HEART-HEALTHY RECIPE CONTEST

Healthy tomato gazpacho   Photo by Valerie Phillips

The search is on again for Utah’s healthiest and tastiest recipes for the “Heart-Healthiest 2011” contest. The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program (HDSPP) is asking the public to submit their favorite heart-healthy recipes–-with a focus on reducing sodium intake.

The contest runs until June 30, and heart-healthy recipes can be submitted at http://www.facebook.com/hearthealthyutah. The “Rules and Guidelines” for the “Heart-Healthiest 2011” recipe contest are on the “Discussion” page.

Throughout the contest the site will feature “Healthful Recipe of the Week” selections. Weekly winners will receive a Papa Murphy’s gift certificate for a free deLITE pizza. The contest will conclude with three grand prize winners who will each receive a cooking prize basket and a copy of “Heart-Healthiest 2011,” a collection of all the submitted recipes.

So what makes a recipe “heart-healthy?” 

·         Emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products

·         Including lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts

·         Including little or no saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.

Other guidelines for healthful eating can be found at www.mypyramid.org, www.fruitsandveggiesmorematter.org and www.nutrientrichfoods.org/recipes.

For more information about HDSPP, visit www.hearthighway.org.