Healthy heart is a key to healthy life. Many people are fond of junk food and fast food, but these food items contain large amount of fats and cholesterol, which tend to develop cardiovascular diseases. Here we have shared some healthy heart appetizer recipes that are simple, quick and easy to cook. Now, without compromising with the taste, you can stay healthy. These are vegan recipes which are less in calories and are helpful in reversing and preventing heart disease.
1: Roasted Garbanzo Beans
This is a portable and quick snack which you can nibble with crispy chick peas.
Ingredients:
- Garbanzo beans without salt – 1 can
- Seasonings for adding taste
Directions:
Rinse the garbanzo beans and drain it. Pour in a zipper bag, add spice of your choice and blend it well. Pour this mixture on a non-stick sheet and spread flavorings of your choice. Now, allow it to bake for 25 minutes at 400 degree.
For flavorings, you can try hickory-smoked tortula yeast, spike, onion powder, sugar and cinnamon, garlic powder or curry powder (all are sodium free). Other flavors may increase the amount of sodium, in case salt is not your concern; artificial butter-flavor salt can be used.
2: Goyza
Pot-sticker appetizer
Ingredients:
With the given quantity, you can fill around 24 pieces:
- Veggie sausage or TVP – 4 tablespoon
- Finely chopped mushroom – 2 tablespoon
- Finely chopped spring onion – 2 T
- Finely chopped garlic for taste – 2 T
- Finely chopped ginger root – 1 T
- Finely chopped cabbage – 2T
- Finely chopped carrots and green, yellow and red peppers (optional) – 2T
Dipping sauce:
Rice vinegar – 2 T
Soy sauce – 1 T
2-3 drops of chili paste
Wrapper:
Small round sheet of pasta for gyoza or won-ton – wonton pi
Directions:
Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and add a little salt to it. Take a pasta sheet, pour a teaspoonful mixture over it, now fold it in half and crimp the edges. Apply little water on the corners of the pasta sheet before pouring the filling. This will help to stick it properly.
Cooking Method I: Pour few drops of oil on a non-stick frying pan and wipe it with paper napkin. Fry gyoza at moderate heat until it gets slight brown. Pour in one tablespoon hot water for every gyoza, cover a tight lid and steam for around minutes. Drain the water before serving.
Cooking Method II: Steam the gyoza and then allow to heat in a nonstick pan till they get brown.
Serve in separate small plates with dipping sauce.
3: Vietnamese Temple Rolls
These temple rolls are delicate spring rolls.
Ingredients:
- Wood mushrooms or dried shiitake – 8
- Rice paper rounds – 16
- Medium julienned, carrot – 2
- Bean thread noodles – 2 packages
- Mung bean sprouts – 1 cup
- Peeled and diced cucumber – 1
- Chopped steamed broccoli, snow peas (or other vegetables) – 1 cup
Dipping sauce
Scallions sliced into thin silvers – 3
Sprig Thai basil – around 12 leaves
Mint leaves – 1 bunch of about 12 leaves
Dipping sauce
Directions:
Rehydrate mushrooms for almost 20 minutes in warm water, then julienne cut. Soak bean threads in normal water for around 20 minutes. Now, heat them in nearly 2 quarts of boiling water for about 1 minute, until they are slightly soft. Take off this water and save it. Take cold water in a colander, rinse and drain the bean threads in it. Blanch snow peas, carrot, or other vegetables in saved boiling water for one minute. Allow the bean sprouts to blanch for 30 seconds and rinse all in normal water.
Pour water in a large bowl or dish and immerse all the sheets of rice paper one by one for almost a minute and then pour them to a slightly wet paper towel or dish towel. For making rolls, arrange noodles, carrots, snow peas, mushrooms and scallions or other vegetables, one basil leaf, 2 mint leaves in a line on top. Roll up these contents in a rice paper compactly by folding flaps. Serve diagonally or whole cut rolls in bowls with dipping sauce.
4: Pretzels
Crispy or soft, plain or salted, small or large snack, according to your choice.
Ingredients:
Very warm water – 1 and a half cup
Sugar – 1 tablespoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Flour – 4 cups
Yeast – 1 packet or 2 1/4
Directions:
Mix yeast in warm water and stir until it turns muddy. Add flour, sugar and salt. Blend well and knead the dough. Now roll in a sheet and slice in pieces to shape into traditional pretzel rolls to bows to make sticks. Place these pretzels on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for around 12 to 15 minutes (until they turn slight brown) at 425 degree. To make it special, sprinkle some chopped onions, any favorite spices or herbs, garlic powder and coarse salt if sodium is not a concern (before baking).
When baking you can use oat flour, whole wheat rye and specialty grains as an alternative to white flour for fiber rich and tasty treats. Usually, white flour has less minerals, fiber and vitamins.
5:Hummus
This is a Mediterranean spread for hors d’oevres, sandwiches and dips.
Ingredients:
- Mashed garlic cloves – 2
- Ground cumin – ½ teaspoon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Mayonnaise (fat free) – ¼
- Cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – 2 cans or 4 cups
- Dijon mustard – 2 teaspoon
Directions :
The below listed ingredients are optional. This recipe can be prepared with different Mediterranean ways. You can add any of these or all according to your taste preference:
- Sweet pickle relish – 2 tablespoon
- Cilantro or parsley – 1/8
- Hot sauce or cayenne pepper
- Green onions – 2
- One pinch of salt (avoid if sodium is your concern)
Drain the canned beans and reserve the liquid or water. Mix in a food processor or blender and add the reserved water to the required consistency, slightly diluent than peanut butter. Refrigerating in a closed container for overnight or few hours will improve the flavor. You can make four cups from the given contents.
Hummus is basically prepared with sesame sees paste called tahini, which is rich in fat. For adding a bit traditional taste, ¼ of tahini or a 4-5 drops of dark sesame oil can be added, but this will somewhat increase the fat content. If you are using canned beans, make sure to take the ones without salt.
All the above healthy heart appetizer recipes are easy to make and are good in taste.
