Healthy twists make these favourite foods better for your heart

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October is National Cholesterol Month, and to mark the occasion Flora ProActiv has created new recipes to help maintain a healthy cholesterol level, without losing out on taste.

Many suffer from raised cholesterol, but it can easily go undetected, and without symptoms. These recipes, which put a healthy twist on our favourite foods, make cholesterol management easy.

Each recipe includes a serving of Flora ProActiv, which contains added plant sterols, an active ingredient clinically proven to lower cholesterol*, and can be used to create cholesterol-conscious recipes that taste amazing.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 portions

Ingredients:

1 medium cooking apple (about 100g after preparing)

10g Flora 100% Natural Ingredients

1tbsp dark brown sugar

¼tsp cinnamon

1 large egg, beaten

60ml semi-skimmed milk

¼tsp vanilla extract

2 thick slices of bread

1tsp vegetable oil

20g Flora ProActiv Light

Method:

1. Firstly, peel the apple and cut into cubes.

2. Melt the Flora 100% Natural Ingredients in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the sugar and mix to dissolve it into the Flora. Add the apple to the pan and sprinkle over the cinnamon. Cook for about five minutes until the fruit starts to colour, stirring regularly.

3. Meanwhile prepare the mixture for the French toast. In a wide shallow bowl, mix the beaten egg, milk and vanilla extract.

4. Once the apple is ready, remove from the heat into a bowl.

5. Add the oil into the pan over a medium heat (no need to wash it first, all those lovely flavours will soak into the French toast!).

6. Place one slice of bread into the egg mixture for a few seconds and then turn it over to coat the other side. If the bread is fresh, it won’t need much dunking at all (just a few seconds), whereas older bread will take a bit longer.

7. Quickly transfer the coated bread into the frying pan. Repeat with the second slice.

8. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until the bread starts to brown.

9. Transfer to a plate and spread Flora ProActiv on top of the toast, then add the cooked fruit.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 portions

Ingredients:

1 part-baked baguette

60g sliced roast turkey

40g brie

1 medium tomato

30g rocket

40g roasted peppers

20g Flora ProActiv Light spread

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to heat the baguette in the oven.

2. While the bread is cooking, prepare your filling. Slice the tomatoes, wash the rocket, slice the brie thinly and cut the red peppers into small pieces.

3. Once the bread has finished cooking, cut the baguette in half, both lengthways and widthways to make two portions.

4. Spread the bread with the Flora ProActiv and place the brie slices on the warm bread so it starts to melt.

5. Next top with the sliced tomatoes, peppers, rocket, and turkey – dividing the ingredients equally between the two portions.

6. Grind some black pepper over your fillings and sandwich your baguette together.

7. Serve with a side salad.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings: 12 portions

Ingredients:

300ml chai tea (2 tea bags in 300ml hot water)

100g raisins

100g sultanas

50g cranberries

50g chopped apricots

Zest of one orange

150g light soft brown sugar

1tsp mixed spice

1 large egg, beaten

50ml semi-skimmed milk

250g self-raising flour

120g Flora ProActiv Light

Method:

1. Add your chai tea bags to hot water and leave to brew for 5 minutes.

2. Add the fruit to a mixing bowl along with the orange zest, and when the tea is brewed pour this over. Leave in the fridge overnight for the fruit to soak up the lovely tea flavours.

3. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas mark 3.

4. Add the sugar, mixed spice, egg and milk to the fruit mixture and stir together.

5. Add the flour and stir until all the ingredients are combined.

6. Spoon into a loaf tin and bake for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

7. Leave to cool slightly, then slice and serve with 10g Flora ProActiv per person for a portion of plant sterols with your afternoon treat.

For Flora ProActiv and recipes, search here.