To give you a little background, I've always lived in the south so about the only "healthy" food I knew about was fresh fruit from the tree in our back yard and the vegetables that my mom grew in her garden. All of food was organic, but not necessarily healthy. Raised on a farm, I learned to cook "meat and potatoes", because that's what my dad liked. Moving forward to when I had small children at home, I became a short-order cook, primarily specializing in hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.
As I had more time, relatively speaking, since I worked full time as a nurse, had three children and assorted pets, I began to learn some really special recipes from my sister-in-laws -- both of whom were excellent cooks. The only problem with that is that you couldn't cook or bake without "real" butter or heavy cream or Eagle Brand Milk. So my husband and I learned to love "really good" southern cooking. I would hate to think how many calories, fat grams and milligrams of sodium some of those recipes had. Ergo, my husband had heart disease.
Just this year, my husband had a heart attack and had four stents placed in his coronary arteries. Suddenly, I had to learn how to cook again. So how do you start? I started by simple searching "heart healthy" recipes online. Wow! There are certainly a lot of those labeled "heart healthy", but beware -- I had to check out the calories, fat grams, sodium and fiber. All of these are important in determining whether I would want to cook these for my husband.
Next Thursday, I'll include some of the great hints and some great recipes. I look forward to hearing your tips as well!
Mary Lou Wilson, RN, BSN
Director, Women's Services
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford
As I had more time, relatively speaking, since I worked full time as a nurse, had three children and assorted pets, I began to learn some really special recipes from my sister-in-laws -- both of whom were excellent cooks. The only problem with that is that you couldn't cook or bake without "real" butter or heavy cream or Eagle Brand Milk. So my husband and I learned to love "really good" southern cooking. I would hate to think how many calories, fat grams and milligrams of sodium some of those recipes had. Ergo, my husband had heart disease.
Just this year, my husband had a heart attack and had four stents placed in his coronary arteries. Suddenly, I had to learn how to cook again. So how do you start? I started by simple searching "heart healthy" recipes online. Wow! There are certainly a lot of those labeled "heart healthy", but beware -- I had to check out the calories, fat grams, sodium and fiber. All of these are important in determining whether I would want to cook these for my husband.
Next Thursday, I'll include some of the great hints and some great recipes. I look forward to hearing your tips as well!
Mary Lou Wilson, RN, BSN
Director, Women's Services
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford
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