Heart healthy recipes: Spinach Apricot Salad, Turkey-Cranberry Burgers and Chocolate Pudding Pie

Spinach Apricot Salad

8 cups torn fresh pre-washed baby spinach

1/3 cup dried apricots, snipped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced or minced

4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Remove stems from the spinach, if desired. In a large bowl, combine the spinach and apricots; set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic in the hot oil until it is golden. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Bring to boiling; remove from heat. Add the spinach-apricot mixture to the skillet. Return to the heat and toss the mixture in the skillet about 1 minute or until the spinach is just wilted.

Transfer mixture to a serving dish. Season the spinach to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve salad immediately.

— Better Homes and Gardens Heart-Healthy Living Recipe

Turkey-Cranberry Burgers

1/2 cup finely shredded carrot

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons fat-free milk

1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

12 ounces uncooked ground turkey breast or chicken breast

1 cup mixed baby greens

4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

1/2 cup whole cranberry sauce

In a medium bowl, stir together carrot, green onions, breadcrumbs, milk, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the ground turkey; mix well. Shape the turkey mixture into four ½-inch-thick patties.

Place patties on a greased grill rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until patties are done (165°F), turning once halfway through grilling. Arrange mixed greens on bottoms of buns. Top with grilled patties and cranberry sauce; replace top halves of buns.

Broiling Directions: Place the turkey patties on a greased unheated broiler pan rack. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 11 to 13 minutes or until done (165°F), turning once halfway through broiling.

— Better Homes and Gardens Heart-Healthy Living Recipe

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Cooking spray

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

CAKE LAYER

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cups chopped pecans

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1 tablespoon canola or corn oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PUDDING LAYER

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Dust the bottom with 1 teaspoon cocoa powder.

For the cake layer, in a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, pecans, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add the evaporated milk, oil, and vanilla, stirring until well combined.

Using a rubber scraper or the back of a large spoon, spread the batter in the pan (the batter will be very thick).

For the pudding layer, in another medium bowl, stir together the sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Whisk in the water and vanilla. Pour over the batter — do no stir.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. (A cake tester or wooden toothpick doesn’t work well for testing doneness here.)

Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, spooning the pudding over the cake.

— American Heart Association

This story was originally published February 24, 2010 at 8:20 AM with the headline "Heart healthy recipes: Spinach Apricot Salad, Turkey-Cranberry Burgers and Chocolate Pudding Pie."