Please check out my feature article in today’s Tallahassee Democrat with information on heart health and answers to frequently asked questions about what to eat to improve heart and overall health.

Access it online here:  http://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/wellness/heart-month/2018/02/21/love-your-heart-feed-your-body-healthy-fare-ward-off-heart-disease/356615002/

Don’t miss my French Onion Zoodle Bake Recipe.

If you haven't heard of zoodles or haven't tried them yet, they are zucchini that has been spiralized into noodle shapes. They are a great, interesting way to include more veggies. Anything you would use pasta for you can sub in zoodles or veggie ribbons. Think chicken parm, lasagna, etc. You can find spiralizers at Brown's Kitchen store on Capital Circle here in Tallahassee or at Walmart, Target, or on Amazon. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can always just cut the zucchini into thin slices.

French Onion Zoodle Bake
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 large Vidalia or sweet onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
4 medium zucchinis (spiralized into “zoodles”)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 pounds organic boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 can 50% reduced sodium chicken broth (I use College Inn)
1/2 cup shredded Swiss, mozzarella , or fontina cheese
1 packet of Seeds of Change Quinoa & Brown Rice

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in an oven safe skillet (cast iron works great) on medium heat. Place onion into skillet. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook low and slow for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are cooked down and starting to brown. Add in garlic and zucchini noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Stir in balsamic vinegar and let cook for another 2 minutes. Remove onions and zoodles to plate or bowl and set aside.

Season cubed chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper. Return skillet to stove, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil on medium heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan.

In small bowl, mix 1 Tablespoon flour with 1/2 cup broth to make a slurry. Add rest of broth to pan. Whisk flour/broth slurry into pan and scrape up browned bits of goodness. Cook on medium heat until slightly thickened. Add chicken and the onion and zoodle mixture back into the skillet and top with shredded cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Broil for 2 minutes to make it even more brown and bubbly. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.

Serve in a bowl over 1/2 cup cooked Seeds of Change Quinoa & Brown Rice. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (with 1/2 cup Quinoa & Brown Rice):  Calories: 406 Total Fat: 12 g Saturated Fat: 3 g Sodium: 737 mg Total Carbohydrate: 34.5 g Fiber: 4 g Total Sugars: 5 g Protein: 41.5 g