Heart-healthy recipes for Super Bowl Sunday
Chef Al Romano, a professor of culinary arts and hospitality management at Guilford Technical Community College is sharing his recipes with us.
First up, is a delicious healthy lasagna.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Servings: 8 large
12 no-boil lasagna noodles* (*chickpea)
1 medium zucchini
8 oz. mushrooms
5-6 oz. fresh baby spinach
Two 26 oz. jars marinara sauce (or at least 6 cups homemade)
1 pint ricotta
8 oz fresh mozzarella
Optional: fresh basil, dried basil, Italian seasonings
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Prepare the veggies:
Dice mushrooms and zucchini
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté mushrooms for 3 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
Add zucchini, and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add spinach, stirring often, until slightly wilted. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Layer the lasagna:
In a deep 9″ x 13″ casserole dish, spread 1.5 cups of marinara sauce on the bottom. Then add 4 noodles.
Add half of the ricotta in small dollops, then half of the veggies, then 1.5 cups marinara.
Place 4 more noodles, then the rest of the ricotta and veggies, and 1.5 cups of sauce. Finish with 4 noodles and top with 1.5 cups of marinara. Be sure the noodles are covered in sauce. Top with mozzarella.
Bake:
Cover the dish with tin foil. Place it in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
Then remove foil and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes:
Noodles: I use Chickapea brand oven-ready no-boil noodles that are gluten-free. If not using no-boil noodles, you will need to cook the noodles ahead of time according to package instructions, leaving al dente (slightly firm).
Marinara: You will need at least 6 cups of marinara sauce, or even more if you like it extra saucy.
Oil-free: Use the oil-free sauté method and a marinara sauce with no added oil.
Next up, is Chef Al Romano's four-ingredient protein cheesecake.
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
2 cups cottage cheese
5 oz Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon protein bake powder (e.g., Bethany's Pantry Protein Bake Powder)
Optional Add-ins:
Sweetener of choice
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a baking dish with parchment paper.
In a blender, combine cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, and protein bake powder. Blend until smooth.
Add optional sweetener, sea salt, vanilla extract, or lemon juice for enhanced flavor. Blend again if added.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set and slightly golden on top.
Let the cheesecake cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Notes:
Use a non-stick or springform pan for easy removal.
Adjust sweetness to taste with your preferred sweetener (e.g., stevia, monk fruit, or honey).
Add a light topping like fresh fruit or a dollop of Greek yogurt for extra flavor.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Think "minimally processed, whole foods", says Pillai. "You can very easily meet your protein requirements if you include a good quality source of protein at each meal, such as eggs or Greek yoghurt at breakfast, chicken or edamame beans at lunch, and then prawns or chickpeas at dinner. "If you are vegetarian or vegan, you may need to be more mindful to ensure your protein portions are large enough to meet requirements, as vegetarian protein sources are often slightly lower in total protein. There may be a place for higher protein products to help some people meet their needs, but often these products are ultra processed and there are healthier alternatives available." Yes, it can be. "If someone has existing kidney problems, or is at risk of kidney stones, excessive protein intake — especially from animal sources — can further damage the kidneys in those with pre-existing conditions," Pillai explains. "One sign is the digestive issues," says Pillai. 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"In some of these cases, I've seen raised kidney markers on blood tests, as well as symptoms like sluggish digestion, bloating, fatigue, or even skin issues; all of which can signal that protein is placing a strain on the system," Hamilton explains. "It's not always the protein itself that's the problem, but the body's ability to break it down and use it effectively. Without sufficient stomach acid, digestive enzymes, or co-factors like B6 and zinc, undigested protein can ferment in the gut, disrupt the microbiome and trigger immune reactivity or food sensitivities. It's also worth noting that excessive protein can displace other nutrients like fibre, complex carbs, and healthy fats, which play equally important roles in energy, hormone regulation and gut health. "It's not just about the number of grams, it's about the quality of your protein, how well you're absorbing it and how it fits into the bigger picture of your health." This article is not a substitute for medical advice. If you're at all worried about your health, especially if you have new symptoms, then book an appointment with your GP.
