The search is on for Utah’s healthiest and tastiest recipes for the first-ever “Heart-Healthiest 2010” contest. Beginning Monday, February 15, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program (HDSPP) and the American Heart Association (AHA) are asking Utahns to submit recipes that promote good nutrition and will help bring awareness of and prevent heart disease and strokes.

“You don’t have to sacrifice health or flavor for a good meal,” said Tania Charette, HDSPP Media Coordinator. “The contest is a fun way to encourage people to get excited about sharing their favorite healthful recipes, while promoting better quality of life for all Utahns.”

Recipes may be submitted on the Facebook page, Facebook.com/heart2010. “Rules and Guidelines” for the “Heart-Healthiest 2010” recipe contest are on the “Discussion” page. Throughout the contest, there will be “Heart-Healthy Recipe of the Week” selections. Weekly winners will get a Papa Murphy’s gift certificate for a free deLITE pizza.

The contest will culminate with five overall winners who will each receive a $50 gift card from Whole Foods, three Papa Murphy’s deLITE pizza coupons, and a copy of “Heart-Healthiest 2010,” a book of all the submitted recipes. Following the contest, one of the five overall winners will randomly be chosen to appear on a local television show and present their recipe during the show’s kitchen segment.

A “heart-healthy” meal consists of:

- Emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and other dairy products
- Including lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts
- Including little or no saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt or added sugars

The contest runs until the end of Stroke Awareness Month in May.

Other guidelines for healthful eating can be found at www.mypyramid.gov, www.fruitsandveggiesmorematter.org and www.nutrientrichfoods.org/recipes

For more information about HDSPP, visit www.hearthighway.org or call 1-866-88-STROKE.

For more information on AHA, visit www.americanheart.org

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