Dinner Recipes for Your Health (2024)

OLIVE OIL
Pour on the olive oil. The FDA says that consuming 2 tablespoons a day, in place of saturated fat, might reduce your risk of heart disease.

ALMONDS
Pile on the crunch: The monounsaturated fats in nuts may play a role in reducing your risk of death from coronary heart disease, according to a Loma Linda University study review.

SALMON
Fatty fish species such as salmon are well worth the price: A diet rich in fish oils could protect your ticker by reducing the buildup of fat in your blood.

FARRO
Chew on this: People who ate a diet rich in whole grains like farro cut their risk of heart disease by about 20 percent compared with those who ate them rarely, according to a review in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Disease.

CHICKPEAS
Pass the hummus: Chickpeas are a good source of polyphenols, which may slow the buildup of plaque in your arteries and boost your HDL (good) cholesterol.

PLUS: To learn more about the heart-protecting, age-erasing, muscle-building foods every man must eat, pick up a copy of

Eat This, Not That! 2012 today!

Roasted Salmon with Chickpea Salad

Jenn Louis, chef-owner of Lincoln Restaurant and Sunshine Tavern in Portland, Oregon

What You'll Need:
3/4 cup farro
1 salmon fillet (12 oz, preferably wild), skin on
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup drained canned chickpeas
1/4 cup whole almonds, toasted and chopped
1 Tbsp thinly sliced mint leaves
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Lemon wedges

How to Make It:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the farro. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the farro is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the farro and set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, place the salmon skin side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Drizzle on 1 Tbsp of oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until white spots appear on the salmon, about 20 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil with the vinegar and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the farro along with the chickpeas, almonds, mint, and scallion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the salmon with the farro salad and lemon wedges to squeeze onto the fish. Makes 2 or 3 servings

CASHEWS
Talk about a smart snack. Cashews help prevent magnesium deficiencies, which may promote cell aging and age-related disease, say researchers from the University of California at Berkeley.

CURRY POWDER
Spices can boost brainpower as well as food's flavor. This Indian blend is rich in turmeric, a spice linked to the prevention of Alzheimer's disease in a study review published in the Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology.

MUSTARD GREENS
Save face: These robust greens boast plenty of vitamin C, which supports the collagen in your skin, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

CARROTS
Crunch on carrots to protect your eyes. Carrots are rich in lutein, a nutrient that can help prevent age-related macular degeneration, a Chinese study review found.

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Easy Curried Chicken Korma with Greens

Vikas Khanna, chef at Junoon, in New York City, and author of Flavors First

What You'll Need:
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup low-fat yogurt
1 cup 2% milk
1 tsp freshly ground pepper (preferably white)
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 lb fresh mustard greens, stemmed and chopped

How to Make It:
1. Soak the nuts in water for 1/2 hour. Drain and place them in a blender with the yogurt, milk, pepper, and salt. Blend until a smooth sauce forms. Thin with water if it seems thicker than a milkshake.

2. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat; saute the garlic, ginger, and curry powder until light brown, about 3 minutes, taking care not to burn them. Add the yogurt mixture and reduce to a simmer; cook for 10 minutes.

3. Add the chicken and carrots to the sauce; simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet; add the greens and saute until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt. Serve the korma with the greens. Makes 4 servings

BLACK BEANS
Want to go harder at the gym? Then load up on these legumes, which help prevent a magnesium deficiency that can reduce exercise performance and endurance, a review in Magnesium Research reports.

BEEF
Sure, beef is a great source of muscle-building protein. But it's also one of the best sources of carnitine, an amino-acid derivative that helps your mitochondria burn fat for energy.

CHILIES
Want to reveal those muscles? Then you also need to pare away fat. A Japanese study found that capsaicin, the chemical that gives chilies their spicy heat, helps your body burn more fat as fuel during exercise.

PLANTAINS
Like bananas, plantains are rich in potassium, a nutrient that helps form glycogen, a source of energy that powers your muscles.

More from Men's Health:
The Truth About Calories
The 125 Best Foods for Men
Shop Once, Eat for a Week

Flank Steak Tacos with Mole Sauce

Patricio Sandoval, chef and partner of Mercadito, in New York, Chicago, and Miami

What You'll Need:
3 dried chilies (preferably 2 pasilla and 1 guajillo), stemmed
1/2 soft-ripe plantain, peeled
1 plum tomato
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
1 1/2 oz dark chocolate, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt to taste
1 flank steak (about 10 oz)
4 soft corn tortillas, warmed
1 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

How to Make It:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, soak the chilies in warm water, weighing them down with a plate, until soft, about 20 minutes.

2. Put the plantain and tomato on a baking sheet; brush the tomato with oil. Roast, adding the garlic after 10 minutes, until the tomato is lightly charred, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Dice the plantain. In a blender, puree the tomato, garlic, chilies, beans, chocolate, and cinnamon, thinning with up to 1/2 cup of water if needed. Season with salt.

4. On a lightly oiled grill, cook the steak over high heat to medium, about 3 minutes a side. Let it rest briefly, and then cut it into cubes. Serve your steak tacos with the mole, peanuts, cilantro, and plantain. Makes 2 servings