MetroSouth and Southland Restaurants Partner to Create Recipes for Heart Healthy Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. But top cardiologists say heart conditions can be monitored and even prevented if people follow simple prevention tips:  quit smoking, exercise more, and eat a healthy diet.  Chefs from restaurants on Chicago’s south side have taken this last tip to “heart” and are featuring heart-healthy items on their menus in February.

The participating chefs and their recipes include:  Ed Trinkaus of Allgauer’s Restaurant (Roasted Vegetable and Sun-Dried Hummus Wrap), Daniel Gronwold of Café Metro (Asian Citrus Salad and Toasted Sesame Shrimp Salad), George Gestios of Eggman’s Restaurant (Eggplant and Chicken), Aaron Browning of Koda Bistro (Roasted Red and Golden Beet Salad) and Eli Rodriguez of Restorante Tenochtitlan (Pechuga de Pollo al Carbon).

These items are not only found on the menus, but the chefs will be highlighting their recipes at the “Know Your Numbers by Heart” kick-off event at MetroSouth Medical Center, Saturday, February 6, 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  This event is open to the public and features free heart screenings, snacks and raffle prizes.  Andy Avalos, NBC5 meteorologist, and Jeanne Sparrow, morning anchor of WCIU-TV, will hand out awards to the chefs based on creativity, healthy ingredients, ease of preparing, taste, cost consciousness, etc.

“I love to cook using the freshest ingredients and I love to surprise my customers with dishes that are really good for them,” explains Chef Ed Trinkaus of Allgauer’s Resturant in the Doubletree Hotel Chicago/Alsip.  “I am delighted to participate in this program to help expose my customers to delicious tasting, healthy menu choices.”

The “Know Your Numbers by Heart” program is designed to raise awareness of the importance of prevention in the fight against heart disease.  Throughout the month of February, MetroSouth Medical Center is offering free heart screenings at all of its satellite locations which will test blood pressure, glucose level, cholesterol and body mass index (BMI).  These screenings can be critical in terms of managing one’s heart health.

MetroSouth Medical Center, which provides advanced cardiac interventional procedures and offers a state-of-the-art heart catheterization lab, is recognized for outstanding cardiac care. Thirty years ago, the hospital was among the first in the Chicago southland, and the nation, to offer angioplasty, a procedure used to unblock narrowed arteries.  Since that time, more than 15,000 angioplasties and more than 12,000 open heart surgeries have been performed at MSMC.

To register for the Saturday, February 6 heart-healthy event or another free screening, call 708-489-7927 or for more information, visit www.MetroSouthMedicalCenter.com.

Below are some healthy recipes prepared by local Chicago restaurants:  (A special thanks  to all of those who submitted.)

Allgauer’s Restaurant DoubleTree Hotel

Ed Trinkaus, Chef

Ed Trinkaus, Chef
5000 W. 127th Street
Alsip, Il 60803
(708) 371-7300

Roasted Vegetable and Sun-Dried Hummus Wrap
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch strips
2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
½ red onion, cut into 1-inch slices
1 zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1½ tsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh marjoram, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Musclun greens
4 whole-wheat tortillas (8-inch)
½ cup sun-dried tomato hummus (see accompanying recipe)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine peppers, mushrooms, onion and zucchini with olive oil,
vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet with
sides.

Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, turning
occasionally until browned and tender.
To assemble each wrap: Lay the tortilla flat on a cutting board. Spread
the hummus evenly over the wrap. Arrange vegetables evenly over the
hummus and top with the marjoram and greens. Carefully roll up the
wrap like sushi. Cut pieces on the bias.

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
1½ cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 sun-dried tomatoes
4 Tbs. tahini paste
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Salt and pepper to taste
Put chickpeas in food processor. Blend to smooth paste, adding a
small amount of stock, if needed.
Add garlic, tomato, tahini, oil and lemon juice, and process until
smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill
until serving.