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Mental health clinics in violence-prone South Sudan are rare and endangered
MUNDRI, South Sudan -- Joy Falatiya said her husband kicked her and five children out of their home in March 2024 and that she fell apart after that. Homeless and penniless, the 35-year-old South Sudanese mother said she thought of ending her life. 'I wanted to take my children and jump in the river,' she said while cradling a baby outside a room with cracked mud walls where she now stays. But she's made a remarkable recovery months later, thanks to the support of well-wishers and a mental health clinic nearby where she's received counseling since April. She told The Associated Press that her suicidal thoughts are now gone after months of psycho-social therapy, even though she still struggles to feed her children and can't afford to keep them in school. The specialized clinic in her hometown of Mundri, in South Sudan' s Western Equatoria state, is a rare and endangered facility in a country desperate for more such services. Now that the program's funding from Italian and Greek sources is about to end and its future is unclear. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at Internationally, many governments and other organizations offer help and information on how to contact them is available online. ___ The clinic is in one of eight locations chosen for a project that aimed to provide mental health services for the first time to over 20,000 people across this East African country. Launched in late 2022, it proved a lifeline for patients like Falatiya in a country where mental health services are almost non-existent in the government-run health system. Implemented by a group of charities led by Amref Health Africa, the program has partnered with government health centers, Catholic parishes, local radio stations. Across South Sudan, there has been massive displacement of people in the civil war that began in 2013 when government troops loyal to President Salva Kiir fought those loyal to Vice President Riek Machar. The eruption of fighting was a major setback for the world's newest country, which became a major refugee-producing nation just over two years after independence from Sudan. Although a peace deal was reached in 2018, the resumption of hostilities since January led the U.N. to warn of a possible 'relapse into large scale conflict.' The violence persists even today, with Machar under house arrest and government forces continuing with a campaign to weaken his ability to wage war. And poverty — over 90% of the country's people live on less than $2.15 per day, according to the World Bank — is rampant in many areas, adding to the mental health pressures many people face, according to experts. In a country heavily dependent on charity to keep the health sector running, access to mental health services lags far behind. The country has the fourth-highest suicide rate in Africa and is ranked thirteenth globally, World Health Organization figures show. In South Sudan, suicide affects mostly the internally displaced, fueled by confinement and pressures related to poverty, idleness, armed conflict, and gender-based violence, according to the International Organization for Migration. 'Mental health issues are a huge obstacle to the development of South Sudan,' said Jacopo Rovarini, an official with Amref Health Africa. More than a third of those screened by the Amref project 'show signs of either psychological distress or mental health disorders,' he said. "So the burden for the individuals, their families and their communities is huge in this country, and it has gone quite unaddressed so far.' Last month, authorities in Juba raised an alarm after 12 cases of suicide were reported in just a week in the South Sudan capital. There were no more details on those cases. Dr. Atong Ayuel Longar, one of South Sudan's very few psychiatrists and the leader of the mental health department at the health ministry, said a pervasive sense of 'uncertainty is what affects the population the most" amid the constant threat of war. 'Because you can't plan for tomorrow," she said. 'Do we need to evacuate? People will be like, 'No, no, no, there's no war.' Yet you don't feel that sense of peace around you. Things are getting tough." In Mundri, the AP visited several mental health facilities in June and spoke to many patients, including women who have recently lost relatives in South Sudan's conflict. In 2015, the Mundri area was ravaged by fighting between opposition forces and government troops, leading to widespread displacement, looting and sexual violence. Ten years later, many have not recovered from this episode and fear similar fighting could resume there. 'There are many mad people in the villages," said Paul Monday, a local youth leader, using a common derogatory word for those who are mentally unwell. 'It's so common because we lost a lot of things during the war. We had to flee and our properties were looted.' 'In our community here, when you're mad you're abandoned,' Monday said. As one of the charities seeking to expand mental health services, the Catholic non-governmental organization Caritas organizes sessions of Self Help Plus, a group-based stress management course launched by WHO in 2021. Attended mostly by women, sessions offer simple exercises they can repeat at home to reduce stress. Longar, the psychiatrist, said she believes the community must be equipped with tools 'to heal and to help themselves by themselves, and break the cycle of trauma." But she worries about whether such support can be kept sustainable as funds continue to dwindle, reflecting the retreat by the United States from its once-generous foreign aid program. The project that may have helped save Falatiya's life, funded until November by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the Athens-based Stavros Niarchos Foundation, will come to an end without additional donor funding. Specialized mental health services provided at health centers such as the Mundri clinic may collapse. 'What happened to me in the past was very dangerous, but the thought of bad things can be removed,' Falatiya said, surveying a garden she cultivates outside her small home where a local man has allowed her to stay after taking pity on her. She said that she hopes the clinic will still be around if and when her 'bad thoughts' return. ___
