Have you ever made and canned homeade applesauce? My folks are in the "needing heart healthy" treats category and they both love applesauce. I make it in half pint jars so it is good for just one or two servings. I make varieties too, like cranberry applesauce and blueberry applesace, and even strawberry applesauce. You can find gazillions of recipes on the web, I just wing it. To can, just ladle into sterlized canning jars, leave a half inch of air space, top with sterilized canning lids, and then put in a boiling water bath with water covering the tops of the jars over an inch, and boil for ten minutes to create a seal. Let cool for ten minutes more and then take out of the bath. Applesauce is one of the easiest things to can, because even with or without sugar, it is safe to can in a boiling water bath because apples are an acid fruit. That said, I always add a pinch of orange juice or lemon juice to my applesauce, I like the flavor better that way. I use and swear by golden delicious for applesauce, but I also like Empire and Cortland. Any kind of apple can make good sauce, some are just better than others. I often go to the "Eating Well" web site for ideas of healthy holiday gifts. I linked it below. You could probably find some applesauce recipes on that site too! Here is a link that might be useful: Healthy Holiday Gifts Eating Well

I hope you're feeling better! I don't know if this book is still available, but "Live Longer and Better" is a good resource for not only recipes but also for making good lifestyle choices. It was put out by the editors of Consumer Guide. My copy is 1994, I don't know if it's been updated, but if not check used book resources- it should be cheap. The South Beach diet is good for you too, as long as you stick to mostly fish and veggie meals. Too much cholesterol from meats, even lean meats, will not help your heart. I also have "Protein Power" by Eades and Eades which has many good recipes. It also has information about how your diet affects your health. The only other thing I would suggest is to ask your doctor about an exercise program if you don't already exercise regularly. Happy healing!

Have you tried the EnerG products? They are at health food stores and some grocery stores carry them. There is a product called EnerG Baking Soda (no salt), EnerG egg Replacer (no fat, cholesterol and 5 mg. sodium). I also use Fetherweight baking powder (no salt). My Dad is on a low salt diet (500 mg./day) because he has heart and kidney failure. His problems were started from diabetes. The Dr. told him to make his own bread. Some sandwich buns have almost 500 mg. of sodium. You cannot buy any prepackaged foods, everything must be homemade.

SAUCY TOMATO CHICKEN Heart Healthy Cooking  2002 Serves: 4 6 oz. uncooked yolk-free egg noodles 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes with onions, celery and green bell pepper 1 tsp. dried oregano 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 boneless chicken breasts (4 oz., each), rinsed and patted dry 2 tsps. Extra virgin olive oil Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and oil. In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, add tomatoes, oregano and garlic. Boil 5 minutes stirring constantly, or until liquid has evaporated and mixture becomes slightly darker in color as it caramelizes. Mixture will be thick. Transfer to a small bowl; cover with plastic wrap to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add chicken, flat side down and cook 6 minutes. Turn; reduce heat to medium-low. Spoon sauce into skillet between chicken. Cover and cook 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove skillet from heat. Place drained noodles on serving platter, and top with chicken. Add olive oil to sauce in skillet; stir well to blend. Spoon equals amounts of tomato mixture over each piece of chicken NOTE: It is important to reduce tomato mixture over high heat to allow sugars in the stewed tomatoes to lightly caramelize. This gives the tomatoes a deep concentrated flavor and a rustic red color. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Nutritional Analysis: 330 calories (11% from fat)Â4 gm fat (1 gm saturated)Â34 gm proteinÂ65 mg cholesterolÂ39 gm carbohydrateÂ380 mg sodiumÂ3 gm fiber