Testing out some heart-healthy recipes forward of Lynchburg Coronary heart Stroll

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WFXR) — There are only a few more days left until the Lynchburg Heart Walk, so WFXR News brought in a chef from the Centra Culinary Group to learn how to cook some heart-healthy meals.

Gearing up for the 2022 Lynchburg Heart Walk

Chef Tim Schoonmaker, the corporate director and executive chef of the Centra Culinary Group, joined WFXR News’ Amanda Kenney in the kitchen during “Good Day Virginia” to share some tasty and healthy recipes ahead of the Lynchburg Heart Walk.

The opening ceremonies for the event start at 9:30 am on Saturday, April 9 before the walk kicks off at 10 am at Riverfront Park in Lynchburg. If you want to register for or donate to the Heart Walk, click here.

Workout tips from Centra Heart & Vascular Institute ahead of Lynchburg Heart Walk

In the meantime, if you want to try out Schoonmaker’s meals at home, here are the recipes.

Thai “Pasta” Salad (serves four)

• Zucchini- 2 each (use a spiralizer)
• Squash- 2 each (use a spiralizer)
• Cucumber, diced- 1 each
• Tomato, diced- 1 each
• Feta Cheese- 1/2 cup
• Green Pepper, diced- 1 each
• Broccoli- 1 cup
• Salad mix, or salad blend
• For the dressing:
  • Honey- 1/4 cup
  • Sesame Oil- 1 teaspoon
  • Olive oil- 1/4 cup
  • Apple Cider Vinegar- 1 teaspoon
  • Garden Blend Seasoning- 1 tablespoon
  • Sesame Seeds- 3 tablespoons

For the dressing, mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, making sure to combine them well. Then, add in the vegetables and cheese.

For a variation on the recipe, you can add chicken, shrimp, or another lean protein to serve as an entrée.

You can also use different vegetables, or even sauté these ingredients together and add a tomato puree for a ‘pasta’ type of dish.

Pesto Infused Cauliflower Rice with Vegetables (serves four)

• Pesto
  • Kale- 1 bunch (washed well)
  • Parsley- 1 bunch
  • Cilantro- 1 bunch
  • Arugula- 1 cup
  • Spinach- 1 cup
  • Garlic- 8 cloves
  • Pine nuts or other nut (optional)- 1/4 cup
  • Italian seasoning (dry) – 2 tablespoons
  • Olive oil- up to 1 cup

To make the pesto, combine all of the above ingredients with a small of olive oil in a powerful blender. Blend continuously, adding more olive oil until mix is ​​smooth, and set aside.

• Red pepper, diced- 1 pepper
• Cauliflower rice (frozen)- 4 cups
  • If you use fresh, use 1 head of cauliflower and using a food processor, grate into “rice,” placing on a paper towel to absorb moisture
• Diced tomatoes- 1 tomato
• Cucumber, diced- 1 cucumber
• Shredded carrots- 1/2 cup
• Edamame- 1 cup

To prepare, place the pesto in a bowl, then add in cauliflower rice and vegetables in a bowl.

Variations on this recipe:

• Add chicken, shrimp, or another lean protein to serve this as an entrée, considered a “one pot dinner.” You can also serve it as a hot side by sautéing the ingredients together.
• You can make pesto in the traditional way with basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil, or you can substitute other ingredients, such as avocado, or other vegetables — but you may have to adjust the amount of olive oil.
• For further versatility, you can add leftovers or other vegetables and use this as parts of meal prep throughout the week.