Food Fashionista: Love and the Smell of Onions...

I drizzle the oil and heat up the pan, I dice them and throw them in. First you hear that amazing sizzle and then the aroma hits you..the best smell in the whole world, onions..

So it's Valentine's Day...Love is lingering in the air for all...and at our house, the smell of onions too. I truly believe that the way to a loved ones heart is through their stomach. Nothing makes people happier than a nice home cooked meal.

February is also Heart Health Awareness Month. Heart disease is the number one killer of our American population and the funniest thing is, it is totally preventable. There are so many small changes that you can make with your family to decrease your chances of developing heart disease.

Cardiovascular (heart) disease includes a wide range of diseases that affect the heart, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes are the most talked about.

Here are some simple food tips that you can do starting today!

· Cook at home – Cooking at home is a great way to control and limit your portion sizes and of course what you eat. You are able to limit the amount of oil used, salt and of course it will be fresh.

· Oils – when cooking, use heart healthy oils such as olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil or soybean oil. Although they are considered healthy for our hearts, use them in moderation (they still have about 100 calories per tablespoon)

· Add Spice to your Life – experiment using spices and seasoning combinations. Avoid prepackaged seasoning mixes that usually contain tons of salt.

· We teach our kids to share…why don't we? – If you do go out to your favorite restaurant, order one entrée and share it. Maybe you will have room for some dessert.

For more information visit www.heart.org , American Heart Association.

Tonight our special Valentine's Day meal included a combination of healthy foods and then of course a couple cheats. Here are a few recipes....

Dijon Brussel Sprouts with Crumbled Bacon

2 cups fresh brussel sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
1 onion, diced
2 strips of bacon, diced
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a heated frying pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. With the heat still on high add onions and saute for 5 minutes, add brussel sprouts and saute another 10 minutes. Add water and dijon mustard, stir. Keep on low heat for another 10 minutes or until sprouts are tender. When serving crumble bacon on top. Serves 2 with lots of left overs!

Seared Boneless Pork Chops

2 boneless (thick cut) pork chops
1 tbsp Montreal Steak seasoning
1 tbsp oil

Heat oven to 350*F. Heat a frying pan on high heat, add oil. Sprinkle steak seasoning on both pork chops and add to pan. Sear one side for 5 minutes and flip. Sear second side for 1 minute and then put in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. Serve.

For more info, or for other recipes...please comment!

Simple Salad