Flavor-Forward Heart Health

Chimichurri ~ Muhammara ~ Broiled Lemony Cabbage
Strawberry Lentil Smoothie

Heart-healthy cooking does not have to feel bland, restrictive, or complicated. In this class, we’ll explore flavorful, satisfying ways to build meals around ingredients that support both well-being and enjoyment, including lentils, greens, berries, herbs, olive oil, nuts, and vegetables.

Together we’ll make two bold sauces, bright chimichurri and smoky walnut-rich muhammara, and pair them with lentils and grains to show how simple staples can become vibrant, craveable meals. We’ll also blend a refreshing strawberry lentil smoothie packed with fiber, plant protein, and everyday ingredients that help support heart health.

Along the way, we’ll talk about practical ways to build flavor with herbs, spices, texture, and healthy fats so nourishing meals feel generous, energizing, and deeply satisfying.

Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a vibrant herb sauce from Argentina and Uruguay traditionally served with grilled foods, though I love it just as much with beans, lentils, grains, and roasted vegetables. Garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil, and vinegar create bold flavor with just a handful of ingredients. Heart-healthy cooking is often less about restriction and more about finding satisfying ways to build flavor with plants, herbs, and healthy fats. Chimichurri keeps meals feeling lively and satisfying, which is part of what helps nourishing habits actually stick.

Makes around 1 cup

½ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
3 Piquillo peppers
1-2 cloves garlic
Sea salt 

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Alternatively, if you like a chunkier sauce, chop the herbs, peppers and garlic and mix together with remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Muhammara

Muhammara is a smoky, tangy red pepper and walnut spread that originated in Syria and is now enjoyed throughout the Middle East. It’s deeply satisfying thanks to roasted red peppers, walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and warming spices. This is a flavorful example of how heart-supportive ingredients like nuts, olive oil, legumes, and vegetables can come together in a way that feels abundant rather than restrictive. I love serving it with lentils, grain bowls, vegetables, or spread onto toast or wraps. Pomegranate molasses gives muhammara its signature sweet-tart depth, but if you don’t have it, you can use a small splash of balsamic vinegar plus a squeeze of lemon juice for a similar balance.

Makes around 2 cups

2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, deseeded
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnuts, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or as needed
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
Aleppo pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt plus more to taste

1. Preheat a griddle or grill to medium high heat (or use burner on gas stove). Place the peppers on the grill and char on all sides. OR Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the pepper on a sheet pan and roast until the skin is blistered and charred in spots, turning once or twice so it softens and colors on all sides, about 20–30 minutes total depending on size.

2. Transfer the hot pepper to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap (or a plate). Let it sit for 5–10 minutes to steam. This helps loosen the skin. Remove the skin, stem, and seeds. Do not rinse, as this will wash away flavor.

3. Place the peppers and spices in a food processor. Process to a coarse purée. Add the green onions, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, spices and salt. Pulse to a coarse purée while adding the olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste.

4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Strawberry Lentil Smoothie

This smoothie is rich, refreshing, and satisfying. It’s a treat made from ingredients I want more of in my day like lentils, greens, berries, and walnuts. Together they bring fiber, plant protein, and healthy fats that support heart health while also helping the smoothie feel filling and balanced. Brown lentils add body without changing the berry flavor, and other mild beans or chickpeas work well too. Frozen banana and frozen lentils keep it cool, but if they’re room temperature, just add ice. Cinnamon adds warmth and depth, helping the smoothie taste naturally sweeter without much added sugar. Use more milk for a thinner, sippable smoothie or less milk for a thicker, dessert-style blend. The banana is the only sweetener here, so if you like a sweeter smoothie, add a date, maple syrup, or another sweetener.

Serves 1

⅓ cup frozen cooked brown lentils*
1 frozen banana
1 cup strawberries
½ cup baby spinach or 2-3 kale leaves
Small handful toasted walnuts
Pinch of cinnamon
¾ cup unsweetened milk of choice

Add all ingredients to a blender with a few ice cubes and blend on high until smooth. Serve immediately.

*How to Freeze Lentils
After cooking and draining well, or rinsing canned lentils and draining well, spread them in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a clean dish towel. Pat dry and let air dry, stirring occasionally to ensure they are completely dry. Transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread in an even layer. Place in the freezer for one hour, then use a spatula to stir and break up any lentils that have stuck together. Return to the freezer for another hour or so until they are fully frozen. Transfer to a freezer bag or an airtight container. They keep frozen for up to 4 months.

Broiled Lemony Cabbage

Broiling transforms cabbage from simple and mild into something deeply savory, sweet, and satisfying with crisp edges and tender centers. It’s one of my favorite examples of how technique can completely change the experience of vegetables. Paired with bold sauces like chimichurri or muhammara, cabbage becomes the kind of flavorful, hearty vegetable dish people genuinely crave. It’s also affordable, versatile, rich in fiber, and an easy way to bring more vegetables into everyday meals in a way that feels comforting and abundant.

1 medium head of cabbage, sliced into thin wedges with core intact
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, halved crosswise
2-3 Tablespoons roughly chopped delicate herbs (like flat leaf parsley, cilantro, chives, mint), optional
3-4 Tablespoons roughly chopped toasted nuts (like walnuts, pistachio nuts, almonds), optional

1. Turn the oven on to the high broil setting and place an oven rack near the top of the oven.

2. Place the cabbage on a rimmed baking sheet and use your hands to gently coat with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Nestle in the lemon halves cut side down.

3. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the top oven rack until the cabbage starts to turn brown in spots and remove from oven. Flip over with tongs or a spatula and return to the oven for another 2-3 minutes. The cabbage should turn more of a vibrant hue and golden-brown around the edges.

4. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to smoosh the juice out of the lemons and mix with the cabbage, removing any seeds. Alternatively, remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the cabbage to a serving dish or to plates. Flip the lemon halves cut side up and place back under the broiler for around 2 minutes until they are caramelized and browned. Serve the cabbage with the lemons cut side up for a gorgeous presentation or use a spatula to release and mix the juice with the cabbage.

5. Sprinkle with herbs and/or nuts if you are using. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.