Dr. Dean Ornish Program For Reversing Heart Disease

Dr. Dean Ornish stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live to show off some recipes that will help reverse heart disease and help you lose some pounds on your diet!

Mediterranean Spinach Wrap

• 4 Spinach Tortillas
• 1 cup Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 4 tablespoons minced purple onion
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 cup crumbled fat free Feta Cheese
• 12 tablespoons Tzatziki sauce (recipe to follow)

On a tortilla, spread ¼ cup red pepper hummus, covering entire tortilla. Top with ½ cup shredded lettuce, 1 tablespoon minced purple onion, ¼ cup diced tomatoes, ¼ cup feta cheese, and 3 tablespoons Tzatziki sauce. Roll, secure with a toothpick. Chill until ready to serve.

Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

• 1 English Cucumber, grated (keep skin & seeds when grating, squeeze out excess liquid)
• 1 cup fat free plain Greek Yogurt
• ¼ cup fat free sour cream
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine ingredients in a bowl. May add more salt if needed. Refrigerate overnight to let flavors blend.

English cucumbers are usually sold wrapped in plastic, or marked as "unseeded". They actually do have very tiny seeds. If these are not available, use a regular cucumber, peeled and seeded.

Baked Artichoke Dip

• 1 can (15 ounces) artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained
• ½ package (8 ounces) fat free cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup grated fat-free parmesan cheese
• ½ cup fat free mayonnaise
• ½ cup fat free sour cream
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 – 3 drops red pepper sauce
• Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Place artichoke hearts, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and lemon juice in food processor and process until smooth. Stir in onion, garlic, and red pepper sauce. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper.

Spoon mixture into a small casserole or baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until lightly browned on the top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Serve with celery or carrot sticks, Melba toast, pretzels, whole wheat crackers or pitas.

Caramel Brownie Cake

• 1.5 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vinegar
• ½ teaspoon soda
• ¼ cup carob powder
• ¼ cup fat free mayonnaise
• 1 cup water
• 1/8 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup Ornish-friendly caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, soda, cocoa, and salt. Stir until well blended.

Add water, vinegar, vanilla, fat free mayonnaise, and corn syrup and mix with electric mixer until smooth. Spray 9" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour cake batter into a 9 x 9 baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Drop about 1 tablespoon of caramel topping in four or five different places on top of the cake batter. Take a table knife and place the knife blade in the center of each caramel drop and drag the caramel with the knife through the cake, making curves and swirls. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.