This is a casserole-style vegetarian version, healthy pasta for heart.

For Family and Friends, even those wanting a heart healthy version of this family favourite can rejoice, especially when fresh veggies are so plentiful in our farm markets.  This is a casserole-style vegetarian version is. You can make this up to two days ahead of time and refrigerate, or a few weeks ahead and freeze it.

Ingredients:

2 lbs plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 large eggplant, chopped into 1/2″ cubes
2 smallish zuchini, sliced
1/2 lb. mushrooms, trimmed and cut into chunks
2 sweet red peppers, cut into chunks
1 large onion, cut into chunks
2 tbsp. olive oil
ground pepper
2 heads of garlic
foil
3/4 lb whole wheat lasagna
2 c. pureed tomatoes or tomato sauce, no salt added
1 c. light ricotta cheese
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 lb. low-fat part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp parmesan cheese

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Heart healthy diet cannot be rushed. You must motivate yourself to maintain the stamina to stick with the diet you choose for however long it takes to be successful with your weight loss.

Once you have decided on a diet plan, consult your physician to be sure you have no unknown health issues that may prohibit the chosen diet plan.

When choosing a Heart healthy diet plan, set your goals low enough for you to handle. If you want to lose a few pounds, this can be attainable in a short while, but not overnight.

Here are a few simple tips which will allow you to add foods to your daily diet that have been proven to help prevent heart disease.

1. The easiest step to start with is cutting certain foods out of your diet. It only means you have to become a little more educated about the types of snacks you eat.

2. Stay away from foods high in fat and cholesterol by checking the nutritional values on the labels. Many food producers today have come out with foods that are significantly lower in cholesterol, salt, and fat and a quick comparison of labels will help you find those.

3. Try to eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the best sources for this are fish like salmon and tuna. Almonds are a great choice and very versatile. Stay away from the salted or sweetened almonds. Try almond slivers tossed into a salad.

4. Fruits and vegetables should already be a major part of your healthy diet, but they are especially important for a healthy heart. Try to eat a variety of these, as each one can provide different benefits.

5. Tomatoes and carrots contain magnesium and potassium which can help lower blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are probably the easiest to implement into your daily diet since they can be used as a replacement for many unhealthy snack foods.

Remember: Heart healthy diet cannot be rushed. There are many ways to implement the above foods into your diet. You must motivate yourself to maintain the stamina to stick with the diet you choose for however long it takes to be successful with your weight loss. Is all it takes to start diet for a healthy heart!