22 High Blood Pressure-Friendly Dinners to Make This Spring
Nearly half of adults in the U.S. are dealing with high blood pressure, but switching up your eating habits can help you keep it in check. These dinners contain ingredients rich in potassium, magnesium or calcium, which can help lower your blood pressure—plus, each serving is low in sodium and saturated fat for a heart-healthy meal. Recipes like our Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach and One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake are packed with fresh spring produce for a flavorful meal you'll want to make again and again.
1 of 22
Gochujang-Glazed Salmon with Garlic Spinach
Gochujang, a Korean red chile paste, and honey give this salmon a little bit of sweetness and a whole lot of spice.
1 of 22
2 of 22
Spiced Grilled Chicken with Cauliflower "Rice" Tabbouleh
Chicken breasts on the grill have a smoky flavor that's enhanced with an easy spice rub. We chose flat-leaf parsley in this salad because it has a stronger herbal taste than its sometimes-bitter curly counterpart.
2 of 22
3 of 22
Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Salmon with Potatoes & Peppers
Busy weeknights beg for something simple like this salmon sheet-pan dinner. Like the name suggests, it's all cooked on one pan. The potatoes get a head start, followed by sweet bell peppers and finally chili-coated salmon fillets. It's a complete meal with easy cleanup!
3 of 22
4 of 22
One-Pan Chicken & Asparagus Bake
In this chicken and asparagus recipe, we use one baking sheet to whip up dinner quickly, veggies included. Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly alongside the carrots and potatoes, with asparagus rounding out the meal. This is one quick dinner recipe you'll be returning to again and again.
4 of 22
5 of 22
Sweet Potato, Broccoli & Wild Rice Hash
Cooking this hash in cast iron ensures you'll get crusty bits, but any nonstick skillet will work fine. Serve with your favorite hot sauce.
5 of 22
6 of 22
Apricot-Glazed Chicken with Quinoa Pilaf
A bitter-tasting compound called saponin coats the outside of quinoa seeds, requiring a quick rinse to remove it. But check the package: some brands come pre-rinsed, saving you a step.
6 of 22
7 of 22
Orange-Mint Freekeh Salad with Lima Beans
This salad is loaded with colorful produce: fresh mint, snap peas, radishes and oranges. For pretty snap pea slices, cut them into long, thin strips.
7 of 22
8 of 22
White Bean Soup with Pasta
We use mirepoix—a combination of onion, celery and carrots—to flavor this soup. Keep a store-bought bag of the mixture in your freezer to ensure you always have some on hand without worrying about it going bad.
8 of 22
9 of 22
Salmon with Lemon-Herb Orzo & Broccoli
This healthy salmon dish is as balanced as it is delicious. You add broccoli right into the pot along with the pasta during its last minute of cooking to save time here. One less thing to wash too!
9 of 22
10 of 22
Apricot Glazed Chicken with Potatoes & Asparagus
Curry powder is a powerhouse ingredient because it combines a medley of flavorful spices—usually turmeric, fenugreek, coriander and peppers—all in one jar. Increase the heat in this dish by using a hot or red curry powder.
10 of 22
11 of 22
Braised Cabbage & Lima Beans over Toast
This simple homey dish is exactly what you need after a day of playing in the snow. Enjoy in front of a fire, with a hearty black lager alongside.
11 of 22
12 of 22
Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water--its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.
12 of 22
13 of 22
Charred Vegetable & Bean Tostadas with Lime Crema
Pile vegetables and black beans onto crisp tostadas and top them off with lime crema for a vegetarian dinner the whole family will love. Charring the vegetables under the broiler infuses them with smoky flavor while cooking them quickly.
13 of 22
14 of 22
Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara
Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.
14 of 22
15 of 22
One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach
Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.
15 of 22
16 of 22
Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.
16 of 22
17 of 22
Simple Grilled Salmon & Vegetables
Grilled salmon and veggies make for a colorful and balanced seafood dinner that's ready in just minutes. The grill turns the salmon flaky and moist while tenderizing the crispy pepper and onion pieces. Round out the meal with brown rice or quinoa.
17 of 22
18 of 22
Sweet & Savory Hummus Plate
Fresh veggies with dip, juicy fruit and even a sweet treat make up this easy-to-make picnic dinner that's great for packing up or enjoying at home. Plus, this combo excludes the most common allergens and food intolerances (it's free from dairy, eggs, soy, nuts and gluten) so just about everyone should be able to enjoy it without worrying.
18 of 22
19 of 22
Sheet-Pan Orange-Apricot Drumsticks
In this easy sheet-pan dinner, a sweet-and-savory glaze and a colorful medley of vegetables transform ordinary drumsticks into a satisfying meal.
19 of 22
20 of 22
Vegetable Weight-Loss Soup
A big bowl of this veggie-packed minestrone will leave you satisfied for hours without consuming a lot of calories, which is helpful when trying to lose weight. Plus, it's an easy way to boost your vegetable servings for the day—something all of us could benefit from. Top with a dollop of pesto before devouring this delicious vegetable soup and consider serving with a hunk of toasted whole-wheat bread to help round out the meal.
20 of 22
21 of 22
Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables depending on your mood.
21 of 22
22 of 22
Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas
In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables.