Heart Health month ends today, but that doesn’t mean we should stop taking care of our tickers.
Dr. Richard Collins, a cardiologist with the South Denver Heart Center, teaches cooking classes at the center, and his 2006 book, “Cooking with Heart,” takes a realistic, yet heart-healthy approach to changing your diet. After we heard about his flourless torte made with beans, we called him.
How would you describe your cooking philosophy?
I tell people “don’t give up what you like to eat – just change your recipe.”
Take what I call the “Egg McCollins:” it’s basically heart healthy and tastes just like the ones you get at the fast-food place. I use a Morningstar Farms vegetarian sausage patty and egg substitute. It has 25 grams of protein and only 4 grams of fat, while there are 29 grams of fat in the traditional one.
Are you a vegetarian?
I’m what I would call an omnivore. I don’t have chicken, but I love fish and occasionally do buffalo. I’m not trying to make everyone a vegetarian.
What separates this from other cookbooks and diet books?
Very few have an entire nutrition label, and we include diabetic exchanges. We look beyond to see how much fiber, antioxidants, plant sterols, sodium they have. We’re interested in how we can put the fire out in heart inflammation.
Do you hear from people who are successful at making changes?
When I tell people we want to lower their cholesterol naturally they think they just need to trim their steaks. You don’t have to go on a diet, just do these recipes. Let’s go back to our breakfast sandwich: It takes only one calorie to roll down your car window to get a 700-calorie breakfast.
What about that cake?
There are some that are “outside the plate.” The Nutella Flourless Chocolate Torte – it has 8 grams of protein – in a cake!
To buy “Cooking with Heart”:
- South Denver Heart Center, 1000 Southpark Drive, Littleton, 303-744-3278, option 2,
- southdenver.com.
- The Tattered Cover, 2526 East Colfax Ave. (at Elizabeth Street), 303-322-7727; and 1628 16th St. (at Wynkoop), 303-436-1070 or tatteredcover.com.
- Compleat Gourmet, 7592 S. University Blvd., 303-290-9222.
- Savory Spice Shop, 1537 Platte St., 303-477-3322 and 2650 W. Main St., Littleton, 720-283-2232.
Nutella Flourless Chocolate Torte
Dr. Richard Collins says one occasionally must have rich, dense and satisfying chocolate. Yes, there are calories, but just a small slice of this easy cake will satisfy any chocolate craving. The soybeans make this torte loaded with protein. From “Cooking with Heart,” serves 10.
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can organic black soybeans
- 1 cup egg substitute
- 2 tablespoons Shugr sugar substitute or regular sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1 cup Nutella, divided
- 10 dollops reduced-fat whipped topping
- 10 mint leaves
- 10 teaspoons Chambord liqueur (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 375 at higher altitudes). Place drained, rinsed beans in a food processor and purée until smooth. With processor running, slowly pour in egg substitute. The fiber in the beans will not blend completely, so texture will not be entirely smooth. This is normal. Add Shugr, baking powder, vanilla and 1/2 cup Nutella. Blend to combine ingredients. Coat a 9-inch nonstick cake pan with vegetable oil spray. Pour batter into the cake pan.
Bake on center rack for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. The surface should be firm, yet spongy. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan. Bring torte to room temperature. Melt remaining Nutella and spread evenly over torte. Top with whipped topping and serve with mint and liqueur garnishes.
Nutritional analysis: calories 255; total fat 13g; saturated fat 2g; cholesterol 0mg; sodium 96mg; total carbohydrate 26g; fiber 4g and protein 8g
Diabetic exchanges: 1/2 very lean meats; 2 fat, 2 carbohydrates
Salmon in a Pouch
- 1 lb. Alaskan salmon fillet, cut into 2″ by 2″ squares
- Splash of vermouth (optional)
- 2 cups assorted vegetables (green onions, diced carrots, new potatoes, zucchini, etc.)
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh tarragon, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme, chopped
- 4 tablespoons vegetable broth or water
- 4 14×14-inch square parchment sheets
- Twine
Directions
If desired, sprinkle vermouth over salmon 30 minutes before preparation. Place all ingredients, divided equally, onto four parchment paper sheets. Add one tablespoon vegetable broth to each serving. Bring edges up to tie into a pouch. Place in microwave on high for 5-7 minutes. If microwaving four servings at a time, increase time appropriately. Or bake pouches in oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve on plates with scissors handy. Open pouches and garnish with extra herbs.
Nutritional analysis: Calories 212; total fat 9g; saturated fat 2g; cholesterol 58mg; sodium 72mg; total carbohydrate 7g; fiber 2g and protein 26g
Diabetic Exchanges: 4 very lean meats; 1 vegetable, 1 fat
Low-Fat Egg “Sausage” Breakfast Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 1 whole-wheat English muffin
- 1/4 cup egg substitute
- 1 breakfast sausage substitute patty
- 1 slice fat-free American cheese
- 1 tablespoons salsa (optional)
- Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
Directions
Toast the muffin. In a 3-inch ramekin, lightly mist with cooking spray to coat sides to prevent sticking. Place the sausage patty in bottom of ramekin. Pour egg substitute over the sausage to cover. Microwave on high for 2 minutes 22 seconds (repeating 2’s lessens the amount of finger work) or until egg substitute is firm. Remove from microwave.
Place cooked egg substitute and sausage on English muffin and cover with a slice of cheese. Top with the other half of the toasted muffin.
For a southwest flavor, add salsa and chopped cilantro.
Nutritional analysis: Calories 268; total fat 4 g; saturated fat 1g; cholesterol 2 mg; sodium 1,049 mg; total carbohydrate 33g; fiber 6g and protein 25g
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 1/2 very lean meats; 2 starches
