Get Healthy

A Leafy Way to Shape Up for Spring

Richard Shlofmitz, M.D., Chairman of Cardiology at St. Francis, is known for being one of the best cardiologists in the nation, but he is also an accomplished chef. The top-ranked cardiologist has appeared on television news shows throughout the metropolitan area offering heart-healthy recipes for everything from haute cuisine to popular comfort foods.

Dr. Shlofmitz says when it comes to your heart, food doesn’t have to taste bad to be good. He’s developed a spectacular spring salad based on the Mediterranean diet using plenty of greens, chick peas and feta cheese. “The end result tastes as good as it looks,” he adds.

Heart Healthy Spring Salad

Ingredients:

1 head of iceberg lettuce
½ head red cabbage
4 leaves of romaine
1/2 head of radicchio
1 endive
1 seedless cucumber
1 small red onion
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 can of chick peas (drained and rinsed)
½ cup of pitted kalamata olives
6 pepperoncini
4 ounces of feta cheese
1 box of frozen peas (defrosted)
16 stalks of asparagus (steamed and cooled)

Chop all ingredients except asparagus to a similar size and store separately until ready to serve. When set to serve, toss all ingredients and combine with dressing except asparagus. Place portion size in a ramekin to form and then turn over on serving plate. Arrange 4 asparagus spears on an angle pointing to mint leave in the center over salad.

Serves 4

Dressing:

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
4 tbsp. Red wine vinegar
2/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil

Season with salt and pepper, whisk together until combined.