Heart Healthy Monday on Bookvisions

Heart Healthy Monday Web Link: Heart Attack Symptoms from Mayo Clinic  which includes additional symptoms for women - some may surprise you.


Heart Healthy Tip: A USDA study published in the June 2004 issue of the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry theorizes that antioxidants, which are non-vitamin nutrients in some foods, may provide protection against oxidation, a process that may be linked to conditions such as cancer, heart disease and aging. Here's the full list of the top 20 foods high in antioxidants starting with the richest source of antioxidants:

1. Small red beans (dried)
2. Wild blueberries
3. Red kidney beans
4. Pinto beans
5. Blueberries (cultivated)
6. Cranberries
7. Artichokes (cooked)
8. Blackberries
9. Prunes
10. Raspberries
11. Strawberries
12. Red delicious apples
13. Granny Smith apples
14. Pecans
15. Sweet cherries
16. Black plums
17. Russet potatoes (cooked)
18. Black beans (dried)
19. Plums
20. Gala apples

Heart Healthy Recipe

Pumpkin-Orange Muffins

Vegetable oil spray
1 egg
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp. orange zest, grated
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375º and spray muffin tin lightly with oil spray. In a medium bowl, mix well, egg, milk, pumpkin, oil and grated orange zest. In a separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tin, filling each 1/2 to 2/3 full, and bake until toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in muffin pan about 5-10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely on wire shelf. Serve immediately or store in plastic bag.