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Café Metro

Daniel Gronwold, Executive Chef

Daniel Gronwold, Executive Chef
MetroSouth Medical Center
12935 S. Gregory Street
Blue Island, Il 60406
(708) 597-2000 ext. 5049

Asian Citrus Chicken Salad
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. raspberry wine vinegar
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. navel orange rind
8 Tbsp. orange juice
Cooking spray as needed
4 chicken breasts (4 oz. each)
8 cups romaine lettuce
1 15 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
Combine honey, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, navel orange rind and
orange juice in a bowl. Stir well with a whisk and set aside.
Coat a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place over
medium-high heat. Add chicken. Spoon 2 Tbs. of orange juice
mixture over chicken. Cook 5 minutes. Turn chicken and spoon 2
Tbsp. orange juice mixture over chicken. Cook 5 minutes or until
done. Remove chicken and let cool slightly.
Cut chicken into thin slices.
Place 2 cups salad greens onto each of 4 plates. Arrange mandarin
orange slices and bell pepper strips over greens. Drizzle
2 Tbsp. orange juice mixture over each serving. Arrange sliced
chicken over greens. Serve immediately.

Toasted Sesame Shrimp Salad
1 head romaine lettuce
24 medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
1 15 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
4 oz. almonds, sliced
½ cup green onions, diced
Sesame dressing (store-bought)
Place several leaves of romaine lettuce on 4 plates and top each
with 6 shrimp, spaced evenly in a circle.
Place mandarin oranges and water chestnuts between shrimp.
Sprinkle entire salad with sliced almonds and green onion.
Serve sesame dressing on the side.

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Restorante Tenochtitlan

Eli Rodriguez, Chef

Eli Rodriguez, Chef
12947 Western Avenue
Blue Island, Il 60406
(708) 293-1505

Pechuga de Pollo al Carbon
(Charbroiled Chicken Breast)
5 to 10 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
12 “Guajillo” dry peppers
¼ Spanish onion
1½ tomatoes, chopped
1½ garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. salt
½ Tbsp. chicken broth
Butterfly cut each chicken breast to about ¼ inch thickness.
Set aside.
Make marinade by boiling 12 “Guajillo” dry peppers without steam
for 10 minutes. Blend peppers with Spanish onion, chopped
tomatoes, garlic, salt and chicken broth.
Strain the mixture.
Place chicken breasts in a large container or large resealable bag.
Set aside a small container of the sauce for basting the chicken
when cooking. Cover the chicken with the remaining sauce.
Refrigerate for one hour.
Preheat the oven broiler. Lightly grease baking sheet. Arrange
chicken breasts on the baking pan and coat with the leftover
pepper mixture. Broil chicken on lower rack for 15-20 minutes
until juices run clear, turning occasionally and basting with
remaining pepper mixture.
Serve with garden salad.

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Eggman’s Restaurant

George Getios, Chef

George Gestios, Chef
12701 S. Pulaski Road
Alsip, Il 60803
(708) 239-8740

Eggplant and Chicken
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced in quarter-inch rounds
Flour
Light olive oil
Salt substitute, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Fresh garlic, well diced to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
1 tomato, sliced
3-4 chicken tender strips, lean and skinless
Lightly dust eggplant pieces with flour.
Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Lightly sauté
eggplant over slow heat until golden and crispy.
Pound chicken pieces to flatten.
Season chicken with salt substitute, pepper, garlic and oregano
to taste.
Sauté chicken strips in light olive oil or broil in an oven until
cooked through and juices run clear.
Serve eggplant and chicken together. Garnish with freshly sliced
tomatoes.

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Koda Bistro

Aaron Browning, Chef

Aaron Browning, Chef
10352 S. Western Avenue
Chicago, Il 60643
(Beverly-Morgan Park)
(773)-445-5632

Roasted Red and Golden Beet Salad
2 oz. red beets, cubed
2 oz. golden beets, cubed
Olive oil
1 Tbsp. blue cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp. walnuts, toasted
½ cup mache (can substitute mesclun salad mix)
Red Wine Shallot Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
Aged balsamic vinegar drizzle
Chopped chives
Red Wine Shallot Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. chopped shallots
Salt and pepper to taste
Beets should have no soft spots and should be brightly colored.
Coat beets with olive oil and wrap in foil. Cook in 350 degree
oven for approximately 1 hour or until a knife goes in cleanly.
Let beets cool, then peel and cube.
Make Red Wine Shallot Vinaigrette by combining all ingredients
and setting aside.
Toss mache with Red Wine Shallot Vinaigrette. Assemble beets,
blue cheese and walnuts atop mache. Garnish with aged
balsamic vinegar drizzle and chopped chives.