Getting Started....The Winter Green Salad

When your husband has a heart attack at 31 what do you do? You get in the kitchen! I have always enjoyed cooking, but creating meals for a heart attack patient (particularly one with a hereditary form of high cholesterol) can be quite daunting at times. I have discovered that "healthy" meals don't always equate to being heart healthy and some of the most basic food items are actually packed full of ingredients that should be avoided. To add to our dietary concerns, our two-and a half year old son, Mac, also has this condition. It is my goal to keep him from going through this same experience by providing him with the nutrition he needs to live a long and healthy life.
I have made almost all of our meals from scratch over the past month and our new way of life has already started to show visible benefits. Within 2 weeks of his heart attack and introducing our new dietary changes, my husband Eric's cholesterol was cut almost in half and within a month he is down 15 pounds and 5 inches in his waist!
So many friends and family members have asked for recipes so I thought that starting a blog would be the best way to share them with everyone. There has been a great deal of trial and error in this process and that is what I plan on documenting in my posts. For every new meal we try I will post the recipe and our review of the meal so that you can decide for yourself if it's worth making it. I am trying to find meals that anyone can enjoy...the meat eater, the vegetarian, the kids....everyone!
To start this off I'm going to give you the recipe for an INCREDIBLE salad that we have been enjoying almost every night either as a main course or a side. When we were in Colorado a few weeks ago, Eric and I found this amazing little place called Mod Market (http://www.modmarket.com/). They have a great menu including salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and soups made from scratch. Not only do they provide the calorie and fat content for each meal, you also get a print out with your receipt of the calories, fat, sodium, etc. for the meal you purchased. Such a great idea and so appreciated for someone in our position. What would I give for a place like this in Houston?!?!? So here is the recipe for their Winter Green Salad with Honey Herb Vinaigrette (with a few of my own modifications):

Salad:
2 cups Spring Mix Greens
4 Heirloom/Cherry tomatoes (halved)
1/4 cup shelled walnuts
1/4 cup of cranberries
1/4 cup of green apple
Sprinkle of goat cheese (as much or as little as you like)
Sprinkle of parmesan cheese

Honey Herb Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons basil
1 Tablespoon shallots (or green onion)

I know this probably doesn't sound fantastic, but trust me, it is amazing! The walnuts and the parmesan give it a little bit of saltiness and the cranberries and honey herb dressing provide just the right amount of sweetness. You will love it!

The best part is that there is no fat at all in the dressing. The only calories in the dressing come from the honey (60 calories per Tablespoon). And the added benefit in our situation is that walnuts are proven to reduce the risk of heart disease when eaten as part of a healthy diet. Enjoy!