Press sauté and allow to saute for 5 minutes while stirring. ( If it begins to stick after a few minutes add a tablespoon or two of water). Add garlic and potatoes and continue to pan sauté for another 3 minutes. Add yellow squash, celery, Better Than Bouillon, carrots, water and garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, cumin and pepper. Cancel saute and press to pressure cook for 12 minutes. When done, release steam manually according to the manufacturers instructions. 

When all steam is released, remove the lid and then remove bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, blend somewhat but leave somewhat chunky.  Add spiraled zucchini noodles and spinach which will both wilt in the hot soup.

Stove Top Directions: 

In a large dutch oven type of pot add sliced onions. Pan sauté the onions for 5 minutes stirring frequently and adding a tablespoon or two of water if needed. Add garlic and potatoes and continue to sauté for more 3 minutes. Add yellow squash, celery, Better Than Bouillon,  carrots, water and garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, bay leaves and pepper. 

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until potatoes are tender about 25-30 minutes. When done, remove the lid and the bay leaves. Add zucchini noodles and fresh spinach which will wilt into the soup, retaining more vitamins. 

Notes:

1. Don't want to use Better Than Bouillon?- substitute 4 cups of any vegetable broth and then add 4 (instead of 8 cups) of water.

2. I pan saute onions and vegetables without oil. You can use oil if you prefer when you saute.