Celebrate Easter With a Savory Heart Healthy Dinner

Mint-Pesto Rubbed Leg of Lamb

Makes: About 12 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, (see Tip)

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 3 1/2-pound boneless leg of lamb, butterflied (see Tip) and trimmed

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Place basil, mint, parsley, pine nuts, cheese, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a food processor and process until fairly smooth. Sprinkle lamb all over with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pesto; spread the rest over the top side of the lamb and roll it closed. (It will not be a perfect cylinder.) Tie kitchen string around the roast in five places; do not tie too tightly or the pesto will squeeze out. Rub the reserved pesto over the outside of the lamb and place in a roasting pan.

• Roast the lamb until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°F for medium-rare, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes. Carve the lamb, leaving the string in place to help hold the roast together.

Tips & Notes

• Equipment: Kitchen string

• To toast pine nuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 5 minutes.

• Have your butcher “butterfly” a boneless leg of lamb (that is, open it up to a large, flat cut of meat); ask that any visible fat be trimmed off.

Asparagus Topped with Creamy Tarragon Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 bunches asparagus, tough ends trimmed

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

6 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon lemon juice, juice

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

• Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put asparagus in a steamer basket, cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes.

• Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon juice, water, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle the sauce over the asparagus. Serve warm or cold.

Tips & Notes

• Cover and refrigerate the sauce for up to 3 days.

Eating Well Deviled Eggs

Makes: 24 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

12 large hard-boiled eggs (see Tip), peeled

1/3 cup nonfat cottage cheese

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or scallion greens

1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

Paprika for garnish

Preparation

• Halve eggs lengthwise with a sharp knife. Gently remove the yolks. Place 16 yolk halves in a food processor (discard the remaining 8 yolk halves). Add cottage cheese, mayonnaise, chives (or scallion greens), relish, mustard and salt; process until smooth.

• Spoon about 2 teaspoons yolk mixture into each egg white half. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Tips & Notes

• Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

• To hard-boil eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water and cover the eggs with ice-cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle before peeling.

Carrot Cake

Makes: 16 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (plus 1 hour cooling time)

Ingredients

Cake

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots, (4-6 medium)

1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tip)

Frosting

12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel), softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons coconut chips, (see Ingredient Note) or flaked coconut, toasted

Preparation

• To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

• Drain pineapple in a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the solids. Reserve the drained pineapple and 1/4 cup of the juice.

• Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and the 1/4 cup pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and 1/4 cup coconut. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

• Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

• To prepare frosting and finish cake: Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Tips & Notes

• Ingredient Notes: Whole-wheat pastry flour, lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour, has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods. You can find it in the natural-foods section of large super markets and natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

• Large thin flakes of dried coconut called coconut chips make attractive garnishes. Find them in the produce section of large supermarkets or at melissas.com.

• No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

• To toast chopped walnuts and coconut chips, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 5 minutes.

More Heart Healthy Recipes can be found on EatingWell.com