Eat to your heart's content

Popeye got it right His love for spinach guarantees him a healthy heart With reports suggesting that 70 of Mumbaikars are prone to heartrelated ailments and with onethird of the cardiac patients being under 40 it might be right to relook at our lifestyle choices While exercise is a must diet is also a key in keeping the heart in top shape Following a diet doesnrsquot mean having to live on bland food By including certain foods into onersquos diet like green leafy vegetables oats soy whole grains olive oil red wine and almonds itrsquos possible to keep a healthy heart We zeroed in on three such wonder foods spinach strawberry and lentils and we invited chef Tarla Dalal to suggest a few recipes with these as the main ingredients read box alongside Nutritionist Anjali Peswani states the benefits of these foods ldquoSpinach is very rich in fibre and vitamins A D E K C and B Vitamin A and C are natural antioxidants and by keeping cholesterol from oxidising it keeps cholesterol in check and absorbs Low Density Lipoprotein LDL or bad cholesterol Thanks to its folate and phytonutrients it puts less pressure on the heart by not allowing fat to get deposited It is also a good source for folate and magnesium Besides it lowers BP and puts less pressure on the walls of the heart and prevents heart attacksrdquo Peswani says that strawberries boast of flavanoids and phytochemicals that are antioxidants and keep the free radicals at bay ldquoThey also boost immunity and fight with foreign particles that attack the heart liver or kidneys They can counter the effects of LDL and they also have antiinflammatory properties which are very helpful as the heart is the biggest muscle of the body and is prone to inflammationrdquo she adds Lentils especially moong are high in fibre and protein and low in fat and sugar content ldquoSince there is no excess sugar it doesnrsquot get stored as fat and thus reduces cholesterol and protects the heart from arteriosclerosis caused by fat deposition in the heartrdquo She adds that itrsquos not necessary that people who are overweight that are prone to heart ailments ldquoA high level of stress could also be to blame One must monitor stress levels in this regard simple breathing exercises can help Indulge in a favourite sport or laughter therapy to keep your heart fit A short break is also a good ideardquo As far as cooking goes she advises people to opt for minimal cooking using less oil so vitamins and proteins in foods get absorbed Rice bran oil and olive oil are good options ldquoInclude high fibre in the diet and ensure you consume fruits vegetables jowar bajra and cornrdquo she reiteratesu00a0 STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD Preparation time 10 to 15 minutes Serves 4 For the dressing gtgt2 tbsp sesame seeds til gtgt1 tbsp poppy seeds khuskhus gtgt3 tbsp sugar gtgt25 tbsp olive oil gtgt4 tbsp vinegar gtgtHalf tsp white pepper powder gtgtHalf tbsp red chilli flakes gtgtHalf tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce readily available in the market gtgt1 tbsp finely chopped onions Other ingredients gtgt3 cups spinach palak leaves finely torn into pieces gtgt2 cups sliced strawberries gtgt3 tbsp blanched and slivered almonds badam For the dressing 1 Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well 2 Cover and keep in the refrigerated for at least an hour How to proceed 1 Just before serving combine the spinach strawberries and almonds in a bowl pour dressing over the salad and toss well 2 Serve immediately Preparation timeu00a0 10 to 15 minutes Serves 4 For the dressing gtgt2 tbsp sesame seeds til gtgt1 tbsp poppy seeds khuskhus gtgt3 tbsp sugar gtgt25 tbsp olive oil gtgt4 tbsp vinegar gtgtHalf tsp white pepper powder gtgtHalf tbsp red chilli flakes gtgtHalf tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce readily available in the market gtgt1 tbsp finely chopped onions Other ingredients gtgt3 cups spinach palak leaves finely torn into pieces gtgt2 cups sliced strawberries gtgt3 tbsp blanched and slivered almonds badam For the dressing 1 Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well 2 Cover and keep in the refrigerated for at least an hour How to proceed 1 Just before serving combine the spinach strawberries and almonds in a bowl pour dressing over the salad and toss well 2 Serve immediately MOONG DAL PANDOLI Preparation Time 10 minutes Cooking Time 10 minutes Soaking time 2 to 3 hours Serves 4 gtgt1 cup green moong dal split green gram gtgt14 cup fresh curds dahi gtgt2 tsp gingergreen chilli paste gtgtSalt to taste gtgt1 tsp oil gtgt1 tsp mustard seeds raisarson gtgt1 tsp cumin seeds jeera gtgtHalf tsp asafoetida hing gtgt2 tsp lemon juice gtgt2 tsp fruit saltu00a0for serving Green chutney How to proceed 1 Clean and soak the moong dal in enough water for 2 to 3 hours Wash thoroughly to remove some skin and drain 2 Add 1 tbsp of water and curd and blend in a mixer till smooth 3 Add the ginger green chilli paste and salt and mix well 4 For the tempering heat the oil in a small nonstick pan add the mustard seeds cumin seeds and asafoetida 5 When the seeds crackle add the tempering to the batter and mix well 6 Tie a muslin cloth on top of a vessel halffilled with water and heat till the water boils 7 Just before steaming sprinkle the fruit salt on the batter and add lemon juice over it when the bubbles form mix gently 8 Put 1 tbsp of the batter on the muslin at regular intervals cover with a dome shaped lid and steam for 5 to 7 minutes 9 Repeat with remaining batter to make more pandolis 10 Serve immediately Rajma and spinach wraps Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 30 minutes Makes 4 wraps For the dough 34 cup wholewheat flour Half tsp oil Salt to taste For the rajma and spinach stuffing gtgt2 tsp oil gtgtHalf tsp cumin seeds jeera gtgtA pinch asafoetida hing gtgt15 cups finely chopped onions gtgt1 tsp crushed garlic lehsun gtgt1 tsp gingergreen chilli paste gtgtHalf tsp turmeric powder haldi gtgt1 tsp coriandercumin seeds dhaniajeera powder gtgtHalf tsp chilli powder gtgt34 cup chopped tomatoes gtgtu00a015 tsp tomato ketchup optional gtgtu00a034 cup soaked and boiled rajma kidney beans gtgtSalt to taste gtgt4 cups finely chopped spinach palak gtgt2 tbsp chopped coriander dhania Other ingredients gtgt4 readymade or leftover chapatis gtgt4 lettuce leaves gtgt3 tbsp eggless mayonnaise gtgt1 cup thinly sliced onions For the dough 1 Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and knead into a soft dough using enough water Keep aside 2 Knead again till smooth cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside For the rajma and spinach stuffing 1 Heat the oil in a nonstick pan and add the cumin seeds 2 When the seeds crackle add the asafoetida and onions and sauteacute on a medium flame till the onions turn translucent 3 Add the garlic gingergreen chilli paste turmeric powder coriandercumin seeds powder chilli powder tomatoes tomato ketchup and 2 tbsp of water mix well and simmer till the tomatoes are soft 4 Add the rajma and salt mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes 5 Add the spinach and coriander mix well and cook on a medium flame for another 5 minutes 6 Divide the rajma and spinach stuffing into 4 equal portions and keep aside How to proceed 1 Place a chapatti on a flat dryu00a0surface arrange a lettuce leaf over it and apply 1 tbsp of the mayonnaise chutney mixture evenly on it 2 Place a portion of the stuffing at the edge of the roti spread frac14 cup onions on it and roll it up tightly 3 Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more wraps and serveu00a0immediatelyu00a0