Dine the Greek way: It’s heart healthy and tasty, too

Want a heart-healthy diet that’s also tasty? Nutritionists found that the traditional Greek diet — which focuses on vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts and yogurt; olive oil as the sole source of added fat; only a few weekly servings of fish, poultry, eggs and sweets; and red meats saved for special occasions only — is one of the healthiest eating styles you can choose. Here’s one easy recipe:

Greek-Style Stewed Chicken

What you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders, visible fat discarded
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
• 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

What you’ll do:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and cook chicken for 2 minutes on each side.
2. Add the bell pepper and shallots. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Serves 4. Per serving: 197 calories, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat), 66 mg cholesterol, 404 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 28 g protein. Recipe adapted with permission from the American Heart Association’s Low Fat Low Cholesterol Cookbook.

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