Winter Vegetable Lasagne Recipe - with Flora ProActiv

To celebrate National Heart Month and raise awareness of the UK's biggest killer - heart disease - HEART UK and Flora ProActiv have teamed up for a hard hitting campaign, to bring the effects of cholesterol on the arteries to life. Dressed in yellow, actors disrupted the London underground for a day, blocking the escalators to demonstrate how cholesterol can block our arteries.

With over half the population of England having high cholesterol, HEART UK- The Cholesterol Charity - has partnered up with Flora ProActiv on a campaign to get adults to check their cholesterol levels for National Heart Month. High cholesterol is a major risk to heart disease as it contributes to the narrowing of vital arteries which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. There are no obvious signs or symptoms for high cholesterol and HEART UK and Flora ProActiv hope to prompt people to get their levels checked.

For most people, there are simple and effective ways to take positive steps to lowering cholesterol which includes changes to diet and lifestyle. Eating healthier, including super cholesterol busting food like plant sterols, and getting more active helps lower cholesterol and most people will see an effect in as little as 3 weeks.

Flora ProActiv challenged me to try a recipe from their website using their Flora ProActiv buttery spread. I chose a warming and comforting Winter Vegetable Lasagne. Packed full of delicious roasted vegetables and a creamy sauce, it is a delicious vegetarian meal that the family will love.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, peeled, cut into wedges

2 parsnips, peeled

1 sweet potato, peeled

1 courgette

2 carrots, peeled

1 red pepper, finely diced

400 gram canned chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp oregano or thyme

6 sheets lasagne sheets

25 grams Flora pro.activ buttery spread

25 grams plain flour

350 ml skimmed milk

55 grams cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 tsp English mustard

Method

• Cut the parsnips, sweet potato, carrot and courgette into chunks and place in a roasting tin. Add the onions and pepper, drizzle with oil and roast in a preheated oven at 190˚C/180˚C Fan/Gas mark 5 for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked.
• When cooked, mix with the tomatoes, tomato purée, chilli powder and herbs.
• Meanwhile prepare the sauce by placing the Flora ProActiv Buttery spread and flour into a saucepan. Add the skimmed milk gradually, constantly stirring over a moderate heat. Bring to the boil.
• Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and thickened. Add half the cheese and the mustard.
• Assemble the lasagne by placing half the vegetables in an ovenproof dish, cover with three sheets of lasagne and top with half the sauce. Repeat layers ending with cheese sauce.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese and cook for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

The facts you need to know about Cholesterol:

• High cholesterol is invisible, it has no symptoms but is a major risk factor for heart disease.
• One in every two people in England have elevated cholesterol, it’s vital to get checked and keep your heart healthy.
• Do you know your number? Ask your GP or local pharmacist and get checked!!

Find out more about Flora ProActiv at: http://www.floraproactiv.co.uk/.

How to Lower Cholesterol and Maintain a Healthy Heart with Flora Pro.Activ

Cholesterol is a fatty substance naturally occurring in the body.  It is vital for cell function, but if its level in the blood gets too high, it can be a significant cause of heart disease.

There are two types of cholesterol present in our bodies LDL and HDL.  The LDL is considered 'bad' as it is responsible for narrowing blood vesselswhen it becomes deposited on the arterial walls.  HDL is the 'good' cholesterol that works to clear LDL from the bloodstream.  For this reason is important to get the right balance of both LDL and HDL to protect ourselves and keep a healthy heart.

There are many reasons why people may suffer from high cholesterol, but a common cause is from eating too much saturated fat in the diet.  Meat, dairy products, biscuits and pastries are very high in saturated fat. Having a diet that is too high in fatty foods, smoking, being overweight and having a sedentary lifestyle can all impact on the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream. However, these are all areas where we can work to improve our health and take positive steps towards reducing the cholesterol level in our blood.

It is very simple to have your cholesterol checked.  I recently had a health MOT, included in which was a simple blood test to check my cholesterol level.  At my age, it is important to pay extra attention to my health and take measures to keep me healthy.  Thankfully, my levels were normal, but that doesn't mean I am about to become complacent about the health of my heart.

The World Health Organisation estimates that some 80% of heart disease is preventable, which  means that with some small changes we can improve our heart health.  Here are some ideas that will help us towards having a healthier heart!

Exercise - walking, running, dancing, swimming or even playing with the kids counts.  Just up the amount of physical exercise you get everyday and reap the benefits.  Experts recommend five 30 minute sessions of moderate activity a week as a minimum.  But even doing things like taking the stairs, walking to the shops or doing some vigorous housework or gardening will make a difference.

Another way to lower cholesterol is by switching our usual spread to Flora Pro.Activ.  Three portions a day is clinically proven to reduce cholesterol.  Flora pro.activ contains plant sterols.  Plant sterols have been shown to lower blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease.  Consuming 1.5-2.4g of plant sterols per day can lower cholesterol by 7-10% in 2-3 weeks when consumed as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle with sufficient fruit and vegetables.

It comes in Light, Buttery and Olive flavours and can be used as a spread on sandwiches and toast or on vegetables and jacket potatoes. They all contain Omega 3 and 6 and have around 80% less saturated fat than butter. They work by reducing the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the gut, limiting the amount that enters the bloodstream and resulting in lower levels of LDL.

When used in conjunction with other steps, this can be an effective way to help reduce cholesterol and limit the negative effect of LDL in the body.

Eat a Healthy Diet -  Variety is the key to a healthy diet.  Enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables, wholegrains and pulses. Avoid consuming too many fatty, processed foods like crisps, biscuits, pies, ready meals, deep fried foods etc. Be sure to consume at least five portions of vegetables and fruits a day, switching fatty snacks for healthier options such as carrot sticks or an apple. A diet made up from good wholesome ingredients has many benefits.

Reduce Stress - Try to get enough sleep and set aside 10 minutes a day to sit and relax and do nothing! Meditate in these 10 minutes if you want to, or just attempt to forget all the worries you have and enjoy some uninterrupted me-time.  Try to create some coping mechanisms to limit the anxiety, pressure or stress caused by the demands of home and work.

Quit Smoking and Drinking Excessively - If you can, give up smoking.  We all know how harmful (and expensive) this habit is.  The NHS can offer advice.  Drink alcohol only in moderation and try not to exceed 2-3 units of alcohol in a day. You can still enjoy the odd glass of red wine!

By making these small changes we can take positive steps to improve our overall health as well as the health of our heart.  It's never too late to start making changes for the better!

For more advice about lowering cholesterol and to get a free starter kit featuring money off coupons, recipe ideas and a diet sheet visit  http://www.floraproactiv.co.uk


This post has been brought to you in conjunction with Flora Pro Activ but I retain full editorial control.