Life Changing: Gobble Up Some Healthy Treats

With the holiday's and winter temperatures approaching, it seems like just the right time to start making some good food and enjoying time with family and friends. As always, life is never dull with recovering heart transplant patient.

The preparation work for food with a heart transplant patient is even more tedious compared to a regular diet. While I was at Columbia Presbyterian after my own surgery, I talked to an older man who had been through so much in his life with his heart. He had bypass surgery, a transplant, and was in the hospital recovering from his second transplant!

At the time, it wasn't even a thought that my dad would need a full on transplant. The December before he had been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure but, to me, my dad was superman. His health might have changed, but he never complained.

This man in the hospital that I had only met for what seems like a brief moment in time, has stuck with me since. I remember him telling me how he some how got a second chance at life with this heart. He severely screwed up the first transplant with poor diet and lack of exercise.

I look at my dad who just by chance, was given a heart and a completely new lease on life. How could one person not take care of this second chance? And still receive a third chance after that? He must either be really blessed or have amazing connections.

Though my dad may be pushing himself too much, I certainly feel like he's embracing this gift to the best of his ability. Life only gives us so many chances and we ultimately choose the way it's lived. For the sake of the man in the hospital, I really hope he stays true to his word and starts taking advantage of living a healthy lifestyle.

In his defense though, I can certainly understand the frustration there is with a low sodium diet and needing the extra preparation time for anything with vegetables or fruits. If you know of anybody with a heart transplant or maybe even transplants in general, (not sure if it's a rule of thumb) you have to wash each individual piece of vegetables or fruit in vinegar water. Now this might be an extra step and not that big of a deal, however, take a head of lettuce and it makes this a little more tedious.

While I was recovering, I was lucky enough to have my sister or mom who would prepare my food for me. Until my dad was out of the hospital, I really haven't put my full effort into learning healthy cooking habits. That takes time and practice. I now have both and a greater need to learn.

This week I did a number of different healthy meals that were pretty tasty. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day; well, the breakfast I made was pretty good.

Egg whites, which if you get them in shop rite or buy in bulk at Costco, Sams Club, or BJ's it's not as much money.

Cheese is wonderful. Pizza, pasta, anything Italian and it will be made in my house regularly. However, the sodium levels are pretty high, so pick your cheese wisely!
The good cheese for you:
- swiss
- low fat cottage cheese
- mozzarella
- low fat ricotta

High sodium Cheese:
- feta
- blue
- parmesan The MSG of Cheese for Italian food
- gouda

Mix egg whites, some swiss, and spinach, you've got one really good breakfast.

Being in a holiday mood, I also decided to go a little turkey cupcake crazy. I did it with two kinds of mixes. Both were a Halloween ready made cakes and all you needed to add were a few ingredients. One was with oil, water, and eggs, the other with seltzer water. Seltzer water is supposed be healthier and less calories. Although, what I added to decorate, didn't exactly fulfill that healthy standard, they were very festive.

The ones with seltzer water ultimately tasted like cake batter. Yes, they were cooked. Just didn't have that golden color to tell that they were finished.

For the healthiest choices in decorations, I would say buy dark chocolate kisses and sugar free frosting. Add food coloring and you're in business! Those circular candies you see are actually reese's pieces. Get them at five below or target and they're pretty cheap. If you are diabetic or simply trying to watch weight, aren't we all, I would say make them and give these treats away asap! I certainly did. I do have some for myself, but it's only a treat for every once in a while.

In between baking and filling my dining room table to full capacity of decorations and cupcakes, I also made potato leek soup. Since my dad and I are both trying to maintain that low sodium diet, we used low sodium chicken broth. It's a pretty easy recipe you can find which was in the Joy of Cooking book but, added in with a healthier twist.

As I said earlier, the cleaning process of any fruit or vegetable takes a little longer however, it needs to be done. I cut up the leeks and scrubbed them in vinegar water. I then added them into unsalted butter and let it turn into a translucent color. After I added the rest of the peeled potato's (washed of course) and the broth. Brought it to a boil and then to a simmer. After I pureed it and we have soup galore! For those who need a little more salt, add some saltine crackers.