February is American Heart Month, and here at Fitbit, we know how important it is to raise awareness in order to help prevent heart disease—and to help you strengthen your cardiovascular system as a whole. The sobering truth is that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. But there’s good news, too: There are plenty of ways to lower your risk of getting the highly preventable disease. 

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH) tells us a healthy diet low in sodium, added sugars, and saturated fat is one of the keys to preventing heart disease. Noshing on a diet full of veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, fish, and nuts, limiting foods that are high in saturated fat and sodium, and limiting sugar and other sweeteners are vital ways to keep your heart happy. 

And it’s easier than ever to incorporate the right foods into your diet without sacrificing your taste buds! Honor your heart health all month long and beyond with these fun and highly snackable recipe ideas.

Blueberry-Banana Cheerios Cereal Smoothies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup low-fat milk

1 cup Cheerios™ cereal

1 ripe banana, cut into chunks

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup ice

Garnishes, if desired

Banana slices

Additional cereal 

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a blender, place smoothie ingredients. Cover; blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until smooth.

Pour into 2 glasses. Garnish as desired. Serve immediately. 

Makes 2 servings.

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING): 

Calories 200

Protein 7 g

Total fat 2.5 g

Saturated fat 1 g

Cholesterol 5 mg

Carbs 41 g

Fiber 3 g

Total sugars 21 g

Added sugars 1 g

Sodium 125 mg

Chia Pudding with Cheerios and Fresh Berries

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup almond and coconut milk, unsweetened

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons agave syrup or honey

½ teaspoon coconut extract

¼ cup chia seeds

1 cup Cheerios cereal

1 cup fresh berries of your choice, washed and cut into pieces

¼ cup almonds, sliced or in pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a medium-size container mix milk, yogurt, agave, coconut extract, and chia seeds. Mix well to combine.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes, remove from the fridge, mix again and refrigerate overnight. To serve, divide the pudding into equal parts and serve in small cups or glasses.

Add Cheerios over pudding and top with fresh berries. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING): 

Calories 230

Protein 11 g

Total fat 10 g

Saturated fat 2 g

Cholesterol 5 mg

Carbs 25 g

Fiber 5 g

Total sugars 12 g

Added sugars 7 g

Sodium 100 mg

Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas, Avocado & Sprouts 

Recipe by Charity Ferreira | Photo by Erin Kunkel 

INGREDIENTS:

For the dressing:

1 cup (8 oz/250 g) plain non- or low-fat Greek yogurt

½ cup (½ oz/15 g) fresh basil leaves

½ cup (½ oz/15 g) fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves

¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) fresh lemon juice

¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

4 green onions, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 bunch dinosaur or lacinato kale leaves, ribs removed, sliced into 1/8-inch (3-mm) strips

1 cup (6 oz/185 g) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if canned

1 cup (6 oz/185 g) halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup (5 oz/155 g) diced English cucumber (see note)

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced

1 cup (1 oz/30 g) sprouts, such as alfalfa or other veggie sprouts

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the dressing, in a blender or food processor, add the yogurt, basil, parsley, tarragon, lemon juice, olive oil, green onions, and garlic. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Divide the kale between bowls. Mound the chickpeas, tomatoes, and cucumber on top. Arrange the avocado slices and sprinkle with the sunflower seeds. Drizzle with some of the dressing and serve.

Makes 4 servings and 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) dressing.

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING): 

Calories 270

Protein 12 g

Total fat 16 g

Saturated fat 2 g

Carbs 25 g

Fiber 8 g

Sugar 6 g

Sodium 156 mg

Crispy Salmon with Fingerling Potatoes & Asparagus 

Recipe by Becky Duffett | Photo by Erin Kunkel 

INGREDIENTS:

For the avocado aioli:

½ cup (4 oz/125 g) low-fat Greek yogurt

½ avocado, pitted and peeled

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped  

1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb (500 g) fingerling potatoes, halved or quartered

1 bunch asparagus

1 lb (500 g) wild salmon fillet

Lemon wedges for serving

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the avocado aioli, in a blender, combine the yogurt, avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the capers and shallot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the potatoes, cut-side down, and sear until dark golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir the potatoes and continue to cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Return the pan to the heat. Add the asparagus and sauté just until bright green and tender-crisp, 3 minutes. Transfer to the platter with the potatoes and keep warm.

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Return the pan to the heat, and warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the salmon, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is crispy and the flesh is cooked halfway through, 5 minutes. Turn the salmon and cook until done to your liking, 3 minutes longer for medium, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Add the salmon to the platter with the potatoes and asparagus.

Transfer the salmon, potatoes, and asparagus to plates. Dollop with the avocado aioli, grind with pepper, and serve warm, with the lemon wedges for squeezing.

Makes 4 servings. 

NUTRITION FACTS (PER SERVING): 

Calories 430

Protein 29 g

Total fat 24 g

Saturated fat 4 g  

Carbs 26 g

Fiber 5 g

Total sugars 3 g

Added sugars 0 g

Sodium 120 mg

In celebration of heart health, look for participating boxes of Cheerios for a chance to win a Fitbit Inspire HR. (No purchase necessary. Ends 5/1/20. See www.cheerios.com/fitbit for details.)  

And, if you want to take major steps toward bettering your heart health, learn more about heart rate tracking with Fitbit here. Sign up for Fitbit Premium and discover guided nutrition programs that can help you improve your heart health.