February is Heart Month! Make sure you take good care of your sweethearts by adding more heart healthy meals to your kitchen repertoire. Almost any dish can be made heart healthy. Lowing the salt you add, replacing the oils you use and substituting a few ingredients are just some of the many ways you can make some of your favorite dishes a little kinder to the arteries.

Pick up a free copy of February’s City Social around town or read it online at www.citysocial.com!

Pan Seared Salmon with Wilted Spinach
2 center-cut salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

For the spinach:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Place the salmon fillets on a plate. Season with sea salt and pepper then sprinkle with lemon juice. Let rest for 15 minutes. Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Place the filets skin side down and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook until the salmon is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more.

Meanwhile, combine the oil and vinegar, then toss with the spinach. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Place leaves in a skillet over medium low heat. Turn the leaves with tongs until they are slightly wilted. Place on the plate and top with salmon before serving.

Mashed Turnips with Horseradish
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into cubes
4 to 6 turnips, peeled and cut into cubes
1/4 cup fat free half and half
2 tablespoons horseradish
1 to 2 tablespoons low sodium vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the turnips first for 10 minutes then add the potato. Boil the vegetables for 10 to 12 minutes more or until they are tender. Drain the vegetables in the pan. Cook them over high heat, shaking the pan, for 30 seconds, or until any excess liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat. Mash the potato and turnips then strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Return to the pan and whip in the half and half, horseradish and broth of liquid is needed. Salt and pepper to taste.

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
3 chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups low salt chicken broth
1 7-ounce can salsa verde
1 pound dried white canelli or Great Northern beans
Shredded mozzarella cheese.

Spray the bottom of a large slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray or coat with olive oil. Place the chopped onions on the bottom of the pot. Season the chicken breasts with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Place the chicken over the onions. Slowly pour in the broth, careful not to splash the seasoning off the chicken. Pour in the salsa verde. Finally, add the beans. Cook the chili on low for 6 to 7 hours.

The chicken should shred easily in the pot. If not place it on a cutting board and pull it with two forks in opposite directions, then return it to the pot to re-heat it. Serve each bowl topped with mozzarella cheese.

Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
4 small to medium sweet potatoes
1 can black beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup light or fat free sour cream or plain yogurt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice (one lime)

Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the sweet potatoes 40 to 50 minutes or until tender. While the potatoes finish baking, drain the beans and Rotel tomatoes in a colander together, then transfer them to a medium sauce pan. Heat the bean and Rotel until warm stir in the cilantro and lime juice.

Once the potatoes are done, cut them in half and top each half with the bean mixture and a small spoon of sour cream or yogurt. Garnish each stuffed potato with fresh cilantro and serve.