21 High-Fiber, High-Protein Dinners for Heart Health
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Prioritize your heart health with these balanced and delicious dinner recipes. Each recipe meets our heart-healthy nutrition parameters, focusing on ingredients that are low in sodium and saturated fats while prioritizing lean proteins, healthy fats and fiber-packed veggies. Plus, these dishes are designed to be satisfying with at least 15 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving. This combination of nutrients can help keep you feeling fuller and more energized for longer. Recipes like our Spicy Shrimp, Vegetable & Couscous Bowls and our Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili are great options for a flavorful, nourishing evening meal.
Spicy Shrimp, Vegetable & Couscous Bowls
We like the chewy bite and large size of pearl couscous (sometimes labeled Israeli couscous) for the base of these bowls.
Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto
This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients—boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto.
Slow-Cooker Chicken & Brown Rice with Roasted Corn & Black Beans
With plenty of spice from ground cumin, cayenne and paprika and the bit of char that frozen roasted sweet corn brings to the dish, you won't miss the browning step in this easy load-and-go recipe. If frozen roasted corn isn't available, substitute regular.
Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
If you like Buffalo wings, you'll love the flavors in this warm, hearty chili that comes together easily in the slow cooker. Sour cream helps cut the heat, but you could also use plain strained yogurt.
Chopped Cobb Salad
This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.
Slow-Cooker Chile-Orange Chicken Tacos
A taco night favorite! Boneless chicken breasts cook low and slow in a chipotle-orange sauce until they're pull-apart tender, then are paired with a fresh avocado-orange salsa.
3-Ingredient Farro Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken
To make this hearty grain bowl, grab a salad kit from the grocery store. Then, top the kit with farro and chicken for a high-protein lunch or dinner that's ready in minutes.
Chicken Ragout
This chicken ragout main dish is an easy choice for dinner. Made with carrots, onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes and flavored with rosemary and thyme, it cooks in the slow cooker and is served over whole-wheat noodles.
Spinach & Fried Egg Grain Bowls
Wheat berries, a nutty-tasting whole grain with a pleasantly chewy texture, are the base of this hearty breakfast bowl recipe. The fiber-rich grain freezes very well, so cook up a batch to stash away for salads, bowls and more. Topped with spinach, peanuts and an egg, these bowls make for a satisfying breakfast. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper for extra heat.
Pork Tenderloin with Apple-Thyme Sweet Potatoes
A pork tenderloin is baked with sweet potatoes, onions and apples for a dinner that's quick enough for weeknights but special enough for guests.
Split Pea Soup with Ham Bone
Split pea soup gets its smokiness from a ham bone and a dash of smoked paprika. The split peas break down as they cook, picking up flavor and delivering a creamy texture to this rich and warming soup.
Fish Tacos with Preserved Grapefruit Salsa
Tart preserved grapefruit and fresh grapefruit segments combine with avocado to make a complex salsa that pairs nicely with fish.
Panko-Crusted Chicken
This recipe is the perfect way to add some extra flavor to your dinner. Combine this recipe with your favorite vegetables and a serving of whole-grains to make a balanced meal.
Rainbow Grain Bowl with Cashew Sauce
This vibrant bowl is packed with nutrients to keep you full for hours. Look for precooked lentils in the refrigerated section of the produce department.
Beef Stroganoff
A little tender beef goes a long way when it is supplemented with flavorful mushrooms and enriched with a robust sauce in this healthy beef stroganoff recipe.
Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Root Vegetables & Barley
Be sure to use bone-in chicken here—it enhances the flavor of the broth, and the bones are easy to remove after cooking. This healthy chicken soup can be made in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
Turkey & Brown Rice Chili
This hearty turkey chili recipe takes just 35 minutes to prep. While it's cooking, you'll have time to throw together a green salad and warm up some crusty bread to complete the meal.
Red Beans and Rice with Chicken
Fiber-rich red beans, whole-grain brown rice and skillet-cooked chicken breast are ready in just 20 minutes.
3-Ingredient Chicken Tabbouleh Bowls
This almost-instant grain bowl makes the most of the prepared-foods section at your grocery store. Toss together a ready-made salad with proteins for a healthy, quick dinner.
Instant Pot Split Pea & Ham Soup Freezer Pack
Prep and freeze all the ingredients for this homey classic ahead of time, and it will be ready to cook and serve any night of the week—no lengthy simmering needed, thanks to the multicooker. Freezing the ingredients in a round container creates the perfect fit for an easy transfer into your pressure cooker without having to thaw first.
Honey-Mustard Roast Chicken with Winter Vegetables
Root vegetables and honey-mustard-glazed chicken are roasted together for layer upon layer of intense flavor, with very little added fat. If your parsnips are large and have spongy or woody centers, cut out the cores before slicing.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
